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"Effort to bring industry, regulators on one stage"
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Monday, 19 August, 2013, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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fiogf49gjkf0d  Over the past decade the food safety landscape in India has undergone tremendous change. The country has moved from the traditional ‘Agmark’ certification to a wide range of international safety and quality certifications. However, given the geographic expanse of the country there is a need for industry, regulators as well as consumers to have a common level of knowledge and expectations from the products they manufacture, endorse and consume. The TÜV SÜD and Assocham ‘Safe Future Now’ summit on food Safety, is an effort to bring together all the key stakeholders the of the food industry and regulators on the same platform. Niranjan Nadkarni, CEO, TUV SUD South Asia in an email interview with Manjushree Naik gives an overview of the summit and also his views on the food safety and testing sector of India. Excerpts:
Tell us about the summit. How will it do its bit for raising awareness on food safety in India?
As world leaders in testing, inspection and certification of food, we feel there is a need for a common platform where all stakeholders of the food industry can deliberate on the various ways by which the food safety systems in India can be further enhanced.
The TÜV SÜD and ASSOCHAM ‘Safe Future Now’ summit on food Safety, is an effort to bring together the frontrunners of the food industry and regulators on one stage. The aim is to ignite discussions that helps develop a sustainable road map to overcome the safety challenges in the Indian food processing industry. It’s a one day event that involves panel discussions and expert presentations on the topical issues to discover a collaborative approach today for a sustainable future.
The summit is also supported by the Export Inspection Council of India (EIC), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Quality Council of India (QCI) and National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP).
TÜV SÜD has been operating in the food safety space for over a decade in India. We were among the first third party testing agency to be authorized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority in India to conduct food safety inspections, certifications & testing reports approved by FSSAI.
Over the past decade the food safety landscape in India has undergone tremendous change. The country has moved from the traditional ‘Agmark’ certification to a wide range of international safety and quality certifications. However, given the geographic expanse of the country there is a need for industry, regulators as well as consumers to have a common level of knowledge and expectations from the products they manufacture, endorse and consume.
In spite of the comprehensive FSS Act, 2006, food safety levels in India are abysmally low. What are the reasons for this and how to overcome these issues?
The FSS Act 2006, was developed with an aim to have a standard set up of enforcement agencies for different sectors of food. With global brands foraying into the country, there was also a need for home grown brands to innovate on product quality and the FSS act aimed to minimize the restrictions that arose out of the non uniform regulatory set up.
Measuring the success of the act with current food safety levels as a yardstick does not give a pragmatic picture. If we compare the levels of general food safety since the implementation of the act, we understand that the act is effective:
- There are formal information dissemination systems at the consumer level
- Standards are responsive to scientific advancements and modernisation
- There are common quality and safety standards
Are there any loopholes in this food law? If yes, how to overcome them?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in consultation with the industry and third party companies like TÜV SÜD, updates the act from time to time.
Is lack of food safety affecting India's business prospects? How?
It is not just one or two factors that can be held responsible for the hampered food business growth in India. Food export consignments regularly get rejected by various import markets due to non-compliance of preset regulations. Food producers within the country have been making concerted efforts to win the confidence of the consumer with regards to food safety – this is rooted from the sporadic food safety related issues (food poisoning) that occur across various food categories.
As a result, food businesses find it challenging to sustain growth momentum. Self-regulation with regards to food safety is critical and one of the key focus areas at TÜV SÜD is to educate food business operators (FBOs) about the long term profits associated with regards to self- regulation in food safety.
We firmly believe that in the food business it is the ‘reputation’ of a brand that is critical and every business should centre all its policies on the principle of ‘brand reputation.’
What needs to be done?
A collaborative approach towards ensuring the safety of food is key to ensuring the growth of food businesses in India. Most stakeholders currently operate independently where the challenges in day to day operations and implementations of the other stakeholders are not considered.
TÜV SÜD closely works with regulatory bodies as well as food manufacturers to help them achieve parity in their operations. Our experts help companies accurately interpret regulations, thereby helping them operate smoothly within the realms of the various laws that are mandated. We work with companies to ensure that they adhere to supply chain regulations and their food products are delivered in the best possible quality to the end consumer.
The need of the hour is for businesses, regulators and certification agencies like TÜV SÜD to come together and come to a consensus with regards to effective implementation of food safety systems. The TÜV SÜD and ASSOCHAM ‘Safe Future Now’ summit focusses precisely on addressing this concern of the food safety industry.
Going forward, how can the country ensure that its food safety is on par with the Western countries?
With rapid globalisation it is only a matter of time before safety and quality levels will be standardised across the world and at TÜV SÜD it is our constant endeavour to keep our clients updated with latest and modern developments in the food safety sector. This helps businesses stay ahead of competition and have the first mover advantage in the markets they operate.
Businesses therefore need to be sensitive about the developments across the globe and customise their operational patterns as per the dynamic standards of the international safety and quality.
TÜV SÜD provides food safety services to businesses at more than 600 locations across the globe. Our cross continent expertise in the sector helps us advise businesses and help them operate as per global safety and quality standards.
What is your company doing in this regard?
TÜV SÜD has been active in the food safety and testing sector since a long however its only in the 90’s that this sector was identified as a focus area. We were among the first few companies in the world to privatise the safety aspect of food businesses, which was primarily considered to be the responsibility of the governments across the world. When we started operations in India, the concept of food safety was still at early stages while today it is in the developing stages.
We provide end to end safety & quality services to food businesses in India. Our team of scientists, experts and technicians across the country help food businesses with :
- Nutritional labelling/ chemical analysis
- Contamination testing
- Safety and quality testing
- Shelf Life studies
- Trace metals and vitamin estimation
- Microbiological Testing
- Antibiotic & Pesticide Residue Analysis
We have state-of-the-art food testing laboratories in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore that cater to the needs of customers , with emphasis on customer service, fast turnaround time and value- added services.
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