The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has included packaged drinking water and mineral water under the “high risk” food categories.

In a recent order issued by the food regulatory body, a copy of which was shared by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday, read, “Consequent to the omission of sub-regulation 2.3.14 (4), (5), (17) and (18) of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibitions and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which pertain to mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for certain food products, it has been decided that ‘packaged drinking water and mineral water’ will be treated under high risk food categories.”

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It is to be noted that other food products for which BIS certification was mandatory are already identified as high risk categories under FSSAI’s Risk Based Inspection Scheduling (RBIS) policy, it said.

The FSSAI said inspection of manufacturers/processors for the food products (for which BIS certification was mandatory prior to gazette notification of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) first Amendment Regulations, 2024 dated 17th October) is mandatory before the grant of license or registration.

It is reiterated that all centrally licensed manufacturers under high risk food categories shall get its business audited by FSSAI recognised third party food safety auditing agency every year, it said.

The list of high risk food categories now also includes packaged drinking water and mineral water, it added.

Notably, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda had earlier underlined the critical role of food safety in the well-being of citizens and asked FSSAI to sensitise consumers, industry and stakeholders on not only regulatory issues but behaviour change for inculcating healthy eating habits.

He pointed out that while regulatory issues are an important mandate of FSSAI, the objective of food safety can be fulfilled only with communication and sensitisation of the consumers on different aspects of food safety.