FSSAI License for your Business

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. The FSSAI has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which is a consolidating statute related to food safety and regulation in India. FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.

The following are the statutory powers that the FSS Act, 2006 gives to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)-

1. Framing of regulations to lay down food safety standards.

2. Laying down guidelines for accreditation of laboratories for food testing

3. Providing scientific advice and technical support to the Central Government

4. Contributing to the development of international technical standards in food

5. Collecting and collating data regarding food consumption, contamination, emerging risks, etc.

6. Disseminating information and promoting awareness about food safety and nutrition in India

The FSSAI functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The main aim of FSSAI is to -

1. Lay down science-based standards for articles on food.

2. To regulate the manufacture, storage, distribution, import, and sale of food

3. To facilitate the safety of food

In 2021, with the aim of benefitting industries involved in manufacturing, handling, packaging, and selling of food items, FSSAI decided to grant perpetual licenses to restaurants and food manufacturers on the condition that they file their returns every year.

IMPORTANCE OF FSSAI INCLUDES: The major importance of FSSAI License is that it ensures that your food is verified chemically and hence is safe to consume. 'Health before wealth' is a common quote as well as fact. Therefore, anything related directly to health is a matter of great sensitivity.

FSSAI registration or License is mandatory for all types of food business operators in India whether they are transporters, distributors, manufacturers, or caterers, etc. there are 3 types of registration available depending upon the annual turnover and type of the establishments or business.

FSSAI issues three types of licenses based on the nature of the food business and turnover:

· Registration\ basic license: For Turnover less than ₹12 Lakh

· State License: For Turnover between ₹12 Lakh to ₹20 Crore

· Central License: For Turnover above ₹20 Crore

Other criteria like the location of the business, number of retail stores, etc. are needed while evaluating the nature of the license application.

THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR FSSAI REGISTRATION ARE:

· Photo of Food Business Operator.

· Document for Identity Proof like Ration Card, Voter ID Card, PAN Card, Driving License, Passport, Aadhar Card, Senior Citizen Card, Department Issued ID.

· Supporting Documents (if any): - NOC by Municipality or Panchayat, Health NOC.

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING LICENSE-

1. Fssai login https://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in/index.aspx

2. The website opens. Towards the right-hand side there is an existing user login if you have logged in initially or else sign up to create a new account.

3. In case you are logging in for the first time then enter all the details and sign in. https://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in/UserRegistration.aspx

4. Once you have logged in under License\Registration select APPLY FOR LICENSE. After which a declaration form appears click on ACCEPT and proceed.

5. Next select your STATE, and if your food business is carried out in more than one location click on YES.

6. Next according to your business activity select the category and click on PROCEED.

7. A box appears click on CLICK TO APPLY. This introduces us to FORM “A”. Fill in the details.

Under details of food items proposed to be manufactured select the category and click on SAVE AND ADD (you can select more than one category). Under personal identification details attach photo and identity proof and upload.

8. Download the declaration form either in Hindi or English. Print and sign the same. Scan and upload. Click on SAVE AND ADD.

9. Fill in the other details and click on SAVE AND NEXT.

10. A page opens click on PRINT FORM “A”. Sign and scan the document and upload. Click on SUBMIT.

11. Next a page with payment details appears. Select the payment method. Click on SUBMIT. Payment confirmation page appears click on PROCEED FOR PAYMENT. Next click on PAY NOW. After payment, a RECEIPT is obtained. Print and save or future records.

12. It takes a minimum of seven days to obtain a license. Till then you can track your application status from the website. A basic FSSAI License can be issued in 7-10 days. A State and Central license can take a period of 30 days.