For the second year running, Kerala was crowned the winner of the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published the index, which assesses the state of food safety in each of the Indian states and union territories.
Kerala Tops State Food Safety Index 2024
Kerala’s modern infrastructure, strong supervision, and stringent food safety regulations are the reasons behind its success.
Human Resources and Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training & Capacity Building, and Consumer Empowerment are the five criteria used by the SFSI to rank states.
On social media, Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George praised this feat and referred to it as a historic first for the country.
The other four states in the top five rankings are Nagaland, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, and Tamil Nadu.
Kerala’s success is attributed to its extensive food safety regulations, which include frequent and strict quality tests and inspections.
Kerala’s specialized food safety teams keep an eye on high-risk locations like markets, eateries, and street vendors.
Public health campaigns, like the Safe Kerala campaign, make sure food vendors follow safety and sanitary regulations.
Kerala Working Closely With Food Industry
Kerala works closely with the food industry to provide food handlers with certification and training.
The state has streamlined procedures and improved transparency by implementing digital technologies for food testing and license issuance.
Kerala boasts state-of-the-art food testing facilities that provide randomised testing as well as routine inspections in both rural and urban areas.
In order to raise the bar for food safety, these labs can now test for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and analyze chemical residues.
Kerala’s success is largely attributed to consumer empowerment through education and awareness efforts about their rights regarding food safety.
Kerala has developed a paradigm for adapting to new issues in food safety that involves investing in state-of-the-art equipment, collaborating with institutions, and adopting science-based techniques.
