FSSAI Standards for Basmati Rice - PIB - 13/01/23

Context:
For the first time in India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has specified the identity standards for Basmati Rice which will be enforced with effect from 01 August 2023.
Relevance:
GS3
About:
->Characteristics of Basmati Rice:
-Basmati has its origin from India (and some parts of Pakistan); it is a premium variety of rice cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of the Indian subcontinent.
-It is cultivated in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, UT of Jammu and Kashmir and western Uttar Pradesh.
-Basmati is widely consumed both domestically and globally and India accounts for 2/3rd of its global supply.

->Standards for Basmati Rice:
-The standards have been notified under Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) First Amendment Regulations, 2023. They are aimed at establishing fair practices in the trade of Basmati rice and protecting consumer interest, both domestically and globally.

->Standards:
-Basmati rice shall possess the natural fragrance characteristic of basmati rice
-It should be free from artificial colouring, polishing agents and artificial fragrances.
-Further, these standards also specify the average size of Basmati grains and their elongation ratio after cooking; maximum limits of moisture, amylose content, uric acid, defective/damaged grains and incidental presence of other non-basmati rice etc.

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