FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

on
FOOD PRODUCT APPROVAL SYSTEM (FPAS)
1. I have applied for Approval of a product in the physical (offline) format. Can I now
apply for Approval online for the same product?
Answer: Applications that were submitted off line (i.e. in physical form) shall be processed
offline only. There is no provision for the applicant to re submit the manually submitted
application in online system
2. I have submitted application for Product Approval off line i.e. in physical format. Can
I track applications that were submitted off line?
Answer: No, only applications that were submitted online on FPAS can be tracked for status in
the FPAS
3. Can I apply for Product Approval of GM Food on online FPAS?
Answer: No, currently GM foods are not covered under Food Product Approval Procedure.
4. Can I fill the application in multiple sessions or should I complete the application and
make payment in a single session?
Answer: The system shall allow the applicant to fill the online Product Approval application in
multiple sessions. After every session you can save your application and retrieve the same from
the Drafts tab next time for editing.
5. I am filling my application in multiple sessions? How long will the system allow the
Draft application to be available for editing and submission before payment?
Answer: The application will be available for editing and submission in the individual FBO
account for 15 days from the date of initiation of the application without payment of application
fee. If the user fails to submit the application (i.e. pay fee) within 15 days, the application is
removed from the draft application tab and the applicant should start afresh with a new
application.
6. What is the current Session expiry time in FPAS?
Answer: 30 Minutes
7. What is the document size limit for uploading in FPAS?
Answer: 20 MB

8. I have filled the eligibility criteria in the Product Approval application. The system
gave me a response that Product Approval is not required. Can I get a certificate
that my product does not require Product Approval?
Answer: The FPAS shall generate the message Product Approval is not required based on
the responses provided by the applicant to the questions in the Eligibility screen. The system
shall generate such a response only when the applicant confirms that the product conforms to
the standards specified in FSSR, 2011 without any deviation. In such cases, no separate
certificate is required since the product is complying to the FSSR standards. However, the
applicant has to be careful that he submits the correct and authentic information in the
eligibility screen.
9. I am unable to find an exact FSSR code/ IFC code under which the Product falls. FSSR
Code and IFC Code being mandatory in the PA application what should I do?
Answer: Any applicant should select the FSSR/ IFC of their respective product from the auto
complete drop down menu in the eligibility screen. However, if the product doesnt fall under
an FSSR/ IFC code the applicant should select the nearest FSSR/ IFC code and provide the
deviating parameters & details in the text box provided.
Example: For XXXXX Energy Drink there is no exact FSSR code. However, the user can select
FSSR code of Carbonated Water and provide the deviating parameter i.e. caffeine content in the
product is more than the prescribed level.
10. Why am I being asked to fill in the serving size for various age groups? What is
Elemental / inherent nutrient Quantity?
Answer: In case of nutrients for which RDA limits are defined by ICMR, the quantity of the
elemental form of the nutrient should be provided. This is applicable for all sources of Vitamins,
Minerals and Amino Acids. This information along with serving size shall help determine
compliance to the RDA limits (<=1 RDA only including overages) prescribed for the age group.
For eg: if Calcium carbonate is added as an ingredient or additive to the product, it also contains
elemental Calcium as nutrient that shall be available upon consumption. The quantity of
elemental Calcium should be provided for validating against the RDA values.
11. What is 1a and 1b category?
Answer: Please refer to the Guidelines to be followed for Product Approval Procedures dtd. 11th
May 2013 at www.fssai.gov.in
12. I am applying for Product approval of a nutraceutical. Does it fall under 1a or 1b
category?
Answer: If a product is a nutraceutical or it contains vitamins and minerals it falls under 1b
category and the system shall ask for additional details that need to be mandatorily provided.

