FSSAI Central License in India

What is FSSAI?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India or FSSAI is an organization that oversees and regulates the food industry in India as a whole. It is an independent organization that was founded within the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act), a consolidated statute pertaining to food safety and regulation in India, is the legal basis for the establishment of the FSSAI. It makes sure food products go through quality inspections, which reduces food adulteration and the sale of inferior goods. It establishes the guidelines for operating the food industry in India and is in charge of registering and licensing FBOs in that country.

What is FSSAI Central License?

It is mandatory for all individuals, whether natural or artificial, engaged in the food industry to obtain an FSSAI Registration or License. This includes producing, processing, storing, distributing, and selling food items. This License is procured at three different levels: FSSAI Basic License, FSSAI Central License, and FSSAI State License. Depending on the size and type of the firm, an FSSAI License is not the same as an FSSAI Registration. FBOs should, based on the size of their companies, acquire the required license or registration. Every food packaging bears the 14-digit FSSAI Registration number, which serves as a licensing number. Information regarding the producer’s permit and the assembling state can be found on the 14-digit registration number. The purpose of this registration process is to increase the FBO’s accountability for maintaining the food products’ quality. 

A Central FSSAI license is a license granted to food enterprises operating at either the national or central level by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Businesses that produce, prepare, package, store, distribute, or import food items must have this license. To operate the food business, the Central FSSAI license needs to be renewed every five years for a total of five years. The granting of a Central FSSAI license to a food business operator is contingent upon the latter’s large-scale operations or annual turnover exceeding ₹ 20 crores. Now let’s examine how and why they need to obtain an FSSAI Central license. An essential document that guarantees the safety and high quality of the food goods the company sells or distributes is the Central FSSAI License. Additionally, it allows the FSSAI to control the food sector and safeguard the wellbeing and security of its patrons.

Our Package Inclusion for FSSAI Central License in India

• Documents assistance
• Process assistance
• Advisory
• Certificate Procurement
• Compliances adherence
• Quality adherence
• Process Follow-up

Why register for FSSAI Central License?

There are various benefits for FSSAI Central License, such as:

• Consumer Awareness: A food business operator (FBO) can advertise their business’s outstanding quality by using their food license. This further establishes the company as a reliable source in the food industry.
• Business Expansion: An FBO who holds a food license is able to open additional locations both inside and outside of the community. The food market is growing every day, therefore now is the ideal time for any firm that deals with food to grow. Because FSSAI favors those having licenses, the expansion procedure will be simpler if the license is valid. 
• FSSAI Logo: The business owners have an additional benefit in marketing the quality of their food to other customers because the logo is used on the packaging, menu card, and other materials. Customers can tell that the food is of high quality and that the brand is reliable when they see the logo clearly.

Features of FSSAI Central License

Following are certain features of FSSAI License you must be aware about:

• All food businesses that operate at a central level, such as imports, exports, and interstate trading, must have an FSSAI central license.
• The FSSAI central license is renewable after its first five-year term expires.
• A thorough application process is necessary for the FSSAI central license, and it involves presenting pertinent documentation such laboratory test reports, food safety management plans, and evidence of financial stability.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), a government agency in charge of overseeing and guaranteeing the security and caliber of food items in India, issues the FSSAI central license.
• The FSSAI central license holder is required to follow its rules and guidelines for food safety and must submit to routine inspections to verify compliance.

Documents required for FSSAI Central License 

You must have the following documents in order to proceed with the FSSAI Central License:

• Form-B properly filled out and signed (in duplicate) by the designated signatory or the proprietor/partner
• The processing unit’s blueprint or layout plan, which is required for manufacturing and processing units alone, should display the unit’s measurements in meters or square meters as well as the area allocated for operations.
• List of Directors, Partners, Owners, and Executive Members of Societies and Trusts, together with complete address and phone number (required for corporations only)
• Name, list, installed capacity, and horse power of all machinery and equipment (required for manufacturing and processing units only)
• A government-issued photo ID and evidence of address from the proprietor, partner, director(s), or authorized signatory. (Deeply optional)
• a list of food categories for which manufacturing is sought. (For manufacturers)
• Authority letter with the name and address of the responsible party designated by the manufacturer and another responsible party specifying the authority granted to them to support the officers during inspections, sample collecting, packing, and dispatch. (For producers / makers)
• Water analysis report (both chemical and bacterial) from a reputable public health laboratory verifying the water’s suitability for use as a food ingredient (required solely for manufacturing and processing units only)
• Evidence of ownership of the property. (Rent agreement, electricity bill, sale deed, etc.) (optional)
• Ownership Self-Declaration/Partnership Agreement 

Check if you are eligible for FSSAI Central License

• Systems for handling or processing more than 50,000 liters of liquid milk per day or 2500 million tons of solid milk annually are included in milk units.
• More than 2 million tons of vegetable oil are produced per day by solvent extraction procedures, refineries, and oil expeller units.
• Every day, slaughterhouses oversee around 50 large animals, 150 small animals, or over 1,000 poultry birds.
• meat processing facilities that handle 150 million tons of meat annually, or more than 500 kg of meat every day
• Every private food manufacturer
• Every single unit is focused entirely on exports.
• All food processing facilities, including re-labellers and re-packers, process more than 2 million tons of food each day, with the exception of rice, cereals, and pulses.
• All importers of food products, including commercial additives and food ingredients
• Except for those with a controlled atmosphere and cold environment, storage facilities with a capacity of more than 50,000 million tons
• Cold or chilled storage having a capacity of over 10,000 million tons
• regulated environment plus cold storage over one billion tons in volume
• Wholesalers with more than ₹ 30 crores in annual revenue
• Retailers having yearly sales of more than ₹20 crores
• Distributors doing business with more than ₹20 crores every year
• Providers having a yearly revenue above ₹20 crores
• Caterers with more than ₹20 crores in annual revenue

Process for procuring FSSAI Central License

Following is the step by step process for obtaining FSSAI Central License:

• Step 1: By completing and submitting Form A (application for Registration) or Form B (application for State and Central License) on the FoSCoS site, FBOs can receive FSSAI registration online. By sending Form A or Form B to the Food and Safety Department, FBOs can also register offline.
• Step 2: The necessary paperwork needs to be submitted with the FSSAI registration form. When completing the application, the documents must be uploaded online via the FoSCos portal or physically sent to the Food and Safety Department with the application.
• Step 3: Within seven days of receiving an application—either in person or online via the FoSCoS portal—the Department may approve or reject the FSSAI registration form. The applicant must be informed in writing if their application is denied.
• Step 4: The submitted materials will be examined by the Department. If required, the Department may inspect the food establishment before issuing the FSSAI registration certificate.
• Step 5: The Department will provide an FSSAI registration certificate with the registration number and the applicant’s email address photo if it is satisfied that the FBO satisfies all necessary requirements. 
• Step 6: By signing onto the FoSCoS portal, the applicant can also download the FSSAI registration certificate. During business hours, FBO must clearly display the FSSAI registration certificate at the location of operation.