Context: Four years after the FSSAI published a state-wise index - State Food Safety Index (SFSI), to spur food safety improvement, 19 out of 20 large states recorded a drop in their 2023 scores from 2019.

• After adjusting for a new parameter included in the 2023 index, 15 out of 20 states recorded lower 2023 scores compared to 2019. 

About State Food Safety Index (SFSI)

• The mandate of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is to ensure public health at large. Ensuring food safety is the task of each state’s apex food safety authority.

• To encourage States/UTs to improve and work towards food safety in their jurisdiction, the FSSAI releases the SFSI annually for each financial year on 7th June on the occasion of World Food Safety Day.

• The Index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model that provides an objective framework for evaluating food safety across all States/UTs.

• The 1st SFSI was released on 7th June, 2019 based on the information submitted by States/UTs.

Parameters of the SFSI

• The Index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model that provides an objective framework for evaluating food safety across all States/UTs.

• The States/UTs are classified into 3 categories, namely large states, small states, and UTs, for evaluation and assessment.

• SFSI scores, which have been assigned annually to states since 2019, are given out of a total of 100 points that are calculated on the basis of five parameters with different weightages.

• These parameters are ‘Human Resources and Institutional Data’, ‘Compliance’, ‘Food Testing Infrastructure’, ‘Training and Capacity Building’, and ‘Consumer Empowerment’.

• In the 2023 index, a new parameter called ‘Improvement in SFSI Rank’ was added, which assesses improvement in each state’s rank from the year before.

The SFSI 2023 - Comparing with the 1ST SFSI

‘Food Testing Infrastructure’ parameter

• This parameter measures availability of adequate testing infrastructure with trained personnel in each state for testing food samples.

• The worst drop has been observed in this parameter, which was given the 4th highest weightage of 17% in 2023 (20% in previous years).

• Maharashtra’s score for this parameter dropped to 4 points out of 17 in 2023 from 17 points out of 20 in 2019.

• Both Gujarat and Kerala were the best performers in 2023 with 13.5 points out of 17 while Andhra Pradesh performed the worst.

The ‘Compliance’ parameter:

• This has been given the highest weightage of 28% in 2023 (30% in previous years), measures licensing and registration of food businesses, inspections conducted, special drives and camps organised, etc.

• In 2023, Jharkhand received 4 points out of 28, the lowest score for compliance, whereas Punjab and Himachal Pradesh received 18 points each, the highest score.

The ‘Consumer Empowerment’ parameter

• This has been given the second highest weightage of 19% in 2023 (20% in previous years).

• It measures a state’s performance in various consumer empowering initiatives of FSSAI including participation in Food Fortification, Eat Right Campus, BHOG (Blissful Hygienic Offering to God), etc.

• Bihar’s score in this parameter dropped to 1 point out of 19 in 2023 from 7 points out of 20 in 2019.

• The top performer for this parameter in 2023 was Tamil Nadu with 17 points out of 19, followed by Kerala and Madhya Pradesh with 16 points each.

The ‘Human Resources and Institutional Data’ parameter

• This has been given the third highest weightage of 18% in 2023 (20% in previous years).

• It measures availability of human resources including number of Food Safety Officers, Designated Officers, and facility of adjudications and appellate tribunals in each state.

• Top performers in 2019 like Tamil Nadu and UP, with each receiving 17 points out of 20, got merely 10.5 and 9.5 points respectively in 2023.

• The ‘Improvement in SFSI Rank’ parameter: It carried a weightage of 10% in 2023, 14 out of 20 large states received 0 points.

• The only parameter that recorded significant improvement was ‘Training and Capacity Building’, which was given the least weightage of 8 per cent in 2023 (10 per cent in previous years).

Training and Infrastructure Development

• To ensure food quality standards across the country, the Union Health Minister announced that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will train 25 lakh food business operators in the next three years.

• This initiative aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of food industry professionals, ultimately promoting safer food practices.

• In addition, the Union Health Minister unveiled plans to set up 100 Food Streets across the country.

• These Food Streets will serve as benchmarks for food safety, hygiene, and nutrition, ensuring that consumers have access to quality food in a conducive environment.