Chandigarh
The Directorate of Food and Drug Administration, Punjab has commenced the campaign of training all the licensed/registered Food Business Operators in the State, informed KS Pannu Commissioner FDA .

Giving details Pannu said that ten companies registered with the FSSAI as training partners have been roped in for the task and each company has been entrusted with work of imparting training on an average in two-three districts.

He said that as per the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, it is necessary for all Food Business Operators(FBOs) to maintain purity and quality of food items. It is also necessary that the personal hygiene of the workers engaged in making, serving, selling and transporting food and drink items as also the cleanliness of the premises where food business is operating, is maintained.

On account of deficiencies in the matter of cooking/making, storage, serving, selling, transporting, personal hygiene of workers and cleanliness of premises, not only the health of consumers is put at stake but also the Food Business Operators become liable for fines and punishment under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, said he. The Commissioner further said that in view of this, it has been decided to conduct training of Food Business Operators regarding the provisions of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 related to safety, quality standards, personal hygiene and cleanliness, so that necessary awareness in this regard could be created. Under the Section 16 (3) (h) of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, there is a provision of providing training to Food Professionals or their employees. In fact, FSSAI issued a notification on April 25, 2018, whereby, training has been made mandatory for the FBOs who have taken the license of the food products business, said Pannu.

Keeping this in mind, it has been decided under the Mission Tandarust Punjab that at least one representative of the food processing companies working in Punjab should be trained under the campaign.

He said that the FDA staff, the health inspectors, multi-purpose health workers and mass media wing of Health Department is mobilising the Food Business Operators to participate in the training either at personal level or through a representative so that quality and cleanliness standards of food being served in Punjab could be improved. Officials of the Department and the training partners shall contact the Food Business Operators for this purpose in the days to come. He said FBOs can contact District Level Designated officer of Food Safety or Civil Surgeon for queries if any.

The training would focus on all the aspects of providing healthy and hygienic food to the people. The do’s and don’ts of processing/cooking the food, hygiene of the work place and the work force as well as prohibition of usage ingredients of restricted by FSSAI would be impressed upon the FBOs, said Pannu.

He said that training would involve a fee of Rs. 600/- , to be borne by the Food Business Operator but it would be imparted to the all Rehriwalas, absolutely free of cost.