Dehradun: Uttarakhand government has taken a tough stand on incidents of food adulteration with the Food Safety and Drug Administration department issuing a detailed SOP, including penalties ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh for the violators.
Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) department R Rajesh Kumar said in recent times, cases of contamination with waste in beverages and other food items have come to the fore in many areas of the state in violation of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. He said that all food businesses will have to comply with the standards and conditions laid down in the Act.
Recently, two men were arrested in Mussoorrie for allegedly spitting into beverages before serving those to people. Also, in a video, a cook was seen spitting into dough for making rotis.
Kumar said that it is mandatory to follow all the norms related to hygiene and cleanliness in food and beverages and there is also a provision to take action against traders violating the Act.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, there are provisions to ensure strict compliance of food safety and hygiene standards in hotels, restaurants, dhabas, canteens, food vending agencies, food stalls and street food vendors operating in the state in order to ensure availability of hygienic food. Teams are continuously conducting raids across the state and action is being taken against traders found guilty in the investigation, he said.
Health minister Dhan Singh Rawat said with the festival season approaching, public health is the government's top priority. He said that any kind of impurity or antisocial activities will not be tolerated during the festivals.
SOP issued by FSDA:
- Workers will have to compulsorily use face mask/gloves/head gear while preparing or serving food.
- While handling food items, workers should avoid smoking, spitting, scratching nose or other body parts, running hands through hair to prevent bacterial infection.
- Persons suffering from infectious diseases should not be recruited at food manufacturing/storage/distribution sites under any circumstances. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011, there is a provision to provide the list of personnel working in the food establishment along with medical certificate. In such a situation, it will be mandatory for all licencees/registration holders to display the list of all their workers along with their medical certificates at the workplace/establishment.
- Workers are prohibited from spitting or spreading dirt at the workplace. If anyone violates these provisions, then he/she will be penalised with a fine amounting to Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
- No food produced or prepared will be contaminated by faeces, urine, spit or any other substance. Every food businessman will have to paste a readable copy of the licence at a prominent place.
- This apart, every food businessman will keep a separate daily record of production, use of raw material and sale. All food businesses have to obtain licence and get themselves registered. CCTVs will have to be installed at all food establishments, dhabas, hotels, restaurants and eateries.
- In compliance with the letter of National Minority Commission dated December 26, 2022, every meat seller, meat businessman, hotel and restaurant will have to mandatorily state the type of meat product being sold (Halal or Jhatka).
- It is mandatory for all food businesses to comply with all the instructions.
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