The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has redefined “food grade packaging material” as essential for food safety, signaling a shift in regulatory focus. Announced on April 3, 2025, this update imposes stricter compliance requirements under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018.

What’s New?

• Certificate of Conformity Requirement: All food packaging materials must now obtain a Certificate of Conformity from a NABL-accredited laboratory.
• Severe Penalty for Non-Compliance: Inspectors will consider any food packaging non-compliance as severe, imposing a 4-point penalty that can significantly impact the FBO’s overall inspection rating.

Who Is Affected?

These updated standards apply to all sectors, including:

• General food production
• Dairy and milk processing
• Meat and poultry industries
• Fish and seafood processing
• Catering and food service operations

Action Plan for FBOs

To avoid penalties and ensure smooth inspections, food establishments should:

• Source packaging only from NABL-accredited vendors.
• Regularly inspected packaging materials for compliance.
• Maintain up-to-date records, including certificates, test reports, and supplier documentation.
• Train teams on the new classification and inspection standards.

Source: Foodtech Network