Looking beyond the fried rice and kottu

A 2022 research indicates that food- or water-borne diseases are one of the key issues in food safety assurance in Sri Lanka

The sale of substandard, unhygienic food in unregulated food establishments is not a new phenomenon in Sri Lanka. But the fact that many such establishments continue to operate in broad daylight is quite concerning given the fact that it makes people vulnerable to various non-communicable diseases and food-borne illnesses. In Sri Lanka, the Food Act, No. 26 of 1980, is the primary legislation governing food control, aiming to ensure the availability of safe, wholesome, and honestly presented food for human consumption. It was amended in 1991 and again in 2011 and is now known as the Food (Amendment) Act No. 29 of 2011. 

One of the main additions to this Act was the introduction of a Food Advisory Committee. In a bid to ensure national food and nutrition security, the incumbent government approved the establishment of a Food Policy and Safety Committee under the Presidential Office. The move aligns with the Government’s policy, which emphasises self-sufficiency by boosting domestic food production and maintaining a three-month buffer stock of essential food items. While this has been appreciated by nutritionists and food experts who have been raising their voices against substandard and unhygienic food products in the market, much more needs to be done to ensure food security, going beyond mere documentation. 

One of the recent amendments to the Food Act is to obtain prior approval from the Health Ministry and other authorities before endorsing a product on media. The inclusion of a colour code and naming contents of products including flavours to make people aware of what they are consuming in addition to mandatory requirements on food products given to children below 12 years of age are some critical additions to be included according to food experts. However these amendments are still pending approval and speculation is rife whether the advertising industry has thrown its weight around to halt these amendments from being adopted into this important piece of legislation.

With a rich history spanning over 70 years in the public health sector, Sri Lanka has made notable progress in ensuring food safety. However, outdated regulations, inadequate institutional coordination, and a lack of comprehensive monitoring practices from farm to table have left the country’s food safety landscape in dire need of reform. 

On the other hand, according to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), contaminated food results in about 420,000 deaths, globally. But with proper investments and budgetary commitments to improve food safety risk management it is said that at least 113 lives could be saved annually. A 2022 research on ensuring food safety in Sri Lanka indicates that food- or water-borne diseases are one of the key issues in food safety assurance in Sri Lanka with increasing incidence levels, partly due to the rapid expansion of unsafe retail food establishments. 

According to the study, some of the major food borne infections recorded in Sri Lanka as per the Epidemiology Unit of Ministry of Health (2017), are Campylobacter (in raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water), Entero-haemorrhagic Escherichia coli (in unpasteurized milk, undercooked meat and fresh fruits and vegetables), Vibrio cholera (in contaminated food and water), Hepatitis A (in raw/ undercooked sea-food) and Listeria monocytogenes (in unpasteurized dairy products, vegetables and fresh/frozen chicken).

Sri Lanka is supported by organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the European Union to address issues and bring about policy-level changes with regards to food safety control mechanisms in Sri Lanka. Europe for instance has ambitious goals for greener agriculture and better food within the European Green Deal. While working towards transforming 25% of EU’s farmlands organic by 2030, Europe is also aiming to become the first climate neutral continent in the world by 2050. 

Organic food products have already been introduced to the Sri Lankan market and a growing number of consumers are conscious about their lifestyles, at least in the urban setting. Last year, a Public Health Inspector paid the ultimate price for raiding food establishments in Embilipitiya. Even though it was later categorised as a ‘case of mistaken identity’, speculation is still rife as to whether he was killed for doing his duty right. The food industry maybe a lucrative money-spinner for those who look at it as a business, but the time is right for the consumer to look beyond the regular fried rice and the kottu (often spiced up with numerous additives and flavour enhancers) if they aspire to live a healthy life. 

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