The Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) is responsible for the regulation and supervision of the food industry. FSSAI Registration is mandatory for anyone that wants to enter the food business. This registration is also mandatory for packaged drinking water businesses.
What is Packaged Drinking Water?
The standards for packaged drinking water came into effect on March 1, 2017. They defined the term “packaged drinking water” as “any water, other than natural mineral water, that is likely to be used by humans is supplied or sold in a packaged form, under whatever name it may be called”.
FSSAI License is Mandatory for Packaged Drinking Water
We all know that water is the reason why we’re all alive. There’s no life without water. The body of a human adult contains up to 60% water. Although the water is absent of calories and organic substances, potable water is essential for the life of humans and other living beings.
Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the potable drinking water which is sold is safe for human consumption. As a result, FSSAI has made it mandatory to obtain FSSAI registration for selling packaged drinking water. There are three types of FSSAI registrations, depending on the water drinking business’ annual turnover.
FSSAI Standards for Packaged Drinking Water
- As per FSSAI standards, the water collected from any kind of source must go through a standard treatment process such as:
- Decantation (Process which involves the removal of undesired liquid from the precipitate)
- Filtration (Process which separates solids from fluids like liquids or gasses by adding a medium from which only fluid can pass)
- Combination filtration system,
- Cartridge filter (Method for the removal of sediment and physical contaminants from the water)
- Activated carbon filtration (Process for the removal of organic constituents and residual disinfectants from the water),
- Aerification (the process for combining air with liquid),
- Filtration with a membrane filter,
- Cartridge filter (Method for removing sediment and physical contaminants from water)
- Activated carbon filtration (Method which removes organic constituents and residual disinfectants from water)
- Before the seawater is being subjected to the above processes, it must be desalinated.
- It is the responsibility of the packagers to ensure that the packed water has been disinfected thoroughly using chemical or physical agents so that the number of microorganisms is below the scientifically approved standard for ensuring food safety.
- FSSAI guidelines stipulate the limits of microorganisms which are present in also and also defines the guideline about microorganisms that are considered harmful for human consumption, including Escherichia coli (or the RMO tolerant bacteria), yeast and mold, Faecal Streptococci, and Staphylococcus aureus, Coliform bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholera, and V. para hemolytic us, Salmonella Typhi, Sulphate Reducing Anaerobes, Salmonella and Shigella.
- The number of microbiological contents which exist in the drinking water must be according to FSSAI standards to ensure all the health requirements are completed.
- All companies which are involved in the manufacturing and packaging of water need to complete and submit all the details regarding their water processing unit so that FSSAI and BIS both can initiate the approval process.
- In case any violations of the safety standards, legal actions would be taken against the business. BIS Certification and FSSAI License both are required for packaged drinking water companies so that packaged drinking water can be sold in the market.
- Surprise audits might be conducted by the authorities to ensure that the companies dealing with packaged drinking water are complying with the defined rules and standards.
- FSSAI will issue a valid license upon the testing, quality check, verification process of every ingredient in the packaged drinking water. This would assure the consumers that the water is safe for them to drink.
Packaging and Labeling Requirements for Packaged Drinking Water by the FSSAI
- Drinking water must be packed in bottles or containers which are clean, hygienic, colorless, transparent and non-tampered.
- According to Section 2 of the Food Safety and Standards (packaging and labeling) laws, 2011, these bottles or containers must be constructed of Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polyalkylene terephthalate (PET and PBT) and Polypropylene.
- All the plastic packaging materials must meet the prescribed overall migration and color migration limit. On every carton of the packaged drinking water, the following disclosure requirements must be mentioned in capital letters:
- “PACKAGED DRINKING WATER“
- ”NATURAL MINERAL WATER”
- “BEST BEFORE” (from the manufacturing date)
- “CRUSH THE BOTTLE AFTER USE”
The Maximum Retail Price (M.R.P), date of manufacture, expiry date and the manufacturer’s license number must be mentioned on the bottle or container of drinking water. If the packaged drinking water is promoted by another party, the marketing agency must also be mentioned.
Conclusion
If you are thinking about opening a packaged drinking water plant, you must get FSSAI registration since it is mandatory for such a business. For any assistance in obtaining FSSAI license, you can contact our FSSAI consultants at Registrationwala.
