Food dept teams collect samples from midday meal kitchens

Food department teams today picked up 27 samples from midday meal kitchens, a day after an inspection was ordered by the Delhi government.
"In accordance to the government order, 27 samples were collected by food department teams from midday meal kitchens supplying to schools. The inspection and sampling will continue," a senior government official said.
After nine students of a government school in Deoli fell ill on Thursday after consuming midday meal which allegedly had a dead rat in it, the Delhi government has directed its designated officers to visit all midday meal kitchens to check hygiene level there.
As per the order issued by the Food Safety Commissioner, all designated officers along with their Food Safety Officers have been directed to visit all midday meal kitchens and transportation facilities under their district to check hygiene and cleanliness as per the standards laid down under FSS, 2006 and Rules and Regulations 2011.

"Also, the water used for cooking be lifted and tested. All kitchens to be sampled for full testing including microbiological test," the directive said.
Also National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited empanelled private labs have been directed to pick surveillance samples from the kitchen allotted and take them to their labs for testing.