Rajya Sabha Committee Report brings major changes to food labelling. Here’s what dairy plant owners need to know about equipment upgrades and process changes.

Quick Summary

Parliament’s new report on FSSAI labelling means dairy plants must upgrade to better tracking, nutritional testing, and documentation systems. This affects your packaging lines, quality control equipment, and record-keeping.

Action needed by: Plants should start planning equipment upgrades now for 2026 implementation.

What Changed in December 2025?

The Rajya Sabha Committee on Subordinate Legislation released its 256th Report on December 16, 2025, reviewing FSSAI’s Food Safety & Standards (Labelling & Display) Regulations 2020. This report brings important updates that will affect how dairy plants label products, track batches, and display nutritional information.

For dairy cooperatives and private dairies, these changes mean reviewing your current packaging lines, testing labs, and quality control systems. Some plants will need new equipment. All will need better documentation.

Why This Matters to Equipment Buyers:

  • Stronger front-of-pack labelling requirements may need new coding/marking equipment
  • Detailed nutritional info requires better lab testing and data management
  • QR code mandates mean upgrading to smart packaging systems
  • Allergen tracking needs better process controls

Key Changes That Affect Dairy Equipment Planning

1. Front-of-Pack Nutrition Information (FOPNI) Panels

What’s required: Simplified nutrition tables on the front of pack showing energy, sugar, added sugar, salt, total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat per 100g/ml and per serving. Font size must be large enough for elderly consumers to read easily.

Equipment Impact:

  • Packaging material design must change (check with your film/carton supplier)
  • Coding and marking machines need higher resolution for larger fonts
  • May need nutritional analysis equipment if not currently testing in-house

For smaller dairies: If you’re using 500-1000 LPH plants with pre-printed pouches, talk to your packaging supplier now about redesigning labels to include FOPNI panels.

2. QR Code Based Multilingual Labelling

What’s required: QR codes on front panel linking to complete label information in 22 Indian languages plus English. Must include text-to-speech for visually impaired consumers.

Equipment Impact:

  • Need QR code printing capability on packaging line
  • Requires software integration with batch data and FSSAI licensing info
  • Thermal inkjet printers or laser coders with QR capability needed
  • Server/cloud setup for hosting multilingual label data

Planning tip: When buying new filling machines (pouches, bottles, ghee tins), specify QR code printing as a requirement. Check if existing CIJ (Continuous Inkjet) or TIJ (Thermal Inkjet) printers support QR codes.

3. Stricter Food Name and Brand Labelling

What’s required: Product names must be in bold, larger font on front-of-pack. Brand names suggesting health benefits require certification. Dairy plants using terms like “natural,” “pure,” or “fortified” must prove claims.

Equipment Impact:

  • Packaging redesign affects printing plates or digital print files
  • Testing equipment needed to verify fortification claims (iron, vitamin D, etc.)
  • Better documentation systems to store certification data

4. Enhanced Allergen Declarations

What’s required: Bold allergen warnings near ingredient lists. For sulphites (used in some processing), routine testing and category-specific thresholds. Cross-contamination warnings if shared equipment is used.

Equipment Impact:

  • CIP (Clean-In-Place) systems must be more thorough between product runs
  • May need dedicated lines for allergen-free products
  • Testing equipment for allergen residue detection
  • Better process controls to prevent cross-contamination

For multi-product plants: If you process milk products and also make items with nuts or soy, review your CIP procedures. You may need equipment modifications or segregated processing areas.

Equipment Decisions Based on Plant Capacity

The right compliance approach depends on your daily milk handling capacity:

Small Dairies (500-2000 LPH / 5-20 TPD)

Typical setup: Basic pasteurizer, chiller, pouch packing machine or bottle filler

Compliance approach:

  • Work with packaging suppliers to update pre-printed pouches/labels with FOPNI panels
  • Add budget inkjet/thermal printer for QR codes (₹50,000-2 lakh range)
  • Send samples to external NABL labs for nutritional testing (initially, then quarterly)
  • Use simple web hosting service for QR code data (cloud-based, low cost)

Cost estimate: ₹1-3 lakhs for equipment upgrades, plus ongoing testing costs

Medium Dairies (2000-10,000 LPH / 20-100 TPD)

Typical setup: Pasteurizer, cream separator, standardization system, multiple packing lines

Compliance approach:

  • Install mid-range CIJ or TIJ printers with QR capability on each line (₹2-5 lakhs per unit)
  • Consider basic in-house testing equipment: fat/SNF analyzer, basic nutrient analyzer
  • Implement batch tracking software linked to packaging line (many suppliers offer this)
  • Review CIP systems to ensure adequate allergen removal between runs

Cost estimate: ₹10-25 lakhs for equipment and software upgrades

Large Dairies (10,000+ LPH / 100+ TPD)

Typical setup: Automated processing lines, multiple products, advanced CIP

Compliance approach:

  • Integrate high-speed laser coders or vision systems for QR codes and variable data
  • Full in-house lab with NIR spectroscopy or chromatography for complete nutritional analysis
  • ERP/MES software with FSSAI compliance modules, automated batch record generation
  • Dedicated allergen-free processing lines if handling multiple product categories

Cost estimate: ₹50 lakhs – 2 crores, depending on automation level

Practical Steps for Dairy Plant Owners

1. Review Your Current Labels (Next 30 Days)

Compare existing labels against new FOPNI requirements. Mark what needs to change. Get quotes from packaging suppliers for redesign.

