FSSAI State License - An Overview

FSSAI (Food Safety Standard Authority of India) is a prominent government-backed entity that regulates the food sector in India. It has outlined countless guidelines and provisions to foster food safety across the nation. Presently, every food business in India is mandated to secure an applicable food license to conduct its business operation. Functioning without a valid food license is a punishable offence for FBOs as per FSS Act, 2006. FSSAI conducts all its operations in view of the said Act and also follows the direction of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

Role of the Food Safety Standard Authority of India

- Formulating guidelines and norms for the food sector  
- Introducing initiatives related to food safety awareness   
- Releasing directions for food business operators   
- Setting out norms and rules for food testing labs  
- Accumulating Data pertaining to contaminants in food articles  
- To facilitate recommendations to the Indian Government for formulating new provisions  
- Utilizing a rapid alert system for prompt identification of issues in food articles available to the public  
 

FSSAI has underpinned stringent norms for proprietary food units as the majority of them conduct their operation without any norms. FSSAI has mandated these facilities to secure FSSAI licenses without any exceptions. As per the FSSAI, unregistered proprietary food units are not allowed to continue their business operation without a valid food license.

FSSAI has rolled the mandatory provisions for FBO and regulation of manufacturing, storage, sale, & distribution processes to ensure the utmost food safety and hygiene. The authority has also set up a legitimate information network for the awareness of the masses to secure valid information related to food safety and hygiene.

Benefits of FSSAI State License

- Creates strong brand recognition among the target end-users and the public at large  
- Improves the creditability of the business  
- Enables businesses to attract more customers  
- Offers legal stability that otherwise is lacking in unregistered counterparts  
- Facilitates best practices to the business owner to ensure food safety

Who needs a State FSSAI License? 

- Businesses operating in a single state and generating an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lacs and less than Rs 20 Crores. 

- Facility dealing with Proprietary foods

- Vegetable oil production & processing facility using the process of solvent extraction meeting the above turnover criteria. 

-  Hotels having a 4-star rating or less 

- Facilities dealing with dairy products, Milk Chilling Units having production capacity ranging from 500 to 50000 lit

- Storages possessing an overall capacity of less than 50,000 metric tons yearly.

- A slaughterhouse having a capacity of more than 2 & up to 50 large animals. Or the handling capacity of more than 10 & up to 150 small animals. Or per day capacity of more than 50 to up to 1000 poultry birds.

- All food processing facilities, including re-packing units, with a per-day capacity of not less than 100kg/l to up to 2 metric tons

Documents required

Following Are The Documents That One To Arrange To Apply For A State FSSAI License:

- Details of key management personnel such as Directors, Partners, proprietors, & Executive Members of the Society with real address & contact particulars.

- Passport–sized photos of the individual seeking the license 
- Identification as well as address proof of the individual seeking the license 
- Applicant’s PAN card 
- A copy of property documents (if the business place is owned by the applicant)  
- A copy of the rent agreement & NOC granted by the landlord ( in case of rented property) 
- Particulars on Raw material suppliers  
- Form B is Duly completed and authenticated by the applicant. 
- List of machinery installed at the facility 
- NOC accorded by the local Municipality 
- Particulars of food category and proposed food articles to be produced at the plant 
- Import Export Code rendered by Directorate General of Foreign Trade. 
- Form IX  
- Authorization letter enclosing the name as well as the address of the liable individual 
- Food safety management system (FSMS)