FSSAI to spread awareness on food safety with govt. agencies

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plans to work in tandem with the central and state government agencies, universities, colleges and non-government organizations to spread awareness about food safety and other related issues across the country.

The FSSAI has been under watch for poor implementation of norms and lack of awareness about food safety issues. According to the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006, the priorities of the FSSAI include laying down science-based standards for articles of food and regulating their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

"Awareness level about food safety in the country is extremely low. The consumers need to be educated and hence the association with several organizations," said an officer at the FSSAI.

The organizations will inform, educate and communicate on behalf of the authority, the FSSAI said in a recent notice.

The authority has also directed the states to submit state-level proposals for spreading awareness for each state to the state food safety commissioners, some of which could be considered for implementation across the nation.