The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, effective from 1 December 2026. The changes revise contaminant standards for lead, arsenic, cadmium, aflatoxins, saffrole, and veterinary drug residues, including trimethoprim and oxolinic acid, while introducing additional compliance requirements for pulse flours, fish oils, oils, oilseeds, beverages, and seafood products.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2026, which will come into force on 1 December 2026.
Key points include:
- The amendments expand contaminant standards by extending limits for lead and cadmium to cover both pulses and pulse flours, while introducing specific testing requirements for inorganic arsenic in fish oils.
- The regulations also revise provisions relating to total aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1 in oils and oilseeds intended for further processing or ready-to-eat consumption.
- Additionally, FSSAI has updated permissible limits for saffrole in foods and beverages containing mace and nutmeg kernel.
- In the veterinary drug residue section, maximum residue limits have been introduced or revised for trimethoprim and oxolinic acid in seafood, including fish, shrimps, prawns, and other fishery products.
These amendments aim to strengthen food safety controls and contaminant monitoring across multiple food categories.