Food industry leaders and legal experts have welcomed the recent amendments introduced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), describing them as a significant step towards stronger food safety and a more practical, risk-based regulatory framework.
The changes include the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2026, along with amendments to FSSAI’s licensing and registration regulations.
Yatish Talvadia, Founder and Chief Experience Officer at Anmasa, said the revised contaminant standards would strengthen consumer confidence by extending contaminant limits to pulse flours and enhancing testing requirements for edible oils. He added that the transition period until December 1, 2026, gives businesses sufficient time to upgrade testing, quality assurance and supply chain systems.
Sonam Chandwani, Managing Partner at KS Legal & Associates, said the amendments signal a shift towards a more preventive and science-based food safety framework. She noted that extending contaminant limits to processed products and tightening arsenic standards for edible fats and oils would strengthen food safety across the processing and distribution chain.
Commenting on the licensing amendments, Chandwani described the exemption of traders from daily inventory requirements as a pragmatic reform that recognises the operational differences between traders and manufacturers. However, she stressed that the exemption does not reduce legal responsibility.
“The legal responsibility to ensure that food sold is compliant with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, continues to rest with every food business operator. Traders dealing in unsafe or non-compliant products remain liable for regulatory action,” she said.
Amit Anand, Managing Director of Apis India Limited, said the reforms acknowledge the role of India’s vast network of traders, wholesalers and retailers by reducing unnecessary paperwork while keeping regulatory focus on manufacturing, where food safety risks are highest.
Legal experts Rashi Saraf and Vinit Patwari, Partners at JSA Advocates & Solicitors, said exempting traders and distributors from production-style record-keeping removes an impractical compliance requirement. They said the amendments reduce recurring documentation, improve regulatory cl