Health Minister JP Nadda on Friday stressed the need for rigorous food safety standards and an adaptable regulatory framework to address innovative food trends such as plant-based proteins, insect proteins and lab-grown meat.
Speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day global summit of food regulators in the national capital, Nadda stressed the importance of widespread adoption of organic farming globally to mitigate the risks posed by pesticide residues in food.
The minister expressed concern over recent reports revealing an “alarming presence of microplastics in humans” and highlighted India’s efforts to develop eco-friendly packaging to reduce environmental impact.
“Rapid globalization, technological advances and evolving consumer preferences are transforming our food systems at an unprecedented pace. We face a complex challenge from persistent foodborne illnesses and emerging concerns such as nutraceutical safety, novel foods and microplastics in our food chain, while striving for sustainability,” Nadda said.
He added that the role of food regulators has never been more crucial and requires continued collaboration, tireless innovation and a commitment to the constant improvement of food safety systems.
Nadda called for greater adoption of organic farming globally, saying that “India’s efforts to promote organic farming, an alternative method of pest control, are steps in the right direction, but more widespread adoption is needed globally.”
The minister announced that India has set up a National Research Foundation with a budget of nearly $5.9 million between 2024 and 2028 to expand research in various sectors, including food security.
He also mentioned that India’s AMR 2.0 (antimicrobial resistance) initiative is aligning maximum residue limits and pesticides with the standards of the global body CODEX, improving its global position in trade.
Food Minister Prahlad Joshi stressed the importance of quality food, quoting the Bhagavad Gita, and highlighted the government’s efforts to distribute free grains to 80 million poor people, promote rice fortification to address malnutrition and strengthen food quality testing laboratories across the country.
On this occasion, the sixth edition of the State Food Index for 2023-24 was released. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Jammu and Kashmir were the three states that topped the index.
During the event, two FSSAI portals – Food Import Rejection Alert Portal and Import Clearance System 2.0 were launched. Additionally, FSSAI’s cooking show in collaboration with state-run broadcaster Doordarshan to promote millet recipes was also launched.
The summit was attended by World Society for Food Regulatory Sciences President Samuel Godefroy, Codex President Steve Wearne, Health Secretary and FSSAI President Apurva Chandra and FSSAI Executive Director G Kamala Vardhana Rao.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First published: September 20, 2024 | 18:27 IS
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