New Delhi: The World Food Safety Day which is marked annually on June 7 intends to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and respond to public health threats associated with unsafe food.
As per World Health Organisation (WHO) data, every day, approximately 1.6 million people worldwide fall ill due to the consumption of unsafe food.
"Some 40 per cent of them are children under five, already at a higher risk of malnutrition and mortality due to unsafe food. In low and middle-income countries, an estimated annual loss of USD 110 billion is linked to reduced productivity and heightened medical costs resulting from food-borne illnesses," the WHO said.
History & Significance
The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and respond to public health threats associated with unsafe food. During the World Food Safety Day, the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) aims to contribute to food security, consumer health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.
Theme for 2024
The theme for World Food Safety Day 2024 is 'Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected' highlighting the importance of saving and securing food and water, irrespective of any situation.
"Our South-East Asia Region bears the second-highest health burden due to the consumption of contaminated food, with an estimated 150 million illnesses and 175 000 deaths yearly. The tropical climate in many countries in the region promotes the spread of pests and advances the formation of naturally occurring toxins, a situation worsened by the impacts of climate change," said Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia.
In 2004, WHO and FAO initiated the global network of national food safety authorities. INFOSAN - the International Food Safety Authorities' Network - with 189 member countries, has been overseeing and documenting hundreds of food safety incidents annually.
"The role of member engagement in INFOSAN is crucial to ensuring prompt and effective response to global food safety crises. Through international cooperation during food safety incidents, risk management strategies have been efficiently implemented to prevent the further distribution of contaminated food," said Wazed.
Food Safety & India's FSSAI
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body under the Union Health Ministry regulating the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food articles, while also establishing standards to ensure food safety.
The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, consolidates the laws relating to laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Punishment Under FSSAI Act
Samples analysed as sub-standard and misbranded are penalised under Section 50 to 54 of FSS Act, 2006 where the maximum penalty can be levied up to Rs five lakh for sub-standard food, up to Rs three lakh for misbranded food and up to Rs 10 lakh for misleading advertisements. In case of samples analysed as unsafe will lead to the food businesses being prosecuted under Section 59 of FSS Act, 2006 where a three-month jail term with penalty up to Rs three lakh can be levied, where failure does not result in injury.
In case of injuries caused due to consumption of unsafe food (under sec 59, from 59(ii) to sec 59 (iv), there is punishment with imprisonment from one year to six year, accompanied with fine that may range from Rs three lakh to five lakh, as applicable weighing the gravity of injury. Further, where such failure or contravention result in death, the defaulter Food Business Operators (FBO) may be convicted with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and also with fine which shall not be less than Rs 10 lakh.
FSSAI's Close Surveillance
The number of food samples analysed by FSSAI during the past few years have grown substantially, from 1,07,829 in 2020-21 to over 4,51,000 in 2023-24, registering an increase of more than 3 times.
The FSSAI has detected 1,05,907 food samples which are non-conforming during the same period. Of the total analysed food samples, FSSAI has found 28,347 non-conforming samples in 2020-21. Of the total 1,44,345 samples analyzed in 2021-22, the authority has found 32,934 non-conforming food items.
The FSSAI also analyzed 1,77,511 samples in 2022-23 out of which 44,626 have been found non-conforming. However, in 2023-24, as many as 4,51, 296 food items have been taken for analyses.
