FSSAI Registration – Introduction
Anyone involved in the food industry must be FSSAI registered. To operate a food processing, food manufacturing, packaging, distributing, or selling business, you must obtain an FSSAI registration.
The registration/licence is issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), an organisation that monitors food businesses in accordance with the FSSAI Act 2006.
Registration with the FSSAI
License from the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority) The FSSAI licence, also known as the Food License, is one of the mandatory licences required to open a restaurant and can be obtained from the FSSAI Registration Office (Food Safety and Standard Authority of India).
The FSSAI is an independent organisation established by the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It was established in August 2011 in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. It was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Central Government.
The FSSAI licence primarily serves as the authority’s approval of the restaurant, ensuring consumers that the restaurant’s food meets food safety standards. The FSSAI licence is primarily a unique 14-digit registration number issued to restaurants, manufacturers, and traders that must be printed on food packages. This assures customers that they are eating in a safe environment that adheres to all food safety standards.
Who Should Apply for FSSAI Registration?
The following individuals or entities are eligible for an FSSAI Registration or License:
● Every kind of Food Producer.
● Food storage or packaging unit
● Operator of a wholesale, trading, or online food business.
● Caterers, hotels, and raw material suppliers are all options.
● Distributors and transporters
● Food product retailers
What is the purpose of the FSSAI registration?
A trader, operator, or entrepreneur who is engaged in any food-related business, such as food manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution, or sale of food products, must obtain an FSSAI Registration License.
The FSSAI oversees the proper operation of such businesses. Its registration indicates that the food is safe to eat. During registration, an FSSAI officer verifies the information. If you have obtained the licence, your registration has been successful. As a result, a food licence is required for both food operators and traders. This licence indicated that the food had been chemically verified.
What exactly is the FSSAI License?
The Food Safety and Standards Act, or FSSAI, established standards for maintaining and ensuring safe and standard food distribution. The FSSAI License is a way for the government to ensure that all of those standards are met. Furthermore, the government, through the FSSAI License, monitors food adulteration and the sale or distribution of substandard food items to ensure that it does not occur in the future.
The FSSAI License is a 14-digit registration code that must be printed on all food packages and displayed in the business.
FSSAI License Required
Every food business operator who processes, manufactures, stores, distributes, or sells food products must obtain an FSSAI Registration or License. Furthermore, FSSAI Registration differs from FSSAI License in that FBO must obtain the necessary registration or licence depending on the size and nature of the business.
The following documents are required to obtain an FSSAI State and Central License:
● Form-B was duly completed and assigned.
● The processing unit’s blueprint or layout plan (Manufacturing and processing unit only).
● List of Directors / Partners / Proprietors / Executive Members, including contact information and photo ID (Corporations only).
● Specifications of the machinery to be used in operations (manufacturing and processing) ● Food categories that will be manufactured (Manufacturing unit only).
● The manufacturer’s authority letter for the designated individual with authority.
● Water analysis report for use in food product manufacturing (For Manufacturing and processing units).
● Building ownership documentation.
● Partnership Agreement/Affidavit of Proprietorship/Memorandum of Association/Incorporation
● Copies of certificates obtained under the Cooperative Act (Co-operatives only).
● NOC and a copy of the manufacturer’s licence (For labelers and repackers only).
● Plan for Food Safety Management System as well as Recall Plan (If applicable).
● Milk and meat supply (If applicable).
● Municipality or local body NOCs
● The Ministry of Tourism issued the certificate (HRACC).
Types of FSSAI Registration/License
FSSAI will assign a 14-digit number to food business operators who successfully complete the registration process. The FSSAI Registration was divided into three categories based on business turnover criteria. There is one more requirement for obtaining registration or a licence. This criterion is determined by the food business unit’s production capacity, regardless of the company’s turnover. Based on the latter criteria, Food Processing Units, Slaughtering Units, and Meat Processing Units are assigned a registration or licence.
Basic FSSAI Registration – Petty food business operators must have a basic FSSAI registration.
It is also known as the FSSAI Basic License. The annual turnover of such a business should not exceed Rs. 12 lac. A hawker, itinerant vendor, or temporary stallholder is considered a petty retailer.
FSSAI State License – A FSSAI State licence is required for any business with an annual turnover of Rs. 12 Lac to Rs. 20 Cr. or more. The turnover limit for an FSSAI State Trading licence and an FSSAI State Manufacturing licence is the same.
FSSAI Central License – A FSSAI Central License is required for any business with a turnover of more than Rs. 20 crore for manufacturing, trading, or storage that exceeds certain legal limits.
FSSAI Registration Procedure
- The application must be accompanied by a self-declaration, affidavit, and, if applicable, an Annexure.
- This licence is valid for 1 to 5 years, depending on the time limit requested by the food business operator.
- The longer the period for which the licence is obtained, the higher the application fees.
- By submitting an application, the licence could be renewed.
For FSSAI Basic Registration
This registration could be obtained by submitting an application to the Department of Food and Safety.
The application must be submitted in Form A.
If the application is accepted or rejected, the Department will notify the applicant within seven days of the application’s submission date, in writing. The registration certificate issued by the Department after accepting the application would include the applicant’s registration number and a photograph.
The Food Business Operator must prominently display the certificate of registration at the place of business while carrying on the food business.
To obtain an FSSAI licence
To obtain an FSSAI License, the Food Business Operator must submit an application to the Licensing Authority via the FSSAI online registration procedure
The Advantages of FSSAI Licence Registration
Apart from the fact that FSSAI registration is required for your food business, it also has some advantages:
● It builds trust and credibility with your customers.
● Because the FSSAI logo is widely recognised, it can ensure consumer trust.
● When FSSAI registration is involved, hygiene and cleanliness are regulated and followed.
● Better work policies can be created or improved through studies to which you have access.
● You will gain new industry knowledge that will help you improve your safety standards and meet the standards of international organisations.
● An FSSAI licence is required when importing and exporting food products.
● When selling food products online, FSSAI certification is required.
● FSSAI is also in charge of developing guidelines and procedures for quality assurance in accredited labs in accordance with ISO17025.
Who Must Apply for an FSSAI License?
Everyone in the food industry, from hawkers to home vendors to large food chains, must register with FSSAI. You must register with FSSAI whether you operate online or offline, whether you are a local player or involved in the import or export of food products. They must obtain one of the three types of registration/licence discussed below, depending on their size and the locations in which they operate.
If your company falls into any of the following categories, you must have a food licence:
● Procurement
● Manufacture
● Distribution
● Processing
● Packaging
● Storage
● Selling
In other words, anyone who works with food substances from farm to plate must obtain an FSSAI food licence.