The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has elevated the status of food packaging materials from a “non-critical” to a “critical” parameter in its official inspection checklist for food businesses.
This move underscores the growing recognition of packaging’s role in preservation and ensuring the overall safety of food products across categories such as general manufacturing, dairy, meat, seafood, and catering.
Until now, packaging materials have been treated as secondary factors in safety assessments. However, in a newly issued directive, the FSSAI has stated:
“Considering the critical role of food grade packaging material in ensuring food safety and the provisions under FSS Packaging Regulations, it has been decided to reclassify the packaging material point as critical in inspection checklists.”
What the New Rule Mandates:
· Only certified food-grade packaging materials are to be used.
· All packaging must be in sound condition and supported by a certification of conformity from NABL-accredited laboratories, per FSS Packaging Regulations.
· The update will now apply across various inspection checklists linked to food safety surveillance for different food processing sectors.
This decision builds on FSSAI’s March 2018 overhaul of food safety checklists, which introduced a more objective, score-based inspection system. Each point in the checklist is linked to the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act and helps determine compliance levels for food business operators (FBOs).
With this revision, the FSSAI aims to drive stricter compliance in packaging standards, ensuring consumers receive food that is not just hygienically prepared but also safely packed, further aligning India’s food safety system with international best practices.