FSSAI Bans Metallic Pins and Wires in Food Packaging Immediately Over Consumer Safety Risks

India’s apex food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has issued an immediate directive ordering all food business operators (FBOs) to stop using metallic pins, staple pins, wires, or similar materials for sealing and packaging food items. The advisory, released on Friday, June 12, 2026, highlights severe risks to consumer safety, warning that non-compliance will invite strict penal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Severe Food Safety Hazards Identified

The central regulatory body issued the emergency warning after noticing widespread usage of metal fasteners across the commercial food sector. According to the advisory, these materials are frequently used to secure cake boxes, sweet boxes, snack pouches, and takeaway food parcels, and are even embedded directly into decorative bakery products like custom cakes. Why Are Newspapers Unsafe for Food? FSSAI Reveals Health Risks Behind a Common Practice, Orders Immediate Stop.

The regulator pointed out that multiple instances have been reported where unsuspecting consumers found staple pins or sharp wires embedded in their food. This practice introduces a substantial physical contamination hazard, as accidental ingestion can lead to severe internal injuries, cuts to the digestive tract, and other critical health complications.

Comprehensive Ban on Food Businesses

The FSSAI directive applies universally across the supply chain, leaving no exemptions for small-scale or large-scale food service providers. The immediate ban covers:

• Bakery operators and confectioneries manufacturing decorative cakes

• Restaurants, cloud kitchens, and quick-service restaurants (QSRs)

• Caterers, takeaway food stalls, and mobile food vendors

• Sweet shops and snack manufacturers using staples on pouches or cardboard packaging

The order, officially signed by Dr. Amit Sharma, Executive Director of Compliance Strategy at FSSAI, explicitly commands businesses to transition to safe, alternative sealing methods immediately.

Enforcement and Penal Action

The authority has warned that enforcement wings across states and union territories will actively monitor businesses for compliance. Establishments found utilizing any form of metal wires or staples for securing food packages face punitive measures, including heavy financial penalties, improvement notices, or the suspension and cancellation of their operating licenses. 'We Categorically Reject': Nestlé India Dismisses Maggi Noodles Infestation Claims, Submits FSSAI Accredited Lab Reports.

Broader Regulatory Context

This directive follows a series of stringent packaging updates introduced by the FSSAI to clean up commercial food handling practices. The authority continues to phase out hazardous, non-food-grade materials from the retail chain.

Earlier this month, the regulator launched a parallel enforcement drive alongside municipal bodies to completely eliminate the traditional use of newspapers for wrapping or absorbing oil from fried foods, citing chemical leaching from printing inks. The latest action against metallic pins marks another step toward enforcing the strict criteria outlined in the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, which mandate the use of only approved, non-reactive, food-grade materials for consumer distribution.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 12, 2026 07:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).