The Existing Rulebook
Under current regulations, the responsibility is clear. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) treats e-commerce platforms that sell food—from grocery giants to delivery apps—as Food Business Operators (FBOs). This isn't just a formality.
It means these companies must have their own FSSAI central license and are legally obligated to ensure the sellers and products on their platform are compliant. This includes verifying that every vendor has a valid FSSAI license, displaying this information on the product listing, and ensuring that no misleading health claims are made. If a product is found to be non-compliant, the platform is responsible for delisting it immediately. In principle, the buck stops with them.
A Gap Between Policy and Reality
The rapid expansion of online food delivery and quick-commerce has created a vast universe of sellers, dark stores, and cloud kitchens. The sheer volume of product listings makes manual monitoring an impossible task for both the platforms and the regulator. Misleading claims, incorrect labelling, and the sale of unapproved products can easily slip through the cracks. Recent crackdowns on major e-commerce players for violations ranging from misleading claims to selling prohibited items highlight this enforcement challenge. While platforms are legally responsible, their diligence has not been foolproof. Relying on consumer complaints or random manual checks is a reactive approach, and FSSAI has decided a more proactive solution is required to protect public health.
Enter the AI Sentinel
To bridge this gap, FSSAI is collaborating with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to develop and test an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based system. This tool is designed to automatically scan e-commerce platforms and flag potential food safety violations. According to FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani, the AI will automatically inform the regulator of any violations it detects, enabling officials to take quick action. The initial focus is on e-commerce because the digital nature of listings and transactions creates a clear trail that is easier for an AI to analyze compared to physical retail settings. The project is currently in the testing phase, but it signals a major shift in regulatory strategy.
Enforcing Responsibility, Not Replacing It
This new automated system doesn't absolve online platforms of their duties. Instead, it serves as a powerful tool to enforce the existing rules more effectively. FSSAI has been firm that e-commerce companies cannot use the excuse that they are merely aggregators and shift all blame to manufacturers. The AI tool is an enforcement mechanism designed to hold platforms accountable at scale. By automatically flagging suspicious listings—such as products making unsubstantiated claims or those missing mandatory FSSAI license information—the system turns a reactive process into a proactive one. It allows the regulator to identify potential problems across millions of listings far more efficiently than human teams ever could.
What This Means for Consumers
For the average person buying groceries or ordering a meal online, this development promises a safer digital marketplace. The goal is to reduce exposure to fraudulent products, misleading health claims, and items that don't meet national food safety standards. The increased scrutiny also extends to the operational side, with FSSAI and state authorities stepping up inspections of dark stores and cloud kitchens, focusing on hygiene and proper storage conditions like refrigeration. By leveraging technology, regulators aim to build greater consumer trust in an online food ecosystem that has become an integral part of daily life for millions of Indians. This tech-driven oversight, combined with clear platform liability, aims to ensure that the convenience of online shopping doesn't come at the cost of safety.
