Food Standardization An Investment in Health

Food safety is a growing concern. There is a growing need to provide greater assurance about the safety and quality of food to consumers.

- SHARLEEN ZACHARIA

Before our food reaches the stores, restaurants or even our mouths, they go through multiple processes like harvesting, processing, storing, distribution, and preparation during which there are several possibilities of food contamination.

World Food Safety Day is celebrated on 7 June every year. This year’s theme, ‘Food Standards Saves Lives’, aims at recognizing the importance of food standards in keeping consumers safe and bringing awareness of food security.

What is food safety?

It refers to the proper food-handling procedures applied during food preparation, processing, storage and distribution of food to ensure that contaminants that cause food-borne illnesses are not present. It also includes labelling, hygiene, additives and preservatives.

Safe food is needed not only to better health and food security, but also for the livelihood, economic development, trade and the international reputation of every country.

Food regulation organizations and agencies make the flow of food safety measures easier to manage and control by setting laws in place. Bodies like the WHO, FAO, FDA were established to govern food safety.

The Foods Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have been mandated by the FSS Act 2006 to handle food-related issues.

The following functions are performed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India:

Setting Rules and Guidelines: FSSAI sets up rules and guidelines which need to be followed by all food manufacturing companies, taking into consideration hygiene and food safety.