The Food Safety And Standards Authority Of India (FSSAI) has introduced amendment titled Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Amendment Regulations, 2018. These Amendment Regulations were approved on September 21, 2017. FSSAI has issued a direction re-operationalizing this amendment regulation on June 05, 2024.
These amendment regulations cover licensing procedures for e-commerce food businesses, documentation requirements for new restaurant licenses, license conditions for restaurants, and hygiene standards for all food business operators (FBOs), including those establishing small slaughterhouses.
The regulations were implemented by the Food Authority under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, coming into effect on various dates between 2018 and 2023, with some provisions also enforced on specific dates in 2020 and 2021.
The draft regulations were notified on November 17, 2020 for feedback, and the final amendment regulation is still being processed. To ensure food safety and fair practices, the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Amendment Regulations, 2021 will be re-operationalized from November 11, 2023.
Food business operators must adhere to these regulations, which will be enforced after their final notification in the Gazette of India. However, the amendment revising licence modification fee is already in effect since March 27, 2020. FSSAI may issue Improvement notices to FBOs for compliance with these requirements.
