Events & Issues

New Delhi, 6 February 2012

Food Safety Plan

CURBING CONTAMINATION?

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

Better sense has finally prevailed over the Government and it has woken up to the dangers of adulterated and contaminated food. It has put in place a food safety plan, which is more than welcome. The plan prepared by a working group of the Planning Commission entails a cluster of laboratories of accredited standards for every 4/5 districts.

Additionally, it plans to carry out basic tests apart from setting up zonal food laboratories – one for every 10 districts – to perform tests for residues and heavy metals. Apart from these, 10 referral laboratories as also networking of these labs and upgradation of the existing ones at Mumbai and Kolkata have been visualized. Soon mobile labs will also be started to cater to public congregations, natural calamities, disease outbreaks and inaccessible areas.

All this comes on the heels of a recent survey which to say the least was shocking. In majority of the States and Union Territories, a survey by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found 68 per cent of 1,791 cow and buffalo milk samples were contaminated, most diluted with water or sweeteners, fat, non-edible solids, glucose and skimmed milk powder to increase the volume. Some samples also were found to contain substances such as detergent, bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide and fertilizer, urea.

Apparently, the States that fared the worst were Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, where not a single sample of the 250 taken passed the tests! The FSSAI has made it mandatory for milk manufacturers to test it for organisms such as E Coli, staphaureus and listeria monocytogenes before bringing it into the market. It would, however, need to carry out regular checks to ensure basic safety norms are respected.

On its part, the Planning Commission has sought to formulate a broad-based strategy to check adulteration and contamination of food items, possibly because fast food has become quite popular and many more restaurants are being opened in cities and urban areas, where the quality of food remains a big question.

It is estimated that around Rs 6,548 crores are earmarked for food safety measures during the 12th Plan and include strengthening of FSSAI. There are also plans to set up a National Food Science & Risk Assessment Centre costing Rs 155 crores under the direct control of the FSSAI. This Centre has been envisaged on the lines of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and the Centre for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in the US.

Food safety offices are expected to be set up in every district at a cost of around Rs 2200 crores to tighten the food safety environment system. In fact, the working group recommended appropriate module on food safety and bio safety needs to be integrated with the present MBBS syllabus. Around Rs 50 crores would be spent for nationwide food safety surveillance network and data collection.

However, the most important thing is awareness generation which is indeed very crucial for ensuring a healthy and balanced diet, even if it means low cost. A sum of Rs 669 crores has been earmarked for awareness generation on food safety related issues. While nothing is mentioned as to who should carry out this job, it would be worthwhile if the responsibility is given to a Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) and community based organizations (CBOs), who are well-acquainted with the grassroots and have the requisite skill to draw people.

This plan comes close on the heels after FSSAI found adulteration rates as high as 40 per cent in Chhattisgarh, 34 per cent in Uttarakhand, 29 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 23 per cent in Rajasthan and 20 per cent in West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh. In fact, a comparative analysis of the food adulteration rates over the past three years has shown a steady increase.

Amidst reports of malnutrition, adulteration and contamination has emerged as a major problem and obviously those affected are the poor, the economically weaker sections and the low income groups. While there are many laws dealing with these problems, their enforcement is virtually non-existent. As such, the new plan has become very much necessary to ensure safety standards and curb the increasing quantum of diseases.

At the time, however, there is need to activate the law enforcing agencies and ensure that punishment as per the laws of the land is enforced on restaurants, specially the road-side food stalls. For example, one may mention that there is reported suspicion over biryani, popular in some States, as it could contain low grade chemicals and colouring, injurious to health. The quality and standards are at times not adhered to so as to keep prices down.

The health of the community needs to be protected and the safety plan, as envisaged, would go a long way if the steps taken are monitored effectively and surveillance made more vigilant. Food consumed must be free from adulteration and contamination to ensure good health, which in turn would gear up efficiency and vitality of the people, specially children and teenagers.

Apart from food, it is imperative that the quality of water is also strictly monitored, specially in eastern and northern parts of the country. Arsenic, fluoride and excessive iron content in water has to be regulated as communicable diseases have shown an unusual uptrend due to such contamination. It would be better if the food safety plan includes water in its ambit so that the safety standards are made foolproof.

While Government plans are well-thought out, their implementation leaves much to be desired. In the case of the food safety plan, there has to be sincerity of purpose and the political will to ensure it becomes effective and helps in reducing the contamination in our daily intake.

Governance rightly has become a cause of worry and therefore bottlenecks need to be overcome before any plan is implemented. Moreover, a good awareness campaign with active participation of the community could help achieve targeted results.

Importantly, one can only hope that the recent food safety plan will achieve its goal and ensure better health of the community. The role of civil society organizations would be vital as also that of nutritionists and doctors in making the awareness campaign meaningful, effective and far-reaching across the country. Food habits may also have to be changed in tune with the objectives laid out in the plan. Let us keep our fingers crossed that the plan ensures high standards needed for a healthy nation, specially the poor and the economically weaker sections. --- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)