On June 10, 2022, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a notification regarding the definition and regulation of vegan foods. Most notably, a food product cannot be considered “vegan” if the creation of the product required “animal testing for any purpose, including safety evaluation, unless provided by any Regulatory Authority.” This requirement also applies to food product imports that are labeled vegan and requires a certification by an appropriate authority of the exporting country.

The notification defines “vegan food” as “food or food ingredients” that are free from animal origin which means that “at no stage of production or processing” can ingredients of animal origin be used. Vegan food packaging must also display a logo indicating vegan compliance under the FSSAI regulations.

For comparison, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not define or provide criteria for use of “vegan” claims on food labeling.  Rather, vegan claims are governed generally by the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act § 403(a)(1).  This section requires that claims be truthful and not misleading.  Vegan certification claims on food products in the U.S. can be third-party certified, although this is not required by the FDA.