Meat on your menu? Govt should know before your eatery opens

Eateries must declare their menu type while applying for registration or renewal of licence, and non-vegetarian outlets must specify if they plan to sell beef or pork, a top panel at the national food safety regulator said. Also on the cards: A national list of all vegetarian and non-vegetarian restaurants.

“The move aims to respect cultural dietary practices while ensuring consumers have clear information about the food they are purchasing or eating at the restaurants,” an official aware of the matter said. The proposal was taken up after a suggestion from the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure transparency in the food safety ecosystem, the official said on the condition of anonymity.

‘Cultural compliance’

Eateries currently in operation will also need to update the information in the future, a second official said, adding that if a vegetarian restaurant wants to switch to a non-vegetarian menu, it has to apply for the licence first.

The central advisory committee (CAC) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recommended the change at its latest meeting in Bhubaneswar. The new policy marking out vegetarian and non-vegetarian eateries aims “to ensure transparency and cultural compliance”, the committee said, pointing to diverse diets across the country. Mint has seen a copy of the meeting’s minutes.

“The FSSAI’s commitment is to ensure food safety and consumer empowerment. By clearly stating their food type on their licence and registration applications, businesses are providing customers with the necessary information to make informed choices that align with their personal beliefs and preferences,” the second official said, adding there is a growing need for transparency in the food industry and a new rule way to build greater trust between businesses and their patrons.

States and Union Territories will be responsible for enforcing the new policy, which is expected to be rolled out in the coming months.

High-risk foods

The FSSAI has also made a provision for state-level food safety officers (FSO) to prioritize inspections of restaurants serving so-called high-risk foods like meat, fish, milk and eggs, the official said.

“Each FSO has to inspect 10 food businesses per month; high-risk businesses to be given priority,” the official said, adding items such as meat and eggs can spoil quickly and cause food poisoning if not handled correctly.

Every state government has FSOs, whose job includes conducting inspections, such as mandatory pre-licence inspections for water manufacturers, and reporting food safety incidents. They are also responsible for uploading sample details and sending lab reports to a compliance portal on the FSSAI website.

India’s food processing sector is a rapidly growing market, expected to reach $700 billion by 2030. A major driver is the non-vegetarian food segment, with the meat market alone projected to grow from $55.3 billion in 2024 to $114.4 billion by 2033. The vegan food market is also experiencing rapid growth, with its value expected to double from $1.42 billion in 2024 to $2.96 billion by 2032.

“A key part of this new approach is creating a detailed, nationwide digital database of restaurants,” the second official added.” This database will specifically track which establishments serve non-vegetarian food and what types they offer. This will allow officials to better prioritize their inspections. For example, they’ll check if restaurants have separate storage for different non-vegetarian items to prevent cross-contamination, which is a common cause of food-borne illness. They’ll also verify that these businesses are following crucial food safety rules, such as the First In, First Out principle for stock rotation,” the second official explained. The principle refers to the use of the oldest ingredients in inventory first to prevent waste and ensure food safety.

Hygiene protocols

Queries sent to the Union health ministry and the UP food commissioner remained unanswered, while the National Restaurants Association of India declined to comment. Prominent food chains McDonald’s, Burger King, Chinese Wok, Chaayos and Jubilant FoodWorks also did not respond to queries.

The new system aims to move beyond simply licensing restaurants to actively ensuring they are following hygiene protocols.

“When state performance is reviewed, the new database will provide concrete data on how many high-risk restaurants exist and how many inspections have been completed. This is a significant improvement over the current system, which mainly requires restaurants to submit paperwork—like water test reports and proof of technically knowledgeable staff, authorized premises—to get a licence,” the second official said.

“A common myth is that food poisoning happens only with restaurants serving meat or fish,” said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, public health expert and former president at the Cochin Chapter of the Indian Medical Association. “In reality, it can occur in any setting, regardless of whether the restaurant is vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Risks arise from multiple factors: poor hygiene among staff, unclean equipment, contamination at the source, lapses in maintaining the cold chain and proper storage, unsafe water supply and inadequate compliance with food safety protocols. Even the handling and delivery of food parcels can contribute to contamination. All food businesses—regardless of the type of cuisine—must strictly adhere to food safety standards to protect consumers,” he said.

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