Eat Right India Initiatives

FoSTaC

Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) is a large-scale training programme for food handlers those who are in the food business or intending to enter into the food business. There are 19 courses under FoSTaC programme meant for all kind of food businesses such as catering, manufacturing, dairy etc. The courses primarily focus on the good hygiene and sanitary practices as regulated by the Schedule 4 of FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. The courses are of three levels Basic, Advanced and Special. Duration of Basic level courses is four hours while the advanced and special courses are of 8 to 12 hours. In the end of the training, trainee gets Food Safety Supervisor certificate.

Eat Right Campus

The ‘Eat Right Campus’ initiative led by FSSAI aims to promote safe, healthy and sustainable food in campuses such as universities, colleges, institutes, workplaces, hospitals, tea estates, jails, hotels (only cafeteria for staff) and Anganwadi centres across the country. The objective is to improve the health of people and the planet and promote social and economic development of the nation.

Eat Right School

Eat Right School is designed to help school children inculcate the habit of eating safe, eating healthy and eating sustainably through an interactive learning model. The Yellow Books I & II that have been developed specifically for school children from grades 1-8 with age appropriate and scientifically credible content on healthy habits. Teachers may refer to these books and incorporate the activities suggested in them while teaching related topics from school textbooks in the class. Schools may also create Health and Wellness Teams, certified by FSSAI, to drive this programme in the school. Further, a comprehensive matrix has been created for schools that include curricular and extracurricular activities based on which points are awarded. Based on the score received on the matrix, a school may be certified as an Eat Right School.

Hygiene Rating Audit

Hygiene rating is a technology-enabled, user-friendly scheme where individual food service establishments are given a rating for their hygiene and food safety compliance. Food establishments participating in the scheme are awarded a consolidated Star Rating (between 1 to 5) based on the level of their compliance to multiple safety and hygiene parameters prescribed by FSSAI through a simple checklist. The Hygiene Rating is a powerful visual symbol that allows consumers to make informed choices by finding out how hygienic and well-managed food preparation is at any of the star-rated premises, while also boosting the business of the establishment. Moreover, it encourages businesses to improve their hygiene standards and reduce the incidence of food-borne illnesses.

Hygiene Rating can be implemented in standalone food establishments such as restaurants (even those present in food courts or hotels), cafes, caterers, sweet shops, bakeries and meat shops etc. These food establishments can be located in a market, mall, tourist spots, airport, highways, institutes, hospitals, etc. The Hygiene Rating Certification is valid for 2 years.

Places of Worship under BHOG

BHOG is an initiative to encourage Places of Worship to ensure the health and welfare of the pilgrims, by educating food handlers in the premises about proper food safety and hygiene.

Under this initiative, in the places of worship, cooks/ food handlers are identified, audit conducted, and basic training is imparted. Display of food safety messages and Food Safety Display Boards at prominent places in the place of worship to encourage adoption of safe and hygienic food habits by the devotees is an important element of this initiative. After successful completion of all the steps, identified place of worship is recognized/certified.

Clean Street Food Hubs

A Clean Street Food Hub (CSFH) may be defined as a hub or cluster of vendors/shops/stalls selling popular street foods, 80 per cent or more of which represent local and regional cuisines and meet the basic hygiene and sanitary requirements, excluding fine dining.

This initiative aims at raising the quality of street food vending to the level of food courts and established restaurants. It also aims to upgrade food streets and build trust among consumers about enjoying safe and hygienic local eating experiences.

Clean and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Markets

A Clean and Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Market may be defined as a market or cluster of permanent vending shops/stalls/carts/kiosk selling fresh fruits and vegetables having adequate infrastructure and meet the basic hygiene and safety requirements. It excludes wholesale markets.

The initiative includes pre- audit of fruits and vegetable market and its vendors jointly by State FDA and FSSAI empanelled auditing agency for gap analysis followed by training, handholding, final audit, and certification of market at later stages. After successful completion of all the steps, the identified market is recognized/certified.

Eat Right Stations

Under this initiative, all food vendors in the railway station will be audited, trained and certified. Audit of kitchens run by the Indian Railways/ IRCTC will also be conducted (wherever present). Railway stations that fulfil benchmark criteria will then be recognized as “Eat Right Station” through plaques and/or certificate of excellence, which they would display prominently to enhance customer confidence.