The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on June 15, 2026, issued an advisory directing all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to ensure that only food-grade, corrosion-resistant knives, blades, and cutting equipment are used in food handling, processing, preparation, cutting, slicing, packaging, and storage operations.
The following has been stated:
The advisory highlights concerns regarding the use of rusted, corroded, chipped, painted, damaged, or otherwise unsuitable cutting equipment, which can lead to physical, chemical, and microbiological contamination of food and violate the sanitary and hygienic requirements prescribed under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
FSSAI has instructed FBOs to maintain all knives and cutting equipment in a clean and hygienic condition, free from rust, corrosion, cracks, paint, breakage, or any other defects that may contaminate food. Such defective equipment must be immediately removed and replaced, and appropriate cleaning, sanitisation, and sterilisation procedures should be implemented at prescribed intervals. The advisory aims to strengthen food safety standards and prevent contamination risks across the food industry.
[F.No. RCD-15001/11/2021-Regulatory-FSSAI]
