The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is proposing a significant change to food compliance requirements that will impact millions of food businesses across India. Under a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, FSSAI plans to make it mandatory for food manufacturers to maintain daily records of production, raw materials, and storage conditions. This initiative aims to enhance food safety, traceability, and documentation practices — aligning India’s regulatory framework with global food safety standards. In this blog, we explain what the new requirement involves, who it affects, and how food businesses can prepare.
🧾 What Are the Proposed Daily Record-Keeping Requirements?
FSSAI’s draft amendment proposes that registered food businesses engaged in manufacturing activities must maintain daily records of:
Raw materials and ingredients used
Work-in-progress inventory
Production volumes and outputs
Storage records of finished and semi-finished products
Movement of food within the facility
These records will be maintained as a part of compliance documentation, enabling real-time visibility of food handling processes and faster regulatory response in case of contamination or safety issues.
The draft has been released under negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO), emphasizing the importance of transparency and traceability in the food supply chain.
🍽️ Who Will Be Affected?
The record-keeping requirement will apply broadly to licensed food manufacturers under the FSSAI framework. Larger food producers, exporters, and processing units will need to implement systematic daily logs. However, the amendment excludes non-manufacturing entities such as pure traders, retailers, and distributors from this daily log requirement, limiting the scope mainly to manufacturing operations.
📊 Why Is FSSAI Introducing This Rule?
FSSAI says the daily records will help:
Strengthen food safety oversight
Improve traceability in case of contamination or recalls
Enable faster, evidence-based enforcement
Reduce disputes during inspections
Support export-ready compliance documentation
By maintaining daily production and storage logs, food businesses will be able to demonstrate consistent adherence to food safety norms.
🧑💼 Impact on MSMEs & Small Food Businesses
While large manufacturers may already maintain detailed records for internal quality control, the proposed norms could pose operational challenges for smaller food businesses.
Industry groups have highlighted that:
Daily documentation may increase administrative workload
Manual record systems may be insufficient
Digital compliance solutions may be necessary
Costs might rise due to training and new processes
This could particularly impact MSMEs that are not yet equipped with structured production tracking systems.
📑 How to Prepare for the New Compliance Requirement
Food business operators should start taking proactive steps:
1. Review Current Record Systems
Evaluate whether your existing production logs and storage records meet compliance standards.
2. Invest in Digital Tracking Tools
Automated tools help maintain consistent daily documentation and reduce manual errors.
3. Train Staff on Documentation Protocols
Personnel should be trained to record production and storage details accurately.
4. Align Inventory Practices
Implement stock rotation systems like FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expiry, First Out), which are becoming increasingly emphasized.
5. Monitor FSSAI Notifications
Since the draft is currently open for comments, make sure you stay updated on final implementations and deadlines.
📅 Status of Implementation
As of now, FSSAI has invited public comments on the proposed amendment, and the final implementation date has not yet been notified. Businesses should monitor official FSSAI communications for the exact rollout timeline.
🛡️ Why Compliance Matters
Daily record-keeping isn’t just a regulatory box to tick — it:
Protects your business in case of food safety investigations
Enhances your quality management systems
Improves traceability for suppliers and customers
Helps build confidence with regulators and export partners
Being prepared early will give your business a competitive advantage and minimize compliance stress.
Conclusion
FSSAI’s proposal to mandate daily production and storage records aims to modernize India’s food safety framework and bring it in line with global best practices. While the change may increase compliance requirements, it also strengthens traceability, supports food safety, and improves transparency across the food supply chain.
If you need help understanding the new requirements, setting up compliant record systems, or managing FSSAI documentation and license compliance, Contact BusinessRights is here to help.