tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44701527060469500502024-03-28T05:23:20.352+05:30FOOD SAFETY LATESTADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.comBlogger18613125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-66014203808977339772020-10-23T07:23:00.007+05:302020-10-23T07:23:53.903+05:30 Food safety dept gets 2,300 home biz requests<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>For many, the lockdown was an opportunity to discover their entrepreneurial skills.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="160" src="https://images.newindianexpress.com/uploads/user/imagelibrary/2020/10/23/w900X450/Food_safety.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For many, the lockdown was an opportunity to discover their entrepreneurial skills. Homemakers, students and those who lost their jobs in the initial phases of the pandemic set up home-based food businesses. According to the officials of the Commissionerate of Food Safety, they received 2,300 applications from the capital city itself for starting home-based food and fresh fish businesses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, associations of other food business operators have raised a complaint with the Commissionerate urging them to take action against those who started the ventures without obtaining the mandatory licence or registration. Following this, the Commissionerate was flooded with applications for registration.Assistant food safety commissioner, Thiruvananthapuram, Alex K stressed that registration is mandatory for those running home-based food businesses. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Fines are collected based on their volume of business. While we encourage young entrepreneurs to venture into the food business, action will be taken if we receive complaints,” said Alex. Food safety authorities will provide Food Safety Training and Certification to home-based chefs. The certificate will ensure the chefs maintain the food safety standards mandated by FSSAI(Food Safety and Standards Authority of India).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to city-based home chef Najiya Irshad, the authorities should focus on creating awareness among those venturing into the food business. “A majority are unaware that a licence or registration is mandatory. Often there are negative campaigns on social media which affect home-based chefs. We should be more organised and the authorities should keep track of malpractices in the food industry,” she said.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-42334213061545699752020-10-23T07:22:00.001+05:302020-10-23T07:22:46.118+05:30 Pan-India Khoya survey after sample failures in Delhi: Food regulator<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Khoya mawais is widely used in preparing most sweets</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="193" src="https://cmsimages.tribuneindia.com/gallary_content/2020/10/2020_10$largeimg_868477446.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">New Delhi, October 22</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ahead of the festive season, apex food regulator has launched a pan India quality survey of Khoya, an essential ingredient of all India sweets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Khoya or mawais is widely used in preparing most sweets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The survey follows a recent representation to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India by the Federation of Sweets and Namkeen manufacturers who said they were being supplied adulterated khoya.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A pilot survey in Delhi under the guidance of FSSAI recently showed sample failure of some Khoya samples which led to the FSSAI launch a national survey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Samples were tested for acidity, maximum added starch, added sugar, urea, detergent and neutralizers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There was some sample failure which is why a decision was taken to launch an all India khoya survey,” CEO of FSSAI Arun Singhal said today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commissioners of Food Safety of all states and UTs have been asked to earmark khoya mandis in big cities and test samples.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So far 700 samples from 15 states have been collected and more are on the way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Test results are expected in a month. These will help identify key hot spots for adulteration of khoya in India and strengthen state efforts in devising targeted enforcement drives to ensure a supply of safe quality sweets to every Indian,” FSSAI said.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-85141071610227254442020-10-23T07:20:00.004+05:302020-10-23T07:20:24.442+05:30DINAKARAN NEWS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPQSzmSynRpG6EYT7PQtcyQiMVPfFO6F4fUt34b7ZtEGJJWg2qfa3Ll-q4KRzssOlQJzC1vbE8vykMMUeIgN-BbGv9QQ868zVHTNjFvyg2v6bD2AMpDxnqzRUN3GJhBcPNjIMTcUN5yM/s775/34b87617-2950-4083-9759-a15a74f704ec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="775" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPQSzmSynRpG6EYT7PQtcyQiMVPfFO6F4fUt34b7ZtEGJJWg2qfa3Ll-q4KRzssOlQJzC1vbE8vykMMUeIgN-BbGv9QQ868zVHTNjFvyg2v6bD2AMpDxnqzRUN3GJhBcPNjIMTcUN5yM/w400-h272/34b87617-2950-4083-9759-a15a74f704ec.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-77225526347830042512020-10-23T07:01:00.004+05:302020-10-23T07:01:46.497+05:30 Worried about hygiene of prasad at temples, UP govt launches operation BHOG<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The government officials say the project has no interest in interfering in Temple management, it only seeks to train prasad makers and vendors to practice hygiene.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To ensure that devotees get hygienically prepared, healthy and safe Prasad at langars, bhandaras and bhogs at places of worship, Uttar Pradesh food safety and drug administration (FSDA) has launched the ‘blissful hygienic offering to god’ (BHOG) project in the capital city of Lucknow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Religious places are an integral part of the Indian society and the food served at these places is considered pure. But one has to also take care of safety. The FSDA wants all religious places to maintain hygiene while preparing prasad. That is why vendors selling prasad outside temples will be trained to prepare it hygienically,” said Shailendra Kumar Singh, designated officer FSDA, Lucknow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that in the first phase, four temples- Hanuman Setu, Aliganj Hanuman temple, Mankamneshwar temple and Gulacheen temple in Aliganj-- and one Gurudwara at Ashiana have been selected for the training of prasad and bhog vendors as per food safety regulations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Our aim is to create awareness about best practices right from purchasing raw material to serving the food. We just want them to follow some simple things. For instance, cooks who prepare ladoos would be expected to wear gloves, aprons or caps, clean the utensils daily and use quality food material,” Singh said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The FSDA will also certify the prasad prepared by the shops in front of these temples. The quality report would be shared with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and those not following the norms will face action.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The project was conceived in 2015 when Sanjeev Patil, the CEO of Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai, Maharashtra found that foreign pilgrims were sceptical about the hygiene of the prasad and refused to eat it. The first pilot project was started at Siddhivinayak temple,” Singh added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singh made it clear that the project doesn’t aim to interfere in the daily work of temples. However, it would train prasad vendors and handlers and carry out routine inspection of temple kitchens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“FSDA would be doing routine inspection of temple kitchens. However, some temples are sceptical about the whole concept of inspection but we can assure everyone that the department will only guide them for safe food practices and not interfere in their daily activities,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, a temple office-bearer said on condition of anonymity, “Temples already take care of hygiene whenever the bhandaras are organised. While we haven’t got anything against the initiative, at the same time, it should be ensured that the food safety department cannot dictate terms to temples over the preparation of bhog.”</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-66861972770821671592020-10-21T06:46:00.003+05:302020-10-21T06:46:21.897+05:30 Food delivery apps driving rise of ‘dark’ kitchens in India<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The growing popularity of food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato has led to a surge of such kitchens in India, which are also called “virtual” or “cloud” kitchens by some</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">First things first. Food in the so called "dark" kitchens are not cooked with the lights switched off. They are called so primarily because of their delivery-only model.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The growing popularity of food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato has led to a surge of such kitchens in India, which are also called "virtual" or "cloud" kitchens by some.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some prefer to call them "ghost" kitchens as in many cases, you may not even know that they exist.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Did you know that popular eateries like Haldiram's, Chaayos, Keventers, Saravana Bhavan and Vasudev Adigas, to name only a few, have set up cloud kitchens in partnership with Zomato?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They have. And that is the reason why you get to order food from these eateries even in areas near where their restaurants may not exist.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We started this model in March 2018, when we realised that while a lot of budding entrepreneurs are setting up new restaurants and cloud kitchens, the pace of setting up new kitchen infrastructure has been lagging behind the demand for them," Mohit Sardana, Chief Operating Officer, Food Delivery, at Zomato told IANS.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We wanted to accelerate the process of investment in kitchen infrastructure in areas facing a supply deficit and therefore, created the Zomato Kitchens model. Today, we are present in 50+ cities with 700+ kitchens that are already operational," Sardana added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One factor that has worked in favour of the food delivery platforms is the data they have about consumers' preferences. Analysing these data allow them to gauge the nature of the demand of food a particular area generates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Armed with these data, the food aggregators can confidently approach a restaurant business for cloud kitchen partnerships in new areas that are likely to generate handsome profits for both parties, according to people familiar with the way these partnerships tend to forge.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Swiggy launched its cloud kitchen initiative "Swiggy Access" in 2018 and since then it has created over 1,000 kitchens for its restaurant partners.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through "Access", restaurant partners can test new markets and expand intra and intercity, with no rent or deposit charged for the premises/infrastructure, Swiggy said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Swiggy shares valuable insights not only regarding existing customer preferences, but also on unmet food choices with partner restaurants, thereby helping them fulfil the demand-supply gaps.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Restaurant partners are also able to leverage Swiggy's insights to improve their food quality through consistent customer feedback and optimise their kitchens for factors like stock planning, demand forecasting, preparation time and order edits.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Swiggy said that it is committed to working with the restaurant partner community to bring in the necessary confidence and control to ensure there is no compromise in the safety of food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The food delivery platform added that it mandates all restaurants and cloud kitchens operating on the platform to possess a valid Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence and additionally conducts hygiene audits across the restaurant partner network with credible third-party audit firms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Zomato said that one of the biggest advantages of virtual kitchens is the relatively low investment and business risk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you look at our model, we ensure the restaurateur is supported well enough to focus on what he does best -- food -- instead of being weighed down by compliances and high rentals, among other necessities. That too, with minimum investment. We also draft a customised growth plan with aggressive marketing support, which is unique to their business proposition," Sardana said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"These are delivery only dark kitchens and are not usually set up on high streets. However, there will be a few locations which are on high footfall areas and can be easily spotted. On the app, all kitchen restaurants appear in the same manner to a user as any other delivery only outlet on our platform," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Zomato said that it has set for itself "high safety and hygiene standards".</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We have invested time and energy in durable engineering to make sure that we deliver quality kitchens for our partners to use and expand into new markets, wherein with our support on compliances, they do not see the basics as a hindrance when opening up a new facility," Sardana said.