Western India’s Hospitality Sector Reaches New Food Safety Heights as HRAWI Completes Major FSSAI Training Milestone

Written By: Ricky Acharjee

Ricky Acharjee

I am travel writer at Travel And Tour World with 3 years of experience covering global tourism, aviation, hospitality, and destination news. Dedicated to accurate reporting and compelling storytelling, Ricky explores the trends, innovations, and developments shaping the international travel industry while delivering engaging insights for travellers and industry professionals.

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August 8, 2026 18:06 GMT+5:30

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The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) (HRAWI) has reached a major milestone in its continuous mission to improve food safety practices within the hospitality industry by successfully training and certifying 4,018 hospitality professionals under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) Food Safety Supervisor Training in Advance Catering (FoSTaC) programme.

Implemented in collaboration with FSSAI, the FoSTaC initiative is designed to enhance the capabilities of food handlers, supervisors and hospitality teams by providing comprehensive training in critical areas such as safe food preparation, hygiene management, sanitation practices, waste disposal procedures and compliance requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS Act). Through regular FoSTaC programmes conducted across Western India, HRAWI continues to support hotels and restaurants in adopting higher food safety standards and maintaining regulatory compliance.

The latest achievement follows two successful FoSTaC training sessions held in Mumbai at Hotel Le Grande on August 4 and The Residency Hotel on August 5. Led by food safety specialist Dr V. Pasupathy, Founder and CEO of Parikshan FSS Pvt Ltd, the programmes provided practical guidance to hospitality professionals on improving food safety operations.

The two training sessions resulted in the certification of 97 hospitality professionals, helping HRAWI surpass the significant milestone of 4,000 FoSTaC-certified individuals. This accomplishment highlights the association’s ongoing commitment to building a safer, more responsible and quality-driven hospitality ecosystem across the region.

“Crossing the milestone of training over 4,000 hospitality professionals is an achievement but more importantly, it reflects our commitment to building a culture of food safety across the industry. Food safety is not merely a regulatory obligation, it is fundamental to consumer trust, public health and the long term credibility of our sector,” says Mr Jimmy Shaw, President, HRAWI.

“Food safety begins with knowledge and is sustained through consistent implementation. FoSTaC empowers hospitality professionals with practical skills and scientific understanding that help minimise food safety risks and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. In 2014, HRAWI became the first Association in the country to set up its own food testing laboratory and later in 2017, it was also the first to conduct the FoSTaC programme following the launch of the initiative by FSSAI. Since then, it has facilitated the training and certification of over 4,000 food handlers from hotels and restaurants across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,” says Dr V. Pasupathy. “It is encouraging to see the industry’s growing commitment towards continuous learning and HRAWI deserves appreciation for consistently driving this initiative to achieve a major milestone, and making food safety training accessible to hospitality professionals across the region,” adds Dr V. Pasupathy.

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) continues to play a significant role in supporting food safety awareness and regulatory compliance across India’s hospitality industry. As a committed industry partner of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), HRAWI has been actively working to promote responsible food handling practices and encourage hospitality businesses to follow established safety standards.

Through its continued collaboration with FSSAI, HRAWI has contributed to creating greater awareness among hotels, restaurants and food service professionals about the importance of maintaining hygiene, quality control and safe food management systems. The Association has been closely involved in promoting the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programmes, which are designed to equip food handlers and hospitality professionals with essential knowledge about food safety regulations and best practices.

Beyond training initiatives, HRAWI has expanded its efforts through various awareness programmes, industry workshops and educational activities aimed at improving food safety standards throughout the sector. The Association regularly shares guidance materials, updates and advisories with its members to help businesses understand changing regulations and implement effective food safety measures.

These initiatives support hospitality establishments in developing stronger internal processes, from food storage and preparation to hygiene management and service operations. By encouraging continuous learning and compliance, HRAWI helps businesses build customer confidence while contributing to a safer food ecosystem across the country.

The Association’s ongoing efforts reflect the growing importance of food safety in India’s rapidly expanding hospitality landscape. With increasing expectations from travellers and consumers, maintaining high standards of cleanliness, transparency and responsible food practices has become essential for long-term industry growth.

Through its partnership with FSSAI and its continuous engagement with hospitality stakeholders, HRAWI remains focused on strengthening food safety culture and supporting a more reliable and sustainable food service environment in India.

“Through our partnership with FSSAI, we remain committed to creating awareness, strengthening capabilities, and encouraging every hospitality establishment to adopt the highest standards of hygiene and food safety. We commend the dedication of all participants and extend my gratitude to Dr V. Pasupathy and FSSAI for their invaluable partnership in this endeavour. Well trained food handlers are the strongest foundation for a safe, responsible and future ready hospitality industry,” concludes Mr Pradeep Shetty, Spokesperson, HRAWI.