In any food business, quality, along with hygiene and safety, is not optional. For the meat industry, understanding and abiding by the FSSAI regulations is non-negotiable. In this blog by Lawfinity, you’ll find everything you need to know about FSSAI for meat processing, from legalities to best practices on a day-to-day basis.

Why FSSAI Compliance Matters for Meat Processing

In order to protect the people by ensuring quality and safety standards of nutrition, the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has put minimum quality standards which covers the entire food supply chain from safe manufacturing to distribution, and the even the importation of food products.

Health Hazards: Unhygienic practices may result in microbiological, chemical, or physical contamination of food products and lead to foodborne illnesses.
Legal Penalties: Operating without proper FSSAI License or Registration is illegal and can lead to legal actions like fines or even the closure of your business.
Loss of Consumer Trust: The FSSAI logo is a symbol of quality and safety. Not following FSSAI norms will hurt your brand reputation and consumer trust.

FSSAI Registration vs. License for Meat Processing

$C:\Users\lenovo\Desktop\1 october 2025\WHAT IS MD-5 LICENSE HOW TO GET MD-5 LICENSE IN INDIA.jpg$

FSSAI Registration: This is for small-scale food business operators. If your annual turnover is below ₹12 lakhs, you can apply for basic FSSAI registration. This also applies to businesses that slaughter small animals like 10, or 2 large animals, or 50 poultry birds or less per day.

FSSAI License: This is for medium and large-scale businesses.

State FSSAI License: Required for businesses with an annual turnover ranging between ₹12 lakhs to ₹20 crores.
Central FSSAI License: It is compulsory for businesses, importers, those operating in central government premises like railway, airports with annual turnover of more than ₹20 crores.

Eligibility and Documentation for Meat Processing Facilities

• Completed and signed Form-B.

• Processing unit’s blueprint or layout (required for manufacturers)

• List of all directors, partners or proprietors along with their contact details.

• Particulars of all equipment and machinery with their installation capacity.

• Authorized person’s Photo ID along with address proof.

• Rent agreement or proof of premises (electricity bill).

• Self-declaration of proprietorship or partnership deed.

• A plan or certificate for Food Safety Management System (FSMS).

• Raw material sources for meat and meat processing plants.

• Local body or municipality's NOC.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for FSSAI Registration or License

Determine Eligibility: Check whether you have requirement for a basic registration, state or central license based on the turnover and size of your business.
Gather Documents: Based on the license type, identify and prepare the required documents.
Online Application: Create an account on the FSSAI’s Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) Portal.
Fill Application Form: Applicant need to complete Form A (registration) or Form B (license) and provide all relevant information.
Upload Documents: Applicant need to attach the digital copies of his documents.
Pay Fee: Applicant need to pay the applicable registration or license fee online.
Submission and Follow-up: The applicants need to submit the documents with the form. The authorities check the documents provided. If everything is correct, you will receive the license from the FSSAI.

Product and Process Standards: Processing, Packaging, and Labeling

Processing Standards: Slaughtering should be conducted in a clean and hygienic section of the slaughter houses having proper isolation of areas for conducting various operations. The center temperature of cooled bodies chilled carcasses must be ≤7∘C, and frozen meat should be stored at −18∘C or below. FSSAI has also specified "Tolerance Limits" for antibiotics and other veterinary drugs in meat products as provided under Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, toxins, Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2018.
Packaging: Packaging materials must be food-grade and nontoxic to protect the product from pollutants and physical damages.
Labeling: All packaged meat foods will need to bear visible and legible labels with essential information which include the name of food, list of ingredients, nutritional information, FSSAI license number and a declaration of veg or non-vegetarian status. Certain phrases such as “must be cooked,” “previously frozen” have to be stated, where relevant.

Fees, Validity, and Renewal Timelines

A meat processing license FSSAI is valid for the period of one to five years as per the food business operator's preference.

Fees: Fees depend on the type of license.
- Registration: ₹100 per year.
State License: Ranges from ₹2000 to ₹5000 on a yearly basis depending on the business specification and the production capacity.
- Central License: Standing fee of ₹7,500 annually.
Renewal: A renewal application should be made at least 30 days prior to the license termination date. Any application made during this period, but prior to the termination date will be charged a daily payment of ₹100. An expired license means a fresh application with ceased business operations.

Common Violations in Meat Processing and How to Avoid Them

Temperature Abuse: Failing to store meat at the right temperatures is a major reason for spoilage and growth of microorganisms. How to avoid: Having a robust temperature control mechanism in the storage as well as the processing areas.
Cross-Contamination: This happens through lack of personal hygiene, contaminated equipment, and improper storage of raw and cooked meat. How to avoid: Enforce separation of equipment and storage for raw and cooked products, enforce handwashing obligatory, and ensure and maintain work surfaces cleanliness.
Inaccurate Labeling: Missing and incorrect information on product labels is a common violation. How to avoid: All product labels must adhere to FSSAI's Packaging and Labelling Regulations and include the mandatory declarations.

Audits, Inspections, and How to Prepare

FSSAI commits to ensuring its rules and regulations are properly followed and therefore conducts regular audits and inspections. These audits can either be carried out by FSSAI personnel or third-party auditing firms recognized with FSSAI.

How to Prepare:

Maintain Records: Keep all documents related to raw material procurement, processing, storage temperatures, laboratory test results, and pest control for a minimum of one year or the shelf life of the product, whichever is longer.
Train Staff: Train all staff adequately on food hygiene, sanitation, and their role in food safety. A minimum of one certified food safety supervisor (FoSTaC) must be present for every 25 food handlers.
Conduct Self-Audits: Conduct frequent internal inspections to correct deficiencies prior to an official inspection.

Compliance Checklists and Best Practices

Facility: Your plant should be situated away from polluting industries. The floors, walls, and ceilings should be clean and repaired
Hygiene: Employees should be clean and wearing protective gear, head cover, and gloves and wash their hands using soap and sanitizer.
Water: Water supply should be potable and tested regularly by a NABL-accredited lab.
Storage: Fresh meat should be between 0 and 7 degrees Celsius and the Frozen meat at or below -18 degrees Celsius. Also, raw and cooked meat in should be kept in separate containers.
Pest Control: You need to have documented proof that you have documented pest control program in place with bait stations and glue traps.