In India, all food businesses, including restaurants, cloud kitchens, food processing units and catering businesses, need to know about the regulations set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). A compliance component of the regulations is a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Plan.
An FSMS plan is a formatted document outlining how your business will assess, monitor and control food safety issues, not only for obtaining an FSSAI license but to ensure the safety of your customers and maintain trust with your brand.
This blog details what an FSMS plan is, the parts of an FSMS plan, and guides you through the process to prepare an FSMS plan for your food business.
What is an FSMS Plan?
An FSMS Plan is a comprehensive set of written procedures and practices that will assist food businesses in hygiene, reducing the risk of contamination, and meeting food safety legal requirements.
The plan is based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points principles and includes preventive controls, monitoring, corrective action and verification.
In other words, an FSMS plan is a road map for your food safety system, specifically addressing the requirements of your size and type of business.
Why is it Important to Have an FSMS Plan?
- FSSAI License Requirement – Without an FSMS plan, your FSSAI license application can be rejected.
- Food Safety Purpose – FSMS plans diminish biological, chemical and physical hazards in food.
- Compliance with the Law – FSMS plans protect you from fines, cease and desist orders, and legal action undertaken pursuant to the FSSAI Act.
Elements of an FSMS Plan
A standard FSMS plan includes –
1. Business Information
- Food business name
- Address of the establishment
- Type of food activity (manufacturing, catering, retail, etc.)
2. Process Flow Chart
A detailed description of the food handling steps (purchase, store, prepare, package, service).
3. Hazard Identification and Assessment
Potential hazards to consider, like microorganisms, intentional adulteration, improper storage, etc.
4. Critical Control Points
Points at which pass-throughs can be controlled (temperature monitoring, refrigerator/freezer temperatures, cleaning checks).
5. Monitoring Procedures
How often will the reviews and logs be done (temperature logs, cleaning logs, pest logs)?
6. Corrective Actions
What actions are taken if a CCP exceeds (discard food, re-clean the contaminated surface).
7. Verification and Review
Internal audits and timescales for reviews to ensure the FSMS plan is effective.
8. Records and Documentation
Maintain cleaning log, employee hygiene records, pest control, etc.
- Consumer Perception – FSMS plans make a statement to consumers that the food you produce is safe and builds trust in the brand.
- Operational Efficiency – FSMS plans streamline employee processes by standardizing food handling and storage practices.
Steps for Guide to FSMS Planning
Step 1. Know the FSSAI Guidelines
Download FSMS templates from the FSSAI website. The owner and the type of food business determine how the templates differ: vendor, manufacturer, distributor, etc.
Step 2: Create a Process Flow Chart
Sketch out your food handling process from purchasing raw material to final delivery. Example:
- Receiving raw materials -> Storage -> Preparation -> Cooking -> Cooling -> Package -> Dispatch.
Step 3: Identify Hazards
Go through the flow chart you created and identify hazards for risk –
- Microbiological – bacteria, fungi, viruses.
- Chemical – cleaning agent residue, pesticides.
- Physical – hair, metal piece, dirt.
Step 4. Define Critical Control Points (CCP)
Delineate where CCP’s are taking place in your processes. Examples:
- The temperature of storage should be under 5 degrees Celsius.
- Cooking temperature of 75 degrees Celsius or above.
- Equipment cleaned regularly, etc.
Step 5. Develop a Monitoring Process
You need to establish how all of the CCP’s will be checked and recorded: Examples-
- Cold storage temperature will be measured using a thermometer.
- Daily cleaning will use a checklist.
- Pest control will be logged monthly, etc.
Step 6: Define Corrective Actions
At this point, you will need to define the action you will take as a corrective action when something goes wrong. Examples:
- If the freezer reaches above 5 degrees Celsius, then the products will be moved to the backup cold storage in the fridge, and a technician will be called to fix it.
- If a product is contaminated, then the batch will be discarded immediately outside of the establishment.
Step 7: Verification
As food is consumed, continue doing periodic audits on the business’s process to verify that you are following the standard operating procedures. A food safety supervisor could do the audits for compliance.
Step 8. Documentation and Training
- You have to ensure that FSMS records are up to date and accessible for inspection.
- Provide training for staff on hygiene practices and FSMS procedures regularly.
Benefits of Implementing FSMS Plan
- Compliance with FSSAI norms and a path to easier licensing.
- Customer satisfaction and loyalty improves.
- Reduced food waste through preventive controls.
- Improved accountability of employees and training.
- Improved defense if there is a complaint regarding food safety or audit.
Conclusion
An FSMS Plan is not simply a legal exercise; it is the basis for safe food handling. When hazards are identified, control points are identified and records are maintained, compliance with FSSAI can be assured, and safe food is provided to customers.
No matter the size of your business, from a small café to an industrial food processing unit, you benefit from developing a well-designed FSMS plan that can avoid penalties, increase trust, and support success in the food business.
References
https://foscos.fssai.gov.in
