FSSAI
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (full text)
The core food law behind every CFSO, TO and Food Analyst law paper.
Exam resources
FSSAI Food Analyst Examination 2026
FSSAI's Food Analyst Examination certifies eligible professionals to analyse food samples for regulatory purposes. Its selection process includes a computer-based test, a practical examination and prescribed training before certification.
Syllabus-aligned FSSAI Food Analyst notes, solved questions and practice sets. Preview 20 pages free.
Food Laws and StandardsFood Laws · 25 %672 pages
Laboratory, Sampling, Statistics and Quality AssuranceLaboratory · 15 %604 pages
Physical, Chemical and Instrumental AnalysisAnalysis · 10 %757 pages
Food ChemistryChemical discipline · 35 %840 pages
Food Microbiology and Food HygieneBiological discipline · 35 %607 pages
Processing, Preservation, Packaging and Human NutritionProcessing & Nutrition · 15 %779 pages
The FSSAI Food Analyst Examination is a certification examination held by FSSAI's Board of Food Analyst Examination under Rule 2.1.4 of the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, as amended. It is not a recruitment examination. Candidates choose the Chemical or the Biological discipline when they apply. The computer-based test has 200 multiple-choice questions for 800 marks, with +4 for a correct answer and -1 for a wrong answer, and a pass mark of 50%. Five topics are common to both disciplines; Chemical candidates then answer 70 Food Chemistry questions and Biological candidates 70 Food Microbiology and Food Hygiene questions. Candidates who pass the test sit a practical examination of 200 marks (methods of analysis 50, practical proficiency 100, viva-voce 50), needing at least 40% in each part and 50% overall, and then complete two weeks of training before FSSAI issues the Food Analyst certificate. The certificate does not guarantee employment.
- Conducted by
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Board of Food Analyst Examination
Who can apply
Under the current FSSAI general instructions for the Food Analyst Examination, FSSAI accepts a relevant Bachelor's, Master's or Doctorate degree (or the specified Institution of Chemists qualification), plus at least three years of food-analysis experience after the minimum qualification.
- Bachelor's, Master's or Doctorate in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Dairy Chemistry, Agricultural Science, Animal Science, Fisheries Science, Biotechnology, Food Safety, Food Technology, Food and Nutrition, Dairy Technology, Oil Technology or Veterinary Sciences
- Or the specified associate qualification of the Institution of Chemists (India) by examination in its Food Analysts section
- At least three years of food-analysis experience in an institution or laboratory after attaining the minimum essential academic qualification
- No upper age limit, and no reservation, because the examination certifies Food Analysts rather than filling posts
- The Chemical or Biological discipline is chosen on the application form and cannot be changed later
A summary. Confirm the details in the current notice.
Source: FSSAI general instructions to candidates (current) ↗. Checked 2026-09-21.
From the current FSSAI Plan of Examination and Syllabus for the Food Analyst Examination. Each candidate sits one discipline: Food Chemistry (Chemical) or Food Microbiology and Food Hygiene (Biological), chosen when applying.
5 compulsory sections are followed by 1 chosen from 2 optional sections, and the paper is timed at 180 minutes.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Laws and Standards (Indian and international) | 50 | 200 | Compulsory |
| Food Analysis Laboratory: Planning, NABL/ISO 17025 and Safety | 30 | 120 | Compulsory |
| Principles of Food Preservation, Processing and Packaging | 15 | 60 | Compulsory |
| Principles of Human Nutrition | 15 | 60 | Compulsory |
| Physical, Chemical and Instrumental Analysis | 20 | 80 | Compulsory |
| Food Chemistry (Chemical discipline) | 70 | 280 | Optional |
| Food Microbiology and Food Hygiene (Biological discipline) | 70 | 280 | Optional |
| Paper total | 200 | 800 | any 1 optional |
Candidates choose the Chemical or the Biological discipline on the application form, and the choice cannot be changed later. Both disciplines sit the same five common topics. Chemical candidates then answer 70 Food Chemistry questions; Biological candidates answer 70 Food Microbiology and Food Hygiene questions. Every candidate answers 200 questions for 800 marks, with +4 for a correct answer and -1 for a wrong answer, and needs at least 50% to qualify for the Practical Examination. The current Plan of Examination does not state the duration; earlier plans set a single three-hour session. Our full-length mocks are timed at 180 minutes and include both Food Chemistry and Food Microbiology, so their section split differs from the official one.
Marking scheme
+4 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong answer. An unanswered question scores zero. Our mocks for this exam are scored the same way.
The Food Analyst Examination is a certification exam, so it has no competitive, category-wise cut-off. FSSAI sets a fixed pass mark in each edition's official notice, and every candidate who reaches it qualifies. These are those official pass marks.
| Year | Stage | All candidates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Computer Based Test under the current Plan of Examination (200 MCQs, +4 / -1, 800 marks; Chemical or Biological discipline) | Minimum 50% of marks | Official, FSSAI Plan of Examination and Syllabus (current) ↗ |
| 2025 | 10th FAE (2024 edition), Practical Examination, held Mar-Apr 2025 (Part A 50 + Part B 100 + Part C viva 50 = 200) | Minimum 40% in each of Parts A, B and C, and 50% aggregate | Official, FSSAI 10th FAE Notice, 13 Mar 2025 ↗ |
| 2023 | 9th FAE-2023, Computer Based Test (200 MCQs, +4 / -1) | Minimum 40% of marks | Official, FSSAI Notice regarding 9th FAE and 6th JAE, 03 Jul 2023 ↗ |
Compared across past papers. Not an official announcement.
