"Cancer causing agent present in bread" - Another media created panic situation

In last few days a news by CSE caused panic among the consumers of bread - 

Reminding the past cases like pesticide in cold drinks (2004), lead in Maggi (2015), another sensational report shattered the faith of consumers on Indian Food Regulations and India Processed Food manufacturers. I am also a consumer before being a food technologist. But, being a food techie, I at least have faith on Food Regulations. So, I thought to wait for some time, discuss with other experts and then share view offoodpathshala on this entire issue. As I had given my strong support to Maggi during MSG case, again I am supporting bread manufacturers in this episode. They have not done any crime by adding bromate or iodate. These are permitted under Indian law. Its a different question whether it should be permitted under law or not. If someone finds some issue in regulations, they should go to the scientific community and raise their concern, not publish are report and create panic among consumers and then among the food manufacturers. 

I got chance to get view of Mr Pradip Chakraborty, Former Director, FSSAI on this entire episode and thought to share with all of you.

Food and its Safety is the most important and critical subject due to its sheer significance affecting each and every person. Any apprehension about its safety causes ripple effect with enormous consequences in the minds of all. Thus, such issues require extreme care and caution. 

In last 2 days, news of CSE’s (Centre for Science and Environment) study and recommendation on Potassium Bromate (KBrO3) and Potassium Iodate (KIO3) giving impression that BREAD is a definite source of CANCER has caused exteme forform of apprehension and anxiety in the entire population of the country. 

CSE’s laboratory testing of 38 samples of bread found out 22.54 ppm as the maximum concentrate of Potassium Bromite/Potassium Iodate amongst all the samples, about 45% of 50 ppm, permissible under clause C(7) of Appendix-A to the FSS (Food Products Standards & Food Additive) Regulation, 2011. CSE sought ban of these Food Additives (mischievously reported as chemicals) in India citing some reports of its carcinogenic effect and instances of their ban in some countries. In other words, except laboratory testing of some samples, CSE has nothing new to demonstrate anything adverse to challenge the existing risk assessment analysis of FSSAI or even justify any demand for a fresh risk assessment.

The laboratory testing itself is only to ascertain the traces of these Food Additives, which in any case is within the permissible Indian Food Standards. The report cited by CSE is of the year of 1999 and the bans of different countries so referred to by CSE is of different years, which have already been factored in the existing risk assessment of FSSAI undertaken in the year of 2011-12. The entire demand of CSE is therefore resting on its own assessment, which is no new innovation except an yet another view demanding the ban.

As per CSE, all the companies, who replied to it’s query, denied using Potassium Bromite/Potassium Iodate. Instead, as they claim, they are using bread improvers such as Calcium Carbonate (INS 170), Amylases (INS 1100), L-Cystein Monohydrocloride (INS 920), Enzyme Protein technology derived from natural resources.

Safety of food has different facets and contours from the stand point of “general-parlance”, “regulatory-exigencies” and “scientific-community”. It is a complex scientific and regulatory issue and the same is ascertain through a process of risk assessment, a scientific based process consisting of 4 steps of hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment and risk characterization. Thus no attempts whatsoever, knowingly or unknowingly, should be made to confuse people by mixing aforesaid 3 different contexts of Food Safety.

FSSAI, the Indian Food Authority, lays down science based Food standards after extensive scientific assessment by eminent scientists in consonance with the international practices after extensive consultation with various stakeholders. Therefore, FSSAI’s permissible standards for Potassium Bromite/Potassium Iodate as an improver for bread and biscuits have reasonable scientific backing and necessary legal justification. 

As we all know, even the scientific community themselves are not in unison on many issues. Food Science and its safety itself is a continuous evolving process. While International Agency on Research for Cancer (IARC) suggests that Potassium Bromite/Potassium Iodate is a possible carcinogenic, it has not arrived at an unbridled conclusion due to absence of uncontroverted evidence keeping in view various other factors. It is important to note that IARC’s conclusion is based on hazard evaluation where as many food regulators of the world including FSSAI fix Food standards based on proper risk assessment. Risk assessment indicates that the tolerance limit is safe to human being. Risk assessment is done after rigorous toxicological investigation, exposure assessment through food, weight of the human being and food habits.

