Food guidelines given for college, school canteens
The FDA has put in place the norm based on guidelines prepared by an expert group constituted by the FSSAI.
Mumbai: The Food Drug and Administration (FDA) has framed strict guidelines on food served in colleges and school canteens. On Friday, Dr Pallavi Darade, FDA chief, called for meetings with all city-based canteen managers and owners over a strict norm put in place to serve nutritious food, failure to follow which would result in the errant managers and owners being summoned to the FDA commissioner's office for further action.
The FDA has put in place the norm based on guidelines prepared by an expert group constituted by the FSSAI. School/college authorities will have to follow the same to ensure the availability of wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic food to their students.
On May 03, 2019, the government of Maharashtra granted approval to implement these guidelines across schools/colleges in the state from the academic year 2019-20.
Dr Darade, commissioner of the FDA, told The Asian Age, “It has been observed that due to the increased availability and trend of unhealthy food i.e. junk foods which may contain high fat, high sugar, high salt (HFSS), regular consumption of such HFSS food may lead to various health problems in the adolescent age group.”
She added, “Due to excessive intake of such HFSS food, diseases like hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes are predominantly increasing.”
The FDA has divided the implementation into two parts. One part comprises the team of school teacher, principal, management committee member, canteen cook, student and dietician or nutritionist. The other part includes quality of food and cleanliness of utensils, cleanliness and strict check by FDA to serve only nutrition-based food.
Children develop various ailments with weight gain (obesity) and excessive salt intake. Foods with HFSS ingredients are easily available in attractive packaging and at lower prices. Therefore, the number of foods in which carbohydrates, proteins and other essential ingredients are naturally present (foods made at home using fruits and vegetables) has reduced.
Moreover, for the purpose of implementation of the guidelines, the assistant commissioner (food)/ food safety officers (FSOs) along with principals/authorities of schools and colleges in the state of Maharashtra have been instructed to work on the plan.