Basic
Basic level certifications are meant for food businesses. The duration of each course is 4 hours. Courses include:
- Street Food Vending
- Catering
- Manufacturing/Processing
- Storage & Transport
- Retail & Distribution
Food Safety Training Corporation (FSTC) offers skilling programs leading to certification, placement, capacity building, and entrepreneurship focusing on the Food Processing Industry.
FSTC has created a vibrant ecosystem that includes standards, model curriculum and learning resources, a network of affiliated training centres and Vocational Colleges, supported by industry experts, master trainers, and assessors for providing industry-relevant skills. The National Council for Vocational Education & Training (a regulatory body under the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) has recognized FSTC as an awarding body.
16 types of Competence-based certification programmes are available under FoSTaC. The duration of each course is 8 to 12 hours, spread over 1 to 2 days. Courses have been developed by domain experts and reviewed by an expert committee of FSSAI. Training manuals are based on general hygiene or manufacturing practices as detailed under schedule 4 of FSS Regulations. Courses have been divided into the following 3 levels:
Basic level certifications are meant for food businesses. The duration of each course is 4 hours. Courses include:
Advanced courses and certifications are for State & Central Licensed food businesses. The duration of each course is 8 hours. Courses include:
Special courses have been developed for high-risk food businesses or food businesses that require special attention. The duration of special courses is 8-12 hours, spread over 1-2 days. Courses include:
Product Approval and Label Validation are two important parts of the Food Safety Management System, ensuring compliance with FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India).
A Food Safety Management Plan with complete documentation and a standard operational process in line is essential for a business to be FSSAI compliant.
It is a process by which any novel ingredient(s) or additive(s) not prescribed in the act/regulation can be approved by FSSAI. An FBO needs to get his product approved before the licensing procedure and release into the market.
Label Validation means ensuring the information and the format of the product's label are accurate and comply with FSSAI regulations. This maintains complete transparency with respect to the product information, helping consumers make informed purchases.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a new initiative called FoSTaC (Food Safety Training and Certification). FSSAI and Equinox have partnered to offer the Food Safety Supervisor Programme.
It is mandatory for every food business operator (FBO) to have a Food Safety Supervisor trained under the FoSTaC Training Programme.
Food Safety Management Plans are developed by industry experts from retailers, manufacturers, and food service organizations to ensure they are rigorous and detailed yet easy to understand.
First published in 1998, the standard is now in its eighth edition and is well-established globally. It has evolved with input from many leading global experts.
It provides a framework to manage product safety, integrity, legality, and quality, along with operational controls for these criteria in the food and food ingredient manufacturing, processing, and packing industry.
Commitment at the senior level is crucial for developing a robust food safety culture. It is necessary for the effectiveness of any food safety system and ensures the full application and continual development of these systems.
Effective hazard and risk analysis allows the company to identify and manage hazards that may pose a risk to the safety, quality, and integrity of their products. The BRC Global Standard requires an effective hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) programme based on the internationally recognized Codex Alimentarius system.
This section ensures the company operates with well-documented, systematic management systems that form the basis for product and process controls necessary to produce safe products, meet customer expectations, and ensure staff are trained.
This covers the suitability, cleanliness, and control of the site, including topics such as factory conditions, cleaning, equipment, pest control, foreign body controls, and food defense/site security.
Establishing product controls such as allergen management, prevention of food fraud, and product testing are crucial for the reliable delivery of safe and authentic products.
These requirements ensure that the documented HACCP plan is consistently implemented on a daily basis, along with effective procedures to manufacture the product to the correct quality.
This section covers training, protective clothing, and hygiene practices.
This section deals with products susceptible to potential pathogen contamination, requiring additional controls to ensure product safety.
A voluntary additional section for sites that purchase and sell food products normally covered by the Standard and stored at the site's facilities, but not manufactured, further processed, or packed at the site being audited.