With the government deciding to strictly enforce Food Safety & Standards Act and MNC food testing labs remaining expensive, the hospitality industry has decided to go the extra mile in ensuring qualitatively better health, safety and hygiene of people by establishing “cost-effective and alternative” food testing laboratories across the country.
“We believe it is imperative for all stakeholders to work together to ensure the new rules don’t place an onerous compliance burden on the industry, particularly small and mid-sized establishments,” says Pradeep Shetty, chairman, Federation of Hotels and Restaurants’ Association of India (FHRAI) sub committee.
Mr. Shetty has been organising seminars across the country to create awareness among the hoteliers on the various facets of this new regulatory mechanism.
The apex body of the hospitality industry plans to establish state-of-the-art food testing laboratories in order to offer the industry an affordable and alternate service being provided by the MNC labs, which are approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). These MNC labs are limited and expensive.
FHRAI will also take steps to obtain NABL accreditation for its labs, which would be managed by a team of experts and trained technicians drawn from the FHRAI.
The FHRAI’s analytical laboratories will be equipped with scientific instruments and facilities.