The chairman of India’s Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), Sanjay Dave, has pledged to introduce new food safety standards at the organisation’s golden jubilee celebrations, the FBN News reports.
The event highlighted the fifth national research and development workshop for the food processing sector, held on the second day of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's (FICCI) Food World India.
Dave, who also holds the position of adviser to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), pledged that alongside safety standards the CAC would better evaluate and take action regarding risks.
“The work of the Codex committee is increasing by leaps and bounds,” he said. “It is important to involve producers, manufacturers, distributors, industries and consumers for the security of food. We are also encouraging all the countries to harmonise with Codex. Standards have been developed on the basis of science to make it truly global.”
The chief of the FFSAI, K. Chandramouli, added that it was important in their work to understand the whole agricultural supply chain, with particular emphasis on the country’s issues with accessing safe water.
“Water is a huge area, which needs to be addressed,” he said. “The water used for irrigation is not potable water. We have to differentiate between irrigation and cooking water.”
Chandramouli also echoed Dave’s call for other developing countries to become members of Codex as an important part of establishing global standards.
