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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2026, making it mandatory for all approved vegan food packages to display a specified 'Vegan' logo. The regulation, aimed at ensuring standard compliance and boosting consumer trust, will come into effect from July 1, 2027.
According to the notification, published in the Gazette of India on May 25, 2026, every package of vegan food will now be required to carry the specified green "VEGAN" logo featuring a leaf symbol, once approval is granted. Detailed diagrams specifying the logo, including size, placement, and colour standards, were provided in the notification to guide manufacturers. The amendment follows a draft notification issued in December 2022, during which objections and suggestions were invited from stakeholders over a 60-day period. After reviewing feedback, FSSAI finalised the changes to the 2022 Vegan Foods Regulations to standardise labelling and promote consumer confidence in vegan products. The notification has been signed by Rajit Punhani, Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI. Earlier, FSSAI issued a fresh advisory regarding the use of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in food products. In the advisory, FSSAI specified standards for health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special dietary use, and food for special medical purposes under the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016. It underlined that Schedule IV of these regulations provides a list of plants or botanicals permitted for use in such products. As per Schedule IV of the regulations, only the roots and their extracts of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) are permitted for use in categories such as health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special dietary use, and food for special medical purposes, subject to prescribed limits. The advisory further highlighted that certain manufacturers are using ashwagandha leaves and their extracts in products, and clarified that the use of Ashwagandha leaves in crude, extract, or any other form is not permitted. It reads, "It has been brought to the notice of FSSAI that certain manufacturers of these products are using ashwagandha leaves and their extract in their products. In this regard, it is clarified that the use of Ashwagandha leaves in crude or extract or any other form is not permitted under the said regulations." (ANI)
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