Centre for Health, Environment and Food Safety (CHEFS), a techno-legal Indian body having substantial expertise in these fields principally located at Delhi, declares that a number of ingredients, which were considered as carcinogenic and prohibited earlier, were approved after risk assessment. Such as:

1. Styvia was banned by United States Food and Drugs Authority (USFDA) in 1992 on anonymous complaint. Japan considered styvia as natural sweetener and allowed it to continue. Subsequently, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) after thorough study declared Styvia as safe upto certain limits. On the basis of EFSA, USFDA also lifted ban on Styvia and FSSAI also permitted use of Styvia upto certain limit.

2. Copper and Zinc also considered as toxin for a long time. After thorough study, World Health Organisation (WHO) declared them as micronutrients upto certain limits permissible in Food. FSSAI also approved Copper and Zinc as micronutrients.

Need of the hour is, a fresh risk assessment can be carried out by the FSSAI in consultation with all the stakeholders including scientists, its own Scientific Committee and Scientific Panel to factor any new data and/or new development. It has been reiterated by the eminent scientists of CHEFS that an issue relating to science should be left to the scientific community and the regulators to come to a conclusion before forming any final opinion.

தயாரிப்பு தேதி இல்லாத தின்பண்டங்கள் விற்பனை செய்தால் கடும் நடவடிக்கை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் எச்சரிக்கை

பழநி, மே 28:

தயா ரிப்பு தேதி இல் லாத தின் பண் டங் களை விற் பனை செய் தால் கடும் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டு மென உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் மோக ன ரங் கம் எச் ச ரிக்கை விடுத் துள் ளார்.

பழநி கோயி லில் கோடை விடு மு றை யின் கார ண மாக தற் போது ஏரா ள மான பக் தர் கள் வரு கின் ற னர். இவ் வாறு வரும் பக் தர் க ளி டம் விற் பனை செய் வ தற் காக அடி வார பகு தி க ளில் ஏரா ள மான இடங் க ளில் தற் கா லிக சாலை யோர கடை கள் அமைக் கப் பட் டுள் ளன.

இங்கு விளை யாட்டு பொருட் கள், சிப்ஸ், கற் கண்டு, பேரீட்சை, அல்வா போன்ற பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கின் றன. சில கடை க ளில் கலப் பட மற் றும் காலா வ தி யான தின் பண் டங் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கின் றன.

உண வுப் பொ ருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் வது பழநி உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் மோக ன ரங் கத் தி டம் கேட் ட போது கூறி ய தா வது, பக் தர் க ளுக்கு தர மான, பாது காப் பான, கலப் ப ட மில் லாத, காலா வ தி யா காத உணவு பொருட் க ளையே விற் பனை செய்ய வேண் டும். உண வுப் பொ ருட் களை கையாள் வோ ருக்கு

தொற் று நோய் எது மில்லை என உடல் ந லத் தகுதி சான்று கட் டா யம் பெற் றி ருத் தல் வேண் டும். உண வுப் பொருட் களை தயா ரிக்க பாது காக் கப் பட்ட குடி நீ ரையே பயன் ப டுத்த வேண் டும். அனு ம திக் கப் பட்ட இயற்கை அல் லது செயற்கை நிறங் களை சரி யான அள வில் மட் டுமே பயன் ப டுத்த வேண் டும். கால வ தி யான எண் ணெய் கள் மற் றும் அனு ம திக் கப் ப டாத செயற்கை நிறங் களை பயன் ப டுத் தக் கூடாது. உண வுப் பொருட் களை தயா ரிக்க பயன் ப டும் நெய், வனஸ் பதி மற் றும் எண் ணெய் வகை களை வாடிக் கை யா ளர் கள் அறி யும் வகை யில் அறி விப்பு பல கை யில் தெரி யப் ப டுத்த வேண் டும்.

விற் ப னைக் கான உண வுப் பொ ருட் களை மூடிய நிலை யில் ஈக் கள், பூச் சி கள் மற் றும் தூசி கள் விழா த வாறு முறை யாக கண் ணாடி பெட் டி யி னுள் வைத்து விற் பனை செய்ய வேண் டும். தயா ரிப்பு தேதி, நிகர எடை, காலா வதி தேதி மற் றும் உண வுப் பொருட் க ளில் கலந் துள்ள கல வை கள் விப ரங் கள் குறிப் புச் சீட்டு வைத் தி ருக்க வேண் டும். எச் ச ரிக்கை ஏதா வது இருந் தால் அது கு றித்த விப ரங் களை குறிப் பிட வேண் டும். உண வுப் பொருட் களை சாக் க டை யின் மேல் வைத்து பொது மக் க ளுக்கு விற் பனை செய் யக் கூ டாது. மின ரல் ஆயில் போன்ற எண் ணெய் களை பேரிட் சை யில் தடவி விற் பனை செய் யக் கூ டாது. நகர்ப் ப கு தி யில் உண வுத் தொழில் செய் வ தற்கு உண வுப் பாது காப்பு மற் றும் மருந்து நிர் வா கத் து றை யி ன ரி டம் பதிவு அல் லது உரி மம் பெறு வது அவ சி யம். இவ் வி தி மு றை களை பின் பற் றாத கடைக் கா ரர் கள் மீது உரிய நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும். இவ் வாறு அவர் கூறி னார்.

