FSSAI New Centralised Food Surveillance System: A Digital Shield for Your Plate

Under the new system, every recall must be logged on the platform. Each recall gets a unique identification number. This creates a traceable record. Food business operators (FBOs) and enforcement authorities can update the status of the recall in real time. Consumers can also see the recall information on the FoSCoS homepage. This makes the system transparent and builds public trust.

The Reality of Food Safety Enforcement

FSSAI has been working hard on the ground. In the financial year 2025-26, the authority conducted 3,97,039 inspections across food establishments. It analysed 1,65,747 food samples. Out of these, 17.16% were found to be non-conforming. This means about one in every six samples was unsafe or of poor quality.

These findings led to serious action. There were 23,580 adjudication cases (legal proceedings) and 1,756 criminal convictions. This shows that FSSAI is not just testing food; it is also punishing those who break the rules.

Another major achievement was the integration of more than 10 lakh street food vendors into the formal regulatory framework. This means that millions of street food sellers are now linked to hygiene and food safety compliance requirements. This is a big step for public health.

Big Changes in Licensing and Labelling

FSSAI has also made important changes to licensing and labelling rules. On 10 March 2026, amendments were made to FSSAI licensing regulations. Now, food licences and registrations are perpetually valid. This means they do not need to be renewed every few years. Instead, inspections will be risk-based. This reduces paperwork for honest businesses and allows FSSAI to focus more on risky or non-compliant operators.

Also, new front-of-pack nutrition labelling rules have been introduced. Packaged foods will now display a star rating system. This will help consumers make healthier choices at a glance. Manufacturers have been asked to update their packaging artwork by September 2026.

Exam-Focused Points

• FSSAI established under:  Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (statutory body)

• FSSAI’s role:  Regulates food standards, licensing, inspection, sampling, compliance

• New centralised surveillance system:  For market sampling, lab testing, digital alert generation

• How sampling works:  Neutral third-party agencies (bidding) buy samples from market

• Sample requirement:  50% from large organised supply chains

• Alert mechanism:  Unsafe findings trigger digital alerts with batch numbers to state commissioner

• Payment:  FSSAI headquarters pays labs directly for transparency

• FoSCoS stands for:  Food Safety Compliance System (digital licensing, renewals, approvals)

• FoSCoS 2.0 launched:  20 February 2026 (fully digital)

• Food Recall functionality launched:  25 April 2026 on FoSCoS platform

• Recall system features:  Unique ID per recall, real-time tracking, consumer access on homepage