A draft notification outlining major changes to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, has been released by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The proposed changes, which are included in the regulations for the 2025 amendment, are intended to improve food safety by modernizing standards in a number of areas, such as dairy products, drinking water, and food additives.
We will discuss the main changes brought about by the FSSAI Food Safety Rules 2025 in this blog, such as the updated ghee standards, the newly established cheese powder standards, the updated packaged drinking water guidelines, and other important regulatory changes that have an effect on the safety and quality of food in India.
Aspects of the 2025 FSSAI Draft Amendment Regulations
The main changes that the general public and stakeholders should be aware of are as follows: –
- Update of Fatty Acids in Ghee:
- The FSSAI is updating the ghee’s fatty acid composition limitations to conform to worldwide standards and contemporary quality demands.
- Due to its unreliable detection of adulteration, the iodine value parameter, which was once widely used to identify unsaturation in fats, has been eliminated.
- Better quality control and clarity for both producers and customers are the goals of these modifications.
- The following should be used in place of the entries at rows 9 and 16 in Table 1 pertaining to “The fatty acid composition of ghee” under sub-regulation 2.1.8:
| “C16:0 Hexadecanoic acid (Palmitic acid) | 22.0-39.0 |
| C18:3 (cis 9,12,15) 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid | 0.2-1.5”; |
- Standards for Cheese Powder Introduced:
As part of the 2025 Food Safety Regulations, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has established new guidelines for cheese powder. These guidelines establish compositional limitations for milk fat, moisture, and salt levels as well as describe cheese powder and outline its properties.
Definition and Description
- Cheese Powder
A dried version of cheese or cheese slurry is called cheese powder.
It should have no firm lumps (except from those that shatter easily) and be white or light cream in color.
Particles that have been burned should be rather absent.
- Cheese Slurry
The product made by grinding or combining cheese curd with optional liquids (such as water, milk, cream, or butter oil) and/or milk solids is known as cheese slurry.
To develop flavour, it can be allowed to ripen for two to three weeks.
- Authorized Ingredients
In addition to cheese or cheese slurry, the only substances permitted are sodium chloride and drinkable water.
Additives must be within certain bounds and adhere to FSSAI requirements.
Standards for Composition:
- On a dry matter basis, milk fat must be at least 40%.
- Maximum moisture content is 5%.
- 5.5% maximum for salt (as sodium chloride).
Extra Clauses
- In accordance with the guidelines, only food additives specified in “Appendix A” may be used.
- The 2011 Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues Regulations must be followed by the product.
- The Licensing and Registration Regulations’ “Schedule 4” must be followed in all handling and hygiene procedures.
- The microbiological standards listed in “Appendix B” must be met.
- The Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, must be adhered to while labeling.
- Testing and sampling procedures must be in line with FSSAI basic registration guidelines.
- Stringent Standards for Packaged Drinking Water & Mineral Water:
- For purified drinking water, stricter quality standards are suggested, including comprehensive requirements for physical, chemical, and organoleptic characteristics.
- Purified drinking water must be clear and free of sediments, suspended particles, and other impurities.
- In addition to this, it must meet the specifications listed in Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6:
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New FSSAI Food Safety Regulations 2025
(4.8)
Table 1: Organoleptic and Physical Parameters
| Sl. No. | Characteristic | Permissible Limit |
| 1 | Colour, Hazen units, Max | 5 |
| 2 | Odour | Agreeable |
| 3 | pH value | 6.5-8.5 |
| 4 | Taste | Agreeable |
| 5 | Turbidity, NTU, Max | 1 |
| 6 | Total dissolved solids, mg/l, Max | 500 |
Table 2: General Parameters Concerning Substances Undesirable in Excessive Amounts
| Sl. No. | Characteristic | Permissible Limit |
| 1 | Aluminium (as Al), mg/l, Max | 0.03 |
| 2. | Ammonia (as total ammonia-N) mg/l, Max | 0.5 |
| 3. | Anionic detergents (as MBAS) mg/l, Max | 0.2 |
| 4. | Barium (as Ba), mg/l, Max | 0.7 |
| 5. | Boron (as B), mg/l, Max | 0.5 |
| 6. | Calcium (as Ca), mg/l, Max | 75 |
| 7. | Chloramines (as Cl2 ), mg/l, Max | 4.0 |
| 8. | Chloride (as Cl), mg/l, Max | 250 |
