The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) of India has introduced a new logo to identify vegan products in the country that is green in colour, has a V inscribed in the middle with a small plant on top of it and Vegan written at the bottom.
Designed by Kruti Manish Rathore of Mount Caramel College of Bengaluru, the logo resonates with the current logo (that has a dot in the middle of a square) for vegetarian and non-vegetarian products, said the food regulator, which already has logos for vegetarian and non-vegetarian products, which are dots in green and brown colours, respectively.
"Earlier, we had logos for vegetarian (green dot) and non-vegetarian foods (brown dot). We have a growing movement towards veganism, so, we have come out with a vegan logo," FSSAI CEO Arun Singhal told the media.
FSSAI or The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's regulatory position is unique in that it is responsible for not only defining quality standards but also assuring the safety of food consumed by consumers.
State-wise report on food safety
Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health, announced a 2020-21 food safety index on September 20. The index rates state in keeping with five food safety parameters: human resources and organizational data, compliance, food testing facilities, training and building capacity, and consumer awareness.
Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu ranked first and second, respectively, on the index. Goa was first among smaller states, followed by Meghalaya and Manipur. Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Island, and Delhi grabbed the top three spots on the ranking for union territories. Among larger states, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh have consistently improved their food safety rankings.
This is the third FSSAI food safety index, which the Union Minister unveiled to commemorate the regulatory body's 15th anniversary.
"We should not serve our people unhealthy food. Enforcing food safety laws is a step in the right direction. Much has been done, but more must be done. We must try to make citizens healthy in the future. A healthy society may be developed if residents have access to excellent and balanced meals, for which all stakeholders must work hard." Mandaviya stated during an FSSAI function.
New logo released
According to the proposed laws, vegan food products cannot contain milk and milk products, fish, poultry, meat, egg or egg products, honey bee or honey products, or insect-derived materials such as silk, colouring, or bone char used in sugar bleaching.
Recently, the idea has gained attention in India, with various companies producing items such as plant-based meat and beverages.
FSSAI goals
FSSAI has been working on eliminating industrial trans-fat in foods for the past 10 years. FSSAI CEO Arun Singhal announced that the trans-fat limit which was 5 per cent last year and 3 per cent this year will be reduced to 2 per cent from January 2022.
On the issue of malnutrition, FSSAI is collaborating with the Ministries of Women, Education and Child Development, including Food Ministries in the area of fortified foods to combat the increasing crisis of childhood and adolescent obesity as a result of packaged food consumption, said a note.
Mandaviya has also launched 19 Mobile Food Testing Vans (Food Safety on Wheels) to strengthen the country's food safety ecosystem. He expressed the expectation that the mobile food testing laboratories will also be used effectively as a tool for citizen education and awareness creation.
