FSSAI Food Categories

Overview of FSSAI Food Categories Framework

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) employs a comprehensive Food Categorisation System to streamline food safety regulations. The food classification system includes 16 main categories, each with specific subcategories, identified by unique food category codes. For instance, FSSAI category 12 covers a wide range of ingredients that are added to food in order to improve its flavour and scent, such as salt and salt alternatives, herbs, spices, seasonings, and condiments (such seasoning for instant noodles), vinegars, and mustards. FSSAI category 13 includes products covered by the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food, and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016 in a broad sense, as well as products related to infant food. Businesses can add proprietary foods to their FSSAI license by submitting specific applications and documentation through the FoSCoS portal, and ensure that their products meet all regulatory standards.

High-risk food categories, such as dairy products, meat and poultry, seafood, eggs, and ready-to-eat foods, require stringent safety measures due to their higher contamination potential. FSSAI's guidelines ensure that all food products, especially those in high-risk categories, adhere to safety and labelling requirements to protect consumer health. By following these regulations, food businesses in India can maintain compliance and uphold food safety standards.

Detailed Listing of FSSAI Standardised Food Products

• Products like Evaporated milk, Evaporated partly skimmed milk, Evaporated skimmed milk, Evaporated high fat milk fall under FSSR: 2.1.4.
• Products like Sweetened condensed milk, Sweetened condensed partly skimmed milk, Sweetened condensed skimmed milk, Sweetened condensed high fat milk fall under FSSR: 2.1.5.
• Cream products including Cream, Reconstituted cream, Recombined cream, Prepared creams, Pre-packaged liquid cream, Whipping cream, cream packed under pressure, Whipped cream, fermented/cultured/sour cream, Acidified cream fall under FSSR: 2.1.7 (1) (a-d).
• Butter products like Table butter, White butter/ Cooking butter, Pasteurized table butter fall under FSSR: 2.1.9.
• Milk Powders and Cream Powder products like Whole Milk Powder, Partly Skimmed Milk Powder, Skimmed Milk Powder, Cream Powder, Semi-skimmed milk powder fall under FSSR: 2.1.10.
• Dairy Whitener products like Skimmed Milk Dairy Whitener, Low Fat Dairy Whitener, Medium Fat Dairy Whitener, High Fat Dairy Whitener fall under FSSR: 2.1.11.
• Whey Powder products like Whey Powder, Acid Whey Powder fall under FSSR: 2.1.12.
• Fermented Milk including plain Yoghurt products like Yoghurt, Plain Dahi (Curd), Alternate Culture Yoghurt, Acidophilus milk fall under FSSR: 2.1.13(1) (a).
• Drinks based on fermented milk products like Lassi, Chhaach fall under FSSR: 2.1.13(1) (c).
• Chakka products like Chakka, Skimmed Milk Chakka, Full Cream Chakka fall under FSSR: 2.1.13 (1)(d) (i).
• Shrikhand products like Shrikhand, Full Cream Shrikhand, Fruit Shrikhand fall under FSSR: 2.1.13 (1) (d) (ii).
• Ice Cream, Kulfi, Chocolate Ice Cream, Softy Ice-Cream, Milk Ice, Milk Lolly and Dried Ice Cream Mix products fall under FSSR: 2.1.14.
• Frozen Desserts or Confections with Added Vegetable Oil/ Fat or Vegetable Protein, or both products like Frozen Dessert or Frozen Confection, Dried Frozen Dessert Mix or Dried Frozen Confection Mix, Medium fat Frozen Dessert or Frozen confection, Low fat Frozen Dessert or Frozen confection fall under FSSR: 2.1.15.
• Chhana and Paneer products like Chhana or Paneer, Low fat Chhana or Paneer fall under FSSR: 2.1.16.
• Edible Casein Products like Edible Acid Casein, Edible Rennet Casein, Edible Caseinate fall under FSSR: 2.1.18.
• Infant formula products like Premature/Low birth weight infant milk substitutes, Lactose free infant milk substitute, Lactose and sucrose free infant milk substitute, Sucrose free infant milk substitute, Hypoallergenic infant milk substitutes fall under FSSR: 2.1.19 (2).
• Cow or Buffalo Colostrum and Colostrum Products like Colostrum, Colostrum-based products, Colostrum powder fall under FSSR: 2.1.23.
• Thermally Processed Fruit Salad/Cocktail/Mix products like Extra light sweetened: (name(s) of fruit) Juice, Lightly sweetened: (name(s) of fruit) Juice, Heavily sweetened: (name(s) of fruit) Juice, Extra heavy sweetened(name(s) of fruit) Juice, Slightly Sweetened Water/ Extra Light Syrup, Light Syrup, Heavy Syrup, Extra Heavy Syrup fall under FSSR: 2.3.2.
• Thermally Processed Fruit Nectars products like Orange Nectar, Grape Fruit Nectar, Pineapple Nectar, Mango Nectar, Guava Nectar, Peach Nectar, Pear Nectar, Apricot Nectar, Non-pulpy Black Currant Nectar, Other Fruit Nectar, Other Fruit Nectars of High Acidity/Pulpy/ Strong flavor, Mixed Fruit Nectar fall under FSSR: 2.3.9.
• Thermally processed Mango Pulp/ Puree and Sweetened mango Pulp/ Puree products like Sweetened, Unsweetened (Natural Mango Pulp) fall under FSSR: 2.3.11.
• Thermally Processed Tomato Puree And Paste products like Tomato puree, Tomato Paste fall under FSSR: 2.3.14.
• Tamarind Pulp/Puree and Concentrate products like Tamarind Pulp/Puree, Tamarind Concentrate fall under FSSR: 2.3.18.
• Coconut Milk (Non-Dairy) products like Light coconut milk, Coconut milk fall under FSSR: 2.3.51.
• Coconut cream (Non-Dairy) products like Coconut cream, Coconut cream concentrate fall under FSSR: 2.3.52.
• Dried Apricots products like Whole, unpitted; Whole, Pitted; Halves, Slabs fall under FSSR: 2.3.53.
• Fermented Soybean Paste products like Fermented soybean paste manufactured with soybean only, Fermented soybean paste manufactured with soybean and grains fall under FSSR: 2.3.57.
• Canned Chestnuts and Canned Chestnut Puree products like Canned chestnuts, Canned chestnut puree fall under FSSR: 2.3.61.

