The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reclassified “food grade packaging material as ‘critical to food safety’ under the inspection checklist. The certificate of conformity for packaging materials has been made compulsory by FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, for manufacturers and caterers.
Food Safety Officials will verify compliance and failure to any conformity will result in the industry being non-compliant. This order was released on April 3, 2025.
Key Regulatory Changes
All food packaging materials must now require Certificate of Conformity issued by a NABL-accredited laboratory, ensuring compliance with FSSAI’s safety standards.
Revised Scoring in Inspections
If your packaging deviates from compliance, it will now be counted as critical during inspections, with a penalty of 4 marks. This means any mistake related to packaging can greatly affect your overall inspection score.
The updated classification applies across multiple sectors, including general food manufacturing, milk and dairy processing, meat and poultry industries, fish and fish products, etc.
Recommended Action Plan for FBOs
To ensure compliance and avoid potential penalties, food businesses should take the following measures:
- Collaborate only with packaging vendors who can provide NABL-accredited certification for their materials.
- Conduct regular reviews to ensure ongoing compliance.
- Organize and update all relevant packaging certifications, test reports, and supplier records to be readily available during audits.
- Educate and train the internal team about the revised requirements. Establish
Conclusion
The reclassification of packaging materials as ‘critical to food safety will strengthen the food safety control. High-quality and certified packaging materials will lower the risk of contamination and migration of hazardous substances thus improving consumer trust and safety.
Click here to download the checklist
Date- 14 to 18 April, 2025 Time- 7 PM to 10 PM Fee – Rs 3000
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