Food safety dept fines 31 street vendors for violating rules in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: The district food safety department officials held surprise inspections across the district and inspected a total of 278 street food vendors, and imposed a fine on 95 vendors for violating rules.After numerous complaints by the public and activists over the quality measures taken by the vendors, the department deployed seven teams of officials across the district to check the food prepared by the street food vendors. The inspection was held over the past few days. A total of 278 shops from across the district were inspected in the field survey.

Sources revealed that around 95 shops were operating without obtaining the FSSAI certificate of the food safety department. Besides, a total fine of Rs 62,000 has been collected from  31 shops for packing hot food items using plastic covers. Also, about 44 kg of perished and chemical-coloured food items worth Rs 9,620 were seized and destroyed by the officials.

The officials have warned that all food establishments must obtain a proper license from the department and must not pack hot food items in plastic covers. “The person handling the food must wear a head cover and hand gloves without fail. Food items should not be provided in old newspapers,” officials said.
The district collector has informed that the complaints regarding food quality can be reported through the food safety department’s WhatsApp number 9444042322.