The Hindu : New Delhi News : Move to upgrade safety, quality of food at eateries

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Wednesday, Dec 31, 2008
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Move to upgrade safety, quality of food at eateries

Staff Reporter

Food Authority takes initiative for Commonwealth Games

The Authority is encouraging participation by schools and colleges in this activity
An inter-ministerial group to draw up an imported food safety action plan

NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, an autonomous statutory authority created under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has initiated a pilot project for upgrading the safety and quality of food served at eateries in Delhi in preparation for the upcoming Commonwealth Games to be hosted by the city. The Authority is encouraging active participation by the Capital’s schools and colleges in this activity.

Set up with the mandate to lay down scientific standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import and ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption, the Authority also aims to establish a single reference point for all matters pertaining to food safety and standards by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control, said Authority chairman P. I. Suvrathan at a press conference here on Tuesday.

The Authority has also initiated formation of an inter-ministerial group to draw up an imported food safety action plan involving creation of infrastructure at ports of entry, lab facilities and authorised officers.

“Our other activities include pooling of human resources involved in implementation of food laws under various ministries of the government and integration of these for effective functioning and discharge of duties by the Authority,” added Mr. Suvrathan.

The Authority has also instituted a study of diet nutrition and diseases-food nexus and is working on creating an updated data base on food regulations, disease profile and infrastructure. It is looking at quality upgradation of food testing labs and data base for food safety regulation.

Regulations

“The Authority will also look at framing of regulations to lay down the standards and guidelines in relation to articles of food and specifying appropriate system of enforcing various standards, provide scientific advice and technical support to the Central and State governments in matters of framing the policy and rules in areas which have a direct or indirect bearing of food safety and nutrition among other duties,” said the Authority.

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