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As Majority of States Slip in Latest Ranking, State Food Safety Index Sounds Alarm Bells
State Food Safety Index 2023
- What is State Food Safety Index (SFSI)?
- Annual benchmarking model by FSSAI to evaluate food safety performance of states
- First published in 2019
The State Food Safety Index (SFSI) is an annual benchmarking model developed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to evaluate and measure the performance of states and union territories on various parameters related to food safety. The SFSI provides an objective framework to assess the food safety ecosystem across all states in a quantitative and qualitative manner.
It was first published by FSSAI in June 2019 on the occasion of World Food Safety Day, to encourage states and UTs to continuously improve food safety compliance and standards in their jurisdiction. The index is released every year based on the performance of states in the last financial year across five significant food safety parameters finalized by FSSAI. The first State Food Safety Index in 2019 provided a baseline to evaluate future progress of states on food safety.
State Food Safety Index Overview
| Sections | Details |
|---|---|
| Introduction |
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| Declining Scores in SFSI 2023 |
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| Performance Analysis of Parameters |
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| Way Forward for States |
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| Significance of SFSI |
|
Parameters of SFSI
State Food Safety Index (SFSI) Overview
| Aspect | Information |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Evaluate food safety across Indian States/UTs |
| Publishing Body | Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) |
| Release Date | Annually on June 7th (World Food Safety Day) |
| Parameters | – Human Resources and Institutional Data – Compliance – Food Testing Infrastructure – Training and Capacity Building – Consumer Empowerment – Improvement in SFSI Rank (Added in 2023) |
| Scoring System | Out of 100 points |
Main Parameters
- Human Resources and Institutional Data
- Compliance
- Food Testing Infrastructure
- Training and Capacity Building
- Consumer Empowerment
The five main parameters based on which states are evaluated are:
Human Resources and Institutional Data – This parameter with a weightage of 18% in State Food Safety Index 2023 examines the availability of key human resources for food safety including Food Safety Officers (FSOs), Designated Officers (DOs), and adjudication officers in each state. It also looks at institutional mechanisms like District Level Advisory Committee meetings.
Compliance – This parameter carries the highest weightage of 28% in SFSI 2023. It measures the compliance performance of states based on metrics like inspections conducted, licenses and registrations issued to food businesses, enforcement samples collected, and probes and camps organized.
Food Testing Infrastructure – With a weightage of 17%, this parameter analyzes the adequacy of food testing labs, manpower, equipment, and other testing infrastructure in the states.
Training and Capacity Building – This parameter evaluates states on the training programs organized for various stakeholders involved in food safety. It has a weightage of 8%.
Consumer Empowerment – Carrying 19% weightage, this parameter measures awareness initiatives taken up by states through FSSAI’s consumer engagement programs.
New Parameter in SFSI 2023
- Improvement in SFSI Rank
The latest SFSI 2023 introduced a new parameter called Improvement in SFSI Rank with a 10% weightage. This parameter specifically judges the enhancement in rank of states compared to previous SFSI index.
SFSI Parameters and Weightage (2023)
| Parameter | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Human Resources and Institutional Data | 18% |
| Compliance | 28% |
| Food Testing Infrastructure | 17% |
| Training and Capacity Building | 8% |
| Consumer Empowerment | 19% |
| Improvement in SFSI Rank (Added in 2023) | 10% |
Highlights of SFSI 2023
- Steep fall in scores of states like Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat compared to SFSI 2019
- Average score of states has dropped in 2023 index
The SFSI 2023 results highlight a concerning trend of decline in food safety performance of majority of states compared to the first SFSI index in 2019. States like Maharashtra, Bihar and Gujarat registered a steep fall in their overall scores in the 2023 index compared to their 2019 scores. For instance, Maharashtra’s score dropped significantly from 74 in 2019 to just 45 in 2023.
Further, the average overall score of all states combined has dropped to 40 points in State Food Safety Index 2023 compared to 52 points in SFSI 2019, indicating a regressive trend in the food safety ecosystem of states over the years.
Detailed Analysis of Various Parameters
Food Testing Infrastructure
- Biggest drop seen in average scores of states
- Performers: Kerala, Gujarat vs Andhra Pradesh
Food Testing Infrastructure The food testing infrastructure parameter witnessed the biggest drop in average scores of states in the last five years. The average score of states in this parameter fell to just 7 points out of total 17 in SFSI 2023 from 13 points out of 20 in SFSI 2019.
States like Maharashtra saw its score plunge from 17 in 2019 to 4 in 2023. Andhra Pradesh is the worst performer in 2023 with just 1 point. In contrast, Kerala and Gujarat emerged as the best performers in 2023 with a score of 13.5 points in this parameter. The stark decline in scores reflects the urgent need for states to augment their food testing facilities and personnel to ensure robust surveillance.
Compliance
The average compliance score of states dropped significantly to 11 points out of 28 in SFSI 2023 versus 16 points out of 30 in SFSI 2019. States like Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat also witnessed a noticeable decline in their compliance scores over the years.
In SFSI 2023, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh emerged as the best performers with a compliance score of 18 points. On the other hand, Jharkhand had the lowest compliance score of just 4 points.
Consumer Empowerment
The consumer empowerment scores of states like Bihar reduced from 7 in 2019 to just 1 in 2023. Tamil Nadu performed the best in this parameter in 2023 with a score of 17 points. States like Kerala and Madhya Pradesh also fared well with 16 points each.
Human Resources and Institutional Data
The average score of states declined from 11 in 2019 to 7 in 2023 for this parameter. Even front runners like Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh recorded a drop in their scores from 17 in 2019 to around 10 in 2023, highlighting personnel gaps in states.
Training and Capacity Building
This was the only parameter that showed improvement in SFSI 2023 compared to 2019, with the average score of states increasing from 3.5 to 5 points. It highlights the greater focus on training programs across states in recent years.
Ranking of States in SFSI 2023
- Top performers in 3 categories – UTs, Small States, Large States
The SFSI 2023 ranked the top performing states and UTs across three categories.
Jammu & Kashmir emerged as the leading performer amongst UTs followed by Delhi and Chandigarh.
Goa topped the small states category ahead of Manipur and Sikkim.
Among large states, Kerala secured the first rank while Punjab and Tamil Nadu took the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.
SFSI Scores (2023 vs. 2019)
| State | 2023 Score | 2019 Score |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 45 | 74 |
| Bihar | 20.5 | 46 |
| Gujarat | 48.5 | 73 |
Performance in Key Parameters (2023)
| Parameter | Best Performer | Worst Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Food Testing Infrastructure | Gujarat, Kerala (13.5) | Andhra Pradesh (3.5) |
| Compliance | Punjab, Himachal Pradesh (18) | Jharkhand (4) |
| Consumer Empowerment | Tamil Nadu (17) | Bihar (1) |
Final Thoughts
- Significance of SFSI
- Way forward for states
The State Food Safety Index developed by FSSAI provides a quantitative yardstick to evaluate the food safety performance of states, identifying areas of improvement through an objective methodology. The decline in SFSI scores of a majority of states over the years is concerning and calls for urgent corrective action.
States must enhance their food safety compliance, testing infrastructure, skilling initiatives and consumer engagement to reverse this trend. By highlighting the gaps and good practices adopted by states, the SFSI serves as a valuable tool to strengthen the overall food safety ecosystem in the country.
