Ahmedabad: In a move aimed at improving food safety and promoting green fuel, food business operators (FBOs) using large quantities of cooking oil will now be required to monitor its quality through digital testing and dispose of it through authorised channels.

According to an official communication by Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC), all eateries and food establishments consuming more than 50 litres of edible oil must install a digital Total Polar Compounds (TPC) tester and maintain a daily register recording the date, quantity of oil used, TPC readings and details of the authorised agency collecting the oil.

Authorities have also instructed operators not to overheat oil or “top up” fresh oil into repeatedly used oil. If the oil turns dark, emits foul odour or shows excessive foaming, it must be immediately discarded.

Under the Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative, discarded oil can only be handed over to government-approved agencies, which will convert it into biodiesel and other industrial products. The measure is intended to prevent reuse of degraded oil in food preparation and reduce health risks.

Officials warned that establishments failing to comply with the rules, including not maintaining records or exceeding permitted TPC levels may face penalties, licence suspension or sealing of premises under provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The directive seeks to remove cooking oil with TPC levels above 25 per cent from the food chain and channel it into biofuel production, simultaneously improving public health and supporting environmentally friendly energy generation.

Additional MOH of the Food Department, Shri Tejas Shah, while addressing the media, said that there are currently 16 Food Safety Officers and in the upcoming recruitment, 42 new Food Safety Officers will be appointed. For which, 14000 applications have been received so far, for which the exam is this month. There will be 42 Food Inspectors in one ward. Keeping in mind the health of the citizens, the Food Department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has seen an increase in the problem of artery blockages and heart diseases caused by used oil from outside.

Under this, as per the FSSI guidelines, a provision has been approved to install TPC machines compulsorily for small and big restaurants and food trucks in the city. Under which 42 big restaurants have been asked to purchase TPC (Total Polar Count) machines, out of which 13 units have installed this machine so far. Restaurants which use more than 50 liters of oil for cooking daily will have to install this machine and maintain a register. A record of the daily burnt oil will be kept in this register, this burnt oil will be given to 53 agencies appointed by the Government of India.

Further,  Tejas Shah said that since small lorry units do not have this machine, the AMC team will check the oil used by them using the TPC machine installed by the AMC.

DeshGujarat