Mid-Day Opinion: Kitchens cannot be lowest on hygiene order

Representation pic

The food raids continue with more outlets facing action. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cracked the whip against two mess facilities at IIT Bombay, eateries in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, and other food businesses in parts of the state. The FDA has been on the adhere to the rules or shut down warpath for a while now, with some well-known names in the Food & Beverage (F&B) space found violating rules and penalised as a result.

We are now heartened that even college mess are on the FDA radar. Reports stated that FDA officials inspected three hostel mess facilities at IIT Bombay in Mumbai's Powai area.

Two messes were found operating without mandatory food licences or registrations under food safety regulations. A third mess had a valid licence but was issued an improvement notice for deficiencies found during inspection.

Our academic hostels, school and college canteens need regular inspections. While day students may eat a snack or two at these places, hostelites are dependent on mess food and are eating it daily.

We must see there is optimum cleanliness in these establishment. The food may be simply, nutritious but most importantly cooked and served hygienically. Drinking water amenities like coolers must also be inspected for cleanliness and staffers/those in charge pulled up if these coolers are not maintained.

We may have stellar academic degrees on offer and a range of courses but if we cannot get these on-ground basics right, all the fancy-shmancy degrees lose meaning.

Some of our students study in abysmal infra facilities. Ensure safety and this extends to food safety for our youngsters.