| 9. | Copper (as Cu), mg/l, Max | 0.05 |
| 10. | Fluoride (as F) mg/l, Max | 1.0 |
| 11. | Free residual chlorine, mg/l, Min | 0.2 |
| 12. | Iron (as Fe), mg/l, Max | 1.0 |
| 13. | Magnesium (as Mg), mg/l, Max | 30 |
| 14. | Manganese (as Mn), mg/l, Max | 0.1 |
| 15. | Mineral oil, mg/l, Max | 1.0 |
| 16. | Nitrate (as NO3 ), mg/l, Max | 45 |
| 17. | Phenolic compounds (as C6 H5OH), mg/l, Max | 0.001 |
| 18. | Selenium (as Se), mg/l, Max | 0.01 |
| 19. | Silver (as Ag), mg/l, Max | 0.1 |
| 20. | Sulphate (as SO4 ) mg/l, Max | 200 |
| 21. | Sulphide (as H2S), mg/l, Max | 0.05 |
| 22. | Total alkalinity as calcium carbonate, mg/l, Max | 200 |
| 23. | Total hardness (as CaCO3), mg/l, Max | 200 |
| 24. | Zinc (as Zn), mg/l, Max | 5 |
Table 3: Parameters Concerning Toxic Substances
| Sl. No. | Characteristic | Permissible Limit |
| 1. | Cadmium (as Cd), mg/l, Max | 0.003 |
| 2. | Cyanide (as CN), mg/l, Max | 0.05 |
| 3. | Lead (as Pb), mg/l, Max | 0.01 |
| 4. | Mercury (as Hg), mg/l, Max | 0.001 |
| 5. | Molybdenum (as Mo), mg/l, Max | 0.07 |
| 6. | Nickel (as Ni), mg/l, Max | 0.02 |
| 7. | Polychlorinated biphenyls, mg/l, Max | 0.0005 |
| 8. | Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (as PAH), mg/l, Max | 0.0001 |
| 9. | Total arsenic (as As), mg/l, Max | 0.01 |
| 10. | Total chromium (as Cr), mg/l, Max | 0.05 |
| 11. | Trihalomethanes: | |
| a) Bromoform, mg/l, Max | 0.1 | |
| b) Dibromochloromethane, mg/l, Max | 0.1 | |
| c) Bromodichloromethane mg/l, Max | 0.06 | |
| d) Chloroform, mg/l, Max | 0.2 |
Table 4: Parameters concerning radio-active residues
| Sl. No. | Characteristic | Permissible Limit |
| 1. | Alpha emitters Bq/l, Max | 0.1 |
| 2. | Beta emitters Bq/l, Max | 1.0 |
| 3. | Uranium, mg/l, Max | 0.03 |
Table 5: Microbiological Requirements
| Sl. No. | Characteristic | Permissible Limit |
| 1. | E. coli or thermotolerant coliform bacteria | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample |
| 2. | Total coliform bacteria | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample |
Table 6: Parameters concerning pesticide residues
| Sl. No. | Characteristic | Permissible Limit (µg/l) |
| 1. | Alachlor | 20 |
| 2. | Atrazine | 2 |
| 3. | Aldrin/ Dieldrin | 0.03 |
| 4. | Alpha HCH | 0.01 |
| 5. | Beta HCH | 0.04 |
| 6. | Butachlor | 125 |
| 7. | Chlorpyriphos | 30 |
| 8. | Delta HCH | 0.04 |
| 9. | 2,4- Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid | 30 |
| 10. | DDT (o, p and p, p – Isomers of DDT DDE and DDD) | 1 |
| 11. | Endosulfan (alpha, beta, and sulphate) | 0.4 |
| 12. | Ethion | 3 |
| 13. | Gamma — HCH (Lindane) | 2 |
| 14. | Isoproturon | 9 |
| 15. | Malathion | 190 |
| 16. | Methyl parathion | 0.3 |
| 17. | Monocrotophos | 1 |
| 18. | Phorate | 2”; |
- No Additives in Ordinary Flours:
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) rules from 2025 continue to forbid the addition of additives to common flours such as rice flour, millet flour, wheat flour (atta), and mixed millet flour.
- This implies that no additional food additives may be present in these flours.
- These flours are regarded as essential parts of the Indian diet, and by limiting additions, the FSSAI seeks to preserve their nutritional integrity.
- Modification in the Animal Definition:
- The meaning of “animal” in regulation 2.5.1, clause (a) of the FSSAI Food Safety Regulations 2025 has been changed.
- “Fish” is being excluded from the definition of “animal” via narrowing.
- As a result of this modification, food items made from fish will no longer be governed by the same rules or definitions as other goods derived from animals under regulation 2.5.1.
- This may have an impact on labelling regulations, namely those pertaining to whether a product is deemed “non-vegetarian” or whether ingredients derived from fish require special labelling.
- Regulation of Caffeinated Beverages Revision:
- The new FSSAI Food Safety Regulations are eliminating some provisions pertaining to caffeinated beverages.
- Sub-item (B) of clause (2), item III, sub-regulation 2.10.6, has been removed out. The removal of this section, which previously applied to caffeinated beverages, shows that the current regulations have been streamlined.
- Stricter labelling regulations, possible caffeine content restrictions, and an emphasis on responsible consumption are some of the major aspects of the revision.
- The necessity to protect consumers and the growing popularity of energy drinks, particularly among youth, are the driving forces for these changes.
- Expansion of sauce and gravy mix ingredients
More food additives are now allowed in processed or ready-to-cook sauces and gravy mixtures.
New additives have been added to Appendix A, Table 12, under Food Category System 12.6.3 (Mixes for sauces and gravies), after sodium alum inosilicate was entered.
