The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India or FSSAI, is an autonomous body instituted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to certify the safety and quality standards of food products, and help reduce adulteration of food and substandard food products in India. It has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to regulate and monitor the food business in the country. Any food manufacturer, retailer, distributor, and other entities in the business of food operations in India are required to obtain the requisite FSSAI registration to operate in the Indian market. This also includes, inter alia, hawkers selling packaged or freshly prepared food products, restaurants, hotels, catering businesses, canteens and clubs, importers and exporters, cloud kitchens, online food products providers, wholesalers and marketers of food products, cold food storage facilities, relabeling units, repackers. The FSSAI registration and license is provided to the Food Business Operators or FBO based on the size of the company, its annual turnover, the nature of the business and the production capacity of the company. If a food business operator manufactures, stores, processes, and sells food products without obtaining the requisite FSSAI registration, such an operator shall incur penalties. Scroll down to check FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers.
FSSAI Registration Types
As mentioned above, an FSSAI registration is provided on, inter alia, the basis of the nature and size of the company, the annual turnover, and production capacity. There are three types of FSSAI registration that a food business operator can go for:
- FSSAI Registration for Petty Food Businesses
This registration applies to food business operators with a turnover of less than 12 Lakh per annum. The application for obtaining such FSSAI Registration is to be filled by duly filling out Form-A.
- FSSAI Central License
This registration is applicable on food business owners with an annual turnover of more than Rs. 20 crores per annum. The application for obtaining such FSSAI registration is to be filled by duly filling Form-B.
- FSSAI State License
This registration is applicable on food business owners with an annual turnover of less than 20 Lakh per annum but more than 12 Lakh per annum. The application for obtaining such FSSAI registration is to be filled by duly filling Form B.
A brief on FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers
Sweet manufacturers are expected to comply with FSSAI standards to avoid the deployment of substandard and adulterated food products in the market. Since food products can directly affect the health of a consumer, food manufacturers are required to adhere with optimum standards of food safety and quality. Sweet manufacturers are required to use high-quality products and ensure that the sweets made and sent into the market are pure and unadulterated.
On 19 July 2021, FSSAI issued an order for the registration and licensing of food business operators for Indian sweets, snacks, and savouries. This was done in order to make the licensing and registration easier for medium and small businesses manufacturing Indian sweets, savouries and snacks, which will facilitate obtaining state and central licenses by such manufacturers. FSSAI assigned food category 18 of the Food Safety Compliance System or FoSCoS to general manufacturing kind of business. Prior to such an order, manufacturers of sweets had to adhere to heavy compliances to get their food products registered under the Proprietary Food category and obtain a central license which often proved a costly affair to medium and small-scale sweet manufacturers. Indian sweets which are regulated under this order are provided under category 18 as follows:
- Sweets made with milk or its derivatives like “chhana based sweets, khoa based sweets, fermented milk products base Indian sweets, other composite milk products based Indian sweets”
- Sweets made with cereals
- Sweets made with pulses
- Sweets made with starch
- Sweets made with nuts and dry fruits
- Sweets made with vegetables and fruits
- Indian confectioneries
Important Points to Note While Obtaining FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers
Before obtaining FSSAI registration for sweet manufacturers, food business operators must keep in mind that:
- Food business operators manufacturing sweets which are already licensed under the Proprietary Food category are not required to modify their licenses on the basis of the new categories mentioned under Category 18 of FoSCoS.
- Food business operators who are sweet manufacturers and whose products do not fall in Category 18 shall be registered under the Proprietary Food Category.
- Food business operators who sell packaged sweet products are required to obtain the General Manufacturing business license as per the eligibility criteria provided under Category 18.
- Food business operators like restaurants, caterers and similar businesses selling fresh but unpacked sweet products are required to obtain licenses under the extant food categories.
- The microbiological requirements specified of the base products used in sweet manufacture according to Appendix B of Food Safety & Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, aflatoxin usage guidelines for base products used in sweet manufacture as per Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011 shall be applicable on the sweet products under Category 18.
