NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the use of plastic and aluminium foil packaging for pan masala, allowing manufacturers to use tin or glass containers instead.
The new guidelines were notified through the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026.
Published in the Gazette of India on Monday, the amendment restricts manufacturers from using plastic, aluminium foil and metallised layers to package pan masala.
Under the amendment, pan masala has been brought under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018.
Pan masala can now be packaged in paper, paperboard, cellulose or other naturally derived materials, provided they are completely free from plastic, according to the provisions issued by the FSSAI, which comes under the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
The notification states that the packaging cannot contain polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or any other synthetic polymers, copolymers or laminates.
It also specifies that paper and naturally derived materials must be free from aluminium foil and metallised layers.
However, FSSAI has allowed manufacturers to use tin or glass containers for pan masala. These are listed separately as permitted packaging options under the new entry.
The amendment also states that certain provisions of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, will apply to pan masala packaging.
FSSAI notified the final amendment after completing a consultation process on the proposed changes.
The food regulator first published the draft Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026, on April 28, inviting objections and suggestions from people likely to be affected by the proposed regulations. The draft was open for public feedback for 60 days.
The suggestions and objections received in response to the draft were considered before the final amendment was issued.
The notification is specifically a packaging regulation and does not announce a ban on pan masala as a product.
Instead, it adds pan masala to the packaging schedule and specifies the materials that can be used for its packaging.