FSSAI Urged Food Business Operators to Maintain Hygiene & Safety

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked Food Business Operators (FBOs) to maintain hygiene and safety amid COVID-19 outbreak.

The food regulator body has guidelines named 'Food Hygiene and Safety Guidelines for food businesses during Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic', where it has suggested numerous measures to be taken care of by the FBOs.

As per the FSSAI statement, the measures include maintaining high levels of personal hygiene; excluding COVID-19 infected persons from the operations; practising social distancing; and appropriate cleaning/sanitisation of the food operations' premises, food contact materials etc.

As per the guidelines, employers should have a COVID 19 screening protocol in place to screen all personnel entering the premises and any with temperature more than 99-degree Fahrenheit and/or flu-like symptoms should not be allowed to enter establishments.

Large food businesses have been asked to set up a local emergency response team to handle suspected coronavirus case.

''However, there are no reports on any evidence of faecal-oral transmission by food,'' the statement added.

FSSAI further asked FBOs to implement Good hygiene Practises (GHP).

''It is mandatory for all food businesses to implement Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) laid in schedule 4 of food safety and standards Regulation, 2011 to ensure food safety and hygiene in food establishments,'' FSSAI said in a statement.

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