Documents Required While Obtaining FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers
The following documents are required while Obtaining FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers:
- Certificate showing registration of business like a certificate of incorporation or a partnership deed or a shops and establishment license or any other similar registration certificates.
- Identity proof with photos of the food business operators; list of directors or partners with address proof, photo ID and contact details
- Proof as to possession of the business premises like a sale deed or a lease agreement, utility bills, NOC from the landlord
- Information pertaining to food business operators’ official bank account
- Food safety management system plan
- List of sweet products which are manufactured
- Other supporting documents, like, inter alia, NOC from a panchayat or municipality, license copy from manufacturer.
- Documents showing the manufacturing and processing unit’s plan with dimensions and areas allocated to different operations
- List of machinery and other equipment with number and capacity
- Authority letter from manufacturer nominating an authorized person
- Analysis report as to the water being used in the process
- Certificate copy obtained under the Coop Act or Multi-State Coop Act for Cooperatives
- Details pertaining to the source of raw materials used. This is specific to the central license.
- Certificate from the Ministry of Tourism. This is specific to the central license.
- Supporting documents showing proof of transportation and turnover. This is specific to the central license.
- NOC issued by FSSAI. This is specific to the central license.
- Import and Export Code document. This is specific to the central license.
- Certificate by Ministry of Commerce for 1005 Export-Oriented Units
- FSSAI declaration form.
Procedure to Follow While Obtaining FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers
Following is the procedure for obtaining FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers in India:
- Filling out the Application Form
Food business operators who are sweet manufacturers looking to obtain FSSAI registration for sweet manufacturers can apply for the license both online and offline. Sweet manufacturers can register online on the Food Safety Compliance System portal and fill up either Form A (registration for petty manufacturers) or Form B (registration to obtain state or central license), as applicable. The offline forms are required to be submitted to the Food and Safety Department.
- Submission of Necessary Documents
While submitting applications for FSSAI registrations under Form A and Form B, the applicant must upload certain requisite documents either on the Food Safety Compliance System portal or submit such documents physically to the Food and Safety Department.
- Assessment and Inspection by the Food and Safety Department
The Food and Safety Department shall scrutinize the application and the documents and conduct necessary investigations of the sweet manufacturing premises.
- Grant of Certificate
If the Food and Safety Department is satisfied with the application, documents submitted and inspection, it shall grant the requisite FSSAI license to the sweet manufacturer. The registration certificate shall contain the fourteen-digit registration number. This registration number must be affixed on the packaging of the sweet products and the registration certificate must be displayed prominently on the place of business of the sweet manufacturer.
A sweet manufacturer that does not have an existing license under the Proprietary Food Category, and wishing to modify any existing license as per the requirement under food category 18 can do so on the Food Safety Compliance System portal.
The status of the application for FSSAI registration can be tracked on the Food Safety Compliance System portal by putting in the application number.
Validity of FSSAI Registration for Sweet Manufacturers
The license is granted by FSSAI[1] for a period of either one year/five years. The application to renew the license must be made before thirty days from the date of expiry of the existing license.
Conclusion
Sweet manufacturers, retailers, distributors, caterers and other similar persons or entities involved in the manufacture, sale, storage, or trade of sweet products in the Indian market must mandatorily obtain the requisite FSSAI registration for sweet manufacturers. After registration, the manufacturer must ensure compliance with the Food and Safety Standards Act, 2002 as non-compliance can lead to the incurrence of penalties up to Rupees Ten Lakh. Moreover, obtaining an FSSAI license has a plethora of benefits as well. FSSAI registration helps sweet manufacturers to build goodwill in their business, instil and expand customer trust and loyalty in the brand as FSSAI registration ensures high standards of food safety and quality. It also becomes easier to get investors to provide the necessary funding to the business with FSSAI registration. Hence, a sweet manufacturer must keep herself aware of the legal & regulatory compliances and the process involved in obtaining an FSSAI registration to deploy her products freely in the Indian market.
Read Our Article: FSSAI Registration Fees and Various Aspects
