FSSAI tightens temperature rules for khoya, paneer, meat and fish

MUMBAI: When it comes to perishable food, keeping things cool is more than good practice, it is a matter of public health. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has tightened its focus on temperature control for products such as khoya, paneer, meat and fish, warning food businesses that lapses in handling, storage or transportation could invite enforcement action.

In an advisory dated 15 October 2026, the regulator flagged concerns over perishable commodities being transported or stored without adequate temperature control. Unsuitable conditions can encourage microbial growth and accelerate spoilage, increasing the risk of unsafe food reaching consumers.

The directive puts the responsibility on food business operators (FBOs) to maintain appropriate temperature conditions throughout the supply chain, from procurement and sourcing to final delivery. The requirements cover chilling, transportation, warehousing, storage and distribution, making clear that food safety cannot depend on a single checkpoint.

For businesses handling products that spoil quickly, the challenge extends beyond refrigeration at the warehouse or retail outlet. Temperature conditions must be managed during transit and at other points where food is handled, stored or transferred. A break in the cold chain can undermine earlier precautions, even if the product was properly chilled at the outset.

FSSAI has also stressed the importance of suitable transport arrangements. Food consignments must be moved in clean, covered and hygienic vehicles appropriate for the products being carried. Food-grade packaging and suitable secondary packaging materials must be used, while gunny bags and other non-food-grade coverings should be avoided where they could compromise product safety.

The regulator has further instructed businesses to protect consignments against dust, moisture, pests, physical damage and cross-contamination. These safeguards apply during storage, loading, unloading and transportation stages at which food can be exposed to conditions that affect its safety and quality.

Packaging, in this context, is not merely about keeping products intact during delivery. The materials used must be appropriate for food, while handling practices should prevent contamination from the surrounding environment. For businesses transporting several types of goods, maintaining suitable separation and hygienic conditions is also important to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

The advisory also emphasises documentation. Food business operators must maintain relevant records and ensure that consignments can be traced. Invoices and other required documents must be made available to the competent authority when requested.

Traceability can help authorities establish where a consignment originated, how it moved through the supply chain and which businesses handled it. Maintaining records therefore forms part of the broader system of accountability that allows regulators to examine potential lapses and follow up when concerns arise.

The requirements draw on the hygiene and sanitary provisions under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. FSSAI has stated that exposing perishable products to unsuitable temperatures can amount to non-compliance with these requirements.

The advisory is directed not only at food businesses but also at the authorities responsible for monitoring them. FSSAI has asked food safety commissioners across states and Union territories, Indian Railways and its regional directors to ensure that licensing authorities and food safety officers closely monitor compliance through inspections and transportation checks.

This places the focus on the movement of food as well as its storage at fixed locations. Transport vehicles, handling procedures and the conditions in which consignments are loaded and unloaded can all come under scrutiny as part of enforcement activity.

FSSAI has warned that non-compliance could result in appropriate action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the regulations framed under it. Possible measures include the seizure and destruction of products, depending on the circumstances and applicable provisions.

The warning raises the stakes for businesses dealing in highly perishable products. Failure to maintain temperature controls or comply with hygiene and packaging requirements could result not only in food safety concerns but also in regulatory consequences.

For the wider supply chain, the advisory underlines the need to treat temperature management as a continuous responsibility rather than a box to be ticked at one stage. Suppliers, transporters, warehouse operators and distributors all play a role in ensuring that products remain safe as they move towards consumers.

The practical implications will depend on the nature of the food being handled and the applicable requirements, but the regulator’s message is clear: unsuitable temperatures, poor packaging and inadequate records can all expose businesses to scrutiny.

For consumers, the concern is straightforward. Products such as paneer, khoya, meat and fish can spoil if handled under unsuitable conditions, making temperature control an important part of food safety. FSSAI’s latest advisory seeks to reinforce safeguards at each stage between sourcing and delivery.

The regulator has not specified a single temperature applicable to every product in the advisory details provided. Businesses must therefore follow the prescribed temperature conditions relevant to the food they handle, alongside the applicable hygiene, transportation and storage requirements.

As inspections and transportation checks receive renewed attention, food businesses will need to ensure that their procedures, packaging and documentation meet the required standards. When food is perishable, the margin for error can be slim and, under FSSAI’s warning, the consequences of getting it wrong could be costly.