Packaged water industry faces stricter FSSAI audits and inspections

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has officially classified packaged drinking water and mineral water as a "High Risk Food Category," introducing stringent inspection and third-party audit requirements for manufacturers.

According to an order dated November 29, FSSAI stated that products under the high-risk category will now be subject to annual risk-based inspections. Additionally, inspections will be conducted before the issuance of any licenses or registrations for manufacturers of packaged drinking water and mineral water.

This move comes in response to the government’s decision in October to eliminate the mandatory certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for the packaged water industry. The revised classification aims to bolster safety measures following the relaxation of BIS norms.

Moreover, the regulator further clarified that food categories exempted from mandatory BIS certification must still undergo thorough inspections prior to receiving licenses or registrations.

To ensure ongoing compliance, all centrally licensed manufacturers in high-risk categories are required to have their facilities audited annually by FSSAI-recognized third-party food safety agencies.

This heightened scrutiny reflects FSSAI's commitment to maintaining food safety standards, particularly for widely consumed products such as packaged drinking water. Industry stakeholders previously advocated for reduced compliance obligations, citing the dual certification requirement by BIS and FSSAI as burdensome.

This change in policy follows industry calls for easing compliance requirements, specifically regarding the dual certification process with both BIS and FSSAI. However, with this new classification, FSSAI aims to ensure that food safety standards are maintained while streamlining regulations for the packaged water sector.

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