Safe food provisions should become part of ingrained culture: Nadda

NEW DELHI: Appreciating the unrelenting efforts of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in upholding food safety standards in India, Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda has called for making safe food provisions a part of the country’s ingrained culture.

Speaking at the function organised by the FSSAI to commemorate 10 years of the enactment of the FSSAI Act, here recently, the minister said, ”Food safety is a very important health and economic issue. It has high employment potential, can boost exports of agro-products out of the country, and also provide better returns to farmers for their produce. Provisions of safe food should become a part of ingrained culture in our country.”

Describing the FSSAI Act as a paradigm shift from regulatory regime under the provisions of Food Adulteration Act to self-regulatory and facilitatory regime, he pointed out that ”now, basic ground work is done. We are ready for big leap forward.”

Commemorating a decade of integrated food law in the country, and marking ten years of FSSAI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his congratulatory message underscored the ‘need for the Authority to focus on empowering the consumers so that the manufacturers and suppliers of food products become responsive to consumer needs, demands and expectations.’ He added that ”safe and wholesome and hygienic food will create a ‘Swasth Bharat’. And this has to be cornerstone of the efforts of FSSAI.”

In his address, the minister emphasised upon ‘two-way communication’ between the food businesses and the regulator. He advised that the Authority should be fully aware of the need and concerns of small food businesses as well in its work of standard formulation and compliance.

During the past decade, considerable ground has been covered in terms of achieving the goals of laying down scientific standards and regulating the manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale and import of food items for the people of India.

On the occasion, Mr Nadda released the special commemorative volume a compilation of the history and more than 50 invited articles from scientists, experts, industry people and consumer organisations. Health Secretary C K Mishra, who was the special guest, also addressed the audience with inspiring messages on the need for collaborative efforts towards setting up of food standards.