Inaugural lamp lighting by Hon’ble Chief Guest

ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin organized a national seminar on ‘Safe fish for healthy life’ in the backdrop of World Food Safety Day celebration on 7 June, 2022; co-hosted by the Society of Fisheries Technologists India (SOFTI) and Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The seminar was contemplated keeping eye upon the consumers’ concern on food quality and safety issues due to large scale food adulteration with an objective to sensitize and mobilize the activities for prevention, detection and management of food borne risks to improve human health.

The one-day seminar was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Dr. K Riji John, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) in presence of Dr Leela Edwin, Director (Acting), ICAR-CIFT; Shri. Alex K Ninan, President, Seafood Exporters Association (Kerala Chapter) as Guest of Honour; Ms. Dhanya KV, Deputy Director, FSSAI along with other dignitaries. In his inaugural address, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, KUFOS Dr. K. Riji John highlighted that safe fish is the right of every citizen and called for mass-awakening to prohibit the adulteration of fish during the process of preservation and transportation so as to protect its quality as a safe food for human consumption. Taking note of CIFT developed formaldehyde and ammonia test kits, the VC lauded the effort of CIFT for bringing quality testing methods to the reach of the common public and thus upholding the consumer rights.

The Guest of Honour Shri. Alex K Ninan, President, Seafood Exporters Association (Kerala Chapter) in his deliberation accentuated the importance of quality maintenance in fish in upscaling the export growth of the sector, which becomes a major obstacle in fulfilling the requirements of food safety standards and regulations. In this context, he emphasized the need for training to be imparted in the fisheries sector to avoid poor handling of fish and for improving supply chain traceability. Ms. Dhanya KV, Deputy Director, FSSAI in her felicitation address urged the stakeholders and consumers to take note of this serious issue of food contamination and join the drive to make food safe for a healthy life.

Earlier, Dr. Leela Edwin, Director (Acting), ICAR-CIFT while presiding over the event highlighted the FSSAI accredited ‘National Referral and Reference Lab’ facilities established at ICAR-CIFT for the detection of contaminations in fish samples, which has brought a major breakthrough in the sector in monitoring the fish adulteration.

In the inaugural function Dr. AA Zynudheen, Principal Scientist and Head, QAM Division, welcomed the gathering and Dr. George Ninan, Principal Scientist and Secretary, SOFTI offered vote of thanks.

On the eve of this seminar, a Food Safety Quiz competition was conducted on 6 June 2022, among the college students to create awareness on food safety. Dr. Satyen Kumar Panda, Principal Scientist, Quality Assurance and Management division moderated the Quiz, which was participated by the students from 11 different colleges of Kerala. The prizes for the winners of the quiz contest were also distributed during the event as part of the World Food Day celebration.

The technical sessions of the seminar were led by Food safety Trainer Ms. Anita Vidyasagar, FSSAI Deputy Director Ms. Dhanya K. N, CIFT Principal Scientist Dr. Satyen Kumar Panda and Export Inspection Agency (EIA) Assistant Director Dr. Anoop Krishnan.

More than 120 delegates from different research institutions participated in the seminar.

Release of Food safety advisories and brochures