Kerala Tops State Food Safety Index Ranking, Goa Leads Small States

Kerala has secured the top position in the State Food Safety Index 2022-23 among the larger States while Goa has stood first for the fourth time in a row among the smaller States. The index was unveiled by Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya at an event held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi yesterday.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) organises the event every year on the occasion of World Food Safety Day. This is the fifth such index in a row prepared by FSSAI which evaluates the performance of the States and Union territories across six different aspects of food safety.

This year, Kerala replaced Tamil Nadu which has slipped to third position while Punjab grabbed the second position, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra, among 20 larger States. Among smaller States, Goa was followed by Manipur and Sikkim. Last year also, these three States were in the same position.

Among Union territories, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh secured first, second and third ranks, respectively. This is the third time, Jammu & Kashmir have secured first position. The three Union territories had secured the same positions last year too.

The index aims to foster healthy competition and catalyze positive change in the food safety ecosystem throughout the country, ultimately ensuring the provision of safe and wholesome food to all citizens. The parameters adopted are human resources and institutional data, compliance, food testing facility, training and capacity building and consumer empowerment.

World Food Safety Day is celebrated on 7th June every year to draw global attention to the consequences of contaminated food and water to health. Also, this day focuses on the way to reduce the risk of food poisoning. The safety of food is a key to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. This year's theme for the day was 'Food Standards Save Lives'.

At yesterday's event, Mandaviya also honoured the winners of "Eat Right Challenge for Districts - Phase II". These districts showcased outstanding efforts in implementing plans to improve the food environment and raise awareness about food safety. Most of the districts with exceptional results were located in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.