Industrial Canteen falls under a definition of the food business. Any business which falls in a category of ‘Food Business’ under section 3 (1) (n) of Food Safety & Standard Act 2006 requires the FSSAI license and certificate to function legally in India. FSSAI operates under the food safety & standards act, 2006.
This is India’s primary governing body in the food sector. The FSSAI functions as the decentralized government agency which has its cohorts in every state. The local affiliates of FSSAI are the bodies that work along with local municipalities to structurally conduct health inspections, food inspections, and restaurant inspections.
Background as to why FSSAI License Necessary for an Industrial Canteen
All departmental canteens, tiffin rooms, etc., housed in various offices of the central government accordingly required to obtain licenses able to continue to manufacture and sell food. Seeking FSSAI license would make it binding for the government canteens to maintain a standard of food as lack of it has often been the cause of consternation among the users of such canteens. The scenes of untidy corners, filth and lack of attention to clean the waste are replete in the industrial canteens across the country.
It is the responsibility of the respective managing committees to register or obtain a license under provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011[1]. The concerned officers get in touch with FSSAI for implementing of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, the Ministry recently has issued order to all central government departments.
According to the FSS Act, no person must commence or carry on any food business except under the licence. Currently, registered canteens and tiffin rooms are functioning in various offices of the central government all over India. However, a direction has remained silent on government-run canteens in educational institutions which also operate under unhealthy conditions, putting the health of thousands of students at stake.
Who Requires an FSSAI Certificate?
Any of the business if it is a micro, small, medium, and large scale, it is serving consumable goods such as food & items will require to get the FSSAI approval. However, FSSAI approval guarantees that whatever products the business is offering is safe for human consumption. Additionally, all certificates and licenses ensure food safety, safety for health, and general well being for society.
Food and Plight of Workers
In India, industrial workers face many troubles. One of these troubles is that improper nutrition and long working hours. Similarly, while a situation regarding long working hours and tedious labour is gradually improving, malnutrition and the deficit of healthy nutrition is always by industrial workers such as technicians, foremen, mechanics, and assembly line workers.
Low wages are sole reason why these workers cannot focus on proper nutrition to support their bodies. Most factories and industrial units have canteens that are very shabby and provide barely nutritious food.
FSSAI and Industrial Canteen
In India, the labour groups have been long since waging a campaign against this. In 2006, with a rise of FSSAI, it finally became mandatory to have industrial canteen that meet the basic health, safety standards and can assure food safety & health safety of their food.
Industrial Canteen are often in-factory units which prepare and cook food for the workers of that unit, for factories and assembly lines, industrial canteen and their kitchen are shabby, dusty, and ill-equipped. Further, with the conditions, even the food service is barely palatable and often lacks the nutrition profile it should have. It is partly because no one cares about the welfare and development of industrial workers.
What does the FSSAI Offer?
FSSAI Certificate
It is the perfect certification for small to medium-sized businesses in the food industry. The FSSAI certificate is granted to those businesses which pass an audit and food safety inspection conducted by a Food Safety Inspector. However, a business must also have a turnover of fewer than 12 Lakhs to be eligible for this certificate.
The FSSAI License
It is the standard license awarded to businesses that have passed their audit and food safety inspection conducted by the Food Safety Inspector. Additionally, businesses which have the turnover between 12 Lakhs to 20 Crore are eligible for this license
FSSAI Central License
It is a top-tier license provided by FSSAI to companies which have passed their audit and inspection has also been approved for safety standards by a food and health inspection service agency. However, this license is mandatory for businesses that have a turnover of more than 20 crores and operate pan India.
Documents Required for FSSAI Registration under the State and Central
For a purpose of Registration under the State and Central, the following documents are necessary:
- Form A and Form B, duly filled and signed by Proprietor/ Partner
- Pan Card Copy of applicant self-attested. In case of the Partnership Firm/ Company, PAN Card of Company is also required.
- Address Proof of an applicant self-attested. In case of the partnership/ company, address proof of such firm and company along with address proof of the authorized representative
- 2 Passport size photographs of an applicant and an authorized representative
- Rent Deed and Registry Copy of registered office of firm/ company
- List of Directors/ Members of Society/ Partners/ Trust on the letterhead of particular firm/ company/ trust
- List of Equipment and Machinery installed in the premises.
- Partnership deed/ Affidavit of Proprietor/ MOA /AOA
- NOC from the manufacturer in case, an applicant is doing the business of relabelled/ Re-packer
- The direction has come from the Ministry of Personnel, stating that canteens are required to comply with a statutory framework for manufacturing, storage, distribution & sale of food so as to ensure its safety.
Conclusion
It has become compulsory for vegetable, dhabas, and fruit sellers, tea stalls, industrial canteen, grocery shops, hotels, caterers, restaurants, and food processors to acquire the food safety license (FSSAI License) as per the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011.
The agency comes under the purview of Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A whole purpose of such stringent rules is the FSSAI is aiming to reduce problems associated with the poor quality food being served to the customers and ensure health & safety.
Read our article: NDMC Has No Right to Prompt FOBs to Raise Additional License: FSSAI
