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The levels of air pollutants are rapidly increasing in many ‘megacities’ of the developing world. Air pollution reduces both the yield and nutritional quality of crop plants, and is also a major source of particulate contaminants which can accumulate at toxic levels in the edible portion of crop plants grown in urban and peri-urban (UPU) areas. This paper reviews knowledge of the impacts of UPU environmental pollution on food safety in India, explores the policy environment in India and the appropriate balance between public and private initiatives, and develops a framework for introducing public and private mechanisms to improve food safety and quality assurance.