Industry wants laws to be implemented for food quality

Mumbai, March 28 (IANS) Captains of the food and beverage industry Wednesday said all food laws and regulations should be brought under one bracket and implemented on all brands, be it international or local, to ensure quality and safety of food products.

Participating in a session at the Food and Grocery Forum India 2012, the panelists said every one in the supply chain, be it the manufacturer, importer or the retailer, must be aware of all the food laws and regulations.

The government should strive to create awareness at the consumer level, they said.

Speaking on the regulations on the food imports, A.I.S. Kumar, deputy director, Food Security and Standards Association of India (FSSAI), said every food manufacturer must be registered with FSSAI either at the state level or central level.

He said the retailers need to be more conscious at operational issues to avoid deterioration in the quality of food products.

The Global Gap Conclave, a part of the forum, witnessed a series of presentations by prominent food practitioners on global best practices and their relevance in promoting a food safety culture in India.

"There is a requirement for the Indian food and groceries industry to join hands with a universally accredited certification organization that will help introduce international quality and safety best practices in the country," said Hari Prakash, joint director, Quality Council of India.

Krishna Kumar, director of CropEx Technology Solutions, said the food and groceries industry in India required a paradigm shift with regards to the incorporation of technology in agricultural practices.

"Innovative technology through mobile phones and cloud computing can help in a long way in bridging the administrative and logistical gaps between producers and retailers," he added.

Launched in September 2007 under the chairmanship of Subodh Kant Sahai, then food processing industries minister, Food Forum India became the Food & Grocery Forum India from this year.