World Food Safety Day celebration at NIFTEM-K ends with a Call for Innovations in Food Safety and Grassroot Engagements

World Food Safety Day celebration at NIFTEM-K ends with a Call for Innovations in Food Safety and Grassroot Engagements

National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K), an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), concluded a meaningful two-day observance of World Food Safety Day 2025 with a series of impactful initiatives aimed at strengthening food safety awareness and promoting scientific engagements. Themed “Food Safety: Science in Action,” the events showcased NIFTEM-K’s commitment to ensuring a safer food ecosystem through grassroots outreach and expert dialogue.

On June 6, in collaboration with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), NIFTEM-K organized a comprehensive food safety awareness workshop for over 100 street food vendors and small business operators from Delhi NCR and Sonipat. Led by the Department of Interdisciplinary Science, NIFTEM-K, the workshop educated participants on critical food hygiene practices, including the importance of personal hygience and sanitation, protecting food from flies, rodents, etc, and adhering to safe food handling procedures. Vendors were also informed about the necessity of obtaining proper licenses and adherence to statutory requirements to ensure the legality and credibility of their food businesses. A highlight of the workshop was live demonstration of rapid adulteration testing kits developed by NIFTEM-K for milk and milk products, spices and tea. At the conclusion, participating vendors were awarded certificates for participation in the programme, reinforcing their role in upholding food safety standards and boosting consumer confidence.

The session was illuminated by the presence of Dr. Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director NIFTEM-K, and Head of the Department of Interdisciplinary Sciences, who personally addressed the participants with the concept of “Thoda Kam” and “Eat Right” for a healthier tomorrow He emphasized on a very prominent role of food vendors in public health and highlighted their responsibility in delivering safe and clean food to the public. Dr. Oberoi noted that food safety begins at the grassroots and encouraged participants to adopt best practices in their daily operations. Dr. Oberoi also suggested that he will discuss with CEO, FSSAI to see if some of the food street vendors from Sonipat district can be trained jointly by NIFTEM-K and FSSAI and are provided with the rapid detection kits, basic paraphernalia and modern carts, who can later become role models for other vendors. This chain reaction can help bringing in a drastic change in the way these food street vendors prepare and deliver food. Shri Ankeshwar Mishra, Joint Director (Training), FSSAI-HQ, also addressed the gathering and lauded NIFTEM-K’s continued efforts to promote food safety education at the community level. Shri Mukul Gupta, National Resource Person (FoSTaC), facilitated interactive training sessions covering a broad spectrum of food safety topics, starting from basics of hand washing, use of portable water, SOPs for washing utensils, basic pest control measures to rationale behind refrigerated storage,etc.

Continuing the celebrations on June 7, NIFTEM-K hosted a thought-provoking webinar focused on the critical role of science in food safety. In his welcome address, Dr. Oberoi asserted that science must extend beyond the laboratory and become an integral part of public health policy and everyday practice. He stressed the urgency of proactive food safety measures, cautioning that the next public health crisis might be a silent, foodborne epidemic. He also advocated for the inclusion of food safety principles in school curricula and proposed the development of stainless steel food carts, low-cost rapid testing kits, and enhanced research on foodborne pathogens and contaminants. He emphasised on establishing a Centre for food safety and authenticity at NIFTEM-K with support from FSSAI in conducting cutting edge research to help FSSAI formulate robust food standards, especially for emerging contaminants. The webinar featured insights from several distinguished experts. Dr. Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor, NITTE University, Bengaluru, discussed the essential components of risk analysis—assessment, management, and communication—and emphasized that testing alone cannot ensure food safety, unless supported by good practices across the food chain. Dr. Rajan Sharma, Joint Director (Research), ICAR-NDRI, Karnal, presented rapid detection kits for milk and milk product safety developed at NDRI and also emphasised on the importance of food safety, especially in perishable commodities like milk and milk products. Professor Afrozul Haq, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Manipur International University, explored the current scenario of food safety in India, focusing on allergens and their relation with food safety and optimal consumption of vitamins, reflecting on the adverse effects of hypervitaminosis on health. Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Director, Tea Board spoke on the safety concerns in tea processing, highlighting how contaminants can enter during production stages and commended NIFTEM-K’s role in developing detection kits for pesticides and artificial colors in tea.

The two-day program concluded with a unified call to action: to make food safety a continuous national priority embedded in policies, education, research, and public consciousness. NIFTEM-K reaffirmed its role as a national leader in driving food safety through innovation, awareness, and capacity building, committed to creating a safer and healthier food environment for all.