What FoSTaC is
FoSTaC trains Food Safety Supervisors in the good hygiene and sanitary practices that Schedule 4 of the Licensing Regulations expects of every food business. FSSAI describes its courses as covering the whole food chain: manufacturing, storage and transport, retail and distribution, and catering.
Training is delivered by FSSAI's training partners. The certificate carries the supervisor's name, the course level and sector, a certificate number and date, and the training partner, and it can be verified at fostac.fssai.gov.in.
Who needs a trained supervisor, and how many
FSSAI's order of 2 November 2017 requires one trained and certified Food Safety Supervisor for every 25 food handlers. The requirement applies at all times. The ratio has to hold on every shift and on the day an officer walks in, not just on the day you applied.
Count everyone who handles food, divide by 25 and round up. That's our reading of how to count: 26 handlers means two supervisors. Our free FoSTaC calculator does the sum.
Course levels
FSSAI's FoSTaC site lists three levels:
| Level | Length | Meant for | Sectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 4 hours | Petty food businesses | Street food vending, catering, manufacturing/storage/transport, retail and distribution |
| Advanced | 8 hours | State and Central licensed businesses | Catering, manufacturing/processing, storage and transport, retail and distribution |
| Special | 8 to 12 hours, over 1 to 2 days | High-risk businesses | Milk, meat, poultry, fish, packaged water and water-based beverages, bakery, edible oil and fat, health supplements and nutraceuticals |
Pick the course for your sector. A catering certificate doesn't cover a manufacturing unit.
Who can attend
FSSAI publishes eligibility for each level. In short:
- Basic is open to food handlers and supervisors in petty businesses (Class 5 education), and to students with 10+2 science intending to enter the food business.
- Advanced and sector-specific courses expect a relevant science or food degree or diploma plus a year's supervisory experience in a licensed business, or final-year food science, nutrition or hospitality students with at least six weeks' industrial training. High-risk sectors ask for specialised qualifications.
Check the current criteria on the FoSTaC site before you nominate someone.
Certificate validity
FoSTaC certificates used to carry an expiry date. FSSAI's office memorandum of 21 July 2022 removed it for a person who stays in the same kind of business. So one training can last a career.
Two cases still need attention. If your supervisor moves to a different sector, the certificate may not fit the new work. And if your trained supervisor leaves, you're short the day they go. Train a second person before the ratio depends on one. Food handlers also need a medical fitness certificate every year (Schedule 4, Part II 10.1.2). Both are on FSSAI's list of documents scrutinised when a manufacturer is inspected.
How to get trained
- Work out how many supervisors you need, and the level and sector for your business.
- Find a scheduled session with an FSSAI training partner through FSSAI's FoSTaC site.
- Attend the course and assessment. The training partner charges the fee, so we don't quote one.
- Keep the certificate on file at the premises, and check it verifies at fostac.fssai.gov.in.
FoodRaksha doesn't issue FoSTaC certificates. We help you work out the ratio and course, and keep the certificates in your compliance file.
What an officer checks
At inspection, the certificate is one of the documents an officer asks to see. From FSSAI's own list, they look at three things: how many food handlers are on site against one per 25, whether the course is the right sector, and whether the certified person still works there. See the inspection checklist and inspection readiness.