Home / Health / Onam Food Safety Blitz: Kerala Cracks Down on Unsafe Practices
Onam Food Safety Blitz: Kerala Cracks Down on Unsafe Practices
17 Aug
Summary
- Over 5,000 food safety checks conducted, 705 operators issued notices.
- Special focus on quality of Onam staples like jaggery and coconut oil.
- Awareness classes organized for food entrepreneurs under 'Safe Onam'.
As the Onam festival approaches, Kerala's Health Minister K. Muraleedharan announced a significant increase in food safety inspections to guarantee hygienic food for the public. The Food Safety department commenced an intensive drive on July 27, conducting over 5,000 checks statewide.
During this period, 705 food business operators were issued notices for non-compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, and fines were imposed on more than 390 food outlets. Special emphasis is being placed on the quality of widely consumed Onam food items, including papadam, jaggery, coconut oil, and ghee.
Food Safety squads are meticulously examining product labels for manufacturing and expiry dates, batch numbers, and license details. Samples of raw materials such as jaggery, coconut oil, and ghee are being collected for laboratory quality testing. Inspections extend to hotels, restaurants, catering establishments, and cloud kitchens.
The Food Safety wing is also targeting online food distributors, ensuring adherence to FSSAI norms for Onam sadya and other food packets. This includes rigorous checks on hygiene, temperature control, raw material sourcing, labelling, storage, and distribution conditions. Awareness classes are being held across the state for food entrepreneurs.