13. What is 1d category in FPAS? How does the classification as 1d impact a PA

application?
Answer: There is no separate 1d category in FPAS. 1d indicates only the treatment of PA
applications for products that have already been granted Product Approval by the PA division
earlier for same product to a different applicant. For the sake of clarity, same product means the
products shall have the same composition along with the quantities. If the applicant is aware of
PA already issued to any other FBO for the product he is applying for Approval, he may quote
the specific PA number in comments section at the end of the online Application form.
Alternatively, if the Applicant does not mention, the same shall be checked for during scrutiny
to ascertain if PA was issued for same product earlier. All such applications shall be subject to
faster scrutiny, since the safety of the product and its composition has already been established.
14. How many products are allowed in one Product Approval application?
Answer: An applicant can apply any number of products in one application, provided the
composition of the product (i.e. ingredients & additives and their quantities) remains the same
across all products with a difference in colors and/or flavors only between the products being
allowed. Please note that the quantity of colors and flavors should also remain the same across
products. For eg: An ice cream product has two variants say vanilla flavor and strawberry
flavor.
The composition of Vanilla flavor variant with Ingredients as milk solids 40 grams, milk fat 20
grams, milk protein 7 grams, sugar 10 grams, water 20 gms totaling to 97 grams.
Additives as carrageenan 0.7 grams, Pectin 0.9 grams, Guar gum 0.9 grams, Caramel 0.29 grams,
Natural color 0.1 grams, Vanilla flavor 0.2 grams
The composition of straw berry flavor variant should also be the same as above except that
natural color and straw berry flavor together should be 0.3 grams (individual quantities of
straw berry flavor and natural color may vary but total of these together should be exactly
equal to the total of the flavor and color quantities in the other variant).
It has been observed that in case of flavors and colors the applicants are misusing the multiple
products in a single application option and filling up details of ingredients/additives other than
flavors and/or colors to submit different products in a single application. Please note FSSAI
shall construe these applications as willful misrepresentation and close the applications
without further scrutiny.
15. What are the mandatory documents to apply for Product Approval?
Answer: The following are the documents that are to be mandatory submitted with PA
application

Affidavit in prescribed format

Prototype/ Actual Label Attachment (In case of Imported foods actual label in the
country of manufacture should be mandatorily attached)
Accelerated/ Real Time Stability Sheet
Certificate of Analysis
End Use Declaration
Method of Manufacturing
Agreement with manufacturer if the applicant is not the manufacturer*
Supporting Document for any Claim
In case of Imported food, IEC number, BoE number and Customs Invoice Number

All documents have to be scanned and uploaded in the relevant section of the online
Application
*If the applicant is not the manufacturer, and if there are multiple parties involved between
the applicant and the manufacturer, the applicant shall submit all relevant agreements that
establish the relationship between the applicant and the manufacturer. This may include any
agreements between the parties involved between the applicant and the manufacturer
However, if required PA Department shall ask for more documents on the product and there is a
document section available in the application where the user can provide additional documents
along with the mandatory documents
16. I have filled in all details in the Product Approval Application. I would like to check
the details by printing on paper before submission of application and payment of fee.
Does the system provide me with a printable copy of application?
Answer: Every applicant before proceeding to payment can verify the details of the application
to be submitted in a printable summary PDF document. It is advised that the applicant examine
and confirm all details in the PDF document are the same as intended. After payment, there is
no provision for editing or modifying the application by the applicant.
17. What is the application fee for Product Approval?
Answer: 25000 INR for one Application. Each application shall not contain more than one
product except for the provision of variants of similar products that vary in colors or flavors
only as elaborated in the next question.
18. I have applied for Approval of a product on the FPAS. However, by mistake I have
applied for the same product again and paid the fee again on FPAS. Would I get a
refund of one of the applications since both applications have the same product?
Answer: The applicant shall thoroughly check the application with the help of the printable
summary .pdf document generated before payment. The applicant is expected to not submit
multiple applications (i.e. multiple application reference numbers) with the same product.
Currently there is no policy of refund for such cases. Nevertheless in cases where there is
duplicate payment against a single application reference number, a validation has been

provided to check the success of the transaction. It is advised that in cases where the
transaction status is not updated after payment, the applicant shall validate using the provision
for validation in the FPAS before proceeding for payment again.
19. How do I view the status of my submitted applications?
Answer: After successful submission of application, the applicant can find the application under
submitted application tab of FBO dash board along with the current status. However, when the
submitted application is scrutinized by the PA division and sent back to the applicant for any
clarification or missing information, such applications shall be available under pending
applications tab and the applicant should update the application as per the remarks given by
the authority and submit the same for further scrutiny.
20. I have been informed that my application for Product Approval has been referred to
Scientific Panel and that I have to submit additional documents. Can I submit these
documents online?
Answer: As of now, the Scientific Panel requires physical copies of the application and
supporting documents for evaluation. The applicant has to submit all the documents as per the
communication sent by the PA division in this regards. Please note that the additional
documents also include an application form specific to the Scientific Panel to which it is referred
to. Please visit FSSAI.gov.in for the exact format of such applications specific to each Scientific
Panel. In case of referral to multiple Scientific Panels, the applicant should submit the
applications and supporting documents separately for each scientific panel.
21. Can I apply for Approval of ingredients?
Answer: Currently the FSSR, 2011 defines standards based on the Product & its composition.
Hence Approval for Product along with its ingredients and additives is being followed. In case of
a manufacturer of ingredients seeking approval for the ingredients, the applicant has to identify
the list of products in which the ingredient is used and apply PA/ NOC for that product.
However, in view of the various representations from the industry, a process for ingredient
approval is being worked out by the PA division of FSSAI to be included in the online FPAS.