Official FSSAI Food Safety Guidelines 2026 – Industry Best Practices

FSSAI Food Safety and Hygiene Guidelines for 2026

Maintaining high standards of food safety is the core objective of the FSS Act. FSSAI provides detailed guidelines under Schedule 4 of the Licensing and Registration Regulations that every Food Business Operator (FBO) must follow to ensure the food served or sold is safe for human consumption.

Key Pillars of Food Safety

• Personal Hygiene: Staff must wear clean clothes, hairnets, and gloves. Regular hand-washing is mandatory.
• Clean Premises: The kitchen and storage areas must be pest-free, well-ventilated, and easy to clean.
• Safe Water: Only potable water (tested annually) should be used for cooking and cleaning.
• Raw Material Safety: Source ingredients only from FSSAI-registered vendors. Check for quality and expiry dates.
• Cross-Contamination Prevention: Keep raw and cooked food separate. Use different cutting boards for veg and non-veg.

Mandatory Records to Maintain

• Pest Control records (done by professional agencies).
• Water Analysis Report (from an NABL accredited lab).
• Medical Fitness Certificates of all food handlers.
• Daily cleaning schedules and maintenance logs.

FoSTaC Training

FSSAI recommends (and in some cases mandates) that at least one person in the establishment be trained and certified under the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) program.

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