In a recent surveillance drive conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), discrepancies came to light in the food supply chain catering to in-flight passengers. The inspection revealed issues concerning the Kind of Businesses (KoBs) endorsed in the FSSAI licenses of involved Food Business Operators. Hence, the FSSAI has issued an advisory dated March 7, 2024 to address these matters.
During these inspections, it was observed that food preparation is primarily conducted by Flight Kitchen Operators, also known as caterers located in and around airport vicinities. These operators then transfer the prepared food to flights via specialized vehicles such as insulated refrigerated vans or wagons. Once aboard the flights, the food is served to passengers by the airlines’ staff, known as In-flight Food Services. The served food can either be prepared or pre-packaged.
To address these observations, FSSAI has issued clarifications:
For Flight Kitchen Operators:
a) Endorse Food Services [Caterer] KoB in their FSSAI License.
b) If operators have their own vehicles for transporting food, separate Trade/Retail – [Transporter] KoB endorsement is not necessary. Otherwise, transporters must obtain a separate FSSAI license for any number of vehicles.
For In-flight Food Services [Airlines]:
a) Obtain only one Head Office [Kind of Business] FSSAI License, along with endorsing Food Services [Caterer] KoB.
b) If involved in selling pre-packaged food, endorse Trade/Retail – [Retailer] in the same license.
c) Obtain appropriate manufacturing or importing licenses if applicable.
d) If conducting food business activities outside flights, obtain separate FSSAI License for those premises.
Flight Kitchen Operators and In-Flight food service providers are required to comply with the FSS Act, 2006, and associated rules and regulations, including FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Moreover, FSSAI mandates the declaration of FSSAI License/Registration numbers on all food-related invoices, bills, etc., effective January 1, 2022, to ensure transparency and accountability.
Passengers are encouraged to use FSSAI’s Food Safety Connect App to lodge any food-related grievances, while flight operators must ensure passengers are informed of pertinent details such as Caterer’s name, FSSAI License number, packaging date, use-by date, and more, in compliance with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
