FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS (FOOD PRODUCT STANDARDS AND FOOD ADDITIVES) REGULATION, 2011 AND FAQ[FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS (FOOD PRODUCT STANDARDS AND FOOD ADDITIVES) REGULATION, 2011 AND FAQ] The Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011 came into force on 5° August, 2011 and deals with the implementation of various Standards of Food contained therein. The salient features of the regulation are that these standards are vertical standards and they provide the detailed standards of various food products, and prescribes the limits of various food additives used across different food groups; and lays down microbiological requirement for different foods. The regulation is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1 deals with the implementation period and definitions of various food product and their processing techniques. Chapter 2 lays down vertical standards and provides information on detailed standards of various food products including proprietary food and irradiation of food. Chapter 3 defines various substances (additives) that can be added to food and prescribes standard limits across different food groups. Chapter 1. The first part of the chapter prescribes the date on which these regulations shall come into force. The first proviso for the Regulation 1.1.2 gives the exemption to some standards and their limits which were followed in the earlier Acts/ Orders as mentioned in the second schedule of the Food safety and Standards Act 2006. While integrating previous Acts/ Orders, a stand was taken that standards outlined under PFA shall remain applicable. However, there were certain standards for caramel, natural colour etc which are at variance with the existing Regulation. In[FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS (FOOD PRODUCT STANDARDS AND FOOD ADDITIVES) REGULATION, 2011 AND FAQ] order to consider these standards and additives an exemption was given to them, till such time standards are finalized and notified by FSSAI. The second part of the chapter prescribes the definitions for various food products and different processing techniques which can be referred in the regulation. Chapter 2: Defines various categories of food products and standards of individual food items. These are vertical standards and here the food products are arranged/ grouped under the major categories as per the (Codex system and the standards of individual items of food products are listed out. The major categories of food products under this chapter are as follows: