Slaughterhouse case: Issue fresh licence, HC tells Yogi govt

Interim order by Allahabad high court comes as relief for meat sellers whose licences weren’t renewed by the Uttar Pradesh government after March

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath imposed a ban on all illegal slaughterhouses after assuming office on March 19.

The Allahabad high court directed the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday to start issuing licences and no-objection certificates to meat sellers, potentially ending a stalemate over closing slaughterhouses that saw meat disappearing from local markets and popular eating joints.

The interim order of the HC’s Lucknow bench came as a major relief for meat sellers, whose licences weren’t renewed by the government after March.

The bench of justices AP Shahi and Sanjay Harkauli also directed the government to file a reply on July 17 – the next date of hearing – about the steps taken in compliance of the order.

“The state government cannot shy away from its responsibility of regulating slaughter houses,” said justice Shahi, while reading out the operative part of the order.

The order implies that traders can apply for fresh licences or for a renewal. Even those whose slaughterhouses were shut down can now apply.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath imposed a ban on all illegal slaughterhouses after assuming office on March 19, fulfilling a promise in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto for the UP assembly elections.

Though the action was mainly aimed at curbing illegal slaughter of cow, meat sellers alleged that authorities harassed even legal abattoirs. A section of meat sellers had even gone on a strike while Lucknow’s popular eating joint Tunday -- known for its kebabs -- had shut shop for a day due to non-availability of meat.

Many also alleged that most slaughterhouses in the state were illegal because of lax procedures and lack of oversight.

The court also directed district magistrates and divisional commissioners to take appropriate action to regulate meat shops and slaughterhouses.

Along with a PIL, the court had clubbed all writ petitions seeking renewal of licences of meat shops filed by individuals.

While advocate general Raghvendra Singh represented the state government, advocate BK Singh pleaded for the petitioners.

Earlier, the advocate general pointed out that after the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, came into force, all other laws related to food and safety had become redundant.

The court, however, observed on Friday all provisions in local acts (nagar panchayats) had not been incorporated in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

During the hearing of the case, the advocate general also pointed out that the UP government’s directive was against illegal slaughterhouses and not against establishments operating legally.

“The court’s order is not against the state government. It is also a clear direction to the state government to regulate meat trade,” lawyer BK Singh told HT.

“Illegal slaughterhouses and meat shops will no longer be able to operate as they used to do earlier.”

Allahabad HC to deliver judgement on slaughterhouses, meat shops today

The bench of justice AP Shahi and justice Sanjay Harkauli completed the hearing of litigations related to the operation of slaughterhouses on Thursday and reserved the judgment for Friday.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath imposed a ban on all illegal slaughterhouses in the state after assuming office on March 19.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court will deliver its judgment on the grant or renewal of licences to slaughterhouses and meat shops in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

The bench of justice AP Shahi and justice Sanjay Harkauli completed the hearing of litigations related to the operation of slaughterhouses on Thursday and reserved the judgment for Friday.

THE FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS ACT, 2006

It is an act to consolidate laws relating to food and establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Along with the public interest litigations, the court also clubbed all writ petitions seeking renewal of licences of meat shops filed by individual shop owners.

Advocate general Singh, who appeared on behalf of the state government, pointed out that after the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, came into force all other laws related to food and safety have become redundant.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath imposed a ban on all illegal slaughterhouses in the state after assuming office on March 19. Action against such slaughterhouses was promised in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto for UP assembly elections.

The advocate general also pointed out that the UP government’s directive was against illegal slaughterhouses and not against those establishments which are operating legally.

Focus on cow smuggling and consumption of cattle meat has risen since the BJP won power in 2014, but the issue returned to spotlight after chief minister Adityanath clamped down on illegal slaughterhouses and cattle smuggling last month.

FDA issues closure notice to unpackaged drinking water units

NAGPUR : The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Nagpur division, has sent closure notices to about seven units of the region, selling unpackaged drinking water without mandatory licenses. Last week, FDA had raided these units on the directives of FDA commissioner Harshdeep Kamble.

FDA assistant food commissioner of Nagpur division Milind Deshpande, who is also holding additional charge of rural, said that these units are now prohibited from selling drinking water. "Action has been taken under section 36 of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006," Deshpande added.

The seven units include three from Nagpur and two in Bhandara and Gadchiroli each. The food safety officers of Bhandara and Gadchiroli divisions were called to Nagpur and handed over the notices. "If the units continue to sell water despite notices, matter will go for adjudication," Deshpande said.

FDA will continue raiding more such units in the coming weeks. On September 6, 2016, TOI was the first to expose the shocking conditions in which the 'potable water' was being stored and transported. The units were running without licenses from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) or Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which are mandatory for selling packaged drinking water.

The ministry of health and family welfare, through a notification issued on November 15, 2016, has made it mandatory to sell packaged drinking water in sealed containers. Following this, Kamble issued directions for inspecting all such units in the entire state.

On the other hand, members of RO chilled water manufacturers welfare association recently staged a protest under the leadership of youth Congress leader Bunty Shelke. Stating that many women and handicapped people are running these units for livelihood, they demanded allotment of licenses by FDA.

Officials seize chemical ripened mangoes

Puducherry, May 12 (UNI) Puducherry Food Safety Officials today conducted a raid and seized a ton of chemical ripened mangoes. 

In view of mango season in April and May, some traders ripen mangoes using carbide powder and stones. On a complaint that chemically ripened mangoes are being sold at the Grand bazaar area, Food Safety officials conducted a raid and seized the mangoes since such mangoes would lead to diseases like cancer. 

A team of officials led by I.Dhanraj and Balakrishnan raided more than 20 mango stalls and seized the chemical ripened fruit. 

Mangoes seized

Officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department seized nearly Rs. 1 lakh worth of artificially ripened mangoes, rotten fruits, and soft drinks which jumped the expiry date from various shops and storage yards near Palladam here on Friday.

Sources said that the mangoes were artificially ripened by spraying chemicals over it.

GM mustard gets backing from regulator

The environment ministry has to take a final call after Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee gave a positive recommendation to the commercial use of GM mustard

The GEAC has also put a number of conditions to the ministry while recommending the commercial use of GM mustard. 

In a watershed moment India’s regulator for transgenic products, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), has approved commercial production of genetically modified (GM) mustard.

Effectively, India is a step away from allowing GM food crops. The recommendation will now have to approved by Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave.

GM mustard has been developed by Delhi University-based Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP).

The lobby backing GM crops believe these crops are superior as they are resistant to pests and diseases—implying lower usage of pesticides. Consequently, they can generate better yields and be more environmentally friendly.

