The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified an extension of the last date for conducting mandatory food safety audits. This notification was issued on 28th September.
By virtue of an order dated 13th August 2019, FSSAI mandated audits of six categories of food businesses that hold Central Licences. These businesses must also fall under high-risk categories to attract the mandatory audits.
These six categories of food businesses include those dealing with dairy products and specified analogues, meat and meat products, fish and fish products, egg and egg products, foodstuff intended for particular nutritional uses and prepared foods.
However, on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, FSSAI has extended the last date for conducting the mandatory audits to 31st December 2020. Hence the specified food businesses are required to complete the mandatory audits of their premises by 31st December 2020.
It may be recalled that FSSAI had originally fixed the last date for completion of these audits to be 31st December 2019. Subsequently, this date was extended to 30th June 2020 and then again it was extended to 30th September 2020. As a result of the present notification, the last date for completion of the mandatory audit has once again been extended to 31st December.
