FSSAI to ensure Food Safety in all bhawans of states, UTs and canteens of government offices in the National Capital
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is providing
training to food handlers at all State/UT Bhawans and canteens of government
offices located in the National Capital as part of its endeavour to enhance the
Food Safety Ecosystem nationwide through its Food Safety Training and
Certification (FoSTaC) programme.
The food regulator has conducted training sessions at four State Bhawans
including Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Sikkim so far, wherein all the food
handlers of these Bhawans were imparted with the necessary training. In
addition, training has also been conducted in the Department of Personnel and
Training (DoPT), North Block. These training programmes are aimed at enhancing
food safety standards across State/UT Bhawans and canteens of Government Office
Buildings. Training sessions are planned at Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and
Manipur Bhawans in the coming days. Further, training under FoSTaC programme
will be conducted in all canteens in government offices.
This initiative is in line with the announcement of “Training of 25 lakh
food business operators by FSSAI in the next 3 years” made by the Hon’ble Union
Minister for Health and Family Welfare on 7th June, 2023 on the occasion of
World Food Safety Day. It will be a significant step towards fostering a safer
and healthier food environment for the citizens of India.
FoSTaC, a flagship initiative of FSSAI, is designed to impart training
to food handlers involved in the food business. The training programs at State/UT
Bhawans and canteens of government offices cover a wide array of topics
including food safety rules and regulations, personal hygiene, allergen
management, food operation and control, documentation and records, labelling,
training methodologies and emerging trends in the food industry. The objective
is to instill a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the food
sector. Participants who successfully complete the training will be conferred
with the Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) certificate, recognized across India. In
FY 2023-24, a total of 3,58,224 food handlers have been trained under FoSTaC
programme across the country.
The decision to extend FoSTaC training in canteens of all State/UT
Bhawans and government offices will help reach a wider audience and empower
individuals involved in the food supply chain with the knowledge and skills
necessary to maintain food safety standards.