When the inspector leaves: Can food safety become a daily habit?, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• Food safety compliance in India often improves only during intensified inspection drives, rather than being a consistent daily practice.
• Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, conducted over 3,000 inspections between May and July, leading to licence suspensions and improvement notices.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) revised its turnover-based licensing categories effective April 1, 2026, to better regulate diverse food businesses.
• Lack of awareness and education among food business operators is identified as a primary reason for non-compliance with food safety standards.
• Experts advocate for mandatory Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) and a shift towards risk-based enforcement for sustained compliance.

Detailed Insights:

• The article highlights a systemic issue in India where extensive food safety rules exist but consistent, everyday implementation remains a challenge.
• Pune division recorded significant enforcement actions, including 691 inspections and 53 licence suspensions, between May and August.
• FSSAI has issued approximately 26,000 licences across four states, covering a wide spectrum from five-star restaurants to importers and exporters.
• Regional Director Pritee Chaudhary emphasizes FSSAI's efforts in training street vendors and promoting personal hygiene to improve food preparation practices.
• Akash Chakor, a food auditing expert, argues that FoSTaC should be a prerequisite for obtaining a food licence to ensure operators understand their responsibilities.
• Former FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal suggests moving beyond intensive inspections to focus on faster case adjudication, credible evidence, and proportionate penalties.
• The scope of food safety extends beyond kitchen hygiene to include protection from deceptive practices by manufacturers and regulation of ultra-processed foods.
• Pending consumer protections like Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) and stricter marketing restrictions for high-fat/sugar/salt (HFSS) foods are crucial regulatory gaps.
• Robust laboratory infrastructure, advanced analytical capacity, and speedy test results are vital for effective enforcement and detecting complex food violations.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): A regulatory agency ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of food, drugs, and other products.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): A statutory body under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, regulating food safety and standards in India.
• Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC): An FSSAI training program educating food handlers and supervisors on essential food safety practices.
• Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL): A system of labels on food packaging providing clear, at-a-glance information about nutritional content.
• National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL): An autonomous body under the Quality Council of India, accrediting testing and calibration laboratories.