Schedule II 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.
Part 1 of Schedule II lists the mandatory declarations: eleven groups of foods and ingredients with the exact warning or declaration each package must carry, mostly in a rectangular box. They are called up by regulations 7(1), 8(4)(a) and 9(4).
The text is read as amended up to 24 March 2026 (FSSAI Compendium Version VIII dated 09.09.2025; the First Amendment Regulations, 2026 apply from 1 July 2027 and change parts of paragraph 1). FSSAI compendia are reference consolidations and the Gazette text prevails. Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in. A brand that needs these statements built into its artwork can use our FSSAI label compliance service.
Schedule II, paragraph 1, requires declarations such as "CONTAINS CAFFEINE" for added caffeine, "Polyols may have laxative effect" for 10% or more polyols, a monosodium glutamate statement, and "CHEWING OF PAN MASALA IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH" covering 50% of front-of-pack. Type size is not less than 3mm (regulation 7(1)). Some sweetener statements change on 1 July 2027.
How Schedule II is used
Regulation 7(1) says that wherever packaged food contains the ingredients or additives named in Schedule II, the declaration shall be prominently displayed, in numerals and letters of not less than 3mm (1mm on small sweetener packs); see regulations 7 and 8. Regulation 8(4)(a) applies several items to food served for immediate consumption, and regulation 9(4) to food service establishments on request. The Schedule has two parts: paragraph 1 "Mandatory Declarations" (this article) and paragraph 2 "Specific requirements/restrictions on manner of labelling" (covered in the part 2 article).
Paragraph 1(1): ingredients and additives
| Serial | Ingredient or additive | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10% or more polyols | Polyols may have laxative effect |
| 2 | 10% or more polydextrose | Polydextrose may have laxative effect |
| 3 | Added caffeine | CONTAINS CAFFEINE |
| 4 | Isomaltulose | Contains Isomaltulose-----(kcal) per 100gm or 100ml |
| 5 | 10 per cent. or more Sorbitol and Sorbitol syrup | May have laxative effect, cause bloating and diarrhea in children; and reduce calcium absorption in post-menopausal women |
Serial 3 carries an amended entry (a further clause is shown deleted in the compendium) and serial 5 is marked as inserted.
Paragraph 1(2): articles of food
Every package containing the following articles shall bear these declarations in a rectangular box:
| Serial | Article | Declaration (as printed) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maida treated with improver or bleaching agents | REFINED WHEAT FLOUR (MAIDA) TREATED WITH IMPROVER/BLEACHING AGENTS, TO BE USED BY BAKERIES ONLY |
| 2 | Dried Glucose Syrup containing sulphur dioxide exceeding 40 ppm | DRIED GLUCOSE SYRUP FOR USE IN SUGAR CONFECTIONERY ONLY |
| 3 | Fruit squash containing additional sodium or potassium salt | CONTAINS ADDITIONAL SODIUM/POTASSIUM SALT |
| 4 | Flavour emulsion and flavour paste for beverages | FLAVOUR EMULSION AND FLAVOUR PASTE FOR USE IN CARBONATED OR NON-CARBONATED BEVERAGES ONLY |
| 5 | Cheese(s), if coated or packed in food grade waxes | COATED WAX TO BE REMOVED BEFORE CONSUMPTION |
| 6 | Frozen Desert/Frozen Confection | Frozen Desserts/Frozen Confection is made with ____ Edible Vegetable Oil*/and Vegetable Fat* |
| 7 | Common Salt | COMMON SALT FOR IODISATION*/IRON FORTIFICATION*/ANIMAL USE*/PRESERVATION NOT MEANT FOR DIRECT CONSUMPTION*/INFANT FOOD PRODUCTS*/MEDICINE*/INDUSTRIAL USE* |
| 8 | Fresh fruit if coated with wax | COATED WITH WAX (give name of wax) |
| 9 | Gelatin meant for human consumption | Gelatin Food Grade |
An asterisk means "Strike out whatever is not applicable".
Paragraph 1(3): pan masala, supari and sweeteners
Every package of the following, and advertisements relating to them, shall carry the warning or declaration in a rectangular box:
- Serial 1, Pan Masala: "CHEWING OF PAN MASALA IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH", with a note (amended) that the warning statement must cover 50% of front-of-pack of the label.
- Serial 2, Supari: "CHEWING OF SUPARI IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH".
- Serial 3 (as amended), table top sweeteners: for Aspartame (Methylester), Acesulfame Potassium, Aspartame-Acesulfame salt, Sucralose, saccharins, Neotame, Steviol Glycoside and polyols marketed as "Table Top Sweetener": (i) "Contains........... (Name of sweetener with purity and weight percent of marker compound)"; (ii) not recommended for phenylketonurics, for children suffering from seizure disorders, pregnant and lactating mothers (aspartame); (iii) not recommended for children, pregnant and lactating mothers (acesulfame potassium); (iv) not recommended for phenylketonurics, for children, pregnant and lactating mothers (aspartame-acesulfame salt); (v) not recommended for children (saccharins); (vi) "Polyols may have laxative effect"; and (vii) the sorbitol statement shown in 1(1) serial 5.
