SHILLONG: Food exposed to unhygienic conditions in Motphran which on a daily basis booms with frantic activities, have caught the attention of authorities concerned with Food safety and consumers.
Assistant commissioner, Food Safety, D.B.S. Mukhim spoke to reporters after addressing the public on food safety at Motphran on Friday.
Stating that it is imperative to follow safe food habits, she said the objective of the office was to sensitise the public about the do’s and don’ts of food safety habits to be followed by both the sellers and the consumers.
It is usually seen in Motphran that meat, vegetables and fruits are exposed to the constant vehicular pollution, dust, open drainage system posing a danger to the health of the consumers.
Asked about the vendors who sell food items, Mukhim said, “The vendors have started to understand the importance of food safety which will be beneficial for a healthy lifestyle.”
“Today we have come to address the manner in which meat is being sold. We have conducted inspection from time to time. We also spoke to the butchers personally,” she added.
She pointed out that meat is being exposed to unhygienic atmosphere especially vehicular pollution with no proper place to keep them clean and safe.
“The meat shops are also located in filthy areas where garbage piles up and there is no proper drainage system. This posed a danger not only to the sellers but the consumers,” she said.
As a measure to prevent contamination of food, she suggested the butchers to use covers for the meat and disinfect the table/wooden material used to butcher the meat, with salt.
The butchers can leave the salt overnight and wash it clean before using the table/wooden material.
According to Mukhim, law comes in place when all means of awareness and sensitization are exhausted.
She informed on the awareness meeting held at Iew Them Mawlong and Mawlonghat, Malki and JNV, Mawphlang to address the student community about the safety of food.
Asked, about safe food habits in restaurants, she said inspection was conducted and staff of restaurants were also asked to go for medical check-up.
Urging the public to be hawk-eyed, she said the public can write to the office when they come across anything unusual in restaurants and also substantiate their claims.