Food Product Label Requirements in India: FSSAI Compliance Checklist 2026

In India, every packaged food product must comply with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 and its subsequent amendments. Get the label wrong and you risk seizure of stock, retailer rejections, e-commerce listing takedowns, and penalties under Section 52 of the FSS Act (₹3 lakh+ per offence). Get it right and the same artwork file works across modern trade, quick-commerce and exports.

This guide walks through every mandatory element, the most common mistakes, and the rules that differ by product category — in plain English.

The 14-point mandatory label checklist

Every pre-packaged food sold in India must carry these 14 elements. Treat this as a pre-print checklist:

#	Element	Where it must appear
1	Name of the food	Principal Display Panel (PDP)
2	List of ingredients (with QUID where applicable)	Information Panel
3	Nutritional information	Information Panel
4	Veg / Non-veg symbol	PDP, near the brand name
5	Declaration of food additives	Within the ingredient list
6	Name and address of the manufacturer / packer / importer	Information Panel
7	FSSAI logo and 14-digit licence number	PDP or Information Panel (must be visible)
8	Net quantity	PDP
9	Lot / Batch / Code number	Anywhere visible
10	Date marking — Date of Manufacture and Best Before / Use By / Expiry	Anywhere visible, with location indicated on the label
11	Country of origin (for imports)	Information Panel
12	Instructions for use (where applicable)	Information Panel
13	Allergen declaration	Below the ingredient list, in bold
14	Customer care details	Information Panel

We'll go through each in detail below.

1. Name of the food

The name must be the common or generic name of the product, not a marketing-only name. "Crunchy Delights" is a brand; "Potato Chips" is the food name — both must appear, with the food name prominent and unambiguous.

If the product is a flavoured, blended or imitation version, the descriptor must be on the same label face. Examples:

• "Strawberry Flavoured Yoghurt" (not just "Strawberry Yoghurt" if it contains added flavour).
• "Analogue Cheese" or "Cheese Spread" (not just "Cheese" for a non-dairy or part-dairy product).

2. Ingredient list and QUID rules

List ingredients in descending order of weight at the time of manufacture. A few specific rules:

• Compound ingredients (e.g., "biscuit base") must themselves be broken down into their sub-ingredients in brackets, unless the compound ingredient is less than 5% of the final product (with exceptions for additives — those must always be declared).
• Added water must be listed if it's more than 5% of the final product.
• Food additives must be declared by their functional class + name or INS number — e.g., "Acidity Regulator (INS 330)" or "Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid)".

QUID — Quantitative Ingredient Declaration

If the label highlights a particular ingredient (visually, or in the name), you must declare its percentage. Examples:

• A pack labelled "Mango Drink with Real Fruit" must state the mango fruit % in the ingredient list, e.g., "Mango Pulp (12%)".
• A "Cashew Cookies" label must declare the cashew %.
• A "Made with Almonds" claim triggers an almond % declaration.

The percentage should be by weight at the time of manufacture and placed either next to the ingredient in the list or near the food name on the PDP.

3. Nutritional information

Nutritional information must be presented in a tabular format on the label, per 100 g (for solids) or per 100 ml (for liquids), and per serving (where a serving size is declared).

The table must include, at minimum:

• Energy (kcal)
• Protein (g)
• Carbohydrate (g), of which Total Sugars (g) and Added Sugars (g) separately
• Total Fat (g), of which Saturated Fat (g) and Trans Fat (g) separately
• Sodium (mg)

Tolerance limits: declared values must be within ±20% of analytical values for nutrients with declared health claims, and within ±25% for others. Round to the nearest whole number for energy and to one decimal place for macros.

When can you skip the nutrition table?

A nutrition table is not required for:

• Single-ingredient raw foods (e.g., whole spices, plain salt, plain sugar).
• Fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Foods sold in packs with a total surface area below 100 sq cm (you can use a simplified declaration).
• Tea, coffee, herbs, spices and condiments served in trace amounts.
• Mineral and packaged drinking water.

When in doubt, include it — it never hurts compliance.

4. FSSAI logo and licence number — placement and size

The FSSAI logo must appear alongside the 14-digit FSSAI licence number of the manufacturer / packer / importer. Rules:

• The logo and number must be clearly visible and contrasting against the label background.
• The text "Lic. No." must precede the 14-digit number.
• For pack sizes above 100 sq cm, the logo size should be proportional to the principal display panel — practically, a minimum of 6 mm height.
• For imports, the importer's FSSAI licence number must be on the label (not the foreign manufacturer's).
• Download the official FSSAI logo from the FSSAI / FoSCoS website — do not redraw or recolour it.

