Food Safety and Standards (Safe food and balanced diets for children in school) Regulations, 2020
In the regulation published on the 4th September 2020, FSSAI has defined the requirements of Schools and FBOs that they will need to comply with. They have to be compliant of these provisions of the regulations effective from 1st July 2021. The regulations specify the following.
Responsibilities of School Authority
School Authority selling or
catering school meals by itself in school campus shall be registered as FBO
with the concerned authority and ensure food is safe and meets the nutrition
requirement.
If school authority enters into
contract with an FBO selling or catering school meals, then, it must be ensured
that the FBO is duly registered or licensed under the provisions of the Act.
Also, the Department of School
Education should ensure that all FBOs contracted by it for the operation of
Mid-day meal scheme are registered or licensed.
The FBOs must comply to the
requirements of sanitary & hygienic practices provided to the food
manufacturers in Schedule 4, Food Safety Display Board and Food Safety
Supervisor(s) as per the Food Safety Standards (Licensing and Registration of
Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
Food products high in saturated
fat or trans-fat or added sugar or sodium shall not be permitted or sold within
the campus.
The board containing warning
“Do not sell including free sale or market or advertise the food products high
in saturated fat or trans-fat or added sugar or sodium within school premises
or campus” in English or one Indian language as applicable, at the entrance
gate or gates of the school.
Also, there shall be no
advertisement banner or wallpaper of food which is high in saturated fat or
trans-fat or added sugar or sodium on school computers.
Promotion of safe food and balanced diet in and around school campus
Safe food & balanced diets shall be encouraged among children as per guidelines issued by the “Dietary guidelines for Indians – A Manual” issued by NIN and other expert institutions or authorities & schools shall work towards meeting specified benchmarks to convert school campus into ‘Eat Right Campus’ that focus on safe food and balanced diet, local seasonal food and no waste.
The school meals supplied by FBOs should be identified & selected foods on the basis of guidelines given in these regulations & as directed by the Food Authority.
Safe and balanced diets must be served to infants or children up to the age of 24 months old at creches or day cares.
Food marketing and advertisement and selling to children in school
No person shall advertise or
market or sell or offer for sale including free sale, or permit sale of, food
products high in saturated fat or trans-fat or added sugar or sodium in school
campus or to school children in an area within 50 meters from the school gate
in any direction.
When marketing foods in school
premises or campus, the FBOs shall support only balanced eating.
Monitoring & surveillance
Regular inspection of premises
ensuring safe, balanced & hygienic food service to students shall be done
by the school authority. School Authority can appoint a health and wellness
Ambassador or a team who shall act as the nodal person
Periodic inspection of FBOs
covered under these regulations shall be carried out by the State Authority.
If school authority fails to
comply with the provisions under these regulations, without reasonable grounds,
the Central or State Food Authority shall take up the matter with concerned
department of School education or Affiliation Body, to take appropriate action.
A sub-committee including
representatives from Department of School Education, and public health
professionals from field of food & nutrition shall recommend indicative
list of food groups & preparations.
Following
are the other guidelines specified in the regulations.
Mandatory meal-times to be
implemented to inculcate healthy eating habits in children.
Safe drinking water to be
available to students at free-of-cost.
The menu shall include a
variety of foods cereal – protein combination including micronutrient-rich
meals.
Whole grains, pulses, millets,
foods of animal origin like milk, eggs etc., shall be used. Fresh, seasonal and
local produce shall be used for preparation.
Cooking oil or ghee shall be
used moderately & use of re-heated fats & oils should be avoided.
Fortified wheat flour, rice,
milk, edible oil & double fortified salt may be used as per Food Safety
& Standards (Fortification of Foods), 2018.
A list of permitted foods &
beverages has also been included in the regulations.
