Canteen operators in schools to undergo food safety training

Ambala, February 19

In order to ensure food safety standards in schools and colleges, the Food and Drug Administration has asked institutes to ensure that canteen operators get the food safety training through the FSSAI authorised trainers by March end.

Selling food items without food safety and training certificate may attract a penalty ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

As per the FSSAI, it is mandatory for food business operators and people engaged in preparing food items to get the training, as per the Food Safety and Standard Act -2006 and Food Safety and Standard Rules-2011 from the FSSAI authorised training partners.

Subhash Chander, Food Safety Officer, Ambala, said, “People who have been running restaurants, hotels, dhabas and even street vendors are being provided food safety and training certification. Schools and colleges have also been asked to get the training of their canteen operators done before March end. Besides private schools, the Education Department has been asked to ensure training of midday meal workers as well.”

Deputy District Education Officer Sudhir Kalra said, “Midday meal workers are provided training by the department to maintain hygiene while preparing food. We also keep taking the feedback from children about quality of food. If the department wants to provide special training then we will organise training sessions and call the cooks in batches.”

Joint Director Secondary Education Department Satinder Siwatch has expressed concern over the quality of food being served to students in schools.

Siwatch said, “The students are being provided junk food in schools. They should be served nutritious food.”

Kulbhushan Sharma, president, National Independent Schools Alliance, said, “We want to provide healthy food to students and the Central Government is preparing a policy in this regard. We had a meeting with the FSSAI in this regard.”