Food businesses must use rust-free, food-grade knives and cutting tools as regulator warns against contamination risks and stricter enforcement.
Key Highlights
- FSSAI mandates rust-free, food-grade cutting tools
- Rusted and damaged knives can lead to food contamination
- State food safety commissioners directed to ensure compliance
- Violators may face action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
- Regular cleaning and sanitization of equipment made mandatory
- FSSAI recently banned metallic pins and wires in food packaging
- Measures aim to improve hygiene and consumer safety
News Story
New Delhi, June 18: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has strengthened food safety regulations by directing all food business operators (FBOs) to use only food-grade, corrosion-resistant knives, blades, and cutting equipment during food preparation, processing, packaging, and handling activities.
The advisory, issued on June 15, comes amid concerns that some food businesses continue to use rusted, corroded, chipped, painted, damaged, or poorly maintained cutting tools that could pose serious risks to food safety and public health.
According to FSSAI, such equipment may lead to physical, chemical, and microbiological contamination of food products, potentially endangering consumers. The regulator emphasized that all food-contact surfaces, utensils, and equipment must be made from non-toxic, food-grade, and corrosion-resistant materials and maintained in hygienic condition at all times.
State food safety commissioners across the country have been instructed to closely monitor compliance and ensure strict enforcement during routine inspections. FSSAI warned that businesses found violating the regulations could face action under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The authority reiterated that existing food safety regulations already require regular cleaning, sanitation, and disinfection of equipment used in food handling and processing. However, recent inspections and reports revealed instances where unsuitable cutting tools continued to be used, prompting the regulator to issue a fresh advisory.
The move is part of FSSAI’s broader effort to improve food safety standards and reduce contamination risks across the food supply chain. Industry experts believe the directive will particularly impact restaurants, food processing units, bakeries, catering businesses, sweet shops, and packaged food manufacturers.
The latest advisory follows another recent directive issued by FSSAI on June 12, in which food businesses were ordered to immediately stop using metallic pins, wires, and staples in food packaging. The regulator cited multiple incidents where metallic objects were found attached to cakes, sweet boxes, takeaway meals, snack packets, and other packaged food products.
FSSAI described the use of such materials as a serious food safety hazard, warning that accidental ingestion could result in injuries and other health complications. Businesses have been instructed to adopt safer alternatives for sealing and securing food packages.
With these measures, the food regulator aims to strengthen hygiene standards, enhance consumer safety, and encourage food businesses to adopt best practices throughout food preparation, packaging, and distribution processes.
