Multi-Source Edible Oils Grading And Marking Rules, 2023

[05th July 2023]

Whereas, the draft of the Multi-Source Edible Oils Grading and Marking Rules, 2023 were published vide notification number G.S.R. 132(E), dated the 24th February, 2023, in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, sub-Section (i), dated the 24th February, 2023, inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby within forty-five days from the date on which copies of the Gazette of India containing the said notification were made available to the public;

And, whereas, copies of the said Gazette were made available to the public on the 24th February, 2023;

And, whereas, the objections and suggestions received from the public in respect of the said draft rules within the specified period have been considered by the Central Government;

Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937 (1 of 1937), and in supersession of the Blended Edible Vegetable Oils (Grading and Marking) Rules, 1991, except in respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely:-

Rule - 1. Short title and commencement

(1)     These rules may be called the Multi-Source Edible Oils Grading and Marking Rules, 2023.

(2)     They shall come into force on the date of their final publication in the Official Gazette.

Rule - 2. Application

They shall apply to Multi-Source Edible Oils prepared by blending of any two permitted edible vegetable oils.

Rule - 3. Definitions

(1)     In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a)      "Act" means the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937 (1 of 1937);

(b)      "Agricultural Marketing Adviser" means the Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the Government of India;

(c)      "authorised packer" means a person or a body of persons who has been granted a certificate of authorisation to grade and mark Multi-Source Edible Oil in accordance with the grade standards and procedure provided under these rules and the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988;

(d)      "Certificate of Authorisation" means a certificate issued under the provisions of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 authorising a person or a body of persons to grade and mark Multi Source Edible Oils with the Grade Designation Mark;

(e)      "General Grading and Marking Rules" means the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 made under section 3 of the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937 (1 of 1937);

(f)       "Grade Designation Mark" means AGMARK Insignia as provided under rule 3;

(g)      "Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules" means the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, made under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 (1 of 2010); and

(h)     "Schedule" means a Schedule appended to these rules.

(2)     Words and expressions used in these rules and not defined but defined in the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937 and General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them under the said Act or rules.

Rule - 4. Grade designation mark

The grade designation mark shall consist of the design of "AGMARK Insignia" as set out in the Schedule-I and incorporating the certificate of authorisation number, the word "AGMARK", name of the commodity and its grade provided that the use of Agmark Replica paper slip shall be allowed for tin packing, for such authorised packers, who have been granted the permission by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an officer authorised in this regard or as may be specified from time to time.

Rule - 5. Grade designations

The grade designations to indicate the quality of Multi-Source Edible Oils including the criteria for grade designation shall be as set out in Schedule-II.

Rule - 6. Quality

For the purposes of these rules, the quality of Multi-Source Edible Oils shall be as provided in Schedule-II.

Rule - 7. Method of packing

(1)     Multi-Source Edible Oils shall be packed in suitable packaging material in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 and Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

(2)     The graded material of small pack sizes of the same lot or batch and grade shall be packed in a master container with complete details thereon along with the Grade Designation Mark.

(3)     Each package shall contain Multi-Source Edible Oil of the same type and of the same grade designation.

(4)     Each package shall be properly and securely closed and sealed so as to disallow spilling and marked with replica numbers issued by the competent authority.

Rule - 8. Method of Marking

(1)     The Grade Designation Mark shall be securely affixed to or printed on each package in the manner approved by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an officer authorised by him under rule 11 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 and the Multi-Source Edible Oils shall be marked suitably on packaging in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations, 2020.

(2)     The following particulars are to be displayed in proper manner on packaging of Multi-Source Edible Oils namely: -

(a)      every package containing an admixture of vegetable edible oils shall carry the following label declaration immediately below its brand name or trade name on front of pack, namely:-

(*i.e. Physically/Chemically Refined or Raw form) "

(b)      for pack size less than one litre, the font size of the label declaration "MULTI-SOURCE EDIBLE OIL", shall not be less than three millimeter with the length of declaration statement as thirty five millimeter minimum and for label declaration "Name and Nature of edible oil......percent by weight", font size shall not be less than two millimeter;

(c)      for pack size one litre to below five litre, the font size of the label declaration "MULTI-SOURCE EDIBLE OIL" shall not be less than four millimeter with the length of declaration statement as forty five millimeter minimum and for label declaration "Name and Nature of edible oil......per cent. by weight" font size shall not be less than 2.5 millimeter;

(d)      for pack size five litre and above, the font size of the label declaration "MULTI-SOURCE EDIBLE OIL" shall not be less than ten millimeter and for label declaration "Name and Nature of edible oil......percent by weight" font size shall not be less than three millimeter.

(e)      the Multi-Source Edible Oil shall not be sold in loose form and it shall be sold in sealed package weighing not more than fifteen liter or Kilogram. The container having Multi Source Edible Oil shall be tamper proof;

(f)       there shall also be the following declaration in bold capital letters along with the name of product on front/central panel: -

(g)      it shall also not be sold under the common or generic name of the refined oils used in the blend, but shall be sold as "Multi-Source Edible Oil" or any other nomenclature as referred in Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR) for the same time to time; and

(h)     Multi-Source Edible Oil packaging label shall not use any exaggerated expressions like "Super Refined", "Extra-Refined", "Micro-Refined", "Double refined", "Ultra-Refined".