5. Veg / Non-veg symbol — colour, size, placement

This is one of the most-violated rules. The symbol must be:

• A filled circle inside a square outline.
• Green for vegetarian products; Brown for non-vegetarian products.
• Placed immediately adjacent to the brand name or food name on the principal display panel — not buried on the back panel.
• Same prominence as the brand name (similar size and contrast).

For products containing egg, the recent amendment requires an orange triangle symbol — distinct from the green-veg and brown-non-veg marks.

6. Allergen declarations — the 8 majors

The label must declare the presence of any of these eight major allergen categories, in bold and immediately after the ingredient list under the heading "Contains:":

1. Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats)
2. Crustacean shellfish (prawns, crab, lobster)
3. Eggs
4. Fish
5. Peanuts
6. Soybeans
7. Milk and milk products (including lactose)
8. Tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.)

A "May contain" statement is required when there is risk of cross-contamination from shared production lines — e.g., "May contain peanuts due to shared facility". This is not optional once cross-contact is plausible.

7. Date marking — Best Before vs Use By vs Expiry

These three are not interchangeable. Use the right one:

Term	Meaning	Typical products
Best Before	Quality is at its best before this date; safe to consume after, but quality may decline.	Biscuits, snacks, cereals, dry mixes, packaged spices, instant coffee.
Use By / Expiry Date	Not safe to consume after this date. Stock past this date must be withdrawn.	Dairy, meat, ready-to-eat meals, infant formula, mineral water (treated as expiry).
Date of Manufacture / Packing	Mandatory in addition to the above.	All packaged food.

The date format must be unambiguous — DD/MM/YYYY is safest. The location of the date marking must itself be indicated on the label (e.g., "See bottom of pack" or "Date of Mfg: see crimp").

8. Country of origin, manufacturer details and customer care

Mandatory address block on the information panel:

• Manufacturer name and complete address (including PIN code).
• For imported products: Importer's name and address + Country of Origin.
• For products manufactured under a third-party arrangement: "Manufactured by ABC for XYZ" with both addresses.
• Customer care details — a working phone number and email; many brands also add a postal address. The number must be answered during stated hours; FSSAI has begun checking this in field inspections.

9. Net quantity

Net quantity goes on the principal display panel, in metric units (g, kg, ml, l), with minimum digit height based on pack size:

Pack net quantity	Minimum digit height
Up to 50 g/ml	1 mm
50 to 200 g/ml	2 mm
200 g/ml to 1 kg/l	4 mm
Above 1 kg/l	6 mm

For products in liquid medium (e.g., canned fruit in syrup), declare both net quantity and drained weight.

10. Special claims — organic, natural, sugar-free, gluten-free

Claims attract higher scrutiny than any other label element. The headline rules:

• "Organic" — only for products certified under NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) or PGS-India. Display the Jaivik Bharat logo + certification number.
• "Natural" — reserved for products that are unprocessed (cleaned, peeled, chilled, trimmed, cut allowed; no additives or preservatives).
• "Sugar-free" — less than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g/ml. Must be backed by lab data.
• "No added sugar" — no sugar added during manufacture; naturally occurring sugars (e.g., from fruit) are allowed but the label must say so.
• "Low fat" — no more than 3 g fat per 100 g (solids) or 1.5 g per 100 ml (liquids).
• "High in protein" — at least 20% of the energy must come from protein.
• "Gluten-free" — gluten content not exceeding 20 ppm; must be backed by analytical data.
• "Fortified" — display the official +F logo with the nutrient and quantity declared.

Health claims (anything implying disease prevention, weight management, immunity, etc.) require prior approval from FSSAI and supporting scientific evidence. Don't gamble — these are the most-prosecuted violations.

11. Category-specific differences

Different product categories carry additional or different rules. A few common ones:

Beverages (juices, drinks, NAB)

• Fruit juice: must declare fruit content as percentage.
• "Nectar", "Drink", "Fruit Drink": minimum fruit content varies (e.g., 20% for most "drinks", up to 85% for some "juices").
• Caffeinated beverages must declare caffeine content if above 145 mg/l.
• Carbonated water-based beverages must declare CO₂ content.

Bakery products

• Bread must declare added bran/wheat content for "wholewheat" claims.
• Biscuits making "sugar-free" claims must use approved sweeteners and declare them.
• Date marking is Best Before (not Use By) for most dry bakery products.

