Awareness Training on

FSSAI Food Hygiene

and
Food Safety
Guidelines for Food
Businesses
during

Coronavirus
Agenda
 Understanding Coronavirus & Covid-19 : Symptoms, Spread
 Responsibilities of Food Business Operators (FBO)
 Preventive Measures to be taken by FBOs of different Food Sector
- Physical Distancing
- Personal Hygiene
- Cleaning & Sanitation
 Other precautions as suggested by government
 Section - 1
Understanding
Coronavirus and
COVID - 19
What is Corona virus and Covid-
19?
 Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses.
 In humans, several Corona viruses are known to cause respiratory infections
ranging from Common Cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
 The most recently discovered Corona virus causes COVID-19.

Covid-19 is the name of the disease

caused by virus Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
Presently there is no vaccine for COVID-19 and it is under
development by various countries
How does the disease spread?

Droplets from Directly - when contaminated hands touch

mouth or nose are the mouth, nose, eyes
releasing when a
covid-19 person
Droplets falls on
coughs
Surface or Object.
These droplets are
too heavy to hang in
the air. They quickly
fall on floors or Indirectly: when contaminated surfaces are
surfaces.  touched.
What are the symptoms?
 The typical symptoms are
– Asymptomatic to Mild Flu
– Fever i.e. temperature above 99 F
– Dry cough
– Tiredness
– Shortness of breath
– Pneumonia like symptoms
– Muscle pains
– Diarrhoea
– Fatigue
 The symptoms typically occurs between 2 – 14 days.
 The vulnerable group that can get affected are Immuno-
deficient persons, Elderly people, Diabetic, High Blood
Pressure people etc.
Does Covid-19 gets
transmitted through food?
 So far, there is NO reported evidence of COVID-19 getting
transmitted through food including poultry, seafood.
 However, like other viruses, the virus that causes COVID-19 can
survive on surfaces or objects.
 For that reason, it is critical to develop and follow a robust food
hygiene program to prevent the spread of the virus.
 It is the responsibility of the FBO to follow Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP)
as prescribed in Schedule IV of FSS (Licensing and Registration
of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
Mandatory Golden Rules to be
followed all the times by all
FBOs

Physical Thermal Screening Stringent Personal Deep Cleaning &

Distancing at the Entry Hygiene Sanitation

Download and Use

Aarogya Setu App
 Activity
Q. 1 COVID-19 disease is ________________
(a) Food borne
(b) Water borne
(c) Air borne

Ans: (c) Air borne

 Activity
Q. 2 Direct modes of transmission of COVID-19 disease are

(a) Coming in close contact of infected person

(b) Contaminated hands touching face, nose, eyes
(c) touching contaminated surface
(d) Both (A) and (B)

Ans: Both (A) and (B)

 Activity
Q. 3 In-direct modes of transmission of COVID-19 disease are

(a) Coming in close contact of infected person

(b) Contaminated hands touching face, nose, eyes
(c) Touching contaminated surface
(d) Both (A) and (B)

Ans: (c) Touching contaminated surface

 Activity
Q. 4 An individual knows he has contacted COVID-19 infection
(a) Yes, because flu like symptoms develop immediately
(b) No, it takes 2-14 days to develop the symptoms
(c) No, sometimes infected person remains asymptomatic.
(d) Both (b) and (c)

(e) Ans: Both (b) and (c)

 Activity
Q. 5 CoViD-19 can spread through food
(a) Yes
(b) No Evidence available
(c) No

(d) Ans: (b) No Evidence available

 Section-2
Responsibilities of Food
Business Operator
1. Responsibilities of FBO
 Conduct Awareness Training on COVID-19 to all food handlers on symptoms, spreads,
company procedures, Personal hygiene, Social distancing, Wearing Mask, Safe food handling
etc
 Encourage employees to come forward to inform / declare if they are experiencing any
symptoms.
 Assurance of assistance and pay / job protection especially in the low income group of
employees.
 Employer to be aware and sensitive about workers salary, leave, safety, health (physical &
mental) and other issues during pandemic.
 FBO shall initiate screening of all personnel entering in the premises for following
- Fever / Temperature Check
- Fatigue
- Cough (Dry & Wet)
- Shortness of breath / Breathing difficulties
 No COVID-19 is infected person is allowed to enter. This includes employees, visitors, drivers,
contract labours, customers, etc
1. Responsibilities of FBO
 Establish a Local Emergency Response team and nominate a COVID-19 Coordinator.
The team should develop company protocols / guidelines on the disease. The
guidelines MUST include as minimum following
– List of local authorised hospitals for testing and treatment
– Contact details of professional disinfectant agency
– Dedicated masks, gloves and other PPE are kept and available for emergency
situations
– Isolation rooms (one for suspected cases, one for close contacts) are prepared with
special bins
– Record keeping of all Attendance, Health status, visitors etc.
– Detailed record keeping of confirmed cases covering whole incident process,
information to local authorities, actions taken by the company
 Activity
Q. 1 To manage COVID-19 pandemic situation, each business should
have
(a) Food Safety Supervisor
(b) Local Emergency Response Team
(c) COVID-19 Coordinator
(d) Both (b) and (c)

