The Food Safety Department has advised sweet and savoury manufacturers here to adhere to food safety norms while preparing sweets for Deepavali and to display manufacturing and expiry dates of food items on packages.
The department on Monday organised an awareness meeting for sweet manufacturers in the district and advised them on dos and don’ts to be followed. R.Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, advised all manufacturers to take COVID-19 vaccines and to ensure that all their staff were vaccinated.
The manufacturers were also advised on the extent of using artificial colours in the preparation of sweets and savouries. Sweets prepared using permissible and non-permissible levels of artificial colours were displayed at the meeting venue. Close to 150 sweet manufacturers took part.
Mr. Kathiravan advised the manufacturers not to reuse oil, and to reduce use of vanaspathi while manufacturing food items and to follow hygienic practices. They have been asked to display expiry date of the items on gift packs. He said that temporary registration certificates would be issued to units that manufactured food items only during festivities. He advised customers to check for expiry date and avoid sweets if they were brightly coloured. Special teams of Food Safety officers have been formed to check shops and units.
