FSSAI’s Hygiene Rating Scheme is an online, transparent scoring and rating process that certifies food businesses based on their food safety compliance and allows consumers to make informed choices. The Hygiene Rating Scheme is based on the food safety & hygiene requirements as laid down in Schedule 4 of the FSS (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2018. This scheme aims to –
1. Encourage food businesses to improve their hygiene and safety standards.
2. Allow consumers to make informed choices pertaining to food outlets they eat or procure food.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Following food businesses (registration, state license & central license category) can apply for
Hygiene Rating Scheme:
- Food service establishments (such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, dhabas, etc), sweet shops, bakeries, and meat retail stores
- Meat Retail Shop
- Sweet Shop
- Bakery Shops
HOW TO GET HYGIENE RATING CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?
The Food Business Operator applying for Hygiene Rating must comply with the following requirement:
1. Have an active FSSAI License/ Registration, follow schedule 4 requirements and display FSDBs.
2. Appoint FoSTaC trained Food Safety Supervisors.
3. Get food and water samples tested periodically (applicable for licensed FBOs only)
4. Apply to us for Hygiene Rating Audit & get your certificate.
PROCESS OF OBTAINING HYGIENE RATING CERTIFICATE WITH US
1. Connect with us through email/call and schedule an audit to verify compliance wrt Hygiene Rating Scheme.
2. We will assign the sector-specific auditor and share the audit plan with you for approval.
3. Auditor will visit your food premises and conduct an audit to assess compliance with Hygiene Rating Scheme requirements.
4. The auditor will submit the audit report to us (Hygiene Rating Audit Agency)
5. We will then approve the report.
6. Once the report is approved, we will download the certificate and send it to you.
7. You’ll then display the Hygiene Rating Certificate at a prominent location on your premise.
HOW IS THE HYGIENE RATING SCORE CALCULATED & INTERPRETED?
1. Indicated marks for each question marked yes, will be added to arrive at the total score. (In case, any question is not applicable then the total score will be revised to reduce the score of the question)
2. Questions marked with “Asterisk” are critical and impact food safety. Failure to comply with these will lead to non-issuance of ratings.
3. Score achieved is converted to percentage via the formula Score received/Total Scores = Percent Score
4. The percentage obtained is interpreted as per the table below –
HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR HYGIENE RATING?
Any FBO desirous of improving its ratings can do so by taking the following steps:
1. Check the practices not followed as per the above audit checklist and arrive at the issues. Refer to the Schedule 4 of 4 of the FSS (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2018.
2. Take clear, concrete steps to ensure and demonstrate compliance for each of the non-compliance.
3. Redo self-assessment and connect with us for audit.
4. Print the new verified hygiene rating certificate online.