‘Niro exempted from FDA’s sale standards due to lack of packaging’

Panaji: Director of food and drugs administration (FDA) Jyoti Sardesai has said that the lack of packaging and commercial sale of niro has exempted it from the need for FDA licensing and standardisation.
Niro, a traditional and popular summer beverage made from cashew apples, remains unregulated in Goa even as associated cashew-based products like feni are subject to stringent guidelines enforced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the FDA.
“We don’t have any standards for niro since it’s not packed and sold. It is consumed at home and has a temporary storage period. If someone intends to sell it as a bottled product, they will have to study its shelf life, approved additives, compatibility with other ingredients, and derive the standards,” said Sardesai at the recently-concluded Cashew Fest Goa at Kala Academy, Panaji.
She added that any efforts to commercialise niro would require compliance with FSSAI regulations, involving a rigorous assessment process by the standards committee.
Establishing guidelines for the production and distribution of niro would not only enhance consumer confidence but also facilitate its integration into the wider market, unlocking opportunities for local producers, experts said.
Member secretary of the Goa State Biodiversity Board, Pradip Sarmokadam, spoke of an initiative last year wherein cashew apple juice, stabilised by pasteurisation and with minimal preservatives, was introduced. This processed juice has a shelf life of 3-4 months. “It tastes almost like niro. There are many opportunities, but there is a need to focus on research and branding,” he said.