A “food safety” awareness programme was organised by Food Safety Team (FST) Dimapur in coordination with the Kuda Village Council (KVC) authority for Food Business Operators (FBOs) of Kuda Village on January 23 at Kuda Village, Half Nagarjan Dimapur. A press release by FST Dimapur stated that during the programme, designated officer of Food Safety, Samuel Zehol gave an introduction on Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the need and importance to get shops licensed/registered under FSSAI, and the compliances to be adhered by the FBOs at all times.
Zehol informed the FBOs on the procedure for registration/licensing online, documentation requirements and labelling information of food products for manufacturers. At the awareness programme, the FBOs were also sensitized under Section 31 of the FSSAI Act 2006, that no person shall start a food business unless with a license or registration. Any food business with a total annual turnover of more than 12 lakhs should get licensed and below 12 lakhs should get registered under FSSAI. The application can be done online through the website www.foscos.fssai.gov.in for a period of 1-5 years at a time.
The FBOs are also to ensure compliance through Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygienic Practices (GHP), the sale and storage of food articles within the purview of the FSSAI rules and regulations, First In First Out (FIFO) practice of the food articles.
The FBOs dealing in manufacturing and food services were advised to get medical fitness certificates from a registered doctor for direct food handlers/chefs. As for labelling of food articles for manufacturers which includes bakeries, homebased FBOs and the like to label their product with complete information.
FBOs were advised not to accept any product without labels or defective labelling to sell in their premise and also the consumer should avoid buying food articles without labels. The FBOs were also informed on the details to be included while labelling a product. Veg or non-veg logo and additives if used must be clearly shown and specified on the label besides other details of the product. After the awareness programme, Food Safety on Wheels technicians conducted spot testing of common food adulterants.