The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has tightened the rules for the storage and transport of perishable foods, directing food business operators to maintain strict temperature control for products such as khoa, paneer, meat and fish throughout the supply chain. The new FSSAI norms, issued as an advisory on October 15 and publicised on October 18, warn that violations could lead to enforcement action, including seizure and destruction of products.
In the advisory, FSSAI said it had come to its notice that such perishable food items were at times not handled, stored or transported under appropriate temperature conditions. Given their highly perishable nature, these products are vulnerable to microbial growth and spoilage if prescribed temperature requirements are not maintained.
FSSAI norms: temperature control across the supply chain
Under the FSSAI norms, food business operators must maintain prescribed temperatures from procurement and sourcing right through to delivery to the end consumer. This covers chilling, transportation, storage and distribution activities. The requirements are stipulated under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
“FSSAI issues an advisory on handling, storage, and transportation of perishable foods like khoas, paneer, meat, and fish under controlled temperature conditions throughout the supply chain,” the regulator said. “FBOs must ensure strict adherence to hygiene and temperature standards,” it added.
FSSAI norms on vehicles and packaging
The FSSAI norms go beyond temperature. Food businesses must transport perishable commodities only in clean, covered and hygienic vehicles suitable for carrying food. Operators must use food-grade packaging and suitable secondary packaging materials; packing or transporting food in gunny bags or other non-food-grade coverings that could compromise product safety must be avoided.
Products must be protected from dust, moisture, pests, physical damage and cross-contamination during storage, loading, unloading and transportation. Businesses also need to maintain proper records and traceability of consignments, producing invoices or other relevant documents when demanded by the competent authority.
FSSAI norms: enforcement and vigilance
FSSAI has asked the commissioners of food safety in all states and Union Territories, Indian Railways and its regional directors to direct licensing authorities and food safety officers to maintain strict vigilance during inspections and transportation checks. The aim is to ensure compliance at every stage of the supply chain.
“Subjecting these food products to temperature abuse may adversely affect food safety and public health and constitutes non-compliance with the hygiene and sanitary requirements,” the advisory said. In case of non-compliance, authorities can initiate appropriate action, including seizure and destruction of the food items.
Why the rules matter for consumers
Temperature abuse of perishable foods is one of the leading causes of food-borne illness. Microbial growth in dairy and meat products can begin within hours when the cold chain breaks, and spoilage is often invisible to the consumer. By enforcing the FSSAI norms end-to-end, from the dairy or slaughterhouse to the retail counter, the regulator aims to cut the risk of contamination before products reach the plate.
The legal backbone: Schedule 4 of the 2011 regulations
The advisory draws its authority from the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, whose Schedule 4 lays down hygienic and sanitary requirements for food businesses. Under those rules, licensed operators are already required to maintain prescribed temperatures through chilling, transportation, storage and distribution, and temperature abuse counts as non-compliance.
What the new advisory does is tighten enforcement around that existing duty. FSSAI has directed all operators engaged in the manufacture, packing, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of these perishable commodities to ensure strict compliance, and has asked state food safety commissioners, Indian Railways and its regional directors to keep a close watch through inspections and transportation checks. Gunny bags and other non-food-grade coverings are explicitly out, and businesses must maintain records and traceability of every consignment. In a market where dairy and meat often travel long distances before reaching the consumer, the cold chain is now a compliance obligation at every link. The FSSAI norms are mandatory, and officials say the FSSAI norms will be enforced strictly.