This committee was set up in all states in 1975 to coordinate enforcement activities. Members of the committee include officers from various government departments, local authorities and consumer organizations. District level personnel are responsible for the enforcement of food hygiene and safety. They are involved in prosecution work, collection of food samples, inspection of food premises and promotion of health education. District level personnel liaise with local authorities in the district regarding distribution of work and frequently assist local authorities in the performance of their duties.
Local authorities vary in size and number of personnel.
The larger local authorities have their own medical officer of health and health inspectors. Smaller local authorities employ only health inspectors with the district Medical Officer of Health acting as adviser. Various guidelines and circulars are issued to food safety enforcement officers to ensure effectiveness and uniformity in food safety administration activities. To stimulate public awareness of food hygiene, posters and pamphlets are prepared and distributed, and health education programmes are occasionally relayed through the mass media. It also provides an opportunity for food manufacturers to subject their products voluntarily to testing.