Fact check: Do all food business operators have to get licence from FSSAI

New Delhi, Oct 30: A claim has been made by a newspaper that all food business operators have to get licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

This claim is however untrue according to the Press Information Bureau (PIB). PIB has clarified that only businesses with a turnover of above Rs 20 crore a year have to get licence from the FSSAI. The claim by the newspaper is misleading, PIB also said.

Meanwhile FSSAI had last week said that its Food Safety Compliance System will become operational from November 1 onwards.

The system is operational in nine States/UTs -- Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Odisha, Chandigarh, Goa, Manipur, Puducherry and Ladakh since June.

"FSSAI is now ready to extend FoSCoS to entire country with effect from 1st November 2020," the regulator said in a statement.

It said since 2011, its online FLRS (Food Licensing and Registration System) is the soul of the licensing ecosystem. It is operational in all states and 70 lakh licences/ registrations have been issued till date while over 40 lakh licensees/ registrants are actively transacting on it.

"FSSAI is launching its cloud based, upgraded new food safety compliance online platform called FoSCoS( URL - https://foscos.fssai.gov.in). It will replace the existing FLRS (URL - https://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in)," the statement said.

FoSCoS is conceptualized to provide one point stop for all engagement of a food business operator (FBO) with the department for any regulatory compliance transaction.