The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India vide its notification dated 18th December 2020 has decided that online submission of Annual Returns on Food Safety Compliance System shall be mandatory for food business involved in manufacturing and importing of food products wef 2020-21 and all the licensing authorities are directed to refrain from insisting physical submission of returns.
The provision of mandatory online submission of returns would not only facilitate the food business operators but also ensure ease of doing business and help in creation of national level database.
However, the food business need not maintain receipts and records of physical nature and the reminders of submission of annual return would be sent digitally.
Further, the food businesses involved in the manufacturing of milk and milk products, the half-yearly return shall be discontinued. They shall be required to file the annual return for manufacturers as per the revised format online.
