Chennai: The next time you order on the popular food delivery platforms or walk in to a restaurant, look out for ‘Hygiene Rating’ that lets you make informed choices.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come up with the initiative where the restaurant will be rated based on the norms prescribed.
Within three months of implementation, State Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration Director and Additional Commissioner, Dr K Vanaja informs that six Food Business Operators (FBOs) from Chennai have obtained the credential. That apart, eight and six restaurants from Namakkal and Kanchipuram, respectively, have the rating.
Interestingly, even the consumers can visit the kitchen in the hotels that have obtained hygiene rating.
“The restaurants have to rate themselves based on the criteria on their own interest and conduct pre-auditing who will be accompanied with an official from the Food Safety Department where the owners would be given guidelines. Based on which, the operators have to correct, maintain and sustain it. According to the consistence, the restaurant would be starred which can be displayed on their premises,” stated Vanaja.
After obtaining the rating, the restaurant will be inspected and validated by a Food Safety Officer (FSO).
The mandatory requirements are: possession of FSSAI licence, ensuring the food being served to the consumers is of good quality and safe to eat, training all good handlers and appoint a certified ‘food safety supervisors’, mandatory display of food safety boards on the premises and periodic testing of food samples.
A few of the criteria include licensing, maintaining cleanliness, staff with authentic medical certificate, waste management and abiding with Good Hygiene Practices (GMP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).