Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan today chaired the second meeting of the Committee constituted to counter misleading publicity related to processed foods. The meeting was held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi and witnessed participation from committee members, senior government officials, industry leaders and representatives of major industry associations.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Chirag Paswan emphasised that food processing plays a vital role in ensuring food safety, improving nutrition, reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing farmers’ incomes. He said that persistent myths and misinformation surrounding processed foods pose a serious challenge and must be addressed through science-based communication, transparency and responsible public engagement.
The Union Minister called for a proactive and coordinated communication strategy to counter misleading narratives. He underlined the need to effectively leverage digital platforms, counter social media influencers and other mass communication channels to ensure that accurate, credible and balanced information on food processing reaches citizens across the country. He stressed that this effort requires collective responsibility from government, regulators, industry and other stakeholders.
Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Avinash Joshi, briefed the Committee on actions taken since the previous meeting. He outlined stakeholder consultations, expert reviews and the nationwide dissemination of approved frequently asked questions aimed at improving public understanding. He reiterated the importance of sustained, coordinated efforts to strengthen informed public discourse on processed foods.
The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, including the Special Secretary, Joint Secretaries and other senior officials. Heads and senior representatives from key regulatory and technical institutions, including the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, also participated. Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI Ranjit Punhani was present at the meeting.
Deliberations were further enriched by the participation of leading industry associations such as FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM, AIFPA, AFSTI and FSNM, along with senior executives from major food processing companies. The broad-based participation reflected a whole-of-government and whole-of-industry approach to counter misleading publicity and promote informed, evidence-based understanding of processed foods among the public.
