Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), 25 canteens attached to the hospitals, institutions, and industries in Coimbatore have received the ‘Eat Right Campus’ Certification. This certification allows the concerned institution to promote safe, sustainable, and healthy food on campuses such as colleges, universities, workplaces, etc across the country.
As per the officials getting the specific place certified is a lengthy procedure. The procedure begins with an application. The organizations or the places applying for the license need to obtain the necessary documents as per FSSAI norms.
Once the procedure of acquiring the license is done, the food handlers are recommended to undergo Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) training. Those training are conducted to guide the staff about the food handling, storage, and hygiene practices. Samples of food and water are gathered from the canteens of those who have applied for the certifications and submitted to the government accredited labs.
Post conducting training, the pre-audits are conducted to ensure the infrastructure, facilities and other aspects meet the standards framed. The instructions are given to the respective firms if any changes are to be made. A final and last audit is conducted to ensure compliance is kept on the checklist.
Additionally, the canteens applying for the certification need to get enrolled in the RUCO (the Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) Scheme, which ensures the staff or the superior working in the canteens are aware of the disposals. Besides, the aim was to provide the leftovers to the needy via non-governmental organizations.
Ashwin Bhadri, CEO, Equinox Labs says “ ‘Eat Right Campus’ Certification ensures the consumers are served with safe, nutritious, and hygienic food. This certification is provided to the campus adhering to the norms and regulations framed by the apex body. The campus, canteens, college canteens, and other establishments serving the people serve a huge crowd and hence framing certain norms to safeguard people’s health becomes necessary.”
Equinox Labs is a leading FSSAI Approved and NABL Accredited Food, Water, and Air Testing Lab with 16+ years of experience. With a PAN-India presence, they are also Industry Leaders in Food Safety Auditing and FoSTaC Training.
He added, “ While the food is served to huge crowd constantly, the hygiene parameters are mostly ignored. Training and certification are the best methods allowing to improve the standards and other needful things. Whether the food is provided to the consumers or free of cost, every person has the right to consume safe and nutritious food. Most canteens and cafeterias are acquiring the certificates to maintain the transparency and build trust.”
