By notification dated 26 February 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published draft regulations to further amend the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, with prior approval of the Central Government. Issued under Section 92(2) read with Section 23 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the draft has been placed in the public domain for objections or suggestions within sixty days from the date copies of the Gazette are made available. The proposed amendments introduce new definitions in Regulation 2(1), including “food contact material,” “food grade contact material,” “modified atmosphere packaging,” “food packaging,” “non-intentionally added substances (NIAS),” and “aseptic packaging.” These definitions clarify regulatory scope and safety parameters relating to materials and processes used in food packaging. The principal regulations were notified on 24 December 2018 and last amended on 28 March 2025.
FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF INDIA
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 26th February, 2026
F. No. SS-T0FA(NOTI)/7/2025-Standard-FSSAI.— The following draft of certain regulations further to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, which the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India proposes to make with previous approval of the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub- section (2) of section 92 read with section 23 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006) is hereby published as required under sub-section (1) of section 92 of the said Act for the information of all persons likely to be affected thereby, and notice is hereby given that the said draft regulations shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of the period of sixty days from the date on which the copies of the Gazette containing this notification are made available to the public;
Objections or suggestions, if any, may be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food and Drug Administration Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi-110002 or may be sent by email at regulation@fssai.gov.in.
Objections or suggestions which may be received with respect to the said draft regulations within the period specified above shall be considered by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Draft Regulations
1. These regulations may be called the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026.
2. In the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, –
(1) In regulation (2)relating to definitions in sub regulation (1), after clause (i), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely;
j. ““food contact material’’ means any material, including active and intelligent materials, article and product intended to come into contact with food and should not have any undesirable effect on the food and health;
k. “food grade contact material” means any material(s) that are used for manufacturing, processing, handling (including kitchenware, tableware, etc.), packaging, storage and transportation of food contact material should have demonstrated their compliance with specific safety standards under prescribed conditions and shall not endanger human and animal health and result in an unacceptable change in the composition and characteristics of food during its intended use;
l. “modified atmosphere packaging” means enclosure of food in a package in which the atmosphere inside the
package is modified or altered to provide an optimum atmosphere for increasing shelf life and maintaining food quality;
m. “food packaging” means package to be used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery, and storage, transport and presentation of food, from raw materials to processed food, from the producer to the user or consumer, including processor, assembler or other intermediary;
n. “non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)” means non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) are chemicals that are present in a food contact material (FCM) or food contact article (FCA) but have not been added for a technical reason during the production process;
o. “aseptic packaging” means process where a sterilized product is filled into a sterilized container and sealed in a sterile environment to prevent contamination.”
RAJIT PUNHANI, Chief Executive Officer
[ADVT.-III/4/Exty./722/2025-26]
Note. – The principal regulations were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 vide notification number File No. 1-95/Stds/Packaging/SP(L&C/A)/FSSAI-2017, dated the 24th December, 2018 and last amended vide notification number F.No. STD/SP-20/T(Recycled plastics-N) dated the 28th March, 2025.
