Storage Warehouse
Type of Storage
Storage (Except Controlled Atmosphere and Cold)
Storage is an activity where food products in packed or unpacked condition is stored for further distribution in storage facilities, also called warehouses, godowns etc..
Storage (Cold/ Refrigerated)
Cold/refrigerated storage is an activity where refrigerated/frozen food products in packed or unpacked condition is stored for further distribution in refrigeration/freezing storage facilities.
Storage (Controlled Atmosphere + Cold)
Controlled Atmosphere storage is an activity where food products in packed or unpacked condition is stored for further distribution in controlled atmosphere storage facilities. A controlled atmosphere , generally used for storage of dry commodities & agricultural produce in which the concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, as well as the temperature and humidity of a storage room are regulated.
License Requirements
- Protected from dust, condensation, waste, pest access and harbourage and other sources of contamination
- Should be dry, well ventilated and enable monitoring and control of temperature and humidity in storage areas where specified
- Should be easy to maintain and clean. All materials and products shall be stored off the floor and away from the walls to allow inspection and pest control activities to be carried out
- Adequate facility for potable & non-potable water supply
- Adequate facility for drainage & waste disposal
- Premise has sufficient lighting. Lighting fixtures are covered to protect food from contamination
- An adequate and separate storage facility is in place for food products; chemicals & other hazardous substances; personal items etc
Licensing Condition
- Warehouse/Storage should be of sufficient size
- Building shall provide adequate space with a logical flow of materials, products, and personnel
- Storage area should be enclosed to avoid direct exposure to external environment and to facilitate access control
- Should have a proper space for inward and outward vehicle movement
- The structure shall be free of potential sources of contamination
- Proper signage should be provided for all storage and non-storage-rooms
- Be designed with fire protection capacity to accommodate storage of materials with a greater fire hazard
Food Safety Inspection Checklists for Storage/Warehouse
Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has developed inspection checklist for facilitating Food Safety Officers to efficiently inspect the Food Business Operators FBOs. The inspection checklists are used to identify the level of compliance with each requirement that is set out in the regulation These inspection checklists are based on revised Schedule 4 of Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011 and has been developed for storage & warehouse.
FSMS Guidance document
A series of sector specific Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Guidance Documents have been developed/underdevelopment with the intent to provide implementation guidance to food businesses (especially the small and medium businesses) involved in manufacturing, packing, storage and transportation to ensure that critical food safety related aspects are addressed throughout the supply chain.
These documents are based on Schedule 4 of Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011 and lay down general requirements on good hygienic practices to be followed by Food Business Operators & indicate practical approaches which a business should adopt to ensure food safety. The documents are recommendatory in nature and also provide the basic knowledge and criteria for implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system by the food businesses. Sample HACCP Plans have been taken from some established practising industries. These plans could be used as reference by the industry and modified or altered based on their operations.
Inspection checklists for Food Business Operator to audit their facility & operations are also included in these documents. The FBOs can evaluate themselves based on the indicative scoring. Also, these documents provide important templates and forms to facilitate the FBOs to maintain the records. These include mandatory forms as prescribed by FSSAI & few templates for maintaining records of processes critical for food safety
In this regard, the attached document has been developed as guidance to the food businesses
Based on type of storage and Capacity of Storage, warehouse must obtain FSSAI Registration, FSSAI State License or FSSAI Central License from respective zonal or regional FSSAI office.
To know more about Eligibility Criteria, documentation required, procedure to obtain Fssai License and Licensing Conditions, please Tap ? Symbol and Ask The Expert.
