The Food Safety-A Clarion Call for India!

The Maggi controversy that surfaced some years back again this time in India with findings of having more percentage of lead contents in it than the permissible limit, though it is not new to Maggi. The Centre of Science & Environment during a study conducted by them in 2012 found that a pack of Maggi noodles consisted of 03 grams of salt which was 03 times higher than the limit and they also found it was low on fibre and carbohydrates accounting more than 70% of the product. It is well known to all that eating such products may lead you with the increase in risk of obesity and diabetes. The producer of the product argue saying that it may be due to the additives those are not manufactured by them. It cannot stand as it is their responsibility as they; the brand is responsible for the end product. This issue has brought one very prime concern to the fore front that all packaged foods & drinks available in India market for its people consumption are not safe and it is very pertinent to the imported products. Hence, it is to be seen that do we have sufficient measures in place to ensure safety standards are followed for food products available in the market for consumption. Even I myself asked an owner of a very famous Meat Retail Shop operating near my residence at Noida on 02-03 different occasions after?gaps that do they have safety standards about the imported packaged meat products & sauces , the answer was never straight and with no confidence. So, I feel that Maggi incident is just a tip in iceberg as Indian market is flooded with junk food containing toxic diet.?

2. The present government is doing a lot in this direction and FSSAI has drawn a programme, still the following needs to be paid attention as part of the same campaign and at fast speed:

(a) The GOI needs to sign or renew bilateral treaties with countries for export & import with a clause to ban such products & provision of recall as it is hereby mentioned?that India faced difficulties in exporting various food products in certain countries as their standards keep changing but India allow import of food products with?no adequate standards?available to refer.

(b) FSSAI has to increase the frequency of sample survey at least quarterly if not less as mandatory for all the food products available for consumption in India by upgrading its capacities to scale up as needed so that it addresses the most important issue of safe food consumption. FSSAI has to do it covering all parts of the country though the food safety is a State Subject and maximum food safety commissioners and inspectors are corrupt. Hence, it is biggest challenge for FSSAI.

(c) Standards are to be defined and updated on line / website so that the public could peruse it as and when they want to refer. The same could be used by whistle blowers. Similarly the penalties are also required to be defined and what actions in terms of legal provisions available against defaulters.

(d) The adulterations & duplication in / of food products also needs to be treated with equal importance.

(e) Licensing for manufacturing & marketing of food products is to be made must to follow defined Standards. The retail outlets and shops selling?adulterated / inferior / expiry / duplicate products are to be punished through 88 India Transforming speedy trials and No Bail provisions to the defaulters.

(f) The most people in India are importing a very large number of food products which gets expired for sales in other countries at cheapest rates otherwise that needs to be taken off from the shelf & destroyed in these places and repackage it in India enhancing date of expiry to sale it here. Hence, it is the worst scenario and that needs to be addressed with top priority and at the earliest.

(g) Speedy trials through fast track consumer courts or special food safety courts post FSAAI sample audits is must and an infrastructure to this effect needs to be created fast to the scale needed and any food product trial should have a limit to be settled within a maximum limit of 90 days if not lesser.

(h) FSSAI or the concerned Ministries of GOI should use the Multi & Social Media Techniques for increasing awareness for Food Safety to a scale it is needed in all geographies of the country. It is pertinent to mention that the country health has to be accorded top most priority as any other progress is related to it. Healthy body provides healthy mind & an efficient human resource that brings prosperity to the The Food Safety-A Clarion Call for India! 89 country in every walk of life by adding to the productivity. We the people of India desrves safe foods at all times. Ensuring Good Health for the people of a nation is single most important factor of an efficient governance.

Narendra Modi–a man of commitment, who has vision for India Development, a constructive leader who takes difficult decision with no loss of time and capable in inflicting a change to empower masses. —Sudhir?, the auther???