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New licensing norms to make ingredients & raw materials use accountable
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Wednesday, 11 February, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released a draft proposal titled the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Amendment Regulations, 2026. The draft introduces significant updates to the 2011 regulatory framework, primarily targeting how manufacturing units document their operations and how all food businesses manage their inventory.
A key highlight of the draft is the proposed amendment to the "Conditions of Licence" (Schedule 2).
Under the new rules, food manufacturing businesses would be required to maintain separate, daily records for, 'Record of Production’: A comprehensive log of all finished food items produced each day and ‘Raw Material Utilisation’: A detailed account of ingredients and raw materials used in the process.
This move is intended to enhance the traceability of food products across the supply chain. Notably, the draft clarifies that this specific record-keeping burden will not apply to non-manufacturing food businesses, such as traders or wholesalers.
The draft also seeks to modernise storage practices to prevent the accidental use of expired or degraded ingredients.
It proposes that all licensed food businesses, excluding retailers, must adhere to two primary inventory management principles of ‘First In, First Out (FIFO)’: Ensuring that the oldest batches of stock are utilised before newer arrivals and ‘First Expired, First Out (FEFO)’: Prioritising the use of items with the nearest expiration dates, regardless of when they were received.
As per FSSAI, by integrating these principles into the General Hygienic and Sanitary Practices (Schedule 4), the Food Authority aims to reduce food waste and significantly lower the risk of expired products reaching consumers.
Meanwhile, the FSSAI has set specific exemptions for smaller or less complex operations. While manufacturers must follow the new record-keeping rules, and larger licensed operators must adopt FIFO/FEFO, retailers are currently exempt from these mandatory stock rotation protocols.
Further, as these regulations are currently in the draft stage, the FSSAI has asked the stakeholders, industry bodies, and the general public to submit their suggestions or objections before the rules are finalised and enforced.
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