A National Food Control System should be such that the consumer is protected from unsafe food. The National Food Control System, therefore, must be effective and comprehensive with science-based food law and regulations; and an institutional structure which is active and responds to the needs of food safety management.
The integrated food chain surveillance system is being recognized as a holistic approach in various developed countries for controlling food safety risks across the entire food chain. The key element in the integrated food chain surveillance is the sharing, integrating and interpretation of food borne disease surveillance data in the human, animal, and food sectors.
The application, feasibility and usefulness of this surveillance system is explored from a developing country perspective including India through a review of literature and designing a model activity plan of the integrated food chain surveillance in the Indian context and incorporates:
- Brief review of: Current status of global food safety concerns, the nature of the food chain and occurrence of food hazards risks at various stages from production to consumption, the importance of surveillance and monitoring in ensuring food safety and the concept of integrated food chain surveillance and description of its elements.
- Application of the integrated food chain surveillance system in the Indian context: review of existing food safety concerns and food safety and food borne disease surveillance programmes in India; development and establishment of integrated food chain surveillance system in Indian context; and identifies requirements and suggests a model activity/action plan.
The White Paper can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/2pzdruhb