FSSAI Gives 5-Star Rating To UP Jail For Good Food Quality

“Jail ka khana khana padega” - this infamous phrase is usually used for someone who is thought to have committed a crime. But what happens when ‘jail ka khana’ comes with a 5-star rating. Would one like to try? In an interesting incident reported from Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh, the jail in Fatehgarh district has received an ‘excellent’ rating from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). 

According to a PTI report, the FSSAI certificate reads, "District Jail Fatehgarh, Farrukhabad, is certified as Eat Right CAMPUS, as per guidelines established by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India." The statement is followed by a ‘5-star’ rating and 'excellent' written on the certificate, which is valid until August 18, 2024. 

It seems like the food served to over 1,100 inmates in the jail has definitely gone under a rather tasty makeover, impressing the FSSAI officials quite a lot. The criteria for the judgement include cleanliness, quality of food, purchasing of rice, wheat, and pulses from FSSAI-certified outlets and well-dressed staff, the jailor of Fatehgarh district jail, Akhilesh Kumar told PTI, adding that only vegetarian food is served in the jail. Speaking about the feat they have achieved, he said, "We got the certificate after a third-party audit, and before the certificate was given to us, some of the jail staff were given online training." 

Image: HT photo

Talking about the daily menu, Akhilesh said that it changes every day. "Every day, different types of food are served to the inmates. Among the pulses, arhar, masoor, chana, and urad are served to the inmates on a rotational basis," he elaborated.  While the breakfast comprises chana (gram) on two days, pav-roti is served on the other two days, and dalia (porridge) is served for three days. Different types of dals (pulses) are also served as part of the meals. 

"As far as Sundays are concerned, on the first, third and last in the evening poori, sabji and halwa are served. On the second Sunday, kadhi-chawal is served, " he said, adding that around 30-35 inmates engage in cooking. At present, there are as many as 1,144 inmates, who are lodged in the district jail. 

Speaking about hygiene while cooking, he said, "The inmates who are engaged in making food, cook the food while wearing aprons in a hygienic condition as seen in various restaurants. Efforts are made to ensure that those who cook food, have their nails and haircut."  

Furthermore, the process of cooking is also made faster with roti-making, dough-kneading, and vegetable-cutting machines, replacing the conventional methods of cooking. Every day, the cooked food is checked. Akhilesh claimed that the inmates are satisfied with the food served to them.