India Consults on New Definitions for Food Packaging Legislation

SafeGuardSHardgoodsMarch 26, 2026

SG 043/26

India proposes the addition of several new terms to its rules governing food contact packaging.

In February 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) opened a 60-day public consultation on draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 (consolidated version V, updated through April 2025).

What are the changes in the draft regulations?

The draft would introduce six legally defined terms into the regulations to differentiate the types of material and packaging, as well as clarify the term ‘non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)’.

Highlights of the draft regulations are summarized in Table 1.

Item	Term	Definition
1	Food contact material (FCM)	Materials, including active and intelligent materials, articles and products intended to come into contact with food that should not have any undesirable effect on the food and health
2	Food grade contact material	Material(s) used in manufacturing, processing, handling (including kitchenware, tableware, etc.), packaging, storage and transportation of FCMs that meet prescribed safety standards and not endangering human and animal health, or altering food composition or characteristics during intended use
3	Modified atmosphere packaging	Enclosure of food in a package in which the internal atmosphere inside the package is modified or altered to provide an optimum atmosphere for increasing shelf life and maintaining food quality
4	Food packaging	Package 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
5	NIAS	Chemicals in an FCM or food contact article (FCA) but have not been added for a technical reason during the production process
6	Aseptic packaging	Process where a sterilized product is filled into a sterilized container and sealed in a sterile environment to prevent contamination

Table 1

Comments will be accepted until May 10, 2026.

Who is impacted?

Stakeholders across the food packaging supply chain are affected by these proposed changes, including manufacturers, importers, retailers and other intermediaries operating in the Indian market.

We help manufacturers and suppliers of food contact materials (FCM) achieve compliance with markets worldwide while supporting sustainability and market growth through product certification. Our experts offer extensive experience in testing materials and articles for multiple markets, ensuring they meet regulatory and environmental standards.

We provide comprehensive FCM testing, including migration tests, along with expert guidance on evolving regulations, compliance issues and documentation review. Our expertise ensures your products meet the appropriate territorial regulations for food contact materials and helps pave the way for compliance. Contact us to learn more, or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

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