Ads term gutkha ban unfair

Analysts call the ads misleading; health ministry plans action against industry

Pertinent question: Why not ban cigarette?THE photographed ad on this page is one of the many ads that has been appearing in leading print and electronic media of the country since September. Issued by the gutkha industry, the ads term the ban on the chewing tobacco unfair and question why the government has not banned cigarette.
Since the introduction of the Food Safety and Standards Authority Act (FSSA) rules in August 2011, as many as 14 states have banned gutkha, known to be responsible for 80 per cent of oral cancer cases in the country.
The ads prompted non-profits campaigning against gutkha to call an urgent press meet on October 18. The meet was also participated by representatives from the health ministry. Justifying the ban, Amal Pusp, director with the ministry, said, the government chose to ban gutkha as a higher number of people consume it. Of the 274.9 million adult tobacco users in India, 75 per cent consume smokeless tobacco, Pusp said. Vulnerable groups like women and teenagers consume more gutkha than cigarette. About 18 per cent women consume smokeless tobacco, while only 3 per cent smoke tobacco, including bidi, he said, citing figures from Global Adult Tobacco Survey of 2010.
Pusp, however, showed helplessness when fielded questions related to weak regulations on cigarette. “I agree that cigarette is equally harmful but till now there is no legislation under which it can be banned,” he said. Both cigarette and gutkha are covered under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) of 2003, which only regulates tobacco products. Gutkha could be banned only after FSSA came into being. The Act considers gutkha as a food product and allows banning any food item containing injurious substance like nicotine. Unfortunately, cigarette is not a food item, Pusp added.
A representative of Smokeless Tobacco Association, who does not wish to be named, alleges that the ministry is siding with the cigarette lobby using the policy loopholes. While supporting the ban, Jagdeep Chhokar of the Association of Democratic Reforms, says, “ITC Ltd, which controls 80 per cent of the Indian cigarette market, has been one of the major donors for political parties, including the Congress.” The Delhi non-profit recently studied the source of funds to political parties.
Claims busted
One of the many facts cited in the advertisement reads like this: “1 pouch of gutkha contains 0.2 gram of tobacco verses 0.63 grams in cigarette.” Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, executive director of non-profit Voluntary Health Association of India, terms this misleading. “The size of gutkha pouch varies from 1g to 3.5 g, which changes the percentage of tobacco in the mix. Moreover, there is no authentic estimate of contents for gutkha,” she says. Another fact claims that a cigarette contains 4,000 chemicals while gutkha has only 3,000. Monika Arora, director, health promotion and tobacco control of non-profit Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), says, smokeless tobacco may have fewer chemicals but as many as 28 of them are carcinogenic. “Even a single cancer-causing chemical is enough to cause disease, disability and death,” she adds.
The ad also claims that over 40 million people have lost their livelihood because of the ban. “Government estimates show that the total employment in the formal sector by the tobacco industry was seven million in 2004-05. It can’t come close to 40 million even if one adds employment by the informal sector,” Arora says.
She also refutes the claim that farmers are growing tobacco in around 700,000 ha in the country. As per the Directorate of Tobacco Development, the area under cultivation for smokeless tobacco is just 40,000 ha. “The industry is trying to hide behind the livelihood issue when it is only concerned with its profits that are badly affected due to the ban,” says Mukhopadhyay. The Central Tobacco Research Institute in Andhra Pradesh has identified that crops like sugarcane, maize, paddy and cotton can be grown on the same soil, offering the farmers an alternative livelihood option. Besides, according to a 2010 Planning Commission report, the annual revenue generated by the gutkha industry is US $1.62 billion. But the expenditure on treatment of major diseases caused by it is six times more.
“Constitutionally, all states should have implemented the ban,” Pusp said at the press meet. “We have written to all states but they are taking their time.” However, the main contention of the ad that cigarette should be banned remains and the government has no plan for it.

FSSAI ADVT.

Now, a double caffeine kick in energy drinks

Food safety regulator increases the permissible caffeine limit from 145 ppm to 320 ppm; however, FDA officials are unaware of the change

Your energy drinks will now pack a double dose of caffeine. According to the new standards as directed by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the caffeine content in an energy drink has been increased from 145 parts per million (ppm) to 320 ppm.

