29 food business operators found non-compliant with labelling provision of coffee-chicory mixtures: FSSAI

Food regulator FSSAI on Friday said that 29 food business operators have been found non-compliant with the labelling provisions of coffee-chicory mixtures.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in a statement that it has recently examined the labels of various FBOs (Food Business Operators), including large and mid-sized manufacturers of coffee-chicory mixtures, for necessary compliances with the related regulatory provisions.

''It has been found that out of 42 active centrally-licensed coffee-chicory manufactures, 13 were found compliant and 29 FBOs were non-compliant with the existing labelling provisions of coffee-chicory mixtures,'' FSSAI said.

The FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, clearly specifies standards for coffee and coffee-chicory mixtures separately.

Every package containing a mixture of coffee and chicory shall declare on its label the percentage of coffee and chicory.

FSSAI said it has taken up the matter with FBOs, and they are working to improve their labelling requirements as per the regulatory provisions.

FSSAI has also directed the state food safety departments to ensure compliance of regulatory provisions related to coffee and coffee-chicory mixtures. It also asked states to take timely action against the violaters.