NEW DELHI: The Centre has notified amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The changes seek to rationalise compliance requirements for food businesses while ensuring that essential food safety and traceability measures continue to be maintained where they are most relevant and necessary.
Under the existing regulatory framework, all licensed food businesses were required to maintain records and adhere to stock rotation practices based on the principles of First In, First Out (FIFO) or First Expiry, First Out (FEFO).
Following the amendment, these requirements will apply only to food manufacturing businesses, where such controls are critical for ensuring food safety, quality assurance and product traceability.
Union Health Ministry officials said the step has been taken in line with the Centre's commitment to fostering a transparent, efficient and business-friendly regulatory ecosystem.
Non-manufacturing food businesses, including retailers and similar entities, have been exempted from these requirements.
The move is expected to significantly reduce the compliance burden on food business operators, particularly small and medium enterprises, while maintaining robust food safety oversight in areas where such controls are essential.
Officials said the amendment is part of the ministry's broader agenda of regulatory reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business and promoting risk-based, outcome-oriented regulation in the food sector.
Over the past few years, several measures have been introduced to simplify compliance for food business operators. These include the provision of perpetual licences and registrations, revision of turnover thresholds, removal of dual compliance requirements for street food vendors, and implementation of a risk-based inspection system.
Officials said the reforms were finalised after extensive consultations with states and Union Territories, as well as stakeholders from across the food business ecosystem.
The amendments are also aligned with the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Non-Financial Regulatory Reforms constituted by NITI Aayog, which emphasised the need to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens while ensuring effective oversight.
Officials said the ministry remains committed to strengthening India's food safety framework through science-based regulations, stakeholder consultations and regulatory simplification measures.
