Kerala bans food parcels sans expiry date, labels

Kerala government on Saturday banned food parcels without 'best-before-a-date' labels or expiry dates in the wake of instances of food-poisoning in the State.

State Health Minister Veena George said the label should contain details like manufacturing date and time, packing date and time and the date by which the item should be consumed.

"As per the food safety standard regulations, the dishes, under the high-risk hot food segments, must be consumed within two hours of cooking. When such dishes are being delivered, they should be transported by maintaining 60 degree celsius temperature," Minister's office said in a release.

The Minister said such dishes may not be safe for consumption if kept outside in normal temperature for more than two hours.

"Food parcels without the safety stickers and the 'best before' labels are banned," the release said.

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The decision was part of the intensified campaign of the government against restaurants and eateries selling adulterated food.

Recently, a nurse working at the Kottayam medical college died after taking a delicacy from an eatery.

In view of such incidents, the Health Department came out with instructions for eateries like having licence and registration, and maintaining hygiene, cleanliness.

The Minister had said that a hygiene-rating system was being implemented for hotels. A mobile app would be launched this month for consumers to upload photos and videos with regard to the food bought in an eatery, and the ambience in it, said the Minister.