The Food Safety wing has launched a special drive during the monsoon, as part of its ongoing campaign “Good Food is the right of people”.
Food safety officials have issued an alert to all eateries to ensure that they are using safe potable water for cooking and washing in kitchens as the possibility of water contamination and water-borne illnesses go up significantly during the monsoon.
All eateries have been being told to ensure they have a water quality test report showing the source of water and its quality.
A total of 1,536 inspections were conducted across the State in the last 10 days as part of the drive.
About 164 of these checks were held focussing on fishing harbours, fish auction centres and fish markets, as part of Operation Matsya. As part of the drive, 269 kg of fish unfit for human consumption was seized and destroyed by food safety officials. Seven samples were collected and sent to the food safety labs for analysis.
In other checks, 212 statutory samples and 494 surveillance samples were collected and sent for analysis. In all, 131 compounding notices and 164 rectification notices were issued to food business operators for various food safety and hygiene-related violations.
Fitness certificates
Seven more Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) sessions were held for employees in restaurants, bakeries and other eateries. Checks are also being conducted to ensure that food handlers in all eateries possess medical fitness certificates .
Food Safety officers have also warned shawarma selling eateries to ensure that they are strictly following the guidelines issued by the food safety wing for preparing and serving shawarmas. Officials are holding checks to make sure that the eateries selling food parcels are following the instructions to affix a label indicating the time of food preparation and the “best before eating” time.
