How to Check a Supplement Brand's FSSAI Licence in 5 Minutes (And What the 14 Digits Mean)
Protein powders and nutrition shakes are food, not medicine, so in India they sit under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Every pack legally sold here carries a 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number, usually near the green vegetarian mark or the manufacturer's address.
That number is the most useful thing on the pack, because it is checkable. In five minutes, from your phone, you can confirm a real licensed business stands behind the tub, see what licence it holds and whether it is valid, and find the registered address. Counterfeit and grey-market supplements are a real problem on Indian marketplaces, and this check filters out many of them.
Here is where to look, what the digits mean, how to verify the number, and the red flags to watch for on imported stock and marketplace listings.
- Every supplement legally sold in India must display a 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number.
- The first digit tells you whether it is a state registration, a state licence or a central licence.
- Verify the number on the FSSAI website or the Food Safety Connect app, then check that the name matches the brand.
- Imported tubs need an importer's details and an Indian-language-compliant sticker label, not just a foreign one.
- A missing or mismatched licence number is enough reason on its own to not buy.
Butter Coffee — All-in-One Nutrition Shake
23–25 g complete plant protein, 60+ superfoods, 26 vitamins & minerals, probiotics & digestive enzymes — in one 90-second shake.
Where the licence number sits on the pack
On a compliant pack the FSSAI logo appears with the 14-digit number printed beneath or beside it, on the back or side panel with the manufacturer or marketer name and address, the batch number, the manufacture and expiry dates and the net weight.
Two details matter. A logo without a number means nothing — the logo is easy to copy, the number is what you verify. And read whose licence it is: a pack may say 'manufactured by' one company and 'marketed by' another, and both should be traceable. If a seller cannot produce the number, that is your answer.
What the 14 digits actually tell you
The number is not random: it encodes the licence type, the state and the year, so a quick read of the first few digits is informative even before you verify it online.
| Part of the number | What it encodes | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| 1st digit | Tier: 1 = central licence, 2 = state licence, 3 = basic registration | A manufacturer or importer should hold a central or state licence, not a basic registration |
| 2nd–3rd digits | Year the licence was issued | A very new number on a brand claiming decades of history deserves a question |
| 4th–5th digits | State code of the issuing authority | Should match the address on the pack |
| 9th–14th digits | Unique premises or business number | Makes the licence specific to one facility |
The five-minute verification, step by step
The check is short. Do it before a first order from an unfamiliar brand, and again if a pack's printing, seal or scoop ever looks different from your last one.
- Copy the 14-digit number from the pack or listing images exactly, with no spaces.
- Open the FSSAI website's licence or registration search, or the official Food Safety Connect app, and enter the number.
- Check the business name that comes back against the manufacturer or marketer printed on the pack.
- Check the licence status and validity date — an expired or suspended licence is a stop sign.
- Check the address and licence category against what the pack claims about where it is made.
- If anything does not match, raise it with the seller in writing before you order.
Why the licence category matters
India has specific rules for health supplements, nutraceuticals and foods for special dietary use. A licensed business's record lists the categories it may handle, and a brand selling protein powder should be authorised for the supplement or nutraceutical category, not only for repacking groceries.
The category carries obligations: permitted ingredients, limits for added vitamins and minerals, labelling requirements and restrictions on claims. A brand operating outside its licensed category is not just a paperwork issue — the rules written for supplements may not have been applied to the thing you are about to drink.
Alongside the licence, look for voluntary signals: testing by an independent laboratory, ideally accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, known as NABL, and a willingness to share a report for your batch. The licence is the floor, not the ceiling.
Imported tubs and marketplace listings: the specific red flags
Most counterfeit and grey-market supply arrives through two routes: stock brought in outside the formal import channel, and third-party marketplace sellers. Both have recognisable warning signs.
| Red flag | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No FSSAI number anywhere on pack or listing | Not brought in through a compliant channel | Do not buy |
| Foreign label only, no Indian sticker with importer details | Grey-market import | Ask for the importer's FSSAI number in writing |
| Price far below every other seller | Counterfeit, near-expiry or diverted stock | Treat the discount as the warning |
| Expiry or batch code smudged or missing | Relabelled or repacked stock | Refuse delivery, report the listing |
| Seller has no name, address or contact | No one accountable for the product | Buy from the brand's site or an authorised seller |
| Pack promises it treats a condition | Claims not permitted for a food supplement | Walk away |
A short buying checklist you can reuse
Put the licence check together with the label checks and you have a routine for any tub, Indian or imported, whey or plant.
- 14-digit FSSAI number present, verified online, and matching the name on the pack.
- Indian manufacturer or importer name, full address and a working phone or email.
- Nutrition panel per 100 g as well as per serving, with the scoop weight stated.
- Independent, ideally NABL-accredited, testing with batch reports available on request.
- Batch number, manufacture date and expiry clearly printed, not smudged or overprinted.
The part a licence cannot tell you
A verified licence tells you the business is real and regulated. It does not tell you the product suits you, or that you need it. The ICMR-NIN dietary guidelines put most adults at roughly 0.8 to 1 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, and dal, curd, paneer, eggs, chana, soya and millets do most of that work.
Work out your gap before you shop. Our free diet plan builder shows what your week delivers against a target, and the workout plan tool lays out training that fits your schedule. If a shake genuinely fills a gap, use this checklist and the category comparison in our guide to the best protein powder in India.
Where KABO fits in
KABO, an all-in-one plant-based nutrition drink is sold from our own site in India, so the things this article asks you to check are things we expect you to check on us too. The pack carries the FSSAI licence number with the manufacturer and marketer details, the batch number and the expiry date, and the nutrition panel gives values per serving and per 100 g.
One serving provides 23 to 25 g of plant protein from pea and brown rice, about 198 kcal, 4 g fibre, 26 vitamins and minerals, 60+ superfoods, 8 billion probiotics, 5 digestive enzymes and omega-3 from flax. It is dairy-free, comes in a Butter Coffee flavour, and is sweetened with stevia plus about 5 g of organic cane sugar per serving. Batches go through independent, NABL-accredited laboratories, and we will share a report for your batch if you write to us. If caffeine content matters to you, check the pack.
Where it is not the answer: if your meals already cover your protein, a shake is an expense rather than an upgrade, and it does not replace proper lunch and dinner. First orders carry a 7-day money-back window and delivery usually takes 3 to 4 business days.
Butter Coffee — All-in-One Nutrition Shake
23–25 g complete plant protein, 60+ superfoods, 26 vitamins & minerals, probiotics & digestive enzymes — in one 90-second shake.
Read next: best protein powder in India · Build a free diet plan · Free workout plan · Amino spiking: four label checks · Taking too many supplements? · How to store protein powder properly
Frequently asked questions
Do protein powders in India legally need an FSSAI number?
Yes. They are regulated as food, so any pack legally sold in India must display the 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number of the business responsible for it.
How do I verify an FSSAI licence number?
Enter the 14 digits in the licence search on the FSSAI website or the official Food Safety Connect app, then check the business name, status, validity and address against the pack.
What does the first digit mean?
The tier: 1 is a central licence, 2 a state licence, 3 a basic registration. A manufacturer, importer or large marketer should hold a central or state licence.
Is an imported powder without an Indian sticker label safe to buy?
It has not come through the compliant import route, so no identifiable Indian importer and no verified licence stands behind it — a reason to avoid it however well known the foreign brand is.
Sources: FSSAI — Food Safety and Standards Authority of India · ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024) · WHO — Healthy diet fact sheet · NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know · NHS — Vitamins and minerals
This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, managing a medical condition or taking medication, speak to your doctor before changing your diet or starting a supplement.