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India is debuting new safety standards to help identify vegan products for the first time. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) formulated the draft report, which will involve introducing a label.
India vegan safety standards
According to the new regulations, vegan food products are to be labeled as follows:
“Those foods or food ingredients that have not made use of any ingredients, additives and processing aids of animal origin including milk and milk products, fish, poultry and meat, egg or egg products, honey or honey bee products, materials of insect origin like silk, dyes, chitin/chitosan etc. Or, ingredients that are clarified animal-sourced sourced products e.g., bone char used in sugar bleaching, isinglass in clarifying beer etc.”
The landmark news is a win for vegans across India, especially as there are many products used across the globe that don’t list bone char or isinglass in products. Bone char is made from animal bones, and isinglass is gelatin found in fish.
Moreover, The Economic Times reports that the regulations propose vegan food is not to be tested on animals.
Veganism in India
The vegan movement is on the rise across the country. According to The Vegan Indians, India has the second-largest vegetarian population – and there is a surge in vegans too.
Moreover, Veganuary’s 2021 survey report reveals it was in the top three countries for participants embracing ditching meat and dairy.
And, it was the only Asian country to score a position in the top 10 globally. Among the businesses emerging plant-based products in India includes Goodmylk, Good Dot, So Good, and Piperleaf.