The changes are intended to provide producers more freedom while preserving food safety.
Table 12: New additives and limits
| Food Category System | Food Category Name | Food Additive | INS No | Recommended Maximum Level | Note |
| “12.6.3 | Mixes for sauces and gravies | Sucrose esters of fatty acids | 473 | 10,000 mg/kg | 127” |
Read more: FSSAI Digital Tool to Flag Misleading Claims on Food Labels
Key Benefits of the FSSAI 2025 Draft Amendments
The key benefits of the FSSAI 2025 Draft Amendments are as follows: –
- Lower Health Risks: Consuming tainted or dangerous food is reduced by stricter regulations for food production, processing, and packaging.
- Nutritional Integrity: The prohibition of food additives in rice, atta, and millets guarantees that these staples stay unprocessed and natural. New guidelines for ghee also encourage the consumption of fat in a healthier way.
- Improved Food Quality: Better regulatory control and production uniformity are made possible by new definitions and compositional standards for items like cheese powder and sauces.
- Worldwide Alignment: These revisions improve export potential and increase worldwide confidence in Indian food goods by bringing Indian food safety standards closer to international standards.
- Encouragement of Innovation: By approving new additions like sucrose esters in sauces, producers can enhance product texture and shelf life while adhering to safety regulations.
Who Will Be Most Affected?
- Food Producers Using Additives, Cheese Powder, or Ghee: They must adhere to new composition guidelines and component limitations, particularly those pertaining to moisture, fat content, and permitted additions.
- Packaged Water Companies: More stringent regulations on microorganisms, heavy metals, and radioactive wastes will necessitate improved systems for filtration, testing, and quality control.
- Plant-Based Segments & Health Food Startups: Startups will have to rework on their products, eliminate some components, and maybe modify their packaging due to the ban on additives in these flours, which will affect their time to market and cost.
- Aggregators and Retailers: They will be in charge of making sure all items adhere to the most recent traceability and labelling regulations, enhancing compliance inspections at the distribution level.
All food business owners must obtain an FSSAI license to operate their business venture in a legally compliant manner.
Timeline for Implementation
The draft is covered under clause (e) of sub-section (2) of Section 92, read with Section 16 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and was published with the Central Government’s prior consent.
All impacted parties are asked to submit comments and objections by August 5, 2025, to the FSSAI. When this amendment is finalized, it will influence the formulation, content, labelling, and safety standards of several food product categories.
Conclusion
The FSSAI Draft Amendment Regulations 2025 represent a substantial change in India’s stance on public health, transparency, and food safety. The modifications seek to safeguard consumers and promote responsible manufacturing by strengthening regulations for important product categories, such as ghee, drinking water, flours, and processed foods.
Businesses, particularly startups and smaller players, will need to quickly adjust to the changes, but there is also a chance to create food systems that are more robust, clean, and internationally integrated. Proactive compliance and unambiguous communication will be essential to the food industry’s success as it gets ready for these changes.
To get expert assistance in FSSAI registration, visit https://corpbiz.io/.
FAQs
What is the new Food Safety Regulation 2025 from the FSSAI?
FSSAI's 2025 Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulation is a move toward consumer protection, evolving industrial practices, and international standards for food safety.
To whom are these revisions applicable?
These revisions apply to all food business owners (FBOs), including producers, processors, new businesses, retailers, exporters, and packaged water enterprises.
Are these modifications final?
No, the public can still comment on the draft. The final regulations will become enforceable after they have been examined and published in the Indian Gazette.
How can I provide my feedback on the draft?
Comments can be made via the official FSSAI comment portal at https://comments.fssai.gov.in/ .
Will small brands and startups be impacted by this?
The new FSSAI food safety laws would definitely affect startups and small firms in the food industry, especially those pertaining to ghee, cheese powder, and water standards. These rules may necessitate modifications to formulas, packaging, and possibly even the registration procedure for certain companies. They include suggested modifications to product composition, labelling specifications, and safety criteria.
How are meat and fish now regulated?
“Fish” is no longer included in the definition of “animal” in the context of meat and meat products under the new FSSAI Food Safety Regulations of 2025. This implies a shift toward considering fish as a different food group with unique regulations.
Are these modifications in line with international norms?
Yes, many of the suggested levels are in line with WHO and Codex Alimentarius norms, particularly for water, ghee, and food additives.
How much time do companies have to comply?
Depending on the type of change, FBOs are normally given a transition period (usually 6–12 months) to comply once the final notification is sent.
What are the key benefits of the FSSAI 2025 Draft Amendments?
The key benefits of the FSSAI 2025 Draft Amendments are as follows: –
· Lower health risks
· Nutritional Integrity
· Improved Food Quality
· Worldwide Alignment
· Encouragement of InnovationAre additives allowed in flour products?
No, in atta, millet flour, mixed millet flour, and rice flour (including reinforced kernels), additives are now strictly prohibited.
Read More: FSSAI Proposes Fixed Renewals and Extended Validity for Food Licenses
