Overview of FSSAI in Tamil Nadu
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was formed by the Indian government's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It was established to issue the food license necessary to run a food business.
With an FSSAI license, a food business can provide quality food to its consumers. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is an independent authority. It has been in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ever since its establishment in August 2011 under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.
This guarantees your food quality standards and fosters client confidence. In India, you must get a license from the FSSAI to run a food business.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, each Indian state has its FSSAI department. They will carry out an Fssai Registration online and issue of license within a state.
Roles and Responsibilities of the FSSAI:
- Regulations on defining food safety standards are being formulated
- Establishing standards for the accreditation of food testing laboratories
- Providing scientific and technical advice to the central government
- Contributing to international food production quality standards
- Monitor and collect data on food consumption, pollution, emerging threats, and so on
- Disseminate knowledge and develop an awareness of food safety and nutrition in India.
Benefits of FSSAI License
- Consumers have become more alert and aware of food safety issues in this age of instantly accessible information. With the rise in popularity of healthy lifestyle choices, people now need to know what they are consuming is not only safe but is also of high quality.
- If you have the license, you can use the FSSAI logo on your menu cards and even in the brochures to publicise it, as well as establish the superior quality of your food over your competition. This gives you an advantage over the other food business operators that do not have an FSSAI food license
- When it comes to expanding your company into other areas or outlets, you can easily do so by using your FSSAI license. It will allow you to develop your credibility quickly and qualify your company's expansion in a new direction
- An FSSAI license will also make it easier for you to secure bank loans and the required finance for your expansion.
Checklist for External and Internal Inspection of a Food Business
External Inspection
- The presence of birds, crows, vultures, etc., if any, should be taken into account
- Check if there is a limitation on the entry of an unauthorised individual
- If there is an incinerator or burial pits for the condemned carcasses disposal, where the wastes are there
- The drainage network specifications whether it is open or permanently installed underground
- Arranging waste material disposal and ensuring a safe source of water supply
- Similarly, distinguishing marks should be added to pipelines to easily identify drinking and non-drinking water
- Animal house location, storage pens, quarantine pens (Hygienic/unhygienic), and their average distance from the processing plant as well
- If the staff is provided with washrooms and change rooms. When washrooms are provided, you must check whether or not there are clean toilet facilities
- If idle/condemned equipment & amp; machinery was properly stored to avoid sheltering rats, flies, insects, etc
- Make sure that the windows are made up of fly proofs
- Whether the smoke chimney is at an appropriate height or not
- Whether an antiseptic/disinfectant solution is provided at the entrance or not.
Internal Inspection
- If there is a clear division between the unclean departments and the clean ones; if the walls and ceilings are properly whitewashed.
- That the floor, walls, and ceilings are sufficiently plastered with impermeable materials such as cement.
- Fissures, cracks, crevices, and dampness (present/absent).
- The condition of the floor/walls (whether it is Clean/Unclean).
- Whether the tiles are up to enough height, on the wall. That the windows are at an appropriate height and away from the working floor, tables, and cooking vats to prevent contamination with dust, pieces of glass broken by accident, etc
- That the raw meat filling department and the cooked meat department have a good partitioning.
- Whether or not artificial/natural lighting is sufficient and the bulbs/tube light is away from the equipment which is working to avoid accidental dropping of the broken pieces of glass in the meat products
- Sufficient ventilation facilities should be there.
Food License Registration Process in Tamil Nadu
All food-related businesses require legal registration to start a business in India. In this legal registration, business incorporation entities like private limited companies or proprietorship firms, etc., are included.
As per the FSSAI guidelines, you need to renew the license within 30 days of the termination of the present one. The duration of an FSSAI license extends from 1 to 5 years, depending on the number of years the food operator manages.
Thus, if the registration of the renewal of a license has not been used within the specified time, the license is thus identified as expired. Follow the below steps to renew your FSSAI license.
Step 1: You need to check in with the food safety officer to get a Form A or Form B based on the annual turnover. Based on the qualification criteria of your food business, you can apply in form B to the concerned central licensing authority.
Step 2: Include a self-attested declaration necessary to abide by the Food Safety and Standards Act's rules.
Step 3: The Authorities for FSSAI License renewal will inspect the food business and your documents.
Step 4: The concerned licensing officials shall issue the FSSAI License renewal within 60 days.
Step 5: If from the date of receiving your application, an FSSAI License renewal is not declared within 60 days, or the candidate has not received any intimation in this respect, the candidate may initiate his/her food business without waiting for other information.
This is how you can get an FSSAI license when you apply it manually or through Vakilsearch, where our legal experts will take care of the entire process.
Documents required for registering a Food License
- Form-B duly filled out and signed.
- Processing unit plan showing all measurements and operating area allocation.
- List of managers/partners/owners, along with address, contact details, and photo ID
- List the name of equipment and machinery to be used with the number and capability installed.
- List of food categories to be produced.
- Manufacturer authority letter.
- Report on water analysis to be included in the process
- Proof of ownership of premises
- Partnership deed or affidavit of proprietorship
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) and copy of License from the manufacturer.
- Certificate copy obtained under the Multistate Coop Act 2002 or Coop Act 1861.
- Food safety management system certificate
- Form IX
- Certificate from the Ministry of Tourism
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local body or municipality.
- Any Supporting document for proof of turnover and transportation
- Declaration form.
Why Vakilsearch?
Vakilsearch has a team of expert lawyers specialising in providing legal services throughout India. Our team of food license experts at Vakilsearch can assist you in completing the FSSAI license registration process from start to finish. We are a one-stop solution with professionals offering comprehensive FSSAI license services. Just get in touch with our professionals! All our customer data will be safe with us.