Pumped up: According to the new regulations, the caffeine limits have been increased to 320 ppm. Initially, the limit was 200 ppm, which was reduced in 2009 to 145 ppm. Pic For Representation

The FSSAI has increased the caffeine limits by almost 175 ppm as compared to the previous permissible limits. Initially, caffeine limits for carbonated beverages were capped at 200 ppm. In 2009 owing to the Centre for Science and Environment — a public interest research organisation — the limit was scaled down to 145 ppm.
Confusing limits
However, the increase as declared by the FSSAI is still unknown to several officials and only came to light when representatives from Red Bull showed officials from the Thane Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a letter highlighting the rise as their energy drinks worth crores of rupees had been seized for exceeding the caffeine limits.
“The company representatives approached us with an official letter from FSSAI, which showed that the permissible limits had been raised to 320 ppm. Hence, we released their seized material, which we had taken in considering the old limit,” said Kishore Gore, FDA officer from the Thane division.
According to Red Bull India: “Red Bull Energy Drink fully complies with the local laws and regulations of more than 164 countries, including India. A 250ml can of Red Bull contains the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee [80 mg or 320ppm]. The Indian health authorities have repeatedly confirmed that Red Bull Energy Drink conforms to Indian laws and regulations.”
However, Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner food, Greater Mumbai said that he had refused to release the seized drinks, as they hadn’t received any official confirmation from FSSAI, Delhi. “The company approached us stating the permissible limit for caffeine has increased from 145 ppm to 320 ppm. But, we haven’t received any confirmation. We have also asked the company to send us the letter so that we can verify it,” said Deshmukh.
Not ‘pumped’ up
The increase in caffeine levels in these drinks has left a bitter taste in the mouths of few. Prerna Shah, a resident of Juhu, said, “Permitting 320 ppm is not a good idea. Companies are already flouting norms and this will allow them to do so even more. The government should not permit this, as youngsters are already addicted to this. A further rise will be detrimental to their health.”
Echoing the same sentiments, Hemang Mitra, a bar consultant, said, “Energy drinks are heavily marketed to young adults. It is as good as selling drugs like cocaine. Many of these drinks are heavily promoted in bars to use with alcohol. There are a number of scientific reports on the adverse consequences of excessive consumption of caffeine.”
Did you know?
Countries like Denmark, Uruguay and Turkey have banned energy drinks altogether while Sweden has banned its sale among children. The European Food Safety Authority mandates that energy drinks with over 150 ppm caffeine content should be labelled as ones with “high caffeine content” and the exact amount should be indicated. Australia has banned energy drinks with over 320 ppm caffeine level and proposes to classify them as pharmaceutical products.
Not ‘energy drinks’
In June, responding to health concerns, the FSSAI had said that all energy drinks having high caffeine limits would be called caffeinated drinks instead of energy drinks. It also said that these drinks would come with a statutory safety warning.

Illegal vendors to get hygiene lessons

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to give training onpreparing safe street food to illegal vendors starting later this week.
According to health officials from the BMC, the decision was taken in a meeting chaired by the chief secretary at Mantralaya on Tuesday. “The BMC along with the Food and Drug Administration will jointly organise the training programme as directed by the state,” said a senior official stating that the state is the implementing authority for the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.
The official added that they have identified spots for the pilot project which include vendors near railway stations, colleges and tourists spots. The training team include a junior officer, sanitary inspector, medical health officer and deputy executive health officer.
“As of now, we have selected 50 khau gullies and training will start later this week. It will focus on safe foods, good hygiene while cooking, storing and handling,” said Manisha Mhaiskar, additional municipal commissioner who added that it will help in reducing bacterial diseases caused by eating such foods.
When asked about giving training to illegal vendors, Mhaiskar said, “The training does not mean that they will get a licence. The training is only intended for public interest as a sizeable number of the population consume food prepared by these vendors. The training will ensure that the food prepared by them is safe.”
However, activists expressed displeasure over the decision stating that it will encourage illegal vendors. “How can the BMC give training to illegal vendors? It will only encourage them to open more outlets and will lead to an increase in the number of illegal vendors across the city,” said Aftab Siddique, an activist from Bandra.

India's bakers seek permission to add color, flavor to bread

India’s bread manufacturers are lobbying with the country’s food safety authority for permission to add color and flavor to bread, according to an industry body representing midsize to large bakers.

The All India Bread Manufacturers’ Association wants the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to make amendments to the Food Safety and Standards Act (2006), and allow bakers to add colour, flavor and enzymes to bread. Over a 100 companies are members of the AIBMA.
“Flavored bread is very popular in supermarkets abroad. India’s bakers want to introduce flavored bread in the country as well,” helping them expand their value-added products portfolio, said Ramesh Mago, president, AIBMA.
Mago owns a bread and bakery products manufacturing company, Kitty Industries, in Ludhiana, Punjab.  The company’s products are marketed under the 'Kitty’s' brand name.
AIBMA also wants permission to add enzymes to bread, Mago said. “At present, you can add enzymes to biscuits but not in bread,” said Mago.
India’s per capita consumption of bakery products is about two kilos per annum, compared to between 10 and 50 kilos per annum in developed economies, according to a report by Marketresearch.com.
India’s bakery industry’s market size, pegged at $4.7 billion in 2010, is expected to grow to $7.6 by 2015, the report said. Biscuit-making is the chief occupation of the domestic industry, where unorganized smaller players control the market countrywide.