Only conditional permission for Maggi Noodles: Uttarkhand

Seizure of tobacco products begins

SAVING LIVES:Kauvery Hospital conducting an awareness programme to mark the ‘World No Tobacco Day,’ which is observed on May 31.

The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) has begun seizure of tobacco products that do not adhere to the new packaging rules. So far, according to P. Vadivelan, Additional Director, DPH, Rs. 27.76 lakh worth of products have been seized in the city, in an operation carried out along with police and the Food Safety Department.

Under the new rules, which came in to effect on April 1, all tobacco products must carry a health warning covering 85 per cent of their packaging. “Necessary action will be taken on the seized products as per the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. Even if the products are manufactured before April 1, they should only be sold with a sticker on them that adheres to the new rules,” said Dr. Vadivelan. The DPH is also instructing the health, food safety and various other department officials across the State to begin seizing products that violate the rules. On May 31, which is World No Tobacco Day, the DPH is conducting an awareness meeting, which will include traders’ associations in order to make all stakeholders aware and sensitise them on the process, said Prasanna Kannan, State consultant, Tobacco Control Cell, DPH.

However, activists pointed out that more needs to be done. “The government must seize products from manufacturing, storage and distribution centres before they reach the outlets,” said S. Cyril Alexander, State convenor, Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control.

E. Vidhuabala, head, Resource Centre for Tobacco Control, Cancer Institute, Adyar, agrees. “Up until today, small shops throughout the State are continuing to sell products without the new pictorial warnings,” she said.

In the run up to World No Tobacco Day, several organisations are planning awareness campaigns. The theme this year is ‘Get Ready for Plain Packaging.’ On Friday, Kauvery Hospital conducted an awareness programme at Elliot’s Beach which involved lung capacity screening tests for members of the public.

Ramdev’s Patanjali rapped for ‘gross exaggeration’ in ‘misleading ads’

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has rapped yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved Ltd for “false and misleading” advertisements that also “denigrate” rival products.

The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of the ad watchdog, released a statement on the complaints it dealt with in March, finding three of Patanjali’s product advertisements indulging in “ambiguity” and making claims that were described as “gross exaggeration”.

The CCC received 156 complaints against ads during the month, and upheld 90 - including those by Patanjali - under categories such as “education”, “healthcare and personal care”, “food and beverages” and others.

Under the “healthcare and personal care” category, the CCC pulled up the ad for Patanjali Kesh Kanti Natural Hair Cleanser & Oil, describing as “false and misleading by ambiguity” and “gross exaggeration” its claim that “mineral oil is carcinogenic in nature and may cause cancer”.

In the “food and beverages” segment, it found that the ad for ‘Patanjali Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil’ made claims that were “misleading” and “not substantiated”.

The ad had claimed that, “Other than Kacchi Ghani process most of the other edible refined oils and mustard oil are made using neurotoxin Hexagon solvent extraction process. To make profits at the cost of consumers’ health many companies mix cheap palm oil in mustard oil”.

The CCC ruled that the ad “unfairly denigrates other oils/mustard oil”.

The ad had prompted the edible oil industry body, the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEAI), to file complaints with the food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and ASCI.

In its letters to FSSAI and ASCI, the SEAI requested the regulators to “take action” against Patanjali, and alleged that the company’s ad for ‘Kacchi Ghani Mustard Oil’ was not in good taste.

The CCC also found issues with the ad for ‘Patanjali Herbal Washing Powder, Cake and Dishwash Bar’, which claimed they were used by “millions of housewives”. The watchdog said the claim was “not substantiated”.

It further said that there was little evidence of the cleaning benefit of its professed ingredients, and declared the claim as “misleading by ambiguity”.

The CCC also said that “the claim, ‘Dish wash bars made with chemicals do clean the utensils but they end up damaging the hands’, was not substantiated and unfairly denigrates dish wash bars directly”.