Ans: (d) Both (b) and (c)

 Activity
Q. 2 What are the responsibilities of the Manager
(a) Training and awareness of the employees
(b) Assurance of assistance to unwell employee
(c) COVID-19 Screening of employees and visitors
(d) Formation of local emergency response team
(e) All of the above

Ans: (e) All of the above

 Section -3
Personal Hygiene of
Food Handlers
2. Personal Hygiene

Alcohol
Hand Wash Good Frequent No
based
Min 20 Sec / Respiratory Cleaning & Close
WHO Sanitizers
Hygiene Disinfection
guidelines Frequently
(Wear Mask) contact
used

5 Rules of Personal
Hygiene
2. Personal Hygiene
 Hand wash for min. 20 Sec / WHO guidelines, preferably followed by sanitation with
70% alcohol or equivalent. Staff MUST wash and sanitize their hands after removing the street
cloths and before touching the clean cloths.

 Face mask / cover and clean protective clothing MUST be worn by all. No gaps
should be observed after wearing the mask / cover. The face mask / cover should be
changed every 6 hours or as soon as they get wet. Reusable masks should be washed
and sanitized. Disposal of the mask must be done separately in the closed bins.
Paper/tissue, paper bag may preferably be used to put used face covers before
disposal.

 Strict implementation of no jewellery, watches use policy. Sanitize mobile phones after
entry at the work.

 Gloves to be worn during handling of ready to eat food, after which no other surface is
be touched. Note that wearing gloves may give false sense of security. There is no
substitute to hand washing and sanitizing to prevent Covid-19.
2. Personal Hygiene
 Respiratory Hygiene shall be adhered by covering mouth, nose while coughing.
Dispose of the tissue in closed trash bin.

 Reporting of illness: Encourage workers to stay home if they are showing symptoms
like coughing, fever, breathlessness etc. Illness reporting on phone to be accepted.
Isolate the person if they have flu like symptoms while at work and inform the authority.

 Personnel close to infected person must do self- quarantine / isolate as per directions of
the Government. Isolated persons to use dedicated toilets and washing area.
 Discontinue use of Biometric / fingerprints, sharing of belongings, (e.g gloves, jackets,
common stationery, pens, work tools etc) during pandemic period.
 Food premises, toilets, counters, equipments etc that came in contact with the infected
persons shall be thoroughly cleaned with hot water & detergent and disinfected with
0.1% hypochlorite solution or equivalent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2sbZTHa7pM
 Activity
Q. 1 Hands must be washed for min. ________ using _________ and
________
(a) 50 sec, water and soap
(b) 30 sec, water and soap
(c) 20 sec, water and soap
(d) 20 sec, using water and sanitizer

(e) Ans: (c) 20 sec, water and soap

 Activity
Q. 2 Face covers must be changed after _________ hours.
(a) Four
(b) Six
(c) Two

(d) Ans: (b) Six

 Activity
Q. 3 Face covers should preferably be ___________ preferably before
disposal

(a) rolled
(b) covered using paper or paper bag
(c) washed

Ans: (b) covered using paper or paper bag

 Activity
Q. 4 Hand washing is not required, if gloves are worn.

(a) True. Gloves will protect hands from germs

(b) False. Gloves may give false sense of security, but hand washing is a
must
(c) False/ Hand wash will be required when non food surface is touched.

Ans: (b) False. Gloves may give false sense of security, but hand
washing is a must.
 Activity
Q. 5 Hand washing is not required, if gloves are worn.

(a) True. Gloves will protect hands from germs

(b) False. Gloves may give false sense of security, but hand washing is a
must
(c) False/ Hand wash will be required when non food surface is touched.

