G Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO of FSSAI on Wednesday stressed upon increasing the inspections of high-risk food establishments and periodical review of food testing laboratories in Tamil Nadu in a meeting with Lalvena, IAS, Principal Secretary and Food Safety Commissioner, Tamil Nadu, as per a release.
Rao also discussed the ongoing work of development of Healthy and Hygienic Food Streets at various locations and urged the work to be expedited so that these hubs can be used by the public at the earliest. The FSSAI CEO also visited the Southern Regional Office of FSSAI in Chennai and discussed the functioning of various divisions in the Regional office and the National Food Laboratory, Chennai, with senior officials. Rao also had a meeting with ARS Kumar, IRS, Chief Commissioner, Chennai Customs, and other Customs officials. Highlighting the recent launch of Food Import Rejection Alert (FIRA) portal by FSSAI, Rao focused on the need of regular sharing of final fate of import food consignments rejected by FSSAI. Rao also discussed various issues related to Food Import Clearance while emphasizing on the importance of food import clearance process for ensuring the food safety to the consumers. Capacity building of Custom officials on Food Safety and Standards Rules and Regulations to facilitate the green channel clearance process was also discussed during the meeting. FIRA is a digital platform designed to provide timely updates and information about food import rejections by regulatory authorities and stated that it serves as a resource for exporters, importers, and other stakeholders in the food industry, helping them understand reasons for rejection and stay informed about regulatory compliance requirements. (ANI)
|