Goa’s Food Safety CommissionerMrs Shweta Dessai shares simple tips children can follow to stay food-smart — from reading snack labels and washing hands to choosing safe street food, eating healthy and spotting suspicious packaging.
Goa’s Food Safety Commissioner shares simple tips for children on safe snacks, street food, food labels, hygiene, healthy eating and handwashing.
Is Your Snack Safe? Ask the Food Safety Boss
That packet in your school bag, the chaat you love and even food ordered online — how safe are they? Goa’s Food Safety Commissioner Mrs SHWETA DESSAI tells young eaters what to watch for and why food-smart habits should begin early.
Q. What should children check before eating a packaged snack?
Read the label and check the dates. Make sure the packet is properly sealed and does not look damaged or suspicious.
If the expiry date is missing or something seems wrong with the label or packaging, tell an adult. Children should learn to notice what they are buying before simply eating it.
Q. Is street food safe?
Street food should not automatically be considered unsafe. What matters is how it is prepared, stored and handled.
Through the Eat Right initiative, we train street-food vendors in hygiene and food safety. More than 500 vendors have been trained this year.
Children can look around too. Is the place clean? Is the food covered? Is it being handled hygienically?
Q. What is the one food-safety rule every child should follow?
Wash your hands properly with soap before eating.
Children touch desks, doors, phones, railings and bags throughout the day. Simply rinsing your hands with water is not enough.
Q. Are school kitchens checked?
Yes. Schools are inspected, and initiatives such as Eat Right Campus encourage institutions to follow good food-safety practices.
We also involve children through competitions and awareness programmes. Good habits learnt early often stay for life.
Q. What about food ordered through apps?
Online food and grocery businesses are also part of the regulatory system and require licences. Premises under the state regulator are inspected, and action can be taken when rules are not followed.
Q. Does safe food always mean healthy food?
No. Food may be hygienically prepared but still not be the healthiest choice.
Children should ask two questions: Is it safe? Is it nutritious?
Think about what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat. Vegetables and nutritious foods should be part of the diet, and physical activity such as walking, cycling or swimming is important too.
Q. What does the Food Safety Commissioner do?
Our job is to protect public health. We inspect food businesses, collect samples, check whether safety standards are followed and act when there are violations.
But awareness is just as important. We train food businesses and teach consumers about hygiene and safe food practices.
Q. What if a child or parent spots something wrong?
Don’t ignore it. If a product has a missing expiry date, incorrect labelling or anything else suspicious, consumers can approach the FDA through the available complaint mechanisms.
Q. Your message to children?
Start taking responsibility for your health while you are young.
Wash your hands. Read labels. Notice how food is handled. Choose nutritious food and stay active.
Sometimes, children can even remind the adults!
Join the Club
Like this story? You’ll love our monthly newsletter.
