The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) on Wednesday said that it has certified more than 500 hospitals across the country as Eat Right Campus.

According to the reports, Uttar Pradesh state has the highest number of certified hospitals at 162, followed by 75 in Tamil Nadu, 52 in Maharashtra, 39 in West Bengal and 35 in Madhya Pradesh.

The FSSAI in a statement said that among the certified hospitals and medical colleges, a notable 100 are government hospitals. This represents the commitment towards food safety across diverse geographies.

As stated by the officials, this accomplishment signifies a paradigm shift within the healthcare industry, which is prioritizing not just medical care but also recognizing the crucial role of healthy food choices in promoting the well-being of staff and visitors.

The hospitals that have embraced the initiative are SNM Hospital in Leh, Bangalore Baptist Hospital, Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, and Tata Memorial Hospital. In Delhi, Fortis Hospital, BLK Max Hospital, and Lok Nayak Hospital have been certified. The other hospitals that have been certified by FSSAI are Kalimpong Hospital in Darjeeling, West Bengal, District Women's Hospital in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and more than 50 district hospitals across the country.

The Eat Right India Movement was started in 2019 as a large-scale effort to transform the country’s food ecosystem to ensure safe, healthy, and sustainable food for all Indians. The Eat Right Campus initiative focuses on creating safe, healthy, and sustainable food environments within various institutions and workplaces including hospitals as part of FSSAI’s Eat Right Movement.

The hospitals undergo thorough audits to ensure observance of four key parameters, which include food safety measures, steps to ensure the provision of healthy food, and efforts to raise awareness among individuals to make informed food choices. The FSSAI has affirmed rigorous standards and a comprehensive evaluation procedure for the Eat Right Certification.

Across the country, more than 2,900 workplaces are now recognized as Eat Right Campus, creating a noteworthy step in promoting healthy eating habits among workplaces.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina)