Sep 25, 2017
Imported GM food floods Indian market unchecked
The official pointed to absence of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)-mandated labelling system that could inform consumers that a particular food does have GM element so the harm should be well known.
New Delhi: Imported genetically modified (GM) food appears to be circulating uncontrolled in the country without any consumer advisories on possible harm, according to admission of a top government official before a parliamentary panel which, for now, has red-flagged introduction of GM crops in the country without evaluation of biosafety and socio-economic desirability.
“There are certain GM food which we are told is coming in as a mixed form in some of the imports that is happening,” an official of the department of health research told the parliamentary panel, chaired by Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury, which recently submitted a report on “Genetically modified crops and its impact on environment”.
The official pointed to absence of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)-mandated labelling system that could inform consumers that a particular food does have GM element so the harm should be well known.
The department-related parliamentary standing committee on science and technology and environment and forest has now “strongly” recommended to the FSSAI that labelling on imported GM food must be done with “immediate effect”.
The committee took note of the official’s submission that FSSAI’s scientific panel for the genetically modified organism in food has recommended mandatory labelling for designated food products that have GM ingredient of 5 per cent or more.
Hinting at the existence of an unregulated system under which Indians may already be unknowingly consuming imported GM food, the official of the department of health research said, “Once the labelling comes into force, some of the imported items – where we are still not very clear what the elements of GM food are – is something they are still working on.”
By the official’s own admission before the committee no GM food product has “really been approved so far” yet there are such food coming into the country as a mixed form in some of the imports.
The official also hinted that there was virtually no system in sight, in the near future, on how or who will set standards for GM food consumption.
The committee in its 301st report presented to the Rajya Sabha chairman last month, also expressed surprise over absence of an in-house scientific study by the department of health research on impact of GM food on human health.
Ms Chowdhury noted with pain that the secretary of department of health research that no study till date has been carried out on impact of GM crops on human health.
The official told the committee, “In terms of food, it would be very difficult to design a study where you tell one group of people that you have to take only this GM food and, then, tell another group to not take that GM food. Then, you have to follow them for many years. So, this type of study has not been done anywhere in the world. It has not been done in India also.”
Meanwhile, the Committee has put the breaks on introduction of GM crops and said, “The committee strongly believes that unless the biosafety and socio-economic desirability, taking into consideration long run effects, is evaluated by a participatory, independent and transparent process and a retrieval and accountability regime is put in place, no GM crop should be introduced in the country.”
The recommendation comes after India’s GM crop regulator Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) recently recommended the commercial use of genetically modified mustard in a submission to the environment ministry.
Socio-environment expert Sulagna Chattopadhyay welcomed the cautious note sounded by the committee and slammed the pressure group allegedly pushing for hasty introduction of GM crops.
“An impression is being created that we need GM crops to boost yield where as there are many hybrid high-varieties available in the country for that,” said Ms Chattopadhyay, editor of Geography and You magazine.
She also opposed the introduction of GM crops claiming that the gains of pest resistance shown by GM crops in initial years are lost in later years as some other pests become strong and more damaging, forcing additional use of insecticide and escalation of a farmers’ input cost.
“This is why the farmers growing Bt Cotton are suffering and committing suicides,” Ms Chattopadhyay said.
Pepsico India to counter malicious campaign on popular snack food
Pepsico India Holdings Private Ltd is taking measures to assure consumers about the safety of Kurkure, in the wake of malicious rumours that the popular snack food contains plastic, said a senior company official.
From one variant in 1999, Kurkure has 40 variants and is also exported to several countries.
“I don’t know on what grounds the rumour is spread that Kurkure contains plastic. Normally big brands attract malicious rumours,” Marketing Director – Indian Snacks, Vani Gupta, told IANS on Saturday.
“We don’t see such malicious campaign in other parts of India. Only in Tamil Nadu we see such malicious campaigns,” Gupta said.
Some months back the associations of traders in Tamil Nadu had announced a ban on selling Pepsi and Coca Cola brands.
Gupta said the company is taking countermeasures in assuring the safety of Kurkure to mothers.
According to her, it is better to assure the consumers about the safety rather than taking legal recourse against the rumour mongers.
One of the steps is redesigning of the package with the words ‘Made with Dal, Corn and Rice’ printed on it.
“In case of chips we know what it is made of. But it is not so with Kurkure. Hence we decided to adopt this strategy,” Gupta said.
On Saturday, Pepsico Holdings held an event here where bloggers – mostly young women – were told about Kurkure and the production process.
With the assistance of an award winning chef, the participants also whipped up some dishes made with several variants of Kurkure.
Gupta said: “Any food that is taken in moderate quantity is good. The problem crops up when one overdoes something.”
Queried about the usage of palmolein oil in the making of the product instead of other oils like rice bran oil, Gupta said: “The oil suits well with the product. The usage of palmolein oil is not driven by costs.”
“Many of our competitors play with the ingredient quantities when the prices fluctuate,” she added.
