The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is providing training to food handlers at all State/UT Bhawans and canteens of government offices located in the National Capital as part of its endeavor to enhance the Food Safety Ecosystem nationwide through its Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme.

The food regulator has conducted training sessions at four State Bhawans including Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Sikkim so far, wherein all the food handlers of these Bhawans were imparted with the necessary training. In addition, training has also been conducted in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), North Block. These training programmes are aimed at enhancing food safety standards across State/UT Bhawans and canteens of Government Office Buildings. Training sessions are planned at Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Manipur Bhawans in the coming days. Further, training under FoSTaC programme will be conducted in all canteens in government offices.

This initiative is in line with the announcement of “Training of 25 lakh food business operators by FSSAI in the next 3 years” made by the Hon’ble Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare on 7th June, 2023 on the occasion of World Food Safety Day. It will be a significant step towards fostering a safer and healthier food environment for the citizens of India.

Background:

FoSTaC, a flagship initiative of FSSAI, is designed to impart training to food handlers involved in the food business. The training programs at State/UT Bhawans and canteens of government offices cover a wide array of topics including food safety rules and regulations, personal hygiene, allergen management, food operation and control, documentation and records, labelling, training methodologies and emerging trends in the food industry. The objective is to instill a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the food sector. Participants who successfully complete the training will be conferred with the Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) certificate, recognized across India. In FY 2023-24, a total of 3,58,224 food handlers have been trained under FoSTaC programme across the country.

The decision to extend FoSTaC training in canteens of all State/UT Bhawans and government offices will help reach a wider audience and empower individuals involved in the food supply chain with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain food safety standards.

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HFW/ PQ / FSSAI - FoSTaC Initiative/16February2024/1