The circular mandates that all transport vehicles be clean and temperature‑controlled, and that only food‑grade packaging be used, with strict penalties for deviations. New Delhi’s Radisson Blu Hotel, operated by AB Hotels Ltd, received a notice last week demanding an Action‑Taken Report and photographic evidence of corrective measures, or face licence suspension.
The guidelines detail that perishable commodities—khoa, paneer, meat, fish—must be kept within specified temperature ranges throughout storage, loading, unloading, and transit, and protected from dust, moisture, and pests. FSSAI’s campaign arrives as the country gears up for Diwali and Eid, when demand for these items spikes and the risk of spoilage rises.
State governments, Indian Railways and Regional Directors have been urged to enforce the rules, and FSSAI will conduct spot checks, with the authority to seize and destroy any item found violating the standards.
Madhavi, a 47‑year‑old paneer vendor in Jaipur, says she will invest in a new refrigeration unit and switch to certified packaging to avoid fines. The next step: FSSAI expects compliance reports from all affected operators by July 15, after which it will decide on licence suspensions.
The enforcement comes amid rising concerns over food safety during India’s busiest sales period, and the regulator is preparing to intensify inspections across all major transit hubs.