FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Anne Bell
(301) 998-6785
adb@usp.org
Rockville, MD, March 25, 2019 — USP and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have agreed to expand their previous collaborations to strengthen quality standards and regulations to help improve access to quality food articles (including supplements) for people in India.
Unsafe food poses a significant global health threat, causing approximately 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. USP has been closely working with FSSAI for more than a year to train new food safety officers and developed the course curriculum for the Authority’s “train-the-trainer” program. To date, 320 food safety officers in seven states across India have been trained.
In a new agreement signed by leadership from both organizations presented at the 6th annual conference of the India section of the AOAC International held in February in New Delhi, the organizations agreed to continue their collaborations to build capabilities in ensuring food quality and safety in India, focusing on quality standards for food ingredients and additives, supplements and related products.
“Food safety and quality is a public health priority for FSSAI,” said Shri. Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI, who signed the agreement. “This partnership will help increase awareness about the importance of assuring the quality and safety of foods in India, including ingredients and additives, health supplements, nutraceuticals and related products.”
USP and FSSAI will work together on a variety of activities, including:
- Joint events, such as scientific conferences, seminars, workshops and user forums
- Training programs on the standards-setting process
- Scientific exchange programs between the two organizations
- Information sharing to facilitate the development of science-based standards that may be adopted by FSSAI
“Collaborating with FSSAI to develop a food safety workforce in India has been extremely rewarding,” said Ronald T. Piervincenzi, Ph.D. CEO, USP. “We look forward to continuing and expanding our work together on this important public health priority.” USP operates a state-of-the-art laboratory in Hyderabad that is ISO 17025 accredited, in support of the organization’s global efforts to set quality standards for pharmaceuticals, food ingredients and dietary supplements, as well as a training institute for pharmaceutical scientists.
About USP
USP is an independent scientific organization that collaborates with the world’s top experts in health and science to develop quality standards for medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients. Through our standards, advocacy and education, USP helps increase the availability of quality medicines, supplements and food for billions of people world-wide. For more information about USP, visit www.usp.org.
About FSSAI
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. FSSAI is charged with the development of science-based standards for articles of food (including Food Ingredients and Additives, Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Foods for Special Dietary Uses, Foods for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Foods, and Novel Food) and the regulation of their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.