Food regulator FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani stressed on providing the right information to consumers about food products to help them make informed choices.
Addressing a health conference here, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Punhani highlighted the authority’s efforts to combine food-safety regulation with consumer education and behavioural nudges.
The ‘Illness to Wellness’ Conference on Healthy Nutrition for a Healthy Nation was organised by Illness to Wellness Foundation.
According to a statement issued by the Foundation, Punhani said, “There is a clear shift in the public health landscape towards prevention, and food sits right at the centre of this transition. While ensuring that food is safe, wholesome and compliant remains FSSAI’s fundamental responsibility, empowering consumers with the right information to make informed choices is equally important.”
He cited initiatives, including Eat Right School, Eat Right Campus and Eat Right Thali, along with consumer awareness campaigns, as part of efforts to encourage informed food choices.
Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, “Nutrition cannot be addressed through isolated interventions; it requires a life-cycle approach beginning with pregnancy and continuing through the first 1,000 days, early childhood, school years and adulthood.”
He noted that the challenge is to create awareness and then translating into healthy behaviour, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Zoya Ali Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner, National Health Mission, Ministry of Health, said, “The real impact of nutrition programmes will come from taking information to the grassroots and listening to the needs of communities. Our 10.5 lakh ASHA and Anganwadi workers are the backbone of this effort, and strengthening communication through their insights can help translate awareness into meaningful action.”
Sanjay Kumar Mattoo, Joint Commissioner and Additional Deputy Director General, Central TB Division, Ministry of Health, pointed out that malnutrition remains one of the biggest health challenges facing our society.
Anil Rajput, Chairperson, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, said, “The foundations of a healthy nation are laid much before illness takes a person to the hospital, and nutrition must be at the heart of this transition from illness to wellness.”
He emphasised on the nutritional security and the need to ensure access to safe and affordable food to people.
PTI
