The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday announced the State Food Safety Index 2024, which listed Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir as the top three performing states.
Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir trailed in second and third place, respectively, while Kerala topped the list for the second consecutive year.
Gujarat was ranked fourth in the Index. Special recognition and mentions were given to Nagaland.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda released the report at the FSSAI-hosted Second Edition of the Global Food Regulators Summit (GFRS) 2024.
Tamil Nadu has topped the Index in 2022, replacing Gujarat’s top spot.
Kerala came in second in 2022 but moved up to the top the previous year.
Jammu and Kashmir ranked third in the Index, which has been released yearly since 2019.
This year’s top five states are:
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Gujarat
- Nagaland got special recognition and mention for North Eastern State.
Enhanced Food Safety
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda emphasised the growing importance of food regulators, given modern challenges such as foodborne illnesses, novel foods, and the increasing consumption of nutraceuticals.
Nadda stressed the need for continuous innovation and collaboration in food safety systems, especially as India’s food industry expands.
Parameters of SFS Index
The SFS Index is a framework for quantitative and qualitative benchmarking that assesses States and Union Territories based on a range of food safety criteria, such as:
- Institutional data and human resources
- Compliance
- Infrastructure and surveillance for food testing
- Training and capacity building
- Consumer empowerment
Kerala has upgraded its infrastructure for food testing, organized special initiatives to boost the number of license holders and registrations, and reached more than 100% of its inspection target in FY24, according to the FSSAI’s report.
Date : 21 to 25 Oct 2024 (5 Days)
Time : 07:00 PM – 10:00 PM
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