So far, only GM cotton, a non-food crop, has been permitted. If indeed the government does give its go-ahead, it would be for the first time that India will be officially adopting a genetically modified food crop. In 2010, the GEAC had approved the commercialization of Bt brinjal; however in the face of strong protests from civil society the then environment minister Jairam Ramesh declined to sign off on the proposal.

But the road ahead is unlikely to be smooth. Not only is there a case pending before the Supreme Court, GM crops have been opposed by civil society and saffron groups such as Swadeshi Jagran Manch, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which is the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Deepak Pental, the lead scientist who developed the technology and former vice-chancellor of Delhi University, declined to comment as he had not received an official communication.

“The application was submitted (to GEAC) in 2015 and we have deliberated on it about eight times. A subcommittee was formed by GEAC in February 2016 which was asked to look into all documents submitted by the applicant. The safety documents were put online and over 700 comments were received. Of those, about 440 were scientific. We gave all our comments to the subcommittee to go through it so that whatever concerns are there are addressed,” said Amita Prasad, GEAC’s chairperson and additional secretary in the environment ministry.

“They (the subcommittee) went through safety documents once again and submitted their report today. GEAC considered their report and appraised the application. We have approved it with certain conditions,” Prasad said.

Last month, in its three-year draft action plan, the government think tank NITI Aayog too had backed GM food crops.

“GEAC has proven yet again that it is unscientific and uncaring with regard to citizens’ health and environment. They have failed in their very mandate and purpose for which they have been created, to protect citizens from risks of GMOs (genetically modified organisms),” said Kavitha Kuruganti, convener of the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture, a nationwide informal network of more than 400 organizations drawn from 20 states.

Kuruganti and other organizations are at the forefront of protests against GM mustard.

“We hope and urge minister Anil Madhav Dave to be responsible in his decision-making—this GM mustard should be rejected just a Bt brinjal was, seven years ago. At least he should fulfil the mandate of his Ministry, even if the regulators did not. He should uphold BJP’s election manifesto promise that GM foods will not be allowed without full scientific evaluation,” she added.

The commercialization of GM mustard faces other tests too. During the case in the Supreme Court, the central government had promised that it would not approve GM mustard without the court’s nod.

“The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had promised that GM food crops will not be allowed till all safety concerns are addressed and a consensus is achieved. If GEAC has cleared it we will go to any extent to stop it and would even come on streets,” said Deepak Sharma, the national media head of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch.

The BJP in its 2014 election manifesto had said GM crops would not be allowed without proper scientific investigation. But GM crops are central to the government’s plans for pushing investment and growth in the biotechnology sector. It is also considered critical by the government for boosting farm productivity in India.

Kuruganti further said that the government should not hide behind the Supreme Court.

“To hide behind SC doesn’t make sense for the government. It should be rejected by Anil Madhav Dave. This is fairly straight decision that they should be taking especially when BJP and Narendra Modi had promised to country in 2014 that it would not be brought without long term scientific evaluation,” she added.

Mustard set to be India’s first GM food, gets regulator nod

HIGHLIGHTS

• The GM mustard was developed by a Delhi University institution
• In 2010, the Bt Brinjal was cleared but the decision was not accepted by then environment minister
• Decision of the GEAC was, however, vehemently opposed by environmentalists
NEW DELHI: India's central biotech regulator, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), on Thursday cleared the genetically modified (GM) Mustard for commercial cultivation and recommended its approval to the environment ministry.

The fate of this transgenic variety of oil-seed will now be in the hands of the MoS environment Anil Madhav Dave who may either accept it, reject it or sit over the file till the Supreme Court takes its call on a pending application on the matter.

The GM mustard, developed by a Delhi University institution, is only the second food crop which got its clearance from the central regulator. The GEAC had earlier in 2010 cleared the Bt Brinjal but the decision was not accepted by then environment minister Jairam Ramesh. Currently, only Bt Cotton - a non-food GM crop - is commercially cultivated in the country.

"The application on GM Mustard presented by Deepak Pental of South Campus (Delhi University) was appraised at the GEAC meeting held on Thursday. The GEAC has recommended the approval of GM Mustard to the environment ministry. Earlier, a sub-committee had appraised the safety document for GM Mustard", said Amita Prasad, chairperson of the GEAC.

Pental, ex-vice chancellor of the Delhi University and a well-known genetics scientist, had filed the application for commercial release of the GM Mustard in December 2015. The GEAC had subsequently set up a sub-committee to examine the safety aspect of the use of transgenic variety of the mustard. The sub-committee had last year given its safety clearance while noting that the GM Mustard is safe for human consumption and environment.

Decision of the GEAC was, however, vehemently opposed by environmentalists, anti-GM groups and even the RSS-linked economic policy think-tank Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM). Reacting to the development, the SJM's national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan told TOI that the decision has no meaning at all when the matter is still pending in the Supreme Court. "We will write against the GEAC's move to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the environment minister Anil Madhav Dave, requesting them to reject the recommendation of the GEAC", said Mahajan.

The 'Sarson Satyagraha', a broad platform of hundreds of NGOs representing farmers, consumers, scientists and others that has been at the forefront of resisting the approval of GM mustard in India' too condemned the green signal to the herbicide tolerant GM Mustard.

"The GEAC has proven yet again that it is unscientific and uncaring with regard to citizens' health and environment. They have failed in their very mandate and purpose for which they have been created, to protect citizens from risks of GMOs. Earlier in the case of Bt brinjal too, they behaved irresponsibly and shamelessly unscientifically. In this case, it is a hazardous herbicide tolerant food crop at that, which has direct implications for a large number of Indian farmers, agricultural workers and consumers", said Kavitha Kuruganti of the Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA).

She, on behalf of the Sarson Satyagrah, said, "We have shown over the past several months, through rigorous analysis of available material, how this GM mustard dossier was rigged for favourable results, how it is an unneeded GMO, how it will increase chemicals in our food and farms (because it is a herbicide tolerant GMO) and how regulators should have never allowed it to proceed this far. They had ignored many valid questions raised by scientists and others and chose to function behind a shroud of secrecy".

Shops and bakeries come under scanner

Surveillance part of Statewide alert against sale of jelly candy, pudding and related products

Shops and bakeries in Ernakulam selling jelly candy and savouries will be under the close scanner of the Food Safety Department.

The move comes close on the heels of the death of a child due to suspected food poisoning after eating jelly candy from a bakery in Kozhikode last month. The surveillance over the shops and bakeries forms part of the State-wide alert against sale of jelly candy, pudding and related products. Senior officials of the Food Safety Department said that shop owners had removed the stocks of the jelly candy manufactured by a Coimbatore-based confectionery immediately after the Kozhikode incident hit headlines.

