Food Safety: Nadda Highlights Regulators' Role

New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Friday stressed the role of food regulators across nations has become important in view of rising international trade to ensure food safety for consumers.

The minister inaugurated the third edition of the Global Food Regulators Summit 2025 at Bharat Mandapam here.

Organised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, this edition of the Summit centres around the theme of 'Evolving Food Systems - Yatha Annam Tatha Manah', which reflects the connection between the quality of food and the health of the mind.

According to an official statement, Nadda, in his inaugural address, emphasised the criticality of food safety in today's interconnected world.

"Gone are the days when each country and local populace confined themselves to food produced domestically. Whatever is produced today in one part of the world is available in the other parts," he said.

Therefore, Nadda said, food safety is not just about compliance, but more importantly, about building trust in the global food systems.

"This underscores the importance of such platforms in today's globalised and interconnected world," he said.

The minister noted that the FSSAI has emerged as a global leader in food safety and standards, playing a pivotal role on the international stage through the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

India, through FSAAI, hosts the Codex Committee on spices and culinary herbs, and has developed 14 global standards and serves as the regional coordinator for Asia, promoting street food, safety and regional cooperation, he added.

The Union Health Minister also recalled the success of the first two Global Food Regulators Summits and said that the third in the series continues the commitment to fostering international dialogue and regulatory innovation.

He added that the summit serves as a vital platform to strengthen collective efforts in food safety, enhance global cooperation, and ensure that food systems are safe, resilient, and inclusive.

This year's summit witnessed participation from 59 countries, along with leading international organisations such as the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization, as well as over 100 representatives from different parts of the country.