India

Chocolate to fall under FSSAI standards from 2018

By RJ Whitehead

- Last updated on GMT

© iStock
© iStock

Related tags Chocolate India Milk

Chocolate manufacturers will have to fall in line with the constraints of food safety and standards regulations after India’s health ministry placed all types of chocolate under the regulator’s purview.

The regulations, which come into effect on January 1, 2018, set the percentage of cocoa and sugar allowed in various kinds of chocolates. They also lay down the minimum percentage of cocoa solids, milk fat, milk solids and acid insoluble ash in different varieties of chocolates.

Dark chocolate will be required to contain no less than 35% cocoa solids, including not less than 18% cocoa butter and 14% fat-free cocoa solids.

Pralines should be a single mouthful in size and have not less than 25% chocolate component in terms of weight.

Edible salts, spices and condiments, and vitamins and minerals will be among permitted ancillary ingredients, as are emulsifying and stabilising agents, and sequestering and buffering agents.

Manufacturers will be required to specify on labels the presence of vegetable fat in addition to cocoa butter. All varieties are required to have contain chocolate at at least 25% of total weight.

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