RTI Consultant Subhash Chandra Agrawal Sends Suggestions to FSSAI for Stronger Food Safety and Consumer Protection

New Delhi, September 21, 2026: RTI consultant and Guinness World Record holder Subhash Chandra Agrawal has submitted a set of suggestions to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), seeking stronger measures to protect public health and consumer interests.

In his communication addressed to FSSAI Chairperson Punya Salila Srivastava, IAS, Agrawal requested that his proposals be examined for feasibility and implemented wherever considered appropriate. He also asked that suggestions requiring the involvement of other government departments be forwarded to the concerned authorities.

The proposals cover a wide range of issues, including food hygiene, adulteration, packaged food, milk and milk products, cooking oil, honey, restaurant hygiene and consumer protection.

Greater Focus on Food Hygiene

One of the key suggestions concerns food served in schools and trains. Agrawal has proposed greater use of branded packaged food, particularly baked products, in place of freshly cooked food in certain settings. His proposal refers to reported incidents of children falling ill after meals served under school meal programmes and concerns regarding hygiene and raw materials.

He has also suggested expanding the role of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) units to produce packaged food that could potentially be supplied to schools and railway passengers. According to the proposal, such units could also create employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas.

Hygiene Ratings and Restaurant Standards

Agrawal has welcomed FSSAI's efforts concerning hygiene ratings for eateries but suggested that inspections should cover not only dining areas but also kitchens and storage facilities.

He has further proposed stronger regulation of repeatedly used cooking oil and suggested that eateries prominently display information about hygiene-related facilities. The document also proposes separate kitchenware for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food in eateries.

Tougher Testing for Honey and Prevention of Adulteration

Another proposal focuses on honey adulteration. Agrawal has referred to concerns raised in the past regarding the effectiveness of existing testing methods and suggested consideration of internationally accepted NMR spectroscopy for honey testing.

His broader recommendations also call for stronger action against adulterated butter, ghee and other food products, with greater disclosure of manufacturers and brands of raw materials used by confectioners and eateries.

Regulation of Milk and Milk Products

The suggestions also address the sale of milk, khoya and paneer. Agrawal has proposed permitting only branded milk and milk products in cities where adequate supplies from established brands and cooperatives are available.

A separate document submitted as part of the suggestions argues for measures to prevent adulteration in milk products, better packaging practices and greater consumer transparency. It also proposes uniform metric packaging for milk, ghee and other dairy products to make quantity and price comparisons easier for consumers.

Consumer Protection and Transparent Packaging

The recommendations extend beyond food safety to consumer protection. Agrawal has called for greater standardisation of package sizes and criticised packaging practices that can make products appear to contain larger quantities than they actually do.

His separate consumer-protection proposals call for more effective grievance redressal mechanisms, clearer company contact information and stronger measures against excessive trade margins.

Wider Public-Health Perspective

Agrawal's submissions also touch on medicines and healthcare-related consumer issues. His recommendations include greater transparency in medicine pricing, standardised medicine packaging and measures to address large differences between wholesale prices and printed MRPs.

The proposals collectively seek greater transparency, stronger quality controls and improved accountability across food and consumer markets.

Agrawal has requested FSSAI to study the recommendations and take appropriate action wherever feasible, while forwarding issues falling under the jurisdiction of other departments to the relevant authorities.

The suggestions are proposals submitted for consideration and do not represent decisions or regulations already adopted by FSSAI.