Dec 22, 2017
Citizens can trust food they get: FSSAI on CAG report
Responding to the CAG's audit finding, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said it is committed to raise the bar of food safety and hygiene for which it is investing Rs 480 crore to modernise state food testing labs.
Food safety regulator FSSAI today assured citizens that they can trust food they get, a day after government auditor CAG pulled up the sectoral watchdog over licensing process and poor testing labs.
Responding to the CAG's audit finding, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said it is committed to raise the bar of food safety and hygiene for which it is investing Rs 480 crore to modernise state food testing labs.
FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal said the regulator has requested the government to recruit 600 people in the central authority to help meet manpower shortage and discharge its function of framing standards as well as ensuring compliances.
He said the regulator is reviewing the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and will make recommendation to the health ministry in the next 3-4 months.
"We assure citizens that they can trust food they get. The FSSAI is confident that the country's food safety ecosystem is well on the way to become more robust and globally benchmarked in the years to come," he told reporters.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had yesterday pulled up the FSSAI for issuing licences to food business operators without complete documents and questioned it on the quality of testing with 65 out of 72 state labs not being accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
The auditor found "systemic inefficiencies, delays and deficiencies in the framing of various regulations and standards, amendments to regulations in violation of the Act and the specific direction of the Supreme Court".
Reacting to the CAG report, the FSSAI said it "appreciates the inputs from CAG to improve performance of food safety."
"The CAG report should, however, be seen in the context of the huge and complex task at hand and the fact that the FSSAI is new an evolving organisation and it faces severe constraints of manpower and resources," he said.
Stressing that the regulator has over the past couple of years taken several steps to improve food safety in the country, he said, "The FSSAI continues to be committed to raise the bar for food safety and hygiene in the country so that citizens can trust food they get in the marketplace."
Elaborating on food labs, Agarwal said the Centre is making an investment of Rs 480 crore for strengthening of the state food laboratories and referral laboratories. Overall 45 labs across States/UTs would be supported.
The FSSAI is also upgrading its own two labs and will set up two new laboratories, he said, adding that the regulator will also soon finalise reference labs to deal with inconsistency.
There are currently 240 labs across the country, of which 152 are private accredited with NABL.
On framing of standards, Agarwal said barring few products, norms and regulations have been framed for all the products, including organic food, specified under the Act.
Asked about the CAG's findings on the licensing process, he said the FSSAI is reviewing the document list and doing away with those which are not needed for getting its registration and licences.Welcoming CAG's performance audit, Agarwal said: "This report will help us in sensitising those states which are not doing enough on the food safety front."
Doubts raised on food safety in India
CAG report reveals gaps in the working of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
An audit of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s premier watchdog on the food, by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) reveals gaps in the working of the body. FSSAI is responsible for implementing the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and CAG found that though it has been more than a decade since the enactment of the act, FSSAI is yet to frame regulations and guidelines to govern different procedures.
Neither FSSAI nor the state food authorities have documented policies and procedures on risk based inspections and the FSSAI does not even have a database on food businesses in the country. Other than this, FSSAI has failed to set up well equipped food labs in the state too. Only seven out of 72 states laboratories passed the standards issued by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). CAG pointed out that as the laboratories are not well-equipped, there is a possibility that unsafe food articles continue to be manufactured and sold due.
The audit report also found that the there is an acute shortage of licensing and enforcement officers in the states which severely affected food safety measures. In case of renewal of the license too, FSSAI did not adhere to regulations. For example, in 49 cases pertaining to Central Licensing Authority (CLA), Kolkata and Guwahati, food business operators (FBOs) applied for renewal of licenses after their expiry.
Despite the fact that the licenses had already expired at the time of application, instead of issuing fresh licenses as stipulated by law, CLAs renewed the licenses. The gap between the expiry of the licenses and their irregular renewal ranged from one year to five and a half years. CLAs thus, irregularly legitimized the gap period of food business during which FBOs, operated without valid licenses in violation of section 31 of the Act.
For the performance audit, CAG examined FSSAI along with its regional and sub-regional offices in the nine selected states and one union territory between the time period from August 2011 and March 2016. The report was tabled in the Parliament on December 19, 2017.
