Amid an intense statewide food safety crackdown led by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Maharashtra Hotel and Food Workers Union has requested the State Government to fund and roll out formal food hygiene training for all frontline kitchen and service staff to prevent accidental compliance failures and heavy penalties. Gajanan Joshi, General Secretary of the Maharashtra Hotel and Food Workers Union urged the State Government and FDA to introduce a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certificate training programme and simplify registation for small eateries and street food vendors so that compliance becomes easier, improve food safety, hygiene and public health.

 

Also, there is a overall lack of awareness among the thousands of workers in the food industry regarding the FSSAI compliances that has led to imposing heavy penalties on food business. He further said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) compliance and regular food hygiene training programmes will reduce food borne illnesses, enhance consumer confidence in the food industry and promote accountability and responsible business practices.

 

The certificate course Joshi said that while strict enforcement against violators is essential to protec public health, lasting improvement can only achieved through prevention, awareness, education and skill development. The food workers union has also urged the FDA Commissioner Tukaram Munde to make FSSAI registration and certification mandatory for all food workers in Maharastra. This resolution was unanimously adoped in a recent meeting organised by the food workers union under the leadership of Rajesh Nimbalkar, President and Vinod Patole, Patron. The food worker union agrees on the need for high safety standards, but emphasise that grassroots workers require formal training to meet these expectations.