FSSAI enforcement drives 40% surge in restaurant compliance queries across India

Since the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India intensified inspections of restaurants, consultants report a 40% increase in compliance inquiries, covering everything from sanitation practices to approved food colours and oil specifications. The surge is most pronounced in Maharashtra but is also felt in Delhi-NCR, where firms are fielding more requests for guidance on FOSTAC certification. Training programmes have expanded from a single monthly session to 10-15 sessions with batches of about 40 participants each.

Industry bodies say restaurateurs accept the higher expense, noting that third-party vendors are now required for pest control and other services. Consumer sentiment is shifting toward mandatory public hygiene ratings, and delivery platforms like Zomato have begun delisting establishments that violate analogue-dairy policies. The crackdown also targets quick-commerce operators and packaged-food brands for hygiene lapses and misleading labels.