| Change | Compared papers | Before | After | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | FSSAI 3rd Food Analyst Exam 2016 — Paper I → FSSAI Food Analyst Examination 2021 (7th FAE) | 100 q 100 marks 120 min 1 section | 189 q 756 marks 180 min 1 section |
Questions
100 → 189
Duration
120 → 180 min
Marks
100 → 756
Dropped
Paper I
Added
Food Analysis, Standards & Regulations
|
| 2016 | FSSAI 3rd Food Analyst Exam 2016 — Paper II → FSSAI 3rd Food Analyst Exam 2016 — Paper I | 99 q 99 marks 120 min 1 section | 100 q 100 marks 120 min 1 section |
Questions
99 → 100
Marks
99 → 100
Dropped
Paper II
Added
Paper I
|
Free PDFs and recommended books for FSSAI Food Analyst. How we choose
Free PDFs
12 free PDFsFood safety & law
FSSAI
Manual for Food Safety Officers — A Ready Reckoner
FSSAI's own handbook of a Food Safety Officer's hygiene and enforcement duties.
FSSAI
Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods — Spices and Condiments
Official methods for spice quality and adulterant detection.
FSSAI
Compendium — Food Additives Regulations (December 2022)
Consolidated legal limits for additives by food category.
Food microbiology
OpenStax · Rice University
Microbiology (OpenStax)
A complete, peer-reviewed university microbiology textbook.
NCERT
Class 12 Biology — Microbes in Human Welfare
Microbes in curd, cheese, bread and fermentation.
NCERT
Class 8 Science — Microorganisms: Friend and Foe
Food spoilage, preservation and pathogens at a very basic level.
Processing & preservation
FSSAI
Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods — Cereal and Cereal Products (2022)
Official analytical methods for cereals and flours.
FSSAI · FoSTaC
FoSTaC Manual — Special (Level 2), Bakery
Bakery process hygiene and hazards as FSSAI sets them out.
NCERT
Class 12 Human Ecology & Family Sciences — Food Processing and Technology
A plain-language overview of preservation and processing.
NIOS
Home Science (321), Lesson 9 — Food Preservation
Household and basic industrial preservation principles.
Nutrition
ICMR-NIN
Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024, 2nd edition)
India's official diet, RDA and My Plate guidance.
Official and open resources
21 resourcesOfficial syllabus
FSSAI Plan of Examination and Syllabus, Food Analyst Examination (current)
The official topic weightage for the Chemical and Biological disciplines.
Official syllabus
FSSAI Food Analyst syllabus, Advt DR-04/2021
Subject-wise indicative syllabus for the Food Analyst written test.
Official law
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (English)
The parent law; FSO and CFSO papers test its sections, offences and penalties.
Official law
Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 (compendium, Version I, 01.04.2025)
Rule 2.1.3 sets the FSO qualification and duties.
Official law
FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 (compendium)
Covers the registration and licence thresholds.
Official law
FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011
Commodity standards and additive limits.
Official law
FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011
Limits for metals, mycotoxins, pesticide residues and antibiotics.
Official law
FSS (Laboratory and Sample Analysis) Regulations, 2011
Sampling and laboratory procedure, needed for Food Analyst and FSO duties.
Official law
FSS (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 (compendium, 02.04.2025)
Food-contact material rules and packaging requirements.
Official law
FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 (compendium, Version VIII, 09.09.2025)
Current labelling, nutrition-information and front-of-pack display rules.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Cereal and Cereal Products (2nd ed., 2026)
Official test methods for cereal products.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Dairy and Dairy Products (2nd ed., 2026)
Official milk and dairy test methods, including adulterant detection.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Oils and Fats (revised 2024)
Methods for oil constants such as iodine, saponification and RM values.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Food Additives
Methods for preservatives, colours and sweeteners.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Fruit and Vegetable Products
Methods for juices, jams and other fruit and vegetable products.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Mycotoxins (revised 2021)
Aflatoxin and other mycotoxin methods.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Metals
Methods for heavy and trace metals.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Spices, Herbs and Condiments (revised 2021)
Spice quality and adulteration test methods.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Pesticide Residues
Methods for pesticide residue analysis.
Official methods
FSSAI Manual: Water Analysis
Methods for drinking-water and packaged-water testing.
Official methods
FSSAI General Guidelines on Sampling for Microbiological Analysis (2022)
Microbiological sampling plans and sample handling.
Core food technology
4 resourcesCore food technology
Textbook of Food Science and Technology (ICAR)
Indian food technology baseline for processing, preservation, chemistry.
Reading suggestion
Core food technology
Food Science by B. Srilakshmi
Useful for food chemistry, nutrition, preservation.
Reading suggestion
Microbiology
Food Microbiology by M. R. Adams and M. O. Moss
Strong reference for spoilage, pathogens, fermentation.
Reading suggestion
Food engineering
Food Process Engineering and Technology by Zeki Berk
Good engineering reference for heat transfer, dehydration, freezing.
Reading suggestion
Free channels worth following for FSSAI Food Analyst.
YouTube channels
4 channelsOfficial
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
The regulator's own videos on food safety rules, Eat Right campaigns.
Educator
Food Tech 360
Topic-wise food-tech MCQs and concept videos, with playlists for GATE XL/XE.
Educator
Food Tech Online
Previous-year-question videos for ICAR-PG food science, GATE food technology.
Coaching (free lectures)
Agriculture & GK
Long free class series for FSSAI CFSO.
Telegram channels
1 channelEducator
Food Tech 360
Exam notifications, official syllabi, admit-card and date updates.
Full topic list and section weightage FSSAI Food Analyst syllabus and exam pattern
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Tests for this exam
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