FSSAI to write to KMC for urgent inspection of food stalls in Esplanade area
Kolkata: With Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) receiving allegations against unlicensed and unregistered food business operators (FBOs) selling substandard edible items in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area, the regulatory body plans to write to the KMC to launch an inspection while it is also starting an initiative called ‘Clean Street Food Hub’.
Addressing a seminar on food safety, hosted by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, B S Acharya, director, Eastern and North-eastern region, FSSAI, said the regulatory body will write to the KMC to conduct an immediate inspection after licensed and registered FBOs complained that cheap and substandard products are being rampantly sold in the areas under the KMC and in the Esplanade area.
The director maintained that the FSSAI has made new rules under which food samples collected by the safety officers need to be analysed within 14 days and the report has to be submitted to the licensing authority. He said the KMC has already been told to conduct frequent food safety inspection drives to stop such selling of substandard materials.
He added that the FSSAI’s food safety officers will also launch an inspection drive soon, adding that it conducts such campaigns throughout the year, especially during festival times.
He also highlighted that surveillance samples are sent to the labs for testing. Subsequently, “legal samples” also need to be collected in order to initiate criminal legal action against the concerned food business operator.
To encourage street food vendors to adopt hygiene, FSSAI has started an initiative called ‘Clean Street Food Hub’ to revive and promote traditional street food items. “Here, we will select a few hubs where street vendors will be selling quality food under hygienic conditions in covered stalls. Training will be imparted to the vendors and they will be registered with the FSSAI,” he said.
Further, he informed that all restaurants have been instructed to mandatorily display food safety boards that have to be installed in a prominent place so that customers can see. “We have also started hygiene ratings for restaurants. All five-star restaurants have been asked to set up transparent kitchens so that customers can see the insides as well,” he mentioned.
He added that FSSAI has also made “menu labelling” mandatory. “Restaurants need to write in the menu the nutritional value of the dishes being served. All five-star restaurants are following this,” he assured.
