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The Food Safety Emergency Response (FSER) system is a coordinated framework designed to manage public health risks arising from food contamination through prevention, preparedness, and rapid response.

Core Objectives and Scope:

• Preventing and managing food safety incidents that may endanger public health at national or international levels.
• Facilitating interagency cooperation between local, state, and central authorities, as well as industry stakeholders, to ensure rapid recovery from food supply threats.
• Addressing both intentional and accidental contamination caused by biological, chemical, or physical hazards that exceed the control of normal food systems.

Structural Components and Key Partners:

• National Emergency Contact Point (NECP): The FSSAI serves as the central hub, responsible for liaisoning with stakeholders, managing risk communication, and reporting to the international INFOSAN network.
• National Focal Points (NFPs): Relevant ministries (such as Health, Agriculture, and Commerce) and organizations (like ICMR and EIC) nominate nodal officers to provide technical support and collaborate on surveillance.
• Food Safety Risk Assessment Committee (FSRAC): A body of experts that provides scientific support by analyzing data to determine the magnitude and severity of hazards.
• Food Safety Coordination Committee (FSCC): Chaired by the CEO of FSSAI, this committee is responsible for decision-making and implementation, directing agencies to take control measures based on risk assessments.
• State and Local Machinery: State Food Safety Commissioners, Designated Officers (DOs), and Food Safety Officers (FSOs) manage field investigations, product tracing, and local mitigation efforts.

Operational Phases of Response:

• Incident Identification: Identification occurs through surveillance by local health departments, consumers, and industry to detect “early warning signals” of outbreaks.
• Alert Phase: This involves notifying relevant national authorities and the INFOSAN Secretariat about the identified incident.
• Action Phase: Authorities initiate investigations, enforce laws (such as product recalls or distribution bans), and issue public advisories via media channels.
• Stand Down Phase: Once the risk is mitigated, advisories are withdrawn, and the incident is officially closed by the FSCC.

Communication and Evaluation:

• Stakeholder Communication: Effective management requires sharing accurate information with the public, media, and professional groups to prevent the spread of illness.
• Post-Incident Review: After an emergency, the system evaluates response activities and identifies gaps to improve future FSER plans and strengthen laboratory or regulatory capacities.

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• Framework of Food Safety Emergency Response (FSER) System

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