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For the first time in the country, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has specified identity standards for basmati rice (including brown basmati, milled basmati, parboiled brown basmati, and milled parboiled basmati)

The standards, vide Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) First Amendment Regulations, 2023 and notified in the Gazette of India, are aimed at establishing fair practices in the trade of basmati rice and protect consumer interest, both domestically and globally. These standards will be enforced from August 1.

As per these standards, basmati rice shall possess natural fragrance characteristic of basmati rice and be free from artificial colouring, polishing agents, and artificial fragrances. These standards also specify various identity and quality parameters for basmati rice such as average size of grains and their elongation ratio after cooking, maximum limits of moisture, amylose content, uric acid, defective or damaged grains and incidental presence of other non-basmati rice etc.

Being a premium quality rice and fetching a price higher than the non-basmati varieties, basmati rice is prone to various types of adulteration for economic gains which may include, among others, undeclared blending of other non-basmati varieties of rice. Therefore, to ensure supply of standardised genuine basmati rice in domestic and export markets, FSSAI has notified regulatory standards for basmati rice that have been framed through extensive consultations with the government departments/agencies concerned and other stakeholders as well.

Basmati rice is a premium variety of rice cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of the Indian subcontinent and is universally known for its long grain size, fluffy texture and unique inherent aroma and flavour.