The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suggested expanding eligibility for food safety auditors from a handful of traditional food science disciplines to 39 academic fields. The new draft rules also include stricter experience and certification criteria to enhance the quality of food safety audits.

FSSAI has issued these draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Safety Auditing) Regulations, 2018. These were uploaded on its website on 29 May 2026, and stakeholders have been invited to submit objections and suggestions before the amendments are finalised.

The amended rules have been introduced at a time when India's food processing sector is growing at a fast pace, with food exporters under growing pressure to meet international safety standards. FSSAI comes under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The increasing complexity and the size of India's food supply chain will drive the food processing sector to grow from around US$ 866 billion in 2022 to US$ 1.274 trillion by 2027, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF).

From 12 Disciplines to 39: A Major Expansion in Eligibility

The biggest modification included in the draft regulations is the academic qualifications to be recognised as a Food Safety Auditor.

The existing Food Safety and Standards (Food Safety Auditing) Regulations, 2018, restrict the eligibility to those candidates who have degrees in a relatively narrow range of disciplines such as Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Fisheries and Oil Technology, Biotechnology, Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Hotel Management and Catering Technology.

The proposed amendments greatly increase this pool. As per the new rules, anyone who has completed their Bachelor's, Master's or a Doctoral degree from an accredited institution in one of the 39 specified subjects will be eligible for recognition as a food safety auditor.

The extended list contains courses like Food Technology, Food Science and Technology, Food Engineering, Food Processing Engineering, Food Safety and Quality Management, Biotechnology, Dairy Technology, Agricultural Science, Veterinary Science, Fisheries, Horticulture, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Toxicology, Public Health, Life Sciences, Medicine, and others related to the field.

Public Health, Medicine, Toxicology, and Industrial Microbiology are included as fields that have a broader perspective on food safety. The draft greatly expands the scope of academic qualifications, but continues to focus on professional competence. The shift is aimed at increasing the talent pool that is available for food safety auditing and introducing new scientific and agricultural and public health knowledge and skills into the food safety ecosystem in India.

Broader Standards

The draft broadens the eligibility criteria but also the standards to enter the programme.

FSSAI has suggested that all the applicants for recognition as Food Safety Auditors should complete an accredited Lead Auditor Course in Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000).

ISO 22000 is an internationally recognised standard which sets requirements for food safety management systems, and it is widely used by food manufacturers, food exporters, and certification bodies in the world markets.

The step reflects the regulator's efforts to bring the food safety audits in India more in line with the international auditing standards and compliance frameworks.

Stricter Experience Requirements

The proposed regulations also increase the experience requirements.

Applicants will be required to have a minimum of two years work experience in the food sector or food industry. They are required to have undertaken a minimum of 10 food safety audits, both internal and third-party.

The requirement is designed to provide the auditor with academic knowledge, as well as practical experience in the management systems and audit procedures for food safety.

A higher level of qualification will improve the reliability and uniformity of food safety testing throughout the industry, industry observers said.

Implications for Industry

The proposed changes may have implications across the food industry, including food businesses and food certification agencies, as well as professionals interested in a career in food safety compliance.

Data from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) indicates that India's exports of processed food have increased steadily in the past few years, with the value of exports in FY2024-25 reaching almost US$ 7.9 billion.

Given the growing Indian food manufacturing industry export market, adherence to internationally accepted food safety standards is now an essential business necessity.

A greater number of qualified auditors would be more likely to aid businesses in establishing compliance systems, audit quality, and make regulators, certification bodies, and consumers more confident in the audit.

Concurrently, the requirement for the mandatory ISO 22000 certification and audit experience could make being a food safety auditor more expensive and complicated, especially for younger graduates looking to begin their careers.

Consultation Process Underway

The stakeholders have been invited to comment, object, and suggest on the draft notification by FSSAI within 60 days after the notification was published in the Official Gazette.

In recent years, the regulator has intensified campaigns encouraging healthier food choices, improved hygiene standards and greater compliance across food businesses, including street food vendors and small food establishments.

The revised amendments, if adopted, would be one of the biggest changes to the food safety audit system in India in many years. The regulator has proposed opening the profession to a wider academic base, but is also keen to raise the level of training, competence, and industry experience of auditors recognised by them.