Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

What is FSSAI?

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (Which is the FSSAI Full Form) is an independent organization that manages and monitors food business across India. FSSAI has benchmarked food standards and practices globally. It undertakes the quality checks on food products and ensures that good quality food products are manufactured, supplied and consumed by consumers. The organization keeps a check on food adulteration and makes sure that sub-standard products are not manufactured or supplied.

FSSAI is established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and managed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. In India, every food business operator should have FSSAI registration/license. FSSAI sets standards for food products for the betterment of traders, retailers, manufacturers and consumers.

 

FSSAI’s Food Business Functions

• Manages food testing with standardized testing methods and protocols
• Ensures food safety management system (FSMS) and HACCP compliance
• Responsible for food safety across retail, distribution and supply chain departments
• Works with certified food safety supervisors and food handlers

FSSAI Registration

Launched by FSSAI, Food Licensing and Registration System (FLRS) is an online system to apply for FSSAI’s license and registration certificate. Business operators can track their application by accessing FLRS. Petty food manufacturers that include hawkers, traveling vendors, registered firms under Small Scale Industries, cottage industry businesses and small retailers having annual income up to Rs. 12 lakh require FSSAI registration. Businesses having annual turnover more than Rs. 12 lakh require FSSAI license. FSSAI registration fee for a small food business operator is as low as Rs. 100.

FSSAI Licensing

To apply for FSSAI license, online system remains the same which is Food Licensing and Registration System (FLRS). Below mentioned is the eligibility criterion for FSSAI licensing:

Type / Category	State License	Central License
Food business with annual turnover	From Rs. 12 lakh – Rs. 20 crore	More than Rs. 20 crore
Turnover not considered	Grain, Cereal and Pulses Milling Units	NA
Operations in number of states	NA	2 or more

FSSAI Penalty

Unhygienic or Unsanitary processing or manufacturing	1 lakh
Food containing extraneous matter	1 lakh
Food not of quality as demanded by buyer	2 lakh
Failure to comply with FSO direction	2 lakh
Misbranded food	3 lakh
Sub-standard food	5 lakh
Misleading advertisement or False description	10 lakh

Note: FSSAI’s penalty charge is as on Dec, 2019 and is as per the sole discretion of FSSAI or Government of India. Kindly visit the official website or contact FSSAI to get exact penalty charges.

FSSAI Departments

• Eat Right India Movement
• Food Law department
• Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Division
• Grievances section
• HR Department
• Import Division
• Information Education Communication (IEC) Division
• International Co-operation
• Inspection Division
• Quality Assurance / Lab Division
• Regulation and Codex Division
• Regulatory Compliance Division (RCD)
• Risk Assessment and R&D Division (RARD)
• Standards Division
• Testing Division

The FSSAI has prescribed standards for following food products:

• Beverages
• Cereal and cereal products
• Dairy products
• Fats, oils and fat emulsions
• Fish and fish products
• Fruits and vegetable products
• Irradiation of food
• Meat and meat products
• Other food product and ingredients
• Proprietary food
• Salt, spices, condiments and related products
• Sweetening agents including honey
• Sweets & confectionery

FSSAI solely undertakes the operation of previously established rules and regulation acts which are as follows:

• Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order
• Fruit Products Order
• Meat Food Products Order
• Milk and Milk Products Order
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act
• Solvent Extracted Oil, De- Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order
• Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order

Also Read: How to get FSSAI Registration ? Step by Step process

FSSAI Standards

FSSAI has notified various regulations to cover safety and quality of various food products. These regulations are related to the following food products that include organic food, contaminants, toxins, residues, health supplements, medical purpose food, novel food, functional food, food for special dietary uses and alcoholic beverages. The organization also manages regulations related to various other food categories, such as health supplements, proprietary food, non-specified food, organic food and export food products.

FSSAI Inspections

The organization ensures that healthy food is produced and supplied to the consumers. For this FSSAI implements food safety management system which is based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) to control the hazards throughout the process of food consumption and up till its consumption. There are various hygienic and sanitary practices to be followed by petty food business operators that include applying for FSSAI registration or license for manufacturing, distribution, packaging, storage and processing. Food operators should also take care of this practice before applying for licenses of milk, milk products, catering, slaughter house or meat processing.

Food Testing

Food testing is a high priority task for FSSAI. The authority approved notified laboratories as National Reference laboratories (NRLs) for food testing purposes.  Currently, there are approximately more than 180 notified primary food testing laboratories. Further, these laboratories are categorized into referral food laboratories for purpose of carrying out analysis of appeal samples. As of now there are 18 referral food laboratories across the nation. FSSAI also perform food testing with the help of scientific panel on methods of sampling and analysis and with the support of national surveys and food analysts.

Food Authority’s Administration

FSSAI consists of a Chairperson along with 22 members from which one third shall be women. Let’s further discuss regarding the constituents of FSSAI’s administration and their practice areas.

• 7 members to be appointed by central government and shall be provided with specific ministries, such as Agriculture, Commerce, Consumer Affairs, Food Processing, Health, Legislative Affairs and Small Scale Industries
• 2 members from Small Scale Industries
• 2 from Consumer Organization
• 2 members should be renowned scientists or food technologists
• 2 members should represent farmers’ organization and 1 to represent retailers’ organization
• 5 members to be appointed on rotation basis for every 3 years

Types of Complaints and Grievances that can be sent to FSSAI

• Complaint related to the violation of provisions of Act and Regulation
• Complaints against enforcement officers of Centre or State
• Registration and Licensing related grievances
• Questions related to ban of several food products

In addition, complaints can sent which are related to unhygienic conditions, sub-standard quality of food products, counterfeit products, food adulteration, food contaminations, food poisoning, and misleading advertisements, labelling and packaging.

Ways to Contact FSSAI

• Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAM) portal
• Email
• Facebook
• Food Safety Voice
• Formal representation
• FSSAI App
• Grievances against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA) portal
• Helpline (Toll Free)
• Twitter
• Walk-in or with prior appointment
• WhatsApp/SMS

Toll free Number: 1800112100

FSSAI’s Address
3^rd and 4^th Floor FDA Bhawan
Kotla Road near Bal Bhawan
New Delhi – 110002, India