Question 1

Who must file the FSSAI annual return and what is the due date?

Accepted Answer

All Food Business Operators (FBOs) with a State or Central FSSAI licence who manufacture or import food products must file Form D-1 (annual return) for each financial year. Due date: 31 May of the following financial year. Example: FY 2025-26 return is due by 31 May 2026. Basic Registration holders are exempt from the annual return requirement.

Question 2

What information is reported in Form D-1?

Accepted Answer

Form D-1 covers: quantitative production data for each food category (in metric tonnes), product-wise; import/export quantities; raw material consumption; waste generated and disposal method; quality control and testing data (number of internal tests, lab used). The return is filed on the FSSAI FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System) portal. Incomplete returns are treated as non-filed.

Question 3

What is a half-yearly return and who must file it?

Accepted Answer

In addition to Form D-1 (annual), FBOs who deal in dairy products must file Form D-2 (half-yearly return) — on the FoSCoS portal — within 1 month of the close of each half-year (H1: April–September, due by 31 October; H2: October–March, due by 30 April). Form D-2 requires milk procurement, processing, and product sales data by category and state.

Question 4

What are the consequences of not filing the FSSAI annual return?

Accepted Answer

Non-filing of the annual return is an offence under the FSS Act 2006. FSSAI can issue a show cause notice; persistent non-filing can result in licence suspension or cancellation under Regulation 2.1.13 of FSS (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 2011. A clean compliance record (including annual returns) is required at the time of licence renewal — non-filing creates a hold on renewal.

Question 5

How does the food recall procedure work under FSSAI?

Accepted Answer

FSS (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations 2017: an FBO must initiate a recall if a product is found unsafe, misbranded, or non-compliant. Step 1: inform designated officer within 24 hours; Step 2: issue public notification (if distributed widely); Step 3: retrieve and quarantine the product; Step 4: file recall action report within 10 days; Step 5: FSSAI verification visit. Failure to initiate recall when required: penalty under Section 55 FSS Act — fine up to ₹2 lakh.

Fssai Annual Return

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