(Daily News Scan - DNS English) Food Safety Index
The Food and Safety Standards Authority of India has recently released the Food Safety Index of 2019-20. The index was released on World Food Safety Day under the theme – FOOD SAFETY IS EVERYONE’s BUSINESS. Among the larger states Gujarat was on top, while Chandigarh was at top in the UT’s.
In this DNS we will briefly have a look at the Food Safety Index and Food SAFETY DAY.
To mark the occasion of FOOD safety Day, Food Safety Index was released. A webinar was organised on this occasion where the Union Health and Family welfare Minister shared his valuable thoughts on the same.
In this webinar FSSAI released an e-handbook for the citizen. This book is associated to the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19. The handbook is named as ‘Eat right during Covid-19’. It comprises of safe food practices to be followed diligently and tips on health and nutrition.
An updated guidance note ‘Food Hygiene and Safety Guidelines for Food Businesses during Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic’ was also released on the occasion. It highlights the hygiene and sanitary requirements, responsibility of management and sector specific requirements to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in the food supply chain.
This was the second State Food Safety Index. The Index was prepared depending on 5 parameters which are as follows –
- Food Testing Facilities, Human Resource and Institutional Data, Compliance, Training and Capacity Building besides consumer empowerment.
- Goa leads the index in smaller states category. Following Goa are the
states of Manipur and Meghalaya. In the Union territory category, Chandigarh,
Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Island have secured top ranks.
In the larger states category Gujarat is followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
About Food Safety Day
- The World Food Safety day is celebrated every year on June 7. This day draws attention towards health consequences of contaminated food and water. This day also inspires to take action to help prevent and manage food borne risks, contribute to food security, human health and sustainable development.
- In the year 2018, June 7 was declared as the World Food Safety day by the United Nations General Assembly. Two agencies of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and WORLD Health Organization look after and also lead efforts in promoting the food safety around the world.
- The UN’s Zero Hunger Initiative, takes into account how food safety is key to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals. The development goals2, 3 and 12 directly or indirectly are connected to food safety.
