Supreme Court pushes nationwide audit of India's food safety regime, FSSAI in crosshairs

SC asked Centre, FSSAI and CAG to justify why a performance audit shouldn't probe licensing irregularities, weak enforcement and thin penalties under the 2006 Act. Outcome could reset compliance bar for FMCG, F&B and hospitality operators nationwide.

— Source publishedSat, 30 May, 2026, 12:04 IST·First seen Sat, 30 May, 2026, 13:21 IST·Source ET Hospitality

What happened

Supreme Court asked Centre, FSSAI and CAG to justify why a nationwide performance audit of India's food safety regime shouldn't be conducted, citing licensing

Key facts

  • 2006
  • 2017

Why this matters

Diligence pipelines must now stress-test FSSAI license validity, plant-level enforcement history, and contingent liabilities, as a reset compliance bar could materially reshape valuations and reps-and-warranties scope in F&B deals.