New Delhi:: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today, July 20, inaugurated the First Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 in New Delhi.
Highlighting the importance of food safety and security, Minister Mandaviya stated that balanced, safe, and nutritious food serves as preventive care, ensuring the well-being and health of individuals worldwide, as stated in an official statement.
He emphasized the significance of delving deep into matters concerning food grains, food safety, and food security for global sustainable development. Under the One Health approach, food regulators shoulder the responsibility of creating a conducive ecosystem.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, was also present at the event. Minister Tomar stressed the need to consider the entire value chain network, from agricultural inputs to the end-consumer products, as a single entity to ensure food safety and security, given the size and volume of India's agriculture sector and food industry.
Other dignitaries, such as Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Nepal, Bedu Ram Bhusal, Professor SP Singh Baghel, and Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare, graced the occasion as well, according to the official statement.
During the press briefing, Minister Mandaviya highlighted the importance of kitchens in homes and the role of yoga in preventive care for maintaining good health. Scriptures emphasize that falling ill can be avoided, and the kitchen serves as a hospital for preventive care. Moreover, yoga plays a vital part in promoting well-being.
The summit witnessed the participation of food regulators from over 40 countries, along with representatives from 30 International Organizations and 25 International Research Institutes/Universities.
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), unveiled the summit's logo in the presence of Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, SP Singh Baghel. He remarked that it is the first time the summit is being held outside Rome, Italy, and it will focus on food safety, which is as crucial as food security.
The Union Minister expressed confidence that collective efforts during the summit would lead to harmonization of global food safety standards, improved regulatory frameworks, and provision of safe and high-quality food for consumers worldwide.
SP Singh Baghel, Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, aligned the summit with India's G20 Presidency theme - One Earth, One Family, One Future, citing the traditional belief of Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah as the guiding principle.
The summit witnessed the launch of a Common Digital Dashboard, a unified IT portal providing comprehensive information on standards, regulations, notifications, advisories, guidelines, contamination limits, and the latest developments by Food Regulators in India.
Furthermore, several groundbreaking initiatives will be unveiled, revolutionizing the accessibility and sharing of food safety information. Among these initiatives is the release of Food-o-Copoeia, a comprehensive collection of food category-wise monographs serving as a single-point reference for all applicable standards for specific product categories.
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