Common salt will no longer be available without iodine in it. The FBOs (food business operators) have been directed by FSSAI through a notification that prohibits the sale of non-iodised salt.

The regulations are called the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on sales) Second Amendment Regulations, 2019, and are gazette notified by the apex food regulator.

The notification staed that in the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on sales) Regulations, 2011, in Regulation 2.3, for Sub-Regulation 2.3.12, the following sub-regulation shall be substituted namely:

“2.3.12: Restriction on sale of common salt - No person shall sell or offer or expose for sale or have in his premises for the purpose of sale, common salt for direct human consumption or for use as an ingredient in a food product unless the same is iodised:

Provided that common salt may be sold or exposed for sale or stored for sale for iodisation, iron fortification, animal use, preservation not meant for direct consumption, for infant food products, manufacturing medicines and industrial use under proper label declarations, as specified in the provisions of Regulation 2.4.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and labelling) Regulations, 2011.”

When asked FSSAI about the need for a ban on non-iodised salt? FSSAI, in a reply, said that the mandatory iodisation of common salt for direct human consumption in India was launched under the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programmed (NIDDCP) during 1992.

The provision of iodisation of common salt was already in place under Sub-regulation 2.3.12 of the FSS (Prohibition and Restriction of Sales) Regulations, 2011. The recent revision vide gazette notification REGD. NO. D. L.-33004/99 dated June 25, 2019 is meant to curb the sale of non-iodised salt for retail purpose only.

Also there was apprehension on the sale of the other types of salt like rock salt, black salt, etc. The apex food regulator clarified that the notification is meant only for the common salt or white salt.

In a reply, FSSAI stated, “Several representations have been received at FSSAI seeking clarification on the issue of applicability of mandatory iodisation of salt stipulated under the Sub-regulation 2.3.12 of FSS (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011 to traditional salts, such as rock salt/black salt/Himalayan pink salt, etc.”

“The matter was considered by the Scientific Panel on Nutrition and Fortification and it has been opined that, at present, fortification with iodine is mandatory for white salt, generally known as common salt,” it added.

“Henceforth, it is clarified that traditional salts such as rock salt, black salt, Himalayan pink salt, etc. shall not be mandatorily iodised and for the purpose of provisions of mandatory iodisation under FSS (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, common salt shall have the meaning as explained above,” the regulator said.