After TOI report on careless bakers in city, Parikshan to organise training on food safety

Visakhapatnam: In an effort to enable those in the food business understand the need to implement hygiene standards during the manufacturing process, a food safety training and certification csourse (FOSTAC) will be organised for the first time in the city by Parikshan, a food formulation consultancy service. This comes after TOI recently reported on how most of the bakeries in the city flout legal metrology rules.

Stating that Parikshan as an organisation has been helping food establishments maintain food safety and hygiene standards across the country, Devika Koneru, head-operations, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region, said, “Food Safety Supervisors (FSS) will train employees to implement and maintain good hygiene practices. He will also assist operators to conduct in-house supervision, correct irregularities detected and conduct food hygiene and safety training of food handlers in his organisations.”

Adding that every bakery unit should take assistance for labelling from authorised food safety organisations and comply to them, she added, “The course for bakery units will include legal conditions mandated in the law, reasons for food spoilage, experiments on adulteration, packaging and labelling requirement.”

As per the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodity) Rules 2011, 6 (D), the address of the manufacturer, net quantity of the product, maximum retail price, date of packing, ingredients and use by date should be mentioned on the products. Speaking to TOI, Vikas Pandey, state president, consumer rights organisation (CRO), said, “In a survey that was conducted recently in various areas of the city, it was found out that 93% of the local bakeries do not adhere to the rules regarding the need to mention basic details. Since health of consumers is a matter of serious concern, we will submit our survey results to the district administration and the Legal Metrology department. We will also submit a letter demanding strict action against those who do not abide by the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodity) Rules 2011.”