The rankings, unveiled by Health Minister J P Nadda at the Global Food Regulators Summit (GFRS) 2024 during the World Food India event, highlight the progress states have made in ensuring food safety.
Kerala has, for the second time in a row, topped the sixth State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024 released by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday.
Tamil Nadu, which had slipped to the third position last year, secured second position this time. In 2022, Tamil Nadu had topped the Index, replacing Gujarat at the number one slot. In 2022, Kerala secured the second position but took the top position last year.
Jammu and Kashmir got third position in the Index, released annually since 2019.
Gujarat secured fourth position in the Index, which Union Health Minister J P Nadda released at the Second Edition of Global Food Regulators Summit (GFRS) 2024 hosted by FSSAI alongside the World Food India 2024 event being organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
In 2021, Gujarat was in the top position, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the second and third positions. The index judges state and union territories on five parameters: Human Resources and Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing-Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training and Capacity Building, and Consumer Empowerment.
Nagaland was given special acknowledgement among the northeastern states as the index said that the hilly state showed overall progress in improving the food safety ecosystem compared to the previous year.
The index started in 2018-19 was meant to create a competitive and positive change in the food safety ecosystem in the country. The step was also taken to galvanise states and union territories to work towards ensuring safe food for citizens.
At the event, Nadda underlined the growing importance of food regulators when the world faces challenges like foodborne illnesses, nutraceutical safety, novel foods, and microplastics, all the while striving for sustainability.
He said that the role of food regulators has never been more crucial as it demands continuous collaboration, relentless innovation, and a commitment to constantly improving food safety systems.
Commending the efforts made by FSSAI along with the Union Health Ministry in developing standards, keeping in mind international trade, evolving food production processes, and changing consumption patterns, he said a notable achievement was the development of millet standards launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference on March 18, 2023.
He also noted that work is ongoing to harmonise food safety standards with international benchmarks.
“This includes developing the National Action Plan on AMR 2.0 and aligning Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides with Codex standards, enhancing our position in global trade,” he said.
He further stated that GFRS 2024 presents an expanded platform to deepen our understanding of global regulatory frameworks and promote the exchange of information on food product safety requirements.
He also said India is strengthening its regulatory capacity in Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
He highlighted India’s efforts in alternative measures to curb the increasing menace of plastic waste and added that India is taking steps to reduce plastic waste and adopting organic farming and pest control measures.
At the event, Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi noted that “food security doesn’t mean just having enough food. “It is also important to ensure the quality and safety of food we consume.”
He highlighted the Eat Right campaign, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, and the promotion of millets as important initiatives the centre took to ensure safe and good food.
Joshi also highlighted the importance of food quality and safety for building a healthy and fit nation.
“Setting the standards of the regulations is the primary duty and responsibility of the government. FSSAI and our department have a crucial role in ensuring that safe food reaches the people,” he said.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), who addressed the gathering virtually, said our food system faces several challenges globally due to climate change and highlighted the critical role of national food regulators in harmonising regulatory policies for the world.
At the summit, a new website for the Food Import Clearance System 2.0 (FICS 2.0), an advanced version of the Food Import Clearance System for faster processing and transparency, was unveiled. It addresses the limitations of the earlier system by offering a complete online solution with new features, automation, and integration with other relevant portals.
A millet recipe show, ‘Flavours of Shree Anna – Sehat aur Swaad Ke Sang’, was launched as a 13-episode series on Doordarshan, promoting millet-based recipes.
This initiative seeks to boost nutrition awareness and highlight millet’s health benefits and versatility in everyday cooking.
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