This Indian state tops food safety ranking, details inside

While we keep reading about the deteriorating food standard of cities and how spices are being adulterated posing serious threat to human life, but the latest State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024 released by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) states that Kerala has topped in food safety ranking for the second time in a row.
On Friday, Union Health Minister J P Nadda released the Second Edition of Global Food Regulators Summit (GFRS) 2024 hosted by FSSAI alongside the World Food India 2024, in which Gujarat secured fourth position in the Index.The event was organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

For the unversed, the index calculation for states and union territories is decided on the basis of five parameters: Human Resources and Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing-Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training and Capacity Building, and Consumer Empowerment.
As per the report, Tamil Nadu has secured second position this time. In 2022, Tamil Nadu had topped the Index, replacing Gujarat at the number one slot. In 2022, Kerala secured the second position but took the top position last year. And Jammu and Kashmir got third position in the Index, released annually since 2019.
Also, Nagaland has been given special acknowledgement among the northeastern states as the index said that the hilly state showed overall progress in improving the food safety ecosystem compared to the previous year.
At the event, Nadda stressed on the growing importance of food regulators when the world faces challenges like foodborne illnesses, nutraceutical safety, novel foods, and microplastics. As per reports, he said at the event that the role of food regulators has never been more crucial as it demands continuous collaboration, relentless innovation, and a commitment to constantly improving food safety systems.

He also praised the efforts of FSSAI along with the Union Health Ministry in developing standards, keeping in mind international trade, evolving food production processes. He further said that a notable achievement was the development of millet standards launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference on March 18, 2023.
He further stated that GFRS 2024 presents an expanded platform to deepen our understanding of global regulatory frameworks and promote the exchange of information on food product safety requirements.
He also highlighted India’s efforts in alternative measures to curb the increasing menace of plastic waste and added that India is taking steps to reduce plastic waste and adopting organic farming and pest control measures.
At the event, Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi stated that food security doesn’t mean just having enough food. It is also important to ensure the quality and safety of food we consume. He highlighted the Eat Right campaign, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, and the promotion of millets as important initiatives the centre took to ensure safe and good food.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), was also present at the event and addressed the gathering virtually.
At the summit, a new website for the Food Import Clearance System 2.0 (FICS 2.0), an advanced version of the Food Import Clearance System for faster processing and transparency, was also unveiled. It is said to address the limitations of the earlier system by offering a complete online solution with new features, automation, and integration with other relevant portals.