Food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has ended the long-standing requirement for mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for packaged drinking water and mineral water. The change, notified earlier through a Gazette amendment on 17 October 2024, marks a major regulatory shift in the country’s bottled water sector.
The FSSAI has, however, unveiled a comprehensive and compulsory ‘scheme of testing’ designed to maintain strict oversight on water quality and safety. This new framework will come into force from 1 January 2026, and applies to all licensed food business operators engaged in the production and sale of packaged drinking and mineral water. Non-compliance will invite action.
Enhanced testing Â
Under the new scheme, manufacturers must conduct regular testing of both source water and processed water through FSSAI-notified, NABL-accredited laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025 certified).
Monthly tests will be conducted for microbiological parameters such as coliform bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, yeast, moulds, and pathogens such as Salmonella and Vibrio cholerae.
Tests will be conducted quarterly or semi-annually depending on the substance for chemical and physical parameters, including nitrates, heavy metals, phenolic compounds, and pesticide residues.
Packaging materials such as plastic bottles, jars, and pouches will undergo biannual testing for migration, quality, and compliance with the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018.
Record-keeping and hygiene compliance
Manufacturers have to maintain detailed test records, batch-wise mineral usage data, and supplier certificates for at least five years. All operations — from water sourcing to bottling and packaging — must adhere to Schedule IV of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, which outlines hygiene and good manufacturing practices.
Additionally, source water must be re-tested whenever there is a change in the source or detection of radioactive residues, with the requirement to abandon contaminated sources immediately and inform the authority.
The move shifts regulatory accountability directly to manufacturers, replacing the external BIS certification system with FSSAI’s in-house compliance mechanism. While easing procedural burdens, the updated framework imposes more frequent, documented, and transparent testing obligations.
The new scheme is designed to strengthen consumer confidence while ensuring uniform enforcement across India’s expanding bottled water industry, which includes thousands of small and medium producers, FSSAI said.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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