Ensuring Festive Food Safety: Maharashtra FDA's Inspection Drive

Ahead of Maharashtra's festive season, the FDA has initiated an inspection drive to ensure the hygiene and quality of food items. For the first time, the campaign involves confectioners and consumers in training sessions, aiming to uphold food standards during festivals like Ganeshotsav and Diwali.

In anticipation of the vibrant festive season, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a robust inspection campaign aimed at maintaining stringent hygiene and quality standards for food items. This initiative, featuring participation from confectioners and consumer representatives, marks a novel approach advocated by the FDA's top officials.

The festive celebrations in Maharashtra begin with the 10-day Ganesh festival and continue with Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali. In a discussion with PTI, FDA Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar emphasized the uniqueness of this exercise as it shifts from purely regulatory inspections to a more inclusive model, engaging both producers and consumers in adopting best practices.

The campaign, named 'San Maharashtracha, Sankalp Anna Surakshecha' (Festival of Maharashtra, resolution of food safety), commenced on August 11 and will run until October 25. It aims for at least 3,000 inspections with support from Nestle's CSR initiative. Training sessions have already commenced to ensure that sweet manufacturers and consumers adhere to hygiene standards, thus guaranteeing clean and quality food during the festive months.

(With inputs from agencies.)