Overview 

The Food Safety Department is intensifying efforts to prevent the reuse of cooking oil. Over the past three years, it has significantly increased the collection of used oil from hotels and eateries across Kerala. In the 2022–23 financial year alone, officials collected 419,561 litres. This number more than doubled in 2023–24, reaching 960,605 litres. The upward trend continued in 2024–25, with the department recovering a record 1,386,515 litres of used cooking oil. This steady rise highlights the department’s intensified monitoring and enforcement efforts under the FSSAI’s clean oil initiative.

Strict Safety Guidelines for Oil Use

Food safety officials urge consumers to immediately stop using cooking oil if its colour changes. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) mandates that cooking oil with Total Polar Compound (TPC) levels exceeding 25% must not be used for food preparation. The department’s inspection squads use TPC monitors to measure this in hotels.

Repurpose Used Cooking Oil Initiative

As part of FSSAI’s “Repurpose Used Cooking Oil” program, various agencies collect used oil from eateries to prevent its reuse. The program, launched in 2019, operates in Kerala through six FSSAI-approved agencies. These agencies deliver the collected oil to biodiesel production companies and submit reports to the Food Safety Department.

Collaboration with Soap Companies and Agencies

Soap manufacturers and several agencies also receive the collected oil, which is bought from shops at ₹55–60 per litre. Across India, 83 approved agencies are authorised for this task. However, some unauthorised groups continue to collect oil from hotels and shops without approval.

Source: Mathrubhumi