Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Food moving through India’s bulk supply chain will no longer travel without a clear identity.In a key overhaul of labelling norms, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has brought non-retail and bulk food packs under mandatory disclosure rules, closing a long-standing gap in the system. The changes will take effect from July 1, 2027. Until now, large packs meant for hotels, caterers and distributors often carried limited information. That changes now. Every such package will have to disclose the product name, FSSAI licence, batch or lot number, storage instructions where required, and manufacturer or importer details. If a container carries multiple items, each must be listed separately. Even where labels are not feasible, such as transport containers, businesses will have to ensure full traceability through documents or electronic systems.To prevent diversion into retail markets, bulk packs must clearly state they are “not for direct sale to consumer”.The regulator has also tightened how labels appear. Mandatory information must be clear, prominent and legible, and applied in a way that makes tampering evident. At the same time, very small packs — up to 100 sq cm — get limited relief from logo requirements, though outer packs must carry full details. The notification fine-tunes nutrition rules as well. Infant foods are exempt from %RDA declarations per serving, while supplements and nutraceuticals in tablet or capsule form can skip macronutrient disclosure if energy contribution is negligible. A clearer definition of “minimally processed foods” — including cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables — has also been introduced. Consumer warnings have been tightened. Pan masala ads must carry clearly visible or audible warnings, and products with artificial sweeteners must specify restrictions for children, pregnant or lactating women, and certain medical conditions.
