REPORT

Training on Implementing Food Safety Management System

in Places of Worship

01st May, 2018 Somnath Temple, Gujarat

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Training on

“Implementing Food Safety Management System

in Places of Worship” 1. Introduction

Project BHOG was launched in Gujarat, with the first workshop on “Implementing Food Safety

Management System in Places of Worship” being organized by FSSAI and Gujarat FDCA on 1st May, 2018

at Shree Somnath, Somnath Prabhas Patan , District Girsomnath, Gujarat. Places of Worship (PoW) are a

very important part of Indian society and food served in these places is regarded as pure and sacred.

Project BHOG (Blissful Hygienic Offering to God) is an initiative of FSSAI to encourage and engage PoW

to adopt and maintain food safety and hygiene practices in areas of Prasad/food preparation to ensure

that safe Prasad is being consumed by the pilgrims.

2. Objectives

1) Creating awareness on the need of maintaining food safety and hygiene during Prasad preparation

in PoW.

2) Insight about Project BHOG for PoW & training programmes needed for food handlers and vendors.

3) Sharing best practices across temples to address common challenges.

4) Initiate a sustainable network of support to facilitate the hygiene implementation plans.

3. Participation details and Workshop Programme

The workshop was attended by 55 participants from 17 temples across the Kutch and Saurashtra

districts. These included representatives from the prasad making kitchens, contractors responsible for

temple / trust run kitchens, vendors selling Prasad and administrative staff of temple.

Gujarat FDCA was well represented through local FSOs, who actively participated in the discussions.

List of participants is enclosed at Annexure 1 & programme of the workshop is enclosed at Annexure

2.

4. Inaugural Session

The workshop started with a traditional lamp lighting by representatives from the PoW, FSSAI, Gujarat

FDCA, and AFST (I).

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Representatives of the Shri Somnath Trust welcomed the participants to the first Workshop in

Gujarat on Project BHOG, and thanked the FSSAI, AFST (I) and Gujarat FDCA representatives for the

initiative taken in the area.

In his inaugural speech, Dr. R.L. Vaishya, Joint Commissioner Food Safety, Gujarat FDCA, gave insights

on the BHOG initiative highlighting the importance of adopting safe food handling practices in all PoW.

He stressed on the need for training of food handlers in PoW to ensure preparation of safe & hygienic

Prasad. He emphasised on the responsibility of PoW in adhering to the licensing condition under FSSAI

and discussed the inspection and verification system followed by the authority in ensuring this.

The inaugural session closed with a short video of the history and significance of the Somnath Temple.

(Group Photo of the workshop)

5. Context Setting

Mr C. Gohil, DO, FDCA Gujarat elaborated on the Scope of the workshop and urged the participants use

the opportunity to learn from the experts on best practices available to ensure hygienic offering to

devotees. He briefly described the various initiatives taken by other states including Tamil Nadu and

Maharashtra in implementing the BHOG program and assured all support to the POW from local FDA

offices.

6. Project BHOG Journey & Implementation – AFSTI

AFSTI trainers led by Ms. Subhaprada Nishtala screened a short video to present a brief background of

the work done by them under the Project BHOG for implementation of Food Safety Management

Systems (FSMS) in various temples .

7. Role of FSSAI in Places of Worship

Dr Sujata Singh, Asst. Director FSSAI facilitated the session on the licensing and registration

requirements and shared the various avenues available to expedite the process. She conducted an

interactive session explaining the regulatory responsibilities of the PoW as per the FSS Act. The detailed

description of the licensing process was very well appreciated by the participants.

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8. FSMS Guidelines – Food Safety & Hygienic Practices in PoW

The training session on food safety and hygienic practices was conducted by the AFST(I) trainers - Ms.

Subhaprada Nishtala and Ms. Khusbhu Shah, for the participating PoW. The participants were divided

into 5 groups to facilitate cross learning and increase interactions.

The session was initiated by Ms Nishtala with a short mythological story to highlight the need for all

stakeholders to take ownership of the BHOG initiative and demonstrated leadership roles at their

facilities.

Ms. Khusbhu Shah discussed the requirements of GMP as per Schedule IV and explained the FSDP in

Gujarati.

It was an interactive session where the participants were guided on the following aspects of food safety

management systems:

i) Implementing good hygienic practices in PoW must cover eight areas, namely,

location/surrounding, layout & design, equipment & containers, facilities, personal hygiene,

storage & transport, sanitation & maintenance and training.

ii) Reasons of food spoilage and ways to prevent spoilage.

iii) Hygienic requirements for infrastructure pertaining to ventilation, lighting, drainage etc.

iv) Good manufacturing practices including standardization of raw material, good storage practices,

proper cooking temperature of prasad & requirements for hygienic packaging.

v) Effective drainage system – Direction of drainage flow should be opposite to the flow of

production.

vi) Effective pest control systems.

vii) Provision for personal hygiene facility for food handlers.

viii) Packing and labelling of prasad as per FSS regulations.

ix) Storage and transportation of prasad at proper temperatures

x) Testing of prasad either from in-house lab facility or from an outside accredited lab.

9. Preparation of checklist on GMP/GHP – preparation by Groups

(Group Activity in Progress)

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The groups were assigned individual scenarios viz., Naivedya making kitchen; Contract manufacturing

of Prasad by 3rd Party; Kitchens run by POW for providing meals to pilgrims and Vendor management in

festival season.

Each of the teams was allocated a FSO who worked with them in understanding the requirements of

Schedule IV and developing the checklists in Gujarati.

The teams then conducted mock audits using these checklists, in the Sagar Darshan Guest house

operated by the Shri Somnath Trust.

9. Group Presentations on Challenge areas

Each team presented a summary of their observations and their suggestions to overcome the common

challenges. The FSOs shared some best practices on food safety and hygiene practices in POWs. All

participants were issued certificates by the Gujarat FDCA.

10. Way Forward

The participants pledged to conduct gap audits in their individual POWs and develop the actions plans

to closed the deficiencies. AFST experts recommended that students from local Food Science colleges be

offered short projects to help expedite the improvement initiatives. Gujarat FDCA offered their support

in facilitating this.

Dr. Sujata Singh shared that the PoW, where BHOG is to be implemented, can be audited by FSSAI

empanelled auditing agencies, and these reports could help in developing targeted improvement plans.

The session ended with a Vote of Thanks

*****