FSSAI has issued an order dated 12 August, 2021 in which the Food Authority has mandated non-issuance of offline renewal of FSSAI License. FSSAI has issued this order so that Food Business Operators (FBOs) as well as Licensing Authorities use only the online Food Safety Compliance System FoSCoS.
The FSSAI has launched the pan-India FoSCoS on 1 November, 2020 and all States and UTs are issuing online licensing and registration. The aim of the online platform is to overcome glitches and to synchronise organically with changing regulatory needs. FoSCoS has been conceptualised as the umbrella system which is integrated with the FSSAI’s other existing IT platforms.
It has come to the notice of the FSSAI that many Licensing Authorities are renewing offline license and registration which have been earlier issued through the offline mode. Continuing with offline renewals of Licensing / Registration will lead to many challenges, like
- There will be no record of such offline renewed FSSAI Licenses and Registrations such records however, can be maintained online on FoSCoS.
- Besides this, such Food Business Operators will not be able to file Annual Returns through FoSCoS, which is mandatory with effect from FY 2020-21.
- Online inspections (including risk based) and sampling cannot be done against offline issued licenses.
- Similarly, modules for online improvement notices and adjudications will not work for such licenses.
- No online record is possible for FSSAI initiatives via the FoSCoS portal, like hygiene rating, Indian Food Laboratory Network (InFol.net), Audit Management System (AMS) Food Safety Training and Certificate (FoSTaC) etc. for such FBOs with offline renewed licenses / registrations.
It has been decided in the 32nd meeting of the CAC held on 29 June, 2021 that the State Licensing and Registration Authorities shall stop the renewal of offline licenses with immediate effect. They shall direct FBOs to file online application for new License / Registration as per eligibility criteria through FoSCoS. FSSAI has also requested the Commissioners of Food Safety to send confirmation regarding compliance of this order by 31 August, 2021.
Source : FSSAI
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