Four Days After The Puri-Howrah Shatabdi Breakfast Incident, Railways Decided To Increase Food Safety

According to the latest report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), the Indian Railways has taken measures to increase food safety in the trains after several passengers on the Puri-Howrah Shatabdi Express fell sick. 300 health inspectors have been deployed to conduct surprise food checks and take samples for inspection as well as create a databank of vendors so that the food quality in ensured.

Food Safety For Passengers

The report also says that a meeting was conducted by the Indian Railways in which it was decided that Food Safety Officers (FSO) are to take charge of each division of the railways. They are also to make sure that all vendors supplying food on the trains have been registered online with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

“We discussed ways to strengthen the entire ecosystem of food being served and sold by railways. It was decided to ensure that all vendors register with FSSAI online for better monitoring,” FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal told PTI. He also added that currently the vendors are registered on paper and now it is their aim to shift all the paperwork and vendors’ licenses online. This process, he said will commence in the coming 15 days.

“FSSAI and the railways have decided to adopt a revised protocol for sample selection for food sample test, frequency of data collection will increase and surprise sample collection will be included in data bank,” said the statement received by the PTI. The meeting that took place regarding food safety was attended by the Chief Managing Director of IRCTC, the food safety commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of FSSAI, Additional Member (Commercial), Railway Board, Director General (Health), Railway Board and other senior officials says the report by the PTI.