Ans: (b) False. Gloves may give false sense of security, but hand
washing is a must.
 Activity
Q. 6 Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct

(a) Wash hands after removing gloves and face covers

(b) Cover nose/mouth with tissue while coughing and sneezing
(c) Do not touch eyes, face, nose, mouth, face cover
(d) All of the above
(e) (a) and (c)

Ans: (d) All of the above

 Activity
Q. 7 Which of the following statement is INCORRECT
(a) Infected employee should self quarantine or isolate themselves
(b) If an employee develops flu like symptoms at workplace then he should be
sent home
(c) Workstation, surface, toilets, lockers, tables, etc. touched by infected person
should be disinfected.
(d) Infected individual should be isolated

Ans: (b) If an employee develops flu like symptoms at workplace then he

should be sent home
 Section-4
Social Distancing
3. Social Distancing
 Minimize physical contacts between two persons. Minimum distance to be maintained
is 1 meter. To do this, FBOs to do the following.
- Only 3-4 employees in an area of 10 ft at any given point of time
- Stagger work stations, food preparation area etc
- Review the speed of production lines
- Review shift arrangements
- Limit number of people e.g. Drivers, Cleaners, Customers etc
- Use spacing measures like stickers, tapes, markers to maintain the distance at all the
places.
- Prohibit sharing of lockers
- Food delivery personnel should leave the packet at 1 meter distance at customer’s
door. DO NOT handover the food packet directly to the customer.
- Takeaways to be encouraged, instead of Dine-In.
- Face – To- Face meetings are restricted as much possible.
 Activity
Q. 1 Minimum ______ Mt. gap should be maintained between two
food handlers
(a) One
(b) Two
(c) One and half

Ans: (a) One.

 Activity
Q. 2 Social distancing during food handling can be maintained by
(a) Increasing gap between workstations
(b) Reducing staff strength
(c) Not sharing lockers
(d) All of the above

Ans: (d) All of the above

 Section-5
Cleaning & Sanitation
4. Cleaning & Sanitation
 Cleaning & Sanitation Program as described in Schedule IV is mandatory to
follow.

 Following Food establishments shall be cleaned with soap and water, followed by
disinfection (using freshly prepared 1% hypochlorite solution or equivalent ).
– food preparation/ production area,
– stores, packaging area,
– service area,
– waste disposal area,
– office space,
– transport vehicle
 Clean Equipment, containers, utensils, cutlery, etc. thoroughly with soap and water. Use
of hot water (above 60o C) is recommended.
4. Cleaning & Sanitation
High touch points Method and Frequency
Elevator buttons, handrails / handles and call buttons, Cleaned twice daily by mopping with a
escalator handrails, public counters, intercom systems, linen/absorbable cloth soaked in 1%
equipment like telephone, printers/scanners, and other sodium hypochlorite.
office machines, table tops, chair handles, pens, diary files,
keyboards, mouse, mouse pad, tea/coffee dispensing
machines, etc.

Metallic surfaces like door handles, security locks, handles 70 % alcohol

of baskets/carts, display racks
(where bleach is not suitable)
Hand sanitizing stations at the entry and near high contact Cleaned at least twice in a shift.
surfaces. Sanitized with 1% sodium
hypochlorite
4. Cleaning & Sanitation

High touch points Method and Frequency

Toilets and Washrooms
Area of two meters around the person who has coughed
All cleaning equipment, cloth, mops, reusable protective
gear such as boots, gloves
After every shift using water and
detergent, followed by 1% sodium
hypochlorite.
Vacated immediately, thoroughly
cleaned and disinfected with freshly
prepared 1 % hypochlorite solution
Cleaned thoroughly before use &
after use. Sanitize where required.
4. Cleaning & Sanitation
• Remove loose dirt and food particles.
Step 1: Preparation
• Rinse with warm, potable water.

• Wash with hot water (60 °C) and detergent.

Step 2: Cleaning
• Rinse with clean potable water.

Step 3: Sanitising • Treat with very hot, clean, potable water (75
°C) for at least 2 minutes.

Step 4: Air drying • Leave benches, counters and equipment to air

dry.
• The most hygienic way to dry equipment is in a
draining rack.
4. Cleaning & Sanitation
Examples of Sanitizers
Type Use Frequency
Chlorine   Perishable products Always (for food to be
consumed raw)
Food contact surfaces  After use
Quaternary Methyl Butyric Food Contact Surfaces  After use 
Acid (QMBA) 
70% alcohol based  Hand Sanitisation As and when required
Common touch points and food Frequent or after each use
contact surface
Note: - Cleaning process should be followed by disinfection.
 Use chemicals as per the direction provided by the manufacturers. 
 There are more chemical based disinfectants available; this is just a suggestive list.
Cleaning and disinfecting equipment and metal surfaces
 Activity
Q. 1 _______________can be used for disinfecting floor in food
preparation area.

