FSSAI Added A New Category "Exporting FBOs" For Food Exports

\FSSAI has issued an order clarifying the criteria for the licensing of the FBOs involved in the activities of food export. The Apex food regulatory has streamlined the criteria for the licensing for food articles being manufactured for export purpose only. A separate new category “Exporting FBOs” has been added under the Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. The FSSAI’s order says, the manufacturers of the food items with a 100% export are not required to submit a certificate of conformity as per the Indian Food Products Standards but they shall be liable to provide an undertaking; in case if they intend to place an article of food in the domestic market for consumption then they will have to submit a Certificate of Compliance to Indian Food Norms as per FSS Act, Rules & Regulations. The guideline further says; Food Product Approval is required; if the standards for such food products are not available which are intended to be sold in the domestic market. The food authority also states that if a trading firm/company applies for the license of 100% export shall also have to submit an undertaking that they will provide the Certificate of Compliance of the Food Product as per the Indian Standards or will have to apply through the Product Approval as and when they plan to introduce the product for domestic sale. It is the mandatory requirement for the trading firm/company to furnish the undertaking and to follow the guidelines in such cases even if are the subsidiary or sister concern of the manufacturing firm which is manufacturing food products for 100% export. The firms/companies who have their food business units in SEZs shall also be covered under this criterion of licensing under FSS Act, 2006. As per FSS (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 100% export oriented units will have to apply for the Central License from FSSAI. There were growing concerns among the food business operators involved in the manufacturing & exporting of food articles as the regulatory bodies of the importing countries have been asking for the documentary evidence on the consent from the Indian Food Authorities.