Food Science, Technology and Product Standards
Standards and composition
Food-product standards sit mainly in the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, read with the food-category system. A standard may fix composition (milk fat, SNF, moisture, protein), permitted ingredients, additives and their maximum levels, contaminants and microbiological criteria. Additives are permitted only for listed food categories, usually by INS number and maximum level or GMP. A technically useful additive is still illegal if the category or level is not permitted.
Science behind the standard
Preservation relies on hurdles: low water activity, pH, redox potential, temperature, competitive flora and preservatives. Thermal process design uses D-value (time for a 10-fold reduction at a given temperature), z-value (temperature change for a 10-fold D change) and F0 (equivalent minutes at 121.1°C). Cold chain, HACCP, GMP and hygienic design control the remaining risk. Labelling under the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 requires name, ingredients, nutritional information, veg/non-veg mark, FSSAI logo and licence number, net quantity, batch, date marking, allergen and storage declarations.
Worked example
A frozen dessert is made with edible vegetable fat but sold as ice cream. Ice cream must have milk fat not less than 10% and milk solids not less than 36%; a product in which vegetable fat replaces milk fat belongs to the frozen dessert category and must be named accordingly. The label ice cream is therefore a misbranding issue; if the composition also fails the ice-cream standard, a substandard-food charge can follow. The reasoning is: identify the category, compare the fat source and composition, then match the label to the category.
Traps
Best before is a quality date, not automatic proof of unsafe food. Do not use an additive outside its category. Do not make a fortification claim without the permitted premix and +F logo. Do not call a diluted product juice when the standard requires a different name.