Kerala Tops 2024 State Food Safety Index

September 23, 2024

For the second year in a row, Kerala has secured the top spot in the 2024 State Food Safety Index (SFSI). This achievement reinforces Kerala’s commitment to maintaining high standards in food safety across India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released the rankings during the Global Food Regulators Summit 2024.

Overview of the Rankings

Following Kerala, Tamil Nadu ranked second, and Jammu and Kashmir ranked third. Gujarat, which had held the top position in 2021, slipped to fourth place this year. These changes show that food safety performance in India varies yearly as states work to improve their systems.

What is the State Food Safety Index (SFSI)?

The SFSI was launched in 2019 to evaluate how well states and union territories are doing in food safety. The index looks at five key areas:

Human Resources and Institutional Data – This looks at how well-equipped the state is in terms of manpower and food safety institutions.

Compliance – How well the state follows food safety regulations.

Food Testing Infrastructure and Surveillance – The quality of labs and how well the state monitors food safety.

Training and Capacity Building – The efforts to train food handlers and improve knowledge about food safety.

Consumer Empowerment – Raising awareness among the public about food safety.

Kerala’s Achievements in Food Safety

Kerala’s consistent performance is the result of several key actions:

Exceeding inspection targets – The state conducted more food safety inspections than required.

Improving food testing infrastructure – Better laboratories and equipment have helped ensure accurate testing.

Increasing licensed food operators – Through targeted drives, the state increased the number of businesses operating with the correct food safety licenses.

Recognition and Impact

The FSSAI report specifically praised Kerala for not just meeting but surpassing its food safety inspection goals for 2023-24. By improving food safety infrastructure and running effective consumer awareness campaigns, Kerala has set a high standard for other states.

Government Initiatives in Kerala

Kerala’s Health Minister, Veena George, highlighted several important initiatives that helped Kerala achieve this success:

Regular food safety inspections
Collecting food samples for testing
Taking legal action against businesses that don’t follow food safety rules
Accrediting laboratories to improve testing standards
Training food handlers and educating the public about food safety

These combined efforts have put Kerala at the forefront of food safety in India.

About the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

FSSAI was established in 2006 under the Food Safety and Standards Act to ensure that the food people eat is safe and of good quality. The authority sets rules for food labeling and packaging and enforces standards for food additives and contamination. FSSAI’s logo, which includes the letters “FSSAI,” shows that a product complies with food safety regulations. The organization also runs training programs on food safety and works with international bodies like Codex Alimentarius. FSSAI’s headquarters are located in Delhi.

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