HYDERABAD: After a series of raids on hotels, restaurants, and other eating establishments by Commissioner of Food Safety Task Force teams, and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) over the past month exposed unhygienic and unsanitary conditions in eateries across the city, the Hyderabad chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has decided to take corrective measures. On Thursday, the NRAI announced that a hygiene rating would be issued for all its members to enhance accountability. It has also constituted a special task force to implement Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) standards in all establishments across the city.
The task force comprises 15 members and is chaired by NRAI Hyderabad chapter head Sampath Tummala. On Thursday, its members met Commissioner of Food Safety RV Karnan and informed him about the newly created task force. This team will work in collaboration with the FSSAI and GHMC to raise food and hygiene standards in the city.
During the meeting, Karnan suggested adding hygiene ratings to restaurants and displaying them for customer awareness. Both parties agreed to host a large event in the coming months to further enhance awareness of the required protocols.
The NRAI task force will immediately hold awareness workshops and training sessions to educate all restaurant members in Hyderabad. A major ‘food safety week’ will also be held in association with the FSSAI and GHMC in the coming weeks. Additionally, hygiene audit programmes for restaurants will be conducted with third-party auditors, the NRAI said.
The task force has put together a checklist of all compliance requirements for F&B operators to meet Food Safety Regulations as per the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.