Now online registration of Ganesh mandals to ensure safety of prasad

he online records will help the FDA to track down the source of adulteration in case of untoward incidents

In a first starting this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pune region will conduct online registration of Ganpati mandals to ensure that the sweets prepared and distributed by them as prasad are safe for consumption. In a couple of days, the FDA will also issue an advisory about safety- and hygiene- to be followed by the Ganesh mandals while preparing or distributing sweets, the officials said.

As huge amounts of sweets are prepared and distributed by Ganesh mandals and consumed by devotees during the Ganesh festival, the advisory will help prevent adulteration and food poisoning. (HT PHOTO)

The online records will help the FDA to track down the source of adulteration in case of untoward incidents

The mandals can get registered by paying a nominal amount of ₹100. Details of the raw material purchased for the preparation of sweets/sweets purchased for distribution as prasad have to be disclosed by the mandals during the online registration process.

Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner of FDA Pune region, said that there are thousands of mandals celebrating the Ganesh festival in Pune for several years. “Through the online process, we will have a record of prasad prepared or distributed to the public. In case of any untoward incident, we will have the record which will help us track down the source of adulteration. It will help us take swift action,” Annapure said.

Annapure informed that the advisory will have details about the hygiene to be followed while preparing the sweets. Details related to the quality of raw material, storage conditions, handling, preparation and distribution will be issued. “Following this will ensure that the public gets safe and hygienic prasad. In the past, the FDA has discussed the dos and don’ts with the food vendors ahead of the festival,” he said.

As huge amounts of sweets are prepared and distributed by Ganesh mandals and consumed by devotees during the Ganesh festival, the advisory will help prevent adulteration and food poisoning. This year, the FDA is left with very little time to conduct workshops on food safety and hygiene for food vendors selling sweets near Ganpati pandals and members of various mandals. Hence, it has decided to issue an advisory for the Ganpati mandals and food vendors to raise awareness and educate them on food safety measures. Besides the regular testing of samples of khoya, barfi and other sweets will be checked for adulteration, said the officials.