Patanjali’s ads have come in for criticism in the past. In a recent article, Pushpa M Bhargava, former vice chairman of the National Knowledge Commission, made a detailed critique of the claims made by a Ramdev ad about treatments for high blood pressure and diabetes.

Bhargava, who founded the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, described as “scientifically absurd” the “implication in the ad that blood pressure and diabetes are caused by viruses”.

Alert Chennaiites opt for organic breads

Following the controversy on the presence of cancer-causing additives in bread, many Chennaiites are reconsidering their choice of loaves, and moving to organic and farmfresh alternatives.

Neighbourhood shops are also feeling the pinch as the issue has taken national limelight

Chennai: Home bakers in the city have said that they have witnessed a significant rise in demand for home-made, chemical free breads. Nandini Sivakumar runs Lotsa Lavender, a citybased supplier of organic, whole-wheat, additive-free bread, cookies and snacks to restaurants and stores. She says, “People in Chennai have always been a health-conscious lot and are curious about organic produce. When it comes to matters of health, many people don’t mind spending the extra buck to stay on the healthy side.” 

She says that while that she has received quite a few inquiries concerning her homemade breads in the last one week, the premium pricing on home-made breads, turns out to be a hurdle for many. 

After the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recommended a ban on potassium bromate, a food additive used in bread, that is said to cause cancer, the All India Bread Manufacturers Association (AIBMA) announced that bread manufacturers will do away with the substance, which is banned in many countries but India. 

Neighbourhood shops are also feeling the pinch as the issue has taken national limelight. Selvaganesh, a manager with a supermarket in Nungambakkam, says, “There certainly has been a dip in demand for bread post the controversy. If the govt directs us to withdraw the old stocks, we are more than willing to do so. As bread is a fast moving product, we will incur loses if they go off the shelves.” 

Anju Priya, a mother and a communications professional says, “Being a working mother, I don’t have time cook an elaborate meal. I usually rely on bread to pack sandwich. After the news broke, instead of the bread I get from the super market, I have started purchasing from the organic store.” 

There are also others who have set about baking their own bread. Lisa Isaac who runs Artisans Institute of Baking, says, “Bread can be made without any chemicals. We have people from all walks of life coming to us to learn how to bake. Their aim is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and be aware of what they really consume.”

DINATHANTHI NEWS

Caution against artificial ripening of mangoes

The district administration has warned of action against mango dealers, and retailers here for safety code violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Just as the mango season has kicked in, safety code violations by use of artificial ripening methods have also come to light.

In lieu of complaints, the administration has warned retailers, hawkers, dealers of action if they were found to use carbide stone to speed up ripening of mangoes. Persons found in violation will be booked under Section 6 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The violation will attract prison term up to 6 years and fine up to Rs.5 lakh, the administration has said.

Also, the public is encouraged to alert the district administration on the toll free numbers: 1077, 890 389 1077, 1800 425 7016, 1800 425 1071.

What’s our daily bread made out of?

• Health concerns over additives used in bread-making 

• Nagaland govt awaits intimation from the centre

The recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), warning about the presence of cancer causing agents in bread has sent alarm bells ringing across the country. According to the CSE, the finding was based on a study conducted by it. It has prompted the Union Health Ministry to order the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to further investigate the CSE findings and report to the Ministry immediately.

The chemical agents – potassium bromate and potassium iodate, traces of which were reported found in samples of bread and allied bakery products of leading food manufacturers, according to research are believed to be carcinogenic in nature i.e. could cause cancer. The chemical agents are used as additives in dough to improve texture and finish and has been banned in several countries in Europe and in Asia while its use is reported to be permitted in the USA.

In India, the Food Safety Regulations (2011) stipulates a ceiling of 50 parts per million (PPM) of the agents in bread and 20 PPM in allied food products. The CSE findings have nevertheless prompted the health authority of the country to have a rethink on its use.

Meanwhile, in Nagaland, the state government is still to make a move on the reported findings. Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, M. Patton when contacted by The Morung Express maintained it is aware of the CSE’s report but has yet to take any initiative. “There has been no intimation in this regard from the Centre so far but we do expect it will come,” said Patton. In the event there is no such communiqué, he added that the state government can still make necessary arrangement to collect samples for analysis.

Further, bakeries here are also still to make a declaration on the kind of additives used in food products. Two prominent bakeries in Dimapur though maintained that no chemical agents are used in their products. According to them, yeast is the primary agent used in the dough to make bread while baking powder is used for making biscuits, they said.

