FSSAI launches “Clean and safe meat”

A step towards availability of safe and quality meat to consumers

New Delhi, 11th September 2018: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is launching “Clean and safe meat” initiative with the objective to develop an ecosystem that will enable the availability of clean and safe meat and meat products to consumers. The growing population and rising incomes has led to an unprecedented increase in the demand for animal proteins, not only in India but globally as well. The majority of consumers now in India are eating fish, beef (Buffalo meat), mutton, goat, pig, and poultry. The challenge for this nutritional transition to animal protein based diets is linked with the use of antimicrobials in the feed and compromised hygiene practices at slaughter houses and retail markets. The result is the lack of trust in consumers on the quality and safety of meat and meat products available to them.

To bring back that trust and surety among consumers, FSSAI organized a meeting of important stakeholders in Delhi, to discuss all aspects that affect the quality and safety of meat and meat products either in direct or indirect way. Representatives from Ministry of food processing industry (MOFPI), Department of Animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries (DADF), Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), poultry meat industry (Godrej Tyson Foods Ltd. and Venkys Pvt. Ltd.), animal meat industry (AOV Agro Foods Pvt. Ltd. and Allana sons Ltd.), meat retail sectors (Grofers and Licious) and animal feed companies (Godrej Agrovet Ltd. and Suguna Poultry Farm Ltd.) were present in the meeting.

In this meeting, issues related to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygienic practices (GHP) in slaughter and meat processing units, training of meat handlers, eligibility of food business operators handling meat and meat products for obtaining FSSAI license, role of animal feed in quality of meat and various existing and upcoming schemes government schemes for upgradation of meat industry especially the unorganized sector were highlighted.

The numerous action points emerged from the discussion and CEO FSSAI emphasized on the main action points for key stakeholders as mentioned below:

* Food Safety audit of meat units/ municipal slaughter houses will be conducted in coming 3 months in 40 cities expanded by third party auditing agency.

* A mandatory food safety audit of the supply chain for e-commerce retail entities involved in retail of meat or meat products will also be conducted.

* Training and capacity building of FBO involved in this sector will be initiated by FSSAI under FoSTaC Programme and the training will be started in the month of September 2018, with a target of completing at least 50 trainings by the end of December 2018.

* FSSAI in coordination with BIS will explore the possibility of including the BIS certification of feed – as one of the clauses in schedule 4 covering GHP and GMP requirements.

* FSSAI also proposed that BIS in collaboration with the feed manufacturing associations and other stakeholders, will review and amend their feed standards for livestock and poultry, if required.

* A steering group for “Clean & Safe Meat” will be formed that will have an overall responsibility for carrying out the activities in this campaign, including the preparation of guidance note for consumers on Fish / meat and feed.

* FSSAI will plan a study on the overall ecosystem in sectors of meat, fish, poultry and feed to identify the gaps / foods safety concerns and the ways to address them

* FSSAI in coordination with BIS will be exploring the possibility including the BIS certification of feed as a part of Schedule 4 requirements.

* Coordinate with State and central government to upgrade their financial schemes in line with GMP and GHP requirements of Schedule 4 given under FSSA, 2006, in meat sector, especially for small businesses for improving their hygiene practices

* This Campaign will be a part of Lauh Yatra movement, to clean the slaughter houses and meat markets. The stakeholders will be participating in Lauh Yatra covering 2000 locations in 40 cities across the country.

In this way we can complete the entire loop covering quality of feed fed to animals to be slaughtered till the level it is consumed by direct supply or through online retail platforms. CEO FSSAI also shared the importance of this meeting and highlighted the responsibility shared by each of the stakeholder in achieving overall objective of ensuring clean and safe meat to consumers across the country.

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