FSSAI Issues Improvement Notice to TajSATS After Blade Found in Air India Meal
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an improvement notice to TajSATS following an incident where a passenger discovered a blade in a meal served onboard Air India. The blade, which was traced back to an automatic vegetable cutter at the TajSATS Bengaluru facility, has prompted corrective measures and additional safety protocols.
Inspection and Action Taken
The FSSAI disclosed that the Airport Health Officer conducted an inspection at TajSATS Bengaluru, located at the Kempegowda International Airport, from where the affected food item was supplied. The facility operates under the jurisdiction of the APHO, Bangalore, which issued the necessary licensing.
Explaining the incident, the FSSAI stated, “The blade found in the food item was from one of the automatic vegetable cutters, which accidentally got displaced and got stuck inside the vegetable piece.” Following the inspection, corrective measures have been implemented, and an improvement notice has been served to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Additional Safety Measures
In addition to the improvement notice, TajSATS has been instructed to install an X-ray machine to detect metal pieces in food items. This measure is particularly crucial for items packed in metallic foil or packaging materials with any metallic components. Until the X-ray system is in place, manual chopping of vegetables is mandated.
In a statement, TajSATS expressed regret over the incident, stating, “We apologise for the unfortunate incident. We are committed to the highest standards of food safety and have strengthened our processes of comprehensive inspection and preventive maintenance of all our production equipment.”
FSSAI’s Efforts to Ensure Food Safety
The FSSAI has been actively engaging with airlines and airline caterers since January to address food safety concerns. The authority has directed them to establish robust mechanisms for prompt resolution, including corrective and preventive actions to minimize food safety-related incidents. Additionally, specialised training programs for catering staff have been emphasized to ensure a comprehensive understanding of food safety and hygiene practices.
In March, the FSSAI directed airlines to adhere to licensing and menu labelling norms. For prepared foods, airlines are required to display details on labels such as caterer’s names, FSSAI license number, date and time of packaging, and use by date and time.
