Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954 with rules and regulations amended from time to time has been repealed and Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 with rules and regulations has come into force from 5th August, 2011.
STANDARDS FOR WHEAT AND RICE UNDER FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS ACT/REGULATIONS (Formerly PFA):
Food grains meant for human consumption shall be whole and broken kernels of cereals, millets and pulses. In addition to the under mentioned standards to which food grains shall conform, they shall be free from Argemone mexicana and Khesari in any form.
They shall be free from added coloring matter. The food grains shall not contain any insecticide residues more than limits prescribed under the rules & regulations of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
Wheat: Wheat shall be the dried mature grains of Triticum aestivum Linn Or Triticum Vulgare Vill. Triticum durum Desf. Triticum sphaerococcum Perc. Triticum dicoccum Schubl, Triticum compactum Host. It shall be sweet, clean and wholesome. It shall also conform
to the following standards namely:-
(i) |
Moisture |
Not more than 14 percent by weight (obtained by heating the pulverized grains at 130 degree C – 133 degree C for two hours) |
(ii) |
Foreign matter
(Extraneous matter) |
Not more than 1 percent by weight of which not more than 0.25% by weight shall be mineral matter and not more than 0.10 per cent by weight shall be impurities of animal origin. |
(iii) |
Other edible grains |
Not more than 6 per cent by weight. |
(iv) |
Damaged grains |
Not more than 6.0 per cent by weight including Karnal bunt affected grains and ergot affected grains shall not exceed 3.0 per cent and 0.05 per cent by weight respectively. |
(v) |
Weevilled Grains |
Not more than 10 per cent by count. |
(vi) |
Uric Acid |
Not more than 100 mg. Per kg. |
(vii) |
Aflatoxin |
Not more than 30 micrograms per kg. |
(viii) |
Deoxynivalenol (DON) |
Not more than 1000 micrograms per kg. |
Provided that the total of foreign matter, other edible grains and damaged grains shall not exceed 12 per cent by weight.
Rice
Rice shall be the mature kernels or pieces of kernels of Oryza sativa Linn. obtained from paddy as raw or parboiled. It shall be dry, sweet, clean wholesome and free from unwholesome poisonous substance. It shall also conform to the following standards namely:
- Moisture - Not more than 16.0 per cent by weight (obtained by heating the pulverized grains at 130 degree C – 133 degree C for two hours).
- Foreign matter - Not more than 1 per cent by weight of which not more (Extraneous matter) than 0.25 per cent by weight shall be mineral matter and not more than 0.10 cent by weight shall be impurities of animal origin.
- Damaged grains - Not more than 5 per cent by weight
- Weevilled grains - Not more than 10 per cent by count.
- Uric Acid - Not more than 100 mg. Per kg.
- Aflatoxin - Not more than 30 micrograms per kilogram.
Provided that the total of foreign matter, other edible grains and damaged grains shall not exceed 6 per cent by weight.