Vigil on eateries in ‘high-risk’ zones

The food safety and enforcement officials have chalked out eateries located in the high risk zones in the city and were asked by the FSSAI (Food security and standards authority of India) chief to conduct regular inspections and collect samples from these areas to ensure hygiene and safety.

A review meeting was held by the CEO of FSSAI, Arun Singhal with the departments of food safety and enforcement officials in the city on Thursday, wherein it was decided that in the interest of public health, food safety officers in the city have to collect samples from high risk food items.

The CEO stressed on conducting regular inspections of food items at junctions like railway stations, government/public/private offices, canteens at educational institutions etc and to provide clean street food hubs/clean vegetable hubs for street vendors, so that hygienic conditions can be maintained.

Apart from officials from the department of food safety and enforcement, gazetted food inspectors and Food Safety Officers (FSO) of Telangana State were instructed to collect samples from the food establishments and improve the quality of work apart from quantity of samples.

“They should focus on high risk food items like dairy products, meat and perishable products and they should initiate prosecution immediately if necessary. The FSO should ensure that the establishments display the rating of their establishment on hygiene, based on the feedback obtained from the consumers, so that the public will know the kind of food they are eating,” said Singhal, adding that the food manufacturer shall have one food safety person to look after the quality of food.

Secretary to government, health, medical and family welfare department, Syed Ali Murtuza Rizvi, IAS, GHMC commissioner Lokesh Kumar, additional commissioner (H&S) Santosh, IPM director Shiva Leela and senior officials of department of food safety and enforcement were also present in the meeting.