New Delhi, Aug. 13 -- Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav has defended the use of palm oil in packaged foods, saying it is a standardised edible oil permitted under India's food safety regulations and meets safety standards based on scientific assessments and internationally recognised Codex norms.

Responding to parliamentary queries on the use of palm oil in processed foods such as snacks, biscuits and namkeen, Jadhav said food safety standards in India are based on scientific opinions from independent risk assessment bodies, including the Scientific Panels and Scientific Committee of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Under Sub-regulation 2.2 of the Food Safety and Standards (F...