FSSAI has governed the food licensing registration authority for any food business in India since 2011. As per the Indian laws, all food-related business operators dealing in and outside India need to have an FSSAI registration or license depending upon their business and its eligibility criteria. Food businesses like storage, distribution, manufacturing, producing food items. FSSAI has different categories of licenses and registration based on the nature of the business and size or capacity.
FSSAI license
Any business or entity, which does not specify as a small food business owner is mandatory to have an FSSAI license for regulating the business in the food industry in India.
FSSAI licenses are majorly of two types,
- central FSSAI license and
- state FSSAI license.
On the basis of the nature and size of the business, the licensing authority would issue the license.
For example, large food processors, manufacturers, transporters and importers need a food import license or central license; they need a state FSSAI license for a medium capacity food manufacturer, processor and transporter.
The process and fee for obtaining an FSSAI license are easier in comparison to an FSSAI registration. FSSAI license application must be made in form B to the related licensing administration with the required self-attested affidavit, declaration and annexure as applicable.
The validity of the FSSAI license is for the time of 1 year up to 5 years, depending on the request by the food business operator. The higher fee would be applicable for having an FSSAI license for a longer period. If having the registration for one or two years, then the license could be applied for renewal by giving an application 30 days before the date of expiry of the FSSAI food license.
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FSSAI registration
It is mandatory to have FSSAI registration for every petty food business owner. Therefore, basic eligibility for having FSSAI registration would be:
- Distributors of food including in any social or religious gathering except a caterer;
- small food Suppliers or manufacturers of any article of food himself or a petty hawker, retailer, itinerant vendor or stallholder;
- Additional food businesses like petty scale manufacturers or cottage or other industries related to food business or tiny food businesses with a annual turnover of up to INR 12lakhs and capacity of production:
- Slaughtering capacity should be 2 large animals, or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds daily.
- The production capacity of food not exceeding 100 kg/lt per day, except milk and milk products
- Handling and procurement, and collection of milk is up to 500 lt of milk per day.
Small food businesses mandatory to have an FSSAI registration by giving an application for registration in Form A. After submitting an FSSAI application, if the application is accepted, they receive the 14 digit registration number containing all the details or if the application would be rejected, it is written within seven days of the date of an application by an authority.
FSSAI registration certificate has the details of registration, its validity, and a photo of an applicant. One could display the certificate over the business premises.