Mustard Oil in India: Public Health Implications and Policy Decisions
Mustard oil is the third-largest edible oil consumed in India. This summary examines two significant decisions concerning mustard oil that impact public health.
Key Decisions
- 2021 FSSAI Ban: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) prohibited the manufacturing and sale of blended mustard oil, effective from June 8, 2021. The goal was to prevent adulteration and boost domestic mustard output.
- 2024 Supreme Court Ruling: On July 23, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled against the environmental release of genetically modified (GM) mustard, Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11), citing insufficient health impact assessments.
Health Concerns and Erucic Acid
- Mustard oil in India contains high erucic acid (40% to 54%) compared to international standards (<5%).
- High erucic acid intake is associated with health issues in animals, though conclusive human evidence is lacking.
- Canola oil, containing less than 2% erucic acid, is used internationally to mitigate these risks.
Blending and Adulteration
- Blended mustard oil reduces erucic acid and is rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
- FSSAI found 24.21% of oil samples did not meet quality standards, with a high incidence of adulteration in mustard oil.
- Blended oils should be sold in branded, packaged forms with clear labeling.
GM Mustard and Economic Implications
- GM mustard DMH-11 has a lower erucic acid content (30-35%) and reduces blending needs.
- India's edible oil import bill is $20.56 billion; GM mustard could decrease import dependency.
- Encouraging GM crop development with low erucic acid content is crucial for health and economic benefits.
India's approach to mustard oil policy should balance public health concerns with economic benefits, focusing on reducing erucic acid through blending and GM crop development.
