Ahead of the Deepavali festival Madurai district Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar has issued guidelines to be followed by eateries in the district to ensure delivery of safe and healthy food products to the consumers.

The press statement informed that the manufacturers and sellers of food products, such as sweets and savouries, were strictly required to adhere to the conditions laid out to ensure that quality and safe food reached the consumers.

“All sweet and savoury food manufacturers and sellers, including those operating temporary sweet stalls during the festival, should sell only after obtaining a license or registration certificate from the Food Safety Department. Not only these vendors, but all types of food business operators must register their business and obtain a license or registration certificate under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The online application can be fulfilled through foscos.fssai.gov.in.,” it added.

Those preparing confectionery products (sweets), even if sold in gift boxes, must mandatorily print labelling details, including the date of manufacture, expiry date, and the Food Safety License number using quality raw materials obtained with a Food Safety License, the statement noted.

Also, the rules prohibited the usage of single-use plastic banned by the Government of Tamil Nadu and also plastics prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

The general public were instructed to purchase and use food products that were prepared following good hygiene practices.

Furthermore, consumers are requested to only purchase sweets from shops registered with the Food Safety Department and to buy sweets that have proper labelling details.

If consumers wish to file a complaint regarding poor quality sweets or unhygienic shops, they could reach the District Food Safety Department Office number 0452-2640036 or send a complaint via WhatsApp to the State Food Safety Department Commissioner’s Office number 94440-42322.

Those violating the norms would be subjected to legal actions, the press statement added.