India’s food safety architecture stands at a critical inflection point—caught between the pressures of scale, the complexities of a rapidly evolving food economy, and the rising expectations of a more aware, more demanding consumer base.
From street vendors and MSMEs to global supply chains and digital food platforms, the challenge is no longer merely about enforcing standards, but about building a system that is predictive, transparent, and trusted. In this context, Rajit Punhani, Chief Executive Officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), is steering one of the country’s most consequential regulatory transformations—moving from compliance-heavy oversight to data-driven, risk-based governance.
In a conversation with Anoop Verma, Rajit Punhani outlines how FSSAI is strengthening last-mile enforcement, leveraging digital platforms like FoSCoS, tackling misinformation, and preparing for the next frontier of food regulation, including AI-enabled traceability.
Edited excerpts:
India’s food ecosystem is becoming increasingly complex and diversified. How would you assess the current state of food safety governance in the country, and where do the biggest risks lie today?
India’s food safety architecture has undergone a fundamental transformation over the past two decades. The shift from the Prevention of Food Adulteration framework to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 marked a decisive move toward a unified, science-based regulatory regime. With the establishment of FSSAI in 2008, we now have harmonised standards across the country, which is a significant achievement in itself. Almost all our standards are aligned with the international standards of Codex Alimentarius Commission.
At the institutional level, the model is clearly defined—FSSAI sets the standards, while enforcement rests with State Food Safety Authorities. More than 98% of the Licenses/Registrations lie with the State Governments and on the recommendation of the NFRR high level committee of NITI Aayog, we have increased the threshold for which the states may issue the licenses. This federal structure allows for contextual enforcement, which may vary as per the states’ priorities and food habits and culture.
The real challenge today lies at the last mile. As the food ecosystem expands rapidly—with new businesses, digital food platforms, and evolving consumption patterns—ensuring comprehensive licensing, registration, and compliance becomes more complex. At the same time, misinformation, particularly through social media, is emerging as a new risk vector, often eroding consumer trust. Going forward, strengthening self-compliance among food businesses and enhancing consumer awareness will be as critical as regulatory enforcement.
Enforcement remains uneven across states. What concrete steps is FSSAI taking to ensure uniform compliance and strengthen last-mile regulatory capacity?
Enforcement is indeed state-driven, and naturally, priorities differ based on local consumption patterns and risk perceptions. However, the scale of enforcement activity itself reflects both the progress made and the challenges ahead. In 2025–26 alone, nearly four lakh inspections were conducted, and over 1.65 lakh samples were tested. The fact that over 17% of these samples were found non-conforming underlines the persistence of systemic risks across key food categories.
To address this, FSSAI has focused on building institutional coherence rather than imposing centralised control. Mechanisms such as the Central Advisory Committee bring together FSSAI, state authorities, and multiple ministries to ensure alignment. At the operational level, State and District Advisory Committees help translate policy into action.
Equally important is capacity building. Regular training programmes for food safety officers, laboratory personnel, and enforcement officials are helping standardise practices. This is complemented by digital platforms like FoSCoS and INFoLNet, which bring consistency to inspections, sampling, and data management across states. We are also investing in outreach. Initiatives like Food Safety on Wheels extend both testing and awareness to remote areas, effectively strengthening last-mile surveillance while engaging directly with citizens.
Digital platforms like FoSCoS have transformed regulatory processes. How is FSSAI leveraging data analytics and AI to move from reactive enforcement to predictive risk management?
The transition from reactive to predictive regulation is already underway. FoSCoS, which now covers over 71 lakh food businesses, functions as a central data backbone. By integrating compliance history, audit reports, hygiene ratings, and inspection outcomes, we are able to build detailed risk profiles of food business operators.
This feeds directly into the Risk-Based Inspection System, which ensures that inspections are not random but targeted toward high-risk entities. Tools like FoSCoRIS further strengthen this ecosystem by enabling real-time inspection reporting, including photographic evidence and structured checklists. What is emerging is a fully integrated surveillance architecture—combining digitisation, analytics, and field intelligence. As datasets grow, we are increasingly able to identify patterns—recurring non-compliances, seasonal spikes, and geographic hotspots. The objective is clear: to detect risks before they escalate into incidents.
Looking ahead, we are also working on strengthening third-party audits with real-time monitoring, which will add another layer of transparency and credibility to the system.
Is FSSAI exploring integration with broader Digital Public Infrastructure frameworks to enhance traceability and real-time monitoring of food products?