Spices and condiments

• Single-ingredient whole spices may skip the nutrition table.
• Blended masalas must list every ingredient including salt and any added colour.
• "Pure" claims must be backed by ASTA/AGMARK testing.

Dairy and dairy analogues

• Reconstituted, recombined and toned milks must say so prominently.
• Analogue products (vegan cheese, plant-based milk) must NOT be called "cheese" or "milk" without the qualifier — "cheese analogue", "soy beverage".
• Date marking is Use By / Expiry (not Best Before).

Infant foods (under 2 years)

• Most prescriptive category. No nutrition or health claims allowed.
• Mandatory IMS Act warnings.
• Specific font sizes, colour contrasts and label layouts.
• Always engage a specialist consultant for this category.

Imported foods

• Importer's name, address and FSSAI licence number must be on the label (not just on a sticker).
• Country of origin in English.
• All declarations in English (regional language optional).
• Stickers are allowed for some elements but must be permanent and not cover original label data.

12. Common label mistakes that cause rejection

These are the issues we see most often in label reviews:

1. FSSAI logo and licence number on the back, in tiny text. The number must be readable; on small packs, it's often placed on the front near the brand.
2. Veg/non-veg symbol smaller than the brand logo, or missing the square outline. Just a green dot is not compliant.
3. Nutritional information missing "Added Sugars" line — added in the 2022 amendment, still missed by many brands using older artwork.
4. Allergen declaration buried in the ingredient list — must be a separate "Contains:" line in bold below the ingredients.
5. "Natural" or "Pure" claims on processed products — these claims are restricted; using them on a flavoured or additive-laden product is a violation.
6. Missing customer care number, or a number that's not answered.
7. Date marking abbreviated as "MFD"/"EXP" without "Date of Manufacture" / "Expiry Date" written in full.
8. QUID missing when the food name highlights a specific ingredient (e.g., "Real Mango" without a mango %).
9. Importer FSSAI number missing on imported products — the foreign manufacturer's registration is not a substitute.
10. Health claims like "Boosts Immunity" without FSSAI pre-approval — the single most-fined claim category in 2024–25.

13. The label review process — before you go to print

A pre-print review takes 2–5 working days and saves you from costly artwork reprints and stock seizures. A typical review covers:

1. Cross-check every mandatory element against the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
2. Verify QUID, ingredient order, additive declarations and allergen line.
3. Validate the nutritional table format, units and rounding.
4. Confirm FSSAI logo, licence number, veg/non-veg symbol, country of origin, customer care.
5. Audit any claim (organic, natural, sugar-free, etc.) against its specific evidence requirement.
6. Provide a marked-up artwork PDF with each correction called out, plus a clean compliance certificate.

Once corrected and re-approved, the artwork is safe to print and ship.

FAQs

Do I need a fresh label for every SKU variant? Yes — every SKU (each flavour, each pack size) is a separate artwork and needs its own compliance check. Most of the elements are reused, but ingredients, nutrition and net quantity will differ.

Can I print labels in a regional language only? No. English or Hindi (in Devanagari) is mandatory; regional languages are optional and additive.

Can I use a sticker to fix a label issue post-print? For minor corrections (e.g., updated customer care number, change of importer address), stickers are permitted if they are permanent and don't cover original mandatory information. For substantive issues (missing FSSAI number, wrong veg symbol), you must reprint.

My product is exported only — do FSSAI label rules still apply? You must comply with the destination country's labelling laws, but FSSAI rules also apply because manufacture happens in India. Most exporters print a destination-specific label that satisfies both.

Where can I download the official FSSAI logo and the +F fortification logo? Both are on the FSSAI / FoSCoS websites under the "Resources" section. Don't redraw or recolour them.

How often do labelling rules change? The core regulation (FSS Labelling and Display, 2020) gets amended every 12–18 months. Subscribe to FSSAI gazette notifications, or work with a consultant who tracks them so your label stays current.

Is front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) mandatory? As of early 2026, FSSAI's Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) front-of-pack regime is in advanced consultation but not yet mandatory across all categories. Watch this closely — it will significantly change pack design when it lands.

How FRCC helps

We do label compliance reviews end-to-end — from pre-print artwork audit to claim substantiation to post-launch label updates after regulatory amendments. Our deliverable is a marked-up PDF with every change called out, plus a written compliance opinion you can show to retailers, e-commerce platforms or your legal team.

Typical turnaround is 2–5 working days per SKU, with bundled pricing for multi-SKU portfolios. If you want a fixed-price quote for your label review, send us your artwork or read about our product compliance service to see what's included. Prefer to talk it through first? Reach out here and we'll get back within one working day.