Recall Status explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Regulations 9 to 13 cover what happens after a recall has started. The operator sends periodic status reports, stores and records the recovered food, files a post-recall report, may ask for termination, and sends a follow-up report not later than thirty days after the recall is completed.
This article reads the text as amended up to 18 January 2017 (the Regulations as notified; FSSAI lists no amendment as at 2 October 2026). FSSAI compendia and website copies are reference consolidations and the Gazette text prevails. Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in.
Status reports go to the CEO or the Commissioner of Food Safety once in a week or as otherwise specified. Recovered food must be stored apart, with a label plate stating "RECALLED PRODUCT NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION"; the CEO is to send a written communication within two weeks of a termination request; and the follow-up report is due not later than thirty days after completion of the recall. Recall status reports use Schedule II and the termination request may use Schedule III. All operators who run a recall are affected. FSSAI compliance support can help set up the records.
Regulation 9: recall status report
| Sub-reg. | Rule as printed |
|---|---|
| (1) | the operator shall determine whether the recall is progressing effectively and submit periodic status reports to the CEO or Commissioner; the frequency shall be once in a week or as otherwise specified based on the relative urgency or gravity of the recall |
| (2) | unless otherwise specified or not applicable in a case, the report shall contain the information specified in Schedule II |
| (3) | status reports are discontinued when the recall is terminated by the CEO or the Commissioner or both, as the case may be |
| (4) | the operator shall retain proper and complete documentation on food recall for inspection and verification by the CEO or Commissioner or both |
Schedule II, headed "Food Recall Status Report Format", is described by heading in our article on regulations 14 to 16 and the Schedules.
Regulation 10: food recovery
10(1) The operator shall store the recovered food in an area separated from any other food and identified by a label plate including prominently that "RECALLED PRODUCT NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION".
10(2) The operator shall maintain accurate records of the recovered food including lot number, batch code, pack size, brand name, date of manufacture, date of expiry, the durability date and all related data. A proper recording system shall be available to ensure that recalled food is retrieved and its details recorded.
10(3) The operator may correct or re-process the recovered food, if permitted by the CEO. In all other cases the operator shall ensure disposal in consultation with the CEO, and a complete record of the disposal shall be maintained.
An invented example: Evergreen Foods recalls a batch of fruit drink. The recovered cartons are kept in a marked cage separate from saleable stock under the printed label. If Evergreen wants to re-process the drink, it needs the CEO's permission; otherwise it arranges disposal in consultation with the CEO and keeps a record.
Regulation 11: post-recall report
11(1) The operator shall submit a post-recall report to the CEO after completion of the recall process, so as to enable the assessment of adherence to the recall procedures.
11(2) The operator shall also investigate the reasons that led to the recall and act to prevent recurrence.
Regulation 12: termination of a recall
12(1) The operator may request termination by a written request to the CEO along with the recall status report or post-recall report certifying that the recall was effective. The request may be made in the form specified in Schedule III, headed "Food Recall Termination Request Format".
12(2) A recall may be terminated when the CEO determines that it is reasonable to believe the food under recall has been removed and/or disposed of in an appropriate manner and steps have been taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur. A written communication shall be sent to the operator within two weeks of the request submitted, and the operator can resume normal operations thereafter.
12(3) In case of unsatisfactory reports, the CEO may consider further action such as stepped-up inspection, seizure or any other legal action against the operator.
Regulation 13: follow-up action
The operator shall provide the CEO with a report as soon as a recall is completed, in any case not later than thirty days after the completion of a recall, covering:
- the circumstances leading to the recall;
- the action taken by the operator, including details of any publicity;
- the extent of distribution of the relevant batch in the country and overseas;
- the results of the recall (quantity of stock returned, corrected, outstanding, etc.);
- the proposed method of disposal or otherwise of recalled stock with record of destruction and/or correction; and
- the action proposed to be implemented in future to prevent a recurrence of the problem.
A timeline built only from the printed periods
| Stage | Period as printed |
|---|---|
| Information to the Authority that food requires recall (regulation 6(3), in the previous article) | immediately, not exceeding twenty-four hours from the time it comes to the operator's notice |
| Status reports (regulation 9(1)) | once in a week or as otherwise specified by the CEO or Commissioner |
| Termination communication by the CEO (regulation 12(2)) | within two weeks of the operator's request |
| Follow-up report (regulation 13) | not later than thirty days after the completion of a recall |
| Distribution records (regulation 6(1)) | one year from the durability or expiry date |
No dates are worked out here; each period runs from the event stated in the regulation.
Where this sits
Initiation, the plan and the Food Recall Notice are in our article on regulations 5 to 8. For a practical tracker, see the post on a food recall log template. The final article in the series on this instrument covers responsibilities and the Schedules.
Need help with recall reports?
Weekly status reports, disposal records and a thirty-day follow-up report all need clean records from the day the recall starts. Our FSSAI compliance support service helps operators build the templates and the record trail.
Key takeaways
- Status reports are weekly unless the CEO or Commissioner specifies otherwise, and use Schedule II.
- Recovered food is stored apart under the label "RECALLED PRODUCT NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION".
- Termination may be requested in the Schedule III format; the CEO's written communication is due within two weeks of the request.
- The follow-up report is due not later than thirty days after completion of the recall.
- Unsatisfactory reports can lead to stepped-up inspection, seizure or other legal action.
Read next
- Regulations 5–8: initiation, plan and communication
- Regulations 14–16 and the Schedules
- Food recall log template
- Food recall: when and how to recall unsafe products
Disclaimer: Based on the FSSAI regulations named above as consolidated in FSSAI's compendium versions or as published in the Gazette, with the later notifications the article names (consulted on fssai.gov.in on 2-3 October 2026). Later notifications and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.