This is a natural next step. We are already moving toward deeper integration with national digital platforms such as the National Single Window System. At the same time, we are strengthening inspection systems through real-time monitoring at food business premises. The long-term vision is to build end-to-end traceability—linking production, processing, distribution, and consumption. This will significantly improve transparency and enable faster responses to food safety incidents.
With rising concerns around ultra-processed foods and misleading claims, what is the roadmap for front-of-pack labelling and stricter disclosure norms?
The regulatory foundation is already in place. The Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018 clearly prohibit false or misleading claims and require all assertions to be scientifically substantiated. These are complemented by the Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020, which mandate disclosure of key nutritional information such as salt, sugar, and fat content. The next frontier is front-of-pack nutrition labelling, which is sub judice in the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The idea is to move from compliance-driven labelling to consumer-centric transparency.
India faces a dual burden of malnutrition and rising lifestyle diseases. How does FSSAI balance regulatory action with behavioural change initiatives such as Eat Right India?
Regulation alone cannot solve a public health challenge of this scale. What is required is a dual strategy—ensuring the availability of safe and nutritious food while simultaneously influencing consumer behaviour. On the regulatory side, we continue to strengthen standards, surveillance, and enforcement. Measures such as limiting trans fats, promoting food fortification, and improving labelling norms are all aimed at improving the nutritional quality of food.
But equally important is behavioural change. The Eat Right India movement is designed precisely for this purpose. Built around the principles of safe, healthy, and sustainable food, it engages multiple stakeholders—schools, workplaces, food vendors, and communities. Campaigns like “Aaj Se Thoda Kam” and “Har Label Kuch Kehta Hai” are attempts to translate complex nutritional information into simple, actionable insights for citizens. Ultimately, the goal is to create an ecosystem where informed choices become the norm.
How do you balance the need for stringent food safety standards with the operational realities of MSMEs and small food businesses?
The approach is to enforce uniformly but implement proportionately. The law requires all food businesses—large or small—to comply with safety standards. However, the regulatory burden is calibrated based on risk and scale. For small businesses and street vendors, FoSCoS offers simplified registration processes with minimal documentation and low or no fees. At the same time, training programmes like FOSTAC help build capacity at the grassroots level, enabling self-compliance. By combining regulatory clarity with ease of compliance, we aim to ensure that safety standards are not diluted, but the pathway to compliance remains accessible.
As India seeks to expand its agri and processed food exports, how is FSSAI aligning domestic standards with global benchmarks without compromising consumer safety?
Alignment with global standards is essential for export competitiveness, but it cannot come at the cost of domestic safety. Our approach has been to harmonise with Codex standards wherever feasible, particularly in areas such as contaminants and pesticide residues. At the same time, we actively contribute Indian data to global standard-setting processes to ensure that international benchmarks reflect our consumption patterns and exposure levels. Where deviations are necessary, they are always grounded in scientific risk assessment. This allows us to strike a balance—facilitating exports while maintaining robust consumer protection.
How does FSSAI handle the regulatory challenges posed by imported food products, especially in terms of quality assurance and border inspections?
Imported food is regulated through a structured and technology-driven system. We have authorised officers deployed across 168 entry points, supported by the Food Import Clearance System. Each consignment undergoes a three-tier verification process—document scrutiny, visual inspection, and laboratory testing. The Risk Management System ensures that consignments with higher risk profiles are prioritised for sampling. This approach ensures both efficiency and rigour. Compliant consignments are cleared quickly, while non-conforming products are prevented from entering the domestic market.
Looking ahead, what is your strategic vision for FSSAI in building a safer, more transparent, and globally competitive food ecosystem over the next five years?
The vision is to evolve into a fully data-driven, risk-based regulator that operates across the entire food value chain—from farm to plate. This will involve strengthening consultative standard-setting processes, deepening digital integration through AI and advanced analytics, and building end-to-end traceability. At the same time, we will continue simplifying compliance frameworks, particularly for MSMEs, to align safety with ease of doing business.
Consumer empowerment will remain central—through clearer labelling, digital access to information, and stronger grievance redressal mechanisms. We also see ourselves playing a more proactive role in enabling innovation, whether in nutraceuticals, plant-based foods, or emerging food technologies. Ultimately, food safety cannot be enforced in isolation. It has to become a shared responsibility—where regulators, businesses, and consumers all act as stakeholders in building a safe, transparent, and globally competitive food ecosystem.
