Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) serves as the central regulatory authority for food safety across the country. This organization plays a pivotal role in ensuring compliance with standards that protect consumer health, particularly in the dairy sector, where maintaining product integrity and consumer safety is crucial.

Important Events

FSSAI has been instrumental in implementing critical regulations to enhance the integrity of dairy products. A noteworthy initiative includes the requirement for cheese-like products to be explicitly labeled as cheese analogues, preventing their misrepresentation as authentic paneer. This regulation was a response to the alarming discovery that 83% of paneer samples failed safety tests, leading to the seizure and destruction of 550 kg of adulterated paneer by the Noida Food Safety Department.

In addition, FSSAI imposed fines on Heritage Foods Limited due to product quality issues. The organization's authority was challenged when the Delhi High Court restricted its jurisdiction to human-centric regulations, thereby preventing it from regulating animal feed. Notices were issued to companies like Param Dairy Limited and Bikanervala to address hygiene and compliance concerns.

FSSAI has prohibited Dabur India from using '100 per cent' purity claims on its products, including cow ghee, honey, and other items, citing breaches in the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018.

Company Plans

FSSAI is committed to enforcing strict regulations to ensure consumer safety and sustain the integrity of food products. The organization is actively updating its guidelines to tackle emerging food safety challenges and has launched a nationwide campaign against dairy fraud. This includes the introduction of 'Food Safety on Wheels'—mobile testing laboratories deployed across Indian markets for rapid testing and promoting the use of testing kits.

State food safety commissioners are mandated to undertake strict legal actions against violators, with independent milk producers and vendors required to obtain a registration or food business license. This measure is designed to enhance traceability within India's milk supply chain. Following an adulteration incident, mandatory licensing was enforced in the East Godavari district for dairy stakeholders.

FSSAI is addressing digital misinformation about milk quality by initiating legal actions against social media influencers spreading false information. The organization is moving towards a 'Risk-Based Inspection' system to streamline inspections for compliant processors and tighten regulations on independent vendors. A significant operation intercepted unbranded and unrefrigerated tankers carrying suspected adulterated milk, with samples collected for laboratory analysis.

The authority continues its nationwide surveillance of milk quality, conducted in collaboration with State Food Safety Authorities to ensure compliance with safety standards.

FSSAI regulates the standards for paneer production in India. Under the regulations of the FSSAI, paneer must be made solely from milk, without any added starch, non-dairy fats, or synthetic substances. As part of a broader regulatory push against analogue dairy products, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has instructed manufacturers and food service establishments to clearly disclose the use of non-dairy substitutes to consumers.

Modified: 2026/08/10