India's FSSAI Sets Mandatory Timelines and Standardised Methods for Food Sample Analysis

India's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Laboratory and Sample Analysis) Amendment Regulations, 2026, introducing mandatory timelines for laboratory analysis and codifying approved methods of analysis for food samples. The notification, signed by Chief Executive Officer Rajit Punhani, was issued in New Delhi on 14 September 2026 and reported on 19 September 2026. The amended rules will take effect on 1 April 2027.

Background

The amendment further modifies the Food Safety and Standards (Laboratory and Sample Analysis) Regulations, 2011. According to the notification, a draft of the proposed changes was first published on 17 February 2025, with copies made available to the public on 20 February 2025, opening a 60-day window for objections and suggestions. FSSAI stated that public feedback was considered before the final regulations were framed.

Analysis Timelines

The new regulation 2.6 establishes specific turnaround requirements. For domestic regulatory samples, the Food Analyst must issue a signed report within 14 days of receiving a food article for analysis. For appeal cases, a referral laboratory must similarly issue a report signed by its Director within 14 days of sample receipt. In both instances, if the deadline cannot be met, the relevant party must formally notify the Designated Officer and the Commissioner of Food Safety, stating reasons and the expected completion time.

For imported goods, the rules set a tighter deadline. Notified or referral laboratories must deliver analysis reports within five days of receiving a sample. Where that deadline cannot be met, the laboratory must provide written reasons to the Authorised Officer. These timelines are significant for feed and food importers, as laboratory processing speed directly affects border clearance times.

Approved Methods of Analysis

New regulation 2.5 requires laboratories to use analysis-method manuals as amended or adopted by the Authority. Where a method for analysing a particular parameter is not available in those manuals, laboratories may adopt a validated method prescribed by recognised bodies. The regulation names AOAC, ISO, Pearson's, Jacob, IUPAC, Food Chemicals Codex, BIS, Codex Alimentarius, Woodmen, Winton-Winton, Joslyn, or any other internationally recognised regulatory agency as acceptable sources.

Other Changes

The amendment also updates the procedure for issuing test certificates: after analysis, the certificate signed by the Director of the Referral Food Laboratory or the report signed by the Food Analyst must be supplied promptly to the sender in the prescribed forms. The provision covering sample quantities drawn for unspecified products is revised so that such quantities will be determined by guidelines issued by the Food Authority from time to time. Forms A and B under the principal regulations are omitted entirely.

The principal regulations were originally published on 1 August 2011 and were last amended on 15 October 2020, prior to this notification.