FSSAI CEO’s Alarming Report
In the presence of Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Shri Narendra Tomar, and Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Nepal, Dr. Bedu Ram Bhusal, Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the Global Food Regulators Summit 2023. The summit shed light on crucial issues of food grains, food safety, and food security for global sustainable development. Dr. Mandaviya emphasized the responsibility of food regulators in creating an ecosystem under the One Health approach, which integrates the health of climate, humans, animals, and plants. He stressed that balanced, safe, and nutritious food plays a vital role in preventive care, ensuring overall health and wellness.
One of the alarming highlights of the summit was a report presented by the CEO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The report revealed that unsafe food causes approximately 600 million infections and leads to 4.2 lakh deaths each year. This emphasizes the urgent need for robust food safety systems and regulatory frameworks to protect public health.
Shri Narendra Tomar acknowledged the importance of considering the entire value chain network, encompassing agricultural inputs to end-consumers, as a unified entity to ensure food safety and security. Given
the significant size and volume of the agriculture sector and food industry in India, this holistic approach becomes even more critical.Organized by the FSSAI under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 aimed to create a platform for food regulators worldwide to exchange perspectives and strengthen food safety systems and regulatory frameworks across the entire food value chain.
The summit emphasized the interconnectedness of safe food and good health, with Dr. Mandaviya urging a comprehensive exploration of food grains, food safety, and food security to drive global sustainable development. He emphasized the need for food regulators to establish an ecosystem under the One Health approach, considering the health and well-being of all elements within it.
The event witnessed the release of the Food-o-Copoeia, a comprehensive collection of food category-wise monographs, serving as a reference for applicable standards, quality and food safety requirements, packaging specifications, and testing methods. Additionally, the common regulators platform ‘SaNGRAH’ and a Common Digital Dashboard were launched, providing a centralized information hub on standards, regulations, notifications, advisories, and guidelines related to food safety.
The summit also featured an exhibition where industry stakeholders, rapid analytical food testing manufacturers, and esteemed organizations showcased their expertise in food safety, standards, testing capabilities, product reformulation, and advancements in food technologies. This platform facilitated the exchange of ideas and information, promoting collaboration and innovation in the field.
The Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 emphasized the importance of international cooperation and solidarity to ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all. The event witnessed the participation of distinguished individuals from various countries, industry associations, representatives from the food industry, research institutions, and senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, other line ministries, and the FSSAI. The alarming statistics presented by the FSSAI CEO underscore the critical role of food regulators in safeguarding public health and the urgency to address the challenges posed by unsafe food.
Now a days advertisement stating “the product is for diabetic patients” and/ or “for increasing immunogenicity” etc. When such a claim is made in their advertisement, how to judge whether their claim is true? Is there any control/ test system/ regulations by the Govt. Of India to monitor the claim, which is highly lucrative for general public?
Thanks,