FSSAI Full Form, Functions & Certificates

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FSSAI Full Form, Functions & Certificates

What is the Full Form of FSSAI?

FSSAI’s full form is Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. It was established on 5 September 2008 under the FSS Act 2006. The Act consolidates various acts & orders pertaining to food related issues. 

FSSAI is responsible for regulating the food industry. It lays down science-based standards for food manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure safe and wholesome food for human consumption. 

Any food business dealing in manufacturing, storing, transporting, or distributing food has to get authorization from the food authority. This includes small-scale food businesses, hawkers, temporary food stall owners and catering establishments (including those under central Government such as Airport, Railways, Defense and Seaport.)

Headquarters and Regional Offices

The Headquarters of this authority is located in New Delhi. Apart from headquarters, the authority has 6 Regional Offices in Delhi, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin, and Chennai.

Organizational Structure

FSSAI is led by the non-executive chairperson appointed by the Central Government. Ms. Punya Salila Srivastava, IAS, is the current chairperson. There are 22 other members in the authority. These members represent various ministries, organizations and departments. At least 1/3 of members of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India are required to be women. 

Functions of FSSAI

To regulate the food sector, the authority has the following functions:

• To monitor and regulate food processing, sale, manufacture, distribution and import to ensure the public consumes wholesome and safe food.

• To establish guidelines and standards for food articles and specify an appropriate mechanism for enforcement of standards outlined under the FSS Act 2006.

• To set limitations pertaining to usage of food additives, crop contaminants, residues of veterinary drugs, processing aids, heavy metals, pesticide residues, antibiotics, mycotoxins, food irradiation and pharmacologically active substances.

• To provide guidelines and mechanisms for accreditation of bodies engaged in certifying food safety management systems for business entities in the food sector. 

• To control quality and procedure pertaining to food articles imported into India from other countries.

• To prescribe food labelling standards pertaining to nutrition, health and food category systems.

• To administer and survey enforcement of FSS Act across the country.

• To formulate guidelines and procedure for notification of accreditation laboratories and accreditation of laboratories.

• To promote general awareness regarding safety and standards for food.

• To take necessary steps to ensure consumers, public, panchayats and stakeholders receive reliable, rapid and comprehensive information regarding food through appropriate mechanisms.

• To contribute to formulating global technical standards for sanitary, food and phyto-sanitary standards.

• To undertake tasks assigned by the Central Government to promote the objectives of the FSS Act 2006.

Types of FSSAI Certificates

The authority issues different types of certificates to food businesses depending on their nature of business, annual turnover and production capacity. The different certificates issued by the authority are: 

• FSSAI Basic Certificate: This certificate is granted to food businesses with annual turnover below Rs. 12 lakhs. Basically, this certificate is for small and petty food businesses.

• FSSAI State Certificate: This certificate is issued to medium-sized food businesses with an annual turnover of more than Rs. 12 lakhs but less than Rs. 2 crore.

• FSSAI Central Certificate: It is issued to large food businesses, exporters and importers whose annual turnover exceeds Rs. 2 crore.

Conclusion

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is a government agency that is responsible for regulating and overseeing the Indian food industry. It was established in 2008 under the FSS Act 2006 and is a part of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. All the food business operators engaged in manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food products must comply with standards laid out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. For assistance in FSSAI Registration or food license, connect with Registrationwala.

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