Paragraph 1(4): sweeteners and MSG
| Serial | Ingredient | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (as amended) | Sweeteners in Appendix A of the Food Products Standards and Food Additives Regulations, 2011 | (i) "This contains .... (name of the sweetener)"; then the "Not recommended" statements for aspartame, acesulfame potassium, aspartame-acesulfame salt and saccharins, as in 1(3) |
| 2 | Mixture of sweeteners in Appendix A | "This ....... (name of food) contains an admixture of ......... (name of the sweeteners)", plus the individual labelling for each sweetener; note: for a package of up to 100cm2 the numerals and letters shall not be less than 1.5 mm |
| 3 | Every food permitted to contain non-caloric sweetener | CONTAIN NON-CALORIC SWEETENER |
| 4 | Monosodium Glutamate | "This package of (name of the food) ............... contains added MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE" and "NOT RECOMMENDED FOR INFANTS BELOW -12 MONTHS AND PREGNANT WOMEN" |
Paragraphs 1(5) to 1(10)
- (5) Every container of refined vegetable oil bears the label "Refined (name of the Oil) Oil".
- (6) One time usable plastic bottles of packaged drinking water and mineral water carry "CRUSH THE BOTTLE AFTER USE" or "DISPOSE THE BOTTLE RESPONSIBLY" (the compendium shows the word "or" and a deleted line).
- (7) Packages of fat spread, milk products, milk based fruit drink, fermented milk products, soy and rice drink, cheese products, yoghurt products, spice sauces, salad dressings, juices and nectars containing added plant stanol esters bear: "Contains Plant Stanol Esters (as Plant Stanols) ---gm/100 gm or 100ml", a statement that patients on cholesterol lowering medication should use the product under medical supervision, a statement that it may not be nutritionally appropriate for pregnant and lactating women and children under the age of five years, and "CONSUMPTION OF MORE THAN 3g. PER DAY, TOTAL OF STEROL, STANOLS OR COMBINATION THEREOF SHALL BE AVOIDED".
- (8) Biscuits, bread, cakes, breakfast cereals, noodles, pasta, sweets and the other listed foods wherever trehalose is added: "Contains Trehalose".
- (9) Flakes, ready to eat dry breakfast cereals, noodles, spreads, bakery products and other listed foods containing added dietary fibre (dextrin): "Contains Dietary Fibre (Dextrin) ----- (Source of soluble Dietary Fibre)".
- (10) Fat spread, milk products, edible oils, bakery products and the other listed foods containing added plant sterol: "Contains Plant Sterol (as Phytosterols) ---g/100g or 100ml." with the same three statements as in (7), the last as "CONSUMPTION OF MORE THAN 3g/DAY ... SHOULD BE AVOIDED".
Paragraph 1(11): irradiated food
(a) The label of food treated with ionizing radiation shall carry a written statement of the treatment close to the name of the food. (b) Food that has undergone irradiation under regulation 2.13 of the Food Products Standards and Food Additives Regulations, 2011 shall bear the Radura logo in green colour and "PROCESSED BY RADIATION", with fields for name of the product, purpose of radiation processing, operating licence number, batch identification number (BIN) as provided by the facility, and date of processing. The standard itself is in the sister article on radiation processing.
Notified change, in force from 1 July 2027
The First Amendment Regulations, 2026 amend paragraph 1 of Schedule II from 1 July 2027:
- Pan masala (1(3), serial 1): after the existing entry the note "Note: This warning statement shall be clearly legible or audible in advertisements related to Pan Masala".
- Table top sweeteners (1(3), serial 3): clause (iv) is substituted: "(iv) Not recommended for phenylketonurics; for children; pregnant or lactating women (in case of Aspartame-Acesulfame salt or admixture or combination of Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium)".
- Sweeteners (1(4), serial 1): clause (iv) is substituted with the same words, and serial 2 gets a further proviso: "Provided further that the repetition of information may not be required for combination of sweeteners."
- Wherever the words "pregnant and lactating mothers" occur, the words "pregnant or lactating women" are substituted.
An invented example
Zing Drinks launches an energy drink with added caffeine and a table top sweetener sachet containing aspartame-acesulfame salt. The can carries "CONTAINS CAFFEINE" in a rectangular box and, in letters not less than 3mm, the sweetener statements. A pan masala brand in the same group must cover 50% of front-of-pack with its warning, and from 1 July 2027 make it clearly legible or audible in advertisements.
Need help with warning statements?
The wording, the box and the type size all count, and the 2027 changes touch several statements. Our FSSAI label compliance team can check each product's ingredients against Schedule II before printing.
Key takeaways
- Schedule II, paragraph 1 lists eleven groups of mandatory declarations, mostly in a rectangular box.
- Statements are quoted exactly in the Schedule; type size is not less than 3mm under regulation 7(1).
- Pan masala warning covers 50% of front-of-pack; sweeteners and MSG carry specific "not recommended" lines.
- Irradiated food carries the Radura logo and "PROCESSED BY RADIATION".
- From 1 July 2027 the pan masala advertisement note, the aspartame-acesulfame wording and "pregnant or lactating women" apply.
Read next
- Regulations 10–13: non-retail containers and food additives
- Schedule I: fortified and organic logos
- Schedule II, part 2: edible oils, coffee-chicory, milk, water and bread
- FSSAI labelling requirements: a complete guide
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.