The Food Safety and Standards of India (FSSAI) released a compendium on millet standards on Saturday at the Global Millet (Sri Anna) Conference. Recently, the food safety authority notified for the first time a comprehensive set of group standards for 15 millet varieties as well as for millet products. These norms will come into effect from September.

This includes standards for pearl millet flour, jowar flour, ragi flour and mixed millet flour.

In his address at the Global Millet Conference, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Minister for Health and Family Welfare said, “One way to promote millets in a scientific way in the country is to set regulatory standards. FSSAI has for the first time set a comprehensive group of standards for all 15 varieties of millets that we produce in our country. This will ensure the quality of millet and millet products in the country.”

M Angamuthu, APEDA Chairman, said: “This will help us in getting better value realisation and brand building.”

FSSAI officials said since there are many millets that are native to India, standards for them have been set for the first time. “Africa has standards for some millets, while Codex has standards only for sorghum and bajra. So many millets are native crops of India. For instance, ragi does not have standards in the US. India has for the first time published a comprehensive group of standards for millets,” a senior official at FSSAI said.

The compendium also explains the general benefits of millets, how much one can consume per day, and how to include them in our diets, among other information.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW