Govt mum as food safety dept starves for facilities

If we find alien objects that are not expected to be present in our Biriyani, we immediately call the food inspector to complain. We, who crave for immediate action, do not however spend a moment to think whether the official has time to comply with our demands. It would surprise many that officials dealing in food safety do not have vehicles to travel or even a good place to sit and work. This is the situation for some while many state officials have no work to justify the salaries they receive from the government.
In spite of the severe restrictions, the officials have collected samples from 6000 places, took legal proceedings against 700 people and curbed the activities of many who were habitual criminals with respect to food safety in the past 1.5 years. Why is the government turning a blind eye to the department which should be protecting the health of the citizen?
The Food Safety Department previously functioned as the Food Health Authority under the Health Department until 2009. It was transformed into a separate department with 14 District Food Inspectors, 60 Circle Food Inspectors, three Regional Vigilance Squads and three analytical laboratories. Later, 22 food inspectors were transferred to the department from municipalities.
When a person died in Thiruvananthapuram following food poisoning, the government became aware of the shortage of staff in the department and decided to create 57 new Food Safety Officer positions. However, none has been appointed yet. After 1986, not even a single person has been appointed anew for food safety in the state. Out of the 155 positions, 80 continue to be vacant!
The food safety officer has one peon and a clerk as subordinates, which is in fact too less for a position that has to cover a lot of area to check food samples. In addition to its current role, the department has been piled with new responsibilities such as licensing and associated procedures, which includes site visits. Acute shortage of staff is taxing employees who are finding it hard to cope. Currently, one person has to manage sampling of food items, sealing it, checking shops and then going to the court for follow up procedures. Out of the 140 circles, only 60 have a peon and a clerk. Recommendations by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms officials and requests submitted by the Commissioner are all waiting at the Finance Department for approval.
The headquarters of the department in the state capital is a modified officer's quarters. One of the four rooms is reserved for the Commissioner and another one is kept free for the Joint Commissioner. Other employees are packed in whichever ways they can in the remaining space. There are not even enough toilets for the employees.
While the Commissioner has been asked to hire taxis for official trips, officials in the 140 circles and 14 districts have only four vehicles. Worse, only half of the circles have offices.
The workload however is quite high. Officials become busier when people venture out to eat. Therefore during festival days, the already taxed officials have to deal with a huge workload.
While a toll-free number was provided to people to contact officials for registering complaints, there was none to attend the phone and finally someone was hired to attend the calls during office hours. However, none seems to hear the complaints of the department.

எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை பிரெட் பாக்கெட்டில் உயிருடன் எலி

நாட்டின் முதன்மை மருத்துவ நிறுவமனமான எய்ம்ஸில் சீல் வைக்கப்பட்ட பிரெட் பாக்கெட்டிலிருந்து உயிருடன் ஒரு எலி வெளியே குதித்தது பெரும் அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.

 நோயாளிகளுக்கு அளிக்கப்படும் ரொட்டி பாக்கெட்டில் உயிருடன் எலி இருந்ததையடுத்து அனைவரும் அதிர்ச்சி அடைந்தனர்.
இதனையடுத்து ரொட்டி சப்ளை செய்த பான் நியூட்ரியெண்ட்ஸ் நிறுவனத்துக்கு 3 ஆண்டுகள் தடை விதித்து உத்தரவிட்டது எய்ம்ஸ் நிர்வாகம்.
இது குறித்து எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனையின் மூத்த அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறும்போது, “நார்-சத்து அதிகமுள்ள பான் நியூட்ரியண்ட்ஸ் நிறுவனத்தின் சீல் வைக்கப்பட்ட ரொட்டி பாக்கெட்டிலிருந்து உயிருடன் எலி ஒன்று வெளியே வந்தது. இதனையடுத்து பான் நிறுவனத்துக்கு 3 ஆண்டுகள் தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டது” என்றார்.
இந்நிறுவனம், பிரெட், பிஸ்கட்கள், கேக் மற்றும் சில உணவுப்பண்டங்களை தயாரித்து இந்தியா மற்றும் அயல்நாட்டு சந்தைகளில் விற்று வருகிறது.
தற்போது வெளிச்சத்துக்கு வந்துள்ள இந்த சம்பவம் ஜூலை மாதம் நடந்துள்ளது. இது குறித்து எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை பான் நிறுவனத்துக்கு அனுப்பிய நோட்டீஸின் நகல் தி இந்து (ஆங்கிலம்) வசம் கிடைத்தது, அதில், “29.7.2015 அன்று பான் நிறுவனம் உற்பத்தி செய்த சீல் வைத்த பிரெட் பாக்கெட்டைத் திறந்த போது அதிலிருந்து உயிருடன் எலி ஒன்று வெளியே வந்தது. இதனையடுத்து 9.9.2015 அன்று விளக்கம் கேட்டு அனுப்பப்பட்ட நோட்டீஸுக்கு நிறுவனம் அளித்த பதில் திருப்திகரமாக இல்லை” என்று கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.
இது குறித்து நிறுவனத்தை தொடர்பு கொள்ள மேற்கொண்ட முயற்சி பலனளிக்கவில்லை.

AIIMS bars breadmaker for 3 years after live rodent found inside sealed packet

According to doctors, consumption of rodent-infected food could normally lead to allergy, fever, diarrhea, and even cause blood infection and meningitis.
Imagine you've opened the sealed packet containing your favourite brown bread and a rat jumps out. Too bizarre to be true? That is just what happened at country's premiere All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where thousands of patients get admitted for treatment daily. A live rat was found inside the sealed packet of Brown-Hi Fibre bread manufactured by M/s Bonn Nutrients. The medical institute has now banned the bread maker for three years.
Bonn Nutrients produces a variety of food products including breads, biscuits, cakes and cookies that are not only sold in India but in international market as well. Mail Today tried to contact the bread division manager of the company, but there was no response to our query sent via e-mail.
The Bonn sliced bread is served to patients admitted in various wards of the hospital, including patients who have undergone surgery and those suffering from severe infections. According to doctors, consumption of rodent-infected food could normally lead to allergy, fever, diarrhea, and even cause blood infection and meningitis.
AIIMS Medical Superintendent (MS) denied having any information about the incident. However, a senior doctor claimed the incident indeed took place and the bread packet with the rat inside it was noticed by alert AIIMS staff.
On September 24, the medical institute issued a notice in which it mentioned the incident and barred Bonn Nutrients from supplying any orders for a period of three years. Mail Today has a copy of the notice served to the manufacturer.
"A live rat was found on 29.07.2015 in the sealed packet of Brown-Hi Fibre Bread Slice manufactured by M/s Bonn Nutrients Pvt. Ltd and the company has failed to submit satisfactory reply to the showcause notice dated 09.09.2015," the notice says.
Bonn Nutrients is the latest food company to be in soup. With the recent controversy regarding the presence of lead in Nestle's Maggi, there is heightened concern over the safety of processed food in India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has been on a testing spree since then.
"The company has also failed in keeping 'Good Manufacturing Practice'. The quality wing of the company has failed in detecting such incident before the supplies are packed in cartons," says the notice issued by AIIMS.
Food experts say that a government hospital needs to maintain proper hygiene level in and around its campus. The quality of food products in India has been under the scanner for some time now. A recent data on the United States Food and Drugs Association (FDA) website shows that it has rejected more snack imports from India than any other country in the first five months of 2015.
According to the US FDA website, Indian products were found to contain high levels of pesticides, mould and the bacteria salmonella, a report in the Wall Street Journal said. The report mentions that more than half of all snacks that were tested and then restricted from being sold in the US this year were from India, which also leads the number of snack rejects across the world.
Among the rejected are Haldiram's products. The FDA said on its website that it rejected Haldiram products because it found pesticides in them. In one case, the FDA referred to a product from Gujarat as consisting "in whole or part a filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance."
Recently, close to 700 cadets of Khadakwasla-based National Defence Academy were rushed to the local military hospital after reportedly falling sick due to food poisoning. Sources said cadets started vomiting soon after having lunch in the mess.

Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan to strengthen food safety in the country

With a mission to provide safe and hygienic food for all, CII along with its National partners Cargill, VOICE and NASVI have jointly launched a National Campaign, Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan. The idea is to engage all stakeholders to catalyze sensitization and capacity building on food safety among consumers, street food vendors and the industry to deliver safe food of global standards and boost domestic trade and export.
The objectives of Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan will be to enhance Consumer Awareness on Food Safety aspects like Labels, Storage conditions and related hygienic practices. Widespread awareness would be strengthened among Street Food Vendors, Schools and Colleges. Food Service Providers including Railways, Food Storage Locations, Midday Meal schemes, Street Food Vendors, Mass Caterings would be sensitized on how to produce and serve Safe Food. Countrywide, Best Practices Sharing Summits, Workshops, Training Programs, Short Term Professional Courses with Partners of international repute and Food Safety Award Programs for the industry and street food vendors would be organized to enhance Capacity Building on Food Safety Benchmarks.
In phase one, the target is to adopt 100 food streets across the country, build awareness on food safety among 10000 consumers and build capacity on Good Hygiene and Manufacturing Practices by training employees of 300 SMEs towards food safety.
CII is organizing Food Safety Advocacy and Capacity Building programs across Delhi, North East, Mumbai, Bangalore, Lucknow, Jamshedpur, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Siliguri & others. The industry programs will aim at upgrading supply chain participants across the food industry to international standards of Food Safety. Some of the programs completed include the 2 day Master Class on Improving Performance and Process Improvement through Food Safety and Quality in Chennai and the Food Safety and Standards Regulations Training for Food Business Operators in Kolkata which received encouraging response from the participants; More workshops on topics like Good Agricultural, Good Manufacturing and Good Hygiene Practices for Food Processing in partnership with Ministry of Food Processing Industries in the North East are on the anvil starting mid October 2015.
Cargill India, the National Industry Partner for the Surakshit Khadya AbhiyanTM is committed to sharing international science based food safety practices in manufacturing, regulatory affairs, hygiene protocols, Global Food safety Initiative (GFSI) with other industries and encourage them to adopt these, thereby, helping improve the food safety ecosystem in the country.
The role of VOICE (Voluntary Organization in Interest of Consumer Education), an organization working for consumer awareness, education and empowerment besides setting standards and policies with government bodies, would include imparting Consumer awareness, education and empowerment besides setting standards and policies with government bodies while also help engaging consumers in various Food Safety Advocacy; Platforms including Walkathons and disseminate Food Safety information.
NASVI (National Association of Street Vendors of India) , an organization working for the protection of the livelihood rights of thousands of street vendors across the country, will promote safe Food at the National level through its Street Food Festival in Delhi, sensitize Street Food Vendors on hygienic practices in clusters and market meetings, sensitize peer leaders in markets and engage children of street food vendors to become volunteers of safe food.

Kuttu atta under food dept scanner

MEERUT: With the Navratra festival commencing on Tuesday, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) is already on its toes to ensure that adulterated buckwheat (kuttu atta) and other food items are not being sold in the market.
A five-member team has been formed to conduct surprise inspections to check sale of adulterated food items at shops in rural and urban areas. The anti-adulteration drive will continue till the fasts end.
Giving details, chief food safety officer JP Singh, said, "A five-member team of the food department is conducting regular checks by sending suspicious food items to the laboratory for testing. If any sub-standard or unsafe food item is found, action will be taken as per rules."
"We are focusing mainly on kuttu atta, sabudana, milk products and cooking oil to check adulteration. Almost every year, people fall ill after consuming these products. We want to make sure that no such cases are reported this time," added Singh.
He further said samples of the sub-standard food items will be sent to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow to avert any manipulation at the city-based lab. "However, in case things are too suspicious and evident, the food item can be sent to the local laboratory and an immediate report will be sought," he added.
The food safety officer said sample reports from the city-based lab could be procured in 48 hours and action can be taken thereafter.
"The food items are preserved and sent to Lucknow through courier. We'll get the results within 20 days of the courier," added Singh.
He said people could also file complaints related to food adulteration with the department on the condition of anonymity.
Even as sampling of food items is being done, FSDA authorities are also ensuring that shopkeepers were not selling expired food items.
"People generally fall ill after they consume expired kuttu atta. This can cause stomach infection. We are ensuring that such items are not being sold in markets across the city," said Singh.

