Lok Sabha Question No. 1105 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Corona Virus in Imported Food
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sudheer Gupta, Shrirang Appa Barne, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1105 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## CORONA VIRUS IN IMPO RTED FOOD

## 1105. SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority of  India  (FSSAI)  has  constituted  a committee of experts to examine the possibilities of the presence of Corona virus in imported food items from the novel corona virus affected countries and if so, the details reof;
- (b) whether the Government has taken samples from each imported food consignment for testing in its lab oratories;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the findings of the committee thereon;
- (d)  whether  the  Committee  has  issued  any  advisory regarding  consumption  of  foods  as  a precautionary measure from novel corona virus and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other steps taken/being taken by the FSSAI in view of the novel corona virus?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (d): Consequent upon outbreak of novel corona virus in China and other countrie concerns raised regarding safety of food items imported from these countries, Food Safe Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had constituted a Committee of Ex perts to e amine the possibility of presence of corona virus in food imported from these countries and addr concerns in this regard.

The Committee, in its Report, opined that as of now, there is no conclusive eviden food  borne  transmission  o f  Corona  virus  and  concluded  that  food  imported  into  India  from Corona virus affected countries is safe for human consumption. The Committee agreed with advisories  of  global  organisations  like  World  Health  Organisation  (WHO),  Food  a Agriculture  Organ ization  (FAO)  etc.  that  the  predominant  routes  of  transmission  of  Coro virus appear to be human to human.

In the light of findings of the Expert Committee, a press release was issued by FSS 05.03.2020  to  address  the  concerns  of  consumers  and general  public  in  this  regard. Commissioners of Food Safety of all States /UTs were also advised vide letter dated 6 th March, 2020  to  take  appropriate  steps  to disseminatecorrect  information  to  consumers  and  general public to counter any false propa ganda.

During the lockdown period, import clearance of food items and food testing laborat (National Food labs at NCR and Kolkata and FSSAI accredited private labs) were classifie essential services and regular import clearance procedure was followed.

(e): To  guide  the  public  and  Food  Business  Operators  (FBOs)  about  safe  food  practices and facilitate the FBOs to ensure that the food supply chain is not affected, a number of other steps have been taken by FSSAI:

- A detailed Guidance Not e 'Food Hygiene and Safety Guidelines for Food Businesses during Corona virus Disease (COVID -19) Pandemic' has been released
- An  ehandbook  on  'Eat  Right  during  COVID -19'  for  citizens  highlighting  safe  food practices to be followed and tips on health and nutrition has been released.
- FSSAI  is  using  its  social  media  extensively  to  disseminate  information  amid  COVID - 19 including public awareness material on eating right during COVID.
- FSSAI has collaborated with MyGov platform to disseminate key messages in the form of small videos of 30/40 seconds with endorsement from various experts in the field of safety  and  nutrition  including  doctors,  nutritionists,  dieticians,  chefs  as  well personnel. Similar coll aboration is also being carried out with UNICEF India.
- FSSAI  has  created  a  COVID  19  specific  page  on  their  website  that  incorporates  vari communication  collaterals,  guidance  notes  and  press  releases  along  with  import notifications, directions and ers  ord released during this period. It is availabl atwww.fssai.gov.in.
- To avoid delay in issuance of license where licensing authority decided to conduct ins prior  to  issue  of  license,  licensing  authorities  were  asked  to  conduct  it  by  wa -inspe ction. This has been extended upto 31 st December, 2020.
- FBOs, other than manufacturers, were allowed to temporarily operate their businesses o basis of application for license/registration submitted online. This facility has been upto 31 st December, 2020

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- FBOs, whose FSSAI license/registration expired w.e.f. 1 st August, 2019 have been given grace period and allowed to continue their food businesses with license/registration number without any late fee.

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- FSSAI also initiated thro ug  its flagship Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) program, an online training module for food handlers on the essentials of food safe hygiene practices during COVID 19 through its empanelled partners.
- The Food Authority interacted with top leaders of the food industry on 12th May, 2020 with the aim toensure uninterrupted food supply while minimizing the risk of COVID - 19  for workers,  customers  and  players  in  the  food  supply  chain.  The  discussions  helped  add most of the concerns an d challenges voiced by the food industry.