Food Licences and Certifications in India: What Each Mark on the Pack Really Means
Logos and numbers on a pack come from different authorities and mean different things. Here is who issues each one, what it tells you, and what it does not.
31 October 2026 · 4 min read
Turn over a food pack in India and you may find an FSSAI number, a green-leaf logo, a grading mark, an ISI mark and a line of small print about quantity and price. They look like one big “approved” stamp. They are not. Each comes from a different authority, covers a different thing, and is compulsory in different situations.
This guide sets them side by side so you can tell, at a glance, what a given mark is actually telling you.
The quick comparison
| Licence or mark | Issued or run by | What it means | Is it compulsory? |
|---|---|---|---|
| FSSAI registration or licence | Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), through Central and State food safety authorities | The business is registered or licensed to carry out its approved food activities. | Generally mandatory for food businesses, according to their category. |
| Jaivik Bharat | FSSAI | The official identity logo for compliant organic food under India’s organic food rules. | Required for applicable organic food labels under the regulations. |
| NPOP: India Organic | APEDA, Ministry of Commerce and Industry; certification by accredited certification bodies | Certifies organic production, processing and handling under the National Standards for Organic Production. Especially important for export-oriented organic supply chains. | Required where the NPOP system applies. Not a general licence for every food brand. |
| PGS-India Organic | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, through the PGS-India system | A participatory organic assurance system, relevant to domestic and local organic production. | Applicable to organic claims under the PGS system. |
| AGMARK | Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare | A grading and quality-marking scheme for specified agricultural commodities. It shows conformity with the applicable grade standards. | Depends on the commodity and the applicable rules. Do not assume every food needs it. |
| BIS / ISI Standard Mark | Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Ministry of Consumer Affairs | Shows conformity with a specific Indian Standard under the relevant BIS certification scheme. | Voluntary for many products, but mandatory where a Quality Control Order or other applicable law requires it. |
| Legal Metrology declarations | Department of Consumer Affairs and State Legal Metrology authorities | Rules for the declarations on packaged goods, such as net quantity, MRP and manufacturer, packer or importer details. | Applies to pre-packaged commodities, subject to exemptions and product-specific rules. |
| APEDA registration (RCMC) | Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) | Relevant to exporters of scheduled agricultural and processed food products. It is an export registration, not proof that a product is safer or healthier. | Applies to relevant exporters under the export framework. |
1. FSSAI registration or licence
This is the baseline. A food business must have the registration or licence that fits its category, and the number identifies the business and the activities it is approved for. It is the one most packaged foods should show. You can look it up yourself: see how to check an FSSAI licence number.
2. Jaivik Bharat
Jaivik Bharat is the FSSAI’s identity logo for organic food that complies with India’s organic food regulations. If a pack makes an organic claim and falls under those rules, it is expected to carry the logo. The logo helps you recognise food sold under the organic framework. It is not a statement about taste, nutrition or price.
3. NPOP: India Organic
NPOP stands for the National Programme for Organic Production. Certification is done by accredited certification bodies, with APEDA under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It covers organic production, processing and handling, and it matters most for organic products that are exported. It is required where the NPOP system applies, so it is not something every food brand needs.
4. PGS-India Organic
PGS-India is a participatory guarantee system, run through the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is a different route to organic assurance, and it is particularly relevant to domestic and local organic production. It applies to organic claims made under the PGS system.
5. AGMARK
AGMARK is a grading and quality-marking scheme for specified agricultural commodities, run by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection. It indicates that a product conforms to the applicable grade standards. Whether it applies depends on the commodity, so do not assume every food needs it, or that its absence is a warning sign.
6. BIS / ISI Standard Mark
The BIS mark shows conformity with a specific Indian Standard. For many products it is voluntary, but it becomes mandatory where a Quality Control Order or another applicable law requires it. If you see the mark, it refers to the particular standard named by the scheme, so it is worth reading which one.
7. Legal Metrology declarations
These are the practical details printed on packaged goods: net quantity, MRP, and the manufacturer, packer or importer. They apply to pre-packaged commodities, subject to exemptions and product-specific rules. They help you compare value and know who is responsible for the pack, but they are not a quality mark.
8. APEDA registration (RCMC)
APEDA registration is about exporting. It is relevant to exporters of scheduled agricultural and processed food products. Having it does not mean a product is safer or healthier; it means the exporter is registered under the export framework.
What these marks do not tell you
- That a product is “better”. Most of these marks are about registration, grading, conformity or labelling, not about nutrition or taste.
- That every food needs every mark. Which ones apply depends on the product, the claim and whether it is sold domestically or exported.
- What happened to a particular batch. A licence or mark is not a test report. See what a food lab report can and cannot tell you.
- Whether the claim on the front is checked. For that, read what food claims really mean.
How to use this in the aisle
- Start with the FSSAI number and check it.
- If the pack says “organic”, look for Jaivik Bharat, and ask which route it was certified under (NPOP or PGS-India).
- Treat AGMARK and BIS as “conforms to a named standard”, and find out which one.
- Use the Legal Metrology details to compare quantity and price fairly.
- Remember that export registrations like APEDA’s are not quality marks.
At Root to Bite we try to keep apart three things: what a brand says, what has been checked, and what is still unknown. A mark that you can verify moves one small item from “unknown” to “checked”. Knowing which authority stands behind it tells you how much that item is worth.
Schemes, logos and rules change, and exemptions exist. For the latest official requirements, check the issuing authority’s website below. This guide is a plain-language introduction, not legal advice.
Sources
- FSSAI: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
- APEDA: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority
- PGS-India: Participatory Guarantee System
- DMI: Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (AGMARK)
- BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards
- Department of Consumer Affairs (Legal Metrology)
General information only, not legal advice. No brand sponsored or reviewed this article.
