Food safety drive launched ahead of festivals
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 25 2024: Food Safety Administration (FSA) of Imphal West district launched a special festival drive to ensure availability of safe, and wholesome food in the lead-up to Ningol Chakkouba and Diwali celebrations.

In a statement, Imphal West FSA informed that under the supervision of designated officer Yumnam Surendro, an official team comprising H Premkumar, L Saratchandra, and U Arunkumar inspected shops and hotels dealing in sweets, fruitsand meat, as well as retail and wholesale outlets throughout in Imphal areas on Friday.

It stated that the festival drive is part of the rigorous monitoring of food quality standards, with top priority on checking expiry, best-before, and used by dates on all food items, ensuring that consumers receive fresh and safe products; assess whether food business operators (FBOs) are adhering to the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygienic Practices (GHP), Good Personal Hygiene (GPH) for food handlers, and Good Sanitary Practices (GSP) as specified in Schedule IV of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Rules and Regulations, 2011; and detect any artificial ripening agents or chemicals used on fruits, which are prohibited due to their potential health risks.

Stating that compliance with basic safety standards is crucial for FBOs to provide consumers with high-quality and safe food, FSA informed that the drive would cover all varieties of foods available in Imphal West, including fresh fruits, fresh and processed meats, cooked meals, and beverages.

By upholding these safety measures, the FSA ensures that consumers have access to wholesome foods during the festive period, it said.

Imphal West FSA has been carrying out such inspections since last week, it informed, urging FBOs to cooperate by upholding food safety and hygiene standards while selling, distributing, storing, and preparing food items.

Informing that inspections would continue daily until the festivals are over to ensure ongoing compliance, it cautioned that any violations of the FSS Act and associated regulations would result in strict legal action, including penalties against the offending FBOs.

Additionally, any spoiled or deteriorated food found during inspections will be destroyed on the spot to prevent potential harm to consumers, declared the statement.

Comment