In India, the food industry is an important segment of the economy which has businesses varying from small street vendors to large scale restaurants and food manufacturers. To ensure safety of our foods and protect public health, every food business in India has to get an FSSAI license as per the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The license not only makes sure that the law is followed but also assures consumers about high quality and safe food products. This blog will look into why any business should have an FSSAI license, what happens when there’s none, and how it operates to promote better food businesses.
Need for FSSAI Food License for Food Businesses in India
FSSAI License Registration was created to monitor the quality of food product output. In India, the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) is responsible for overseeing the safety and quality of food products. As a result, every Indian food business must obtain a food license from FSSAI in order to operate legally.
Starting any kind of food business is easy with a valid food license from FSSAI. This covers all types of food units that deal with operations such as processing, packaging, production, relabeling, marketing, import, and distribution, or 100% export unit.
Thus, through its scientific management systems FSSAI deals with issues related to the safety of foods and closely collaborates with businesses, ensuring that available foods are safe for human consumption.
What Happens When You Do Not Apply for an FSSAI License?
If you don’t seek for a FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) license, you would face the following consequences:
- Legal Action: It is illegal to run a food business without this license hence; if caught, you would be fined or serve time in jail.
- Loss of Reputation: Customers may not trust your business as you do not have the necessary food safety certification
- Health Hazards: This means that there might be no quality standards adhered to and there are possibilities that your meals could be harmful to your clients’ health.
- Loss of Business: Customers may choose to go to someone who owns an FSSAI license hence leading to loss of business for you.
Hence, it is crucial to apply for an FSSAI license so as to ensure legal operations of your food entity and maintain high-quality safe foods for clients.
Who Needs an FSSAI License?
Any corporation engaged in the manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale or importation of food products in India is obligated to acquire a license from the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India). Restaurants, caterers, food processing units as well as online food vendors are no exceptions. The FSSAI license is mandatory for every individual or business involved in these activities to qualify as a legal operator in India.
What is the purpose of the FSSAI license?
The purpose of the FSSAI license is to ensure that food businesses are compliant with food safety regulations. The license also helps to protect public health by ensuring that food is safe to eat.
Every food business involved in handling food including restaurants, hotels, caterers, food processing units among others are required to obtain FSSAI licenses.
What is the importance of licensing of FSSAI certification for dairy & food products?
Licensing of FSSAI certification for dairy and food products is essential as it guarantees their safety for human consumption. The FSSAI sets standards for the production, processing, packaging and labeling of dairy and food products which help to ensure absence or reduced levels of harmful bacteria as well as other contaminants present in the products.
Moreover, FSSAI regularly inspects dairy and food businesses so that they can comply with these standards. Failure to comply with these standards may result in penalties such as fines or closure.
In India’s food safety system, licensing of FSSAI certification for dairy and food products is vital. This ensures the protection of people’s health while allowing safe nutritious meals in general.
Food Business Operators Who Require FSSAI Registration?
The Food Business Operators (FBOs) carrying on the following kinds of the food business must have FSSAI License/Registration:
- Petty retailers, Retail Shops, Snacks shops, Confectionery or Bakery shops, etc
- Temporary stalls, fixed stalls, or food premises are involved in preparing, storing, distributing, and selling food products.
- Hawkers sell packaged or freshly prepared food by traveling from one location to another.
- Dairy Units, including Milk Chilling Units, Petty Milkmen, and Milk Vendors
- Slaughtering house
- Fish Processing, Meat Processing, and unit
- All Food Manufacturing units that include Repacking food
- Vegetable Oil Processing Units
- Proprietary food and Novel food
- Cold/refrigerated storage facility
- Transporter of food products having several specialized vehicles like insulated refrigerated vans/wagons, milk tankers, food wagons, food trucks, etc
- Wholesalers, suppliers, distributors, and marketers of food products
- Hotels, Restaurants, and Bars
- Canteens and Cafeteria, including mid-day meal canteens
- Food Vending Agencies and Caterers
- Dhaba, PG provides food, a Banquet hall with food catering arrangements, Home Based Canteen, and Food stalls at fairs or religious institutions.
