Food Safety ReadyIndependent FSSAI readiness self-check

The 47-point FSSAI Catering checklist

These are the items a Food Safety Officer checks in a food service business, in the official order. Items marked ★ are critical (4 marks); the others carry 2 marks. Wording is simplified. See official sources for the original documents.

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Licence

  1. Do you have a valid FSSAI licence (or registration) for this premises, displayed where customers can see it? 2 marks

I. Design & facilities

  1. Is there enough working space, and is the layout easy to clean and maintain so dirt, dust and pests stay out? 2 marks
  2. Are the inside surfaces and fittings (counters, shelves, cladding) made of non-toxic material that does not soak up water? 2 marks
  3. Are walls, ceilings and doors free from flaking paint or plaster, damp/condensation and loose particles? 2 marks
  4. Are floors non-absorbent, non-slippery and sloped so water drains away? 2 marks
  5. Are windows that open to the outside kept closed or fitted with insect-proof screens? 2 marks
  6. Are doors smooth, non-absorbent and protected so pests cannot get in? 2 marks
  7. Is the water used in food, ice and for cleaning food-contact surfaces potable, meeting IS 10500, and tested every six months with reports kept? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  8. Are equipment and containers made of non-toxic, impervious, non-corrosive material that is easy to clean and disinfect? 2 marks
  9. Do you have enough facilities to heat, cool, refrigerate and freeze food, with a way to check temperatures? 2 marks
  10. Is there enough light, and are light fittings covered so broken glass cannot fall into food? 2 marks
  11. Is there adequate ventilation in the premises? 2 marks
  12. Do you have adequate, separate storage for food, packaging materials, cleaning chemicals and staff belongings? 2 marks
  13. Are there enough handwashing stations, toilets and changing areas for staff? 2 marks
  14. Is food tested, either in your own lab or at an accredited laboratory, with records kept? 2 marks

II. Control of operation

  1. Do you buy ingredients only from approved suppliers, against your own specifications, and keep purchase records? 2 marks
  2. Are raw materials checked when they arrive (for spoilage, damage, expiry and temperature) and rejected if unsafe? 2 marks
  3. Are ingredients and products stored at the right temperature, protected from contamination, and used first-in-first-out / first-expiry-first-out? 2 marks
  4. Are all raw materials cleaned thoroughly before food preparation? 2 marks
  5. Are raw and cooked foods, and vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods, kept properly separated? 2 marks
  6. Is all equipment cleaned and sanitised before and after food preparation? 2 marks
  7. Is frozen food thawed safely (in the fridge, microwave or cold running water), and is thawed food never re-stored for later? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  8. Is food cooked to safe core temperatures (veg: 60°C for 10 min or 65°C for 2 min; non-veg: 65°C for 10 min, 70°C for 2 min or 75°C for 15 seconds)? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  9. Is cooked food that will be refrigerated cooled quickly (from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then to 5°C within the next 2 hours)? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  10. Is food portioned hygienically (high-risk food portioned in a cool area or refrigerated within 30 minutes)? 2 marks
  11. Is food held at safe temperatures (hot food at 65°C or above, non-veg at 70°C; cold food at 5°C or below; frozen at -18°C or below)? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  12. Is reheated food brought to a core temperature of 75°C for at least 2 minutes, without indirect methods like adding hot water or using a bain-marie/heat lamp? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  13. Is cooking oil suitable, and do you regularly check used oil (colour, flavour, floating particles) and replace it? 2 marks
  14. If you transport food, are vehicles clean, in good repair, and keep food hot (65°C), cold (5°C) or frozen (-18°C), or is food delivered within 2 hours of preparation? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  15. If food and non-food items travel in the same vehicle, are they kept separate so food is not at risk? 2 marks
  16. Are cutlery, crockery and serving items clean and sanitised? 2 marks
  17. Is all packaging and wrapping that touches food clean and food-grade, with a Certificate of Conformity from a NABL-accredited lab under the FSS (Packaging) Regulations, 2018? ★ Critical · 4 marks

III. Maintenance & sanitation

  1. Are equipment and premises cleaned according to a written cleaning schedule, with no standing water in food areas? 2 marks
  2. Is equipment maintained regularly as per manufacturer instructions, with records kept? 2 marks
  3. Are measuring and monitoring devices (thermometers, weighing scales) checked/calibrated periodically? 2 marks
  4. Do you have a pest control programme carried out by trained, experienced personnel, with records kept? 2 marks
  5. Is the premises free from any signs of pests (live insects, rodents, eggs, larvae, droppings)? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  6. Are drains able to handle the water flow, and fitted with grease and cockroach traps? 2 marks
  7. Is food waste and other rubbish removed regularly from food areas so it does not build up? 2 marks

IV. Personal hygiene

  1. Do food handlers have an annual medical examination and inoculation against enteric diseases (e.g. typhoid) as per the vaccine schedule, with records kept? 2 marks
  2. Do you make sure that no one who is ill, or has open wounds or burns, handles food or food-contact items? 2 marks
  3. Do food handlers keep personal cleanliness and behave hygienically (clean clothes, trimmed nails, waterproof bandages, handwashing, no loose jewellery, no smoking or spitting)? ★ Critical · 4 marks
  4. Do food handlers wear suitable aprons, gloves, head covers etc. wherever needed? 2 marks

V. Training & records keeping

  1. Is your food safety system audited periodically (internal or external audit), with records kept? 2 marks
  2. Do you have an effective way for customers to make complaints, and are complaints followed up? 2 marks
  3. Are food handlers trained to handle food safely, with training records kept? 2 marks
  4. Are the required documents and records available and kept for at least one year (or the product's shelf life, if longer)? ★ Critical · 4 marks

Maximum 116 marks. Item 32 became critical by FSSAI order of 3 April 2025. Not-applicable items are left out of the total (FSSAI order of 2 November 2022).