Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, unveiled the logo and brochures of the Global Food Regulators Summit (GFRS) 2024 at Nirman Bhavan. The Summit will be held from September 19th to 21st at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, and is being organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in conjunction with the World Food India 2024 event hosted by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Emphasizing the importance of food safety on a global scale, the Union Health Minister stated, "While food security has long been a focus of international efforts, food safety must be given equal priority to ensure the health and well-being of global populations." He highlighted that the Summit will provide a platform for global food regulators to exchange perspectives on enhancing food safety systems and regulatory frameworks across the food value chain.

J P Nadda also stressed the need for continuous adaptation in food safety and regulatory practices to address emerging hazards, technological advancements, and shifting consumer demands. He emphasized the importance of knowledge exchange in ensuring global food safety and quality.

“This is the second global food regulators summit, with participation from 30 international organizations and representatives from over 70 countries, including food safety regulators, Risk Assessment Authorities, Research Institutes, and Universities. Nearly 5,000 delegates will attend the summit, with around 1.5 lakh people joining virtually. We will discuss strategies and means of collaboration, including key issues faced by regulators,” he added.

Among the participants are the World Health Organization (WHO), World Trade Organization (WTO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Codex Alimentarius Commission, The European Food Safety Authority, and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, USA. The Secretariat of the Codex Alimentarius Commission will be represented by its Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, will address the event virtually.

National stakeholders including the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Export Inspection Council (EIC), and NABCB will actively participate in the summit, highlighting India’s commitment to advancing food safety standards.

Nadda noted, “This will be the first time a regional food regulators conference is being organized outside of Rome, marking a proud moment for India. The conclave aims to enhance regional collaboration in the standard-setting process within the Codex Alimentarius Commission, providing a platform for Asian countries to discuss food safety, trade, and regulatory challenges unique to the region.”

The Union Health Minister outlined that “GFRS 2.0 will focus on critical topics such as the mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), regulation of health supplements and nutraceuticals, sustainable food packaging, ensuring food safety and nutrition for all, residue and contaminant monitoring systems, new-age analysis in food testing, the impact of animal feed on food safety and human health, and sports and nutrition.” He added that “The Summit will facilitate building a cohesive network to ensure food safety, foster compliance, share best practices, and create synergies with other countries.”

The event will also feature the debut of "Flavours of Shree Anna – Sehat aur Swaad Ke Sang,” a 13-episode show on Doordarshan promoting millet-based recipes to boost nutrition awareness.

Key highlights of the Summit include the introduction of the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024, which assesses the food safety performance of Indian states and union territories; a conclave of CEOs from major food companies and senior government officials to discuss promoting ease of doing business; enhancing access to nutritious foods; improving food safety infrastructure; and bilateral meetings with Bhutan, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia.

One of the most anticipated aspects of GFRS 2.0 is the launch of several innovative initiatives aimed at transforming food safety practices and information sharing. This includes the introduction of a new website dedicated to Food Import Rejection Alerts (FIRA) and the unveiling of Food Import Clearance System 2.0 (FICS 2.0). ‘FIRA’ is an online portal designed to share information on food import rejections at Indian borders, serving as an alert notification platform for both the general public and the relevant Food Safety Authorities.

FICS 2.0, an advanced version of the Food Import Clearance System, offers faster processing and transparency, addressing the limitations of the earlier system by providing a complete online solution with new features, automation, and integration with other relevant portals. Additionally, the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024, an annual report evaluating the food safety performance of Indian states and union territories, will be released at the summit.

The Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 will feature a diverse range of activities, including keynote addresses by international organizations and scientists, technical and plenary sessions with food regulators, interactive sessions with national and international stakeholders, and bilateral and multilateral meetings to address current and emerging challenges. This will provide opportunities for knowledge exchange and the development of harmonized approaches to food safety.

Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Chairperson of FSSAI; G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO of FSSAI; Nikhil Gajraj, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; U S Dhyani, Executive Director of FSSAI, and senior officials of the Union Health Ministry were present during the Curtain Raiser event.