FSSAI stands for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India which is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Food Safety & Standards Act of 2006. It ensures the hygiene and safety standards to be maintained in the food business so that people get hygienic & quality food.

Regulation is done on manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale & import of food items to ensure safe and wholesome food

Why FSSAI registration is necessary for restaurants or food outlets?

  • As the standard of living of the people has improved, people have started eating out as result number of the restaurant have also mushroomed in the recent years, hence, most of the customers want to have good quality food which has been certified for safe consumption. The credibility of the restaurant business increases due to the FSSAI logo on menu and pamphlets
  • The standard of the restaurant business operations improves when the restaurant has FSSAI license. FSSAI license is also issued only to those restaurants which meet the specification, hence the standardization in the kitchen and back end spaces needs to be achieved by the FSSAI guidelines.
  • Every food package must have a label containing the logo of the FSSAI & the license number

What are the fees for the FSSAI registration certificate?

Basic License Certificate State License Certificate Central License Certificate
Rs 100 per year Rs 2000 per year Rs 7500 per year

How to do FSSAI registration of the restaurant?

FSSAI registration can be done through the following steps:

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Step 1 Visit the online portal http://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in. And check the eligibility criteria under the various license heads i.e. State License, Central License or Basic License.
The turnover criteria for Basic License is up to 12 lakh, Central License is above 20 crores and the State License is up to 20
Step 2 After knowing the eligibility criteria, click on the signup option. A valid phone number and an email id is required for sign up
Step 3 The signup process is complete with the choice of username & password and the account is being created for login
It is to be noted that the account created is valid for 30 days after which the accounts get deactivated. It is imperative that the account holder does FSSAI registration within a month
Step 4 After logging on to the FSSAI account, go to the FSSAI registration at https://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in/index.aspx & provide the relevant information
Step 5 Make a copy and take the print out of the form before submitting it. The hard copy can be used for the future reference
Step 6 After submission of the form, the reference number will appear on the form that needs to be noted to track the progress of the FSSAI license registration form
Step 7 Finally, you have to submit the printed online form to the regional authority or the state authority with the attached documents within 15 days from the day of online submission of the FSSAI license registration form

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What are the documents required for FSSAI License Registration?

The documents required for the FSSAI registration is as follows:

  • An identity proof that contains a photograph
  • A passport size photograph
  • Proof of address (State & Central License)
  • Import/export code
  • A list of directors or partners
  • A certificate of incorporation
  • The MOA or AOA of the company
  • No objection certificate from the municipality
  • Food Safety Management Plan (Can be downloaded online or the documents can be taken from the nearest Notary
  • Kitchen layout plan
  • Proof of possession of the premise (Sale Deed, Rent Agreement, Electricity Bill, etc)
  • Types of equipment to be used
  • Medical certificate of employees
  • For manufacturing units, additional documents are
    • The blueprint of the warehouse, plant, etc.
    • A list of all machinery
    • Water test report from an ISI approved facility
    • List of all food categories
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Also Read: FSSAI Registration: Documents, Procedure, Benefits, & Penalty

Who requires an FSSAI registration certificate?

The list of business that requires an FSSAI registration certificate are:

  • Hotels
  • Wholesaler
  • Restaurants
  • Food chains
  • Food sellers & resellers
  • Dairy & dairy processing
  • Food importers & exporters
  • Pickle & Dry fruit processors
  • Raw material suppliers to food business
  • Grocery Retailers
  • Canteens in corporations, schools, colleges, hospitals and government institutions
  • Packaged food manufacturers

What are the benefits of Acquiring FSSAI license?

  • Holding a valid FSSAI license, helps the business to become better and enhance their credibility
  • FSSAI Logo is widely popular and creates goodwill among customers
  • The processes involved from manufacturing to distribution to sale of the food products get streamlined
  • Science-based principles are used while manufacturing food items
  • Time to time regulation of the hygiene and cleanliness takes place
  • The quality of the food products is maintained as per international standards
  • FSSAI license positively influence the expansion & growth of the business
  • To export food products it is necessary to have FSSAI license
  • The onus is on FSSAI to set guidelines & procedures for quality assurance of the accredited labs as per ISO17025

What are the penalties associated with FSSAI?

Following are the penalties that can be levied if not per the FSSAI guidelines:

Reasons for Penalty Fines
Food quality not appropriate as per FSSAI Rs. 2,00,000, Petty food manufacturer Rs 25,000
Misbranded food items Rs 3,00,000
Sub-standard food quality Rs. 5,00,000
Foreign harmful substances found in food items Rs. 100,000
Misleading advertisement or labelling with a false description Rs. 10,00,000
Failure to follow food safety officer instructions Rs. 2,00,000
Manufacture of food substance or items in an unhygienic environment Rs. 1,00,000
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FSSAI license validity, renewal and modification

FSSAI license issued to the food businesses is valid for the period of 1 to 5 yrs. It is necessary to renew the license before 30 days of the expiry of the existing license, Penalty of Rs 100 per day is charged on the non-renewal of license from the date of expiry until the renewal is done. The delay in renewal of the existing license causes it to become defunct and the business has to apply for the fresh license

For modification of the license,

  • All the necessary documents must be duly submitted for approval
  • Form C need to be filled with the necessary criteria to seek approval for modifications in the business. Form C also helps in adding the new business to the existing business
  • Designated officers in FSSAI department can help with the filing process along with some support with professional liaisons
  • The other modifications not included in Form C is required to support all other information and related documents
  • The proof of change and other supporting documents to be submitted by FBO which is being thoroughly scrutinized by the designated officers. Incise of any query raised by the designated officer, the FBO must answer it within 30 days with the supporting document proofs.

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In the view of deadly coronavirus, awareness has been created in India by FSSAI to enhance the hygiene and sanitation in the country. It has become crucial that the matters of food safety and nutrition be given utmost importance to ensure that the health of the population remains safe and secure.