The Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN), a voluntary consumer organisation promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa, has notified the Directorate of Food and Drug Administration (DFDA), Goa, that shops, outlets and bicycle vendors selling traditional bread in different parts of Goa, continue to violate the relevant rules under FSS Act, 2006, that require them to display details of their FSSAI licence. 

In some cases people who own or manage the production and sale of traditional bread through various means are conveniently giving the excuse of the lockdown due to Covid-19 for the non-display of their FSSAI licence.

GOACAN has called on the Director to issue the necessary reminder to all bakeries and FBOs that sell bread to follow the DFDA rules and guidelines.

Explaining the issue to FnB News, Roland Martins, co-ordinator, GOACAN, said, “GOACAN has also requested the DFDA Director to issue a separate public notice for consumers with regards to their rights and duties when purchasing traditional bread so that complaints can be filed to the DFDA office through fax, email and by using the application in case violations are noticed.”

Meanwhile, Jyoti Sardesai, Commissioner, Food Safety and Director, FDA Goa, informed, ‘‘The FSSAI has mandated the requirement of a Registration and Licence for all Food Business Operators. Goa has a unique tradition of bread, ‘pao’, ‘undo’ and ‘poi’, which are prepared by age-old traditional methods by bakers who have been operating in premises which have a history linked to over 100 years.”

She added that it’s a fact that old bakeries face challenges to upgrade to the latest facility requirements, however, the bakers have been making efforts to comply with the requirement of law.

“Although bread is a low risk food, we appeal to all the bakers to ensure they handle products with appropriate care. Thus, not to contaminate the bread post-production by adopting clean storage,” stated Sardesai.

Further they need to ensure all their workers have valid health and sanitary cards.

“The practice of distribution of bread on cycles is unique to Goa. We urge our bakers to ensure that as per the earlier directives of FDA, they fix the display boards on every cycle to ensure the consumer is informed from where their daily bread is sourced. They should also ensure that bakeries are operating with valid licence,” said Sardesai.

 

However, DFDA has been proactive and has provided regular handholding to such bakers to get updated with latest development with FSSAI and have done the FoSTaC certification of such traditional bakers in cooperation with the local bakers association.

An FDA official from Goa, said, “We have conducted training for bakers for importance of food safety before Covid-19 and had given presentation of how to wash hands, maintain healthy and clean body and to obtain FSSAI licence. We also instructed them to display their licence number and phone number of the owners on the bicycles so that any complaints they can be filed.”

Floyd Periera, founder, T Centre confectionary and baked goods store in Panjim, Goa, said, “We have made sure to update ourselves every step of the way, all through the outbreak and spread of Covid-19. Our business suffered during the lockdown but we understand that it was a necessary step taken by the government.”