BIS revises code to ensure hygiene in preparation and supply of food in schools

With more schools both in the public and private sectors serving food for children in Tamil Nadu, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has recently revised IS 6541: 2024, a code that recommends hygienic conditions required for preparation of food/meals in schools.

BIS would soon approach the State government to discuss the revised code and seek coordination on implementation of the standard in Tamil Nadu. The code was published in 1972 to prescribe a basic standard for maintaining hygienic conditions in kitchens and food transport vehicles and covered only noon meal programmes then, said officials of BIS.

After five decades, the recommendatory code has been modified last month, taking into account the current requirements for school kitchens and centralised kitchens in government, government-aided and private schools, said U.S.P.Yadav, Deputy Director General, BIS (southern region).

The code, finalised by the Food and Agricultural Division Council, BIS, has covered the broad contours of food safety and hygiene measures to be adopted in various levels of schools, including creches. It has excluded facilities for infants up to 22 months for now, the official said.

The comprehensive standard has a broader scope now with a growing number of kitchens involved in food preparing, handling and supply in schools. In a bid to ensure safety of food consumed by children and improve nutrition level, the BIS has listed out standards separately for school kitchens and centralised kitchens to maintain hygiene.

The code specified food safety measures and hygiene to be adopted right from procurement, storage and preparation to serving food to children. It also covered the basic infrastructure and equipment needed in the school and centralised kitchens.

G.Bhavani, Director and Head, BIS, Chennai branch, said there are specifications on where to procure raw materials, how to store each food item and order of usage to avoid expiry and wastage and cooking methods to be adopted for food safety. Separate sections elaborate on cleaning of utensils, pest control and personal hygiene of food handlers.

“Every minute detail like the ideal temperature of serving a meal to children has been included in the code. It also recommended testing of meals once in six months for different parameters, including e-coli and salmonella,” she said.

The Tamil Nadu government has already implemented Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme in nearly 31,008 government schools and expanded it to more government-aided schools. Similarly, students in nearly 43,131 centres across the State, are provided nutritious food under Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Nutritious Meal Programme, with elaborate quality monitoring mechanism, according to 2024-25 policy note of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment department.

“We will initiate the next step of BIS certification for kitchens depending on the requirement of the State government agencies. In six months, the BIS will prepare a checklist that need to be followed for certification,” said Mr.Yadav.