TBS and TMDA Food Registration in Tanzania: Who Does What (2026)

Search for "TBS TMDA food registration Tanzania" and you will find old guidance that sends food businesses to the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), now renamed the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA). That advice is out of date for food. This guide explains who regulates food in Tanzania today, how the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) quality mark process works for manufacturers, and how to prepare, whether you process in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma or a regional town.

Everything below comes from the TMDA and TBS websites, read in October 2026. Fees, forms and timelines change, so confirm each step directly with TBS before you apply. We have not quoted any fee that an official page did not show.

Who regulates food in Tanzania: TMDA or TBS?

TMDA published an announcement on shifting the functions for regulating food and cosmetics. It says regulation of food and cosmetics moved from the then Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority to TBS, following an amendment to the Tanzania Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act (Cap 219) through the Finance Act of 2019. The change took effect on 1 July 2019, and the notice was posted on 17 July 2019. TMDA kept regulation of medicines, medical devices and diagnostics, and it handed over its food and cosmetics regulatory functions to TBS, including pending applications and permits. The notice asks food and cosmetic dealers to communicate with TBS for guidance.

The notice is from 2019 and does not say whether the arrangement has changed since. The TMDA premises registration page we read in October 2026 covers medical devices, not food. TBS's website, for its part, lists product and premises registration under quality control. If you are unsure which agency covers a specific product, such as a fortified food or a product with health claims, ask both.

What TBS says it now handles

According to the 2019 notice, the functions that moved to TBS include:

Processing registration applications for food and cosmetics, whether made in Tanzania or abroad.
Inspecting premises involved in making, storing, distributing and selling these products.
Registering premises that make, slaughter, wholesale or retail food and cosmetics.
Issuing import and export permits, including inspecting goods at ports of entry.
Regulating how food and cosmetics are promoted and advertised.
Monitoring foodborne diseases, collecting market samples and testing products in laboratories.

TBS's registered products page links a list of registered food products, a registered fee page and menu entries for product and premises registration. The page itself does not describe requirements or give fee amounts, so ask TBS for the current checklist and charges. TBS's inspection page adds that its work includes pre-licence and pre-registration inspection of products and premises and market surveillance, and that enforcement can include cancelling or suspending licences, stopping the sale of non-compliant products and issuing warning letters.

The TBS quality mark: how certification works

Registration and certification are separate things, and the TBS quality mark is the one many buyers ask about. TBS's product certification page describes a standard mark licence and a tested product certificate. As described there, the process runs in these stages:

Application. You apply electronically through the i-SQMT system, using the e-service button on the TBS website or the TBS portal. Your factory must be in production on the day of the preliminary inspection.
Preliminary inspection. TBS inspectors take samples and write a report on the factory's condition and anything to correct.
Testing. TBS laboratories test the samples against the relevant standard, and a report goes to you.
Licence decision. The decision depends on the factory inspection report and the laboratory report. If there are problems, you correct them and an inspector returns with new samples.
Validity and renewal. The licence or certificate is valid for one year, and you apply for an extension each year. Holders are also inspected once a year if they were not inspected during that period.

The page gives no standard fee amounts or processing times. It does say that government sets aside funds each year to help micro, small and medium enterprises with certification, and that some qualifying businesses pay no fees. To qualify, the page says you need an introduction letter from your nearest SIDO office explaining your business activity. Ask SIDO and TBS what is available now.

How to prepare your factory

The TBS process rewards a clean, consistent operation. A practical preparation list:

Identify the standard. Ask TBS which Tanzania standard covers your product, and obtain it.
Be in production. TBS needs to see the factory working, so schedule the application for a production day.
Layout and hygiene. Separate raw and finished goods, protect from pests, keep floors, benches and containers clean.
Written process. A short flow from receiving to dispatch, with who checks what.
Records. Batch codes, suppliers, test results, complaints.
Labels. Product name, ingredients, weight, manufacturer's details and dates, written clearly. See our guide to packaging, labelling and shelf life.

Many small processors are in agriculture, livestock and fisheries. TBS said at a regional agricultural exhibition that it was providing guidance on registration of food and cosmetics premises, product registration and certification applications, and that the Quality Mark can improve acceptance among consumers and buyers. A processor of pilau spices told TBS that lack of certification had sometimes limited market opportunities because some customers hesitated to buy uncertified products. Those are their accounts, not promises of outcome, but they show why buyers ask.

Selling beyond Tanzania

If you plan to sell into Kenya, Uganda or elsewhere, buyers will ask for the standards of the destination as well. Compare the systems in our guide to product standards and certification in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana, and see the Uganda side in our article on UNBS certification.

Frequently asked questions

Does TMDA still register food in Tanzania? According to TMDA's own 2019 notice, no. Food and cosmetics regulation moved to TBS on 1 July 2019, and TMDA kept medicines, medical devices and diagnostics. Confirm with TBS for your product.

What is the i-SQMT system? It is the electronic system TBS names for submitting certification applications.

How long does a TBS licence last? TBS says the licence or certificate is valid for one year and must be extended each year.

Is there help with fees for small businesses? TBS says government funds help MSMEs with certification and some qualifying businesses pay no fees, with a SIDO introduction letter. Ask for current terms.

Do I need TBS papers to apply on Comilmart? The application asks for your company registration number, tax number, business licence and registration certificate. Choose the category that fits your products and keep your TBS papers ready for buyers who ask.

Next step

When your registration and quality mark are in order, show buyers who you are. Apply as a supplier at /apply-manufacturer. It is free, the form asks for at least two sample product images and at least one B2B category, and admin review is stated as taking about 24 to 48 hours. Buyers post requests at /request-quotation, and approved suppliers can respond from their RFQ board. For questions on payment options, ask through live chat or contact us. The seller arranges and pays for shipping and delivery, so plan transport and export papers with TBS and the relevant agencies.