HRAWI gears up to align its system as per the guidelines of FSSAI

Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has put its foot on the accelerator to align its system as per the guidelines of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). In its recent move, HRAWI organized two separate training cum certification sessions in Mumbai. These sessions were conducted as per the Food Safety Training & Certification (FoSTaC) programme developed by FSSAI. The participants enrolled in for the session will be bestowed with a certificate of advanced level catering.

The Food Safety Supervisor Training in Advance Catering Programme was meant for big catering establishments where the systems are complex and the need for dedicated personnel for food safety and standards is imperative.

“HRAWI aims to proactively ready its members for becoming FSSAI compliant even before it becomes a mandate. It would be in the best interests of our members and the industry to be thorough and fully equipped to meet standards that are internationally accepted and followed. The training programme enables the business establishment to institute a supervisor who in turn can effectively cascade the communication to the grass root levels in the establishment in order to uniformly implement the processes as required by the FSSAI. This is a win-win situation for the business, the auditing body and most importantly the customer,” says Dilip Datwani, President, HRAWI.

The sessions organized at D Y Patil University School of Hospitality and Tourism Studies and Sheila Raheja Institute of Hotel Management were participated by a large number of hoteliers and restauranteurs. The Association has in the past organized similar programmes to familiarize hoteliers and restaurateurs with the finer nuances of food safety and hygiene. Food businesses across India, from roadside eateries to restaurants, will have to comply with a wide set of food safety rules, norms, and procedures and obtain Food Business Operator (FBO) licences.

“HRAWI applauds the initiative of the FSSAI under its Chairman, Pawan Aggarwal, for holding effective consultations with the industry and for partnering with the Association in the creation of master trainers and thus, a trained and technical workforce in aid of the Food Safety laws in the Country. FSSAI’s objective behind the Food Safety Training & Certification (FoSTaC) programme is to have at least one trained and certified Food Safety Supervisor in each and every Food Service Establishment including the catering industry. The trained supervisor will be responsible for ensuring hygiene and food safety implementation in their respective establishments. We think this is a great way to ensure that each establishment understands and maintains the standards without any ambiguity in implementation across the country,” says Pradeep Shetty, Honorary Secretary, HRAWI.

“Whether it is on matters of policy for hospitality and tourism or matters of compliance related to food safety and standards, HRAWI has always worked inclusively with the Government. We will continue to work with the vision of creating an atmosphere that is enterprising, and that leads the way for progress of the industry,” concludes Datwani