Last updated: May 24th, 2024 11:23 AM

FSSAI License Requirements

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), established under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, regulates the manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food products into India. All businesses dealing with food products, such as manufacturers, storage providers, transporter, retailer, marketer, distributor, etc., must have an FSSAI license. This article looks at some of the conditions and requirements that all FSSAI license holders must follow in India.

Licenses and Registration Required for Hotel Business

Conditions Applicable for All FSSAI License Holders

• Display a true copy of the license granted in Form C at all times at a prominent place on the premises.
• Give necessary access to licensing authorities or their authorized personnel to the premises.
• Inform authorities about any changes or modifications in activities.
• Employ at least one technical person to supervise the production process. The person managing the production process shall possess at least a degree in science with Chemistry/ Biochemistry/ Food and nutrition/ Microbiology or a degree or diploma in Food Technology/ Dairy Technology/ Dairy Microbiology/ Dairy Chemistry/ Dairy Engineering/ Oil Technology/ Veterinary Science / Hotel Management & Catering Technology or any degree or diploma in any other discipline related to the specific requirement of the business from a recognized university or institute or equivalent.
• Furnish periodic annual returns from 1st April to 31st March, within 31st May each year.
  • For collection/ handling/manufacturing of milk and milk products half yearly return is also to be furnished as specified.
• Ensure that no product other than the product indicated in the license /registration is produced in the unit.
• Maintain the factory's sanitary and hygienic standards and workers' hygiene as specified in Schedule 4 according to the food business category.
• Maintained daily records of production, raw materials utilization, and sales separately.
• Ensure that the source and standards of raw materials are of optimum quality.
• Food business operators shall not manufacture, store or expose for sale or permit the sale of any article of food in any premises not effectively separated to the satisfaction of the licensing authority from any privy, urine, sullage, drain or place of storage of foul and waste matter.
• Ensure the clean-in-place system (whatever is necessary) for regular cleaning of machines & equipment.
• Ensure testing of relevant chemical and microbiological contaminants in food products following this regulation as frequently as required based on historical data and risk assessment to ensure production and delivery of safe food through own or NABL accredited/FSSAI recognized labs at least once in six months.
• Ensure that, as much as possible, the required temperature shall be maintained throughout the supply chain from the place of procurement or sourcing till it reaches the end consumer, including chilling, transportation, storage, etc.
• The Manufacturer/ Importer/ Distributor shall buy and sell food products only from, or to, licensed /registered vendors and maintain a record thereof.

Conditions Applicable for Hotels, Restaurants & Food Stalls

Proprietors of hotels, restaurants, and other food stalls who sell or expose for sale savories, sweets, or other articles of food shall put up a notice board containing separates lists of the articles which have been cooked in ghee, edible oil, vanaspati and other fats for the information of the intending purchasers.

Conditions Applicable for Selling Cooked or Prepared Food

Food business operators selling cooked or prepared food shall display a notice board containing the nature of articles being exposed for sale.

Conditions Applicable for Edible Oil Manufacturers

Every manufacturer (including Ghani operator) or wholesale dealer in butter, ghee, vanaspati, edible oils, solvent-extracted oil, de-oiled meal, edible flour, and any other fats shall pay a minimum of a register showing the quantity of manufactured, received, or sold, nature of oilseed used and de-oiled amount of meal and edible flour used, etc. as applicable and the destination of each consignment of the substances sent out from his factory or place of business, and shall present such register for inspection whenever required to do so by the licensing authority.

No producer or manufacturer of vegetable oil, edible oil, and their products shall be palatable for a license under this act unless he has his laboratory facility for the analytical testing of samples.

Every sale and movement of stocks of solvents-extracted oil,'semi-refined or 'raw grade I,' edible groundnut flour or edible coconut flour, or both by the producer shall be a sale or movement of stocks directly to a registered user and not to any other person. No such deal or movement shall be effected through any third party.

Every quantity of solvent-extracted oil, edible groundnut flour or edible coconut flour, or both purchased by a registered user shall be used by him in his factory entirely for the purpose intended and shall not be re-sold or otherwise transferred to any other person: Provided that nothing in this sub-clause shall apply to the sale or movement of the following:-

• Karanjia oil
• Kusum oil
• Mahua oil
• Neem oil
• Tamarind seed oil
• Edible groundnut flour bearing the I.S.I. certification mark
• Edible coconut flour bearing the I.S.I. certificate mark.

No food business operator sells or distributes or offers for sale or dispatch or delivers to any person for sale any edible oil without the package, marking, and labels in a specific manner in the regulations unless specifically exempt from this condition vide notification in the Official Gazette with the public interest by food safety commissioners in specific circumstances and a particular period and for a reason to record in the writings.

 visit IndiaFilings.com or get in touch with an FSSAI Consultant. Visit IndiaFilings.com and obtain FSSAI License in India