(a) 1% sodium hypochlorite

(b) Water
(c) 50 ppm Cl. Solution

Ans: (a) 1% sodium hypochlorite

 Activity
Q.2 Common touch points such as door knobs, shopping carts, etc. can
be disinfected using _______________.
(a) 1% sodium hypochlorite
(b) Water and soap
(c) 70% Alcohol

Ans: (c) 70% Alcohol

 Activity
Q. 3 Match the following
(a) Used or contaminated face covers and i)Wash with 50 PPM Chlorine Solution
gloves
(b) QMBA ii) 70% Alcohol
(c) Fresh fruits and vegetables for salad iii) Face covers covered with paper. Both
preparation disposed separately, if possible.
(d) Disinfection of hands iv) Quaternary Methyl Butyric
Acid

Ans: (a)- iii, (b)-iv, (c)- I and d- ii

 Section - 6
Special Instructions
for different food
sectors
 5.1 Food Services / Delivery /
 Takeaways
Food Service Area: Thorough cleaning and disinfection after every
meal preparation and common touch points such as door knobs,
equipment handles, desk, grocery cart handles, etc.
 Hand wash & sanitation facility: Available to workers, customers
especially at the entry
 Prevention of surface contamination: Use barrier such as tongs,
gloves or other utensils to prevent direct hand contact with food,
especially for uncooked food.
 No Open Display of ready-to-eat foods, should be kept coverd in
glass displays
 Visual display of DOs and DONTs
 Pick-up zones for customers to help maintain social distancing.
 Prohibition of self service, buffet, mass gathering
(Note: During lockdown period, food service is limited to community kitchens, staff cafeterias of
essential food business, defence and certain govt dept, if permitted to function during this period
for staff on duty. In future, if other FBO are permitted to resume service during COVID-19
pandemic, they shall abide by the above guidelines)
5.1 Food Services / Delivery /
Takeaways
 Disposable items: Use disposable utensils, cutlery, and single use
sachet (of salt pepper, sugar, ketchup, etc)

 E- Payments / E-Wallets: Refrain from handling cash. If handled, wash or

sanitise hands. Encourage customers to use e-wallets such as UPI, QR
codes, net-banking. In case credit/debit cards are used, the card
machine to be sanitized with 70 % alcohol after each use.

 On-line orders: Encourage customers to place orders online or on

telephone, well in advance to reduce the wait time.

 Food Delivery: Food Handler

– Face to be covered with a clean mask or face cover. Hands to be
sanitised before food pick up and after delivery. 
– Physical distancing of 1 meter is followed between self and customer.
– Contact with common touch points such as door bell, handles, etc to
be avoided. If unavoidable, hands to be immediately sanitised
– Contactless delivery methods shall be encouraged. 
• Wear PPE, wash and sanitise hands frequently
• Practice social distancing
• Do not handle food when unwell/ develop flulike symptoms
• Clean and sanitse the food premise, contact surface and equipment
• Practise Social Distancing
• Cashless Payment
• Avoid contact with common touch points
5.2 Food Retail Premises
• Clean uniforms, headgear/cap, face masks and gloves (as
appropriate) to be worn by employees.
• Limit number of customers entering the store at one
point of time. Hand sanitization at entry and exit of a
premise.
• Markings for social distancing for customers. Regular
announcements for the same.
• Use Flexi-glass barriers at tills and counters
• Reduce stock quantity on display and create a gap
between two products displayed
• Identification and sanitation of common touch points at
defined frequency
• Use of e-wallets, e-payments. Sanitize card machines
regularly.
• Follow the golden rules while food delivery.
5.3 Food Transportation &
Distribution
 Train the drivers, loaders and other staff about the COVID-
19 infection symptoms and measures for prevention
 Clean & Sanitize Delivery/transport vehicles regularly. Use
vehicle only for food deliveries /distribution.
 Anyone displaying flu like symptoms to avoid handling /
transporting / delivering food.
 Drivers, loaders and other staff to maintain high standards of
personal hygiene.
 Hand washing material and Sanitizer bottle to be fixed in
driver cabin.
 Face covers to be be worn at all times.
 Avoid use of public toilets and crowded places during the
breaks.
 If a vehicle enters an area marked as a COVID-19 hotspot,
then the vehicle shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
before use. 
 Maintain relevant records.
 Activity
Q.1 To prevent COVID-19 spread in a food service ares

(a) Maintain min. 1 mt. gap between tables, food handlers and customers.
(b) Encourage food ordering online or on telephone
(c) Encourage contact less payment
(d) Discourage mass gathering/ buffet systems
(e) All of the above

