Shops selling food products have to get registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and have the necessary licence before December 30. This is aimed at ensuring that safety standards are met.

According to Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the licensing and registering under FSSAI is made compulsory for shops, producers and marketers from next year to regulate distribution, sale and storage of food products and ensuring standards before they reach the consumer.

To create awareness among the people and shopkeepers, the Centre for Consumer Human Resources and Environment Protection (CCHEP), Gudalur, has requested the Chief Minister’s Special Cell, the Food Safety and Standard Commission and the Nilgiris District Collector to conduct special camps in the various parts of district as also the State.

CCHEP general secretary S Sivasubramaniam said the government had now fixed the last date for getting licene or certificate from FSSAI as December 30. From 2018, selling of food products without licence was a punishable offence.

Every food product shop with an annual turnover above Rs 2 lakh would have to get licence and normal ones like petty shops can simply register with the FSSAI through the website www.fssai.gov.in.