THE ROLE OF FSSAI IN STRENGTHENING FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS: CHALLENGES AND LEGAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Food safety is an essential aspect of public health and consumer protection. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is crucial in guaranteeing food safety and quality in India. This study examines the regulatory framework regulating food safety in India, highlighting the FSSAI's role in enforcing standards, addressing difficulties, and offering ideas to enhance the system. It analyses the regulatory frameworks, the convergence of food safety and public health, and the emerging difficulties presented by globalisation, technological progress, and consumer expectations. Food safety is essential for a nation’s advancement and economic development. India confronts numerous obstacles in achieving food safety due to rapid urbanisation, population growth, and an expanding economy. The excessive application of pesticides, growth hormones, and exposure to toxic waste leads to food contamination at the agricultural level. Additives, contaminants, chemicals, environmental pollutants, adulterants, poisonous colourants, and preservatives compromise food safety. At each phase of food production, from primary production to processing, packaging, and distribution, the quality of the food may be degraded. Each step, therefore, presents a problem for the enforcement of food safety rules.