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Who handles the food is not only crucial to the manufacturing units and food stalls but also to the consumer. If you head over to a pani puri stall and the person is not wearing gloves, you will avoid eating at that stall. However, if the same person is wearing gloves and even headgear, your mind will instantly agree to eat there because of the safety, security, and cleanliness of food that protective tools represent.
Keeping the same thought in mind, the food safety department in Noida (Gautam Buddh Nagar) has made it mandatory for the workers at food stalls and manufacturing units to present fitness certificates. This might seem like an exaggeration, but the department’s current focus is the health of consumers, which is currently at risk due to rampant reports of violation of safety measures for cooking, packaging, and selling food.
Workers Need Health Certificates
Owners of food stalls and factories have been asked to ensure every worker handling food has a health certificate. They want to make sure that employees are not suffering from any infectious diseases that can be transmitted to the food and put the health of consumers in jeopardy.
The food safety department said that Gautam Buddh Nagar has among the highest number of manufacturing units and food stalls operating. Therefore, this move will help to reduce contamination of food and transmission of infectious diseases.
Health Checkups Will Prevent Transmission Of Disease
The notice by the food safety department requires any worker who works in close proximity to handling and distributing the food items must have their health cards ensuring authorities that they are not suffering from any communicable disease or have open wounds on their body.
According to a report published by the National Disease Surveillance Centre, even if a food handler is infected but asymptomatic, they can still contaminate the food. According to the WHO, bacteria, viruses, prions, parasites, and even chemicals can be transferred from the food handler to the food, thereby, putting the health of consumers at risk.
Assistant Food Commissioner Archana Dheeran told The Times of India that this step was necessary because pathogens can transfer to food and transmit to the rest of the population. Many people might think that is a new step, but it is a part of the regulations laid down by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The authorities have directed businesses and owners to make sure that every worker has a valid fitness card saying they are in the best of health. The order also mentioned legal action against the businesses that fail to adhere to this notice.
