Attukal Pongala: guidelines for eateries issued

Existing eateries and ones opening temporarily told to strictly adhere to food safety guidelines; stress on display of food safety licence/registration, medical fitness certificate of staff

Thiruvananthapuram

The Food Safety department has issued strict instructions for maintaining food safety in connection with Attukal Pongala.

Existing eateries and those opening temporarily should strictly adhere to food safety guidelines, N. Anil Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, Thiruvananthapuram, has said.

All eateries should display food safety licence/registration. They should also keep with them medical fitness certificates of employees and produce these during inspections.

Mr. Anil Kumar directed that all food entrepreneurs and employees should compulsorily attend a training programme to be organised by the department on February 24. The entrepreneurs should register their name, phone number, food safety registration number, Aadhaar number on fsonemomcircle@gmail.com

Establishments, organisations, and individuals organising ‘annadanam’ and ‘laghubhakshanam’ and distributing drinking water and cool drinks should obtain department registration through Akshaya centres. A fixed fee will be charged for this.

Hoteld and restaurant owners should maintain a register from whom they buy raw material for preparing food. They should also ensure that food business operators who distribute raw material have food safety licence or registration.

The place where food is cooked and its surroundings should be clean. The employees should maintain personal hygiene. Water should not stagnate in drains near kitchens or on the ground. Solid waste should be stored in containers with lids.

Only food-grade packing should be used for food parcels. The parcels should mention the time of cooking, use by date and time.

Quality food products and with proper labelling alone should be used for preparing the Pongala ‘nivedyam.’ Packed food products without clear details, sweets, and cotton candy should not be sold. Food products should also not be kept open for sale.

Those organising ‘annadanam’ should ensure that only pure water and clean utensils are used for food preparation. It should be ensured that the cooks do not have contagious diseases.

Ice used in cool drinks should be made using pure drinking water. Ice should be stored in freezers, ice box, and clean utensils.

Cooked food should be stored at a fixed temperature and distributed in clean surroundings.

Hotels should display the Food Safety Commissionerate’s toll free-number 1800 425 1125. Any complaints can be registered on this number, the Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety said.