|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
Workshop highlights how food safety needs to reach even tribal FPOs
|
|
Tuesday, 15 June, 2021, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
|
|
Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
|
Food safety needs to percolate across the processing sector not just in the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprise) but even among the tiny and tribal industries too. This was highlighted at a workshop on importance of food safety and licensing conducted by Bengaluru-based Food Safety Works recently.
The workshop stressed on the importance of food safety for Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India(TRIFED), under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, among others.
A total of 12 FPOs(farmer producer organisations) are being financially supported by NABARD and TRIFED to the extent of about Rs 10 lakh to establish food processing units.
The primary products that are being processed by these FPOs are cold pressed oil of groundnut, coconut, etc., millet processing which are dehusked and cleaned millet grains, redgram processing, tamarind processing that are deseeded, dehusked and packed besides coffee and pepper.
The objective of the workshop was to guide FPOs to understand the regulation, getting the licence under the right category and also make them aware about the safety and hygiene protocols needed to be adhered to deliver safe food to the customers while meeting all the packaging and labelling guidelines. This is because of the government support through TRIFED to develop retail market for livelihood development.
At the event to bring out the key features of the FSSA (Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006), Sarika Agarwal, founder and principal consultant, Tribal FPOs across Karnataka that are supported by NABARD and TRIFED, said, “Food is a high risk product and lapses will lead to deadly consequences and even fatality. Human beings react differently to various foods. Testing and quality control may not be an option all the time. It affects the brand reputation and can result in loss of business as it is to do with public health.”
Noting that food safety is a scientific discipline with clear-cut details on ways to handle, prepare and store to prevent food-borne diseases, Agarwal pointed out that tribal foods which form an intrinsic part of the government promotion will also need to adhere to the protocols of safety to generate a positive market response and recall to ensure sales.
Food Safety Works partnered with AIC CCRI CED, the incubator of Coffee Board of India to address the FPOs mentored. District Development Managers (DDMs) from NABARD and other FPOs were interested in understanding the food safety systems also attended.
In order to further support the FPOs, the company will also help them register on the FSSAI site, free of charge, taking only the charges levied by the government authority. This is because the company sees the key contribution of FPOs towards making an ecosystem for safe food.
Ramesh Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety Works, stated, "As we look at bringing in farmers and smaller enterprises into the food processing sector, it will be critical to support them with the right knowledge on food safety. They have the right intent and the lack of knowledge should not become an impediment to their success".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|