FSSAI Standards For Mustard

India is the second largest mustard growing country in the world after China. The name ‘mustard’, is derived from the Latin word mustum, or must. Followed by groundnut, mustard is an important source of edible vegetable oil. The cultivation of mustard is mainly done in northern India because of late maturity and shattering of pots owing to high temperature prevailing during harvest in the months of February – March. As per FSSR mustard can be divided into:

1. Mustard (Rai, Sarson) whole
2. Mustard (Rai, Sarson) powder

Mustard whole: – The dried, clean and mature seeds from the plant such as Brassica alba. (L). Boiss (Safed rai), Brassica compestris L.var, dichotoma (Kali Sarson), Brassica Compestris, L. Var, yellow Sarson, Syn, Brassica compestris L, var glauca (Pili Sarson), Brassica, compestris L. Var. toria (Toria), Barassicajuncea, (L). Coss et Czern (Rai, Lotni) and Brassica nigra (L); Koch (Benarasi rai). Every food business operator must comply with the parameters as mentioned below: –

S.No.	Parameters	Standards
1.	Extraneous matter	Not more than 2.0 % by weight
2.	Damaged or shriveled seeds	Not more than 2.0% by weight
3.	Moisture	Not more than 10.0 percent by weight
4.	Total ash on a dry basis	Not more than 6.5 percent by weight
5.	Ash insoluble in dilute HCl on a dry basis	Not more than 1.0 percent by weight
6.	Non-Volatile ether extract on a dry basis	Not less than 28% by weight
7.	Volatile oil content on a dry basis	Not less than 0.3 percent by v/w
8.	Insect damaged Matter	No more than 1.0% by weight
9.	Allyl isothiocyanate (m/m) on a dry basis a)      B nigra	Not less than 1.0 percent by Weight
	b)      B Juncea	Not less than 0.7 percent by Weight
10.	P-hydroxybenzyl iso- thiocyanate (m/m) on dry basis in sinapist alba	Not less than 2.3 percent by Weight
11.	Argemone seeds	Absent

2. Mustard powder- Powder can be obtained by grinding dried, clean mature seeds of one or more of the plants of Brassica alba. (L). Boiss (Safed rai), Brassica compestris L. var, dischotoma (Kali Sarson), Brassica Compestris, L. Var, (yellow Sarson), Syn, Brassica compestris L, var glauca (Pili Sarson), Brassica, compestris L. Var. toria (Toria), Barassicajuncea, (L). Coss et Czern (Rai, Lotni) and Brassica nigra (L); Koch (Benarasirai) without the addition of any other matter. Mustard Powder has characteristic pungent aromatic flavour free from rancidity and mustiness. The standard parameters for the same are as mentioned below:-

 

S.No.	Parameters	Standards
1.	Moisture	Not more than 7.0 percent by weight
2.	Total ash on a dry basis	Not more than 6.5 percent by weight
3.	Ash insoluble in dilute HCl on a dry basis	Not more than 1.0 percent by weight
4.	Non-Volatile ether extract on dry basis	Not less than 28.0 percent by weight
5.	Crude Fibre	Not more than 8.0 percent by weight
6.	Starch	Not more than 2.5 percent by weight
7.	Test for argemone oil	Negative

Both powder and whole mustard shall be free from mould, living and dead insects, insect fragments, and rodent contamination. The powder shall be free from Argemone maxicana L. and added colouring matter. 

References: – 

1. Madhusoodan KJ et al. Mustard Cultivation Practices.2004.pdf.Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308595972_MUSTARD_-_CULTIVATION_PRACTICES.Accessible on 05.06.2019

2.Compendium_Food_Additives_Regulations_29_03_2019.pdf. Available at:https://foodregulatory.fssai.gov.in/All%20Docs/Food%20Standards/compendium/Compendium_Food_Additives_Regulations.pdf.Accessible on 05.06.2019.