India’s Food Safety Standards

Context:

India has transitioned toward a science-driven food safety system, yet significant challenges persist in areas such as indigenous research, public risk awareness, and outdated regulations.

Evolution of Food Safety Regulations in India

• Initial Framework: India’s food safety efforts began with the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, supported by multiple commodity-specific regulations.
• Consolidation: The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 replaced earlier laws, creating the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as the central body.
• Recent Reforms: Post-2015, following major food controversies, India aimed to align its regulations with global benchmarks like Codex Alimentarius, enhance transparency, and reinforce enforcement mechanisms.

Major Challenges

1. Prevalence of Adulteration:
   • Widespread use of harmful substances such as urea, synthetic dyes, and detergents in milk, oils, and sweets.
   • FSSAI’s 2012 study revealed that 68% of milk samples were tainted with unsafe elements like detergent and urea.
2. Regulatory Oversight Gaps:
   • Numerous food businesses operate without licenses.
   • Inspections are irregular, with audit lapses frequently flagged in CAG reports.
3. Industry Malpractices:
   • Incidents of false labelling, omission of ingredients, and use of banned additives have eroded consumer confidence.
4. Complex Compliance Structure:
   • Fragmented and overlapping guidelines make compliance difficult for MSMEs and street food vendors.
   • Only 377 food items are covered under Indian norms, compared to over 10,000 products under international food safety standards.
5. Limited Transparency:
   • Public disclosure of food testing results is poor, despite frequent raids—weakening public trust and deterrence.

Key Government Initiatives

• Eat Right India Movement:
  • Spearheaded by FSSAI, it promotes healthy, hygienic, and sustainable food choices; aligned with the National Health Policy 2017.
• RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil):
  • Encourages recycling of used edible oil into biodiesel.
  • Over 250 collection centers have been set up with collaboration from Oil Marketing Companies.
• State Food Safety Index (SFSI):
  • Annual ranking of states based on performance across five food safety parameters.
• Food Safety Mitra (FSM) Scheme:
  • Trains professionals to support food businesses with compliance and hygiene practices.
  • Over 1,000 FSMs have been certified since inception.
• Eat Right Station Certification:
  • Recognizes railway stations that meet food safety and hygiene benchmarks.
  • By 2023, over 100 stations had earned this certification.

Way Forward

• Improve Infrastructure:
  • Only 68 laboratories have NABL accreditation as FSSAI-notified labs (as of 2023).
  • There’s a need for better funding, mobile testing facilities, and trained personnel.
• Regulatory Simplification:
  • Move toward a unified framework—“One Nation, One Regulator”—by streamlining standards and eliminating overlaps like BIS and AGMARK dual certification.
• Stricter Enforcement:
  • Impose robust penalties for violations, exemplified by the Maggi ban due to excess lead and MSG levels.
• Awareness Campaigns:
  • Educate the public on interpreting food labels, dangers of reused oils, and safe pesticide application.
• Promote Safe Agricultural Practices:
  • Discourage excessive pesticide use and the artificial ripening of fruits using harmful substances (e.g., calcium carbide).
  • Encourage adoption of organic and sustainable farming methods.