A small state from the south has won the Food Safety Index, know which state was specially mentioned

New Delhi : At present, adulteration of food items is a big issue. For this, improvement in food safety systems is very important. In the second edition of the Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Delhi, strict enforcement of laws regarding food safety and taking strict steps have been advocated. Inaugurating the summit, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that the role of food regulators has become more important in the present times. There should be continuous improvement in food safety systems.

Emphasis on strict rules of food safety

Union Health Minister J P Nadda called for stricter food safety regulations for food items such as plant-based protein, insect protein, etc. Organic farming must be widely adopted globally to reduce the hazards posed by pesticide residues in food. he/she expressed concern over various recent reports that revealed the dangerous presence of microplastics in human body. he/she also spoke about India’s efforts in developing eco-friendly packaging to reduce environmental impact.

Kerala won

The Union Health Minister said that at a time when the world is facing challenges like foodborne diseases, nutraceutical safety, novel foods and micro plastics, the role of food regulators is very important. On this occasion, the annual report on the State Food Safety Index 2024 was released, which evaluates the food safety performance of states and union territories. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Nagaland have topped this report.

Improving food safety standards

The Union Health Minister also said that work is underway to align food safety standards with international norms. “This includes developing a National Action Plan on AMR 2.0 and aligning Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides with Codex standards, which will strengthen our position in global trade,” he/she said. he/she added that GFRS 2024 presents a comprehensive platform to further expand our understanding of the global regulatory framework and promote the exchange of information on food product safety requirements.

The growing threat of plastic waste

The Union Minister also informed that India is involved in strengthening regulatory capacity in countries like Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Highlighting India’s efforts in alternative measures to curb the growing threat of plastic waste, he/she said that India is taking steps to reduce plastic waste and is adopting organic farming and biological pest control measures. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), while addressing virtually, said that our food system is facing many challenges globally due to climate change. he/she highlighted the important role of national food regulators to coordinate regulatory policies for the world.

FSSAI is doing work

Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Chairman, FSSAI said that FSSAI is actively working towards harmonization of food standards, adding that technology is important and essential for strengthening food safety standards. FSSAI has been at the forefront of using technology-based solutions for licensing, import clearances, audits, inspections and other critical aspects of the food ecosystem. The Union Health Secretary noted the significant progress made by the Government of India in fortifying rice and distributing it through the public distribution network to address micronutrient deficiencies in the country.

Initiatives to strengthen food safety

Punya Salila Srivastava, Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Health, said that this conference brings together the world’s best experts in food security which provides an opportunity to share knowledge. She said that food security and nutrition are important for human health and the Government of India has taken several initiatives to strengthen and enhance food security. It was also informed at the conference that India has established a National Research Foundation with a budget of about US $ 5.9 million by 2024-28 to promote research in various fields including food security.

FSSAI launched two portals

Union Food Minister Prahlad Joshi highlighted the government’s efforts to distribute free food grains to 80 crore poor people, promote rice fortification to overcome malnutrition and strengthen food quality testing laboratories across the country. Two portals of FSSAI – ‘Food Import Rejection Alert Portal’ and ‘Import Clearance Systems 2.0’ were launched. Apart from this, there was also talk of promoting dishes related to coarse grains.