New Delhi : Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers JP Nadda on Friday expressed concern about the risks posed by pesticide residues in food to human health and urged for more widespread global adoption of organic farming and alternative pest control to combat the problem.
"The pesticide residues in food pose risks to human health. India's efforts in promoting organic farming and alternative pest control methods are steps in this right direction, but more widespread adoption is needed globally," Nadda said while speaking at the Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 here.
Nadda said another key area of concern is the increasing plastic waste, which makes up 80% of marine pollution.
"Recently, reports have revealed the alarming presence of micro plastics in humans. India's efforts in developing eco-friendly packaging solutions are crucial for reducing environmental impact and ensuring these alternatives are safe for health," he said.
"Government of India, with an aim to scale up research across various sectors, including food safety, announced the establishment of the National Research Foundation with a budget of almost 5.96 billion US dollars from 2024 to 2028," he added.
The Union Minister also emphasized the importance of pure food in achieving mental clarity and spiritual liberation.
"It is also mentioned in Upanishads that when food is pure, the mind becomes pure, and when the mind is pure, memory becomes steady, and when memory is steady, all the knots of the heart, ignorance, doubts, attachments are untied, and one attains liberation.
This emphasizes the importance of pure food in achieving mental clarity and ultimately, spiritual liberation, which we have to understand. This timeless principle underscores the critical connection between food health and well-being and will guide discussions over the next two days," he said.
The summit has been organised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) along with the World Food India 2024 at the Bharat Mandapam from September 19 to September 21.
The event has witnessed delegates from over 70 countries and 30 international organisations, including food safety regulators and risk assessment authorities, research institutes, and universities.
Among those participating in the summit are the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Codex Alimentarius Commission, the European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, USA.
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, and 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), an online portal designed to share information about food import rejections at Indian borders, and the unveiling of Food Import Clearance System 2.0 (FICS 2.0), which is an advanced version of Food Import Clearance System for faster processing and transparency, addresses the limitations of the earlier system by offering a complete online solution with new features, automation, and integration with other relevant portals.