Workshop for food vendors

A workshop on safe food preparation was organised here recently for food vendors by the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), and the Consumer Association of India, a non-profit group that promoted consumer awareness.

R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), urged the vendors to avoid using artificial food colours and refrain from selling products in the vicinity of toilets. The vendors were also requested to desist from using the same oil repeatedly and to buy only packaged quality oil for cooking. Further, they were also told not to hang chicken or fish from iron rods for display in their shops.

Around 50 vendors took part in the programme in which they were educated on the kind of locations they could sell food products, how to use water safely, and ensure hygienic conditions while preparing food items.

Food Safety Officers S.R. Gerald Sathiapunithan and K. Sakthivel handled the technical sessions. The participants were also given free aprons, supplied by the Central Government, besides a booklet containing the requirements for food operators as mandated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The vendors were also given certificates.

K.K. Chockalinkam, Coimbatore regional coordination, Citizen Consumers Club, said that adulteration of food products was leading to food poisoning. Pointing out that the shops located on the roadsides were covered with dust rising from frequent movement of vehicles, he urged the vendors to cover the products.