Food safety officials pointed out that samples of jelly candy and other confectioneries will be collected on a routine basis as part of the strengthened vigil after the Kohzikode incident. They have asked the retailers and wholesale shops not to sell sweets and savouries without mentioning the manufacturing date and expiry date. Stringent action will be taken against those responsible for not carrying the details of the ingredients in the food items, they said.

Misbranding

Bakers Association Kerala has demanded an increased vigil over the sale of chocolates, toffees, and jelly candy by misbranding it as foreign products. P. M. Sankaran, president of the association, said that several sweets and chocolates banned abroad are being sold through various outlets in the State. Bakeries should not sell items that lack the licence issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, he said.

FSSAI officials have made it clear that manufacturers should display the 14-digit licence number on the packet, container or bottle in which the food item is stored. It should also have the customer care number and address of the manufacturer. Those who fail to get the mandatory licence will be sentenced to six months in prison and fined ₹5 lakh, they said.

Vendors selling tap water in government hospitals caught

Chennai: The state's health department may be on their toes to keep infections, especially stomach-related ailments, at bay in the time of drought, but their own backyards lie unattended as government hospitals bristle with vendors selling unhygienic water. On Thursday, two vendors were caught at the women and children's hospital in Egmore selling, what is suspected to be, tap water in bottles.

Based on a tip-off, Tamil Nadu food safety department officials undertook an inspection at the Institute of Child Health and Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and found the vendors selling water from soiled containers with no label. "When we questioned them, they said they had bought it from a dealer nearby for Rs40," said an official who was part of the inspection team. The team tracked the dealer and found that he wasn't attached to a licensed manufacturer. "The dealer procures bubble-top cans and fills them with water. The vendors too keep refilling," said the official, adding 41 of them were seized. They suspect the cans were filled with tap water and sold for Rs8 a bottle.

Dr Raghunathan, resident medical officer at ICH, said vendors usually stand at the hospital gates selling water and food items. "They wait for doctors to leave for the day to enter the premises," he said, adding the hospital had repeatedly complained to the police and corporation to remove these hawkers. When asked if the hospital had sufficient drinking water for patients and attendants, he said it had two reverse osmosis drinking water units, and more are in the process of being set up. Patients, however, said on most days these taps ran dry, a claim supported by senior doctors. "You can't blame the hospital for this. We buy water from Metrowater. Sometimes we have to wait longer for it to come. Water is rationed when that happens," said a senior doctor, not willing to be named.

R Kathiravan, designated officer, Tamil Nadu food safety department, Chennai, said the health department would undertake inspections at hospitals and evict vendors. The department seized nearly 115 soiled or unlabelled cans from various parts of the city.

Chemically treated mangoes flood markets

GUWAHATI: The onset of the mango season has infused a worrisome trend in the city as deliciously and ripe mangoes laced with calcium carbide (CaC2) are thronging wholesale and retail fruit selling stores, posing a serious risks to public health. The blatant adulteration of the most sought after fruit was brought to light on Tuesday morning when officials of the Kamrup (metro) district food safety department raided some shops at the Fancy Bazaar locality, a commercial hub of the city.

At one of the raided shops, officials found 12 trays of mangoes weighing close to one quintal, suspected to be heavily ripened with calcium carbide. The sellers were picked up and sent to the local police station for interrogation.

"We got a tip-off from a source following which we raided some shops. We had long suspected that the sellers were resorting to ripening of mangoes with calcium carbide. Immediately after the raids we informed the police. The police picked up the sellers and sent them to the Fancy Bazaar police station. A FIR was lodged," said an official from the district food safety department.

Artificial ripening of fruits, especially bananas, papayas and mangoes, has been gaining ground in the recent past. It is difficult to distinguish naturally ripe fruits and the artificial variety, but officials identify the adulterated ones by the excessive yellowish colouring of the fruit.

"Last year also we conducted similar raids. This is a continuous practice that sections of the fruit sellers in the city resort to. We keep on imposing fines and penalties but after a while they again resort to this practice. There is a nexus between the fruit sellers," added the official.

Experts say calcium carbide poses severe health risks to the human body. CaC2 contains poisonous chemical components like arsenic and phosphorous. Many countries around the world have already banned or imposed stringent actions against those using it for ripening essential food items.

"The main problem with CaC2 is that it is used to generate a gas called ethylene. Ethylene, when used in small amounts, can help to swiftly ripen fruits. When someone consumes fruits ripened with ethylene gas, it can lead to stomach upset and in the long-term prolonged health ailments," said an expert.

Sweet seller in jail for adulterated food

VADODARA: A judicial magistrate's court here sentenced owner of a sweet shop to one year in prison with fine of Rs 5,000 for selling adulterated sweets at his shop near Por bus-stand.

Officials of Food and Drug Department went to the shop of Pritesh Patel in May 2008 and bought 750 grams of sweet which were kept on sale as samples. The food inspector sent samples to a public analyst and local health authority for examination.

The public analyst in his report informed the department that the sweet contained synthetic food colour which are prohibited. The food inspector lodged complaint against Patel under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. During the trial, the accused asked for reanalysis of the sample in Central Food Laboratory. After testing the samples, the laboratory in its certificate submitted to the court said that the sample of the sweet does not confirm to the general safety standards laid down for food under the Act. Additional public prosecutor Pranav Joshi argued before the court that the food inspector had followed all procedures of sampling, sealing and packing according to the law and the evidence too proves the offence for which Patel should be convicted.

The judicial magistrate A P Patel, while sentencing the punishment to Patel observed that the adulterated food articles affects the health of public at large and therefore it is incumbent on the seller to maintain highest standards of quality.

Food safety team inspects stalls at Bathu Basti

A Food Safety Enforcement team of the Food Safety, A & N Islands, led by District Food Safety Officer, South Andaman inspected 12 food business premises, which includes bakeries, restaurants, petty vendors, hotels, grocery sellers, hawkers, road side eateries, poultry shop and other operators at the entire stretch of Bathu Basti recently. During inspection 11.6 kgs frozen dressed chicken was destroyed due to un-hygienic storage. The premise was closed immediately keeping in view of public health temporarily and directed FBO in-charge to clean and sanitize the entire premise before opening the shop to continue the business. Of the inspection made, three Food Business operators have been issued improvement notices, seven FBOs compounded and two were being adjudicated for offences committed under relevant section of Food Safety Act’2006.

The food business operators have been advised to keep their premises in hygienic conditions and to comply with provisions under the Food Safety Act’2006. General public have been requested to pass on contraventions found if any on food safety and also inform of storage, distribution, selling of any contraband products to the Commissioner Food Safety, A&N Islands at No.03192-231024/9434280018 or on District Control Room No.1070 for strict actions against violators. In order to provide safe, hygienic and wholesome food to the consumers, the Commissioner of Food Safety has sought co-operation of trading community to help the enforcement team of Food Safety Department of the District Administration.

