Context: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir were ranked as the top three performers on the State Food Safety Index 2024.
Key findings of State Food Safety Index 2024:
- Kerala has, for the second time in a row, topped the sixth State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024 and has achieved more than 100 per cent of its inspections target in FY24, improved its food-testing infrastructure and organised special drives to increase the number of license-holders and registrations, among other achievements.
- Tamil Nadu has got a “significant number of full-time designated food safety officers.
- Jammu and Kashmir got third position in the Index while Gujarat secured fourth position in the Index.
- Nagaland was 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.
- 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.
About State Food Safety Index (SFSI):
- Released by: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
- Released on: June 7 on the occasion of World Food Safety Day.
- 1st report: Since 2019.
- Parameters: Human resources and institutional data , compliance, food testing infrastructure, training and capacity building, and consumer empowerment. In the 2023 index, a new parameter ‘Improvement in SFSI Rank’ was added
- Objective: To foster healthy competition and catalyse positive change in the food safety ecosystem throughout the country, ultimately ensuring the provision of safe and wholesome food to all residents.
About FSSAI:
Body: Statutory body has been established under Food Safety and Standards , 2006. It works as an independent authority and attained a special status. The FSS Act took 7 older acts into one umbrella.
- Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
- Fruit Products Order, 1955
- Meat Food Products Order, 1973
- Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947
- Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order 1998
- Solvent Extracted Oil, De- Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967
- Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992
- Nodal ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is the Administrative Ministry for the implementation.
- Headed by: Non-executive chairperson, appointed by the Central Government, either holding or has held the position of not below the rank of Secretary.
- Objective: To establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi- level, multi- departmental control to a single line of command.
- Function:
- Framing of regulations to lay down food safety standards
- Laying down guidelines for accreditation of laboratories for food testing
- Providing scientific advice and technical support to the Central Government
- Contributing to the development of international technical standards in food
- Collecting and collating data regarding food consumption, contamination, emerging risks, etc.
- Disseminating information and promoting awareness about food safety and nutrition in India.