FSSAI to tighten noose for turning ‘chandi vark’ green

Silver leaf or ‘chandi ka vark’ manufacturers beware! If found using any material of animal origin in silver leaf (chandi ka vark), which is used for decorating sweets, you could face legal action.

Silver leaf or vark is used not only in sweets and confectionaries like cakes and chocolates but also in syrups like that of Kesar (saffron) and as an ingredient in various ayurvedic and herbal products, summer drinks and Chyawanprash, etc.

Following green signal from the Delhi High Court, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stepped up its efforts to tighten the noose around the unscrupulous business operators using any material of animal origin during the manufacturing process of silver leaf. As per the FSSAI, only veg-processed hygienic silver leaf is allowed to be sold in the country.

The top food regulator has asked its counterparts in the States to crack down on the violators.

Though it was way back in 2016, the FSSAI had issued a notification with an aim to end the widely-used unhygienic practice of using animal parts in the manufacture of “Vark”, it was put on hold following Delhi High Court order. However, early this year, the Court vacated the stay paving way for implementation of the ban on usage of animal parts while manufacturing the silver leaf in the food industry.

The notification followed reports that “chandi ka vark’ was being made by hammering thin sheets of silver in the middle of sheets made of a bull’s intestines. After slaughtering the bull, its intestines are removed immediately and sold to the manufacturers of foils.

There had been several complaints against the existing method of manufacturing of the silver leaves, as there were hygiene and safety issues. The notification aims to streamline the manufacturing process, ensure quality and safety.

Shubh Choukesy, Director of Delhi-based Shree Jagannath Ji Sterling Product Private Limited which is engaged in manufacturing silver foils through a purely vegetarian process with the help of fully automatic and computerised machines with new technology, said, “it is high-time that the hygienic method is promoted to save the consumers from various diseases.”

He pointed out that the FSSAI guidelines specify norms regarding thickness, weight and purity of the silver leaf. The manufacturers will also have to follow the labelling standards like any other food products.