Offences & Penalties

As per Chapter IX of Food Safety & Standard Act, 2006

Section	Subject	Key Provision / Penalty
50	Food not of nature/quality demanded	Penalty up to ₹5 lakh.
51	Sub-standard food	Penalty up to ₹5 lakh.
52	Misbranded food	Penalty up to ₹3 lakh + corrective action/destruction.
53	Misleading advertisement	Penalty up to ₹10 lakh.
54	Food containing extraneous matter	Penalty up to ₹1 lakh.
55	Failure to comply with FSO directions	Penalty up to ₹2 lakh.
56	Unhygienic/unsanitary processing	Penalty up to ₹1 lakh.
57	Possessing adulterant	Non-injurious: up to ₹2 lakh; Injurious: up to ₹10 lakh.
58	Contraventions without specific penalty	Penalty up to ₹2 lakh.
59	Unsafe food	Punishment varies from fine to life imprisonment depending on injury/death.
60	Interfering with seized items	Imprisonment up to 6 months + fine up to ₹2 lakh.
61	False information	Imprisonment up to 3 months + fine up to ₹2 lakh. Jan Vishwas Amendments – Penalty up to ₹10 lakh.**
62	Obstructing/impersonating FSO	Imprisonment up to 3 months + fine up to ₹1 lakh.
63	Business without licence	Imprisonment up to 6 months + fine up to ₹5 lakh. Jan Vishwas Amendments – Penalty up to ₹10 lakh.**
64	Subsequent offences	Double punishment + licence cancellation.
65	Compensation for injury/death	Death: minimum ₹5 lakh compensation.

Adjudication Process

Current Status of Adjudication in State (As of 25th May 2026)

Time limit for prosecutions

Notwithstanding anything contained in Food Safety & Standard Act, 2006, no court shall take cognizance of an offence under this Act after the expiry of the period of one year from the date of commission of an offence. Provided that the Commissioner of Food Safety may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, approve prosecution within an extended period of up to three years.