City anchor: Street eateries to get hygiene tips from BMC, FDA

The BMC on Tuesday announced a pilot initiative to promote sanitary processes in the making and selling of street food at various hawking zones in the city. This will be undertaken in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). Additional Municipal Commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar told mediapersons that a meeting was held with FDA Commissioner Mahesh Zagade and Chief Secretary JK Banthia. “We have identified 55 khau galli spots in the city where a small team under the Executive Health Officer will undertake the task of training vendors in the use of sanitary methods,” said Mhaiskar. “We will focus on being hygienic while cooking, storing and handling food.”The BMC has targeted food hawkers near railways stations, colleges, large institutions and tourist spots and will begin the process next week. “We want to change public opinion that street food in Mumbai is unhealthy. We will train both licensed and unlicensed vendors. However, this does not mean that after the training unlicensed vendors will be regularised,” said Mhaiskar. The civic body said around 25-30 per cent of the city’s population eats street food daily at some point of the day. The corporation’s team, headed by the executive health officer will include deputy health officers, medical health officers and junior officers. By December-end, Mhaiskar said, in concurrence with the initiative, the corporation will hold a safe street food festival. Although the government legislated the Food Safety and Standards Act in 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Rules and Regulations pertaining to this were finally drafted in 2011. According to FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade, till date no street food vendor is in compliance with the norms set up since. “As per the regulations, all stall owners must be registered with the FDA. The rules mandate that there should be a running tap wherever food is being cooked. We will educate and train the vendors to use gloves while cooking, wear aprons and cover their heads. Even the ingredients should be bought from registered vendors so that if there is a problem there is accountability. So far compliance to these norms is nil,” said Zagade. He added that the initiative will also be introduced in other parts of the state such as Pune, Nashik and Nagpur.

Better food safety can make India world's bread basket

Even as India is a major food producer, it's productivity is low. Prabodh Halde, vice president-AFST & head regulatory

Increased consumer awareness, globalisation, FDI in retail policy, health concerns of people are some of the key drivers for focussing more on food safety in India in the recent times. Bharat Lal Meena, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department, Government of Karnataka, said, “Food safety is more relevant now than at any other point of time as the government of India allowed FDI in retail. Educated farmers are using integrated farming of many crops in a small area and getting increased yields." He also lamented: "Wastage in agroproducts is over 70 per cent in India and this is a national waste."

The event, organised by the CII titled 'Enhancing Food Safety in Food Retail Chains' mulled over various aspects of improving safety standards in the entire value chain of food processing. Speakers opined that it is very important to follow the best food safety norms to sustain the feeding needs of Indian masses and to stave off several epidemics like diarrohoea.

With sourcing now being globalised, countries like India can become the bread basked of the world if we pay more attention to standards. G Srinivasan, Deputy Director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), said, “Globalisation of food trade necessitated transitional standards."

Even as India is a major food producer, it's productivity is low. Prabodh Halde, vice president-AFST & head regulatory, Marico Industries Ltd, said, “As India has the second largest arable land and has diverse agro-climatic zones that can grow a variety of crops, many global players are coming to India. But, India's share in global food processing is just 2.3 per cent and lags far behind even Pakistan and Bangladesh."

Despite some challenges, food processing industry and food retail chain business in India have been growing and there is a huge investment opportunity in this segment, according to experts, the growth of food retail chains in India as well as anticipated foray of global retail giants into India will require further huge sourcing of food products and this will give a thrust to the food processing industry.

Sunil Awari, General Manager, Namdhari Seeds, said, “Investment opportunities in food processing business are huge and if proper measures are in place, regarding quality assurance, India can cater to many global retail chains."

As of now, India wastes lot of agro produce. The growth of middle class market, low cost of production; change in consumption patterns; encouragement from government agencies like NHB, APEDA, and MPEDA; and FDI policy and food parks are top five factors that are attracting investment opportunities in food processing, he added.

Trick or treat in Diwali mithai?

Sweets are tempting. But, they may be toxic too.

