The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on 25th January 2022 has published the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) First Amendment Regulations, 2022 to further amend the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018.
As per regulation 4 which deals with Specific Requirements for Primary food packaging in which sub-regulation (4) has been substituted as follows:
Plastic materials used for the manufacturing of containers for packing or storing the food products shall conform to either of the Indian Standards specifications as provided in Schedule – III:
Provided that Drinking Water (both Packaged and Mineral Water) shall be packed in colourless, transparent and tamper-proof bottles or containers made of polyethylene (PE) conforming to IS: 10146 or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) conforming to IS: 10151 or polyalkylene terephthalate (PET and PBT) conforming to IS: 12252 or polypropylene (PP) conforming to IS: 10910 or food grade polycarbonate conforming to IS: 14971 or polystyrene conforming to IS: 10142 or sterile glass bottles only. The transparency of a container shall not be less than 85 percent in light transmittance:
Provided also that all pigments or colorants as specified in Indian Standard IS: 9833 may be allowed in plastic containers of five litre and above made of Polycarbonate and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) used for packaging of mineral water and packaged drinking water. The transparency of such containers shall not be less than 85 percent in light transmittance.
“Provided further that food grade packaging materials as specified in regulation 4(1) to (3), which may or may not contain plastic as component compatible with the water to be packaged may also be used. In such cases requirements of transparency would not apply”
