December 01
With different food safety measures, Odisha has kept up its upward movement in national food safety index from 26th position in the year 2018-19 to 13th position in 2019-20 and further to 4th position in 2020-21.
Reviewing the progress made so far, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra directed the department to orient and train the street food vendors on preparation of safe food. He directed that the food vendors must be made aware about the dangerous effect of adulterated food on the human health.
Chief Secretary directed to hold district level food safety meetings regularly to keep vigil over sale of safe food by street vendors and food business operators. Also, he directed to collect intelligence on the quality of food being sold in towns from public and police sources.
Food Safety Commissioner Smt Yamini Sadangi appraised that the State food Testing Laboratory has enhanced its capacity and has been accredited by the National Accreditation and Calibration Board, and has also been assessed and accredited as per the standards of ISO /IEC 17.25:2017. The Mobile food testing laboratory has been rolled out for food testing in different melas, public celebrations and festivals.
Further Smt Sadangi also appraised, “under the programme of blissful hygienic offering to God ( BHOG), Tarinima Temple in Rourkela has received the certification of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ( FASSI)”. Further Smt Sadangi said that KIIT hospital was declared as first eat right campus in Odisha. Similarly, the convent school street connecting Ram Mandir Road in Unit-III was declared as clean street food hub.
Available data show in the year 2020-21 a total number of 3049 samples were collected and tested by way of surveillance and enforcement. Out of this 576 samples were booked under adulteration and misbranding.
Similarly, by end of October 2021-22 a total number of 1984 samples were tested out of which 446 were booked under adulteration or misbranding. Apart from this total number of 280 cases were compounded with fines.
A total number of 22,706 food business operators ( FBOs) were issued licenses online; and 83,285 FBOs were issued online registration certificate. It may be pertinent here to mention that the FBOs having the turnover of less than 12 lakhs per annum are issued the registration certificate; and, the FBOs having the annual turnover of more than 12 lakhs are issued licenses. FoSCoS online system has been adopted for the online application of Food License and Registration.
Stay connected for more updates…
