FSSAI classifies packaged drinking water as high-risk food

This decision comes in the wake of the omission in the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibitions and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which previously mandated the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for these products.

Earlier, the packaged drinking water industry had urged for simplified norms, requesting the removal of dual certification requirements from both BIS and FSSAI. In November, the FSSAI had asked the e-commerce food business operators to adopt practices to ensure the minimum shelf life of their products. In alignment with the FSSAI's broader regulatory mandate, the agency has directed eCommerce food business operators to adopt stringent practices to ensure products have a minimum shelf life of 30% or a minimum of 45 days remaining prior to expiration at the time of delivery.

Under the revised regulation, manufacturers and processors of packaged water must undergo mandatory inspections before obtaining licensing or registration. Subsequent to these requirements, inspections will occur annually, underscoring the heightened scrutiny for this product category due to its established risk profile, particularly concerning safety standards and quality assurance.

Moreover, all centrally licensed manufacturers operating within these high-risk food categories are now required to have their businesses audited annually by FSSAI-recognised third-party food safety auditing agencies. This strategy aims to improve compliance monitoring and ensure that safety standards are consistently met across the sector.

During a meeting with eCommerce stakeholders, G Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO of FSSAI, reiterated, "No operator may engage in eCommerce activities without a valid FSSAI license or registration.” He also highlighted the critical importance of maintaining separate delivery channels for food and non-food items to mitigate the risk of cross-contamination.