In a move to beef up its scientific armory, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reconstituted its scientific committee and panels.
Scientific committee will include Sushil Kumar, former director and vice-chancellor, National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal; Narpinder Singh, professor and coordinator, department of food science and technology, Guru Nanak Dev University; Lalitha R Gowda,retired chief scientist, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru; KN Gurudutt, former head, food safety and analytical quality control lab, CFTRI, Mysuru, GS Toteja, scientist F and head, nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and S Dave, former chairman, Codex, and former advisor, FSSAI.
The other members of the panel are chairpersons from sampling and analysis,food additives, flavourings, milk and milk products, meat and meat products (including poultry), cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables, oils and fats, confectionery, flavoured water and beverages, to name a few.
The scientific committee which is now equipped with scientific experts will now focus on developing standard for food products, apart from obtaining scientific and technical advice.
Scientific panel will be heading the office for the term of three years (1 January, 2017 to 31 December, 2019)The terms of the provisions are contained in Section 15 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Each panel is manned by eleven experts. The panel on sampling and analysis, contaminants in food chain,is led bySushil Kumar Saxena, director, Export Inspection Council (EIC), Ministry of Commerce. The panel on labelling and claims/advertisements is led byMadhavan Nair, scientist E, micronutrient research group, department of biophysics, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad.
The panel on fish and fisheries products is led by S Ayyappan, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) chair professor, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-NDRI, southern region.
The panel on genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) and foods is led byV Prakash, distinguished scientist, CSIR, JSS Technical Institutions Campus, Mysuru.B Sesikeran former director, NIN, Hyderabad, will head the panel on functional foods, nutraceuticals, dietetic products.
Debabrata Kanungo, former additional director, Directorate General of Health Services, Delhi, will head three panels (pesticides and antibiotic residues, food additives and flavourings and biological hazards).