Select savouries available at bakeries and food outlets across Kerala will soon take a new avatar, sporting a hologram that assures quality. It is part of ‘Bake in Kerala,’ an initiative being launched by the Bakers Association Kerala (Bake), an organisation of about 20,000 bakers in the State.
Indigenous food
A host of indigenous food items will carry the hologram, after having gone through a lengthy process of quality checks, according to P.M. Sankaran, president of the organisation. The programme aims at imbibing hygienic practices among manufacturers, who cater to the need of bakers. Many of the food items sold at bakeries originate in small households. Taste apart, the hygiene at kitchens is unknown to the consumer. Nor is there a mechanism to ensure it now. The system will get overhauled once the new initiative takes roots, Mr. Sankaran says. The food items to be included in the initial phase include plum cake, cup cake, tea cake, bread, bun, rusk, bakery biscuit, mixture, chips, halwa, unniyappam, kuzhalappam, chikki and vatteppam. The Statewide launch of the programme was carried out in Ernakulam recently. The districtwise extension is under way. About 25,000 manufacturers are being targeted in the first phase. They will be given training to ensure quality and hygiene. Of course, there will be a premium on the items that carry the hologram, because much effort goes behind it, he explains. Earlier, Bake had launched ‘Bakefit,’ a similar exercise to ensure hygienic practices in ‘bormas,’ the kitchens of bakeries. The Bake certification is given to those kitchens that follow the laid-down standards. A Bake team visits the kitchens with prior intimation initially, but would conduct surprise checks later.
The programme has brought awareness on quality and ushered in the highest standards. The makers of indigenous savouries may continue to remain anonymous, but the quality assurance system will keep their heads high. Perhaps, the net result of the initiative could be a considerable reduction in food-induced health hazards.
Food items to be subjected to a lengthy process of quality checks