(3)     In addition to the Grade Designation Mark, following particulars shall be clearly and indelibly marked on each package, namely: -

(a)      name of the commodity;

(b)      grade;

(c)      variety or trade name(optional);

(d)      lot or batch number;

(e)      date of packing;

(f)       net weight;

(g)      name and address of the authorised packer;

(h)     maximum retail price (inclusive of all taxes);

(i)       best before _______month from Date of Packing/ Manufacture; and

(j)       any other particulars as provided under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 or specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 and the Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations, 2020 or any notification issued under any other law for the time being in force or any instructions issued under the provisions of the Act:

provided that right quality of ink shall be used for marking on packages.

(4)     The authorised packer may after obtaining prior approval of the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an officer authorised by him under rule 11 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988, mark his private trade mark or trade brand on the graded packages provided the same does not indicate quality other than that indicated by the Grade Designation Mark affixed to the graded packages in accordance with these rules.

Rule - 9. Special conditions of Certificate of Authorisation

In addition to the conditions specified in sub-rule (8) of rule 3 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988, the authorised packer shall comply the following conditions namely: -

(1)     either own proper machinery and equipment for expression and refining of the constituent edible vegetable oils or shall have appropriate arrangements for blending and storage of constituents edible vegetable oils procured from authorised refineries of the prescribed quality.

(2)     set up well equipped oil laboratory in his own premise, for testing quality of vegetable oils prior to blending and after blending, The laboratory shall be manned by a qualified chemist approved by the Agricultural Marketing Adviser or an officer authorised by him under rule 9 of the General Grading and Marking Rules, 1988 for testing the quality of constituent oils to be used in blending of Multi-Source Edible Oil.

(3)     provide all necessary facilities and assistance to the approved chemist for carrying out the grading and marking of the Multi-Source Edible Oil under these rules.

(4)     maintain proper record of analytical reports and quantity of the individual constituent oils used for blending and the production of blends and shall submit periodical returns in the prescribed proforma as specified to Directorate of Marketing and Inspection.

(5)     the premises used for processing, blending and packing of edible oils shall be maintained in hygienic and sanitary conditions with proper ventilation and well lighted arrangement and the personnel engaged in these operations shall be in sound health and free from any infectious, contagious or communicable diseases.

(6)     the premises shall have adequate storage facilities with pucca floor, free from dampness, any kind of cracks and crevices, rodent and insect infestation.

(7)     the approved chemist shall observe all instructions regarding testing, grading, packing, marking, sealing, maintenance of records, which may be issued time to time under the provisions of the Act.

Schedule I

(See rule 4)

(Design of Agmark Insignia)

xxxx

Name of commodity ..................

Grade..................

Schedule II

(See rules 5 and 6)

(1)     Grade designation and quality of Multi-Source Edible Oil.-

(1)     Multi Source Edible Oil shall be the admixture of any two permitted edible vegetable oils (except mustard oil) where the proportion by weight of any edible vegetable oil used in the admixture is not less than twenty per cent and the individual constituent oil used in the blend shall be of such quality which conforms to the natural characteristics and the quality as prescribed either in the Agmark or the Food Safety and Standards Regulations.

(2)     Minimum requirement:- Multi-Source Edible Oil shall , -

(a)      be clear;

(b)      be free from rancidity, obnoxious smell, turbidity, suspended or insoluble matter or any other foreign matter;

(c)      be free from separated water, sedimentations, added colouring matter and any other flavouring substances ;

(d)      be free from mineral oil, argemone oil, castor oil, neem oil, Karanj oil, Kusum oil or any other animal fat and non edible oils or fats, hydrocyanic acid, and tricresyl phosphate; and

(e)      be free from synthetic oil.

(3)     Multi-Source Edible Oils may be fortified with the micronutrients Vitamin A and Vitamin D at the level of nutrients specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018.

(4)     Multi-Source Edible Oil may contain permitted anti-oxidants, food additives, in the concentration as specified under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations.

(5)     Refined edible vegetable oils used for Multi-Source Edible Oil, if produced by solvent extraction shall be refined before it is supplied for human consumption and shall conform to the standards as laid down or made under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations and the Hexane limit should not exceed five parts per million.

(6)     for domestic trade, it shall comply with the restrictions in regard to residual levels of metal contaminants, pesticides residues, microbial requirements, crop contaminants, naturally occurring toxic substances and other food safety requirements as specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, and other regulations made for domestic trade under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006).

(7)     For export trade, it shall comply with the residual limits of heavy metals, pesticides and other food safety requirements as laid down by the Codex Alimentarius Commission or importing countries requirement for export.

(2)     Criteria for grade designation.-

TABLE

(1)     The following packing conditions of the Multi-Source Edible Oil shall be such as to enable it-

(a)      to withstand transport and handling;and

(b)      to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.

(2)     Multi-Source Edible Oil shall be stored in cool, dry place and properly maintained in a clean and hygienic condition.