THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The food safety department’s ‘Eat-Right Kerala’ mobile application will feature thousands of hotels and restaurants in the state by the end of this year.
The app, launched on June 7, faced criticisms as it listed only about 1,800 establishments in it. Only the hotels and restaurants that participated in the hygiene rating programme of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) can be featured in the app, hence the low turnout, food safety commissioner V R Vinod told TNIE.
The rating is given based on the hygiene audit conducted by FSSAI-accredited agencies for a charge. While the hygiene rating is a nationwide programme of the FSSAI, the mobile app is the state food safety department’s initiative.
“More hoteliers are showing interest in the rating exercise. The state food safety department has a scheme to sponsor auditing at selected units and we plan to sponsor the audit at about 4,000 units this year. A few thousand are expected to conduct the audit on their own. Together, there would be at least 10,000 units by the year-end,” Vinod said.
The department recently started the second phase of sponsored audits. Food safety offices in 11 districts have been given the target to facilitate an audit of 100 units each and the remaining districts Kasaragod, Wayanad and Idukki — are directed to audit 75 units each.
Vinod said the app is gaining popularity and it would force more food establishments to participate in the rating exercise. “The app, in the long run, will tremendously help in raising the hygiene standards of our establishments. It has more credibility since the entry on establishments, including photos and texts, is made by the local food safety officer. Hence, there is no chance for data manipulation,” he said.
The FSSAI has accredited only about 23 agencies for the audit, posing difficulties to establishments. The state food safety department has plans to encourage qualified individuals and enterprises in Kerala to secure FSSAI accreditation for auditing.
Hygiene Rating Scheme
Different types of food business operators (FBOs) can participate in the rating programme. They include hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, dhabas, sweet shops, bakeries and meat retail stores. The applicant should have an FSSAI registration and must follow the hygiene standards prescribed in Schedule 4 of the FSSAI Act. The schedule has a detailed set of directions ranging from cleanliness, lighting, ventilation, crockery, water, etc.
Trained staffers and periodical testing of food and water samples are other requirements. The operator can obtain the rating through an accredited Hygiene Rating Audit Agency. There are five categories under the rating — Excellent, Very Good, Good, Needs Improvement and Poor. Kerala has 4.54 lakh FBOs.