FOOD SAFETY LATEST: Feb 19, 2014

Feb 19, 2014

ரூ.20 லட்சம் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல் - வணிகவரிதுறை அதிகாரிகள் அதிரடி

கோவை, பிப். 19:

சென்னையில் இருந்து கோவைக்கு கடத்த முயன்ற ரூ.20 லட்சம் மதிப்புள்ள ஹான்ஸ் புகையிலை பொருட்களை, வணிகவரிதுறை அதிகாரிகள் நேற்று பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

தமிழகத்தில் ஹான்ஸ், கணேஷ், பான்மசாலா உள்ளிட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்ய தடை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்நிலையில், சென்னையில் இருந்து கோவை ரங்கேகவுடர் வீதியில் உள்ள வடமாநில வியாபாரியின் குடோனுக்கு கடத்தி வருவதாக வணிகவரி துறையினருக்கு ரகசிய தகவல் கிடைத்தது. இதன்பேரில், கோவை&அவிநாசி ரோடு அண்ணாசிலை அருகே வணிகவரி துறை அதிகாரிகள் வாகன சோதனையில் நேற்று அதிகாலை ஈடுபட்டனர். அப்போது, சந்தேகத்தின் அடிப்படையில் அந்த வழியே வந்த லாரியை மறித்து ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

ஆய்வில், ரூ.20 லட்சத்துக்கு மேல் மதிப்புள்ள ஐந்தரை டன் ஹான்ஸ் பாக்கெட்கள், மூட்டை மூட்டையாக இருந்தது. இதனை, சென்னையில் இருந்து கோவைக்கு கடத்தி வந்ததும் தெரியவந்தது. அதனால், வணிகவரி துறை அதிகாரிகள், கோவை வணிகவரி துறை அலுவலகத்துக்கு லாரியை ஓட்டி வந்தனர். லாரி டிரைவரிடம் வணிகவரிதுறை அதிகாரிகள் விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர். தொடர்ந்து, கோவை மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர் கதிரவன், வணிகவரி செயலாக்க பிரிவு துணை கமிஷனர் சங்கரநாராயணன் ஆகியோர், ஹான்ஸ் புகையிலை பொருட்களை சோதனையிட்டனர்.

இதுகுறித்து, உணவுபாதுகாப்புதுறை அலுவலர் கதிரவன் கூறுகையில்,“மாதிரி சோதனைக்கு சில ஹான்ஸ் பாக்கெட்கள் எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இதுகுறித்த முடிவு 14 நாட்களில் தெரியவரும். சோதனையில், நிக்கோட்டின் நச்சு இருப்பது தெரியவந்தால், ஐந்தரை டன் ஹான்ஸ் பாக்கெட்கள் அழிக்கப்படும்” என்றார்.

Tobacco products seized

Officials from the Sales Tax department seized a lorry containing tobacco products worth Rs.20 lakh from Variety Hall Road on Monday night.

The Sales Tax department received a tip off that a lorry loaded with tobacco products was parked on Variety Hall Road based on which the officials went to the spot around 10.30 p.m. and found that the driver and cleaner were not around. They found about more than two tonnes of tobacco products stocked in the lorry.

The officials seized the lorry that had come from Chennai. Investigations are on to find out the consignor, consignee and the lorry owner.

26 food samples collected

Ludhiana, February 18

The Health Department staff today collected 26 food samples from different parts of the city. On the directions of the Civil Surgeon, Subhash Batta, food safety officers collected the samples under the supervision of the District Health Officer , Dr Avinash Kumar.

The samples include ketchup, refined oil, biscuits, turmeric powder, juice, milk, soft drink and mustard oil, etc.

The samples have been sent to the food laboratory, Chandigarh. Action will be taken against defaulters under the Food Safety and Standard Act after the receipt of the report.

'Unsafe' food continues to be advertized, sold

NAGPUR: A sample of food once found unsafe for consumption is not supposed to be advertised. However, a consumer rights organization from the city has found advertisements of a product that was deemed unsafe after they sent its sample to a Mysore-based laboratory. They have lodged a complaint with the local Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as with the district administration.

The said product from Suruchi Masale was one of the raw materials used for preparing meals at the government hospitals of the city. After receiving a complaint about the food there, Anti-Adulteration Consumer Society sent the samples to the local FDA laboratory where it's safety was certified. The same samples, however, were deemed unsafe for consumption by a Mysore-based referral laboratory.

"According to FDA rules, a product that is once found unsafe or adulterated cannot be advertised or even sold in the market. While the reports about the product being unsafe are a couple of months old, no action has been taken by the FDA. Even the certification of authority of the product has not been taken back. More importantly, it was advertised in two leading dailies of the city on Sunday (February 16, 2014)," informed Shahid Sharif, president of the society.

He said the society already sent the notification about the advertisements and the other complaints against the products to the collector, who is the chairman of district consumer protection council, the district supplier officer, who is the member secretary, and to the many malls and railways not to serve food with these products.

DSO Prashant Kale acknowledged having received the information. "We did not know about it before the letter from the Anti-Adulteration Consumer Society informed us about the same. We have initiated necessary action against the company," he said.

Public interest litigation questions draft rules for excess caffeine in beverages

MUMBAI: A public interest litigation (PIL) filed before the Bombay high court has now questioned draft amendments to food safety rules that would permit extra caffeine to be added to non-alcoholic beverages.

A PIL by the Society for Awareness for Civil Rights, a Mumbai-based NGO, was scheduled but did not reach its first hearing on Tuesday in the HC. The petition said an April 2013 draft regulations issued by the health ministry ought to be set aside as they would permit manufacturers of "energy drinks" to add caffeine in excess of 145 ppm per litre.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the apex body that governs food safety in the country, also seeks to create a "new category in beverages with a view to permit manufacturers or importers to sell beverages with higher caffeine content than what is permitted by earlier rules," said the PIL.

The PIL said the HC must direct the Centre to classify caffeine as a "drug" and not "food" because of its deleterious effect on a person's health if consumed in excess.

"Caffeine is a habit-forming additive," said the PIL.

Working with India to improve drug quality, safety: USFDA

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) today said it was working with regulators here to enhance the quality and safety of drugs as 40 per cent of generic drugs exported to America were from India.

Margaret Hamburg, the visiting Commissioner of the US health regulator, termed India as a very important partner for her country in the pharma sector.

"India is a very important partner and nearly 40 per cent generic drugs in the US come from India. Indian pharma industry is leader in many areas. They need to meet the standards and expectations of American regulatory system and we want to work with them. We need to work together to ensure quality and safety," Hamburg told reporters here at the end of her first official trip to India.

"If Indian pharma companies want to sell in the US, they need to comply with our standards, practices and expectations. By working together we can enhance quality and better ensure the health of public," she said in response to queries over FDA decision to ban leading pharma players like Ranbaxy and Wockhardt for not following quality standards.

Indian pharma companies have good growth potential, Hamburg said, adding if any company wants to become a significant player in the international market it will have to pay attention to global standards.

Hamburg asked the Indian health regulators to work closely with their foreign peers. "We are increasing our focus as a community of regulators to address global challenges and we work together to share information. We urge Indian regulators to join with us."

As part of an enhancing mechanism across the world, the USFDA is strengthening its India operations by having 19 investigators from the present 12, she said.

India is also 8th largest exporter of seafood and leading exporter of spices to the US.

On food safety regulations, Hamburg said: "We had very encouraging discussion with the Export Inspection Council and representative of food exporters. We have had a number of areas where we worked together to address food safety problems. We are preparing a framework for action and a number of collaborative activities like training and education.

FOOD SAFETY LATEST