Ans: (e) All of the above

 Activity
Q.2 Social distancing should be maintained during grocery shopping by

(a) Use of floor markers

(b) Limiting the no. of consumers in store
(c) Maintaining gap between food displays
(d) All of the above

Ans: (d) All of the above

 Activity
Q. 3 Match the following
(a)Online ordering i) Sanitizer in driver’s cabin
(b) Shopping Carts ii) Maintain 1 mt gap from customer,
accept online payment only
(c) Contact less food delivery iii) To reduce wait time at the premise
(d) Transport Vehicle iv) Disinfected with 70% alcohol after
each use

Ans: (a)- iii, (b)-iv, (c)- ii and d- i

 Section- 7
Food Packaging
6 Food Packaging
 The retention time on
surface varies from 4 hrs 4 hrs 2-8 hrs 24 hrs

Surface retention time

to 5 days. On Copper On Aluminium On Cardboard

Coronavirus Average
 Cleaning, Sanitizing,
Disinfection measures
are to be adopted to
ensure that food 2-3 days 2-3 days 4 Days
packaging is kept clean On Stainless On Wood
On Plastics On Wood
and away from sources Steel
of contamination

5 days 5 days 5 days

On Paper, Glass On Ceramics On Metal
(Upto)
 Activity
Q. 1 Match the following
Food Packaging Surface COVID-19 retention time

(a)Paper i) 2-3 days

(b) Wood ii)24 hours

(c)Plastic iii) 4 days

(d) Cardboard iv) 5 days

Ans: (a)- iv, (b)-iii, (c)- i and d- ii

 Section - 8
Guidance for
Consumers
7. Guidance to consumer
 Proper hygienic practices to be followed to avoid getting infected with COVID-19 by
consumers

 Virus can spread by touching surfaces that may have the virus. Several recommendations to
address such concerns are:

– Provide single use (paper or plastic, where appropriate) bags for packing customer
groceries.
– Provide alcohol-based hand antiseptic rubs (with 70% ethyl alcohol as the active
ingredient) for consumers.
– Rinse fruits and vegetables before cutting or eating. Rinse raw agricultural products,
such as heads of lettuce, under running water prior to cutting or serving.
– Thoroughly cook whatever you can. Cooking destroys many germs, including
coronavirus.
 Section - 9
Recommended Protocols When
Employee / Visitor/ Customer tests
Positive for COVID-19
8. Recommended protocol
When an Employee tests Positive for COVID-19 or is showing symptoms associated with
COVID-19

 When testing is done based on symptoms

– If the employee is onsite at the facility, notify the administrative / health authorities for further
protocol
– If the employee is at home, do not permit the employee to come to work.

 When symptoms are seen, but testing is not done

– Recommended to stay home and be excluded from work until they are free of symptoms for at least
3 days (72 hours), without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g.
paracetamol, cough suppressants) AND
– at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
– Employees should notify their supervisor
– Encourage the employee to contact their local health authority and seek medical attention upon
initial appearance of symptoms.
8. Recommended protocol –
Employee
When an Employee tests Positive for COVID-19 or is showing symptoms associated with
COVID-19

Employees with a COVID-19 positive test* who have stayed home (home isolated) or treated in a hospital may be
allowed to return to work under the following conditions:

– No longer have a fever (without the use medicine that reduces fevers) AND
– Other symptoms have improved (for example, when cough or shortness of breath have improved)
AND
– Received two negative tests in a row, 24 hours apart.
8. Recommended protocol
Personnel in close contact with Covid-19 positive

 It is recommended that the employers pre-screen these employees by measuring

temperature and monitoring symptoms associated with COVID-19, prior to entering the
facility.

 These employees should be placed in home quarantine for 14 days since the time they
might have been exposed or come in close contact with an infected individual.

Disclaimer:
Since the information on the COVID 19 Pandemic is evolving continuously, these guidelines are based on
the present information available about the pandemic and can be revised as and when any new
information is available
 Activity
Q. 1 If an employee was near the COVID-19 infected person, he should
(a) Quarantine for 14 days
(b) Work as usual
(c) Quarantine for 7 days

Ans: (a) Quarantine for 14 days

 Activity
Q. 2 COVID-19 infected person can only join back work after

(a) Flu like symptoms dissapear

(b) Two negative COVID-19 tests
(c) After 14 days of home quarantine
(d) After one negative COVID-19 tests

Ans: (b) Two negative COVID-19 tests

 Annexure
FSSAI released Display boards on
Preventive Measures on Covid -19
Visit: https
://fssai.gov.in/cms/coronavirus.php