Food Safety Training & Certification Program (FoSTaC course in kochi)

Food Safety Training & Certification Program (FoSTaC course in kochi) is a training module that exhibits all aspects of food and safety norms to be inculcated during the involvement of any procedure related to food handling, production, processing, and its utilisation.
As per the order of FSSAI, Section 16(3)h of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India mandates proper training of persons as Food Business Operator for employees who are involved in Food Businesses or need to be in the future.

It has been accorded under the Central Licence or State Licence to have at least one trained Food Safety Supervisor for a minimum of 25 food handling staff on all their premises. The nature of business can be carried only after prior certification from a recognised food training partner authorised by the FSSAI.

About the Training
FSSAI has initiated the certification program of training through its initiative called FoSTaC. It means Food Safety Training and Certification.

There are 17 types of Competence based certification programmes available with FoSTaC. Duration of each course is of 8 to 12 hours over 1 to 2 days.

Course have been developers by domain experts and visited by expert committee of FSSAI. Training manuals are based on general hygiene or manufacturing practices as detailed under schedule 4 of FSS Regulation courses have been divided into following 3 levels:

  1. BASIC
    • Basic level certification are meant for food business. Duration of each course is of 4 hours. Courses:
      • (1) Street Food Vending, (2) Catering, (3) Manufacturing / Processing, (4) Storage & Transport, and (5) Retail & Distribution
  2. ADVANCE
    • Advanced courses and certification are for State & Central Licensed food business. Duration of each course is 8 hours. Course are: –
      • (1) Catering (2) Manufacturing / Processing, (3) Storage & Transport, and (5) Retail & Distribution
  3. SPECIAL
    • Special course have been developed for high risk food business or The food business which require special attention. Duration of special course is 8-12 hours. Spread over 1-2 days. Course are: –
      • (1) Milk & Milk Products, (2) Meat & Poultry, (3) Fish & Sea Food, (4) Packaged Water, (5) Bakery (Level 1), (6) Bakery (Level 2), (7) Edible Oil and Fat, (8) Health Supplement

Every food business operator must have at least one certified personal who can be held responsible for all the implementation of food safety measurement or shortfall thereof.

FSSAI takes into account every minute detail of a food process by scientific standards to ensure food safety compliance and regulation right from their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensuring provision of safe and wholesome food that fits human consumption.

Requisition of FSSAI

The safety supervisor course is a must for every FBO. It is necessary for every hotel, dhaba, restaurant, rail and fight catering services, general caterers, canteens and any other organisation involved in food business to procure a food safety supervisor course in due time.
Here is the list of categories which mandate the certification program that a licensed FBO must obtain:
Food Safety Supervisor – Street Food Vending.
Food Safety Supervisor – Advance Catering.
Food Safety Supervisor – Basic Catering.
Food Safety Supervisor – Advance Manufacturing.
Food Safety Supervisor – Basic Manufacturing.
Food Safety Supervisor for manufacturing specialv- Bakery.
Food Safety Supervisor for manufacturing specialv- Oil.
Food Safety Supervisor for manufacturing specialv- Milk & Milk Products.
Food Safety Supervisor for manufacturing specialv- Water and Water Based Beverages.

Apart from this, the law also maintains that retail and distribution of food and food products also go through a safety supervisor course so that the quality is not compromised. There are perishable products which may become infected by bacterial infection like dairy, mushrooms and cheese. Therefore, it is also important to maintain their cooling in storage and during transportation. For this purpose too, A course is required.

Who Provides FoSTaC Training?

FoSTaC, a short training course is authorised exclusively by FSSAI but the training module is conducted by a trading partner. There are nine different types of courses categorised for different types of food businesses on different competency level and the FBO is responsible to ensure at least one trained and certified person in the promises to keep up with the food safety guidelines.