Duties of explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Regulations 14 to 16 divide the recall work between three parties: the food business operator, the Commissioner of Food Safety of the State or Union territory and the Food Authority. The three Schedules give the formats for the recall information, the status report and the termination request.
This article reads the text as amended up to 18 January 2017 (the Regulations as notified; FSSAI lists no amendment as at 2 October 2026). FSSAI compendia and website copies are reference consolidations and the Gazette text prevails. Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in.
The operator must have procedures and systems to identify the food businesses it has supplied, collaborate with the Commissioner or the Food Authority, and remove food from sale or distribution when requested. The Commissioner supervises the recall and inspects the operator's capability; the Food Authority guides and supervises the Commissioner and may set up a web-based "Food Recall portal" with a unique identification number for each recall. Schedule I is the recall information format, Schedule II the status report format and Schedule III the termination request format. Operators, State food safety offices and importers or exporters of recalled foods are affected. For help see FSSAI compliance support.
Regulation 14: responsibility of the food business operator
- The operator shall have procedures and systems in place to identify the food businesses to whom it has supplied its food.
- The operator shall collaborate with the Commissioner of Food Safety or the Food Authority on action taken to avoid or reduce risks posed by the specific batch, lot or code of food it supplies or has supplied.
- The operator shall remove the food from sale or distribution when requested by the Commissioner or the Food Authority, as the case may be.
These duties rest on the distribution records of regulation 6(1) and the plan of regulation 7, covered in our article on regulations 5 to 8. For the Act's wider duties of a manufacturer see responsibilities of the food manufacturer under the FSS Act.
Regulation 15: responsibility of the Commissioner of Food Safety
Regulation 15(1) says the Commissioner shall supervise the recall by the operator and inspect the operator's capability of recall after receiving the recall alert information, and shall also:
| Clause | Duty as printed (summary) |
|---|---|
| (i) | inspect suspected or determined unsafe food after a consumer complaint, take action under the Act and advise the operator, in consultation with the Food Authority where required, to recall the food |
| (ii) | prepare and issue a media release for immediate use by the media in recalls involving consumers, where required in consultation with the operator |
| (iii) | conduct audit checks when the operator is unable to ensure the effectiveness of its recall |
| (iv) | give instructions on the frequency of reporting the condition of recall, subject to urgency, and monitor the progress |
| (v) | supervise the operator in completion of the recall and assess its recall report |
| (vi) | for imported foods recalled in other markets, or Indian-made foods subject to recall or rejection in the country of export and returned to India, determine in consultation with the operator the fate of such products for disposal or reprocessing at port or otherwise, review the recall plan for the exported foods and advise the health authorities in the importing countries |
Regulation 15(2) adds that the Commissioner shall inform the Food Authority about the execution of the process and follow such instructions as the Food Authority may deem appropriate.
Clause (vi) matters to importers and exporters. It speaks of foods recalled in other markets and of Indian-made foods returned to India after recall or rejection abroad. Our service pages for import licence support and exporters deal with those trades generally.
Regulation 16: responsibility of the Food Authority
- The Food Authority shall guide and supervise the Commissioner in the execution of the Recall Plan and, where necessary, may assess the relevant reports submitted by the operator and give instructions.
- The Food Authority may establish a web-based facility titled "Food Recall portal" on its website, with a unique identification number assigned to each recall, for monitoring and to provide information to consumers about the recall.
- The Food Authority may also publicise the recall when it considers that the public need to be alerted about the health hazard, depending on the seriousness of the situation, and shall keep the concerned operator(s) aware of the same.
An invented example: Riverside Foods recalls a batch of chilli sauce. The Commissioner inspects Riverside's recall capability after the alert, issues a media release if consumers are involved, and informs the Food Authority. The Authority may publicise the recall if the public needs to be alerted. Riverside, under regulation 14, removes the food from sale when requested.
The three Schedules, by heading only
| Schedule | Referred to in | Heading as printed | Layout in outline |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | regulation 6(3) | Food Recall Information | addressed to the CEO of the Food Authority and the Commissioner; 14 numbered subjects, including the identity of the implicated food, the reason for recall, testing, quantities, the recall communication and the action and plan for recall |
| II | regulation 9(2) | Food Recall Status Report Format | the food and company details, quantity details before recall, communication, operator response, effectiveness checks, estimated completion date, proposed disposal and actions to avoid recurrence; two notes |
| III | regulation 12(1) | Food Recall Termination Request Format | the operator's identity and licence or registration number, product details, a statement that communications were made and status reports filed, a request that the recall be terminated and actions proposed to avoid recurrence |
The Schedules are formats; the fields are filled in by the operator. The Schedule names are printed in the Regulations and prevail over other descriptions of recall forms. For the practical form see our posts on how to apply for the FSSAI food recall E1 form and the E1 form for food recall notification.
Where this sits
The earlier articles on this instrument are on regulations 1 to 4 and regulations 9 to 13. A general overview is in food recall regulation 2017 and classification.
Need help with recall readiness?
A business that supplies through many channels needs a tested way to identify its customers, alert them and report to the Commissioner. Our FSSAI compliance support service helps operators prepare the records and formats the Schedules call for.
Key takeaways
- The operator identifies its customers, collaborates with the authorities and removes food when requested.
- The Commissioner supervises recalls, issues media releases where needed and informs the Food Authority.
- The Food Authority supervises the Commissioner and may set up a Food Recall portal with a unique number for each recall.
- Schedule I is the recall information, Schedule II the status report and Schedule III the termination request.
- Regulation 15(1)(vi) deals with imported recalled foods and Indian foods returned after rejection abroad.
Read next
- Regulations 1–4: definitions, objectives and scope
- Regulations 9–13: status reports, recovery and termination
- Food recall regulation 2017: classification
- Responsibilities of the food manufacturer under the FSS Act
Disclaimer: Based on the FSSAI regulations named above as consolidated in FSSAI's compendium versions or as published in the Gazette, with the later notifications the article names (consulted on fssai.gov.in on 2-3 October 2026). Later notifications and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.