While popular Indian brands are under scrutiny because of lead contamination and other states are grappling with issues of adulteration, Kerala has secured the first spot on the list of the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024. This is the second time that the state with the highest literacy rate in the country is showing the rest of the states how to ensure food safety.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) releases the list every year after evaluating food safety standards across Indian states and union territories. Since Kerala has emerged at the top of the list, it only highlights that the food authorities are committed to ensure public health. Therefore, the government as well as restaurants are taking all the safety measures, surveying gaps, and working arduously towards ensuring advanced infrastructure.
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Kerala’s Health Ministry Celebrates The Win
After the list was released, Veena George, Health Minister of Kerala, posted on social media that the state has managed to make history in the food security department at the national level. “Kerala holds the first position for the second consecutive year at the national level in the Food Security Index.”
Explaining about the index, the FSSAI website read, “This index is based on performance of State/ UT on five significant parameters, namely, Human Resources and Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing — Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training & Capacity Building and Consumer Empowerment. The Index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model that provides an objective framework for evaluating food safety across all States/UTs.”
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Kerala Setting Benchmark For Food Safety
With festival season beginning in the next few weeks, other Indian states can also learn a few things from Kerala and prioritise public health by ensuring food safety. One of the key reasons why the state topped the FSSAI list is because the authorities here run rigorous food safety checks regularly. The increased amount of inspections of shops and restaurants has pushed vendors to ensure every safety measure is followed.
Reportedly, there are special food safety teams who run random quality checks on eateries and street-side stalls, especially in high-risk areas. The authorities also have tie-ups with businesses that conduct training sessions for food handlers and certify them. These pointers can help other states minimise rampant news around adulteration, especially with the festive season when more and more people will be purchasing sweets, ghee, paneer, dairy products, and fresh produce.
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