The Union Health Minister recently released the 4th State Food Safety Index (SFSI) on World Food Safety Day. This index, designed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), evaluates the performance of States across five critical parameters of food safety.
The State Food Safety Index (SFSI)
The SFSI was initiated from 2018-19 with the primary goal of fostering a competitive and positive shift in the nation’s food safety ecosystem. The FSSAI develops this index to measure states’ performance on significant parameters of Food Safety such as Human Resources and Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing – Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training & Capacity Building, and Consumer Empowerment. The index serves as a dynamic benchmarking model that objectively evaluates food safety across all States and UTs. The first-ever State Food Safety Index was revealed on World Food Safety Day, 7th June 2019.
Significance of SFSI
One of the essential functions of the index is to aid in providing safe and nutritious food to citizens. By measuring and comparing states’ performances, the index helps identify areas for improvement and encourages a competitive spirit towards achieving better food safety standards.
Performance of States in SFSI
Tamil Nadu clinched the top spot in the State Food Safety Index category, closely followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra in the rankings. Among the smaller states, Goa led the way, with Manipur and Sikkim placing second and third, respectively. In terms of Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir bagged the first position, followed by Delhi and Chandigarh.
World Food Safety Day: An Overview
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly facilitate the observance of World Food Safety Day, in partnership with Member States and other relevant organizations. It was first marked in 2019 to strengthen the commitment to augmenting food safety, a cause championed by the Addis Ababa Conference and the Geneva Forum under “The Future of Food Safety” theme. The theme for 2022 is “Safer Food, Better Health.”
New Initiatives Launched on World Food Safety Day
On this occasion, several innovative initiatives were unveiled by the FSSAI. These include the Eat Right Research Awards and Grants – Phase II, Eat Right Creativity Challenge – Phase III, a school-level competition, and the logo for AyurvedaAahar. This logo, adorned with the initials of Ayurveda and Aahar and five leaves representing the five elements of nature, aims to create a unique identity for food products and facilitate their easy identification. Additionally, a guidance document on Food Borne Disease Outbreak Investigation and Microbiological Process Control, as well as Sampling and Testing of Fish and Fishery Products, was also released.