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-75202486573016086712020-10-21T06:44:00.002+05:302020-10-21T06:44:07.636+05:30 FSSAI: New food safety rules from November<div style="text-align: justify;">New Delhi: The food safety regulator - FSSAI has said that a new system will be operational from November onwards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Monday notified that the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) will become operational across India.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Currenty, the system is operational in Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Odisha, Chandigarh, Goa, Manipur, Puducherry and Ladakh since the month of June.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a notification it said, "FSSAI is now ready to extend FoSCoS to entire country with effect from 1st November 2020..."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"FSSAI is launching its cloud based, upgraded new food safety compliance online platform called <a href="https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/">FoSCoS</a>. It will replace the existing <a href="https://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in/">FLRS</a>," it added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">FoSCoS is conceptualized to provide one point stop for all engagement of a food business operator (FBO) with the department for any regulatory compliance transaction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It said since 2011, its online FLRS (Food Licensing and Registration System) is the soul of the licensing ecosystem. It is operational in all states and 70 lakh licences/ registrations have been issued till date while over 40 lakh licensees/ registrants are actively transacting on it.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-4610209616097512952020-10-15T06:56:00.009+05:302020-10-15T06:56:51.990+05:30 Sweets shops, dairies raided<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>324 kg of paneer seized, samples of food items sent to lab</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sleuths of the Food and Drug Administration Department, along with the CM flying squad, today raided sweets shops, dairies and shops selling similar items in the Barwala and Raipur Rani areas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Food Safety Officer Dr Gaurav Sharma said inspection of various sweets, ghee, shops, dairies, cheese makers and other places located in Barwala was done. During the inspection, 324-kg paneer worth Rs58,320 was seized.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said samples of food items were taken and sent to the Food Laboratory, Karnal, for analysis under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Gaurav said similar raids were also conducted in Raipur Rani. If any shopkeeper was found selling food items in the open, chopped fruits and rotten and malicious food items, all their food items would be destroyed and strict action would be taken against them.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-68014021071315932662020-10-14T07:28:00.007+05:302020-10-14T07:28:55.931+05:30 324 kg cottage cheese worth Rs 58,000 seized in Barwala near Chandigarh<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The raid was conducted at 6 am on Tuesday following the tip off that cottage cheese was being sold at Barwala in Haryana</b> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="189" src="https://www.hindustantimes.com/rf/image_size_960x540/HT/p2/2020/10/13/Pictures/_c434e300-0d65-11eb-ad65-9c86ef2154a5.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Officials from the food and drugs administration, Panchkula, and the Haryana chief minister’s flying squad examining cottage cheese seized at Barwala in Haryana.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Acting on tip-off that adulterated cottage cheese (paneer) was being sold at Barwala in Haryana, officials from the food and drugs administration, Panchkula, and the chief minister’s flying squad, seized 324 kilograms of the milk product after a raid. It was estimated to cost Rs 58,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Samples have been sent to a laboratory in Karnal for analysis.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The raid was conducted at 6 am on Tuesday following the tip off that cottage cheese was being sold from a rented room in Barwala.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Panchkula food safety officer, Dr Gaurav Sharma, said he could not comment on the quality of the product till lab reports were received, which, he said, “have been sought in two days.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Sharma said product was being manufactured in Narwana and t brought to Barwala in a car. The sellers “had taken a room on rent where they used to store the paneer to supply to villages close by at cheap rates.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In fact, the low price, Rs 160 to Rs 180, per kg, almost 50% less than market rates, had first raised suspicions, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-51774636081714487012020-10-14T07:26:00.003+05:302020-10-14T07:26:16.179+05:30 Bombay high court dismisses plea of Mumbai’s sweet shop owners seeking relaxation of expiry date rule<div style="text-align: justify;">The Bombay high court (HC) has asked a sweet sellers’ association to deposit Rs1 lakh for challenging the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) decision, asking the traders’ body to put a ‘best before’ date on loose sweets being sold by them from October 1. The court held that the association was trying to undo the precautionary measure initiated by the food department in public interest and dismissed the petition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Girish Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Shri Mumbai Mishtanna Vayasai Sahakari Mandal, which has around 250 members. The bench was informed by advocate Uday Warunjikar — who represented the sweet sellers’ association — that the FSSAI had issued an order on February 24, mandating sweetmeat shops selling non-packaged or loose sweets to display the date of manufacturing and ‘best before’ date on the container or tray holding the sweets. Warunjikar submitted that this was the first of the three order issued by the FSSAI. The other two orders were issued on September 25 and 30.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the September 25 order reiterated the February 24 order and stated: “In the public interest and to ensure food safety, it has been decided that in case of non-packaged/loose sweets, the container/tray holding sweets at the outlet for sale should display the ‘best before’ date of the product mandatorily, with effect from October 1.