NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya is set to inaugurate the #GlobalFoodRegulators Summit 2023 in New Delhi today.
In the presence of Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Shri Narendra Tomar, and special guest Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr. Bedu Ram Bhusal from the Govt. of Nepal, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, inaugurated the inaugural Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 today. Also attending the event were Prof S P Singh Baghel and Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare. Organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), this summit aims to establish a global platform for food regulators to exchange perspectives, strengthening food safety systems, and enhancing regulatory frameworks across the food value chain.
Dr. Mandaviya said, "Safe food and good health are complementary to each other. Balanced, safe, and nutritious food acts as preventive care, ensuring our health and wellness." He emphasized the significance of food safety, stating, "It is critically important to delve into issues of food grains, food safety, and food security for global sustainable development. Food regulators play a highly responsible role in creating an ecosystem under the One Health approach, which provides an integrated platform to collectively address the health of climate, humans, animals, and plants." He added that the ongoing G20 India Presidency prioritizes One Health for the Health Working Group.
Dr. Mandaviya also highlighted the importance of international cooperation and solidarity for the greater good and welfare of the global community. He mentioned that the conference perfectly aligns with the theme of this year's India's G20 Presidency: "Vasudev Kutumbhakam: One Earth, One Nation." Considering the agro-climatic diversities in different geographical regions, he stressed the need to explore how regional diversities can be factored into global best practices for food safety protocols.
Discussing the aspect of soil health as a crucial determinant of food health, Dr. Mandaviya outlined the salient features of the recently announced PM-PRANAM scheme. This scheme encourages a balanced use of chemicals and fertilizers in food cultivation while promoting organic, natural, and alternative farming. He urged all countries to work collectively in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) as food shortage is a global problem that requires collaborative global solutions.
In a recorded message, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, congratulated the Union Health Ministry and FSSAI for organizing this maiden global food regulators summit, emphasizing the importance of ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for everyone everywhere.
During the event, Dr. Mandaviya released Food-o-Copoeia, a collection of food category-wise monographs serving as a single point reference for all applicable standards for specific product categories, including quality and food safety standards, labelling and claim requirements, packaging requirements, test methods, and other regulatory provisions as per the Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSRs).
Furthermore, the Union Health Minister launched the common regulators platform ‘SaNGRAH’ – Safe food for Nations: Global food Regulatory Authorities Handbook. This database contains information on Food Regulatory Authorities of 76 countries across the world, their mandates, food safety ecosystems, food testing facilities, contact details for food authorities, SPS/TBT/Codex/WAHO, etc. SaNGRAH is available not only in Hindi and English but also in six regional languages – Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.
Another significant launch during the Summit was the Common Digital Dashboard, a common unified IT-portal providing comprehensive information on standards, regulations, notifications, advisories, guidelines, contamination limits, and the latest developments by Food Regulators in India.
Moreover, Dr. Mandaviya inaugurated a two-day exhibition during the Global Food Regulator Summit 2023. This exhibition serves as a platform for the exchange of ideas and information on food safety, food standards, food testing capabilities, product reformulation, and advancements in food technologies. The exhibition features 35 exhibitors, including Food Business Operators (FBOs), Rapid Analytical Food Testing (RAFT) manufacturers, and esteemed organizations like the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Export Inspection Council (EIC), Spice Board, Tea Board, and Coffee Board, showcasing their expertise and contributions to the field during the two days. The exhibition also highlights stalls on Shree Anna (millets).
Shri Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, urged the gathering to utilize this platform for learning, strengthening networks to improve food safety, and creating a mechanism for investing in food safety in a sustainable way. Recognizing the need to ensure resilient food supply, he emphasized the importance of reducing food wastage, utilizing digital tools for enhancing food supply, and promoting the use of resilient food crops like millets.
As a special speaker of the inaugural session, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, urged the participants at the two-day conclave to discuss the potential health hazards of plastic, nutraceuticals, and metals in food supply. He encouraged them to explore alternatives to single-use plastics, promote circularity in food-grade plastic production, and use sustainable materials across supermarkets and take-away services.
Shri G Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO, FSSAI, stressed that safe and nutritious food is key to good health, while unsafe food causes 600 million infections and 4.2 lakh deaths every year. He hoped that this gathering would brainstorm critical aspects of food safety and develop innovative solutions to ensure a safe food supply.
The Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 brings together food regulators from around the world to exchange perspectives and knowledge on crucial issues related to food safety systems. The global summit will feature various technical sessions focusing on topics such as the roles and responsibilities of global food regulators, challenges and solutions for global food safety, robust standard setting, innovation in food emergency response, and more.
Shri Sudhansh Pant, OSD, Health Ministry, distinguished dignitaries from various countries, industry associations, representatives from the food industry, research institutions, and senior officials from MoHFW, other line ministries, and FSSAI were also present on the occasion.
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