-KH News Desk
The national food authority has released draft regulations related to drinking water (purified) sold through vending machines under the FSS Food Products Standards & Food Additives Regulations.
The draft lays detailed requirements for the same including six physical parameters, 24 general parameters, 11 parameters related to toxic substances, three for radioactive residues, two for microbiological requirements and 18 for pesticide residues. According to the FSSAI, the draft would replace the regulations 2.10.9 (2) while drinking water (purified) means water, other than packaged drinking water and natural mineral water which is offered or sold through a water vending machine.
FSSAI explains that “water vending machine” means decentralised water purification systems that purify and dispense water and does not include installation intended for use of water for captive consumption. Meanwhile, for physical parameters, the permissible limit is 5 max for colour, hazen unit, pH value at 6.5-8.5, turbidity, NTU max 1, along with total dissolved solids mg/l max at 500.
The microbiological requirements include e-coli or thermotolerant coliform bacteria along with total coliform bacteria -‘shall not be detectable in any 100ml sample’. The stakeholders likely to be affected through this draft were asked to submit objections or suggestions to FSSAI.
