Home > Food Safety Mitra (FSM)

Why Food Safety Mitra?

FSSAI is creating an ecosystem of Food Safety Mitras (FSM) who will help FBOs with licensing and registration, training and auditing hygiene at different institutions such as schools, colleges and corporate campuses.

Registration & Licensing:

Digital Mitra : Individuals with entrepreneural mindset and IT skills can help food businesses with their compliances.

Hygiene Auditors

Hygiene Mitra : Domain experts from food industry are encouraged to get associated under FSM to become hygiene auditors.

Food Safety Training

Trainer Mitra : Any persons who are in food business or food professionals can be the certified as Food Safety trainers.

Eligibility:

Candidates between the age of 21 to 60 years, possessing bachelor’s degree from a recognised university along with working knowledge of computers, internet etc.are eligible to apply.

Roles and Responsibility:

Food Safety Mitra is an individual professional certified by FSSAI and performs limited actions on behalf of/for FBOs with respect to the implementation of the FSS Act, Rules & Regulation.

Digital Mitra:

• Filing of new application for License/Registration
• Further online correspondence regarding queries raised by Authorities
• Filing application for modification of License/Registration
• Filing of Annual Returns/ Declarations
• Filing applications for approval of Product/ label/ Advertisement Claim
• Filing appeal for revocation of Suspended Licenses/Registration

Trainer Mitra:

• Conducting training of food safety supervisors
• Conducting training at Eat Right Campuses
• Conducting training of food safety personnel in businesses on demand

Hygiene Mitra:

• To audit the hygiene of FBO outlets as per prescribed guidelines
• To help FBOs with implementation of hygiene guidelines
• To train the food safety supervisors and food handlers about safe & hygienic food handling practices

Certification Process:

Digital Mitra:

• Apply through FSM website
• On being shortlisted, complete the online training.
• On completion of training, appear for CBT at one of the specified test centres.
• On successful completion of assessment, Digital Mitra certificate is issued – to be renewed every 2 years.

Trainer Mitra:

• If a candidate meets the criteria for being a trainer, he/she will be registered under FoSTaC.
• The candidate will complete the classroom training & assessments to become a certified training Mitra, as per FoSTaC norms
• Validity of the certificate will be 2 years.

Hygiene Mitra:

• If a candidate meets the criteria for being a hygiene auditor, he/she will be registered as a candidate for Hygiene Mitra
• The candidate will complete the classroom training & assessments to become a certified Hygiene Mitra.
• Validity of the certificate will be 2 years.

A candidate may opt for any one or more variants of the Food Safety Mitra for example a Digital Mitra can also be Hygine Mitra, provided he fulfills all the prescribed qualification and criteria.

Renewals & Cancellation:

Once certified, the validity of FSM certification will be 2 years. Depending on the kind of work they do, FSMs may be required to undergo intermediate trainings. To ensure that FSMs are invested in the success of the scheme and its goals, a refundable security deposit may be collected at the time of certification. Presently, Rs 5000/- shall be collected from FSMs. This security deposit will be refunded in case a FSM chooses to exit from the scheme.

FSM may continue to act as such, unless:

• The FSM Certificate issued to him under this scheme is suspended or withdrawn by the FSSAI; or
• This scheme is withdrawn by the Authority
• Non renewal after the expiry of validity of FSM Certificate.

In case of a complaint or on assessment of the performance, FSSAI may impose penalty by way of forfeiture of deposit, suspension for a time period, cancellation of certificate of FSM or debarring future registration as FSM for a specified period.

The grounds of the cancellation which may warrant such action may be

• if State Food Safety Authorities report any misconduct of FSM.
• if FSM refuses to give a copy of the receipt/acknowledgement to the FBO;
• if FSM fails to furnish his name and unique identification number in the application/ return filed by him;
• if FSM fails to enter any information made available to him by the FBO, correctly in the application/ return by him;
• if FSM makes repeated mistakes relating to filing of applications/returns prepared by him;
• if FSM makes a wrong or fraudulent application/return despite being in the know
• if FSM is engaged in any financial irregularity, forgery or fraud;
• if FSM fails to comply with the directions issued by the FSSAI from time to time;
• if FSM fails to upgrade the skills as required by the FSSAI from time to time; or
• If FSM, after issuance of FSM Certificate to him under this Scheme, takes an employment in any Government Department.
• Any act in violation of these guidelines or otherwise which may lead to a wrong declaration to the Authority by FBO.

Before, cancellation, Food Authority may give an opportunity to FSM to explain his/her position.

Download, Read & Share:

• Order regarding Introduction of online examination for enrolment of Food Safety Mitra (FSM) and online Renewal procedure of FSM certificate
• Brochure-Food Safety Mitra

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