The entire food business operators including street vendors in the district will shortly be issued identity cards in an attempt to streamline sales of edible items, according to K.R. Jawaharlal, Designated Officer (food safety and standards), Food Safety and Drug Administration department.
Aim
“Our aim is to ensure selling of ‘safe and wholesome' food alone for human consumption,” he told The Hindu here on Tuesday. He pointed out that it would be mandatory from now on for the gamut of food business operators across the district which include hoteliers, mobile food vendors, people running home based canteens, Dhaba owners, milk producers and fish/poultry sellers, among others, to register themselves with the office of the Designated Officer (food safety and standards) situated in Tirupur.
Dr. Jawaharlal said that the food handlers should periodically trim their nails and hair, and wash their hands with soaps.
They should also wear gloves while serving cooked food to the customers at the eateries to maintain certain levels of hygiene.
Earlier on Monday evening, a special meeting of food business operators were convened by the district administration in an attempt to educate them on the relatively new Food Safety and Standards Act, which stipulates a unified line of command over production, processing, distribution and sale of food items under a Designated Officer for the district.