Dairy Products and Analogues

• Subcategories and Standardised Products

  • Evaporated or Concentrated Milk products like Evaporated milk, Evaporated partly skimmed milk, Evaporated skimmed milk, Evaporated high fat milk fall under FSSR: 2.1.4.
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk products like Sweetened condensed milk, Sweetened condensed Partly skimmed milk, Sweetened condensed skimmed milk, Sweetened condensed high fat milk fall under FSSR: 2.1.5.
  • Cream products including Cream, Reconstituted cream, Recombined cream, Prepared creams, Pre-packaged liquid cream, Whipping cream, cream packed under pressure, Whipped cream, fermented/cultured/sour cream, Acidified cream fall under FSSR: 2.1.7 (1) (a-d).
  • Butter products like Table butter, White butter/ Cooking butter, Pasteurized Table butter fall under FSSR: 2.1.9.
  • Milk Powders and Cream Powder products like Whole Milk Powder, Partly Skimmed Milk Powder, Skimmed Milk Powder, Cream Powder, Semi-skimmed milk powder fall under FSSR: 2.1.10.
  • Dairy Whitener products like Skimmed Milk Dairy Whitener, Low Fat Dairy Whitener, Medium Fat Dairy Whitener, High Fat Dairy Whitener fall under FSSR: 2.1.11.
  • Fermented Milk including plain Yoghurt products like Yoghurt, Pain Dahi (Curd), Alternate Culture Yoghurt, Acidophilus milk fall under FSSR: 2.1.13(1) (a).
  • Drinks based on fermented milk products like Lassi, Chhaach fall under FSSR: 2.1.13(1) (c).

Consumer Awareness and Food Labelling

To ensure public health, it is essential to maintain hygiene to prevent foodborne illnesses, promote healthy diets to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs). FSSAI encourages the consumption of fortified foods to combat micronutrient deficiencies, address food adulteration and fraud, and take measures to prevent food waste and fight hunger. Various consumer awareness programs like ERI moments, food safety connect aps help in connecting and creating consumer awareness. Here is a list of food labelling outlines for the same:

• All pre-packaged food must have required labelling information unless exceptions apply
• Online and direct sales must provide all mandatory label information before sale, except for 'batch number, best before, use by date, expiry date, and date of manufacturing/packing'
• Labels must not be false, misleading, or deceptive
• Extra information or images can be included if they don't conflict with regulations
• Labels must be in English or Hindi (Devanagari script). Other languages can be used if they don't contradict the primary information
• Labels must be securely attached to the packaging
• Labels must be clear, prominent, indelible, and easily readable
• If there’s an outer container for retail, it must display all required declarations unless it is transparent and the inner label is readable
• The front must indicate the true nature of the food
• Use the specified name if regulated, otherwise use a common or descriptive name
• Additional brand or trade names are allowed if compliant with Advertising and Claims regulations
• Must be titled ‘Ingredients/List of Ingredients’
• Ingredients listed in descending order by weight or volume
• Include any functional food additives.

Fats and Oils, and Fat Emulsions

• Imported Safflower seed oil and Safflower seed oil High Oleic Acid products such as High Oleic Acid Safflower seed Oil and Imported Safflower seed Oil falls under FSSR: 2.2.1(10.1).
• Fat spread products encompass Milk fat spread, Mixed fat spread, and Vegetable fat spread comes under FSSR: 2.2.5(3).

