:dateline:Following the DSGMC, the apex Sikh body SGPC has also decided to adopt food safety and hygiene standards for the community kitchens of Sikh shrines as prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under BHOG (Blissful Hygienic Offering to God) scheme. The new food safety norms will be implemented in the community kitchens of all the Sikh shrines being run by the SGPC.
Sikh24 has learnt that the SGPC has directed the cooks of Sri Harmandir Sahib�s kitchen to attend a hygiene workshop being conducted by the Indian Health Ministry in the last week of this month.
Justifying the need to implement FSSAI norms in the community kitchens of Sikh shrines, the SGPC president S. Gobind Singh Longowal has said that the SGPC keeps very high standards while purchasing items and cooking �langar� but still a room is always left for improvement.
On being questioned about the unbranded Desi Ghee and Milk donated by the Sikh devotees, the SGPC president said that the Desi ghee, edible oil and spices are procured from authorized dealers. �Only purified water is used for cooking. We have expanded our organic farming project. We also ensure that the vegetables purchased from the market are fresh,� he added.
SGPC�s chief secretary Dr. Roop Singh has also made it clear that the dishes of �langar� are cooked by the designated cooks and the volunteer devotees are only allowed to chop the vegetables. He added that the �langar� premises are cleaned numerous times a day to provide clean and hygienic environment to the devotees for partaking �langar�. ��
It is pertinent to note here that under the BHOG program, the cooks are supposed to cover their heads and wear aprons as well as gloves. Even the ones who serve �langar� are expected to wear gloves.
