Question : Chemicals in Soft Drinks

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken note of the alleged practice by certain soft drink companies using harmful toxic chemicals in soft drinks beyond the permissible limits;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with 308 †Original notice of the question received in Hindi. the names of such chemicals used and the action taken by the Government against the adulterated soft drinks manufacturers during each of the last three years and the current year;

(c) the details of permissible limits of such chemicals in soft/energy drinks prescribed by the Government; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government for strict compliance of the regulations laid down in respect of soft/energy drinks in the country?

(a) & (b): Enforcement of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 and regulations thereunder primarily rests with State/UT Governments. While consolidated data on food samples collected, analysed, found adulterated/misbranded, cases launched and convictions/penalties imposed and collected have been compiled by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, separate data only in respect of soft drinks has not been compiled.

(c) : Permissible limits of contaminants for soft drink and carbonated water are prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. Details are annexed.
(d): Presence of contaminants beyond permissible levels in food products including soft drinks is a violation of the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011 and attracts penal action under the Act. Regular surveillance, monitoring and sampling of food products are undertaken by the State/UT Governments. FSSAI has also requested Commissioners of Food Safety of all States and UTs to undertake periodical inspection and monitoring of major fruit and vegetable markets, soft drinks and ready to serve beverages to check the use of pesticides in food items.
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Annexure
Sr. No.
Article of Food Name of Contaminants Maximum limits (Parts per million by weight)
1 Concentrated soft drinks (but not including concentrates used in the manufacture of soft drinks) Lead 0.5
2 Fruit and vegetable juice (including tomato juice, but not including lime juice and lemon juice) Lead 1.0
3 Concentrates used in the manufacture of soft drinks, lime juice and lemon juice Lead 2.0
4 Soft drinks excluding concentrates and Carbonated water Copper 7.0
5 Carbonated water Copper 1.5
6 concentrates for soft drinks Copper 20.0
7 Soft drink intended for consumption after dilution except carbonated water Arsenic 0.5
8 Carbonated water Arsenic 0.25
9 Carbonated water D.D.T. (Singly), D.D.D. (Singly), D.D.E. (Singly), Endosulfan A & B, Endosulfan-Sulphate, Malathion, Chlorpyrifos and Hexachlorocyclehexane and its isomers viz., Alpha isomer, Beta Isomer, Gamma Isomer (Lindane), Delta isomer 0.001
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