The Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 came to a close on Friday after two days of deliberations, with a firm commitment to enhancing food safety systems worldwide.
Suman Berry, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog delivered the concluding address at the Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 in the presence of Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, S P Singh Baghel.
Hosted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the summit featured keynote addresses and technical sessions focused on global food safety and regulatory frameworks.
Addressing the Valedictory Session of the Global Food Regulatory Summit 2023, Suman Berry, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog said that “this summit has been a pivotal platform for international cooperation in addressing food safety challenges”. He stated that adulteration of food is a serious problem affecting the fabric of society.
Suman Berry praised the FSSAI for swiftly enhancing its regulatory standards, acknowledging the urgency. However, Berry also emphasized the considerable challenges arising from India’s intricate food landscape, urging the need for prompt and effective solutions.
He underscored the importance of fortifying food safety scientific standards and implementing stringent regulations to combat food adulteration and counterfeiting. Additionally, he placed significant emphasis on the necessity for collaboration between the government, industries, and other stakeholders to successfully achieve this objective.
He also highlighted the importance of empowering consumers through awareness campaigns and promoting safe hygiene practices to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
S P Singh Baghel stated that “there is a pressing need for continuous improvement and innovation in food safety systems to keep pace with emerging food trends and habits.” He further added that it is crucial to facilitate dialogue and collaboration among food regulators, align standards, share best practices and establish common frameworks to achieve this.
The Union Minister also applauded the efforts of the organizing team for diligently putting together this two-day summit. He said that “the Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 will serve as a timely intervention in addressing global food safety challenges and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of zero hunger, good health and well-being”.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan appreciated the wide-ranging discussions on a range of food safety aspects such as food processing, anti-microbial resistance and regulatory frameworks. He noted that food safety is a multi-stakeholder enterprise involving farmers, industries, regulators etc.
He underlined the importance of taking up good agricultural practices, good manufacturing practices and efficient regulation towards ensuring food safety. He also stated that this summit provided a fillip to these efforts by bringing in all stakeholders under one platform.
FSSAI CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao presented an overview of the discussions that took place over the course of the two-day event. He thanked the participating dignitaries for giving their valuable inputs to this summit and hoped that this summit will spur the way for further negotiations towards ensuring safe food supply.
The Global Food Regulators Summit was inaugurated on July 20 by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya. It brought together food regulators from around the world to exchange perspectives and knowledge on crucial issues related to food safety systems.
Various initiatives including Food-o-Copoeia, a collection of food category-wise monographs and a single point reference for all applicable standards for a specific product; ‘SaNGRAH’ – Safe food for Nations: Global food Regulatory Authorities Handbook and a Common Digital Dashboard were launched during the inauguration ceremony.
The Summit marked a significant step forward in promoting international cooperation, knowledge sharing and cross-learning to create a safer and more sustainable global food system. The shared commitment and expertise exhibited during the summit will undoubtedly drive positive change and safeguard the well-being of consumers worldwide.
Inoshi Sharma, Executive Director, FSSAI and senior officials from MoHFW, other line ministries and FSSAI were present on the occasion.
