Benefits of blended edible oil: FSSAI

 Benefits of blended edible oil: FSSAI

According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), there is no scientific basis for prohibiting the mixing of edible oils, especially sunflower oil, since there is no risk to one's health or food safety while doing so.

Instead, the food authority said in an eagerly anticipated study that blending enhances the qualities of edible oil and is healthy

The FSSAI also said that there is no evidence to prove that prohibiting blended sunflower oil would boost local production of sunflower oil. It further claimed that mixed edible oil is more cheap.

To examine the mixing of edible oils in general and sunflower oil in particular, an inter-ministerial group headed by the special secretary in the health and family welfare ministry was established last year.

This was done "after the government found through a field survey that that there had been an increase in mustard oilseed area offer the FSSAI's restrictions on the mixing of mustard oil for production of multi-sourced vegetable oil products (MSEVOs) with effect in June 2021," an official with the committee who wished to remain anonymous said.

According to the agricultural ministry, India is expected to have generated a record-high 11.9 million tonnes (mt) of mustard seeds during the rabi, or winter, crop season in 2021–22 as opposed to 10.2 mt the year before.

In order to help farmers, supply wholesome oil for human use, and reduce India's dependency on edible oil imports by boosting production, the FSSAI prohibited the mixing of mustard oil with any oil as of 8 June 2021.

"The government intended to employ it for other oilseed crops after the good health of mustard farmers, a rise in mustard seed area, and subsequently output. Food oil is widely imported into India. They believed that by increasing the output of other oilseed crops, they might decrease the amount of edible oil imported, and for this reason they started the initiative for sunflower oil, the committee member said.

Around 25 mt of edible oil are imported annually by India, or around 60% of the entire domestic use. 8 mt of palm oil, 2.7 mt of soybean oil, and 2 mt of sunflower oil are the main imports for the nation.

In comparison to its use, India generates a little quantity of sunflower oil and seeds.

According to the third advance estimate from the agricultural ministry, India produced 204,000 tonnes of sunflower seed in 2022–2023 as opposed to 111,000 tonnes the year before.

Sunflower oil is used domestically in 2.5 mt. Imports from nations like Argentina, Ukraine, and Russia help close the enormous supply deficit.

The present FSSAI standards allow for the mixing of two edible oils as long as the weight percentage of any utilized edible vegetable oil is at least 20%. Businesses are required to indicate the blending ratio on the bottle label.

The interministerial committee produced a report that has not yet been made public and gave its recommendations to the government. The government will now evaluate it before making a decision, the committee member added.

At the time of publication, inquiries submitted to the FSSAI, the agricultural ministry, the ministries of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, and health and family welfare had not received a response.