Plastic Cabbage From China In India? No, It’s Wax Food Display Replicas In Japan

Over the past few days, Hindi news channels have gone in overdrive reporting about supposedly ‘plastic cabbage’ from China making its way to Delhi. The news reports emerged after a mobile video from Ambala, Haryana went viral on social media. The video claimed to show how a ‘plastic cabbage’ peel does not easily catch fire when placed over an open gas flame. Hindi news outlets such as Aaj Tak, News24, and Zee News ran the story.

News24 went a step further and reported that it had found a video of how plastic cabbage was made in China in its news report titled ‘plastic wali patta gobi‘. The video shows a south east Asian-looking man mixing colourful liquids in a large bowl of water and then shaping the substance to look like a real cabbage. News24 claimed that the video was from a lab in China.

But BOOM found the video was actually about wax food replicas to display outside restaurants in Japan. Moreover, the video is at least two years old, has Korean subtitles, a logo of SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System) and a dubbed voice over.

According to blog Kotaku, the hyper-realistic fake food is called “shokuhin sample” (食品サンプル) or “food sample”, and is not meant to be eaten. It is used outside restaurants in Japan as a display to supplement menu cards so that diners can literally see what they are ordering.

Many restaurants work closely with wax food makers to make accurate replicas of dishes on their menu. Restaurants can also buy shokuhin samples from shops that make them.

BOOM found several videos of “plastic cabbage” and “fake food” from Japan.

Fact checking organisation Snopes did a story about Japanese wax food samples when a hoax about China dumping “synthetic cabbages” on unwitting American consumers went viral.

“Even in the absence of ample evidence that wax food displays are exceptionally common in Asia, it stands to reason that synthetic cabbages wouldn’t fly as a market staple anywhere in the world due to the fact that wax is unpalatable and would clearly melt when cooked, and cabbage’s relatively low price point makes such a substitution costlier than retailing genuine cabbage.” – Snopes

BOOM has not verified the accuracy of the video from Ambala, Haryana or the many copycat videos that it has inspired.

However, so far there is no conclusive proof to say that rogue cabbages are being sold in India.

We reached out to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in New Delhi will update our story when we receive a response.

Parents and Varsity respond to government’s no-junk resolution

If you are one of those parents who cajole your kid with junk foods; be it for their homework or scoring best marks in the class, wait! You might want to think again about this, as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is planning to levy additional taxes on processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages and also have called for a blanket ban on advertising of junk foods and beverages on kids' channels and on all other mediums that connect with children. This happened after the Maharashtra government announced a ban on the sale of junk food at the school canteens.

Schools Speak

According to the GR passed by the government on Monday, every school in the state is prohibited from selling or deal with junk foods, be it Government schools, private aided schools or the privately owned schools. The Principals of the private schools are confused as to why such a ban has been imposed when they already have implimented a no-junk food policy in their school canteens.

Talking to The Afternoon D&C, Nishant Garodia, the Principal of Garodia International School, Ghatkopar, explained the daily menu of their school canteen. He said,"The government's Junk food policy is valid and acceptable. However, as far as I know, even before the government asked, most of the private schools already followed the no-junk food rule in their canteens." According to him, Garodia International has a weekly food chart which includes healthy foods, however, they have a cheat day too!

"Every week, we have allotted one day as cheat day where the students will be given their beloved junkies. Pizzas, Pastas, Chocolates and Burgers. The reason behind this is not to oppress their urge to consume their favourite food," he added.

According to Garodia and other Principals, providing junk food once in a while is okay, they feel by stopping them from eating junkies, may lead to some other trouble. Psychologically, if a child is not given what they desire, they will find other ways to possess them which may prove fatal.

Dilshad Thobani, Principal of H.A and L.S Girls High School, Masjid Bunder, said, "I feel that's a very positive move. But even before the ban, I had asked the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) members to prepare home made stuff rather than packaged food items in their children tiffins."

Why Banning Junk Will Cause Trouble?

According to the canteen owners around the schools and colleges, the one thing that students are most attracted to is Junk food. Foods like potato chips of various brands, cold drinks, Frankie (bread roll), Pizzas, Pasta, etc. are students' favourite food types. The canteen owners are afraid that if the government asks them to discontinue selling all these junk food they might lose out on business.

What about the University ban?

The Government Resolution (GR) which was passed on Monday clearly stated the eradication of Junk food from the school canteens in the state. The question is that will the schools really work under the guidelines of the GR?

Like the Maharashtra government, The University Grants Commission (UGC) too had issued instructions last November against the availability and sale of junk food in the higher educational institutions. UGC, which works under the Human Resource Development (MHRD), had passed such an instruction to set new standards for healthy food and make the students live and learn better. However, the University of Mumbai (MU) still provides all types of Junk food and sweetened and carbonated drinks in their varsity canteens.

A taste of a healthier, emptier future?

It’s natural that the Indian middle-class bulge is seen differently by marketers and nutritionists. But the recent Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) move to decree as junk most things that Indians — large and small — love to munch on and recommend they be swept off our plates in the interests of good health and slapped with a sin tax may not do a fat lot of good. 

As the food authority’s no-nos include all sweet, deep-fried and salted ‘snacks’, potato chips, candy, burgers, pizzas, nuggets, noodles, confectionaries, packaged soups and colas, among many other things, children would be the first to ask — as they are wont to do — “Then what else is there for me to eat, even as a treat?” It is likely, therefore, that any caveat against these toothsome delights will be taken with a huge pinch of salt by most people. Man, after all, cannot live by bread alone, even if it is whole grain and bromate-free or a chapati. 

Given the flip-flops by experts on everything from salt and ghee to eggs and red meat — including sugar replacing fat as the new Public (Health) Enemy No. 1— Indians can be forgiven for being sceptical about this new good-food/bad-food diktat. In fact, they could get so spooked by harangues about what they should (not) eat that they may rush off for a sugar and-carb fix just to soothe their jangled nerves and tummies. 

Tips to Identify Food Additives : Exclusive Interview With Dr. Neha Gupta

Highlights:

• Food adulteration has reached epidemic proportions in India with many instances of food adulteration being reported.
• Dr. Neha provides tips to identifying food adulteration and safeguarding health.
• Buying good quality food is essential to safeguarding against ill effects of adulterated foodFood adulteration is when inferior materials are added to food to increase quantity with a view to improving profits. Adulteration leads to poor food quality and can affect the health of the individual. Some examples of food adulteration include:
• The addition of starch to paneer to make it thicker
• The addition of hydrogenated oil to ghee to make it yellow
• The addition of powdered bricks to red chiliFood adulteration can result in nausea, vomiting and blurred vision. Apart from the inferior material that are added to foods, spices like chili powder, turmeric powder and other powdered spices have high levels of pesticides in them.