2. Test Your Products (60 Days)

Send samples to NABL-certified labs for complete nutritional analysis. You’ll need this data for FOPNI panels and QR code information. Budget ₹3,000-8,000 per product per test.

3. Evaluate Coding Equipment (90 Days)

Check if current batch coding systems can handle QR codes and larger fonts. Request demos from suppliers of CIJ, TIJ, or laser marking systems. Ask about integration with your existing lines.

4. Plan QR Code Infrastructure (90 Days)

Decide between cloud hosting services or on-premises servers for QR data. Work with your IT team or consultant to set up a multilingual database. Ensure batch tracking software can generate unique QR codes per production run.

5. Budget and Schedule Upgrades (120 Days)

Get final quotes from equipment suppliers. Plan installation during maintenance shutdowns to minimize production loss. Consider phased implementation starting with highest-volume products.

Common Questions from Dairy Owners

Q: Do I need to test every batch for nutritional values?

No. For standardized products (like toned milk, full cream milk), test once initially and then quarterly or whenever you change the process. For variable products (flavored milk, lassi), test each formulation once.

Q: Can I use stickers with QR codes instead of printing directly?

Yes, for smaller operations, pre-printed QR code stickers applied during packing are acceptable. But direct printing is more efficient and less prone to application errors at higher speeds.

Q: What if my plant only handles raw milk for bulk supply to bigger dairies?

Non-retail containers have simpler requirements. You still need name, net quantity, FSSAI logo and license, date marking, and lot number. Full nutritional info can go in accompanying documents rather than on packaging.

Q: How do I know which coding printer to buy?

For pouch packaging: TIJ (Thermal Inkjet) printers work well, budget ₹1.5-4 lakhs.
For glass bottles/plastic bottles: CIJ (Continuous Inkjet), budget ₹3-8 lakhs.
For ghee tins/printed cartons: Laser coders for permanent marking, budget ₹8-15 lakhs.
Match printer speed to your line speed (pouches per minute, bottles per hour).

For Dairy Cooperatives: Cooperative-Level Solutions

If you’re part of a milk cooperative or dairy union, consider pooling resources for compliance:

  • •Shared testing facility: Multiple village-level collection centers can share one NABL-certified lab at district headquarters
  • •Centralized QR code system: One server handles QR data for all member dairies, reducing per-unit cost
  • •Bulk equipment purchase: Negotiate better rates by buying coding equipment for multiple plants together
  • •Training programs: Coordinate with FSSAI and NDDB for operator training on new labelling requirements

Equipment Suppliers to Talk To

When planning upgrades, request quotes and demos from suppliers specializing in:

Coding & Marking Systems

  • CIJ printers (Videojet, Domino, KGK, Markoprint types)
  • TIJ printers (budget options available)
  • Laser marking systems (for permanent codes)
  • Look for QR code capability, data integration

Testing Equipment

  • Milk analyzers (fat, SNF, protein – Lactoscan type)
  • NIR spectroscopy systems (advanced option)
  • Basic wet chemistry kits (affordable starter)
  • Microbiological testing equipment

Packaging Materials

  • LDPE/LLDPE pouch film suppliers
  • Printed carton manufacturers
  • Label printing companies
  • Ask about FOPNI-compliant designs

Software & IT

  • Batch tracking software
  • QR code generation and hosting
  • FSSAI compliance modules
  • Cloud storage solutions for multilingual data

Final Thoughts: Plan Now, Implement in Phases

The December 2025 FSSAI labelling report signals stronger enforcement ahead. While final rules and implementation dates are still being finalized, dairy plants should start planning now.

Smart approach: Don’t try to do everything at once. Start with the highest-volume products. Get nutritional testing done first, then plan equipment upgrades during your next maintenance shutdown. Work with your equipment suppliers early—lead times for coding systems and testing equipment can be 2-4 months.

The goal isn’t just compliance—it’s building a more transparent, traceable dairy operation that consumers trust and that positions your plant for long-term growth.

Need Help Planning Your Compliance Upgrades?

Talk to dairy processing equipment consultants who understand both FSSAI requirements and practical plant operations.

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