Spot Food Licence Initiative for Food Vendors

Instant food licenses and registration of food businesses

In a significant move to improve ease of doing business, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced a new functionality that enables the instant issuance of licenses and registrations for low-risk categories of food businesses. This will be achieved through digital verification, ensuring that food safety is not compromised. This new provision supplements the existing procedures for applying and obtaining licenses and registrations as prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011.

Currently, obtaining an FSSAI license can take 30 to 60 days from the date of submission of a complete application. For a license, it typically takes 60 days, while registration takes 7 days if no inspection is required and up to 30 days if an inspection is needed.

Instant issuance of licenses without the intervention of a licensing authority will be available for select categories such as wholesalers, distributors, retailers, transporters, storage without atmospheric control + cold, importers, food vending agencies, direct sellers and merchant-exporters. For instant grant of registration, certificates will be extended to petty food businesses applying in the same categories as mentioned above, along with petty retailers of snacks/tea shops and hawkers (itinerant/mobile food vendors). This scheme will not apply to businesses involved in high-risk food categories like milk, meat and fish.

The evolving food safety ecosystem in India is transitioning from traditional practices focused on policing food businesses to a trust-building, self-compliance regime under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006. These initiatives aim to expand the food safety network by digitizing regulatory processes and providing easy access to various compliance modules, thereby enhancing the ease of doing business.

FoSCoS

FoSCoS is a state-of-the-art, Pan-India IT platform designed to address all food safety regulatory needs. This innovative system simplifies the licensing and registration processes, offering an enhanced user experience. Beyond licensing and registrations, FoSCoS facilitates self-compliance through online return filings, hygiene ratings for food service establishments, third-party audits for safety parameters and more. Integrated with other IT platforms of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), FoSCoS provides a comprehensive solution for food business operators.