Speaking exclusively to Medindia, Dr. Neha Gupta, Chief Nutritionist at N-lite Nutrition and Health Consultancy Pvt Ltd, talks about food adulteration in India and provides some detailed tips to identify adulterated food. Neha Gupta is the co-founder of N-lite Nutrition and is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Nutritionist and a Diabetes Educator with over 9 years of experience in food science. She has been a diet and lifestyle coach for health enthusiasts in India and abroad. With specialization in diabetes and clinical disorders, she has worked in hospitals, advising people on obesity, disease and lifestyle-related issues. 

‘“Starch, food colors, dust, horse dung are some of the commonly used adulterants in powdered spices and can lead to serious health complications”-- Dr. Neha Gupta.’

Medindia: What is the nutritional status of people in India?

Dr. Neha: India is a country in developmental transition which faces the dual burden of pre-transition and post-transition diseases. Malnourishment, under nutrition, infectious diseases, lifestyle-related degenerative diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and cancer plague the nation. Indian diet in general is deficient in essential amino acids, and micronutrients such as vitamin A, folate, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc. The requirements of some nutrients are especially high in adolescents and during pregnancy. With a transition in eating patterns, especially with respect to availability of convenience foods, there has been a shift from staples like wheat and whole grains to more of refined grains in the form of biscuits, pasta, different kinds of breads, which carry less nutrition. The intake of whole fruits and vegetables is also low in both rural and urban sectors.

Medindia: Is it better to buy sealed and packaged food rather than buying based on weight? 

Dr. Neha: While non-packaged food is fresh and healthy, there is always a high chance of infestation and adulteration at different levels. Packaged food, on the other hand, is manufactured in modern facilities that comply with strict quality and hygiene and packaging norms, thus the risk of infestation is relatively lower. Additionally food companies comply with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) rules and always detail out the ingredients that make-up the packaged product. Hence the consumer here makes an informed decision when purchasing a packaged food product, which will not be possible when buying a non-packaged item.

Medindia: Can you give our readers some tips to identify additives in food?

Dr. Neha: Indian cooking is incomplete without the usage of turmeric powder. However, a commonly used adulterant is the addition of lead chromate which gives it a bright yellow tinge and is insoluble in water. To detect the presence of lead chromate it can be mixed with water and placed in a beaker. If adulterated, it will immediately leak color. Red chili powder is the most commonly used spice in any Indian household and perhaps is also the most adulterated spice. The most commonly used adulterants in chili powders include presence of saw dust and brick powder. Add a teaspoon of chili powder in a glass of water and swirl it. Adulterated chili powder will dispel red swirl of color.

The presence of starch, food colors, dust, and horse dung are some of the commonly used adulterants in powdered spices and can lead to serious health complications. Immersing powdered spices in water will ensure that the adulterants float on the surface of the water while the remaining spices will settle on the bottom of the water surface. 

Medindia: Once you find that the food is adulterated, what is the next step?

Dr. Neha: Once we get to know that the food is adulterated, there is an urgent requirement that such a product should be withdrawn from the supply chain. The adulterated product can be returned to the sellers and a complaint can be lodged with the consumer courts or the city Food and Drug Administration department.

Medindia:How does food adulteration harm the body?

Dr. Neha: The ill effects are innumerable. Nausea, intestinal and digestive issues such as constipation and diarrhea are most common. High doses of pesticides in these can lead to mental retardation and certain type of cancers.

Medindia: Does street food have a lot of additives?

Dr. Neha: Yes, we can associate microbial contamination with food adulteration, which degrades the food quality and sometimes makes it unfit for consumption. Major sources contributing to microbial contamination are the place of preparation, utensils used for cooking and serving, raw materials, time and temperature, abuse of cooked foods and the personal hygiene of vendors. 

Medindia: How do we safeguard ourselves from buying adulterated food?

Dr. Neha: Indian food is incomplete without the addition of masala powders and spices but with this menace of contamination of spices, it can become a health hazard if consumed daily. The best way to avoid consuming spices which are adulterated is to buy them from a trusted source that packages them after being checked by food regulatory boards and carry either an ISI mark or an Agmark stamp.

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FSSAI finalizes draft norms for third-party audits at food firms

FSSAI has finalised the draft regulation for a ‘systematic and functionally independent examination’ aiming to ensure food safety at the point of origin

Auditing will have to procure necessary accreditation from specified accreditation bodies for each of the food categories, as defined by the regulator, to conduct these audits. 

New Delhi: Companies making food products—packaged or otherwise—will soon have to get their facilities and processes inspected by third party auditors regularly as a mandatory exercise. The country’s food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has finalised the draft regulation for a “systematic and functionally independent examination” aiming to ensure food safety at the point of origin.

FSSAI has already notified the draft regulations on its website and a final notification will come after the regulator reviews suggestions, views and comments from members of the Technical Barriers to Trade committee of the World Trade Organisation (WTO-TBT) over the next two months.

“We’ll have third party auditors to audit the premises and certify that appropriate food safety management practices are being followed. We’ll make it mandatory for large scale food businesses initially,” FSSAI chief executive officer Pawan Kumar Agarwal said.

Some food companies in India voluntarily hire laboratories to inspect safety of their products but it is not mandatory yet. Such audits are common in most developed countries where self-regulation is the norm.

According to the proposed regulations, there would be a recognised auditor and agency that would analyse the risk and undertake an audit to examine if there’s compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. FSSAI, along with the Quality Council of India (QCI), the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Export Inspection Council of India, will form a committee to evaluate the auditing agency and auditors.

The regulations will have detailed rules on what the auditors should examine and how. “The Authority, from time to time, would declare the categories or types of food businesses which will be subject to mandatory third-party auditing, primarily based on their risk classification,” the draft noted.

Auditing will have to procure necessary accreditation from specified accreditation bodies for each of the food categories, as defined by the regulator, to conduct these audits.

Audit monitoring mechanism will include review of audit reports and performance, on-site assessment of the food safety auditors to ensure competency of auditing food safety management systems and regulatory requirements.

Auditors and food business operators will have to maintain records of audit reports, actions and rectification measures for a period of five years, according to the draft regulation.

Maintain hygiene while cooking Haleem: GHMC

HYDERABAD: With the holy month of Ramzan now barely 20 days away, the GHMC on Tuesday issued instructions to all hoteliers about the norms that they need to follow while preparing Haleem. Hoteliers were strictly told to place the Haleem bhatti (the set up to prepare Haleem) only on the ground floor and instructed them to procure stamped meat alone.