One of them said that potassium bromate and iodate are used as additives to extend the shelf life of food products and are normally used by big manufacturers, which deal in large scale production.

As regards the health concerns, a Nagaland-based Oncologist, Dr. Shankar Debroy said that potassium bromate and iodate are recognised as class 2B carcinogens, while adding that long term exposure can increase the chances of cancer in humans. “(Generally) the effect of any carcinogen on the body is not noticed or felt immediately.” As far as bread was concerned, Dr. Debroy said he was in no position to comment.

Another resident doctor had a similar take as did the AIIMS Director, Dr. MC Mishra. The latter was quoted in news reports as stating there was no need to panic about the presence of the chemicals in pre-packaged food. The AIIMS Director observed that it might pose danger when ingested in huge quantities over a long period of time.

The Dimapur-based doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, held that people tend to get alarmed whenever there is mention of chemicals in food. “But we must also remember that meat… smoked meat is also carcinogenic.” He said that unregulated consumption of meat can be just as harmful as the aforementioned chemicals.

On the bread produced here, he said, “If what the bakers say is true there is nothing to be alarmed about,” the doctor added.

FSSAI proposes to allow bromates in drinking water

WHO says water should not have the carcinogenic chemical. FSSAI recently said it would ban the same toxin in breads

In January, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposed that bromates, a probable cancer-causing chemical, be permitted to an extent in bottled drinking water. This is the same chemical that the Centre for Science and Environment claims to have found in some bread products after lab tests. Subsequently, FSSAI announced it would ban bromates in breads.

The existing standards for packaged drinking water, set in 2011, strictly prohibited bromates. But, in a proposal put out in January for public comments, FSSAI proposed that up to 10 micrograms of bromates per litre of water be allowed as a contaminant. The 30-day comment period for the proposal is over.

Bromates are found in breads if potassium bromate - cheaper alternative to Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C - is used for strengthening the dough. Among the major developed countries, the US is one of the few that allow use of potassium bromate in bread making. Most others, including the European Union and Canada, do not. Many developing countries have also banned the use of bromates in bakery products.

In water, bromates are formed when it is treated using ozone as a disinfectant. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that bromates not be present in packaged drinking water. It's recommendatory CODEX Alimentarius - a global scientifically produced list of what is safe to eat and how - says, "All treatments of water intended for bottling should be carried out under controlled conditions to avoid any type of contamination, including the formation of toxic by-products (particularly bromates)."

Many countries permit bromates in water to the smallest possible level, based on standards set in the past decade, as detection levels are a constraint. Most countries have set better standards than the one proposed by FSSAI.

All countries tend to toughen standards with time if the toxicity of products remains confirmed.

FSSAI did not respond to a detailed questionnaire sent by Business Standard.

Going by the WHO recommendations, so far, India had the best standards for bromates in drinking water - it was not allowed at all.

This was tough to maintain unless it had the testing methods in place to detect the minimal levels of bromates in water. Since 2007, United Kingdom allows up to three micrograms of bromates per litre of water.

EU allows 10 micrograms bromates per litre, though its standards were set in 1998. The EU directive said, "Where possible, without compromising disinfection, Member States (EU countries) should strive for a lower value." The US also allows 10 micrograms per litre of bromates in packaged drinking water.

The original absolute prohibition of bromates, as per the 2011 Indian regulations, may have had a problem of enforcement. A ban works only to the point that a contaminant can be detected in a product or the agent causing it - in this case disinfecting through ozone. In the case of bread-making, other options, though expensive, are available.

Earlier, laboratories could only detect the presence of bromates above 10 micrograms per litre of water with consistency. But technology has improved drastically. In 2014, the US scientific authorities under the Environment Protection Authority approved standard testing methods to detect bromates at concentration levels as low as 0.02 micrograms per litre - five hundred times less than the standard set under the proposed FSSAI notification. Bromates above 5 micrograms per litre of water are also detectable through 'ion chromatography with conductivity detection methods'. The global trend in food safety regulations is to tighten the standards for dangerous or unsafe contents and contaminants as the science of detecting them improves with time and safer alternatives are found. The only time standards are made lax is when new science clearly proves that the danger from the food may have been over-estimated. In cases where some contaminants are extremely dangerous, even with short-term exposure, such contents are expressly banned.

There is no proof as yet that bromates cause harm in short exposures but for long-term exposure it is classified as a probable carcinogen for humans.

