Food Safety Compliance: A Wake-Up Call for Every Food Business

Recent enforcement actions by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration have drawn attention to the importance of food-safety compliance. The department has intensified inspections and action against food adulteration, unsafe food practices and other violations.

The recent focus should be taken seriously by every food business, including manufacturers, restaurants, cloud kitchens, retailers, dairies, bakeries, sweet shops, quick-service restaurants, dark stores and FMCG companies.

Regulatory action may include inspections, sampling and testing of food products, seizure of unsafe or substandard products, suspension or cancellation of licences and closure of establishments where serious violations are found. Businesses may also face penalties and other legal consequences, depending on the nature and seriousness of the violation.

Every food business should consider conducting a practical compliance review covering its premises, products, packaging, labels, suppliers, employees and records. Packaging and labelling are often treated as marketing issues, but they are also important compliance matters.

Newspapers must not be used with food

One important compliance issue is the use of newspapers for serving, wrapping, storing or packing food. FSSAI has stated that newspapers and similar materials must not be used for direct or indirect contact with food. This includes using newspapers to absorb excess oil, cover food items or wrap food for customers.

Food businesses should use packaging materials that are suitable for food contact and comply with the applicable food-safety and packaging requirements.

An inspection is about more than the licence

A valid FSSAI licence is important, but it is only one part of regulatory compliance. During an inspection, authorities may examine several other aspects of the business, including:

• Cleanliness and hygiene at the premises.

• Storage conditions and temperature control.

• Food-handling and manufacturing practices.

• Packaging and labelling.

• Legal Metrology compliance.

• Pest-control arrangements.

• Water quality and sanitation.

• Product testing and sampling records.

• Supplier records and product traceability.

• Training of food handlers.

• Complaints, recalls and corrective actions.

• Maintenance of statutory registers and other documents.

The exact requirements will vary depending on whether the business is a restaurant, cloud kitchen, manufacturer, dairy, retailer, warehouse or distributor. However, the principle remains the same: the business must be able to show that it has taken reasonable and documented steps to ensure food safety. A business that maintains proper systems and records is in a stronger position to respond to an inspection and address any observations raised by the authorities.

Compliance should be part of daily operations

Don’t wait until an inspection is announced. Food safety is part of your daily business activities and should therefore be integrated into your business operations on an ongoing basis.

Most major food manufacturers work with fixed systems of food safety, following HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 and BRCGS. These systems define possible risks of contamination, strive to prevent contamination, uphold hygiene, guarantee traceability and enable immediate correction of any deviations.

In order to better supply large retailers, e-commerce platforms or even international buyers, compliance is also important in order to create opportunities for growth, both on the domestic and export market. The required standards however, depend on the type of business, the products offered, the customers and the conditions as stated in the contract with suppliers.

What food businesses should do now

Identify all the gaps, for example, all expired licenses, wrong labels, unsuitable packaging, unsatisfactory storage of products, lack of complete records and unhygienic practices and systems. Develop a Corrective Action Plan and monitor its implementation until all the gaps have been closed.

Preparing for an inspection is not enough. What a business needs to do is prepare itself for production of safe food, which will also be safe to sell.

Inspecting food quality for selling purposes only is of no use, because quality is created in all the steps before selling, buying raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, storage, etc.

Ensuring food safety is not just about complying with legislation; it affects consumers’ perceptions of safety and the business’s reputation. A serious complaint or adverse test results could have severe consequences for a business. A single case of poor hygiene or incorrectly labeled products could have serious consequences for a business and cause loss of trade.

Why this matters

Food safety is not just about fines and penalties for non-compliance with food safety regulations. Food safety is also about customer confidence and a company’s reputation.

Food safety issues can have far-reaching consequences for a business. Today’s customers are more aware of the quality of food they buy and of product labels. One complaint, negative test results or even a minor hygiene issue can have serious repercussions for a business.

How we can assist you

We can assist food manufacturers, restaurants, cloud kitchens, retailers, FMCG companies and other food businesses with their regulatory and compliance requirements. Our support may include reviewing FSSAI and other applicable licences, conducting compliance audits, reviewing Legal compliance, preparing policies and compliance checklists, assisting with inspection-related issues. We can help your business identify risks, improve its internal systems and build a practical compliance programme for long-term growth.