Private firm to draw up guidelines to ensure quality food in schools,HC told

The Union government on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have assigned a private company to develop guidelines for making available quality and safe food in schools.

The Union government on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have assigned a private company to develop guidelines for making available quality and safe food in schools.

In response to a PIL filed by the NGO Uday Foundation to ban junk food and carbonated drinks being sold in and around schools in the country,the High Court in January this year gave the FSSAI six months time to hold deliberations with experts and frame necessary guidelines to make healthy food available in school canteens.

In a report submitted on Wednesday,the FSSAI said it had outsourced this task to the Nielsen Company (ACNielsen QRG-Marg Pvt.Ltd). The report said there are more than 8 lakh primary and upper primary schools in the country,imparting education to more than 12 crore children and that there were several reported incidents of food poisoning in schools due to unhygienic food served there.

It said the Nielsen Company would frame guidelines to address a number of components including a review hygiene practices in school kitchens as well as study the food habits of school children. In addition,it said the report would suggest measures for improving the quality of food served and stress an adherence to nutritional and safety norms.

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