Consumer Voice

Food Safety - Codex

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Food Safety
Food Standards

FOOD STANDARDS AND SAFETY IN A GLOBALISED WORLD

The Impact of WTO and Codex

Access to nutritionally adequate and safe food is a right of each individual. The work in this book was triggered by deployment of a Food Safety Team at VOICE in late 1990s. Our resolve to intensify work on food standards and safety issues was strengthened when over 66 consumers died in the National Capital Region as a result of consuming mustard oil adulterated by argemone in1998. These deaths could be attributed to systemic failure. The system could not prevent these deaths due to failure of the Indian food safety law, its administration and food safety policy. We saw the need for some voluntary action to inform, educate and influence state policy to reform the food safety system and law. This effort continues because the food safety system in 2002 had not changed since the deaths in 1998 and there is urgent need to change as new risks and greater dangers loom ahead in a globalised Indian market.

Throughout the world today, an increasing number of consumers and most governments are becoming extremely aware of food quality and safety issues, which affect their body and looks. It is now common for consumers to demand that their governments take legislative action to ensure that only safe food is acceptable and the risks related with food-borne health hazards are minimized. Food-borne illnesses can be fatal, damage trade and tourism and can be lead to loss of earnings, unemployment and litigation. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have lifted the world consumers awareness of food safety and related issues for the development of food standards through the international food standards body Codex Alimentarius Commission. In the light of such safety standards for foods for globalisation and WTO, each country is safeguarding the interest of their people. Although it is a good sign, yet the emphasis is to demand and maintain safe food standards in each country. The process to reform the Codex System in a globailising world is highlighted in this book.

An attempt has been made in this book to address diverse perspectives of various food safety issues for consumer education and awareness. Although each country practices various food laws and regulations, yet their mere existence doesnt protect us from unsafe foods. What are the differences between our Food Laws as per Prevention of Food Adulteration Act ,1955 and Codex Food Standards for various categories of foods is presented here. Readers are introduced to food security problems in the Indian context with relevance of indigenous foods. How they offer a better alternative is analyzed.

While, today biotechnological revolution is knocking every aspect of human life, attempt has been made to analyze safety of genetically modified foods. Since they have entered the markets world over, we need to know the implications of such foods. The health and environmental issues connected with them have been analyzed in great detail. The precautionary measures like labeling of genetically modified foods must be made mandatory for consumers to have informed choices. What regulatory procedures and risk analysis methods are required to assess health or environmental risks generating in the event of threats posed by such foods have also been discussed alongwith the latest testing procedures required. Once released the GMOs multiply and may cause hazards, which have no recall.

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