FSSAI Standards for Ginger (Sonth, Adrak)

Ginger is widely used as a spice and flavouring agent in food and beverages industry throughout the world. Now a days, ginger is taken as a ginger tea for relaxation. Research shows ginger reduces upset stomach, nausea. Ginger is used as a dietary supplement for nausea and motion sickness. It has a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action. The apex regulator FSSAI, in order to improve the quality standards of spices, came out with a gazette regulations for spices and other condiments and further amendments and notified them for implementation. It is done through the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2018.  It will be operational from 1^st July, 2019. According to FSSAI these standards follow CODEX for better and efficient business and trade practices as well as to effectively regulate specified food commodities for their quality and safety.

In the new gazette regulations released on November 27, 2018, following are the new standards for ginger after amendment:

Ginger (Sonth, Adrak) will now be called as “Dried Ginger (Sonth, Dried Adrak)”.

 

1. Ginger (Sonth, Adrak) whole means the dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe in pieces irregular in shape and size, pale brown in colour with peel not entirely removed and washed and dried in sun. It may be bleached with lime. It shall have characteristic taste and flavour free from musty odour or rancid or bitter taste. It shall be free from mould, living and dead insects, insect fragments, and rodent contamination. The product shall be free from added colouring matter.

It shall conform to the following standards:

(i) Extraneous matter- Not more than 1.0 percent by weight

(ii) Moisture- Not more than 12.0 percent by weight

(iii) Total ash on dry basis

(a) Unbleached- Not more than 8.0 percent by weight

(b) Bleached- Not more than 12.0 percent by weight

(iv) Calcium as Calcium oxide on dry basis

(a) Unbleached- Not more than 1.1 percent by weight

(b) Bleached- Not more than 2.5 percent by weight

(v) Volatile oil content on dry basis- Not less than 1.5 percent by v/w

(vi) Insect damaged matter- Not more than 1.0 percent by weight

2. 2. Ginger (Sonth, Adrak) Powder means the powder obtained by grinding rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe. It shall have characteristic taste and flavour free from musty odour or rancid or bitter taste. It shall be free from mould, living and dead insects, insect fragments, and rodent contamination. The powder shall be free from added colouring matter.

It shall conform to the following standards:

(i) Moisture- Not more than 12.0 percent by weight

(ii) Total ash on dry basis

(a) Unbleached- Not more than 8.0 percent by weight

(b) Bleached- Not more than 12.0 percent by weight

(iii) Calcium as Calcium oxide on dry basis

(a) Unbleached- Not more than 1.1 percent by weight

(b) Bleached- Not more than 2.5 percent by weight

(iv) Volatile oil content on dry basis- Not less than 1 percent

(v) Water soluble ash on dry basis- Not less than 1.7 percent by weight

(vi) Acid insoluble ash on dry basis- Not more than 1.0 percent by weight

(vii) Alcohol (90% v/w) soluble extract on dry basis- Not less than 5.1 percent by weight

(viii) Cold water soluble extract on dry basis- Not less than 10.9 percent

References:

1. Gazette_Notification_DatePasta_27_11_2018.pdf.Available at: https://www.fssai.gov.in/dam/jcr:2a56248b-b284-4f0d-b6c6-f2df0ff383ba/Gazette_Notification_DatePasta_27_11_2018.pdf. Accessed on: 08.05.2019.