FSSAI unveils online training for FBOs

New Delhi: Food regulator FSSAI on Wednesday said it has started an online training programme for food business operators (FBOs) to help them maintain safety and hygiene across food supply chain in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

"Covid-19 is posing a serious challenge for food supply chains worldwide. The challenge is to ensure uninterrupted food supply to consumers whilst containing the risk of Covid-19 for the workers, customers and all participants in the food supply chain," FSSAI said in a statement.

FSSAI had already issued detailed guidelines for food businesses. "Further, to enable and equip food businesses to function and reduce the risk of contagion, FSSAI has launched a training programme for food businesses under its flagship Food Safety Training & Certification programme (FoSTaC)," it said. The training will be conducted online through empanelled training partners. Food businesses can visit FoSTaC website or connect with FoSTaC training partners directly for the certification programme.

The training programme caters to all stakeholders in the food ecosystem comprising manufacturers, packers, transporters, retailers and food delivery partners and aggregators. The agencies/NGOs serving food in places including langar, community kitchens, among others, should also get their food handlers trained for Covid-19 precautionary measures, it said. A certificate of participation shall be issued to the trainees through FoSTaC portal.