Gujarat FDCA organises 4-day training on food safety for designated officers

The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) organised a four-day training programme on food safety regulations and implementation for designated officers (DOs), in Gujarat, from November 15-18, 2011, at the Training Centre of Amul Dairy (Anand), Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, Anand, in Gujarat.

The training programme was organised in order to sensitise the officers on various food safety aspects, grievance redressal procedures and provide a demo of the functioning of food processing industries in Gujarat.

Around 49 DOs hailing from states and union territories of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Daman and Dadra and Nagar Haveli attended the programme.

“The aim of this programme was to sensitise the designated officials about the regulatory requirements and clear the ambiguity, if any, with regard to the new Act. This would enable them to discharge their duties efficiently,” said Dr Hemant Koshia, commissioner, Gujarat FDCA.

Technical workshops were also conducted as part of this practical training programme where visits were organised for food processing industries, including a visit to Amul Dairy at Anand. “This was done to give them a clear view on health and the hygiene ways in which such industries functioned following the implementation of the new Act.

Some of the subjects covered at the technical programme over the three days included, food safety plan, food processing technology, new technologies in food production / processing, food surveillance and risk analysis, Codex India - roles & responsibilities, concepts of food safety and quality management, food alerts, traceability and food product recall, inspection of food establishments, manufacturing units, inspection and reports, sampling of food, food laboratory, offences in food, trials (case study) and procedures to launch prosecution, implementation of food regulation – FSS Act, 2006.