FSSAI Certification | Food Business Compliance

Food Safety Mitra Scheme: Digital Mitra, Hygiene Mitra & Trainer Mitra

Food Safety Mitra (FSM) is an FSSAI initiative that creates a pool of trained and certified professionals who can assist Food Business Operators (FBOs) with specified licensing, registration, compliance, training and hygiene-related services.

Updated: 5 September 2026

Current status: the Food Safety Mitra portal remains operational. FSSAI continues to maintain Food Safety Mitra registration, online assessment and state-wise listings of certified Mitras.
Legal context: Food Safety Mitras do not replace the Food Business Operator's legal responsibility under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, applicable Rules and Regulations. They provide only the services and assistance permitted under the FSSAI framework.

What is the Food Safety Mitra Scheme?

FSSAI launched the Food Safety Mitra initiative in 2019 to improve ease of doing business and strengthen food-safety compliance. The programme enables qualified individuals to become certified professionals who can assist Food Business Operators with selected regulatory and food-safety functions.

The three principal categories are:

  • Digital Mitra - assists with online licensing, registration and specified compliance filings;
  • Hygiene Mitra - undertakes hygiene-related audit activities within the applicable FSSAI framework; and
  • Trainer Mitra - provides food-safety training under the FoSTaC system, subject to trainer eligibility and certification.

An eligible candidate may qualify for more than one category where all applicable eligibility and certification requirements are satisfied.

Digital Mitra: Eligibility and Role

The current FSSAI Food Safety Mitra portal states that a Digital Mitra applicant should:

  • be between 21 and 60 years of age;
  • possess a bachelor's degree from a recognised university; and
  • have working knowledge of computers, the internet and online systems.

Digital Mitra Services

FSSAI lists permitted Digital Mitra functions such as:

  • filing applications for FSSAI registration or licence;
  • handling online correspondence relating to queries raised by authorities;
  • filing modification applications;
  • filing annual returns or declarations where applicable;
  • filing certain applications relating to products, labels or advertisement claims; and
  • filing prescribed appeals relating to suspended registration or licences.

The Digital Mitra acts as an assisting professional. Legal responsibility for accuracy and compliance remains with the Food Business Operator.

Hygiene Mitra

Hygiene Mitras are food-safety professionals who undertake prescribed hygiene-audit functions after satisfying FSSAI's qualification, training, assessment and experience requirements.

The current FSSAI registration workflow asks Hygiene Mitra applicants to provide details of FoSTaC training and relevant audit experience, including sector-specific audit or observed-audit experience.

The original eligibility framework identified graduates in fields such as Catering Technology, Hotel Management, Food Technology, Dairy, Fisheries, Oil Technology, Biotechnology, Agricultural Sciences, Veterinary Sciences, Biochemistry and Microbiology, together with appropriate food-safety and sector knowledge.

Applicants should rely on the current FSSAI Hygiene Mitra registration portal because documentary and audit-experience requirements may change over time.

Trainer Mitra and FoSTaC

Trainer Mitras are linked to the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme. Candidates must satisfy the applicable FoSTaC trainer eligibility criteria and complete the required training and assessment process.

Trainer eligibility varies according to the training level and sector. Relevant education may include food science, food technology, chemistry, biology, microbiology or related disciplines, while candidates from other academic streams may require substantial industry experience.

FSSAI continues to operate FoSTaC Training of Trainers programmes and publishes current training calendars, procedures and notifications through the FoSTaC portal.

Current Registration Fee, Assessment and Security Deposit

The live Food Safety Mitra portal currently states the following for new FSM registration:

Requirement Current Portal Information
Registration / training and assessment charge ₹500
Online assessment 100 marks
Minimum passing marks 75 marks
Security deposit after passing ₹5,000

The online examination portal states that the assessment consists of 100 questions carrying one mark each, with no negative marking and a passing requirement of 75 marks.

Check before payment: fees, assessment procedure, certification conditions and deposit requirements can be changed by FSSAI. Verify the live FSM portal before making any payment.

Indicative Food Safety Mitra Service Charges

FSSAI's scheme document contains indicative or benchmark service charges for certain Food Safety Mitra services. These are distinct from the registration or certification fee payable by an applicant seeking to become a Food Safety Mitra.

Service Indicative Scheme Charge
Registration application, modification or annual declaration ₹100
Licence application, modification or annual return ₹500
Training Subject to the applicable FSSAI/FoSTaC framework and negotiated/benchmark rates
Hygiene audit Subject to the applicable FSSAI framework and negotiated/benchmark rates

FSSAI or the State Food Authority may specify or revise indicative rates. Users should check the current official portal before engaging a service provider.

How to Apply to Become a Food Safety Mitra

  1. Open the official FSSAI Food Safety Mitra portal.
  2. Review the current eligibility conditions for the category you wish to join.
  3. Complete online registration and upload the required documents.
  4. Pay the prescribed registration/training-assessment charge where applicable.
  5. Complete the training module prescribed by FSSAI.
  6. Take the online assessment and obtain the required passing score.
  7. Complete any category-specific requirements, including FoSTaC or hygiene-audit documentation.
  8. Pay the applicable security deposit after successful assessment where required.
  9. Use the certificate only for the functions permitted by FSSAI.

FoSTaC and Food Safety Training

FoSTaC is FSSAI's Food Safety Training and Certification ecosystem. It provides structured food-safety training for food handlers, supervisors, trainers and other participants in the food sector.

Trainer Mitra certification is connected with FoSTaC requirements. FSSAI continues to issue updated FoSTaC procedures, Training of Trainers schedules, training-partner requirements and sector-specific instructions.

Legal Framework

Food Safety Mitra activities operate within the wider framework of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, and applicable FSSAI Regulations, including the licensing and registration framework for Food Business Operators.

Where licensing, registration, returns or other regulatory filings are involved, the applicable FSSAI/FoSCoS requirements in force on the filing date should be followed.

Key Points to Remember

  • Food Safety Mitra registration is currently available through the FSSAI portal.
  • Digital Mitra eligibility remains age 21-60, bachelor's degree and working computer/internet knowledge.
  • The current portal states a ₹500 registration/training-assessment charge.
  • The online assessment requires 75 out of 100 marks to pass.
  • A ₹5,000 security deposit is currently required after successful assessment.
  • Hygiene Mitra and Trainer Mitra have additional category-specific requirements.
  • Food Business Operators remain legally responsible for compliance even when they use a Food Safety Mitra.