The meeting with several hoteliers was held at the GHMC headquarters and chaired by civic chief B Janardhan Reddy. "Ensuring hygienic food to people is our prime motto, we don't want to penalise anyone," said an official from the health and sanitation wing of GHMC. Apart from places where Haleem wil be prepared, even eateries selling the finished product should maintain hygienic conditions, officials said while also directing them to be well equipped with fire safety machinery in case of an emergency.

The hoteliers were also asked to dispose the waste, according to the civic norms, and instructed to cooperate with GHMC officials during inspections. "All the utensils made of copper should be coated with nickel to prevent food poisoning. There should be proper ventilation with adequate exhaust fans in the kitchens where Haleem is made, to ensure the safety and health of the workers," officials said. These safety measures were welcomed by food enthusiasts in the city who appealed to the civic authorities to regularly inspect the stalls selling Haleem.

"It's a good move as hygienic food is our right. In fact for most people price is not a concern if the food that is being sold is hygienic. It is therefore important that these eateries are continuously monitored so that they do not let their standards drop," said Abdul Adil a foodie from the city.

Apart from well-ventilated kitchens, GHMC officials also instructed hoteliers to provide clean clothing, masks and head caps to the staffers preparing Haleem all through the holy month.

It may be recalled that when GHMC teams inspected eateries during April, unstamped meat, preserving stale food, unhygienic kitchens and unsanitary conditions were among the common violations found plaguing eateries or restaurants in the city.

FAT TAX

BAN ADS, RAISE TAX ON FAST FOOD: PANEL

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Ban ads, raise tax on fast food: FSSAI panel

CHENNAI: Concerned by the increasing burden of lifestyle conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, an expert committee set up by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recommended a slew of measures including banning junk food ads on children’s channels and during kids’ shows, additional tax and clear labelling of contents and ingredients.

The report ‘Consumption of fat, sugar and salt (FSS) & its health effects on Indian population’ prepared by the 11-member expert committee also suggested ways to reduce consumption of unhealthy food products, noting that over half of all deaths in the country were due to non-communicable diseases. The FSSAI had constituted the committee to address this issue of high FSS content in food and associated health risks.

In its report, the committee recommended a ban on advertisements on foods with high FSS on children’s channels or shows. Such bans exist in smaller countries like Chile. Celebrity endorsements of such foods should be discouraged, and the online and social media should be sensitised to comply with this advertising ban. It also recommended imposition of additional tax on sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed food (ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat-and-eat foods) to reduce the intake of pre-packaged foods and beverages.

The other recommendations include positive nutritional labelling which plays an important role in creating awareness on healthier food choices. The labelling information should be made mandatory for total calories, the amount of carbohydrate, sugars, fat, protein, sodium, dietary fibre and amount of trans-fat added, experts observed.

The FSSAI scientific committee has approved the comments and suggestions put forth by the panel. Experts were called from the fields of medicine, nutrition, dietetics from renowned medical research and academic institutions, which was prompted by a related direction from the Delhi High Court on wholesome and nutritious food for children.

It is indeed time that attention is turned to high fat, salt and sugar content in food. Though the country has millions living in conditions that make them susceptible to the many communicable diseases, it is diseases and conditions like diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases that account for as much as 53 per cent of all deaths in India. A high intake of saturated and trans-fats, sugar and salt are known to significantly increase the risk of chronic diseases.

According to estimates, the number of such deaths is expected to touch eight million by 2020 — an alarming 100 per cent rise from what it was just two decades ago. “Adverse health effect of consumption of fast or junk food which have a high content of fats, sugar and salt, on consumers, particularly in young children, has become a cause of concern,” the note on the committee report pointed out.

For this, however, the committee had to literally start from scratch. As the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 does not define the term ‘junk food’, the committee defined it as foods like pizza, burgers and soft drinks, and snacks like samosas and pakoras.

Fats

Fats should be largely consumed in the unsaturated fat or fatty acid (of which there is one or more double bond in the fatty acid chain) form.

Salt

Excess sodium intake is an important determinant of hypertension and cardiovascular risk. According to WHO and ICMR, salt should be restricted to about 5-6 gm per day.

Sugar

A total of 10 per cent of total energy is allowed as added sugars in daily diet. Simple sugars and refined carbohydrates should be reduced.

The expert committee analysed various studies on fats, sugar and salt consumption pattern in India and its effects on health. The studies showed consumption of these in the Indian population is high.

Junk in the trunk

It’s common knowledge that non-communicable diseases and cardiovascular illnesses are on the rise. Even though the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, doesn’t define junk or fast food per se, these have a high content of saturated fats, trans fats, sugar and salt. Thus, an 11-member expert FSSAI panel has come up with eight recommendations to protect children from such consequences...

1. Guidelines

a) Fats: Monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acids and low-fat dairy products should be consumed every day. Bakery goods, which contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and deep fried foods need to be restricted.

b) Sugar: Consumption of complex carbohydrates and natural sugar found naturally in fruits and vegetables should be encouraged. However, the intake of simple sugar in sweetened beverages and processed snacks should be limited.

c) Salt: Presence of natural potassium in inexpensive, seasonal and locally available fresh fruits and vegetables improve sodium potassium ratio upon eating. Salt rich foods like snacks, pickles are to be avoided.

2. Monitor: Periodic monitoring of FSS intake at national level to get evidence and establishing regulatory limits.

3. Ban: Adverts about foods with high FSS should not be shown on children’s channels or during kids shows. Celebrity endorsements should be discouraged and social media websites should not promote any FFS content.

4. Additional tax: Ultra-processed commodities and sugar-sweetened beverages should have additional taxes slapped on them. It could help reduce FFS intake.

5. Awareness: The multifaceted approach should be utilised by bringing nutrition, agriculture, food industries, health and allied sectors into the loop. That way, public health campaigns and school education programmes can raise consumer awareness.

6. Reformulation: Industry should be encouraged to opt for food reformulation to reduce FFS content in packaged products.

7. Label: Positive nutritional labelling plays a big part in setting trends, so information with regard to total calories, food value, FFS amount should be mandatory.

8. Enable: A nutrition-sensitive environment, with health, agriculture and food sectors in sync, will encourage the consumer to switch to better patterns.

India’s food safety regulator wants higher tax on packaged food, sweetened drinks

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also wants a blanket ban on advertising of junk foods and beverages on children’s channels and content for children across television, websites and social media.

Packaged junk food may soon cost more with India’s top food regulatory authority recommending additional tax on processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also wants a blanket ban on advertising of junk foods and beverages on children’s channels and content for children across television, websites and social media.

