FSSAI has given food business operators (FBOs) a three-month period to implement the direction to maintain records, if the consumption of edible oil for frying was more than 50 litre per day.

A decision was taken by the country’s apex food regulator after it reviewed the preparedness for implementation of the order wherin the authorities at the state level needed to put in place a mechanism for the collection of used cooking oil. 

The earlier date was March 1, 2019, but FSSAI, in its recent order, said that the timeline for implementing the order was extended for three months, and the FBOs were given time till May 30, 2019 for compliance. 

The regulator, in a statement, said that in order to provide time to ensure an adequate mechanism for the authorisation of agencies and the collection of used cooking oil, it has been decided to defer the implementation of the order by three months (i.e., till May 30, 2019). 

“The order shall commence from June 1, 2019,” the new order said. 

In January, FSSAI asked the FBOs to maintain records of edible oil used in their premises, if consumption exceeds over 50 litre per day. The regulator stated this was done to avoid the repeated use of cooking oil beyond the permissible limit and ensure food safety. Further, through this order, it sought the safe disposal of such used oil.

The FSSAI order stated that all FBOs whose consumption of edible oil for frying was more than 50 litre per day shall maintain a record and dispose of used cooking oil to the agencies authorised by FSSAI or the state food safety commissioners.

The repeated use of cooking oil produces harmful chemicals called total polar compounds (TPCs) which deform the chemical composition of the edible oil, thereby making it unsafe for cooking or frying.

“However, it has been noticed that in most of the cases, cooking oil is used repeatedly and even mixed with the new oil, which is not a safe practice,” said a senior FSSAI official. 

The FBOs have to maintain records of the type of oil, the quantity taken for frying, the quantity discarded at the end of the day, the date and mode of disposal of used cooking oil, and the name of the agency which has collected the discard oil.

It has also been clearly stated in the order that the cooking oil having developed TPCs of over 25 percent shall not be topped up with fresh oil. This order shall commence from March 1, and the state machinery has been asked to initiate enforcement in this regard.