The Indian Agriculture Ministry has issued a notification making it mandatory for edible oil producers to specify the blend percentage in edible oil, especially if they are multi-source. According to the latest notification of the Agriculture Ministry, these new rules will apply only in case of multi-source edible oils processed by blending any permitted edible vegetable oils.

The gazette notification issued July 5, says “these rules may be called the Multi-Source Edible Oils Grading and Marking Rules, 2023.” The previous “Blended Edible Vegetable Oils (Grading and Marking) Rules, 1991” has been superseded by these new rules, it said. The new rules have been notified under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, it said.

Providing guidelines on blended edible oils, it said companies must write prominently on the label, after the brand name, that it is a “Multi-Source Edible Oil”. The next line should describe the blending volume, clearly mentioning the names and volume of the edible oils and whether they are in raw or refined form.

Treated as agri produce

“While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has prescribed standards, the Agriculture Ministry under “Agmark” has also guidelines on agriculture produce, which are mostly voluntary. But there are certain products like edible oils where the rules under the Grading and Marking law are compulsory,” said a senior official.

He said “edible oil” under these rules is treated as agri produce, which many industry stakeholders disagree with. “This is unwanted at this moment when FSSAI has just draft notified the removal of Agmark certification for MSVO,” said an executive director of an edible oil industry association. However, he said until this FSSAI draft notification becomes effective, Agmark has to amend its standards in line with current FSSAI standards and should not come up with anything new.

Other specifications

For pack size of less than one litre, the font size of the label declaration ― Multi-Source Edible Oil, shall not be less than three millimetres with the length of the declaration statement as thirty-five millimetres minimum, and for label declaration, font size shall not be less than two millimetres, it prescribed

For pack size between 1-5 litre, the font size of the label declaration ―Multi-Source Edible Oil shall not be less than four millimetres with the length of the declaration statement as 45-millimetre minimum. The font size shall not be less than 2.5 millimetres for label declaration.

Officials said while FSSAI regulates foods sold in the market, Agmark has provided training to the specific staff of the company to ensure these rules are followed during manufacturing. He said under these rules, at least 20 per cent of each oil should be there when two types of edible oils are blended.

Asked if it is not defeating the quality as it debars someone to make a soyabean oil with less than 20 per cent blending of another oil, the official said there is no point if someone wants to blend less than 20 per cent; rather the processor should make one pure 100 per cent oil of only single variety.

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