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Warunjikar informed the court that while the September 30 FSSAI order clarified that the September 25 order was only pertaining to Indian sweets and local language was allowed to be used on the container in which the sweets were to be packaged, the directive was discriminatory and hence the association moved the PIL seeking setting aside of the three orders of FSSAI passed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After hearing the submissions, the court observed, “The petitioner seeks to undo what the authority proposed to do for the benefit of consumers and therefore, it is thoroughly misconceived. We order the petitioner to deposit Rs1 lakh to the advocates’ Covid-19 welfare fund.” The court said that it will pass a detailed and reasoned order later and dismissed the petition.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-75648973728932130242020-10-14T07:24:00.002+05:302020-10-14T07:24:32.988+05:30Bombay HC imposes Rs 1 lakh fine on PIL by sweet shop owners challenging FSSAI’s ‘best before’ tag rule<div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Court observed that the petitioner association sought to undo what the authority proposed to do for the benefit of consumers and therefore the PIL was ‘misconceived’ and imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh to be paid to Advocates’ Covid welfare fund.</b><i><img height="223" src="https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/10/sweet-shop-7.jpg" width="400" /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The FSSAI order also said that the sweet shops may display manufacturing dates which shall be ‘purely voluntary’ and ‘non-binding’ and the shops shall display ‘best before date’ of sweets depending upon the nature of product and local conditions.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Bombay High Court Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) by association of sweet shops owners in Mumbai and a imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine for challenging directions of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The directions mandated sweet shops to display ‘best before date’ on the container tray of non-packaged or loose sweets from October 1.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Court observed that the petitioner association sought to undo what the authority proposed to do for the benefit of consumers and therefore the PIL was ‘misconceived’ and imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh to be paid to Advocates’ Covid welfare fund.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The decision was taken in view of some instances, which were reported about the expired sweets being sold to consumers posing health hazards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thereafter, the FSSAI on September 25 issued an order which stated: “In the public interest and to ensure food safety, it has been decided that in case of non-packaged/loose sweets, the container/tray holding sweets at the outlet for sale should display the ‘best before date’ of the product mandatorily with effect from October 1.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The FSSAI order also said that the sweet shops may display manufacturing dates which shall be ‘purely voluntary’ and ‘non-binding’ and the shops shall display ‘best before date’ of sweets depending upon the nature of product and local conditions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moreover, the petitioner association said that through September 30, the FSSAI clarified that the September 25 order was applicable only to ‘Indian sweets’ and local language was allowed to be used on the container consisting the sweets. Alleging the same to be discriminatory, the association moved PIL before the HC challenging the orders passed under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dismissing the PIL, the Court said, “…the petitioner seeks to undo what the authority proposed to do for the benefit of consumers and therefore it is thoroughly misconceived. We order costs of Rs. 1 lakh to Advocates’ Covid welfare fund.” The Court will pass reasoned order in due course.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-7274943852890442202020-10-09T06:53:00.003+05:302020-10-09T06:53:28.106+05:30 From unstamped meat to carbide ripened fruits, food safety in Hyderabad is a major concern<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Calcium Carbide, a carcinogen, is widely used to ripen mangoes quickly.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="213" src="https://www.thenewsminute.com/sites/default/files/styles/news_detail/public/Mango_meat_collage_0.jpg?itok=SqvD8aVs" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tension prevailed at the Kothapet fruit market in Hyderabad after authorities cancelled the licences of 91 shops on Monday, stating that they were using fruits artificially ripened with carbide.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, in another part of the city, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) imposed penalties on five hotels, and sealed another, for unhygienic conditions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both these raids were in response to a much larger problem that the city faces: Food safety.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Unstamped meat</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday, when officials raided mutton and beef shops along with malls to check for meat quality, they found that Forum Mall in Kukatpally, was using unstamped meat, and fined them Rs 20,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier this week, 69 hotels had been raided by the municipal body, of which 54 were reportedly using stale meat and had dirty kitchens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since the first week of April, the GHMC has <a href="http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31809&articlexml=GHMC-cracks-the-whip-on-6-city-restaurants-11042017004035">appealed</a> to all eateries across the city, to only use meat from notified slaughter houses, which are monitored, and maintain a better quality.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It is a public–private partnership and the GHMC issues permission to private agencies to build and run these notified slaughterhouses, in accordance with our norms and rules. Therefore, we can be sure that the meat from here is healthier," Dr B Palavan Kumar, the GHMC's Health Wing in-charge of Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and Begumpet told TNM.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, since this meat is costly, several eateries make their purchases from local butchers, thereby putting public health at risk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Officials also say that in many places, they found meat that was stored in unhygienic conditions for more than a week, while the ideal norm is one day storage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are several departments that deal with the issue of hygiene and sanitation of eateries. The GHMC's health department is one of those, mainly dealing with kitchen hygiene. This involves things like flooring, painting, utensils being used, storage, personal hygiene of workers etc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While it is hard for a customer to tell the difference between stamped meat and unstamped meat once it is cooked, Dr Kumar says that one could still ask for a receipt.