NEW DELHI: When questions are raised about the safety of any food article, India’s food regulator will now ask for proof, not promises. From what a product contains and how much Indians actually eat to whether it’s safe over time, every claim will have to be backed by data to assess its safety. From Jan 1, 2026, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has made it mandatory for all submissions seeking a food safety review or changes in food standards to follow a single, standardised format supported by scientific evidence. The move comes after the regulator found that many past requests lacked basic data or a uniform structure, making proper risk assessment difficult. The new rule does not trigger an automatic re-examination of all foods already in the market. It applies only when a stakeholder approaches FSSAI seeking a scientific risk assessment – either for introducing a new product or reviewing an existing one. In such cases, the burden of proving safety will rest with the applicant. Under the new format, submissions must spell out nutritional information, how much Indians consume the product, results of toxicological studies, and evidence on safe intake limits, along with allergy risks and supporting scientific studies. The data will be reviewed by FSSAI’s Science and Standards Division and assessed by expert panels, which will decide whether a product can be cleared, continued, restricted or subjected to tighter limits.
Proof needed, not promises
Officials say the sharper focus on Indian eating habits is crucial as packaged foods become more common and overseas data may not reflect real exposure. “This is an important step to protect public health. Earlier, many foods were approved using limited or incomplete information. Since Indian food habits, portion sizes and sensitivities are very different from those in other countries, asking for proper proof about long-term safety, how much people eat and possible allergy risks helps make food rules more practical, science-based and safer for Indian consumers,” said Anjali Bhola, dietician at National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar, All India Institute of Medical Sciences. FSSAI has also assured stakeholders that data submitted for risk assessment will be treated as confidential and used only for scientific evaluation and policy decisions. For consumers, the message is simple: when food safety is questioned, evidence will now decide what stays on the plate.