To save you a Diwali of sour sufferings, district administrations in Ranchi and East Singhbhum have decided on random inspection of sweet shops in the capital and the steel city from this week to check harmful chemical adulteration, a common and callous business practice to mint festive money.

Last week, state food controller T.P. Burnwal issued a strict directive, asking all seven food inspectors in charge of 24 districts to collect sweet and ingredient samples for thorough lab tests in the run-up to Diwali so that results could be studied and offenders punished before the festival of lights.

"I have asked inspectors and our food analyst to ensure tests on as many as samples possible to detect any pertinent threat to people. We are trying to conduct random samplings much ahead of Diwali so that shopkeepers think twice before indulging in sale of adulterated sweets. If tests at our Namkum lab show a sample as adulterated but not injurious to health, the shop owner may be let off with a warning.

"However, if the samples are found injurious to health, a hefty fine ranging between Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh will be imposed," Burnwal told The Telegraph on Monday.
Jamshedpur and its fringes host as many as 150 big and small sweet shops, while there are 120 in and around Ranchi.

East Singhbhum additional chief medical officer (ACMO) Swarn Singh, entrusted to implement the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (updated in 2012), said his team ' also comprising district food inspector K.P. Singh ' would get cracking from November 1.

"We have received complaints about adulterated mithai being sold at some shops in Sidhgora, Bhalubhasa and Golmuri. These areas will be our prime targets," the ACMO said, adding that during the raids they would primarily collect samples of oil, flour, khoya, paneer, spices and colours being used to prepare sweets.
The food inspector of Ranchi, who holds additional charge of three other districts, said they would focus on Lalpur-Circular Road, Main Road, Kantatoli, Bahu Bazar, Ashok Nagar and a few other areas in the capital. "It may not be possible to cover the entire city. So, we will plan judiciously. Sampling may begin as early as day after tomorrow," he said.
According to the National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning Prevention in India, colours are one of the culprits.
A lead-based, carcinogenic dye called metanil yellow is used to give sweets like laddu and some other food items like biryani their inviting colour instead of the permitted tartrazine, which is more expensive. Metanil yellow is cancer-causing and is known to affect the brain and kidneys.
Similarly, muric acid and lead nitrate in paneer or chhana and formalin in milk are toxic and affect the central nervous system. On a lesser scale, Sudan III ' a contaminant often used in gulabjamun ' can cause skin irritations.

"The tests will confirm whether there are any such harmful chemicals or bacterial contamination in the sweets and other oily Diwali snacks. It will also detect the extent of animal fat mixed in cooking oil," food inspector K.P. Singh said.

Swarn Singh said he had sought police protection from deputy commissioner Himani Pande so that the sampling drive was not hampered. "We fear some shopkeepers may use their henchmen to disrupt our work. We want police to be on standby to prevent any untoward incident," he added.

The same district team had carried out raids on fast food stalls and restaurants in Parsudih, Bistupur and Mango during Durga Puja. The test results are awaited. "We expect them by the first week of November. The deputy commissioner will then be approached for action against the culprits," Singh said.

Have you ever fallen sick after feasting on Diwali sweets?

This milky way flows impure

LUDHIANA: The glass of milk that you consider to be the epitome of nutrition and good health may not be all that pure. In fact it can be harmful when mixed with adulterants like unhygienic water, detergent, urea and soda; and cause abdominal and intestinal diseases.
In Ludhiana, out of 1,900 samples collected by Dairy Development Board in 47 camps organized in municipal corporation wards, more than 50% have failed purity test and are found to have 40-60% contamination or adulteration, mostly water.
Dairy Development Board deputy director Dilbagh Singh said, We organized camps in all 47 wards of city and collected 1,900 milk samples. Out of these, around 1,000 samples failed the purity test, and were found to be adulterated with water. This water could have been taken from the tap or elsewhere and in most probability from unhygienic sources.
Experts say pure milk should not have any water, but the failed samples in Ludhiana had 40-60% water content.

Dilbagh explained that there are around 13 solid contents in pure milk 4.5% fat, 8.5% solid non fat with 3.5% protein, 4.9% lactose and .8% minerals. Around 83-87% is natural fluid. In adulterated milk, most of the times the total solid content is only around 3-4% and the fluid content goes up to 92-93%, added Dilbagh.

According to the Food Safety and Standard Act, food items are examined in three categories, including sub-standard, mixed-branding and contaminated-unsafe.

Food safety officer Ravinder Garg said, a??Adulterated milk comes under sub-standard category and if any vendor is found selling adulterated milk he is liable to face a penalty up to Rs 3 lakh. In case of mixed branding category, if a seller does not have correct information about the contents of the food item he can be penalized up to Rs 2 lakh, while in case of contaminated unsafe food items, which can be life threatening, seller, can face life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 50 lakh, he added.

