Introduction: Food safety and standards Act,

In accordance with section 31 of the Food safety and Standards Act, 2006 read with regulation 2.1, it is made mandatory that all the FBOs are required to be registered or acquire a license with due regard to the procedures.

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Some of the salient features are as follows:

• A food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI) License is a prerequisite before any FBO commences food business in India.
• Registration certificates can be issued by registering authority, besides the designated officer.
• There is a single-window licensing procedure for both central FSSAI license and state FSSAI license.
• There are three categories, being: registration, state license, and central license.

Registration of food business: Authorities

Food business registration: Procedure

Food Licensing and registration system (FLRS)

In order to commence business, every FBO is required to obtain an FSSAI license as mandated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. In harmony with the Food Safety and standards regulation, 2011, FLRS has been developed in full swing to facilitate the food business operators. Using this system one can easily apply for the license and simultaneously track the status of the application. This online facility is available 24 hours a day. A point to be well noted is that this system sends sms alerts to FBOs for faster application processing. 

Registration certificate: Required documents

FSSAI Online challan payment

Both fees and charges are to be charged by the designated food safety Commissioner via pay order, challan, demand draft, or any other online mode of payment as may be recommended in this regard.

The requisite steps must be followed in order to facilitate the online FSSAI registration and challan payment.

• Firstly you need to take a look at FSSAI’s Licensing and Registration portal by visiting its homepage.
• Secondly, in case you are a new user, you need to register by creating an account. For this purpose click on the sign up button.
• Following the second step, you must fill out all the necessary details as required including your personal details like your name and date of birth, etc., and register yourself.
• You can now log in using valid credentials.
• Make sure to check if you are eligible to be operating as an FBO.
• Move on to the next page and fill out the prescribed details. Don’t forget to click on save and add button
• Now, select the type of license you wish to apply for from the drop-down list.
• Mention the state, and also select ‘yes’ or ‘no’ beside the query of operations in more than one state. Mention the kind of business as per the turnover capacity and click on proceed button.
• Click on ‘Accept’ on the declaration page.
• The next thing to be done is to upload the required documents.
• Now you would be required to pay the payment, for making the online FSSAI challan payment, you would be required to fill the payment details.
• For completing the FSSAI registration process, add challan details and print the treasury challan.
• Make the payment and then fill out payment details and click on submit.
• A reference number would be generated after you upload Form B and complete the registration process.
• You can make use of this reference number to track your application status.

Registration certificate: Suspension/cancellation

A registration certificate can be suspended or cancelled as given under regulation 2.1.8 of the Licensing and Registration of food business, 2011.

On satisfaction of the registering authority that the FBO has failed to comply with the conditions as mentioned in the improvement notice, the registration certificate will stand suspended in that case as per the procedure laid down under section 32 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. A copy talking about suspension would be furnished to the FBO whose certificate has been suspended.

Following the date of the order of suspension, the premises of the Food business operator shall be inspected within a reasonable period. Food business operators shall not be entitled to any refund fees in case of an event of suspension of the registration certificate. 

The registration certificate can be suspended by the authority in the interest of the public and for reasons to be recorded in writing. After all the conditions have been adhered to and complied with, thereafter the FBO can reapply for the registration after the expiry of 3 months from the date of cancellation.

Registration certificate: Duplicate copy

In case the original registration certificate is lost, mutilated or torn apart, then the Food business operator can apply for a duplicate copy after paying the requisite fees.

Registration certificate: transfer

The registration certificate will stand transferred in the event of the death of its holder and will subsist for the benefit of the family members of the deceased or the legal representative. The beneficiary of the certificate will have to apply to the concerned authority for such transfer. Such a request cannot be refused by the authority without any substantial ground or opportunity of being heard. 

Conclusion

If in any case, you are planning to start a food business, then you must abreast yourself with the above-mentioned knowledge and go about it.