The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has classified packaged drinking water as a “high-risk food category.” mandating annual third-party food safety audits. Â This move will be effective immediately after the release of an order dated November 29, 2024. Central license holders in this category are required to submit an annual inspection to manage potential health risks associated with the processing of packaged drinking water (Before packaged drinking water and mineral water were controlled by the BIS and ISI certification marks.
Recently, the FSSAI has removed these marks and will use its certification instead). To learn about the latest updates from FSSAI, check out the article FSSAI changed certification norms: AGMARK, BIS, ISI no longer needed). This decision has major implications for the industry, consumers, and the regulatory framework.
What is Packaged Drinking Water?
Packaged drinking water is water that has been processed and sealed in containers for sale. It is widely consumed as an alternative to tap water, especially in urban areas where water quality concerns are prevalent.
Background of the Decision
The main reason for such reclassification is to streamline regulations & introduce stricter safety protocols for the business. This decision has been taken followed by the government’s initial decision of removing BIS certification for these products. As per the latest regulations, inspections are mandatory for businesses before getting a license or certification. Along with this third-party audits from FSSAI-recognized food safety agencies are required annually, as this is compulsory for high-risk category products. These major decisions are taken to ensure that the products are safe for consumption and are of high-quality standards.
FSSAI Regulations for Packaged Drinking Water
These regulations cover various aspects, including:
1) Source of Water: Sources can differ as rivers, lakes, city water supplies, underground sources, sea, or other reliable sources.
2) Treatment Process: Such water is treated with various processes such as:
- Decantation: Letting impurities settle
- Filtration: By passing water through a membrane
- Demineralization: Removing minerals
- Remineralization: Adding back some minerals
- Reverse osmosis: Using a special membrane to filter water
- Chemical or physical treatment: Water is treated by chemical agents or physical methods in such a way that it will reduce the microbial count to the acceptable level but taking into care that such substances do not have any adverse effect on health.
3) Packaged water should be clear, and free of any sediments, suspended particles, or external matter.
4) Nitrogen can be used for packaging purposes at the GMP level (GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices meaning that an additive can be added at a level that is necessary to produce the desired effect, no limits are given for these additives)
5) Packaging and Labeling: The package should be tamper-proof, and it should be labeled with information such as the source of the water, process of treatment applied, expiry date, as well as manufacturing details.
6) Quality Standards: The packaged water should meet certain quality parameters prescribed by the FSSAI, such as permissible limits of various contaminants along with microbial requirements, organoleptic & physical parameters, general parameters that are undesirable in excessive amounts, parameters for toxic substances, radio-active residues and pesticide residues.
What are High-Risk Products?
High-risk products have a high potential of causing serious health issues such as food poisoning, if not handled and processed properly. These products are specially placed under high-risk category products so that they are treated with stricter regulations and inspections.
Products under high-risk category:
- Meat and poultry product
- Milk, milk products & analogues
- Egg & egg products
- Seafood
- Ready-to-eat foods
- Bakery products
- Specialized foods for nutritional purposesÂ
Effect on Small and Huge Companies
Such a big change in regulations will affect large and small companies. This will force both small and large companies to spend more money on ensuring regulatory compliance regarding infrastructure upgrading, quality control measures, and third-party audits. Adoption of such sudden changes will require additional costs and investments to establish the latest technologies and training programs related to them, which will create an extra financial burden on small companies. Such tougher rules will force large and small companies to level up their game and adhere to high standards.
References:
FSSAI standards for packaged drinking water
FSSAI notifications on packaged drinking water
