Factors to consider during mass production of food
Akshaya Patra is a mid-day meal NGO in India providing nutrition school lunch to 1.75 million children across 12 states on each school day. To conduct such large-scale cooking Akshaya Patra operates centralised kitchens with capacity to cook up to one lakh meal per day by keeping 5 key factors intact across all its units.
Akshaya Patra is a mid-day meal NGO in India providing nutrition school lunch to 1.75 million children across 12 states on each school day. To conduct such large-scale cooking Akshaya Patra operates centralised kitchens with capacity to cook up to one lakh meal per day by keeping 5 key factors intact across all its units.
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When it is about large-scale cooking, hygiene and cleanliness is a major concern. The Akshaya<br />
Patra Foundation, a mid-day meal NGO in India is a pioneer in using technology for ensuring<br />
healthy and safe meals for children. This NGO began its service since 2000. Over the years, the<br />
Foundation has scaled up its feeding numbers from 1,500 children <strong>to</strong> 1.75 million children in<br />
2018. Currently, Akshaya Patra is providing meals in 38 locations across 12 states <strong>of</strong> India, on<br />
each school day. Of the <strong>to</strong>tal, 36 locations operate centralised kitchens and two locations run<br />
decentralised kitchens.<br />
Running such as a large programme sustainably and successfully isn’t a trivial task, and Akshaya<br />
Patra is well-aware <strong>of</strong> it. During the past 17 years <strong>of</strong> its service, Akshaya Patra has ensured that<br />
only healthy and hygienic meals reach the children each time and every time. Hence, the<br />
Foundation has paid utmost attention <strong>to</strong> five fac<strong>to</strong>rs required <strong>during</strong> <strong>mass</strong> <strong>production</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>food</strong> in<br />
both its centralised kitchen concept operations and decentralised kitchen format:<br />
1. Quality assurance <strong>of</strong> raw materials – Akshaya Patra has adopted Supplier Selection<br />
Management System <strong>to</strong> ensure that only best quality raw material is used for cooking<br />
meals. This system includes processes such as Supplier Selection, Supplier Qualification,<br />
Supplier Rating and the like. All the raw materials are inspected thoroughly before<br />
procurement based on Raw Material Specifications, which has been adapted from Food<br />
Safety Standards Act 2006 (FSSA). Vegetables are either procured daily or s<strong>to</strong>red in cold<br />
s<strong>to</strong>rage. Dry raw materials such as rice, wheat, spices are s<strong>to</strong>red in designated s<strong>to</strong>re<br />
The Akshaya Patra Foundation © 2018
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