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Ensuring food safety in India
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Friday, 06 June, 2025, 16 : 00 PM [IST]
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Bhushan Namdeorao Yengade
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Food is one of the most fundamental aspects of human survival, and in a country like India, where the population exceeds 1.4 billion, ensuring food safety is not just a necessity but a responsibility. World Food Safety Day on June 7, is celebrated globally to highlight the importance of food safety, with the theme for 2025 being "Science in Action." This underscores how science and technology can play an instrumental role in ensuring that the food we consume is safe, nutritious, and of high quality.
India’s approach to food safety was streamlined with the establishment of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. FSSAI’s mission is to regulate food safety by setting standards for food articles, ensuring safe food distribution, and regulating its manufacture, sale, and import. Prior to FSSAI, food safety was governed by various laws, including the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, and the Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992. With FSSAI’s formation, these fragmented regulations were consolidated, making it easier to implement and follow food safety standards.
The FSSAI works closely with various government agencies, including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, to ensure that food products are safe for public consumption.
Food technologists and scientists are at the forefront of ensuring that food is safe for consumption. These scientists focus on everything from developing technologies to improve food safety and storage to reducing foodborne diseases through scientific innovation. Their work ensures that food products meet stringent safety standards and are processed, packaged, and stored properly. This is crucial not just for domestic consumption, but also for export, where meeting international safety standards is essential.
Unsafe food can have severe consequences, from foodborne diseases to chronic health issues. Foodborne diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In India, these diseases often stem from factors such as contamination during processing, poor hygiene, and inadequate storage. FSSAI has established standards that cover a wide range of food categories, including meat, dairy, cereals, and beverages. The agency also conducts regular inspections and provides training to food business operators to ensure compliance.
Food safety is crucial for India's export sector. Indian food exports have grown significantly in recent years, but this growth is tightly linked to food safety standards. International markets demand that food products adhere to global food safety norms, and India's ability to meet these requirements determines the success of its food export industry. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, along with FSSAI, ensures that Indian food products meet international standards, allowing them to penetrate global markets. This has led to increased exports of processed foods, spices, and fresh produce. The government’s efforts in maintaining food safety standards have thus been key in boosting India’s food export economy.
An often-overlooked aspect of food safety is the supply chain, particularly the need for adequate cold storage facilities. A significant challenge in India is the insufficient cold storage infrastructure, which leads to high levels of post-harvest food loss. According to the National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD), India suffers from a shortfall of approximately 126 lakh tonnes in cold storage capacity. Cold storage is critical to maintaining the safety and quality of perishable foods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. The government's initiatives, such as the Integrated Cold Chain Infrastructure and Mega Food Parks Scheme, are designed to address this gap. Improving cold storage infrastructure would not only reduce food wastage but also ensure that food remains safe for consumption, thus benefiting both the domestic market and exports.
A recent food safety scare involved the adulteration of paneer, a popular dairy product in India. In one of the incidents reported by the state food safety department, thousands of kilograms of adulterated paneer were seized across several districts in Jharkhand. These products, which were found to be contaminated with harmful chemicals, were traced back to various sources in Bihar and Bengal. This is an example, If it is not safe, it is not food and consumer awareness also plays a key role in it.
As India’s population continues to grow, the demand for safe, nutritious, and reliable food will only increase. Ensuring food safety is particularly important in a densely populated country where a significant portion of the population still relies on food from informal sectors. Unsafe food can have devastating consequences, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
Food safety is a critical issue that affects every individual. It is the collective responsibility of the government, food producers, and consumers to ensure that the food we consume is safe, nutritious, and of high quality. In India, where food safety standards are continuously evolving, science and technology play a crucial role in this mission. Through agencies like food safety agencies, research institutions, and initiatives to improve infrastructure, India is working toward a safer food system that ensures everyone has access to safe food. If it is not safe, it is not food.
(The author is founder food industry consultant at
Binder Technology Consultancy)
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