Ignoring health hazards that the contaminated tea has been causing to the consumers for years, the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has relaxed the deadline for adherence to limit iron filling to 150 mg per one kg in tea to May next year following pressure from the tea lobby.
It also contended that since the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) is yet to complete the study on the harmful impact of iron fillings in tea it has decided to give more time to the tea manufacturers.
Depending on the outcome of the NIN study, the FSSAI may increase or decrease the upper limit for iron fillings in tea.
However, last year on 23 November, the country’s premier body that sets food safety levels had made it clear that the fixed 150 mg per one kg as a limit will come into force after a gap of one year or the NIN study whichever was earlier. It had admitted that zero presence of iron fillings was not possible in tea.
One year time was given to the tea lobby to gear up with the new standards.
Due to wear and tear in the machinery, iron fillings enter tea dust. However, the FSSAI noted that the problem was noticed even in the new machinery. While many developed countries have fixed the maximum level of 120 mg/kg for iron fillings in tea, the Indian limit is slightly higher. The limit is as high as 500 mg per kg in poor countries, while neighbouring Sri Lanka allows up to 200 mg of iron fillings per kg.
According to health experts, “Iron does not easily go out of the body but accumulates and when the concentration of iron reaches a particular level, the body begins to react. Though iron is good for health, excess intake may lead to health complications ranging from loose motion to stomach ache, while severe health issues include cancers and cardiac problems. Men require just 8 mg of iron per day. It is 18 mg in case of women.
In the absence of standards so far, tea manufacturers do not mention on the packs the extent of contamination by iron fillings.
However, the FSSAI reluctance to be tough to implement the fixed standards, norms does not augur well with the consumers’ legal rights as well in the absence of any maximum permissible limit.
It also contended that since the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) is yet to complete the study on the harmful impact of iron fillings in tea it has decided to give more time to the tea manufacturers.
Depending on the outcome of the NIN study, the FSSAI may increase or decrease the upper limit for iron fillings in tea.
However, last year on 23 November, the country’s premier body that sets food safety levels had made it clear that the fixed 150 mg per one kg as a limit will come into force after a gap of one year or the NIN study whichever was earlier. It had admitted that zero presence of iron fillings was not possible in tea.
One year time was given to the tea lobby to gear up with the new standards.
Due to wear and tear in the machinery, iron fillings enter tea dust. However, the FSSAI noted that the problem was noticed even in the new machinery. While many developed countries have fixed the maximum level of 120 mg/kg for iron fillings in tea, the Indian limit is slightly higher. The limit is as high as 500 mg per kg in poor countries, while neighbouring Sri Lanka allows up to 200 mg of iron fillings per kg.
According to health experts, “Iron does not easily go out of the body but accumulates and when the concentration of iron reaches a particular level, the body begins to react. Though iron is good for health, excess intake may lead to health complications ranging from loose motion to stomach ache, while severe health issues include cancers and cardiac problems. Men require just 8 mg of iron per day. It is 18 mg in case of women.
In the absence of standards so far, tea manufacturers do not mention on the packs the extent of contamination by iron fillings.
However, the FSSAI reluctance to be tough to implement the fixed standards, norms does not augur well with the consumers’ legal rights as well in the absence of any maximum permissible limit.
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