India’s food regulatory body has placed packaged drinking water and mineral water in the “high-risk food” category. According to a notification from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), these products will now be subject to inspection and audit.

The move follows the government’s October decision to do away with the requirement of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for these products.

Under the updated guidelines, manufacturers and processors will have to undergo mandatory inspection before being granted a license or registration.

Businesses operating in high-risk food categories such as packaged drinking water are now required to undergo annual audits conducted by FSSAI-accredited third-party food safety agencies.

What does this mean?

FSSAI’s move to label packaged drinking water and mineral water as “high-risk food” is not a cause for concern. This does not mean that these products are unsafe. Instead, it ensures stringent security checks.

Manufacturers and businesses are now required to undergo regular inspections and annual audits to maintain quality and safety for consumers. This measure enables strict security protocols to be implemented.

Earlier, the packaged drinking water industry had pitched for streamlined regulations, including removal of dual certification requirements by both BIS and FSSAI.

In particular, they sought to remove the requirement to obtain certification from two separate authorities—Bureau of Indian Standards and FSSAI.

Due to this dual certification process, businesses faced challenges such as increased costs, administrative burden and procedural delays.

By advocating for streamlined regulations, the industry aims to reduce these barriers.

In October, the government decided to eliminate the requirement of Bureau of Indian Standards certification for packaged water. Under the amended rules, all manufacturers of packaged drinking and mineral water must now undergo annual, risk-based inspection as a condition for obtaining a license or registration.

What are the high-risk food categories?

According to FSSAI, high-risk food categories are those foods that need to undergo regular inspection and auditing every year. Businesses should be audited by a food safety auditing agency recognized by FSSAI.

Other products that fall under high-risk food categories are:

• Dairy products and analogs
• Meat and meat products, including poultry
• Fish and fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms
• eggs and egg products
• Food products intended for special nutritional use
• ready meals
• indian sweets
• Nutrients and their preparations (fortified rice grains only)

Periodic inspections are carried out by designated officers or food safety officers with a strict implementation plan. Food Commissioners in each State and Union Territory monitor the progress of inspections.