FSSAI
Why in news?
On 7th June FSSAI organised World Food Safety Day and 5th State Food Safety Index was unveiled.
State Food Safety Index
- It evaluates the performance of states and union territories across six different aspects of food safety.
-
- Human Resources and Institutional Data,
- Compliance,
- Food Testing – Infrastructure and Surveillance,
- Training & Capacity Building
- Consumer Empowerment
- Improvement in SFSI Rank
- Kerala secured the top rank among larger states, followed by Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
- Goa emerged as the leader among smaller states, with Manipur and Sikkim following suit.
- Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Chandigarh secured the top three ranks among union territories.
FSSAI
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments.
- This Act also established State Food Safety Authorities for each state.
- Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the Administrative Ministry for the implementation of FSSAI.
- There is also Food Safety Appellate Tribunal framed under Food Safety and Standards Rule, 2011.
Key areas under FSSAI
- Set standards of food products
- Develop safe food practices
- License food businesses
- Ensure compliance through inspections
- Test food for standards
- Train and build capacity
- Citizens Outreach
Initiatives by FSSAI
Eat Right Movement
The movement is based on three key themes:
- if it’s not safe, it’s not food’ (safe food),
- food should not only serve the palate but is also meant for body and mind (healthy diets)
- food has to be good both for people and the planet’ (sustainable diets).
Eat Right Millets Melas
To commemorate India’s 75th Independence anniversary and the International Year of Millets, the FSSAI envisioned organising Eat Right Millets Melas nationwide.
Training Food Business Operators
FSSAI aims to train 25 lakh food business operators in the next three years to ensure food quality standards are met across the country.
Food Streets
Establishment of 100 Food Streets across the country that meet quality benchmarks for food safety, hygiene, and nutrition, was announced as the part of the event.
Rapid Food Testing Kit (RAFT) Portal
The RAFT portal was unveiled as part of FSSAI’s digitization efforts.
Mission Aditya L1
Why in news?
Recently, India successfully launched its sun mission known as Mission Aditya L1
About
- Aditya-L1 is the first space based observatory class Indian solar mission to study the Sun from a substantial distance of 1.5 million kilometers. It will take approximately 125 days to reach the L1 point.
- It was launched using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL).
Lagrange Points
- Lagrange points are named in honor of Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange.
- Lagrange points are positions in space where objects sent there tend to stay put. At Lagrange points, the gravitational pull of two large masses precisely equals the centripetal force required for a small object to move with them. These points in space can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position.
- Of the five Lagrange points, three are unstable and two are stable. The unstable Lagrange points – labeled L1, L2 and L3. The stable Lagrange points – labeled L4 and L5.
- The L1 point of the Earth-Sun system affords an uninterrupted view of the sun.
- L2 is ideal for astronomy because a spacecraft is close enough to readily communicate with Earth, can keep Sun, Earth and Moon behind the spacecraft for solar power and (with appropriate shielding) provides a clear view of deep space for our telescopes.
