Mumbai: In a major boost to food safety standards across Maharashtra, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme has trained over 36,000 individuals in just the last 100 days.
The initiative, implemented aggressively in the state by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aims to train more than 1,00,000 people this year, covering everyone from small dhaba owners to canteen staff and hotel workers.
Accessible Training Through CSR Support
According to officials, training sessions are being conducted both online and offline. The FDA is also exploring CSR funding from large operators to help small food businesses unable to afford training fees. The programme is being carried out in partnership with industry bodies such as AHAAR to widen its outreach.
Mandatory Certification Under FSS Act
FDA Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar said FoSTaC is a large-scale training and certification programme designed to create a pool of qualified Food Safety Supervisors across the industry — from manufacturing to catering, retail, storage, and distribution.
“It’s mandated under Section 16(3)(h) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and requires every licensed Food Business (Central or State) to employ at least one certified Food Safety Supervisor for every 25 food handlers,” Narvekar added.
E-Trade Place of Worship Initiative
Alongside FoSTaC, authorities have launched the E-Trade Place of Worship programme under the E-Trade Campaign, which inspects and certifies hygiene and food safety standards at religious establishments. So far, over 50 temples, including Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak, Swami Samarth Math in Dadar, and Sai Mandir in Shirdi, have been covered.
Focus on Hygiene in Temples
At Shirdi, audits examined laddoo preparation, food served in the mandala, and the authenticity of ingredients like ghee. Checks also assessed water purity, prasad quality, cleanliness, and storage conditions. Hygiene training has also been given to around 25,000 temple staff, equipping them with best practices for cleanliness and safe distribution of food offerings.
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Statewide Food Safety Culture
Officials say the dual focus — training food handlers across industries and ensuring hygiene at places of worship — is aimed at creating a statewide culture of food safety that safeguards consumers while respecting the religious sentiments attached to food offerings.