“Even at home it is advisable to change the oil brands once in two months so as to derive the benefits offered by them. In the case of Kurkure the oil quantity used may not be much. Only children above the age of five should be given salty snacks. All food stuffs should be consumed in moderate quantities,” T. Shanthi Kaavery, a consulting dietician, told IANS.
From one variant in 1999, Kurkure has 40 variants and is also exported to several countries.
“Kurkure is made in our plants in Canada and Bangladesh. The product is exported to Gulf countries.”
She said the organised Indian snack food market is around Rs 17,000 crore and is logging double digit growth.
Gupta said the company offers various regional flavours under Kurkure brand.
HKV loses sheen after outlets' sealing
Sealing these eateries has not only led to big losses for the owners but has affected the livelihood of 700 employees as well
After the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) sealed 21 restaurants in the Hauz Khas Village (HKV) on Saturday, the mood at the upscale market remained sombre on Sunday. Most of these eateries did not have proper environmental clearances, some did not have other licences while none of them followed the waste norms.
The sealing of the restaurants ruined many a plans, including that of a student who was headed to the market to celebrate his birthday. The shutting of his favourite eatery dampened his mood. Taking it in his stride, however, he said: "If the government is taking steps to benefit our environment, then we should cooperate as well."
The HKV Traders Association did not seem to have this benign outlook. "The sealing of these eateries, five of which are not even on the notified commercial street of Hauz Khas Village, is undemocratic and against the very concept of the Ease of Doing Business," Satinder Sarna, President of the association, said.
He added: "We need to have a chance to give our suggestions and work in partnership with the government, rather than being blamed for the inadequacy of the infrastructure. That is the responsibility of the state, for which we pay taxes."
Sealing these eateries has not only led to big losses for the owners but has affected the livelihood of 700 employees as well. The employees have now come out on the streets to protest against the DPCC decision.
Varun Bansal, owner of one of the eateries, Rehab Cafe, said his outlet was sealed even though it had clearances from the MCD Health Department, Delhi Police, Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI), Tourism and Excise Department, and even the Consent to Establish certificate.
"They could not have done it legally or ideally. It only shows that whenever the government mechanism wants, they can shut us down. But why, despite having all these licenses? It seems to be an action taken under pressure rather than on the basis of documents," Bansal said.
95% of food outlets illegal in Srinagar ‘Of 30,000 units, only 2,000 registered’
Nearly 30,000 illegal food units are operating in Srinagar, putting the health of millions of people at risk, Food Safety Department officials revealed on Wednesday.
Official sources told Kashmir Reader that these thousands of illegal food manufacturing and sale units are running without registration and license due to the paucity of staff and infrastructure at the Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO).
“Only five Food Safety Officers (FSOs) are working in Srinagar district, which has more than 30,000 food outlets. Only 2000 of these outlets are registered with the Food Safety Department,” a senior DFCO official said, wishing anonymity, told Reader.
According to him, only 700 food units in Srinagar district have been issued licenses by the DFCO.
“Of the 2000 legal food units, 1300 have an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh and are registered under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The rest 700 have annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh,” the official said, quoting from records.
A Food Safety Officer told Kashmir Reader that the illegal units are mostly located in downtown areas. “They hardly meet the food safety standards, but escape checks due to their location and lack of human resource in the department,” he said.
“We are overburdened as there is no supporting staff in our department. There are hardly any Samplers, Field Workers and Assistants, to conduct field inspections in the city,” said another officer.
He said the FSOs had to do many assignments at a time, including VIP duty and attending to court proceedings.
“How can we check thousands of food units single-handedly?” he asked.
Assistant Commissioner Food Safety, Srinagar, Hilal Ahmad Mir admitted that only 2000 food units are registered in the district. However, he said, there is no confirmed data regarding the total number of food units operating in the district.
“Their number is huge, as hundreds of such units come up every month,” he said.
Last week, the food safety department prosecuted an illegal food unit, Moozin’s Pizza in Karan Nagar.
“The pizza unit was running without registration. We received a complaint from a customer that she suffered food poisoning due to the pizza sold by this outlet. We have prepared the prosecution case against the owner and he will be fined up to Rs 2 lakh,” Mir said.
In May this year, the government imposed a penalty of Rs 2.1 lakh on ten food operators for selling and manufacturing adulterated and substandard products.
A penalty of Rs 80,000 was levied on manufacturers of the Snow Cap milk brand, which is run by a government-supported cooperative, Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL), situated at Cheshma Shahi.
In July, the department prosecuted 35 businesses operators for selling and manufacturing substandard and adulterated food products.
The department has started a fresh crackdown on food establishments, including manufacturers, for running their units illegally.
Officials told Reader that food business operators have been warned to desist from the malpractice of food adulteration.
“Stern action under Food Safety and Standards Act shall be initiated against those who sell adulterated and counterfeit food products,” said the Assistant Commissioner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)