FDA Announces New FSSAI Requirements for Dairy Exports to India

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has implemented new requirements for dairy products for human consumption imported into India. Effective September 1, 2024, FSSAI is requiring establishments that import dairy products into India to appear on FSSAI’s lists of approved establishments eligible to export such products. FSSAI will include establishments on these lists that have been found to comply with applicable food safety requirements by the competent authority of the exporting country.

FSSAI has indicated that establishments should be included on India’s list of approved establishments if they intend to manufacture dairy products for export to India that are intended for use as (or in) food or nutraceuticals including whey and lactose products.

As the U.S. competent authority, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides export certification for dairy products manufactured in establishments that are included in the Export Listing Module (ELM). Such certification helps facilitate U.S. exports easily and allows U.S. establishments to be included on FSSAI’s approved establishments lists. U.S. establishments are eligible for the FSSAI list if they comply with applicable FDA requirements for the products intended for export.

The FDA will maintain a list of establishments that have expressed interest in exporting dairy to India and that we have found to comply with applicable U.S. requirements, and we will transmit an initial list of such firms to FSSAI by September 1, 2024. Establishments that wish to be included in the initial list should request to be added to the lists through August 23, 2024, using the ELM. Going forward, the FDA will send updates to these lists on a quarterly basis as described on the Food Export Lists webpage.