The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (“FSSAI”) has issued the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2025 (“Draft Amendment”) for public consultation. The draft introduces new compositional and labelling standards for Cheese Powder, proposed to be inserted under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 (“Regulations”). Stakeholders are invited to provide objections/suggestions by 3^rd August 2025.

Key Highlights:

1. Cheese Powder has been defined for the first time as the powdered form of cheese derived from drying cheese or cheese slurry in potable water or cheese slurry.
2. Cheese slurry, a precursor in the process, is defined and described in terms of composition and flavour development techniques.
3. The product must meet specific compositional benchmarks:
   1. Minimum milk fat (on dry basis): 40.0%
   2. Maximum moisture: 5.0%
   3. Maximum salt content (as sodium chloride): 5.5%
4. Cheese Powder may contain only sodium chloride, potable water, and food additives specified in Appendix A of the Regulations, within the prescribed limits.
5. All pre-packaged Cheese Powder products must comply with labelling provisions under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
6. Cheese Powder must be manufactured and handled in hygienic conditions. The process must follow sanitary practices outlined under the Food Safety and Standards regulations. The product must also meet microbiological standards. It should be free from harmful pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, etc., as specified in Schedule 4 and Appendix B of the Regulations.
7. Sampling and analysis procedures shall follow methods notified by FSSAI from time to time.

The comments/suggestions may be shared in the prescribed format as linked herewith, through the following modes:

1. Send to address: Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi- 110002, or
2. Email Submission: Comments can be with the subject “Draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2025” to regulation@fssai.gov.in.

The draft amendment is linked below, for your ease of reference.

Source: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

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