“Imposing additional tax on the purchase of commodities such as pre-packaged foods with high salt and fat content, sugar sweetened beveragesetc can be a pragmatic approach to reduce their intake,” said the FSSAI’s report on ‘Consumption of Fat, Sugar and Salt (FSS) and its health effects on India’s population’.

“Advertisement ban for foods high in FSS during children TV shows or kids TV channels is urged. In fact, we should progress towards a total ban law as being done in a few other countries like Chile,” recommended the 11 members panel of experts from medicine, nutrition, dietetics and medical research in the report, which suggests ways to cut unhealthy food consumption and lower the rising burden of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

The report suggests celebrity endorsements of unhealthy foods discouraged and recommends having a balanced diet with around 60-70 per cent of total calories from carbohydrates, 10-12 per cent from protein and 20-30 per cent from fat.

Higher tax on unhealthy food and beverages has been a longstanding demand of public health experts. “Modelling studies on how eating less junk food lowers obesity and risk of lifestyle disease such as diabetes, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease, which affect Indians at a younger age than other ethnicities. India must consider taxation on unhealthy foods, restrictions on advertising and appropriate labelling of food to lower consumption across socio-economic groups,” said Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis C-DOC centres for diabetes, metabolic diseases and endocrinology.

“The money from additional tax on unhealthy foods can be used promote nutrition education in schools and the community,” said Dr Misra, who made these recommendations in a paper for British Medical Journal.

It recommends all food labels must carry total calories, amount of carbohydrates, sugar, fat, protein, sodium, dietary fibre and trans-fat. “A total of 10 per cent of total energy is allowed as added sugars in our daily diet. Simple sugars and refined carbohydrates should be reduced. These come largely from sugar sweetened beverages and processed snacks with high added sugar content,” the report said.

It recommends fats in the form of unsaturated fatty acids (oils that do not solidify at room temperature), especially the long chain mono- and poly unsaturated-fatty acids, should be encouraged in everyday diets was among the recommendations.

The report will be a guideline document for all the stakeholders, including the FSSAI, industry and consumers, in reducing consumption of fat, sugar and salt through processed food products.

New packaged food labelling norms for more transparency on salt, sugar & fat content

NEW DELHI, MAY 9: 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is finalising new labelling norms for packaged food companies, which is expected to include provisions to ensure more transparency on sodium, sugar and saturated fat content in processed food.Expert group suggestions

The new norms will incorporate recommendations of an expert group which has proposed positive nutritional labelling and has proposed making it mandatory for packaged food companies to disclose total calories/energy value, amount of carbohydrates, sugar, fat, protein and sodium on their labels.

The expert group was constituted by FSSAI in 2015 to provide recommendations on various issues, including labelling requirements for packaged food and regulatory limits for fat, sugar and salt in processed food among others.

The expert group has made several recommendations such as banning advertising of food high in fat, salt and sugar on children television channels or during children shows. It has also suggested that celebrity endorsements of such foods should be discouraged. It has also recommended imposition of additional tax on packaged foods with high salt, high sugar and high fat content.

When contacted, Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI, told BusinessLine: “These are wide-ranging recommendations that require action by various stakeholders. The recommendations will be incorporated in the new labelling regulations, which we are in the process of finalising. The Authority will be taking up the labelling regulations in its meeting this month, which will then be sent to the government as part of the due process.”

On its website, FSSAI said the expert group’s report serves as a guideline document for all the stakeholders, including the industry, the FSSAI and consumers, in reducing consumption of fat, sugar and salt through processed food products. After the report was approved by the scientific committee of FSSAI, it has been put in the public domain by the regulator.

Other recommendations include encouraging industry for voluntary reformulation of food products to reduce the content of saturated fats,sugar and salt in packaged food. It has also recommended periodic monitoring of fat, salt and sugar intakes at national level.

FDA purchases Rs 70 lakh new modern equipment and machines for food testing

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) was testing food and drugs samples with decades old equipments and machines for the last several years. But, now it will test with new equipments and machines. Besides, the new machines and equipments will give quick results and the adulterators might not be spared of the Government trap. Every month more than 200 samples are collected at the city FDA Central Food Testing Lab and due to ages old equipments and machines, the testing results were not perfect and were many times challenged by the traders and even most traders won legal cases against them by the FDA officers.

“When the new food safety law was enacted in the country, the Government of India had directed to all FDAs in states to be well equipped to tighten noose over the adulterators. So it is mandatory to have proper field and lab staff besides the machines and equipments with its update version, said a senior officer in FDA.

Sources said however, the new testing equipments and machines were purchased but the FDA has shortage of technical staff due to which it finds shortage of technicians to operate these equipments. Nobody knows when the FDA will get about 100 food and drugs inspectors and technical staff to test foods and drugs samples at the Central Lab.

In another food and drugs testing labs of the FDA, the equipments and machines are too old, when the technicians many times test a sample, then they can get result near to perfection but not perfect. Staff crunch is another problems in Indore and other cities. So most samples are sent by the district FDA officers to State Capital’s Central Food and Drugs Testing lab and they are piles of food and drugs samples collected by the Food Safety Officers. On the other hand, the food safety officers, its lower staff and technical staff are also retiring every year, creating more vacancies in the Food and Drugs Administration.

It is learnt that, FDA officers are understood to have planned to purchase modern food and drugs testing equipments and machines to its other districts labs also. The technical staff and food inspectors will be for all districts, particularly where there are only one are two food safety officers and more food and drugs shops.

When contacted Pramod Shukla, Joint Controller, Foods and Drugs Controller, said modern equipments and machines to test food and drugs samples costing Rs 70 lakhs were purchased. It gives fast and perfect results. We will soon recruit food inspectors and technical staff for lab, he said.

Apply online for food safety licences

Business operators can apply for food safety licences online or through e-service centres.

According to a Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department press release operators can apply for licences on www.fssai.gov.in or through the e-service centres.

Public can lodge complaints about food products at the WhatsApp number, 94440 42322, a press release said.

Food safety department cracks down on unhygienic drinking water

CHENNAI: Cracking the whip on supply of unsafe drinking water, the state's food safety officials have seized around 260 unhygienic and unlabeled water cans in the city in three days.

The drive began on Friday with four teams of officials from the department of food safety and drug administration being posted in and around Koyambedu, which is a gateway for units to ferry water cans from Tiruvallur district into the city. Fifteen vehicles were intercepted and 80 cans seized for having no labels. Water in around 30 containers was found to be unfit for consumption while some cans had other manufacturing issues.