- Importers and Exporters of food items and food ingredients
- E-Commerce food suppliers, including cloud kitchens
FSSAI Registration Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department grants the FSSAI Basic Registration and State FSSAI License. The registering authority is the body that gives the FSSAI Basic Registration. Registering authority means the food safety officer, designated officer, or any official in the Panchayat, municipal corporation, or any other local body notified by the Commissionerate of Food Safety Tamil Nadu.
The following FBOs operating in Tamil Nadu must apply for an FSSAI Basic Registration:
- Every small and petty FBO.
- FBOs collect, procure and handle up to 500 litres per day.
- Slaughtering units with up to 50 poultry birds, two large animals and ten small animals per day.
- Meat processing units with a turnover of up to Rs.12 lakh per annum.
- Distributors, retailers and wholesalers have a turnover of up to 12 lakh per annum.
- Every other food processing unit with up to 100 kg or litre per day.
The state licensing authority is responsible for issuing the State FSSAI License. State licensing authority means the designated officers appointed by the Commissionerate of Food Safety Tamil Nadu under the FSS Act. The following FBOs operating in Tamil Nadu must apply for a State FSSAI License:
- FBOs collect, handle and procure milk between 501 to 50,000 litres of milk per day.
- Slaughtering units with 51 to 1,000 poultry birds, 11 to 150 small animals or three to 50 large animals per day.
- Meat processing units with a processing capacity of up to 500 kg meat per day or 150 MT meat per annum.
- Distributors, retailers and wholesalers have a turnover of up to 20 crores per annum.
- Every other food processing unit with 101-2 MT kg or litre per day.
Who are exempted from FSSAI registration?
- Individual members manufacturing or conducting food business activities from home for a registered Cooperative Society or Mahila Udyog or Self Help Group or Gruh Udyog, or any similar government-registered society
- The Direct Selling entity is willing to take responsibility for its Direct Sellers and has given them written authorization to do so
- A milkman/vendor registers with a Cooperative Society and sells his whole milk production to that society.
- The delivery person, direct selling agent, or owner of food vending machines, water vending machines, food ATMs, or food carts.
Benefits of FSSAI Registration :
A food business can benefit greatly from an FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) registration. Here are some of the major benefits:
- Legal Compliance: Ensures Legal Operations: FSSAI registration helps ensure legal operations in your food business as a means of avoiding penalties and other legal issues, thus creating a safe environment.
- Consumer Trust: Builds Consumer Confidence: Consumers are more likely to trust products that have been stamped with the FSSAI logo because it signifies that they are safe for consumption. As such, having an FSSAI registration on your Product will automatically give it credibility.
- Market Expansion: Facilitates Market Entry: This registration acts as a way out for new businesses wanting to enter both local and international markets where it is difficult to sell without meeting internationally accepted standards.
- Increased Credibility: Raises Trustworthiness: Enrolling in the official register improves the overall dignity and faithfulness of your company. This shows that the company is dedicated to high-quality food products that meet all safety requirements.
- Universal Standards: Conformance with Global Obligations: FSSAI registration makes it convenient for exportation of goods by obeying international guidelines as per food safety thus boosting up competition at global level.
- For Better Quality: A Guarantee for High Standards: Following FSSAI directives guarantees good levels of hygiene in order to enhance better quality control. In this way your product avoids contamination while its general quality improves.
- Avoid Penalties: Legal Problems can be Prevented: For all these reasons, businesses avoid legal suits thus preventing fines by adhering to regulations set forth by FSSAI. Smooth operations then become a possibility since no legal hindrances are present.
- Consumer Awareness: This shows commitment on your part as far as safe handling of food is concerned and also helps them appreciate why they should have good safety measures in place.
- Technical Support: Help from Experts: Business entities have access through FSSAI to technical and scientific support. This aid ensures a steady enhancement of safe food practices continued within the food industry along with regulatory compliance.
Conclusion:
Getting an FSSAI food license is more than just obtaining some regulatory paper but an important step towards creating consumer confidence, guaranteeing safe food products and increasing business trustworthiness. It gives small vendors a competitive edge over big manufacturers by complying with national and international standards for food safety through its issuance with FSSAI license. Consequently, this helps food operators escape penalties while ensuring that our nation’s entire unitary loaf or bread is wholesome.