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We issue a receipt when any restaurant or eatery buys from a notified slaughterhouse, and customers can demand to see that bill, if they feel that the meat is stale, or not up to the mark," he says.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Often, officials levy a heavy penalty on the eateries, or in some cases, shut them down until they are willing to refurbish the premises.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Artificially ripened fruits</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the incident at the Kothapet market on Monday, another long-standing problem that Hyderabad faces was highlighted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Calcium Carbide is a dangerous and corrosive chemical used to make fertilizers, and it is known to have carcinogenic properties. Despite this, it is still widely used to ripen mangoes quickly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With summer approaching, farmers tend to pluck mangoes early as they need to be transported to the market. Once it is in the market, mango traders ripen them artificially to clear their stocks sooner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moreover, the fruits look more attractive when they are artificially ripened, garnering more consumers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The chemical is also used to ripen fruits like bananas. However, the substance is extremely harmful, and may cause cancer, permanent eye damage, ulcers and even lung issues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2015, a bench of the Hyderabad High Court had called those who used the carcinogen to artificially ripen fruits, 'worse than terrorists.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"For earning some extra rupees, you are putting scores of lives at risk. Such traders are worse than terrorists, killing generations of people with slow poison," the court <a href="http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/traders-who-artificially-ripen-fruits-are-worse-terrorists-says-hyderabad-hc-33331">had</a> said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moreover, artificial ripening of fruits is banned under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to <a href="http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/120216/hyderabad-illegal-chemicals-to-ripen-bananas.html">reports</a>, those who do indulge in this practice can also be booked under IPC Sections 272, 273 (food adulteration) and 420 (cheating), which are all non-bailable sections.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite this, the farmers and the traders claim that they have no other choice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A safer and legal way to speed up the ripening process of fruits is to gas them with ethylene, a natural ripening agent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the state has provided the farmers with ethylene chambers at the Kothapet market, traders <a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2017/apr/11/ryots-protest-as-traders-refuse-to--buy-produce-1592324.html">reportedly</a> couldn't find slots for their fruits, and succumbed to artificial ripening.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Officials also say that it is very hard to identify these fruits.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a general precaution, one thing to look out for is that they may look ripe on the outside, but are usually still unripe or ripening inside, when they are cut open.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-15202712825005260712020-10-07T06:57:00.001+05:302020-10-07T06:57:06.370+05:30DINAKARAN NEWS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7KzQaWeCoH8iKZxHfttvTygO2COsl0EJYo1JyakdVUTg1vx_Ij6NbwUYE1d6a8GsP2y-BTJGVGNaMLcCWWHSX_VAmPM1-EgzNmrK5RwRcGw4yPgWg3ET4cJNcYz-fiN766cd1X0qaIk/s769/a57eb503-bf58-4e40-b03e-4deaf4b0f527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="769" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7KzQaWeCoH8iKZxHfttvTygO2COsl0EJYo1JyakdVUTg1vx_Ij6NbwUYE1d6a8GsP2y-BTJGVGNaMLcCWWHSX_VAmPM1-EgzNmrK5RwRcGw4yPgWg3ET4cJNcYz-fiN766cd1X0qaIk/w400-h328/a57eb503-bf58-4e40-b03e-4deaf4b0f527.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-80539649942317709232020-10-06T06:54:00.010+05:302020-10-06T06:54:53.987+05:30 Now Upma, Pauha, Idli will be sell outside schools, FSSAI, Udaipur<div style="text-align: justify;">Udaipur. Now no one will be able to sell ice cream, sweets and snacks within the radius of 50 meters from schools, nor can they be advertised in that area. Keeping in mind the health of children, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has prohibited the sale of these foods. This rule will come into force from the month of July 2021.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rules issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSAAI) include excessive amounts of fat (fat), trans fats, excess salt, sugar, within a 50 meter radius of a school, school canteen or similar educational institution or hostel. The sale of saturated fat items has been banned. Only healthy, boiled or boiled snacks will be allowed instead. Also, cereals and pulses based idli, upma, poha, khandvi, dhokla, chile and namkeen porridge can be sold only.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Healthy food for children</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The decision has been taken to make children aware of healthy food and food items. It has been described as a safe and nutritious diet for children. The school administration has also been instructed to set up boards in English and Hindi in and around the school not to sell such food items.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>There will be a ban on these substances</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ice cream, sweets, canned or preserved vegetables, meat, fish, lentil-based snacks, nuts, white bread and biscuits</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Welcome</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This decision is welcome. We have already arranged healthy food and breakfast for children in our school canteen. If fat-rich foods are not available outside schools, then the children will automatically get away from it. In addition, the school will remain committed to providing healthy and nutritious food to children.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Alka Sharma, Director, CPS</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Outside schools and similar good things should be found in schools for similar nutritional and health. Juices and shake should also be mixed with fruits. Also, children will have to arouse interest in traditional food. We also provide the same food to the children in our school and hostel, which they like more than other food items.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-33420054516489821682020-10-05T06:58:00.002+05:302020-10-05T06:58:47.172+05:30 Check your sweets for best before date<div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="225" src="https://cmsimages.tribuneindia.com/gallary_content/2020/10/Desk/2020_10$largeimg_1926231087.jpeg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In September, I bought 30 rasgullas from a well-known sweet shop. The owner assured me that they would stay absolutely fresh for seven days if I kept them refrigerated. However, the sweets went bad on the third day. How does one determine the true shelf life of these sweets?