In year 2017, Dr Prabodh Halde, food technologist & then President Elect of AFST India faced very unique experience in USA. During lunch meeting with Jain friend in one of the Indian Restaurants , he found Non-Veg curry and veg curry in restaurant has been cooked common and then they distributed in respective dishes. This was shock to his Jain friend and an idea came in his mind why not Jain food certification system to authenticate what food I am eating?

After returning to India , he shared this thought to his few Jain and food technologists friends including Mr. Gautam Jain, Dr Uday Annapure, Mr. Sanjay Indani, Mrs. Subha Nishtala and Ms. Khushbu Shah. Team liked the idea and had serious brain storming on the topic . Team spent 16 months on basic research on Jain food systems and also met many Jain Munis, Jain Philosophers Hindu swamis, Historians, Jain experts, Food Historians, Food Technologist, Food safety Experts, Nutrition experts, Medical doctors all across India and deliberated on the topic and protocol of authentication of the various food system. Team also had privilege to discuss with many Swamis of Swami Narayan Temple (BAPS) as the same team was involved in supporting their Khichadi Project under Project BHOG.

WHY FAFI as Not for Profit Organisation ?

न चोरहार्यं न च राजहार्यं न भ्रातृभाज्यम न च भारकारी | व्यये कृते वर्धत एव नित्यं विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानं ||

(Knowledge cannot be stolen by thieves, cannot be taken away by the king, cannot be divided among brothers and does not cause a load. If spent, it always multiplies. The wealth of knowledge is the greatest among all wealths.)

Team believed truly in this Sanskrit subhashita and wanted to give back to society what traditional knowledge which we have with scientific lens.

After meeting Jain Swamis & Hindu swamis, team felt India has huge tradition of Knowledge, and time has come to marry this old tradition to modern food science , some research should be done in this area to make it possible. Inspiring from this work and though Team decided to found ‘Not For Profit organisation’ and FAFI was born.

From Beginning team liked the idea of giving back to society and basic idea was to marry traditional knowledge to science. After discussion with all eminent personalities, the board has decided to adopt the best possible practical solutions for food authentication, without making mandate for compliance to the religious requirements, which otherwise might lead very difficult implementation next to just impossible. The practical approach will help to standardize & authenticate various claims of FBOs creating consumer confidence & assurance to the compliances.