The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday issued a comprehensive order on food safety which mandated, among other things, that all restaurants, hotels and similar establishments must provide free drinking water to customers.
"Food establishments have been directed to provide safe drinking water free for customers and display notices informing them of its availability," FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said after a review meeting of his department, underlining that access to safe food and water is a fundamental right.
The 'Comprehensive Food Safety Compliance Order' issued by the FDA applies to all hotels, restaurants, eateries, dhabas, canteens, cafeterias, quick-service restaurants, banquet halls, catering units, sweet shops, bakeries, food courts, juice bars, kitchens, chain restaurants, as well as e-commerce and online food aggregators, officials said.
Establishments are now required to provide safe drinking water free of cost, and can not force customers to purchase bottled water. The order also banned serving food in newspapers, making the use of food-grade packaging compulsory to prevent chemical contamination, said an official release.
It introduced rigorous operational standards to improve overall safety and transparency. Food service providers must now ensure all staff undergo regular medical examinations and complete mandatory FoSTaC (Food Safety Training and Certification) training.
The order also imposed stringent restrictions on the reuse of cooking oil. The menus of large food businesses and chain restaurants must provide clear, detailed information regarding calorie counts, potential allergens and vegetarian or non-vegetarian status, it said.
FDA officials must ensure continuous implementation of food safety regulations throughout the year and not rely only on periodic special drives, the authority said.
The FDA also decided to hold meetings with hotel and food business operators to sensitise them about food safety norms and the consequences of violations.
Inspections, surveys and enforcement actions conducted across Maharashtra revealed serious violations of safety norms including preparation of food in unhygienic conditions, reuse of cooking oil, handling of food by staff without medical fitness certification, lapses in temperature control and use of substandard packaging material, the release said.
All food service establishments must possess a valid licence or registration under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and display it prominently.
The order also requires procurement of raw materials only from licensed suppliers, the release said.
Food businesses with an annual turnover exceeding Rs 50 crore must undergo annual food safety management system audits through FSSAI-recognised agencies, it added.
Violations of food safety regulations could invite penalties, prosecution and suspension or cancellation of licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the release said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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