Growing up in India, I have always been proud of our extraordinary culinary heritage. From our spices and masalas to fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grains, and countless regional foods, food is deeply woven into the identity of our country.

But behind this incredible diversity lies a growing and deeply concerning problem: Can we be certain that the food reaching our plates is genuinely safe?

Food safety is no longer an issue that can be treated as an occasional regulatory concern. It is a public-health emergency that demands stronger and more consistent action from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

One particularly troubling warning sign is the number of Indian agricultural and food products that have faced rejection, recalls, import alerts, or increased scrutiny in international markets because of concerns such as pesticide residues, contaminants, microbial contamination, and excessive levels of certain chemicals. Indian spices and spice products, in particular, have faced international scrutiny over contaminants and pesticide residues. When products that are produced for consumption in India face stricter scrutiny when exported, it raises an uncomfortable question:

Why should Indian consumers have to accept lower standards than consumers in other countries?

Our fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy products, grains, spices, and other agricultural produce deserve the same level of safety regardless of whether they are destined for an Indian kitchen or an international supermarket.

This concern becomes even more serious when viewed alongside India's rapidly growing burden of chronic diseases. India is experiencing a major increase in diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer, creating an enormous health and economic burden on families and the healthcare system. While these diseases have multiple causes—including genetics, lifestyle, pollution, and lack of physical activity—the quality and safety of the food environment must not be ignored.

The food we consume every day should nourish us, not expose us unnecessarily to hazardous contaminants.

What must change?

1. Rigorous and frequent food inspections

FSSAI should significantly strengthen inspections across the entire food supply chain, including manufacturing facilities, restaurants, packaged-food companies, agricultural supply chains and food-storage facilities.

Inspections should include both scheduled and surprise audits, with particular attention to pesticide residues, heavy metals, microbial contamination, adulteration and other hazardous substances.

2. Stronger testing of everyday foods

Testing should not be limited to products intended for export or occasional high-profile investigations.

Everyday foods consumed by millions of Indians—including spices, vegetables, fruits, milk, edible oils, grains and packaged foods—should undergo systematic, risk-based surveillance.

Consumers deserve to know that the food on their plates meets scientifically established safety limits.

3. Meaningful penalties for violations

Food safety violations must have consequences significant enough to deter companies and individuals from putting profits before public health.

Repeated violations, deliberate adulteration and the sale of contaminated food should attract substantially stronger financial and legal penalties, including consequences for repeat offenders.

4. Investigate why Indian products face international rejections

FSSAI should publish transparent, publicly accessible data on Indian food products rejected or recalled by international markets and clearly identify the reasons—including pesticide residues, contaminants, adulterants and microbial hazards.

Instead of treating these incidents as isolated export problems, India should use them as early warning signals for improving domestic food safety.

5. Protect Indian consumers with the same standards expected internationally

India should continuously benchmark its food-safety standards against credible international scientific standards and strengthen domestic enforcement wherever gaps exist.

An Indian citizen should not have to depend on an export label to know that their food has been produced safely.

6. Educate businesses and consumers

Food safety cannot be achieved through regulation alone. FSSAI should expand nationwide awareness campaigns covering:

- Safe food storage
- Cross-contamination
- Food hygiene
- Pesticide use
- Adulteration
- Safe cooking practices
- Expiry and labelling requirements
- Risks associated with contaminated food

Small food businesses, street vendors, restaurants and households should all have access to practical food-safety education.

This is about the India we want to build

India has made extraordinary progress in agriculture, food production and technology. We are capable of producing food that meets the highest standards in the world.

What we need now is the determination to ensure that the same standards are applied consistently to the food consumed by Indians themselves.

India should not become known for the preventable burden of foodborne illness, unsafe food practices, adulteration and exposure to harmful contaminants.

At a time when our country is already confronting a growing burden of cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses, food safety deserves to be treated as a fundamental component of public health.

We therefore urge the FSSAI and relevant government authorities to:

Strengthen food-safety regulations.
Increase inspections and laboratory testing.
Publish transparent data on violations and international rejections.
Impose meaningful penalties on offenders.
Investigate contamination and adulteration throughout the food supply chain.
And ensure that Indian consumers receive food held to the highest possible safety standards.

Our food is an essential part of who we are.

It should also be something we can trust.

Join me in urging the FSSAI to put public health first. Sign this petition and demand a safer, more transparent and more accountable food system for every person in India.