NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India plans to work together with central and state government agencies, universities, colleges and non-government organisations to spread awareness about food safety related issues across the country.
"Awareness level about food safety in the country is extremely low. The consumers need to be educated and hence the association with several organisations," said a senior FSSAI officer, requesting not to be named. The FSSAI has been under fire for poor implementation of norms and lack of awareness about food safety issues. According to the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006, the priorities of the FSSAI include laying down science-based standards for articles of food and regulating their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Officials said the FSSAI is constrained by its dependence on state food authorities for implementing the law as well as shortage of both manpower and skills in the authority.
Under the new scheme, these organisations will inform, educate and communicate on behalf of the authority, the FSSAI said in a recent notice. "This has been done as per the recommendation of an expert committee constituted under the above scheme," the notice said.
The authority has also directed the states to submit state level proposals for spreading awareness for each state to the state food safety commissioners, some of which could be considered for implementation across the nation.
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