Food Regulators' Role Essential for Safeguarding Consumer Health: JP Nadda
New Delhi: As the world grapples with challenges such as foodborne diseases, nutraceutical safety, new foods, and micro-plastics, the role of food regulators has become increasingly vital, requiring ongoing collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to improving food safety systems, the government stated on Friday.
At the inauguration of the second edition of the ‘Global Food Regulators Summit 2024', Union Health Minister JP Nadda mentioned that efforts are underway to align food safety standards with global 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,” said the minister.
Minister Nadda shared that India is helping strengthen regulatory capacities in nations such as Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Emphasizing India's initiatives to combat the growing problem of plastic waste, the minister noted that the country is working to minimize plastic waste while promoting organic farming and organic pest control methods.
Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, praised the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for successfully hosting this unique global summit for the second year in a row.
“Our collaborative efforts between food regulators, research organisations, and consumer affairs departments will drive innovation, ensuring that policies reflect the dual priorities of consumer protection and environmental sustainability,” said Minister Joshi.
Underscoring the relevance of the summit for sharing best practices and knowledge, Joshi said that food security doesn’t mean just having enough food. “It is also important to ensure the quality and safety of food that we consume”.
He highlighted the ‘Eat Right’ campaign, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and the promotion of millets as important initiatives taken by the government to ensure safe and good food.
“Setting the standards of the regulations is the primary duty and responsibility of the government. FSSAI and our department has a crucial role to ensure that safe food reaches the people”, said Joshi.
AI and machine learning are innovative solutions to strengthen the food regulatory system, said experts.
Delegates from over 70 countries, including food safety regulators and those from risk assessment authorities, research institutes and universities are participating in the summit.