Scope
This FSSAI amendment inserts additional metal-contaminant maximum levels into regulation 2.1.1, clause 2 of the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. It covers specified produce groups, canned foods, cereal grains, meat and offal, dairy products, infant formula ready to use, natural mineral water, salt, wine, fishery products, fats and oils, and selected processed foods. The amendment applies within India and comes into force on or after 1 January 2017.
Exact limit and units
| Metal | Matrix | Limit | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | Assorted subtropical fruits, edible peel | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Assorted subtropical fruits, inedible peel | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Berries and other small fruits | 0.2 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Citrus fruits | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Pome fruits | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Stone fruits | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Brassica vegetables excluding Kale | 0.3 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Bulb vegetables | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Fruiting vegetables, cucurbits | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Fruiting vegetables other than cucurbits (excluding mushrooms) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Leafy vegetables (including brassica leafy vegetables but excluding spinach) | 0.3 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Legume vegetables | 0.2 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Pulses | 0.2 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Root and tuber vegetables | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned fruit cocktail | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned grapefruit | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned mandarin oranges | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned mangoes | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned pineapple | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned raspberries | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned strawberries | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned tropical fruit salad | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Jams (fruit preserves) and jellies | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Mango chutney | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Table olives | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned asparagus | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned carrots | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned green beans and Canned wax beans | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned green peas | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned mature processed peas | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned mushrooms | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned palmito | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned sweetcorn | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned tomatoes | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Pickled cucumbers (cucumber pickles) | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Processed tomato concentrates | 1.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Fruit Juices (including nectars, ready to drink) | 0.05 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight; as consumed |
| Lead (Pb) | Cereal grains, except buckwheat, canihua and quinoa | 0.2 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Canned chestnuts and canned chestnut puree | 1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Meat of cattle, sheep and pig (also applies to fat from meat) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Poultry meat | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Cattle, edible offal of | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Pig, edible offal of | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Poultry, edible offal of | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Edible fats and oils (edible fats and oils not covered by individual standards) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Fish | 0.3 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Margarine | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Minarine | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Named animal fats (lard, rendered pork fat, premier jus and edible tallow) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Olive oil, refined | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Olive oil, virgin | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Olive, residue oil (olive pomace oil) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Poultry fats | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Vegetable oils, crude (oils of arachis, babasu, coconut, cotton seed, grape seed, maize, mustard seed, palm kernel, palm, rape seed, safflower seed, sesame seed, soya bean, and sunflower seed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein and other oils but excluding cocoa butter) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Vegetable oils, edible (oils of arachis, babasu, coconut, cotton seed, grape seed, maize, mustard seed, palm kernel, palm, rape seed, safflower seed, sesame seed, soya bean, and sunflower seed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein and other oils but excluding cocoa butter) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Milks (A concentration factor applies to partially or wholly dehydrated milks.) | 0.02 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Secondary milk products (as consumed) | 0.02 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight; as consumed |
| Lead (Pb) | Natural mineral water | 0.01 | mg/L | expressed in mg/L |
| Lead (Pb) | Infant formula (ready to use) | 0.02 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight; ready to use |
| Lead (Pb) | Salt, food grade | 2.0 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Wine | 0.2 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Crustaceans | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Cephalopods | 1.0 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Lead (Pb) | Bivalve Molluscs | 1.