Frequently asked questions

It depends mainly on annual turnover and business type. As a general guide: Basic registration for petty food businesses up to about Rs 12 lakh turnover, a State licence for roughly Rs 12 lakh to Rs 20 crore, and a Central licence above Rs 20 crore or for importers, exporters and businesses operating in more than one state. Thresholds change, so confirm on the FoSCoS portal or ask us to review your case.

Apply for renewal before the expiry date. FSSAI charges a late fee of Rs 100 per day if you file within 30 days of expiry. Under FSSAI's 2021 order, an expired licence can still be renewed for up to 180 days after expiry at a higher fee (three times the annual fee up to 90 days, five times up to 180 days), but you cannot legally operate during the gap. After 180 days you must apply afresh. Check the current rules on FoSCoS.

Licensed manufacturers and importers file an annual return (Form D1) on FoSCoS, due by 31 May each year for the previous financial year. Late filing attracts Rs 100 per day, capped at five times the annual licence fee. Due returns must be filed before an expired licence can be renewed.

Typically: identity and address proof, proof of the premises, the list of food categories you handle, a food safety management plan and, for manufacturers, the layout plan and list of equipment. Some categories need more, such as a water test report. The exact list depends on your category, so we check it against your business before filing.

Yes. Guidance for every legal and mandatory licence your factory needs is part of our System Implementation service, alongside HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 and BRC systems.

Yes. Label and claim review against FSSAI labelling regulations is part of our New Product Development service.

FSSAI requires businesses holding a State or Central licence to have at least one trained and certified Food Safety Supervisor for every 25 food handlers, or part thereof, on each premises. FoSTaC is the FSSAI program that trains and certifies those supervisors.

FoSTaC has Basic, Advanced and Special levels. Basic suits food handlers and small businesses; Advanced suits supervisors in manufacturing, catering, storage and retail; Special courses cover sectors such as milk, meat, bakery, edible oil and packaged water. Tell us your business type and the roles involved and we will match each person to the right course.

Yes. Indian Food Solutions is a FoSTaC training partner of FSSAI. We run FoSTaC Basic, Advanced and Special courses, plus QC, QA and lab staff training and on-site awareness sessions for food handlers.

Yes, we run sessions at your site or ours. Call +91 98253 05092 for upcoming batch dates or to plan an on-site session.

Send a payment request on our Online payment page. We confirm the total, including 18% GST, and share UPI and bank details within one working day. Training dates are confirmed once the fee is received.

It is FSSAI's scheme that rates food service businesses such as restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, dhabas, sweet shops, bakeries and meat shops on hygiene, shown as 1 to 5 smileys. 5 means Excellent (81 to 100% score) and 1 means Urgent Improvement. The audit is done by an FSSAI-recognised Hygiene Rating Audit Agency and the rating is valid for two years.

An FSSAI licence or registration, compliance with Schedule 4 hygiene requirements, a FoSTaC-trained Food Safety Supervisor for every 25 food handlers, and trained food handlers. Licensed businesses also need periodic water and food testing at an FSSAI-approved lab. We run a gap study, train your team and set up the records before the real audit.

Yes. FSSAI allows re-verification three months after the first assessment, usually by businesses scoring 4 or less that have fixed the gaps. Most points come from daily habits: hand-wash stations, keeping raw and cooked food apart, temperature logs, cleaning schedules and pest control records.

An FSSAI certification for campuses such as offices, colleges, hospitals, factories and other workplaces with their own canteens. An empanelled audit agency audits the campus, a score above 65% earns certification, and the certificate is valid for two years. Residential schools follow the separate Eat Right School program instead.

We audit your kitchen against the rating criteria, train your team and set up the documentation and records. The official rating itself is issued after an audit by an FSSAI-recognised Hygiene Rating Audit Agency. For Eat Right Campus, FSSAI requires the training agency and the audit agency to be different organisations, so we confirm upfront which role we play on your campus.

HACCP is the method of finding and controlling food safety hazards at critical control points. ISO 22000 is a full food safety management system built around HACCP. FSSC 22000 adds extra requirements on top of ISO 22000 and is recognised by GFSI, as is BRC (BRCGS), which many UK and export buyers ask for. Your buyers and markets usually decide which one you need.

No. We design your system, write the documentation, train your team and support you through the audit. The certificate is issued by an independent certification body, so no consultant can honestly guarantee the result.

We run periodic internal audits and system verification after certification, so records, validations and training stay current between external audits instead of being rebuilt the week before.

Yes, Indian Food Solutions is an FSSAI approved auditor. We also carry out internal audits, gap studies and mock audits ahead of certification audits.

Yes. We design turnkey processing unit layouts with zoning, hygienic design and plant and machinery placed along the process flow, to national and international standards, so the plant is audit-ready from day one.

Yes. We design in-house and commercial labs for physico-chemical and microbiological testing, with methods aligned to ISI, ASTA, AOAC, BAM, USP, BP and IP, and provide consultancy for NABL accreditation.

Yes. We do contract R&D for food, nutraceutical and beverage products, from the first kitchen trial to a recipe your plant can repeat batch after batch, with documented process parameters.

Through a shelf-life study: samples are stored under defined conditions and tested at intervals until quality or safety limits are reached. We also help select packaging that extends shelf life, so the date on your label is backed by data.

Yes. Recipe standardisation is part of our product development work: we fix ingredient specifications, quantities and process parameters so taste and yield stay consistent.

Through our associate NABL-approved commercial lab. We cover physico-chemical and microbiological testing of raw materials, in-process samples and finished products, and read the results with you.

Yes. Contract quality testing and operation of your in-house lab by our staff is part of our Testing and Analysis service.

Testing fees are not refundable once samples have been sent to the laboratory. See our Return and Refund Policy for details.

Our office is at 501, Solitaire Building, opp. Meghdoot Petrol Pump, Shahibag, Ahmedabad 380004, Gujarat. We serve food businesses across India, from primary producers and contract farmers to manufacturers, caterers, distributors and retailers.

Four steps: a site visit and gap study against the law and your target standard; layout, process flow and system documents written for your products; training and implementation with us beside your team; then internal audits, lab checks and support through the certification audit.

Fees depend on the size of your site, your products and the standard you are aiming for, so we quote after understanding your business. Fees are in Indian Rupees with 18% GST added. Call +91 98253 05092 or send an enquiry for a quote.

Food, nutraceutical and beverage businesses across the chain: spices, dairy, bakery, snacks, catering, canteens, restaurants, cloud kitchens, sweet shops, storage, distribution and retail.

Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 18:30 IST. We reply to enquiries within one working day. You can also call or WhatsApp +91 98253 05092.