CAG has recommended that FSSAI should expedite the notification of regulation on areas that have been specified in the FSS Act, but are yet not covered. FSSAI would also have to ensure that all licenses issued are reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, before issuing. FSSAI and the state food authorities have to conduct surveys of food business activity under their jurisdiction to ensure a comprehensive and reliable database of FBOs and ensure better enforcement and administration of the FSS Act.
CAG has also recommended that the authority may frame standard operating procedures on the formulation and review of standards, and ensure that these are being followed in the near future. Ministry of Health and Family and Welfare should ensure accreditation of all state food laboratories, pertaining to equipment and functionality of the lab.
J-K govt approves creation of Commissioner of Food Safety
The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved the creation of Commissioner of Food Safety and supporting staff in the state, an official spokesperson said.
The Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, approved the creation of one post of Commissioner of Food Safety along with supporting staff for proper implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Regulations, 2011, he said.
Food samples during Diwali raids show presence of carcinogens
Meerut: The results of some food samples, that were sent to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow and which arrived on Thursday, have revealed shocking amounts of carcinogenic chemicals and non-permitted food colours. The samples were sent by officials of the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) after a raid at several sweet shops during Diwali.
Sudan, a colouring dye that is prohibited under law, was used in food colour and Rhodamine B, a carcinogenic element, was used for making sweets at a local shop in Meerut. “As many as 102 food items were sent for testing. It was found that 31 items were substandard, one was misbranded, 11 violated regulations and eight were found unsafe for consumption,” said Archana Dheeran, designated officer, FSDA Meerut.
The laboratory reports of the eight unsafe items included a sweet sample that used Rhodamine B and which was taken from the shop of one Mohd Aslam in Kithore. Meanwhile, a sample of food colour taken from Bhagat Ji Sweets in Pallavpuram had Sudan II – a banned dye.
A laddoo manufacturing shop belonging to one Salman in Jamuna Nagar on Hapur road used the non-permitted Metanil yellow colour. Experts said that this colour is neurotoxic, which can damage the central and peripheral nervous system in human body, and hepatotoxic, which can cause liver damage.
Meanwhile, silver vark used in sweets taken from the shop of one Randhava in Meerut’s Mussourie area was found to be toxic aluminium.
“A case will be filed against all the sweet shops which flouted norms under the Food Safety and Standards Act and action will be taken against them,” said Dheeran.
Poori Daal kaali hai: Can you even trust the food you eat?
There is a lot we expect from our politicians and leaders whom we have sent to Parliament based on their promises to us. More often than not, these promises are either half-met or not fulfilled at all.
However, the least we can expect from the people in power is that they ensure that the food we eat is safe. As prices skyrocket, it has become increasingly difficult to meet our nutritionary needs but what is one to do if the food you buy is also unsafe?
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has released an audit report where it has come down strongly on The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for their ill-equipped food laboratories and for following poor testing standards.
"The audit revealed systemic inefficiencies, including delays and deficiencies in the framing of various regulations and standards. Audit also observed amendments to regulations in violation of the Act and specific directions of the Supreme Court. Most of the state foods laboratories entrusted with food testing and certification functions, were not only ill-equipped but also did not possess accreditation of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). Further, enforcement activities relating to licensing, registration, inspection, sampling and prosecution were inadequate. FSSAI has failed to finalise the recruitment regulations. Irregularities were also observed in the appointment of contractual employees," the damning report said.
You can read the entire report here.
A part of India’s ministry of health and family welfare, the FSSAI was set up in 2011. Its job is to regulate the transport, manufacture, and sale of food apart from the all-important function of laying down scientific standards for food.
"Possibility that unsafe/declared unsafe food articles continued to be manufactured and sold is not ruled out due to failure of the Authority to monitor and cancel licenses issued under the product approval system declared unlawful by the Supreme Court," is yet another damning statement from the CAG report.
Reacting to the CAG report, the FSSAI said it "appreciates the inputs from CAG to improve performance of food safety," reports TOI.
"The CAG report should, however, be seen in the context of the huge and complex task at hand and the fact that the FSSAI is new an evolving organisation and it faces severe constraints of manpower and resources," the body added.
The paper also reports that the FSSAI CEO, Pawan Agarwal has said that the regulator has requested the government to recruit 600 people in the central authority to help meet manpower shortage and discharge its function of framing standards as well as ensuring compliances.
"We assure citizens that they can trust food they get. The FSSAI is confident that the country's food safety ecosystem is well on the way to become more robust and globally benchmarked in the years to come," he told reporters.
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