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Edible fats and oils (edible fats and oils not covered by individual standards) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Margarine | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Minarine | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Named animal fats (lard, rendered pork fat, premier jus and edible tallow) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Olive oil, refined | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Olive oil, virgin | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Olive, residue oil (olive pomace oil) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Vegetable oils, crude (oils of arachis, babasu, coconut, cottonseed, grapeseed, maize, mustardseed, palm kernel, palm, rapeseed, safflower seed, sesameseed, soya bean, and sunflowerseed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein). | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Vegetable oils, edible (oils of arachis, babasu, coconut, cottonseed, grapeseed, maize, mustardseed, palm kernel, palm, rapeseed, safflower seed, sesameseed, soya bean, and sunflowerseed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein). | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Natural mineral water | 0.01 | mg/L | expressed in mg/L |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Salt, food grade | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Fish and Crustaceans | 76 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Arsenic (tAs) | Molluscs | 86 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned foods other than beverages | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned beverages | 150 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned citrus fruits | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned stone fruits | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned vegetables | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned fruit cocktail | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned mangoes | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned pineapple | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned raspberries | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned strawberries | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned tropical fruit salad | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Mango Chutney | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Table olives | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned mushrooms | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned tomatoes | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Pickled cucumber | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Processed tomato concentrates | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned chestnuts and chestnut puree | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Cooked cured chopped meat (for products in tinplate containers) | 250 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Cooked cured chopped meat (for products in other containers) | 50 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Cooked cured ham (for products in tinplate containers) | 200 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Cooked cured ham (for products in other containers) | 50 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Cooked cured pork shoulder (for products in tinplate containers) | 200 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Cooked cured pork shoulder (for products in other containers) | 50 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Corned beef (for products in tinplate containers) | 200 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Corned beef (for products in other containers) | 50 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Luncheon meat (for products in tinplate containers) | 200 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Luncheon meat (for products in other containers) | 50 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Tin (Sn) | Canned fish products | 200 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Brassica vegetables | 0.05 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Bulb vegetables | 0.05 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Fruiting vegetables, cucurbits | 0.05 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Fruiting vegetables other than cucurbits (excluding tomatoes and edible fungi) | 0.05 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Leafy vegetables | 0.2 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Legume vegetables | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Potato, peeled | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Pulses, excluding soybean dry | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Root and tuber vegetables, excluding potato and celeriac | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Stalk and stem vegetables | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Cereal grains, except buckwheat, canihua and quinoa (excluding wheat and rice; and bran and germ) | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Rice, polished | 0.4 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Wheat | 0.2 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Natural mineral water | 0.003 | mg/L | expressed in mg/L |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Salt, food grade | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Fish | 0.3 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Crustaceans | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Cephalopods | 2.0 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Bivalve Molluscs | 2.0 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Mercury (tHg) | Natural mineral water | 0.001 | mg/L | expressed in mg/L |
| Mercury (tHg) | Salt, food grade | 0.1 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Mercury (tHg) | Non-predatory fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, molluscs | 0.5 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Mercury (tHg) | Predatory Fish (Tuna, Marlin, Sword Fish, Elasmobranch) | 1.0 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
| Chromium (Cr-total) | All fishery products | 12 | parts per million by weight | parts per million by weight |
How tested
The amendment itself inserts maximum levels into the 2011 contaminant table and does not specify analytical methods in the amendment text. Natural-mineral-water entries are explicitly expressed in mg/L; the other inserted entries use the table heading, parts per million by weight.
Enforcement posture
The notification is a final amendment made by FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 after publication of a draft and consideration of public comments. The inserted limits amend the legally binding contaminant regulations for foods in India.
History of changes
FSSAI published the draft amendment on 5 June 2015, and Gazette copies were made available to the public on 24 June 2015. The final notification is dated 3 May 2016 and was published in the Gazette of India on 4 May 2016. The amendment states that it comes into force on or after 1 January 2017.
How it compares
The amendment broadens the India contaminant table from the older general food categories into more Codex-style commodity groups, including produce subgroups, fishery products, canned foods, fats and oils, and water. It records arsenic, mercury, and chromium without inorganic/methyl/hexavalent speciation, so those limits are treated as total arsenic, total mercury, and total chromium for structured lookup. The arsenic limits for fish and crustaceans and for molluscs are stated in the Gazette as 76 and 86 parts per million by weight respectively and are transcribed as printed.
Sources
Update history
The five most recent substantive edits to this page, classified major (evidence or structure moved), correction (a published value or statement was wrong and has been fixed), or minor (narrative rewritten without changing the underlying evidence). Each description is derived from what the edit did to this page; the linked commit is the authoritative record, routine regeneration passes are excluded, and the full version history lives in git. When DOI minting comes online (see schema docs), each entry below will also link to a version-pinned DataCite DOI.
| Commit | Date | Change | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| a8052bb | 2026-08-09 | major | 1 source added; contamination-profile values revised; 7 sections added |