Kohima, April 23 (MExN): The Food Safety Administration, Kohima Zone under the Department of Health & Family Welfare concluded its Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) initiative on “Food Safety Awareness Program at Village Level” in Tseminyu district from April 10 to 18, covering eight villages under its jurisdiction.
According to a press release, the programme aimed to educate villagers on basic food safety practices at home and as consumers. It began with an introductory session by Food Safety officials, followed by a presentation by Food Technician Kenyumi Himb, who delivered the session in the local dialect.
During the programme, participants were informed about safe cooking, storage and consumption practices, including the importance of reading product labels before purchase. Officials highlighted the risks associated with reusing cooking oil and buying non-labelled or unlicensed food products, noting that FSSAI-registered products carry a 14-digit registration number. The issue of using newspapers as food wrapping material was also addressed.
The awareness sessions also covered food fortification of commonly used items such as rice, oil, salt, wheat flour and milk, identified by the “+F” logo. The release stated that participants were educated on fortified rice and its nutritional benefits, addressing misconceptions about so-called “plastic rice.”
The programme included live demonstrations on detecting adulterants in common food items such as tea leaves, milk powder, honey and spices like chilli powder. Visual samples of fortified rice were also displayed by the Food Safety on Wheels (FSW) team of the Kohima Zone.
The villages covered under the initiative were Zisunyu, Tseminyu, Ngvuphen, Nsunyu, Chunlikha, K Station (Kandiniu), New Terogvunyu and Henbenji. The sessions were held at respective village council halls, with over 230 participants attending and receiving aprons.
The initiative was conducted under the supervision of Designated Officer Kezhangulie Yimchunger, along with two Food Safety Officers and the Food Safety on Wheels team. The FSW team also carried out routine sample testing of food items such as milk, tea leaves and chilli powder at Botsa.