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As per the ‘Guidance Note on Safety and Quality of Traditional Milk Products” released by the food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), this year, Bengali sweets like rasgullas have a shelf life of just two days from the date of manufacture, when refrigerated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, in order to sell his stock, the shopkeeper misled you on the shelf life, unmindful of the fact that stale sweets, particularly milk products, can cause food poisoning. In order to prevent just these kind of unfair trade practices and ensure food safety, the FSSAI has now mandated that, from October 1, all businesses selling non-packed sweets should display on the tray or the container, the ‘best before date’ of the product. The FSSAI has given the food business operator the option to determine the shelf life, depending on the product and the local conditions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzjFS3gGE4vwywAs6fWCN0t2VtQyn3R36_ah3KNSQT90Zy0jJo7WEYK5ogiM_MDkV9iqJ0-iEJLJqbAnY598yNdOMVWV4ES3FzjVwnnskxAV4IHVbuyMQ_a3hLKj9lA3nMZUUqkbnhyc/s1017/4d11f6b4-04da-4053-b76a-32bca97c52ca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="517" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzjFS3gGE4vwywAs6fWCN0t2VtQyn3R36_ah3KNSQT90Zy0jJo7WEYK5ogiM_MDkV9iqJ0-iEJLJqbAnY598yNdOMVWV4ES3FzjVwnnskxAV4IHVbuyMQ_a3hLKj9lA3nMZUUqkbnhyc/w204-h400/4d11f6b4-04da-4053-b76a-32bca97c52ca.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As you are probably aware, all pre-packed food items, including sweets, should indicate the date of manufacture, ‘best before’ or ‘use before’ date, the list of ingredients used and the FSSAI registration or licence number, as per FSSAI (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011. However, non-packed foods have never been subject to mandatory declaration of shelf life. Since sweets, especially milk products, have a short shelf life and can get spoilt very fast, the FSSAI decided to make it mandatory for sweet sellers to declare the best before date.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In fact, on February 24 this year, the FSSAI issued an order making declaration of ‘date of manufacture’ as well as the ‘best before date’ mandatory from June 1, 2020. However, following the lockdown and the disruption caused on account of Covid-19, the date of enforcement was postponed to August 1 and subsequently to October 1.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In its September 25 order, the FSSAI has made the declaration of only the ‘best before date’ mandatory, while the ‘date of manufacture’ is voluntary. This is disappointing, but I do hope that this is only the first step and soon the ‘date of manufacture’ and the list of ingredients will also become mandatory.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In case of non-compliance of this order, complain to the FSSAI on their WhatsApp number: 9868686868, or on their toll free number: 1800 11 2100, or mail at compliance@fssai.gov.in.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What action can I take against the retailer who gave me a false assurance on the shelf life and later refusing to refund my money?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I do hope that you have a cash receipt as proof of purchase. If you do, I would suggest that you take the following action: (a) warn other consumers about this shop through the social media; (b) file a complaint before the consumer court seeking refund of the cost of the sweets and compensation; (c) complain to the local food safety officer about the shop.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A retailer who lies about the shelf life of the product may well have used substandard or prohibited ingredients (such as non-permitted colours) or prepared them in unhygienic conditions. He may also give an incorrect indication of shelf life. A check would be useful.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-19857402045543707872020-10-05T06:51:00.009+05:302020-10-05T06:51:55.004+05:30 FSSAI Given Additional Powers by Government; Extends Jurisdiction over Animal Feed Sector<div style="text-align: justify;">In another important development in the Agricultural sector, the Central Government has decided to provide additional powers to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is apex regulatory authority for food safety in India. The FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety. It is headed by a non-executive Chairperson, appointed by the Central Government, either holding or has held the position of not below the rank of Secretary to the Government of India. The foremost responsibility of FSSAI include the development of Science-based Food Standards for articles of food and food products and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. The government has now extended its jurisdiction over animal feed, and also raised the penalties imposed for violations, in addition to simplifying the various processes, involved in the regulations. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The decision taken by the ministry of health and family welfare involves introducing 70 amendments in the 2006 Act in order to strengthen the functioning of the FSSAI. The amendments will be mainly to bring regulation of animal feed industry under FSSAI, thereby extending its jurisdiction over animal feed. Till now the apex regulatory body had powers on food industry only. Apart from animal feed industry, the government has also decided to specify standards for “food contact material”, which implies that there will be specification of standards for food packaging material.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Proposal to make the Act stricter is another feature in the amendment, which includes raising the penalties imposed for violations, covering manufacture and sale of unsafe food, adulteration of food causing death, carrying out business without license and repeated offences. The amendment proposes enhancing maximum fine for manufacturing and sale of unsafe food from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. Government has introduced a new section to define penalty for adulteration of food causing death or grievous hurt. So in future if any unsafe food causes harm affects to human health, the FSSAI can extend the punishment to even life imprisonment. The move comes six years after the Modi government had withdrawn a similar Bill introduced by Congress-led UPA in Rajya Sabha six years back, i.e. in February 2014. The NDA government had withdrawn the bill, after a Cabinet decision in December 2014 and decided to bring a more comprehensive Bill to address the underlying issues. Suggestions on the newly proposed draft Bill have been invited as well. Considering the ongoing pandemic, this decision should be a welcome move for the Agriculture Sector on the whole.