Report

In a proactive effort to uphold food safety in educational institutions in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, the District Food Safety Department conducted surprise inspections at several school canteens across Indore on Monday. Acting on the directives of Collector Asheesh Singh and under the supervision of Additional Collector Gaurav Bainal, officials focused on evaluating hygiene, food quality, and storage practices.

Teams Visit Leading Schools, Collect 34 Food Samples

The department deployed four inspection teams to visit prominent schools. These teams collected a total of 34 food samples for laboratory analysis.

• At Shishukunj International School, Jhalaria, officials collected 10 samples, including ghee, flour, gram flour, five types of spices, and two edible oils.
• At Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar on AB Road, they collected six items such as ghee, vegetables, pulses, rock salt, paneer, and peanut oil.
• The team at Delhi Public School, Nipania, took 11 samples that included paneer, curd, gulab jamun, sauces, ketchup, vinegar, and cooked vegetables.

Inspections Carried Out Under Food Safety Act

The inspections followed the standards outlined in the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. Teams evaluated each school’s overall cleanliness, food handler hygiene, raw material storage practices, pest control measures, and the quality of drinking water provided to students. Officials found minor documentation lapses at a few schools, though they observed that overall hygiene and food preparation practices were largely satisfactory.

Schools Instructed to Improve Food Safety Standards

After the inspections, officials directed school administrations to improve cleanliness in all food preparation and storage areas. They also instructed schools to:

• Test water samples through NABL-accredited laboratories,
• Store perishables at safe temperatures, and
• Conduct regular checks on raw and cooked food items.

The department granted schools 15 days to rectify the issues. Officials plan to carry out follow-up inspections after this period and confirmed that surprise checks will continue to ensure sustained compliance with food safety norms.

Source: Free Press Journal