Western Railway Steps Up Food Safety Checks, Conducts 1,523 Inspections

Mumbai: The Western Railway has intensified its food safety inspections at catering stalls, conducting a total of 1,523 checks, including both regular and surprise inspections, up to July. The railway's focus encompasses food hygiene, water quality, cooking oil, and adherence to catering norms. During these inspections, 855 food samples and 142 water samples, including packaged drinking water, were tested for quality control purposes.

To monitor the quality of repeatedly used cooking oil, 48 Total Polar Material (TPM) meters have been deployed to ensure compliance with permissible limits. Additionally, the railway has removed 1,587 kg of waste from catering locations as part of its cleanliness and food-safety drives. A special campaign is currently underway from August 15 to 31, with approximately 300 inspections planned, which will include checking unauthorized food vendors, fire-safety arrangements, approved food items, and the quality and quantity of food served on trains.

Officials are also taking action on detected violations. The intensified measures come amid heightened scrutiny of food quality and hygiene in public places, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducting inspections and enforcement drives across Maharashtra. The railway's expanded monitoring aims to ensure passengers receive safe food and drinking water while traveling, with a particular emphasis on cooking oil, as repeated use can impact food quality.

The deployment of TPM meters allows for on-the-spot checks, reducing reliance on visual inspections alone. As thousands of passengers rely on railway catering services daily, the ongoing inspections are expected to increase scrutiny of food vendors and enforce adherence to safety and hygiene standards.