Govt must notify Food Safety and Standards Regulations: CUTS Director

According to a recently published NRAI India Food Service Report 2019, out of a total of 24.9 lakh food business operators in the country, only 4.67 lakh have FSSAI licence

The Centre must notify the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2018 at the earliest, which will prove to be an important step in improving food safety standards in the country, George Cheriyan, a member of Central Advisory Committee of FSSAI and director of CUTS International, said.

The first ever 'World Food Safety Day' on the theme of "Food Safety, Everyone's Business" will be observed across the world on June 7, 2019, and the early notification of the regulations will promote and facilitate actions for food safety, he said.

According to a recently published NRAI India Food Service Report 2019, out of a total of 24.9 lakh food business operators in the country, only 4.67 lakh have a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence.

The Rajasthan government had collected 124 food samples from January to May this year which were found unsafe and misbranded, Cheriyan said.

The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission had also sought a report from the state government regarding rampant food adulteration and subsequent health effects.

Cherian said consumers have a right to safe, nutritious and quality food. Hence, there is an urgent need to ensure the availability of safe food for consumers.

Considering that a large number of people are ordering food online, the online platforms have a responsibility to register only FBOs with a licence on their platforms, he said.