Edible Ices, Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts

• Products such as ice lollies or edible ices and ice candy fall under FSSR: 2.7.5.
• Products like candied fruits, crystallised fruits, and glazed fruits or vegetable peels fall under FSSR: 2.3.26.
• Products like jams, fruit jellies, marmalades, and jelly marmalades fall under FSSR: 2.3.31.
• Products like dehydrated green leafy vegetables, tubers (Arvi, Lotus Root, Tapioca, Yam, Carrot, Potato, Karela, Cabbage, Okra), vegetable powders (onion, garlic, tomatoes), and dehydrated vegetables in various forms (whole, sliced, quarters, pieces, flakes, granules, powdered) fall under FSSR: 2.3.36.
• Products like green olives, olives turning color, black olives, natural olives, treated olives, dehydrated or shriveled olives, olives darkened by oxidation, and other types of olives in various forms (whole, cracked, split, stoned, halved, quartered, divided, sliced, chopped, minced, broken, stuffed, salad, with capers, fermented) fall under FSSR: 2.3.44.

Cereals, Bakery, Meat, and Fish Products

• Wheat protein products, including wheat gluten like vital wheat gluten, devitalised wheat gluten, and solubilised wheat proteins, fall under FSSR. 2.4.22
• Durum wheat semolina and whole durum wheat semolina products fall under FSSR: 2.4.23
• Degermed maize (corn) meal and degermed maize (corn) grits fall under FSSR: 2.4.24
• Pork, fresh pork, chilled pork, frozen pork, pork edible offal, carcasses or cuts (bone-in or boneless), and fresh, chilled, or frozen edible offals fall under FSSR 2.5.2 (7)
• Beef, fresh beef, chilled beef, frozen beef, beef edible offal, carcasses or cuts (bone-in or boneless), and fresh, chilled, or frozen edible offals. It comes under FSSR: 2.5.2 (8)
• Chevon edible offal, carcasses or cuts (bone-in or boneless), and fresh, chilled, or frozen edible offal products come under FSSR 2.5.2 (9)
• Mutton, fresh mutton, chilled mutton, frozen mutton, mutton edible offal, carcasses or cuts (bone-in or boneless), and fresh, chilled, or frozen edible offals. Comes under FSSR: 2.5.2 (10)
• Poultry meat (chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, quail, duck, goose), poultry edible offal, carcasses, cuts (bone-in or boneless), and fresh, chilled, or frozen edible offals. Comes under FSSR: 2.5.2 (11)
• Fresh Eggs (Chicken, Turkey, Guinea Fowl, Quail, Duck, Goose) come under FSSR: 2.5.3.
• Wafer biscuits, coated wafers, cookies, crackers, centre-filled biscuits, enrobed biscuits, sandwich biscuits, and crème biscuits (including fat-free/low-fat or sugar-free/low-sugar variants) fall under FSSR: 2.4.15 (1).

Eggs, Salts, Spices, and Beverages

• Cardamom (Elaichi) products such as whole, seeds, and powder variants, including Large Cardamom (Badi Elaichi), fall under FSSR 2.9.2.
• Chillies and Capsicum (Lal Mirchi), both whole and powdered forms, are categorised under FSSR 2.9.3.
• Cinnamon (Dalchini), available in whole and powdered forms, adheres to FSSR 2.9.4 regulations.
• Cassia (Taj), whether whole or in powder form, complies with FSSR 2.9.5.
• Cloves (Laung) products, including various types like Khoker Cloves and Mother Cloves, along with powdered cloves, are covered by FSSR 2.9.6.
• Coriander (Dhania), in both whole and powdered forms, falls under FSSR 2.9.7.
• Cumin (Zeera, Kalonji) varieties such as Safed Zeera and Kalonji, available whole or powdered, are regulated under FSSR 2.9.8.
• Fennel (Saunf), whether whole or in powder form, is categorized under FSSR 2.9.9.
• Fenugreek (Methi) products, including whole and powdered fenugreek, adhere to FSSR 2.9.10.
• Dried Ginger (Sonth, Dried Adrak), both whole and powdered forms, are classified under FSSR 2.9.11.
• Mace (Jaipatri), available whole or powdered, falls under FSSR 2.9.12.
• Mustard (Rai, Sarson), whether whole or in powdered form, complies with FSSR 2.9.13.
• Nutmeg (Jaiphal), in both whole and powdered forms, adheres to FSSR 2.9.14.
• Pepper Black (Kalimirch), including whole, powdered, Light Black Pepper, and Pinheads variants, falls under FSSR 2.9.15.
• Saffron (Kesar), available in strands or powdered, is categorized under FSSR 2.9.17.
• Turmeric (Haldi), whether whole or in powdered form, complies with FSSR 2.9.18.
• Pepper White, available whole or in powdered form, is regulated under FSSR 2.9.25.
• Coffee products, including green raw or unroasted, roasted, ground, soluble, decaffeinated, and their variants, fall under FSSR 2.10.2.
• Coffee-Chicory Mixture, including instant variants, adheres to FSSR 2.10.4.