Mixed edible oils beneficial: FSSAI – Gudstory

Instead, the food regulator said in a much-awaited report that the mixture is beneficial to health and improves the properties of the edible oil.

FSSAI said there is not enough data to support the idea that banning blended sunflower oil will increase domestic production of sunflower oil. Moreover, blended edible oil is more economical.

An inter-ministerial committee was constituted last year under the chairmanship of Special Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to review the blending of edible oils in general and sunflower oil in particular.

This came after the government, through a field survey, found that mustard oilseed area had increased following the FSSAI ban on blending of mustard oil for production of multi-source edible vegetable oil (MSEVO) in June 2021. the committee member said on request of anonymity.

In 2021-22, India is estimated to produce mustard at a record high 11.9 million tonnes (mt) in the Rabi, or winter crop season, compared to 10.2 million tonnes last year, according to the agriculture ministry.

FSSAI banned mixing of mustard oil with any oil from 8 June 2021 to benefit farmers, provide healthy oil for human consumption and reduce India’s dependence on edible oil imports by increasing production.

“After the good condition of mustard farmers and increase in mustard seed area and subsequent production, the government thought of using it for other oilseed crops. India imports edible oil in large quantities. They thought that if they improved the production of other oilseed crops, edible oil imports could be reduced, and that is why they started the program for sunflower oil,” the committee member explained.

India imports about 25 million tonnes of edible oil, which is about 60% of its total annual domestic consumption. The country mainly imports 8 million tonnes of palm oil, 2.7 million tonnes of soybean oil and 2 million tonnes of sunflower oil.

India produces sunflower seeds and sunflower oil in negligible quantities compared to its consumption.

According to the agriculture ministry’s third advance estimate, India produced 204,000 tonnes of sunflower seeds in 2022-23, compared to 111,000 tonnes last year.

Domestic consumption of sunflower oil is 2.5 million tonnes. The acute supply shortage is met through imports from countries like Ukraine, Russia and Argentina.

As per current FSSAI regulations, mixing of two edible oils is permitted provided the weight ratio of any edible vegetable oil used is at least 20%. Companies are obliged to disclose the mixing ratio on the bottle label.

“The inter-ministerial committee came up with the report, which has not yet been made public, and presented its recommendations to the government. Now it will be reviewed by the government and a decision will be taken,” the committee member said.

Queries sent to FSSAI, Ministry of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare remained unanswered till press time.

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Updated: October 18, 2023, 12:10am IST