The Commissionerate of Food Safety Kerala has introduced a Quick response Team in each District to address Food Safety issues of the general public. The Quick Response Team has been commissioned by the department, to respond to exigencies in Food Safety within the shortest possible time. The Quick Response Team shall also facilitate the immediate addressal of emergencies such as Food Poisoning, sensitive issues and cases that receive huge public and media attention, Toll-free complaints, E-mail Complaints and complaints forwarded from the Chief Minister’s Public Grievance Redressal Cell.
The primary purpose of the Quick Response team is to effectively and quickly address Food Safety Issues that arise out of the scope of routine enforcement work of Food Safety in the Districts. An exclusive vehicle along with a special squad constituted in each district has been functioning throughout the state since November 2017.
The Quick Response Team will also be working in close coordination with the respective District Administration during special events and festivals that witness sizeable public participation such as Attukal Pongala, Thrissur Pooram, State level Programmes, School Youth festivals and State level food-related disease outbreak surveillance during monsoon season.
The Quick Response Team has been actively deployed for two days in a week to conduct regular night inspections of Street food joints and other Food Businesses that operate during the night time. This has enabled the department to address Food Safety issues in far-flung areas, especially during night time.