New Delhi, April 17 : India needs to shift towards sustainable, recyclable, biodegradable alternatives, said Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav.

Jadhav said this while inaugurating a national stakeholder consultation organised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Mumbai.

In his address, Jadhav highlighted the growing importance of sustainable packaging of food items.

He announced that the guidelines for the use of rPET in packaging have been prepared by FSSAI after extensive consultations with all stakeholders and in line with the best global practices.

He also mentioned that a logo has been developed for easy identification and to benefit consumers of food products.

'Shifting towards sustainable methods of packaging is the need of the hour,' said Jadhav.

He stressed that the usage of plastic is a growing concern globally, as it stays undecomposed in the environment for years having detrimental consequences.

'What we need today is a shift towards alternatives that are sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable,' he added.

Jadhav hailed India's age-old traditional methods and emphasised the need to connect ancient ecological practices to modern techniques to ensure sustainability.

'India has the potential to lead the world in this direction,' the Minister said

He also appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and FSSAI for providing an important platform in the form of a stakeholder's consultation to deliberate upon crucial issues that affect the health and well-being of the country.

The Minister of State for Ayush also held an informal open consultation session with stakeholders, providing them an opportunity to share their challenges and discuss future avenues for improvement and growth.

The consultation brought together over 1,500 stakeholders representing food businesses, packaging industries, recycling associations, regulatory bodies, environmental organisations, consumer groups, farmer groups, government departments to deliberate on the future of sustainable food packaging in India.

/IANS