(a) whether the Government has appointed the representatives of food industry as members
to the scientific panels of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI);
(b) if so, the details thereof and the rationale behind such appointments; and
(c) the manner in which interests of consumers are likely to be safeguarded
in the wake of presence of representatives of food industry in the FSSAI?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI
(a) to (c): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, A STATUTORY BODY SET UP AS PER THE PROVISIONS OF THE
Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, has appointed independent scientific experts as members of its Scientific
Committee/Panels. In the Scientific Committee and the eight Scientific Panels constituted by the Authority as
per the provisions of the said Act, presently there are 27 scientists from the private sector out of a total
of 123 scientists (21%). In addition to private sector scientists, the Scientific Committee / Panels also have
eminent scientists from various reputed Government institutes / organizations like Central Food Technological
Research Institute, National Dairy Research Institute, Translational Health Science & Technology Institute,
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Institute of Toxicology
Research, IITs, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, All India
Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Central Institute of Fisheries
Technology, and various Agricultural university / institutes.
The Scientific Panels provides scientific opinion to the Food Authority which is reviewed by the
Scientific Committee and the final decision is taken by the Food Authority consisting of members
from various stakeholders, including the representatives of various Ministries of the Central Government.
The scientific experts in these committee / panels have been selected according to the approved procedures
and as per Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. With a view to bring together the best scientific expertise
available in the country for forming scientific opinions, Scientists have been selected as members of the
Committee / Panels in their individual capacity of being a scientist and an expert in their respective fields
irrespective of their present association or affiliation with any public or private sector organisation. This
is in accordance with the international practice followed in respect of Committees requiring high level
expertise on any specific subject.
An elaborate procedure has been laid down to manage conflict of interest. The members of the Scientific
Committee and Panels are required to submit an annual declaration of interest and declaration of any
possible conflict of interest before each meeting of the Scientific Committee and panels. Whenever a
conflict of interest is established, Chairman of the Committee / panel is required to exclude such a
scientist from consideration of items in the agenda.