Casting its wrath all across the globe, Covid-19 has proved to be a fatal catastrophe for every homo sapiens breathing at every nook and corner of the planet. This devastation has shaken every segment of each industry; and food and beverage sector is no exception. Now, after few months, it seems as if every people, every industry, every country is left with no option but habituated to survive with its presence along side; it is the time to ponder over and imply regulatory compliance in food & beverage sector.
Pandemic Corona virus is a disease with several identified symptoms and is even asymptomatic; hence it becomes most fatal and is quite apparently indicative to be more precautious to be safeguarded from its curse. The transmission of this disease can be from human to human and also from coming in the contact of contaminated surfaces.
Food & beverage sector is vivid and caters to large chunk of people; the possibility of the pandemic transmission is very acute. The extreme food hygiene and food safety practices have proved to mitigate the impact of Corona virus pandemic. In order to restrict the spread of this deadly disease, it is mandatory for every Food Business Operator and consumer to maintain high standards of hygiene, to follow the practice of social distancing along with limiting social contact; and then indentify and isolate the infected person (who may be the probable reason to spread the virus).
It is the need of the hour to compulsorily implement the Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) mentioned in Schedule 4 of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011. With the intent to prevent the outburst and spread of this disease, following guidelines need to be implemented and followed:
The food business owner/handler must be provided with training on risk factors, safe food handling practices, social distancing and other protective behaviours like cough etiquettes, how to wear mask and wash hands to limit the virus spread.
All the employers entering the premises must be screened with temperature (non-contact thermometer), cough, cold, breathing difficulties or shortness of breath and so on. One with 37.5oC (99oF) body temperature must not be allowed to enter the workplace.
Food handlers/employers/visitors must be motivated to give self-declaration about their good health and inform about any slightest symptoms like respiratory difficulties.
Wearing mask and protective gears must be ensured at all times by everyone in the premise of the work area.
In larger organisations a local emergency response team needs to be constituted and one person should be designated as Covid-19 co-ordinator. He should be aware with local hospitals having facility of Corona testing, he must ensure proper and adequate supply of disinfectant, he should maintain the rules for isolation room for suspected case, and he should also ensure mask, gloves and implementation of government guidelines time to time.
Food business management should ensure proper hand washing for at least 20 minutes, frequent use of hand sanitisers, proper respiratory hygiene (like covering mouth while sneezing and coughing), regular and frequent cleaning and sanitisation of contact areas like door and lift switch. Sanitisers having 70% alcohol content should be preferred to sanitise hands. Employees should be prohibited from wearing jewellery, watches and using mobile phones in work areas.
During this hard and grave period of pandemic, organisation should stop the use of fingerprints and biometric attendance.
The common areas like toilets, counter and equipment should be disinfected properly at regular and short interval with disinfectant having 0.1% hypochlorite sol and with hot water.
Social distancing should be maintained and guidelines regarding this have to be followed strictly. Organisation should limit the number of employees as well. The production line should be reduced, shift timings to be reviewed and gap should be maintained between staff, discouraging staff to use sharing of lockers, and most importantly takeaways and food deliveries should be encouraged too.
Food premise should be washed, cleaned and sanitised properly with proper cleaning and sanitisation requirements. The utensils, cutlery, and equipment all should be disinfected regularly with water having temperature 60oC and disinfectants.
Toilets and washrooms should be disinfected after every shift with necessary disinfectants and the metallic surfaces where disinfectant should not be used must be sanitised with alcohol sanitiser.
Gathering of customers should not be encouraged at any instances. In this regard, to avoid accumulation of customers online ordering should be preferred and different timings to be given to collect their packets.
Staff should be asked to refrain themselves from cash handling and money to be collected from various online transaction services like Paytm, UPI, QR-code, net-banking and e-wallets.
With regards to food transportation; trucks and vehicles should be sanitised regularly, driver should be asked not to touch the food, drivers and loaders should avoid using contact in public areas and avoid using public toilets, and guidelines for hotspot areas should be strictly followed as well.
Consumers purchasing fruits and vegetables must ensure proper cleaning of all vegetables with desired materials and water.
Thus, it is very apparent that food industry is facing one of the hardest time since its genesis, due to this pandemic. As pandemic is without vaccination; the best and most effective way to control is to ensure and incorporate effective precautionary methods; in order to limit its spread as much as possible.
Most importantly, the mindset of the people must be fed with the guidelines, set of rules and the technique that may play a crucial role in restricting the spread and propagation of the deadliest virus outburst. It is not only the onus of food industry but also all those who have been a part of it like consumers, delivery man, sweepers, drivers, and so on. Enlightening one with its probable control measures and steps would indeed do wonder and help all to combat the catastrophe of Covid-19.
(The author is senior faculty in culinary arts at Institute of Hotel Management, Kurukshetra)