The FSSAI rolled out the Food Safety and Compliance System (FoSCoS) to ensure a healthy and safe food supply. This article will serve as an explanation of the key components of FoSCoS.
As the apex body to monitor the food products in the country, FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has launched the concept of FoSCoS in India. The FSSAI has replaced its Food Licensing and Registration System (FLRS) with an advanced, developed, and open-source Food Safety and Compliance System (FoSCoS).
What is FoSCoS?
FoSCoS is a user-friendly, effective IT platform. It seeks connectivity with the food business operators (FBOs), food safety officers (FSOs), and designated officers (DOs).
It is an upgraded and comprehensive solution that connects with various other existing IT platforms like Food Import Clearing System (FICS), Food Safety Mitra(FSM), Indian Food Laboratory Network (IFLN), etc.
What Do You Mean by Food Safety Compliance?
The FSSAI regulates standards that are to be met by the FBOs. To ensure healthy practices the FSSAI laid rules for processing, storing, supply chain, handling, preparation, etc.
Though food companies may have their own in-house food safety programs in accordance with their products and processes, these regulations are overseen by government bodies. Many manufacturers have turned to food safety software to ensure compliance with the FSSAI licence registration guidelines.
Why Should You Comply With FoSCoS?
A healthy lifestyle is now the new trend in the world. People are getting cautious of their health. Especially with the pandemic unleashing wrath on normal living, people now care more to intake healthy, nutritious, unadulterated food, and drinks.
Defying the standards of FoSCoS would make your customers feel unsafe . Non-compliance with this compliance system will damage the reputation of your brand and can curtail the growth of your food business. It will attract hefty penalties and can result in the cancellation of your registration or license.
Objectives of FoSCoS:
- To build an advanced and integrated application system
- To achieve minimal physical documentation
- Enable the application to have a standardized product system
- To provide for seeding of specific business details
- To serve as a one-stop solution to FBOs
- To make the certification process more efficient and simple.
Key Features of FoSCoS:
- A user-friendly home page with smart search options for licensing and registering FBOs
- A list of clearly segregated Kinds of business (KoB) makes it easy to narrow down to the right business type
- You can now file annual returns online through the FoSCoS application
- The document declarations are now revised to a check-box style
- FoSCoS applications can provide business-specific details such as CIN No., PAN No. and GST No. to ensure effective profiling and validation of FBOs and ensure 360-degree profiling
- Licensing, registration, annual return filing all can happen from a single platform. It is a one-step Food Safety Compliance portal
- KoB (Kind of Business) wise rationalization of required documents, unlike a complete set of documents as required by erstwhile FLRS
- Licensing approach moved from text box to standardized product approach for manufacturers
- The processing speed of the portal is enhanced with better traffic management capacity
- Improvement in menu list and dashboard for registering and licensing authorities
- FoSCoS was also integrated with the FoSCoRIS Mobile Application.
Services Offered by FoSCoS:
- License for proprietary food
- License transfer
- License for Importers and exporters of food products
- License surrendering
- License modification and renewal
- License for restaurants and hotels
- Organic food products endorsement
- Exporter’s quarterly return
- Quality certification for petty food business operators
- Certification for fortified food commodities
The Takeaway
When you are an FBO, the health of people is in your hands, making you morally responsible to comply with the food safety standards of the FSSAI . By Set Objectives of business and Using FoSCoS to apply for a fresh license, registration, or even renewal could seem a little difficult. Vakilsearch can help you do it properly and with ease.
