The FSSAI is going ahead with drafting the regulations related to the standards of packaged drinking water (other than mineral water) until the final notification is done. The regulations were related to the values of total dissolved solids, calcium, and magnesium.
This was decided upon request from the stakeholders seeking time for the transition to new regulations.
According to the draft representations from stakeholders, they are expected to seek transition time for implementation of the direction, and after due consideration, the authority has decided to extend the date of implementation for the above direction by July 1, 2023, or until final notification of the same draft regulations, whichever is earlier.
Formerly, the FSSAI had issued a direction in May 2022 wherein the date for implementation was set for January 1, 2023, and stated that “no further extension beyond January 1, 2023 shall be provided.”
In May 2022, the FSSAI published the FSS (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Amendment Regulations with respect to the value of total dissolved solids, calcium, and magnesium based on the recommendation of the scientific committee. And as the process of approval by the food authority was on, and to allow the food businesses to formulate packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), FSSAI stated that it was decided to operationalize the provisions of the amended draft with immediate effect.The draft proposed that under sub-regulation 2.10.8 of the FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, the permissible limits shall be substituted as total dissolved solids mg/l—75 to 500, calcium as Ca, mg/l—10 to 75, and magnesium as Mg, mg/l—5 to 30.