Report

The Food Safety and Drug Administration, Uttar Pradesh has empowered customers to directly report food safety concerns through an upgraded feature in the Food Safety Connect app. This new feature allows users to submit feedback and lodge complaints about food safety violations straight from their smartphones.

App Gets a Grievance Redressal Upgrade

Originally launched in October 2021 for food business operators (FBOS) to register their establishments, the app now includes a complaint-handling system. The app automatically filters and routes complaints to the appropriate officials and ensures state-level monitoring for timely follow-ups. “We’ve added a system to handle consumer complaints directly through the app, which we didn’t have earlier,” said Arvind Kumar Yadav, Assistant Commissioner (Food), Ghaziabad.

Restaurants Must Display Feedback Info

As part of the initiative, food outlets—including restaurants and sweet shops—must now display feedback posters at prominent spots within their establishments. These posters will include the name, address, email ID, mobile number, and FSSAI licence or registration number of the business. Customers can use these details to report food safety issues via the app or by calling the toll-free helpline 1800-180-5533.

App for Safety, Not for Reviews

“This app isn’t for rating food taste or service quality,” clarified Sarvesh Mishra, Assistant Commissioner (Food-2), Noida. “It’s only for reporting safety violations”. The department will integrate data from the app with other existing platforms like the FSSAI website, consumer forums, and official complaint emails for a more comprehensive response system.

FSSAI Licence Now Key to Complaints

Food businesses must already display their FSSAI licence. This licence number will now help officials identify the establishment involved in a complaint and take appropriate action. Currently, food safety officials receive around 10 complaints per month. With this new app feature, they expect to see a rise in reporting and improved compliance across the industry.

Source: The Times of India