Negative feedback of customers can lead to cancelation of licenses

To ensure consumer interest and strengthening culture of food safety, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed that all restaurants and hotels should place a food safety display board with license numbers at prominent places in their premises. The display board would also prompt the customers to submit their feedback online and based on the feedback, the license of the restaurant can even be cancelled.

In the order, the FSSAI has said that the food safety display board should be printed on an A3 size cardboard material and displayed at entrance, reception area or billing section of the restaurant. The purpose of display is that the customers view it easily to their satisfaction. In the order, the assistant director RCD, Akhilesh Gupta has set up a deadline of October 15 for compliance. The non- compliance of the order by the restaurant owners would attract strict action under the provisions of FSS act, the order added.

The designated officer food safety Dehradun, G S Kandwal said that the department has provided a copy of the display board to the restaurant and hotel owners. He said apart from licence number, the restaurant owners would mention the 12 hygiene rule codes like cleanliness of the premises, use of potable water for food preparation, use of separate chopping boards for raw, cooked and vegetarian / non vegetarian food storage and cooking procedure. The display board would have a toll free number of the food safety officer on which the customers can lodge their complaints.

Kandwal added that the department of food safety Uttarakhand is planning to conduct a hand holding workshop with the help of hotel and restaurants association on food safety display boards. The workshop would focus on general hygiene and sanitary requirements in restaurants, he said.