The FSSAI has scientific panels on different classes of foods and food safety related issues that recommends new standards periodically for different components and additives. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, the FSSAI is required to look at the best of standards and practices available internationally and use them unless it scientific evidence that proves safety at higher levels of contamination shall work for Indian conditions.

After the CSE released its lab results on bread, FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal said, "A scientific panel had recommended removal of potassium bromate from the list of additives. So we have already decided to take it out from the list. Soon, it will be notified." The scientific panel for cereals, in which baking products are also included, last met in December 2015, as per FSSAI records. It is not known if the panel then considered the issue of bromate. The FSSAI has an apex scientific committee, made up of chairs of all scientific panels and more independent experts, which is meant to ensure harmonious standards across all food products and those issues that are multi-sectoral in nature, such as bromate. It is not known if the committee met and considered the concerns about bromate or not in water and bakery products.

Such coordination is necessary because standards for how much contaminant should be permitted in a particular product are also linked to nutritional values of each food product. Generally, the logic globally is to keep the standards strictest for products that are not nutritious, say junk food, and for products that sell based on claims of higher quality than unpackaged naturally found versions, such as packaged drinking water. These standards have to be squared off against how much of a particular unsafe chemical the human body can be exposed to over a lifetime through consumption of specific food products, which is projected by looking at the essential average diet mix in a region.

FSSAI to frame standards for fortification of foodgrains

Food safety regulator FSSAI has been assigned to come up with standards for fortification of foodgrains which will add to their nutrient value, an official said today. 

Food, Health and various other ministries have assigned the mandate to Food Safety and Standards Authority ofIndia (FSSAI) to come up with standards for fortification of foodgrains such as wheat flour and rice which will add to the nutrient value of food intake, said Subhasish Panda, Joint Secretary in the Department of Food. 

Besides this, the government has floated tenders for construction of silos of 1.3 million tonnes capacity for storage of grains. 

"The government has urged the industry to participate in recently floated tender process for construction of steel silos with capacity of 1.3 million tonnes (MT) of wheat storage," Panda said while speaking at a summit on 'Food grains storage in India' organised by Assocham. 

He said the government is trying to address every aspect of food supply chain, particularly issues related to storage, transportation and distribution to the beneficiaries. 

He said the government has more than 80 million tonnes of storage capacity in partnership with states.

FSSAI and ASCI to fight misleading food ads together

Dabur, Cargill, ITC, Patanjali Ayurved are among errant advertisers whom ASCI has asked to modify their ads in the recent past

Two of the country's apex regulators -- Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the AdvertisingStandards Council of India (ASCI) -- will join forces to clamp down on misleading food & beverage advertisements, persons in the know have told Business Standard. While the two regulators have worked in the past informally, the arrangement will likely be formalised now.

Confirming the development, FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwalsaid a few meetings between the two regulators had happened. "We would like to raise our engagement withASCI and we are looking at ways in which we can do it. The details are being worked out," Agarwal said in response to a specific query on the subject.

The current development comes after a broader arrangement between the Department of Consumer Affairsand ASCI was worked out last year, which allowed the latter to act against misleading ads on a complaints website. This website allows consumers to complain about any advertisement appearing in any medium across any category.

In the case of the FSSAI, any complaint received by the food safety regulator will see the ASCI stepping in and writing to the advertiser concerned to modify the ad based on its prescribed guidelines, persons in the know said.

In the event the advertiser does not comply with ASCI's directions, the FSSAI will step in to take action. While ASCI officials were not immediately available for their comments, this approach, say persons in the know, is expected to act as a strong deterrent against errant advertisers in the food & beverage space, where misleading claims have been steadily growing.

Between January and March 2016, food & beverages figured among the key categories, where complaints were upheld by ASCI's Consumer Complaints Council, the central unit that processes complaints received against advertisers and brands. The regulator is yet to release the list of complaints upheld for the month of April 2016.

Among the companies that ASCI had written to modify ads in March -- the last available month -- are ITC for its Aashirvaad Multi-grain Atta; Patanjali Ayurved for its Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil; andGemini Edibles & Fats for its Freedom Rice Bran Oil. In January and February 2016, the list of errant advertisers included Dabur, Cargill, Pan Parag, Coca-Cola, Perfetti Van Melle, and Ruchi Soya.

Besides big advertisers, the list of errant companies against whom complaints were upheld by ASCI between January and March this year also included small and regional brands, which makes the task even more challenging for regulators, say experts, since regional and local players abound in food. The move by the two regulators to work together is a welcome one, they say.