The state body came out with a food safety compliance order under the ‘Safe Food, Healthy Maharashtra’ campaign, prohibiting the serving of food in newspapers or printed paper and mandating a raft of hygiene standards across the state’s food service industry, ET Now reported.
According to the order, hotels, restaurants, dhabas, cloud kitchens, caterers and online food delivery platforms operating across the state must comply with these directions.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe warned that foot outlets compromising public health by serving unsafe or unhygienic food will face stringent penalties, including imprisonment, hefty fines, licence cancellation and closure of establishments, the report added.
According to the FDA officials quoted by The Indian Express, around 55 food vendors across Mumbai between June 5 and June 16, following earlier advisories issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) prohibiting the use of newspapers for packing food or bringing them in direct contact with food items.
The regulating body claimed it had found 26 outlets using newspapers for food packaging or sale of food products, leading to action under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
“Serving or wrapping fried food in newspapers might seem harmless, but it carries serious health risks. Newspaper printing ink contains toxic chemicals & heavy metals like lead. When hot or greasy food comes into contact with the print, these toxins leach directly into the meal,” read a post by FSSAI on X.
The new directions stipulate that all food vendors possess a valid FSSAI licence and display it at the place of business. It asks them to implement FSSAI’s RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative, the report added.
New FDA regulations mandate regular medical checks and FoSTaC (Food Safety Training and Certification) training for the staff, with food businesses required to follow FIFO inventory management and colour-coded chopping boards.
