The Punjab government has decided to train state’s residents about the nutritious values of food items by conducting simple tests at home. Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister, Brahm Mohindra on Wednesday said that residents will also get to know about the adulteration in food items.

He said that a comprehensive plan to train the residents of state under Tandarust (healthy) Punjab Mission has been chalked out by the department. All this will be done on each Friday which would be celebrated as ‘Food Awareness Day’.

Mohindra said that special awareness camps would be organised to make people aware of standards of food safety to lead healthy and disease- free life.

He also said the public would be given tips on selecting and purchase of quality food items. The do’s and don’ts of buying package canned and bottled foods, condiments and spices, milk and milk products, egg, poultry and fish, the fruits and vegetables will be elaborated to avoid misleading advertisements of food

products.

The minister said that public will also be given tips on storage of raw food, fruits and vegetables and tips for microwave cooking. Common checks to detect food adulteration at home, without any sophisticated equipment will be another important aspect, he added.

Methods to check adulteration of milk, oil, grains would be taught like detection of mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes and others starches in ghee, detection of sugar solution in honey and other common adulterants in food products, he said. Mohindra further said that more than 1,000 awareness camps have already been organised across the state. “Safe and nutritious food is a shared responsibility. Peoples’ participation and awareness is a must to check sale of adulterated food articles,” he added.

He said that in the awareness camps, the Food Business Operators (FBOs) from street vendors to hoteliers including the grocery, general merchants, fruit traders, milk suppliers and the general public are being imparted training.

“In second phase, we have planned to organise special camps about Food Safety Act in the schools, colleges and other educational institutes of the state,” the minister added.