Tukaram Mundhe-led Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ramped up inspections of food outlets over hygiene concerns. The crackdown has brought significant attention to food safety and hygiene standards at eateries and other food businesses.
In this context, Mundhe shared some simple checks diners can make before ordering food, in an interview with Forbes.
Start asking questions
Mundhe urged consumers prioritise food safety and called for a change in food habits. He stressed on the need to ask questions about food safety standards and other factors when eating out or ordering food.
"We should start asking for food which is safe and meets standards, not just tasty or colourful food, which is generally what we look for. But we never ask for safe or standard food. That is where I think our food habits need to change," he said.
Mundhe advised, "Rather than just eating for taste, you need to eat for your body."
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Check ingredient list
Mundhe emphaised on how consumers need check the ingredient list along with clorie value, protein content, quality of oil and whether the outlet has FSSAI lecence.
"The first thing is that you have to know what the ingredients or constituents in it are. If you go to a hotel and order something, try to understand what the ingredients are and whether you can eat it, particularly if you have allergies or certain ingredients are prohibited for you. If you have an allergy, you cannot eat it," he said.
Focusing on hygiene, Mundhe noted, "You also have to look at the cleanliness and hygiene standards expected there. And, of course, on the menu card, you can see the nutritional values."
He added, "Rather than just looking at the expiry date and eating it before that or checking the pricing, you need to look beyond that. You should start looking at the constituents and ingredients of the product, when it was manufactured, where it was manufactured, what the constituents are, and whether that food is applicable to you or not."
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Look for misleading names
While checking the ingredient list, the FDA officer urged consumers to look for accurate and transparent labelling. He warned against being misled by product labels such as “sugar-free” and urged them to follow health advisories on packaged foods.
"Many times, there are misleading names. For example, it may say "sugar-free", but when you read the constituents, you may find that sugar is still present. It may also be written that the product is not advisable to be taken or consumed by students or persons below 18 years of age, or by pregnant or lactating women. Yet, people still consume it. These advisories should be followed," he said.
Mundhe added, "The standards are science-based standards. They are not arbitrary. There are committees and expert committees working at the national level, and those standards are prepared accordingly. If that is the way we go ahead, I think this whole scary thing will not come into the picture. So, that is what we need to be aware of."
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