FSSAI permits rPET; industry reacts
India permits the use of recycled PET in food packaging under strict conditions set by the FSSAI to ensure public safety. The amendment is a shift towards enabling circular packaging solutions in the Indian food sector, aligning domestic practice with international standards while safeguarding public health.
07 May 2025 | By Anhata Rooprai
Late last month, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) amended the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, to allow the use of recycled polyethene terephthalate (rPET) in food packaging. This follows the notification of the First Amendment Regulations, 2025, and is a significant development in aligning packaging practices with environmental and safety priorities.
The packaging industry has responded to the move. Makarand Kulkarni, CEO of Revalyu India, said, "The FSSAI’s approval of recycled PET (rPET) for food-grade packaging opens the door for the food and beverage industry to adopt safer, circular packaging practices aligned with global ESG standards. This reduces dependency on virgin plastics and strengthens India’s commitment to a circular economy."
Each rPET batch intended for food contact must undergo chemical testing — either an extraction test on the resin or a migration test on the container. Sensory analysis, based on ISO 13302 (sensory analysis standard), is also required. The process must operate under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and include quality assurance and traceability systems.
Rahul Nainani, co-founder and CEO of ReCircle, said, "We’re especially glad to see traceability being a key aspect of the policy to ensure that rPET can be used in food applications. What we need right now is stricter policies and stronger accountability among businesses. This move aligns safety with sustainability, and we see it as a catalyst for scalable, responsible, and circular innovation. This is the kind of policy shift that drives real change."
Manufacturers of food-grade rPET must register with FSSAI by submitting a detailed application that includes licensing information, process descriptions, EU/US FDA approvals, and validation reports from NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories)-accredited laboratories. A declaration confirming the exclusive use of post-consumer food packaging as feedstock and traceability documentation is also mandatory.
Vedant Bhalwatkar, senior executive for packaging development and procurement at Swiggy Instamart, said, "The true success of this initiative will depend on strict quality checks and regulatory oversight to safeguard consumer health. This decision empowers food and beverage brands to integrate food-grade rPET, potentially reducing virgin plastic use, restraining pollution and advancing India’s recycling ecosystem."
As per the authorities, rPET produced through validated processes qualifies for food contact applications. These include super-clean, melt-in, paste-in, and enhanced chemical recycling methods. Each method must demonstrate the ability to decontaminate PET flakes to standards equivalent to virgin PET. Conventional mechanical recycling, which lacks decontamination steps, is explicitly excluded.
The super-clean process is a mechanical recycling method, a crucial part of which is a validated decontamination step. It must meet extraction thresholds of 220 microgrammes per kilogramme (US FDA) or 10 microgrammes per kilogramme migration limits (EU) for surrogate contaminants.
Melt-in and paste-in processes integrate PET flakes into the virgin PET stream through thermal or chemical methods and must meet equivalent standards.
Enhanced chemical recycling, which breaks down PET into its monomers, produces a product considered equivalent to virgin PET.
Makarand Kulkarni, CEO of Revalyu India, signed off by stating, "By enabling scalable innovation, reducing environmental impact, and promoting responsible material recovery, this regulation is a win for both sustainability and industry transformation."
Checklist for rPET manufacturers
- Submit factory and process licences
- Provide EU/US FDA process approval
- Use and validate Indian post-consumer PET as feedstock
- Submit NABL-accredited test reports
- Declare feedstock source and traceability