On Monday, the department undertook similar inspections in Koyambedu, Egmore, Saligramam and Korukkupet and seized 106 cans after stopping 29 vehicles."In the coming days, we will conduct raids at retail shops and other units that sell water," said R Kathiravan, designated food safety officer for Chennai.

The inspection comes close on the heels of a similar drive by Chennai Corporation's health department. Sanitary inspectors raided food stalls operating in unhygienic conditions and seized around 150 water cans, 12 water bottles and 7,000 sachets.

Food safety officials say the number of unlicensed units selling water is likely to grow this summer as many licensed manufacturers have cut production because of depleting groundwater sources.

K Rajaram, chairman of Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association, said the average treatment of packaged drinking water in most units had dipped by close to 15% in the last one month.

Of about 1,500 manufacturing units across the state, around 400 are concentrated in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts alone. Around 90 lakh litres of packaged drinking water is sold in Chennai every day .The demand, manufacturers say, is likely to touch at least 2 crore by this month-end. Packaged water units require a groundwater clearance certificate and approval from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. They also require a licence from the food safety department before operating.

Officials say while contamination of water sold by licensed manufacturers - who are required to undertake at least four types of filtration - happens at the filling and packaging level, other violations, including misbranding and repeatedly reusing containers, happen at the distribution point.

"Only 10% of the manufacturers directly market the water. Most of us engage middlemen," said N Murali, patron, Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Association. The stickers on the cans may be of one brand, but the water inside could be of another, or worse, it could be just tap water. The can may be refilled only 35 times, but sometimes they are overused, he acknowledged.

"It is a concern for us, but it is not happening at an alarming level," he said, adding that his association has also been tipping off officials.

Food safety officials check packaged drinking water

Health first: Nearly 1,920 cans were checked and 106 were seized as they did not have labels.

Department plans to continue surprise inspections

With the peak summer setting in over the city, the demand for packaged drinking water has increased. The Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department, Chennai, has started cracking down on packaged drinking water for the past few days following complaints on unauthorised manufacturing units.

On Monday, four teams checked vehicles laden with 20-litre bubble tops in various parts of the city, including Koyambedu, Vadapalani, Egmore and Korukkupet. Nearly 1,920 cans being transported for consumption were checked and teams seized 106 cans as they did not have labels or were packed in soiled containers.

At present, there are nearly 425 packaged drinking water manufacturing units in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.

R.Kathiravan, designated officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department, Chennai, said manufacturing units are required to get licence from Bureau of Indian Standards and also a mandatory food safety licence to operate the units.

“We checked the cans for licences, labels, batch number and also the condition of the containers. We received complaints about mushrooming of unauthorised units selling drinking water.”

He also pointed out that nearly 165 bubble tops were seized for similar reasons such as no proper label or licence number.

The department plans to continue checks until the weekend throughout the city.

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Administration to keep tab on sweet shops

PATNA: The Patna districtadministration on Saturday decided to act tough against those selling poor quality sweetmeat, namkeens and other confectionary items in various shops across the city.

District magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said food safety, weight and measures and commercial taxes officials will keep a close eye on quality of sweets being sold in different shops besides taking action against those cheating customers while weighing the products. A magistrate will accompany these officials in course of raid.

The DM said the decision was taken following complaints that several sweetshops were weighing products along with the box. "Since one such box weighs 50gm, the shopkeepers are fooling the customers," Agarwal said.

He added in many high-end shops and malls, there was no option for the consumers to weigh the packaged product. "These shops have been asked to provide weighing machine to the consumers, failing which they will be punished," the DM said.

The team will also check the quality of materials being used in preparing sweets and milk products, such as paneer and khoya. "Use of poor quality oil and harmful colours can pose a threat to the health of people," the DM said.

The DM also urged the people to remain alert and inform the district administration if they come across any shop selling poor quality food products. "People can call on 2219810 or share the information on Facebook page of the district administration," said Agarwal.

The shopkeepers have also been advised to display the rate of various products, inclusive of all taxes, so that a consumer can know beforehand how much he has to pay. All the shops and hotels have been given a one-week time to comply with the order.

Mangoes, papayas turn toxic in Sec 26, shows raid

UT health department cracked down on the use of banned chemical calcium carbide for artifically ripening fruits at wholesale godowns in the Sector 26 grain market on Saturday, carrying out early-morning raids that started from 7am and continued for three hours. By the end of the raids, carried out with the help of the police force and under the supervision of sub-divisional magistrate (east) Tapsya Raghav , the department seized 2.5 tonnes of papaya that had been artifically rippened and found most of the 20 vendors who had been raided, using calcium carbide."We also found packets of ethylene which were used for ripening mangoes. We have sent the samples of it to the laboratory to check whether the chemical is being used in the permissible limits," said Raghav.

The department has since destroyed the papayas.

The SDM said most vendors were found using chemicals to ripen the fruits either in trucks standing behind their shops or in rented godowns. She also said use of calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits was not allowed under the Food and Safety Act, 2006, and Rules and Regulations, 2011. Thoughh laws on the use of calcium carbide are strict and even entail 10 years of imprison ment, the harmful chemical -otherwise used by welders -is applied on fruits by vendors without any fear.

When asked if there was a way to stop vendors from using calcium carbide on the fruits, the SDM said it was a grey-colored powder used by welders, so its supply could not be stopped in the market."But we will keep a check on its usage," she said.

The director of the Sector 26 market committee, Subhash Randhawa, said adulterated mangoes were coming from "Madras and China"."The chemical is being applied by suppliers their only.The practice of ripening papayas through carbide has stopped completely here," he added.

Unsafe drinking water cans seized

Cracking the whip on supply of unsafe drinking water, food safety officials have seized 165 unhygienic and unlabelled water cans in the city so far.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India officials inspect bubble-top drinking water cans

Chennai: 

According to officials, with summer hitting its peak and the city facing a water shortage, many unlicensed packaged water manufacturing companies have started exploiting the situation to make a fast buck. 

To check this, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had been inspecting trucks carrying bubble-top water cans.

Speaking to DTNext, R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, FSSAI, Chennai, said that his body had formed four teams to inspect canned water in various parts of the city. “Accordingly, a team of food safety officials near Koyambedu intercepted around 15 vehicles. Most of these cans were found unfit for consumption,” he said. In a particular case, the officials found no labels on 60 cans of water. They confiscated 31 such cans, which were unfit for consumption, Kathiravan said. Moreover, a total of 74 bubble-top water cans had labels, but there was no manufacturing date, he added. 

When asked about the punishment, an official said, “As of now, we are creating awareness. Henceforth, we will file cases against the manufacturing companies and impose fines ranging from two to three lakh.” 

It may be recalled that a few days ago, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) officials had seized a total of 149 cans and 7,181 sachets of drinking water which were unfit for consumption.