FSSAI enables Ease of Doing Business with Food Safety Connect Mobile Application. This mobile interface will facilitate food businesses to apply for FSSAI registration through a faster and convenient mode.
New Delhi: To improve connect with consumers and Food Business Operators (FBOs), India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority has recently launched a mobile application called ‘Food Safety Connect’. This mobile interface will facilitate food businesses to apply for FSSAI registration through a faster and convenient mode.
The Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 mandates that every food business is required to obtain an FSSAI license or registration prior to commencing the business. India has a large segment of unorganised food businesses that are not much conversant with the tech-based platforms. With the launch of FSSAI’s Food Safety Connect Mobile App, it will be easier for food businesses, particularly petty hawkers, vendors and start-ups, to file an application for FSSAI registration by simply using their smartphones.
This newly launched mobile application will also provide information regarding eligibility criteria, FAQs on the procedures related to Licensing and Registration; Regulations and other compliances for the food businesses. FBOs can also access resource material.
What the FSSAI’s Food Safety Connect App Provides?
This newly launched mobile application will also provide information regarding eligibility criteria, FAQs on the procedures related to Licensing and Registration; Regulations and other compliances for the food businesses. FBOs can also access resource material pertaining to a list of notified laboratories for food testing, inspection checklists, product standards, list of Food Safety Mitras, training through FoSTaC, guidance documents etc.
The new application aims to bridge the communication gap with consumers and provide a resource hub for them to stay aware and updated about FSSAI key activities. They can access knowledge hub for citizens such as informatory videos, myth busters, books and other guidance documents relevant to citizens to know about safe and healthy eating practices. Further, this app will be used as a mechanism for consumers to easily verify the FSSAI license or registration on any food packet. Consumers can even lodge their grievances related to any food safety matters through the app.
In order to increase usage of this application, FSSAI is sensitising various stakeholders, including training and audit partners and Food Safety Mitras, to promote the usage of the mobile app amongst food businesses. Further, Food Businesses are expected to encourage every food handler in their premises/ manufacturing units to download the app and stay updated.
Another important public welfare feature that is on the Food Safety Connect app is regarding the grievance redressal mechanism. Consumers can now lodge their grievances related to any food safety matters on the app too.
To promote the use of the Food Safety Connect app in as many related businesses and members of the public as possible, FSSAI is sensitizing stakeholders, including training and audit partners and Food Safety Mitras.
The new app launch has come amid the release of the Global Food Security Index 2021 by Economist Impact and Corteva Agriscience in October 2021. The index has put India on the 71st position out of 113 countries and behind Pakistan and Sri Lanka with respect to food affordability. The Index ranks countries based on metrics including quality and safety of food, affordability, availability, and natural resources and resilience. The list is topped by Ireland, Austria, and the UK.
