Dos and Don’ts for Deepavali Sweetmakers in Chennai
The requirement also applies to temporary sweet-making units set up for the festive season, marriage halls and individuals preparing snacks at home against orders.
Chennai:Stepping into the festival season, the Chennai district administration has issued a set of food safety guidelines for sweet and savoury manufacturers, retailers and the public. It has warned of stringent action against the violators.
On Friday, Collector Malathi Helen wanted all businesses involved in preparing sweets and savouries to obtain and display a valid licence or registration certificate. The requirement also applies to temporary sweet-making units set up for the festive season, marriage halls and individuals preparing snacks at home against orders.
The collector said packaged sweets and savouries must carry details such as the date of manufacture, expiry date, manufacturer's address, food safety registration number and vegetarian or non-vegetarian symbol. Retail outlets must also display the manufacturing and expiry dates on trays containing unpackaged products.
She warned manufacturers against using unauthorised synthetic colours. Only permitted food colours can be used, subject to the prescribed limit of 100 ppm.
Milk-based sweets, which have a shorter shelf life, cannot be packed along with other varieties in assorted gift boxes.
The manufacturers should display information on the cooking oil and ghee used in preparing snacks. Used cooking oil can be handed over to authorised agencies under the government's Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative for conversion into biodiesel, for which the businesses can receive payment.
Food preparation units must use safe drinking water and possess water quality testing certificates. Workers handling food must wear gloves, head covers and aprons and hold valid medical fitness certificates. The guidelines also call for maintaining hygienic premises free of flies, insects and microbial contamination.
The collector urged the consumers to buy only from registered food businesses and avoid products displayed in the open, exposed to flies, or containing excessive artificial colours.
Complaints about food quality can be lodged through the Food Safety Department's WhatsApp number 9444042322, the website foodsafety.tn.gov.in or the TN Food Safety Consumer App, she said.