Report

The Uttarakhand government has taken a firm stance against food adulteration. The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) issued a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that imposes fines ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh on offenders.

FSDA Commissioner R Rajesh Kumar recently reported a surge in food and beverage contamination cases across the state, violating the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This Act requires all food businesses to adhere to stringent safety and hygiene standards.

Authorities recently arrested two men in Mussoorie for allegedly spitting into beverages before serving them to customers. In another incident, a video showed a cook spitting into dough while preparing rotis.

Kumar emphasized that maintaining hygiene and cleanliness is essential, with significant penalties for violators. He stated that enforcement teams regularly conduct raids across the state to ensure compliance with food safety laws, targeting hotels, restaurants, canteens, food stalls, and street vendors to guarantee safe and clean food.

With the festival season approaching, Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat reiterated the government’s commitment to public health, declaring that any form of impurity or antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated during the celebrations.

FSDA’s SOP 

• Protective Gear: Employees must wear face masks, gloves, and headgear when they handle or serve food.
• Hygiene Practices: To prevent bacterial contamination, workers must avoid smoking, spitting, touching their noses or other body parts, and running their hands through their hair while handling food.
• Health Screenings: Food establishments must not hire individuals with infectious illnesses in areas where they produce, store, or distribute food. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, businesses must provide a list of employees along with their medical certificates and display this information at the workplace.
• Penalties for Violations: Employees must not spit or scatter dirt while on duty. Violators will face fines ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• Food Contamination Prevention: Food vendors must ensure that no food becomes contaminated by feces, urine, saliva, or any other harmful substances during production or preparation. Vendors must display a legible copy of their license in a visible location.
• Record Keeping: Business owners must maintain a daily log of production, raw material usage, and sales. Every food establishment must acquire a license and complete the registration process.
• CCTV Installation: All food establishments, including dhabas, hotels, restaurants, and eateries, must install CCTV cameras.
• Additionally, as per a directive from the National Minority Commission dated December 26, 2022, all meat vendors, traders, hotels, and restaurants must specify whether they sell Halal or Jhatka meat products.

All food businesses must strictly adhere to these guidelines to ensure public safety and compliance with food safety regulations.

Source: ETV Bharath