Less no of labs may hamper govt's drive against food adulteration

JAIPUR: The government has revoked the ban on mawa (condensed milk) and is now depending on strict monitoring and testing of food, specially before the festive season. However, this may seem too far-fetched as the government may find it difficult to implement the same.
As a matter of fact, all, except six food testing laboratories that the government had in different districts are functional now. The rest had to shut down due to shortage of equipment and man power.
At one point of time there were 13 food testing laboratories in the state. But, in 2014, seven of them had to be closed due to shortage of public analysts. While a lot of focus is laid on food adulteration these days, the closure of food laboratories could affect the fight against food adulteration.
Now, the task for the health department to issue the food sample reports within 15 days of its collection is also difficult. Health minister Rajendra Rathore had directed the health department officials to issue the reports within 15 days of collection of samples when he revoked the ban.
However, the health department claimed that they would issue the reports on time as they have sufficient laboratories. "We have sufficient number of laboratories in the state for testing samples of food items including mawa and sweets, ahead of festive season. If we find any difficulties, we can get the samples tested in two laboratories approved by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) located in Jaipur," said Dr BR Meena, health director (state).
He added that the existing six operational laboratories in Jaipur, Kota, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ajmer and Alwar are in full swing. The six laboratories have sufficient equipment and manpower.
The laboratories which were closed in 2014 were situated in Banswara, Dungarpur, Jhalawar, Bikaner, Bharatpur, Ganganagar and Sikar. Now, the samples collected in these districts will be sent to the six existing laboratories, which will add to the burden of the existing six laboratories.
Jaipur: While the government has revoked a ban on mawa and is depending on strict monitoring and testing of food specially before the festive season for ensuring that people are not exposed to adulterated mawa but in reality that may be difficult.
As a matter of fact all, except six, food testing laboratories that the government had in various districts are functional now. The rest had to shut down due to shortage of equipment and man power.
At one point of time there were 13 food testing laboratories in the state. But, in 2014, seven of them had to be shut down due to shortage of public analysts. While a lot of focus is laid on food adulteration these days, the closure of food laboratories could affect the fight against food adulteration.
Now, the task for the health department to issue the reports of food samples within 15 days of collection of the samples is also difficult. Health minister Rajendra Rathore had directed the health department officials to issue the reports within 15 days of collection of samples when he had revoked the ban.
However, the health department claimed that they would issue the reports on time as they have sufficient laboratories. "We have sufficient number of laboratories in the state for testing samples of food items including mawa and sweets ahead of festive season. If we find any difficulties, we can get the samples tested in two laboratories approved by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) situated in Jaipur," Dr BR Meena, health director (state) said.
He said that the existing six operational laboratories are situated in Jaipur, Kota, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ajmer and Alwar are in full swing. The six laboratories have sufficient equipment and manpower.
The laboratories which were closed down in 2014 were situated in Banswara, Dungarpur, Jhalawar, Bikaner, Bharatpur, Ganganagar and Sikar. Now, the samples collected in these districts will be sent to the six existing laboratories, which will add up some burden on the existing six laboratories.
Now, the health department has started collecting samples as they have kicked off the campaign against adulteration.

NHRC issues notices over presence of pesticides in food items beyond permissible limit

Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report, based on the findings of the Union Agriculture Ministry, that there has been an almost two-fold increase in the number of samples containing pesticides above the permitted Maximum Residue Level (MRL) in vegetables, fruits, meat and spices in the last six years, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Chairperson, Food and Safety Standard Authority of India; Secretary, Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Secretaries, In-Charge of Food and Agriculture of all States.

