{"id":4570,"date":"2026-08-26T07:14:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T07:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulamart.com\/blog\/?p=4570"},"modified":"2026-08-26T07:14:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T07:14:51","slug":"fssai-label-guide-grocery-buyers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulamart.com\/blog\/fssai-label-guide-grocery-buyers\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading FSSAI Labels: What Every Grocery Buyer Should Check Before Purchase"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most grocery buyers glance at a packaged food label for the price and expiry date, and skip everything else printed around it. That gap matters more than it seems, since the FSSAI licence number, manufacturing details, and ingredient listing on a label are the fastest way to check whether a product actually meets basic food safety standards before it goes into your cart. This guide walks through what to actually look for.<\/p>\n

The FSSAI Licence Number: What It Confirms<\/h2>\n

Every legally sold packaged food product in India is required to carry a 14 digit FSSAI licence number, usually printed near the logo or at the bottom of the label. This number is not just a formality, it can be verified directly on the FSSAI’s official website<\/a> to confirm the manufacturer or seller is a registered, licensed entity. A missing or clearly fake looking licence number, especially on loose or informally packaged products, is one of the simplest red flags a buyer can check in a few seconds.<\/p>\n

Manufacturing and Best-Before Dates<\/h2>\n

Manufacturing date and best-before or expiry date are required on every packaged food label, and the two are easy to confuse if read quickly. The manufacturing date tells you when the product was made, while the best-before date indicates the window during which the product is expected to retain its quality, which is not always the same as a hard safety cutoff for shelf stable items but should still be respected for freshness and nutritional value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Label Element<\/td>\nWhat It Tells You<\/td>\nWhat to Check<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
FSSAI Licence Number<\/td>\nManufacturer is registered and licensed<\/td>\n14 digits, verifiable on FSSAI website<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Manufacturing Date<\/td>\nWhen the product was produced<\/td>\nCompare against how long it has been on the shelf<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Best-Before Date<\/td>\nQuality and freshness window<\/td>\nAvoid products near or past this date<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Ingredient Listing: Reading Order and Additives<\/h2>\n

Ingredients on a food label are listed in descending order by weight, so the first two or three items tell you what the product is actually mostly made of, which is often more informative than the marketing claims on the front of the package. Additives and preservatives are also required to be listed, sometimes as an E-number code. If a product’s ingredient list is dominated by additives and fillers rather than the primary ingredient implied by its name, that is worth noticing before purchase.<\/p>\n