BFDA issues food handlers license after a health interview, training on food safety, and signing an undertaking that the food handler and all those under their supervision avoid themselves from handling food under certain conditions of illness as listed below;

1. Hepatitis A (Jaundice)
2. Diarrhoea
3. Vomiting
4. Fever
5. Sore throat with fever
6. Visibly infected skin lesions (boils, cuts etc.)
7. Discharge for ear, eye, and nose

BFDA conducts the Food Handlers’ Training, free of charge, for all people who supervise and/or handle food or food contact surfaces. The training is conducted for the food handlers working in food processing units, meat shops and street food vendors. The trainings are uniformly provided throughout 20 Dzongkhags based on standard training manuals as below, which are also available for download:

1. Food handlers training manual for processing units
2. Food handlers training manual for street food vendors
3. Food handlers training manual for meat handlers

5. REGISTRATION AND LICENSING SERVICES

BFDA provides following registration and licensing services;

5.1 Food Business Registration and Licensing

A person who intends to operate a food business shall obtain a food safety license to BFDA to operate the food business. A food business that complies with BFDA GHP/GMP Criteria  for Licensing of food business will be issued food safety license. The operator shall apply to BFDA for licensing of food business by filling in the application form. The issuance of the Food Safety License is done in accordance to BA’s Food Safety Licensing Process; a simplified flow is described HERE.

i.5.2 Registration of livestock farms, feed and animal processing unit (slaughter house, meat shops and dairy plants etc)

All livestock farms, feed and animal processing units are required to register with BFDA to operate their business to ensure appropriate biosecurity measures in those farms in ensuring a healthy herd and production of clean and safe food of animal origin. The registration of farms includes carrying out the feasibility of the farms, issuing technical clearance and legally accepting the terms for the operation of farms as per the technical standards and guidelines.

The process for registration of livestock farms, feed and animal processing units is as given below;

ii.5.3 Registration and Licensing of Nurseries

Any individual or entity (ies) who wants to engage in commercial production and sale of seeds are required to register with BFDA for Seed Certification. The Technical Clearance from the concerned Departments (depends on the scope of the seed business)and Business License from the Department of Cottage and Small Industry (DoCSI) are the prerequisites for processing registration with BFDA.

 BFDA will conduct periodic field inspection and monitoring of all the critical operations such as seed sampling, testing, processing, packaging and transportation as per the Minimum Seed Standard of Bhutan 2019. Only the compliant seed stocks will be certified and issued Seed Certificate.

Registration and licensing of nursery operators for seed certification is done as per this“Standard Operating Procedure (link will be provided). A simplified flow is described HERE