THOOTHUKUDI: Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration department has sought an amendment to The Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, claiming that the regulations only mention the minimum amounts of invert sugar and sucrose in palm jaggery (karupatti) and karkandu. Officials from food safety department told TNIE that the state government has accepted the proposal and forwarded it to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with the study report for approval. According to a food safety official, who was part of the study, the department has made a proposal to limit the "total sugar expressed as invert sugar" in palm jaggery and karkandu at 92% and 90%, respectively. As per the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, (Food Products Standards and Food Additives - section 2.8.4(1)), invert sugar and sucrose content in palm jaggery shall not be less than 90% and 60%, respectively. Similarly, karkandu must have 98% sucrose by weight, with no parameter for invert sugar.

Source: Indian Express January 10, 2026 03:42 UTC