FSSAI’s COVID Curbing Steps that Saved the Food Industry from Collapsing

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across India has reached 4.75 Million (and still counting). FSSAI has been taking solid steps ever since the very first cases in India were confirmed.

The regulator, in March 2019, was quick to debunk the rumours about COVID being transmitted through imported food. This was followed by other impactful steps to reassure the consumers including, promoting food safety throughout Indian meat and fish markets, auditing poultry farms and ordering state officials to crackdown food products across the country’s markets.

The initiatives only got more extensive and thorough once the country-wide Lockdown hit the nation. FSSAI introduced specific and detailed COVID-safety guidelines for all kinds of food and hospitality businesses including; offices, places of worship, restaurants, shopping malls, hotels & other hospitality units. Another important step FSSAI took amidst the lockdown, to help keep the food industry on track was the license renewal grace period given to the essential food businesses. Soon after which came the nod to e-inspect businesses for food permits.

The regulator had decided to allow State licensing authorities to conduct e-inspections to avoid any delay in grant of licenses and registrations to certain food business operators (FBOs) during the ongoing lockdown to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Ashwin Bhadri, CEO of Equinox Labs, notes, “Food is an essential commodity and had become far more essential during the initial lockdown period. It was crucial that the authorities involved in licensing and registration make all possible efforts to process such applications without delay.”

With over 700 auditors Equinox Labs is India’s largest auditing company and has been conducting virtual audits since the lockdown had started. It also recently introduced the concept of a daily hygiene tracker called Hygiene Quotient, an app-based service.

Mr. Bhadri continues, “Virtual inspections are a great way to ensure that Food Safety & Hygiene are rigidly followed while simultaneously maintaining the norms of physical distancing and ensuring the safety of the involved personnel.”

During the same time, FSSAI also introduced a specially designed COVID-safety training program under FoSTaC. The training was provided free of cost and was made mandatory for all food handlers and supervisors in an attempt to curb any possible transmission of the virus through the food industry processes.

From the initial lockdown to unlock 4.0, FSSAI also took it to social media, regularly updating COVID-safety measures, immunity-boosting tips, sharing posters & handbooks in English as well as regional languages, and introducing programs to boost the country’s morale. 

“Needless to say, FSSAI, in this pandemic driven world has been, true to its motto –

Inspiring Trust, Assuring Safe and Nutritious Food’ to the Indian citizens”, says Ashwin Badri.

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