Thiruvananthapuram: The recent deaths of two people allegedly due to food poisoning at a hotel in Vizhinjam near the Kerala capital have sparked renewed scrutiny over staffing and administrative capacity in the state’s Food Safety Department.

In response, the Kerala government has decided to appoint additional Food Safety Officers (FSOs) to strengthen consumer protection, officials said. The move also offers hope to the 152 candidates listed in the Public Service Commission (PSC) rank list awaiting appointment.

More FSOs on the way

Kerala Food Safety Commissioner Afsana Perween confirmed that a fresh proposal to appoint 42 more FSOs will be submitted to the Health Ministry on 23 February. The proposal is part of a broader review to fill all existing vacancies within the department.

“The work study report prepared by the Department of Administrative Reforms recommended 52 new FSO posts in addition to other positions. In the first phase, the government approved only 10 of these posts,” Perween told PTI. “We have now included the remaining 42 posts in our proposal, which is in the final stages of preparation.”

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Acute shortage of officers

The Vizhinjam incident highlighted the severe shortage of FSOs in Kerala. The state has over 500,000 registered food preparation units but only around 170 FSOs to carry out mandatory inspections.

FSSAI guidelines stipulate one FSO per 1,000 food units; in Kerala, the current ratio is one FSO for every 4,000–10,000 units. The Chief Executive Officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), G Kamala Vardhana Rao, had directed the state government last May to create new FSO posts due to this acute shortage.

“This shortage has meant many high-risk establishments, including restaurants, are not being inspected before approval,” said Karthika Unni V, president of the Food Safety Officer Rank Holders Association, Kerala. “A zonal system is urgently needed so that officers are available after standard office hours, as many eateries operate late into the evening.”

Inspection challenges

FSOs face a heavy workload. The department’s inspection manual requires checks across nearly 50 parameters, but with current staffing, such detailed audits are largely unfeasible on a large scale. Norms require each food production unit to be inspected at least once a year, translating into over 500,000 inspections annually. However, only 73,571 inspections were conducted in 2024–25.

“Even with 152 FSOs out of a sanctioned 170, achieving those figures would have been impossible if protocols were followed strictly,” an officer, who requested anonymity, said. Each officer can conduct only two audits per day to ensure thoroughness, and educating new entrepreneurs on compliance can take over an hour per visit.

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The shortage of Designated Officers (DOs), who supervise FSOs and approve licence cancellations, compounds the problem. Currently, only 17% of the required DO posts are filled, while norms call for at least 20%.

Next steps

FSOs and rank holders hope the government will expedite approval of the 42 additional appointments and issue advice memos before the election schedule is announced. Officials said the expansion would not create a financial burden, as the department could generate additional revenue through licensing and improved enforcement.

The appointment of more FSOs is expected to enhance inspections, strengthen compliance, and improve consumer safety across Kerala’s vast food industry, preventing tragedies like the recent deaths in Vizhinjam.

(PTI)