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-4127362256596101002020-10-02T08:08:00.004+05:302020-10-02T08:08:59.025+05:30DINAKARAN NEWS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghX5QtrRw9h5sXsJsjqFZUSXO17O4ITTaYqTnMU6aw4dOv7mOPoPArvgukEhuVL6C4M0RVx5nGM1yk-UbFN32yd2pGk8SMNeG-mHHKuZVs3J99idbS7_u6DloyDx3pTtAOLSqBQsJVFqw/s895/00079943-a7d4-44e2-bab3-ca4887386b7b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="561" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghX5QtrRw9h5sXsJsjqFZUSXO17O4ITTaYqTnMU6aw4dOv7mOPoPArvgukEhuVL6C4M0RVx5nGM1yk-UbFN32yd2pGk8SMNeG-mHHKuZVs3J99idbS7_u6DloyDx3pTtAOLSqBQsJVFqw/w251-h400/00079943-a7d4-44e2-bab3-ca4887386b7b.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-68865377921710646002020-10-02T08:07:00.006+05:302020-10-02T08:07:55.671+05:30DINAKARAN NEWS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfvkMhDoGHbmHVQ6aTrRZUW7LnlTdgdXxt_LrejMG6rTjjSQGdvgm3Xdi9nZXEB5ACAbHc-UKXR33IVQUHpz9U0XmkYtGvCy33Odg3H27hUrwi_-VXC0e0BMpUxoSV3zQxPbnlJ6KfBk/s485/1d0c528e-f7dc-4844-9db0-07610bdc1489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="366" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfvkMhDoGHbmHVQ6aTrRZUW7LnlTdgdXxt_LrejMG6rTjjSQGdvgm3Xdi9nZXEB5ACAbHc-UKXR33IVQUHpz9U0XmkYtGvCy33Odg3H27hUrwi_-VXC0e0BMpUxoSV3zQxPbnlJ6KfBk/w301-h400/1d0c528e-f7dc-4844-9db0-07610bdc1489.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-81345577228095034162020-10-02T08:07:00.001+05:302020-10-02T08:07:07.477+05:30DINAKARAN NEWS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73gHIKKGRAF58iOAiqivV9Q4V-UIHPj3Cb5GpXhgo_CTWiWdYneJ8VrV7xxgyvLrAEcr2HixjXXrDuhRcXiEq8s9p9VrGSOc8HoHe2AX4zRY39K-2WVsSdr4mlakbSVBdgTOKYPCzt7g/s809/3efff40e-a708-401a-8172-38ea8acc9d8c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="555" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73gHIKKGRAF58iOAiqivV9Q4V-UIHPj3Cb5GpXhgo_CTWiWdYneJ8VrV7xxgyvLrAEcr2HixjXXrDuhRcXiEq8s9p9VrGSOc8HoHe2AX4zRY39K-2WVsSdr4mlakbSVBdgTOKYPCzt7g/w275-h400/3efff40e-a708-401a-8172-38ea8acc9d8c.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-45359585081110348632020-10-02T08:05:00.005+05:302020-10-02T08:05:35.722+05:30 Sweets vendors oppose ‘best before date’ norm<div style="text-align: justify;">Sweetmeat sellers across the State have strongly opposed the new guidelines enforced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.The FSSAI has made it mandatory for confectioners to display the manufacturing and “best before dates” on their non-packaged sweet items with effect from October 1 to ensure food safety.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, sellers have unanimously opposed the decision saying this would cost them more during this crisis situation. At a meeting held here recently, the vendors under the banner of the Utkal Mistanna Byabasayee Samitee said it is impossible on their part to do the additional work as their shops are running short of manpower due to the pandemic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“All confectioners have incurred loss due to the pandemic. There is shortage of manpower also. At this time, it is not possible on our part to take in additional manpower to execute the new guidelines,” said Samitee president Bimbadhar Behera.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Samitee has also asked as to why the guidelines have not been issued for those selling bakery items at high prices and making good money.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-48169033776298252732020-10-02T08:04:00.001+05:302020-10-02T08:04:09.601+05:30 Govt moves to revamp the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Synopsis</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The ministry of health and family welfare has framed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill 2020 and introduced 70 amendments in the 2006 Act to revamp FSSAI functioning and its jurisdiction.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">NEW DELHI: The Centre has moved to revamp the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the prime regulatory authority for food safety in India, giving it more powers, extending its jurisdiction over animal feed, enhancing penalties imposed for violations and simplifying processes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ministry of health and family welfare has framed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill 2020 and introduced 70 amendments in the 2006 Act to revamp FSSAI functioning and its jurisdiction. With the amendments, the government has proposed to bring regulation of animal feed industry under FSSAI. So far, the regulatory body had powers on food industry. In the 2006 Act, an amendment is proposed which would include, “It is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its control the food and animal feed industry.” The government has included a detailed definition of animal feed. Apart from animal feed industry, the government has also decided to specify standards for “food contact material”, which would mean specifying standards for food packaging material. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The government has also proposed to make the Act more stringent prescribing enhanced penalties for violations, including manufacture and sale of unsafe food, adulteration of food causing death, carrying out business without licence and repeat offences. The amendments propose enhancing maximum fine for manufacturing and sale of unsafe food from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. A new section has been introduced to define penalty for adulteration of food causing death or grievous hurt. In case unsafe food causes “harm to body which amounts to causing grievous hurt even if it does not cause actual injury”, the punishment could extend upto life imprisonment. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The move comes six years after the Modi government had withdrawn a similar Bill introduced by Congress-led UPA in Rajya Sabha in February 2014. The NDA government had withdrawn it after a Cabinet decision in December 2014 and decided to bring a more comprehensive Bill to address systemic issues and incorporate rulings of Supreme Court and Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court. The ministry of health and family welfare would now invite suggestions on the draft Bill. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The government has also proposed to appoint a chief executive officer at FSSAI as member secretary to oversee functions. So far, the role had not been defined. A big change proposed is the vesting of powers of appointment of members with Central government. Earlier the Act said that chairperson and members would be selected by the Centre on recommendations of the selection committee. Now, there would be no role of a selection committee in appointment of members. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The government also proposes to simplify the process of serving notices to a food business operator, who is running unsafe restaurants or any other establishment. A long winding process has been shortened. </div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-87333502587855879422020-09-29T07:25:00.008+05:302020-09-29T07:25:45.309+05:30 Bengal sweet shop owners seek PM Modi’s intervention to roll back FSSAI directive<i>The latest FSSAI directive makes it mandatory for sweets shops to declare the ‘best before date’ of non-packaged or loose sweets.