FSSAI to roll out hygiene ratings for meat shops

Amidst the rapidly rising threat of the spread of Coronavirus in India, the country’s food regulator – FSSAI is in the process of introducing hygiene ratings for meat shops. State governments have already been roped in for this purpose. To get the process started, the agency has initially offered to fund hygiene ratings for 50 slaughterhouses. The organization has already been inspecting meat and fish shops, and slaughterhouses for some time.

“The hygiene of our meat and fish shops and slaughterhouses is very critical. Slaughtering meat products in India requires a lot of hygiene upgradation. About six to eight months FSSAI took some steps to improve the hygiene of such shops,” FSSAI’s CEO, Pawan Agarwal.

FSSAI scrutinizes the quality, and hygiene of packaged and loose food being sold, manufactured, and imported in India. It is also planning to boost its presence in the country by establishing six new branch offices, four new import offices and two new food laboratories. “This would help FSSAI to strengthen its inspection and enforcement activities and have better control of imported food. Location of new offices has been decided after taking into account the workload of food imports and central licensing at various places,” Rita Teaotia , Chairperson, FSSAI, informed reporters.