What is the difference between FSSAI and AGMARK?

Whenever it comes to determining the quality of food products in India, the two most commonly used terms are FSSAI and AGMARK. Since both are related to the food industry, sometimes, people get confused between these two. If you are a consumer or employed in a food business, it is necessary for you to know the difference between them. In this post, you will get to know about the FSSAI License and Agmark Certification.

Introduction

Be it any industry including the food industry, products are classified on the basis of their quality standards. The governments have brought specialized acts like The Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 to license food products. The primary motive behind this move was to ensure the delivery of optimum food quality to the consumers. FSSAI and AGMARK are two commonly used food quality standards used by food product manufacturers and distributors.

There are various triggers like a fast-changing environment that made up the way for numerous changes in the food safety regulations. This is when the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 came up, combining all its predecessors seamlessly under one term. This rearrangement is thought to make things a lot easier for consumers to keep a check on the rules and regulations while determining the true quality of food products.

What is FSSAI?

FSSAI refers to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. It is a distinctive government unit that was incorporated in 2008 under the aegis of the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. The first and foremost objective of this public authority is to govern and monitor the quality of various food products being sold in India thereby ensuring the safety of food consumers across the country.

It provides FSSAI certification to food manufacturers by judging the quality of their offerings and ensuring that they are made under hygienic conditions and are safe for consumption. In other words, an FSSAI certification is a kind of testament that the food sold by certificate holder food business is safe to eat. For a consumer, it is easier to judge the food quality just by looking at the FSSAI certificate. All the food manufacturers, distributors, cold stores, and even food packaging companies are obliged to follow FSSAI guidelines and get a valid FSSAI license to run their business in India.

Major Functions of FSSAI

The major functions of FSSAI are listed below:

• Drafting of Regulations to define the Standards and strategies in regard to the articles of food and stipulating the right system of imposing various standards thereby reported.
• Delineating the procedure and guidelines for the authorization of food laboratories and notification of the recognized laboratories.
• Defining procedures and guidelines for the authorization of certification units involved in the certification of food safety management systems for food processing units.
• To deliver scientific advice and technical support to Central Government and State Governments in regard to policy drafting and regulations in regions that are known to have a direct or indirect effect on food safety and nutrition.
• Gather and organize data related to food consumption, occurrence and pervasiveness of biological risk, food contaminants, various residues, determination of evolving risks, and launch of the rapid alert system.
• Develop an information distribution system across the country to spread awareness among the public, panchayats, and consumers about food safety and prevalent issues.
• Conduct training programs for individuals who are involved or wish to get into food processing businesses.
• Enable the development of international technical standards for food, sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
• Raise general awareness about food safety and food standards.  

What is AGMARK?

AGMARK refers to a certification symbol for agricultural yield, which ensures that they abide by a grading standard advised by the Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI), Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare under Agricultural Produce (Grading Marking) Act, 1937. These quality standards distinguish between different levels of quality and 2-3 grades are recommended for each commodity. The authority has released grade standards for 222 agricultural commodities to date including vegetables, fruits, pulses, cereals, spices, wheat, besan, oilseeds, vegetable oils, honey, creamery butter, ghee, atta, etc.

Difference between FSSAI and AGMARK

• The first big difference between the FSSAI and AGMARK is that AGMARK is defined as a certification while FSSAI is a government authority that regulates the quality of food products in India. AGMARK is meant exclusively for agricultural produce whereas the FSSAI certificate shelters every food product. It encompasses all types and levels of food processing, from product manufacturing to distribution to packaging.
• FSSAI was the direct results of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, whereas AGMARK is related to the Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marketing) Act of India, 1937

• AGMARK registration and certification looks after microbiological experiments, chemicals, aflatoxin levels, and pesticide residue. AGMARK certification is awarded only for the product and not to a food business unit. Till date, 222 agricultural products come under AGMARK certification. FSSAI License is allotted for separate food business entities. Every fast-food restaurant branch needs to have an FSSAI license, even if there is one franchise with several branches. There are three types of FSSAI: basic, state, and central.
• AGMARK registration gets sanctioned by the directorate of marketing and evaluation which comes under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture. FSSAI has an independent government authority.

The Conclusion

When it comes to ensuring the quality of food for the end user, the role of these food safety regulations like FSSAI and AGMARK becomes super important. Since the quality of the food we consume is directly related to our overall well-being, these certifications are extremely important. Whether you are looking to obtain an FSSAI license or AGMARK registration for your food business, contact our agmark registration consultants at Registrationwala.com

Author: Dushyant Sharma

Hey there, I'm Dushyant Sharma. With the extensive knowledge I've gained in past 8 years, I have been creating content on various subjects such as banking, insurance, telecom, and all the important registration and licensing processes for various companies. I'm here to help everyone with my expertise in these areas through my articles.