FSSAI tightens testing rules amidst wave of public scrutiny over food safety

This regulatory push, however, is unfolding against a backdrop of severe public criticism and complaints questioning the authority’s efficacy in ensuring basic food safety within the country.

Meanwhile the New Import Testing Mandates which was issued on 27 October 2025, sees an amendment updating Regulation 10 of the 2017 Import Regulations. This focuses on streamlining laboratory analysis to be more reliable and faster.

The provisions of the revised regulations include: mandatory testing methods which means laboratories must adhere to the methods of analysis prescribed in the FSSAI manuals. Where a method for a specific parameter is unavailable, labs are permitted to adopt a validated analysis method from internationally recognised agencies and standards, such as AOAC, ISO, BIS, and Codex Alimentarius.

In addition, there is five-day reporting. This means, notified or referral laboratories are mandated to issue their analysis reports in Form-2 within five days from the date of receiving a sample.

As per the FSSAI, the committee finalised these amendments following a public consultation process initiated in October 2024, aiming to enhance transparency and align domestic procedures with global food safety practices. This is the fourth amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations since their introduction in 2017.

Despite the moves to strengthen import oversight, a significant wave of public sentiment has criticised the FSSAI’s performance regarding food safety standards across India.

When WhatPackaging? magazine spoke to homemakers, they expressed intense frustration. Their concerns included: adulterated and expired products. Most of the complaints point to the widespread availability of adulterated food, spoiled packaged foods, and expired items, specifically mentioning risks to children and items sold on QCommerce platforms.

Some of the packaging brands specialists who WhatPackaging? has been interacting with said that there is lack of proper audits for eateries and insufficient staff in food departments were highlighted. Strong claims were made about a “food mafia nexus with officers,” with calls for a strong, uncompromising third-party agency to bring about change in food hygiene practices.

WhatPackaging? view: The dichotomy between strengthening international import rules and the perceived failure to address fundamental, day-to-day domestic food safety and hygiene issues remains a central point of contention for consumers and brands alike.