FSSAI has issued a Scheme of Testing for Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) and Mineral Water (MW) to ensure safety and compliance in the market following the removal of mandatory BIS certification for these products. All Food Business Operators (FBOs) must strictly adhere to this testing scheme from 1 January 2026, covering microbiological, chemical, source water and packaging quality parameters.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an advisory directing compliance with the Scheme of Testing for Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) and Mineral Water (MW), effective 1 January 2026.
This follows the removal of the mandatory BIS certification requirement under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition & Restriction of Sales) Regulation, 2011.
Key points include:
- The scheme details comprehensive testing requirements, including microbiological and chemical parameters, source water testing, packaging material conformity, record-keeping, and corrective actions for non-conformities.
- Food Business Operators (FBOs) must maintain test records, ensure production conformity to the standards in FSSR 2.10.8 (PDW) and FSSR 2.10.7 (MW), and use FSSAI-notified NABL-accredited laboratories for compliance testing.