The Department of Food Safety under the Delhi government has taken proactive steps to guarantee the provision of hygienically prepared meals for G20 dignitaries and delegates during their stay in city hotels, according to officials. In a recent announcement, it was revealed that 18 food safety officers have been assigned the task of collecting samples of raw food items employed by 19 five-star hotels situated in New Delhi and the Aerocity area, which will host foreign guests.
An official from the department explained that while routine inspections and sampling are regularly conducted, the G20 summit has prompted the deployment of additional officers who have been actively conducting laboratory tests on food samples collected from these hotels since Monday.
The two-day G20 summit is slated to commence on September 9, with heads of state from various nations already arriving in the city. Twenty-three five-star hotels have been designated to accommodate these distinguished dignitaries.
The food safety officers have been entrusted with ensuring the cleanliness and hygiene of hotel kitchens and staff, including utensil maintenance. Prior to serving, the prepared food will undergo close monitoring and sampling for quality assessments in collaboration with the police.
The officers will inspect kitchen facilities and the sourcing of raw food materials at various hotels. The raw food components will only be used for cooking once laboratory reports are received within a 24-hour window, as stated by the official.
Emphasizing the importance of stringent food safety measures, the officer highlighted that no food items will be provided or prepared in the kitchens without undergoing a requisite lab test.
Furthermore, food safety officers will closely monitor meals served at banquets and other events associated with the G20 summit. Although standard food sample reports typically take 15-20 days to be generated, the samples collected for G20 guests will be expedited, making them available within a few hours.
Meetings have been held with city police to coordinate food item sampling procedures, considering the extensive security arrangements in place at hotels hosting heads of state. The police personnel have also been trained to collect samples of cooked food, ensuring the highest standards of food safety and hygiene during the event.
