Transparency in food safety

Food safety is not merely about preventing contamination but also about ensuring that consumers know what they are buying and eating. The recent advisory of the Food and Drugs Administration directing food businesses across Jammu and Kashmir to display safety information and clearly specify the type of meat used in preparations is therefore a welcome step. For too long, consumers have often had to rely on assumptions when ordering food. Descriptions such as “meat curry”, “meat biryani” or “meat kebab” may appear convenient, but they do not provide adequate information about the actual ingredient. Requiring restaurants, hotels, cafes, dhabas, caterers and other establishments to identify whether a preparation contains mutton, beef, chicken, fish or another type of meat strengthens the basic principle of informed choice. The requirement to prominently display Food Safety Information Boards is equally important. Details such as the FSSAI licence or registration number and customer care information give consumers a means to verify the legitimacy of an establishment and raise concerns when necessary. Information regarding the use of ghee, edible oil, vanaspati and other fats can also help consumers make choices according to their dietary requirements. However, the success of the advisory will ultimately depend on enforcement. Regulations displayed on paper have little value if inspections are sporadic or violations are overlooked. Designated Officers and Food Safety Officers must ensure that compliance is checked consistently across both large establishments and smaller food outlets. The FDA should also focus on educating food businesses rather than relying solely on punitive action. Clear guidelines, awareness campaigns and simple compliance mechanisms can help establishments adapt without confusion. Consumers, meanwhile, should be encouraged to demand accurate information and report violations. Food safety is a shared responsibility, but the primary obligation rests with those who prepare and sell food. Transparency should become as fundamental to food service as hygiene itself. Knowing what is on the plate is a basic consumer right and enforcing that right can strengthen public confidence in J&K’s food sector.