Through a letter dated 29 July, 2019 the FSSAI has informed all Commissioners of Food Safety about the effective implementation of the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme.
The FSSAI has stated that since the launching of this programme, a pool of more than 1600 trainers and 175 Training Partners have been created across the country and more than 1,60, 000 Food Safety Supervisors (FSS) have been trained. While states such as Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi are doing well, it has been observed that some sates and UTs are facing issues regarding the implementation of FoSTaC of training and certifying FBOs of different kinds of business.
FSSAI has in this regard attached a write-up (given below) on an innovative approach adopted by one of the Training Partners who conducted a very successful FoSTaC programme in Tihar Jail under the Department of Food Safety, Govt. Of NCT of Delhi. The same model can be easily adopted and replicated for the establishments such as prisons, government cafeteria, canteens run by schools, colleges, centralised kitchens of Mid-Day meals etc. in all states and UTs with the help of empanelled Training Partners. (TPs)
There is a possibility of a coordination meeting of TPs and Food Safety Commissioners of all States and UTs being organised so as to facilitate kick-staring this model programme on food safety training. List of Training Partners of all states and UTs is available on https://fostac.gov.in/listoftrainigpartner.
FSSAI has advised all food Safety Commissioners of Sates and UTs to take up early action in this regard, as this would have reaching consequences for comprising the food safety ecosystems in our country.
Mission Sehatmand Delhi under Eat Right Campaign of FSSAI Concludes Training in Tihar Prison Complex
Sehatmand Delhi is a mission on food safety and awareness rolled out by the Department of Food Safety Government of Delhi under Eat Right programme of the FSSAI.
The first chapter of the mission started with Delhi prisons Complex popularity known as Tihar jail. The Tihar jail houses 32 kitchens, 03 manufacturing units, catering to 40,000 inmates and housed across 16 jails spread in three locations viz. Tihar-09 jails, Rohini-02 and 05 in Mandoli. There are three manufacturing units like Oil Mills, Bakery unit, Namkeen Unit, Petha Unit etc. whose products are not only consumed inside Jail premises but are also sold outside by brand name TJ through Tihar Jail emporium.
With this volume of the production, and as per the definition of the Food Business operator (FBO) laid under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, it is imperative that highest standards of the Food Safety are maintained in complete food value chain operating inside the Tihar prison complex. Also, the place where the food manufactured processed or handled shall comply with sanitary and hygiene requirements as mentioned in schedule-4 part-1 of the Food Safety and Standards (licensing Registratio of Food Business) Regulation 2011.
Indraprastha Academy Foundation, is the Training Partner to Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme of FSSAI, under the guidance of FSSAI and Department of Food Safety Delhi government, took the initiative to provide training to prison inmates, who can further be recognised as Food Safety Supervisions under FSSAI.
The entire programme was divided into three steps:
01 – preliminary audit and Gap analysis of the Tihar Kitchens and manufacturing units
02 – Training and Certification of the Food Safety Supervisors
03 – Impact Assessment
A preliminary audit was jointly conducted by Indraprastha Academy Foundation and the Department of Food Safety, Government of NCT Delhi. The audit was conducted on 13 May, 2019 by a team of Food Safety Officials from Delhi Government, Independent Lead Auditors and Operations Team of Indraprastha Academy Foundation. The audit report was further submitted to DG Prison and Commissioner Food Safety, for corrective actions and simultaneous food safety training was initiated on 27 May, 209 covering 16 jails by two team of Trainers and Food Safety Officials. The training of 950+ inmates concluded on 22 June 2019.
Subsequent in the training on 09 July 2019 the Food Safety Supervisor certificates of Competence was distributed by Hon. Home and Health Minister Government of NCT of Delhi Shri Satyendra Jain, to the inmates in a ceremony organised at prison headquarters in the august presence of DG Prison Shri Ajay Kashyap and Commissioners food Safety Shri LR Garg. Hon’ble Minister said it is a matter of immense pride that Delhi government’s such large =scale food safety programme in the prison, is first to be done in the country and should be replicated in other states too.
The Prison Authorities are taking various other steps as per the recommendations submitted by Indraprastha Academy Foundation in its report viz:
- Civil work in and around kitchen complex complying to Schedule IV requirements of FSS Act, 2006 and rules and regulations thereof
- Preparations of SOP and Cleaning schedule for machinery and other kitchen equipment
- Ensuring measures to minimize food wastage and using leftover food in preparation of bio-gas and manure.
- Setting up of Food Testing facilities inside prison Complex
Ensuring proper utilization of used cooking oil in Soap factory or RUCO initiative of FSSAI so that it does not enter in Food ecosystem again.
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