Brief Overview:

To strengthen the food safety surveillance system in the country, FSSAI has taken up audits of food business operators through third party audit agencies. IRCLASS is one of the empanelled audit agency by FSSAI in accordance with Food Safety and Standard (Food Safety Auditing) Regulation, 2017.

The provisionally recognised auditing agencies will only be engaged by FSSAI to audit some food businesses as decided by the FSSAI from time to time.

Once the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Safety Auditing) Regulations, 2017 is vetted and finally notified, the food authority shall from time to time specify the category of food businesses which shall be liable for mandatory audits and the food business operators which are not mandatorily subject to food safety auditing but are desirous of getting audited by the recognised auditing agency, can opt for the same as laid down in section 8(2) of the regulation. Also, the audits conducted by the provisionally recognized auditing agencies would be deemed to be conducted under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Safety Auditing) Regulations, 2017.

As per latest directives of FSSAI dated 13th Aug 2019 vide File No. 19(2)2018/FSARCD/FSSAI, it has been mandated for all FBO holding Central License under High Risk Category of Food Safety and Standards Regulations 2018 to conduct the Food Safety Audit.