On Tuesday 16 May 2018 Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NIT Aayog formally inaugurated FSSAI’s Experience Zone. Mr. Kant acknowledged that FSSAI has metamorphosed into a new age, an innovative and proactive organization with a shift from regulation to developmental aspects as well. ‘Experience Zone’ provides a 360-degree experience about India’s food safety ecosystem, through technologies like virtual and augmented reality. Visitors can have a glimpse of the food safety regulation from its early days of focusing merely on adulteration to its evolution of ensuring complete food safety and availability of wholesome for all of the 1.32 billion Indian consumers.
Further, Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NIT Aayog acknowledged that the FSSAI has become a truly networked organization with many partners and congratulated Tata Trusts and FSSAI for the Experience Zone. The Experience Zone has been created in partnership with Tata Trusts. Mr. Kant emphasized that food is a critical component of growth and FSSAI is at the frontiers of using new technologies in order to ensure the safety of the same. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Harish Krishnaswamy, COO Tata Trusts appreciated the leadership that enabled the creation of this innovative Experience Zone. He was delighted to have collaborated with the food regulator for bringing to life this unique and technology-driven ecosystem.
Experience Zone reflects how the FSSAI has made a shift in its role from just being an ‘enforcer’ to an ‘enabler’ now. Through the interactive exhibits, visitors can experience the complexity of the food value chain, see the systems and processes in place and appreciate how FSSAI is nurturing partnerships between the regulator, food businesses, and citizens. Such an initiative goes a long way in instilling confidence in the consumers that FSSAI is at the forefront of food safety in India.
Through three display arenas, The Experience Zone provides a holistic view of FSSAI’s work through its three display areas.
- Miss and Master Sehat, which are the mascots of the SNF Initiative by FSSAI, welcome you at the Moving Images area.
- The Big Picture Zone has multiple digital display panels that reinforce the presence of the regulator across the country and the network of the food safety ecosystem.
- The Circle of Trust Zone highlights how three key stakeholders, the regulator, the food businesses and the citizens, play their distinct roles, yet merge to form a complete, virtuous circle of trust in the spirit of ‘food safety is a shared responsibility’.
The Experience Zone is located on the fifth Floor of FDA Bhawan, FSSAI’s headquarters in New Delhi. It provides visitors a chance to witness the array of systems and processes that need to be undertaken before the FSSAI logo can be used as a mark of safe food, a symbol that is recognized by consumers. Indeed the Experience Zone celebrates how a responsible regulator, responsible food businesses and responsible citizens can ensure food safety until the last mile. A web portal has also been developed where citizens can take a digital tour of the Experience Zone and users can even to pre-book a visit.
The Experience Zone will remain open every Friday between 3 pm and 5 pm for the general public. Every Wednesday it will be open between 10 am and 12 noon for school visits by children in class 8 and above as that a visit here is the best way to teach the young students the importance of food safety and nutrition to children. This method of experiential learning will be combined with a workshop led by the FSSAI team. FSSAI believes that every stakeholder is critical, every citizen has a role to play and every little effort made by the regulator is amplified when citizens participate. Through this experience zone, FSSAI shares its efforts with the citizens, and invites them to absorb, understand and take a pledge, to Eat Right, Eat Safe and Eat Healthily!
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