FSSAI Registration

• The FSSAI is a governmental body tasked with ensuring food safety in India. The FSSAI registration was created at the central level, to ensure that food products being sold in the Indian marketplace would adhere to a set of guidelines and regulations at any given time. In other words, the main goal of an FSSAI registration was to ensure public health, through a mechanism of regulation and supervision of food safety in the country.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India was established as an independent autonomous body, under the Ministry of Public Health, for the purpose of regulating the food licensing process in the country.
• The legal backing used by the Ministry of Public Health is the ‘Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006’, a law passed to ensure the safety of food products, through the enforcement of necessary standards and regulations. The FSSAI Licensing is issued under this law if one were to apply for a food business Registration in India.
• FSSAI Food Registration generally covers the small FBOs. It is entirely distinct from the FSSAI central and state Registration. FSSAI Registrations can be secured electronically by filling out the FSSAI Registration form on an electronic system known as Food Licensing & Registration System (FLRS). FLRS also enables the applicant to track the submitted application during the processing stage.
• Almost, 35 States/Union Territories have been granted a registration electronically. The FSSAI Food Registration is usually granted for a timeframe ranging from 1-5 years. The Registration holder should renew their certification before thirty days of the expiration date via the FLRS portal.

Key Functions Performed by FSSAI Registration in India

• Outlining rules and regulations pertaining to food safety and awareness.
• Granting food Registrations to eligible food businesses.
• Setting out procedures & norms for food testing labs.
• Facilitating recommendations to GOI in outlining new policies.
• Collecting data related to contaminants in food articles.
• Identifying the potential risks in the food sector or supply chain of food.
• Conducting an on-site inspection of the premises dealing with food processing or manufacturing.
• Leveraging a rapid alert system for speedy detection of problems with food items available to the masses.

FSAAI has underpinned a stringent operating framework for proprietary food units as most of them operate without any regulations. The authority has not allowed these entities to function without legal consent. It is vital for entities in the food sector regardless of their scope of operation and annual turnover to register with FSSAI.

Potential Benefits of Securing an FSSAI Registration

Despite being a legal compulsion the FSSAI Registration Services renders dozens of benefits to the Food business operators. The common benefits of securing FSSAI Basic Registration include

• Ensure better customer retention
• Instil trust among the target consumer
• Allow the business to thrive without legal hassles
• Ensure business expansion and better earning

Fundamental Documentations Required to Secure FSSAI Registration

• Photo identity of the FBO
• Identity proof such as a Voter Id, Ration Card, PAN Card, DL, Aadhaard Card, Passport, Senior Citizen Card, etc.
• List of proposed food articles
• Form-B (duly filled and approved by the applicant)
• Partnership Deed/ Certificate of Incorporation (COI)/ Memorandum of Association(MOA)/ Articles of Association (AOA)
• Proof of the business place such as a lease or rental agreement
• Food safety management system (FSMS) plan
• Supporting dossiers (if any such as NOC of Panchayat/ Municipality, health NOC)
• List of raw materials suppliers
• Form IX
• Water test report facilitated by certified NABL certified lab.
• Import-export code (aka IEC) granted by DGFT
• List of machines and equipment present at the facility
• List of directors and Partners list

Procedure for Applying for FSSAI Food Registration:

• Every petty FBO shall register themselves with the Registering Authority (RA) by furnishing a registration form (Form A) under Schedule 2 of these regulations along with the standard fee as cited in Schedule 3.
• The petty food manufacturer shall comply with underlying hygiene & safety norms cited in Part I of Schedule 4 of these norms & facilitate a self-attested document cum declaration of adherence to these norms with the form in the format cited in Annexure-1 under Schedule.
• The Registering Authority (RA) shall consider the application form and may either accord registration or revoke it with concrete reasons to be recorded in writing or grant notification for inspection, within seven days of receipt of a registration form.
• In the case of an inspection being executed, the registration shall be accorded by the RA after being satisfied with the underlying conditions for safety, hygiene, and sanitary of the premises as cited in Part II of Schedule $ within the timeframe of 30 days.

If registration is not accorded or revoked, or inspection does not take place within 7 days cited in the above sub-regulation (3) or no decision is communicated within thirty days timeframe as cited in the above sub-regulation (4), the business owner may commence its business undertaking, provided that it will be incumbent on the FBOs to meet any improvement directed by the RA even later.

Provided that registration shall not be refused without giving the applicant an opportunity of being heard and for reasons to be recorded in writing.

The Registering Authority (RA) shall accord a registration certificate & a photo identification card, which shall be displayed at a business place at all times or cart or vehicle or any other place where the individual carries the food business in case of Petty Food Business.

The Registering Authority (RA) or any institution authorized for this purpose shall inspect the registered business place at least once a year.