</i><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="180" src="https://www.hindustantimes.com/rf/image_size_960x540/HT/p2/2020/09/28/Pictures/_4db9d906-018f-11eb-8ced-aae354dd8a08.jpg" width="320" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Authorities of the sweet manufacturers’ association said that the directive could spell doom on small and medium sweet shops in urban areas and towns</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sweet shops owners in West Bengal, a state that is known for its traditional sweet treats, has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Mamata Banerjee to roll back the latest directive of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/fssai-mulling-making-fortification-of-edible-oil-with-vitamins-a-d-mandatory/story-S3mrTELUu00CFG84ssZGMN.html">FSSAI</a>) that makes it mandatory for sweets shops to declare the ‘best before date’ of non-packaged or loose sweets.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">The food safety regulator, in a letter dated 25 September to the commissioner of food safety of all states and Union Territories, said, “...In the public interest and to ensure food safety, it has been decided that in case of non-packaged/loose sweets, the container/tray holding sweets at the outlet for sale should display the ‘Best Before Date’ of the product mandatorily with effect from October 1, 2020.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Authorities of the sweet manufacturers’ association said that this could spell doom on the small and medium sweet shops in urban areas and towns, which form the bulk of the Rs 2,000 crore sweets industry in Bengal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“While a small-time shop manufactures around 20-30 varieties of sweets every day, for a big shop this can go up to 100 varieties. Imagine keeping a tab on each and every tray and noting down the time and mentioning the best before date on each tray. The industry is already facing a shortage of labour. Also, you need a literate person who can maintain the log. Not all labour in a sweetshop can do that. We would need to employ another person or two for this. This could spell doom,” said Asis Pal, joint secretary of the All West Bengal Sweet Manufacturers’ Association, who has been in the business for more than four decades and has two shops in a district.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bengali sweets, most of which are primarily made of milk and chhena, are not just popular in the state but are also famous across India. According to the association, there are around 1.5 lakh sweets manufacturers and shops in Bengal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are ready to abide by laws. But it has to have some practicality. This new directive may suit big brands and traders but would be disastrous for the small and medium traders,” said D Das, who owns a popular confectionary and is a member of the association.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The letter also said that the food business operators (FBOs) might also display the date of manufacturing, adding that “it is not mandatory”. The food regulator said that the decision was based on various complaints about the quality and adulteration of sweets, mostly during the festive season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have already written to the Prime Minister, the chief minister and Union MSME minister Nitin Gadkari seeking their intervention. We are also trying to meet the chief minister. The new directive would spell doom on us,” said Pal.</div></div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-11680911543981943592020-09-29T07:19:00.008+05:302020-09-29T07:19:34.827+05:30 PIL challenging directions of FSSAI<div style="text-align: justify;">Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court consisting of the Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy on Monday directed the petitioner Nalin Venkat Kishore Kumar to file his reply in a PIL filed challenging the directions issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). </div><div style="text-align: justify;">As reported earlier, the petitioner filed a PIL in lieu of directions of FSSAI for the use of ethephon in liquid form and in powder form in ethephon sachets for post-harvest fruit ripening. This the petitioner complained was ultra vires to the Food Safety Act. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">He sought directions to both FSSAI and the State government to take the help of police to prevent the sale distribution and use of imported or domestically manufactured ethephon sachets for fruit ripening purposes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">He complained that the use of the sachets was not only illegal but also hazardous for the health of the general public. The Central government has filed a counter in the PIL. The panel will continue to hear the matter on 14 October granting time to the petitioner to respond.</div>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-51414107971445937632020-09-29T07:17:00.003+05:302020-09-29T07:17:56.965+05:30Notice to 109 tea units for quality violations<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA0Zk7zVb_B62PWSc3LMYPtAoNsEgbl1UR2PaY7lE8q32rTCKrhzTR1gxJoPFcDWfiHX4C6tNEUA2ZTa1kuO-YM9Qj2fUviyXXACNnLqfh7_wJ7MHqaQChjGF8bqkTEVIqQfjnpeNb6o/s708/CHN_2020-09-29_maip3_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="363" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA0Zk7zVb_B62PWSc3LMYPtAoNsEgbl1UR2PaY7lE8q32rTCKrhzTR1gxJoPFcDWfiHX4C6tNEUA2ZTa1kuO-YM9Qj2fUviyXXACNnLqfh7_wJ7MHqaQChjGF8bqkTEVIqQfjnpeNb6o/w205-h400/CHN_2020-09-29_maip3_10.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-2481297528809713262020-09-26T08:00:00.002+05:302020-09-26T08:00:38.603+05:30<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1uMXrkopIuZstbc_O9rKiFN9Na9vJTn42SEY6FXYQGt_ug1Lu3mVRkXoWVA4GLp3xGdpLtjOzDMy0h4QllcEI6jWt1fvBwZduz60Ui83yYQIew6vCbS8_CtvnSAyS8kE57jYHk1fulo/s1333/Direction_Form_FBO_25_09_2020-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1121" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1uMXrkopIuZstbc_O9rKiFN9Na9vJTn42SEY6FXYQGt_ug1Lu3mVRkXoWVA4GLp3xGdpLtjOzDMy0h4QllcEI6jWt1fvBwZduz60Ui83yYQIew6vCbS8_CtvnSAyS8kE57jYHk1fulo/w336-h400/Direction_Form_FBO_25_09_2020-page-001.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470152706046950050.post-57636751855023295772020-09-26T07:59:00.002+05:302020-09-26T07:59:42.938+05:30<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd58qI1BRZcaWLtXAP6sJ3AUCApNMm_FyxJKpwoZ5t3JWLNsbw-dnLsPrf3z0XwvBWhNqqxCcdKyyi76dhOPRpQj7XSlirzapEXxocu38f4ZVwCCE7SqT__oaK_spOgHZcH2POyRY-S04/s1361/Order_Direction_Date_Sweets_25_09_2020-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1061" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd58qI1BRZcaWLtXAP6sJ3AUCApNMm_FyxJKpwoZ5t3JWLNsbw-dnLsPrf3z0XwvBWhNqqxCcdKyyi76dhOPRpQj7XSlirzapEXxocu38f4ZVwCCE7SqT__oaK_spOgHZcH2POyRY-S04/w311-h400/Order_Direction_Date_Sweets_25_09_2020-page-001.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>ADMNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02032313454999643201noreply@blogger.com0