Hyderabad|India|August'2010: Ministry of Food Processing Industries
(Govt of India) & Quality Council of India, the national accreditation
body of India, today jointly organized an awareness programme on food
safety and quality. In view of the growing concern for food safety and
impending changes in India’s food regulations, the food businesses need to
increase focus on maintaining hygiene & compliance to the standards to
ensure food safety. MOFPI and QCI have designed a program for the food
businesses to make them aware of the latest developments in food sector to
ensure food safety, quality and regulations to sensitize them.
The inaugural address was delivered by Mr. B. VENKATARAM, CEO, National
Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies of QCI, who apprised the
participants about the importance of promoting food safety and quality
among the food industry and spoke about the importance and role of
accreditation for the food industry.
Mr T Appaji Rao, Food Safety Expert, QCI, explained the importance of good
manufacturing and hygienic practices which need to be observed in food
businesses. He also highlighted the international system of HACCP for
controlling hazards in food businesses. Representing the new food
regulator of India, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),
Dr S. Srinivasan spoke about the domestic regulation concerning food
safety and quality and the transition from PFA Act to new regulations
under Safety and Standards Act, 2006 in which good hygienic practices are
being compulsory. Mr. B.K KARNA, Dy. Director, IIP Hyderabad, addressed
the participants on managing Food Safety and Quality in Packaging.
At the National level food safety and quality is a matter of serious
concern ,the prevention aspects in the field of food safety are not
getting as much attention as treatment of diseases ,The Public Health
Foundation of India has estimated the 80% of all deaths are attributable
to food and water, The Process is on establishing system and procedures
for regulation of food safety standard and examination of issues relating
to food additives/flavors/ processing aids; pesticides and antibiotic
residues ; biological hazard; labeling etc . Food science and technology
has developed considerably in recent years and a whole new range of
processed foods including functional food, nutraceuticals, proprietary
food, dietary supplements genetically modified or engineered food hitting
the market at a fast pace.
Though the country’s food export under 33 different categories registered
a cumulative growth of 58 per cent since 2005-06 at Rs 11,412 crore in
2007-08 as compared to Rs 7,233 crore in 2005-06, its share in export of
processed food in global trade (pegged at $3.2 trillion) is only 1.5 per
cent, as per the 2007-08 annual report of the Ministry of Food Processing
Industry.
Exports of agricultural products from India are expected to cross around
US$ 22 billion mark in the next five years and account for five per cent
of the world’s agriculture exports, according to the Agricultural and
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
Exports of fresh and processed vegetables, fruits, livestock and cereals
rose 12 per cent to US$ 8.1 billion in 2008-09 from US$ 7.1 billion in
2007-08. The cumulative FDI received by the industry from April
2000-January 2010 stood at US$ 1.02 billion.
Mr. K.Rajeswara Rao, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing
Industries, Govt of India, in his valedictory address stated that “food
safety is worldwide concern and in addition to the end product
specifications and testing, the regulators world over are insisting on
good manufacturing and hygienic practices in the food businesses. Indian
regulator, FSSAI, has also proposed implementing GMP/GHP through its
licensing regulations which are currently open for public comments. MFPI
has undertaken a series of awareness programmes to sensitize food
businesses about food safety systems which are necessary and this
programme is part of the series being organized with QCI as the knowledge
partner.” MFPI is targeting the smaller cities like Varansi, Pantnagar,
Agartala, Udipi etc this year, he added.
The MoFPI has also chalked out a three-pronged strategy to attain food
safety and quality. While coordination between the various ministries and
state governments tops the list, the other moves include a global focus on
the quality of food. Simply put, this only underscores that food safety
and quality are of paramount importance to sustain and increase the
country’s food exports.
While globalisation and the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers have
brought in international competition to the domestic markets, it has
prompted the Indian food industry to adopt strong practices of food safety
and quality in order to be competitive.
Also, it is important to note that improving food safety and quality has
to be a constant and continuous effort rather than a one-shot effort, and
all stakeholders from the government and its institutions, to the
industry, spanning the entire food chain, academic and research
institutions, consumer bodies, and professionals in the field have to be
involved in it.
Awareness, or rather the creation of it, is the only solution. The
endeavor should be to include food safety and quality, as well as consumer
rights in the curriculum of schools so that future consumers will become
aware of their rights and demand the best quality food. Simultaneously,
proper training programmes for food handlers working in the processing
industries in their native language are essential.
The event took place at Sipra Labs Limited which is one of the most
technologically advanced labs in the country.
-August''
2010