The NHRC has asked all these authorities to reply to the notice in eight weeks. The NHRC member Justice D. Murugesan, Member also asked them to inform, within eight weeks, about the action taken to minimize the residue level in vegetables, foods, meat and spices.
According to a press release by the NHRC, Justice Murugesan observed, "It is to be emphasized that any food article, which is hazardous and injurious to public health, is a potential danger to the Fundamental Right to Life. The enjoyment of life and attainment, including right to life and human dignity encompasses, within its ambit availability of articles of food, without insecticides or pesticides residues, veterinary drugs residues, antibiotic residues, solvent residues etc."
According to the report, it is well-known that vegetables sold in major cities contain pesticides. The report said that the situation was even more alarming in Delhi and Mumbai.
Out of 629 samples analyzed by PC Cell Centres, Delhi 223 samples reportedly contained residue out of which 20 samples contained it above the MRL.

Jipmer to hold public session on safe food for healthy living

PUDUCHERRY: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) will hold a public health education session on 'Safe food for healthy living' from 3pm to 5pm on October 13 at the seminar hall of the super speciality block on the institute's premises.
A team of doctors from the departments of preventive and social medicine, medicine and food safety in the institute will participate will enlighten the general public on food hygiene, buying and consuming safe food items and common food adulterants.

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தனியார் நிறுவன தயிரில் மிதந்த கரப்பான் பூச்சி உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலரிடம் புகார்

சேலம், அக்.13:
சேலத் தில் மளிகை கடை யில் வாங் கிய தயி ரில் கரப் பான் பூச்சி மிதந் தது குறித்து உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் விசா ரித்து வரு கின் ற னர்.
சேலம் திரு ந கர் பகு தியை சேர்ந் த வர் பவுல் ஞான ராஜ். இவர் நேற்று வீட்ட ருகே உள்ள மளிகை கடை யில், தலா ரூ.10 வீதம், 100 மில்லி லிட்டர் கொண்ட 2 தயிர் கப்பை வாங் கி னார். வீட்டிற்கு வந் த தும் அதில் ஒரு கப்பை, பவுல் ஞா ன ராஜ் பிரித் தார். அதில், கரப் பான் பூச்சி ஒன்று இறந்து மிதந்து கொண் டி ருந் தது.
இத னால் அதிர்ச் சி ய டைந்த பவுல் ஞா ன ராஜ், 2 கப் பை யும் எடுத் துக் கொண்டு சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப் பு துறை அலு வ ல கத் துக்கு வந் தார். பின் னர் அவர் கரப் பான் பூச்சி விழுந்த தயிர் கப் உள் பட 2 கப் பை யும், பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் அனு ரா தா வி டம் கொடுத்து புகார் செய் தார்.
தயிர் கப் பில் கிடந்த கரப் பான் பூச்சி.
இத னால் அதிர்ச் சி ய டைந்த பவுல் ஞா ன ராஜ், 2 கப் பை யும் எடுத் துக் கொண்டு சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப் பு துறை அலு வ ல கத் துக்கு வந் தார். பின் னர் அவர் கரப் பான் பூச்சி விழுந்த தயிர் கப் உள் பட 2 கப் பை யும், பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் அனு ரா தா வி டம் கொடுத்து புகார் செய் தார்.
இது குறித்து டாக் டர் அனு ராதா கூறு கை யில், ‘‘ கோவை மாவட்டம் பொள் ளாச் சி யில் உள்ள ஒரு நிறு வ னத் தில் தயா ரிக் கப் பட்டது. இம் மா தம் 9ம் தேதி தயா ரிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. இதனை உடை யாப் பட்டி யில் உள்ள உணவு பகுப் பாய்வு கூடத் திற்கு சோத னைக்கு அனுப்ப உள் ளோம்.இது தொடர் பாக விளக் கம் கேட்டு அந்த நிறு வ னத் துக்கு நோட்டீஸ் அனுப் பப் ப டும்,’’ என் றார்.

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