Food & Nutraceuticals
Food safety documentation that matches what your plant actually does
Hazard analysis, critical control points, prerequisite programmes and records your team can realistically maintain.
- Authority
- FSSAI for statutory FSMS compliance; accredited certification bodies for ISO 22000 and HACCP certification
- Governing rules
- Schedule 4 of the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 and ISO 22000:2018
- Typical timeline
- 3 to 8 weeks depending on plant size and certification scope
FSMS, HACCP & ISO 22000 Documentation: what it involves
Every licensed food manufacturer in India has to operate a food safety management system. Schedule 4 of the Licensing Regulations sets out the general hygiene and sanitary practices, and FSSAI has moved to a risk based inspection and audit framework, which means the quality of your documented system now directly influences how often and how hard you are inspected.
Most plants we visit already have a folder of downloaded templates. The problem is that the templates describe a factory that does not exist: control points that are not monitored, records nobody fills, and a flow diagram that does not match the machinery on the floor. An inspector spots that in minutes. We build the system from your real process flow, then train the people who have to run it.
Who needs this
- Manufacturers applying for a Central or State Licence
- Plants preparing for a risk based FSSAI inspection or audit
- Exporters whose buyers require HACCP or ISO 22000 certification
- Suppliers to organised retail, quick commerce and institutional buyers
- Nutraceutical plants needing Schedule IV documentation alongside Schedule 4
- Businesses that have received inspection observations and need to close them
Documentation
Documents required
Arrange these and the file moves. We tell you exactly which format each one has to be in, and we draft the technical annexures ourselves.
- Process flow diagrams for every product family
- Plant layout with material, personnel and waste flow marked
- Machinery and utility list including water, steam and compressed air
- Existing SOPs, records and any previous audit reports
- Raw material and packaging material specifications
- Supplier list with approval status
- Pest control, water testing and calibration records
- Details of trained food safety supervisors on the payroll
How we work
The process, stage by stage
Indicative durations for a file where documents arrive on time. We tell you at the outset which stage is most likely to slip in your case.
- 1
Gap assessment on site
1 to 2 days on siteWe walk the plant against Schedule 4 and the applicable standard, and produce a gap list separating what must be fixed physically from what can be closed on paper.
- 2
Hazard analysis and CCP determination
5 to 10 daysBiological, chemical, physical and allergen hazards are assessed at each process step, control measures are assigned, and critical control points are established with limits, monitoring and corrective action.
- 3
Documentation build
10 to 20 daysWe write the FSMS manual, prerequisite programmes, SOPs, work instructions and record formats, and number them into a controlled document system.
- 4
Implementation and training
5 to 10 daysThe system is rolled out on the floor, supervisors are trained on their specific records, and we run a mock verification round to see whether the paperwork survives a normal production shift.
- 5
Internal audit and certification support
As scheduledWe conduct the internal audit and management review, then support the external certification audit for ISO 22000 or HACCP where that is in scope.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is an FSMS plan mandatory or optional?
A documented food safety management system is a licensing requirement for manufacturing and processing units. ISO 22000 certification is voluntary, but many buyers and export markets treat it as a commercial precondition.
What is FoSTaC and do I need it?
FoSTaC is the FSSAI training and certification programme for food safety supervisors. Licensed food businesses are required to have trained supervisors on the premises in proportion to their workforce. We factor the requirement into your compliance plan and point you to the right course category.
How does risk based inspection change things?
FSSAI has moved to inspecting and auditing businesses according to assessed risk rather than uniformly. A plant with a credible, implemented system and clean records is a lower priority than one without, so good documentation reduces both inspection frequency and inspection friction.
Can you fix a system we already have?
Usually yes, and it is often faster. We assess what is genuinely in use, keep it, and rebuild only the parts that are missing, wrong or unusable.
Related services
Often taken together with this
FSSAI Central Licence
For turnover above Rs 50 crore, importers, exporters, e-commerce sellers and businesses operating in more than one state.
Typical timeline · 30 to 60 working days in a clean file
Read moreNutraceutical & Health Supplement Manufacturing Licence
Our core specialism: licensing, formulation review and Schedule IV compliance for supplement and nutraceutical plants.
Typical timeline · 45 to 90 days from formulation review to licence grant
Read moreFood Factory Layout Design
CAD drawings designed around flow, segregation and clean area classification, drawn to be approved.
Typical timeline · 2 to 6 weeks for a complete drawing set
Read moreTell us what you are manufacturing. We will tell you what you need.
Share your product category, premises and turnover. You will get a written scope covering the exact licences that apply, the documents to arrange, and a realistic timeline.