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A process contaminant formed from asparagine and reducing sugars during Maillard browning above about 120 °C, classified as a probable human carcinogen.
Forms in fried and baked starchy foods like potato chips, French fries and toast; health advisories recommend cooking them to a golden colour rather than dark brown to limit it.
See also: Maillard reaction, Reducing sugar
A group of highly toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxins produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, commonly in groundnut, maize and spices.
The reason groundnuts, maize and spices are tested and rejected for mould contamination before reaching the market — untreated exposure is linked to liver damage.
See also: Water activity, HACCP
The international collection of food standards, guidelines and codes of practice of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission.
The international reference standards that FSSAI and most national food regulators align with when setting limits for additives, pesticides and labelling.
A step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.
The exact step in a food factory — a cooking temperature, a metal detector — where a HACCP plan actually stops a hazard from reaching the consumer.
See also: HACCP, Critical limit
A measurable maximum or minimum value at a CCP that separates acceptable from unacceptable product.
The specific number, like “core temperature must reach 75°C”, that a factory worker checks at a critical control point to know a batch is safe.
See also: Critical control point, HACCP
An officer appointed under the FSS Act with powers to inspect premises, take samples and initiate enforcement.
The FSSAI-appointed inspector who checks restaurant kitchens, food factories and street vendors for licensing and hygiene compliance.
See also: FSSAI, FSS Act 2006
The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 — the umbrella Indian food law that created FSSAI and replaced multiple earlier statutes.
The law that created FSSAI and made food licensing, labelling and safety standards legally enforceable across India.
See also: FSSAI, Food Safety Officer
The apex Indian regulator for food, established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, responsible for standards, licensing and enforcement.
The body whose logo and licence number appear on every packaged food product sold legally in India.
See also: FSS Act 2006, Food Safety Officer
Baseline requirements for premises, equipment, personnel and processes to ensure food is consistently produced safely.
The basic hygiene and process rules — clean equipment, trained staff, pest control — a food factory must have in place before it can even attempt HACCP or export certification.
See also: Prerequisite programme, HACCP
A systematic preventive food safety system built on seven principles, beginning with hazard analysis and identification of critical control points.
The food safety system most large food manufacturers and export-focused plants are required to run, especially for meat, seafood and dairy.
See also: Critical control point, Critical limit, Prerequisite programme
A food with an equilibrium pH above 4.6 and water activity above 0.85, capable of supporting Clostridium botulinum growth.
The reason canned vegetables and meats need pressure sterilisation, while naturally more acidic canned tomatoes or pickles can be processed more simply.
See also: Clostridium botulinum, 12D concept, Pasteurisation
The basic hygiene and operational conditions — GMP, sanitation, pest control, personnel hygiene — that must be in place before HACCP can work.
The basic hygiene systems — pest control, cleaning schedules, staff hygiene — a food business needs in place before a HACCP or FSSAI licence audit can even proceed.
A substance that prevents or retards microbial spoilage. Class I preservatives are traditional substances such as salt, sugar and vinegar; Class II are chemical preservatives such as benzoates and sorbates.
Listed on food labels as INS numbers, like INS 211 or INS 282; the reason bread, sauces and pickles last weeks instead of days.
See also: Hurdle technology, Water activity
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