FSSAI Guidance for Fruits and Vegetables

Requirements in General

- The Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011 require fruit and vegetable vendors to be registered/licensed.

- On the cart/kiosk/shop, the FSSAI Registration/License number and the Food Safety Display Board (FSDB) with green colour code suitable to the Fruit & Vegetable retail business must be displayed.

- Recruitment of a food safety team to communicate and collaborate on the clean and fresh fruit and vegetable market.

- The use of acetylene gas, sometimes known as carbide gas, to prevent the sale of artificially ripened fruits is prohibited.

- The fruits can be artificially ripened using ethylene gas (up to 100 ppm) acquired from any safe source.

- Using a functional barrier to prevent stickers from being placed directly on fruits and vegetables.

- Coloring matter, mineral oils, and any other dangerous substances must be removed from all fruits and vegetables sold in the market.

- Fruits must only be wax coated with beeswax (white and yellow), carnauba wax, or shellac wax at a level that does not violate Good Manufacturing Practices.

- If fresh fruit is wax-coated, the label "Coated with wax" must be placed on the packaging (give name of wax)

Requirement for Food Safety and Hygiene

- All sellers and food handlers must wear protective clothing and footwear.

- Handwashing with soap or detergent and water before starting work and after every use of the restroom.

- Any injuries or wounds must be well covered, and sick vendors must not touch fresh produce.

- Before entering a building or starting work, all employees and subcontractors should be made aware of the hygiene and health rules.

Facilities and Location

- The market should be located away from polluted areas and industrial areas that emit harmful fumes.

- The premises must be clean, well-lit, and ventilated, with enough open space to allow for smooth movement of people and materials.

- To avoid interaction with food goods, a designated place for storing packaging material, clothes, shoes, ripening agents, cleaning agents, water, and other items must be maintained.

Maintaining a proper drainage system 

- The specified location for loading and unloading fruits and vegetables in distribution vehicles is identified.

- At these markets, cooling chambers, moisture retention chambers, and ripening rooms are being installed.

- Covering open-air markets, vending shops/stalls/carts/kiosks with a canopy, plastic or metal sheets, or other materials to keep fruits and vegetables out of direct sunshine, which can cause moisture loss.

Sanitation and cleaning

- Metal pollutants, chipping surfaces, coatings, stray nails, glass pieces, and other contaminants must not impact the fruits and vegetables on platforms or display units.

- After each use and any spillages, display units/crates/trays must be cleaned and disinfected.

- Equipment and cutting instruments that may come into touch with fruits and vegetables must be made of rust/corrosion-resistant materials and kept clean and in good working order.

Fruit and Vegetable Handling

- Avoid bruising and product damage by carefully handling and stacking fruits and vegetables while putting them on display.

- Organic fruits and vegetables must be presented and stored in such a way that they may be distinguished from non-organic counterparts.

- After using any cut fruit or vegetable for display, discard it.

- Fruit and vegetable sales are rotated on a regular basis in accordance with FIFO (first in, first out).

Water Quality and Supply

- Wherever drinkable water comes into direct contact with fruits and vegetables, such as washing, sprinkling, and so on, only potable water should be used.

- A third-party laboratory will test the water quality every six months.

- A third-party laboratory will test the water quality every six months.