We have filed cases for prosecution of the defaulters with the competent authority and are awaiting the verdicts, said Ravinder.

Meanwhile, doctors warn consumers against using a??substandard milk and say the safer bet is to go for products that are certified for quality. There is a better chance of getting quality product if one buys packaged milk, say experts.

Dr Amit Berry, an assistant professor of medicine at DMCH, said, Dilution can take away the nutritive value of milk and can pose serious health risks. When contaminated water is added to milk it can cause gastro-intestinal problems like gastritis, vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea. The best bet is to go in for certified products. In case of kids below one year, intake of adulterated milk can cause stunted growth, warns Dr Naveen Bajaj, neonatologist at Deep Hospital. He said, a??Infants can risk stunted growth if given adulterated milk, while in elder children contaminated milk causes a host of problems like dirrahoea, fever, vomiting and sometimes typhoid.


Time to wake up

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reports that milk adulterant have hazardous health effects. The detergent in milk can cause food poisoning and other gastrointestinal complications. Its high alkaline level can also damage body tissue and destroy proteins. Other synthetic components can cause impairments, heart problems, cancer or even death. While the immediate effect of drinking milk adulterated with urea, caustic soda and formalin is gastroenteritis, the long-term effects are far more serious, reports ICMR. Doctors warn that urea, an adulterant in milk, can cause nausea, gastritis and vomiting. Urea is harmful especially for the kidneys whereas adulterant like caustic soda can be dangerous for hypertension and heart diseases patients, pine experts. Meanwhile, Formalin, which is also one of the common adulterant in milk, can cause severe liver damage. The chemical which contains sodium, can act as a slow poison for the patients suffering from hypertension and heart diseases, warn doctors.

Govt to launch drive against food adulteration in city

Like in previous years, the State food & drug administration (FDA) has launched a special drive to check adulteration in food items.
It may be recalled that last year, the department had booked 25 hotels and shops in Raipur, Bilaspur and Mahasumund districts for selling adulterated food materials. The errant hotel and shop owners had to pay `7.70 lakh as fine.
Officials of food safety department said that out of 25 cases that had to face legal action 17 were from Bilaspur, nine from Raipur and two from Mahasamund district. The district magistrates had imposed fine on the owners of hotel and shops ranging from `2,000 to `2 lakh.
The officials further informed that food safety and standard Act 2006 have been put into effect from August 2011.
Acting under this Act the FDA has been checking food materials available in shops and hotels throughout the State. An officer said the action is also being taken against people found responsible for the adulteration or selling sub-standard food.
Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration department on Saturday took samples of food items from two sweet shops in railway station area. So far the department has taken samples from about eight shops and whose report would be made known within 15 days.
A team of food & drug administration took samples from Milan Sweets station road and Raj Sweets near Smart Talkies.
An officer heading the team informed that hotels near bus stand and railway station are mostly found indulged in adulteration as the businessman from other places try to sell duplicate kova in these shops.
The department was receiving complaints of selling of adulterate khova for past many days, the officer added.

Bitter sweets, traders loot consumers: CPO

JAMMU: A meeting of executive members of the Consumer Protection Organisation  (CPO) was held on Sunday under its President D.R Danish in which the participants  brought to fore the exorbitant rates being charged by the shopkeepers at Jammu.

It was disclosed in the meeting that the organisation had decided the whole sale rates of Fenis and Katlammas at Rs 46 and Rs 55 per Kg respectively as confirmed by the organisation from Distt Samba and Distt Kathua whereas the retail price of the said items is Rs. 140 and Rs 150 Per Kg of FENIS and Katlammas (Vanspati) respectively in Jammu and adjoining areas.

The following points need immediate attention of Municipal Corporation Jammu/Srinagar, Municipalities, Town Area Committees, Legal Metrology, CAPD and Police Department on the festival season. Sweet shop owners sell their products underweight, weigh the cartons/ containers with sweets and provide adulterated and over dated stale items. They include the weight of containers in the net weight which is not legal. The quantity of sweets as well as dry fruits packed in containers should have their net weights mentioned on the containers. They should display the rates for Desi Ghee and Vanaspati made sweets separately. CPO urged the authorities to ensure a profit of not more than 20  per cent for the retailers on Fenis and Katlamas.

CPO demands that the defaulters who loot the consumers should be booked and awarded exemplary penalties under Public Safety Act and Food Safety Standard Act. They also demanded that their names should be published in the leading local news papers to aware public.

Don't let spurious sweets turn your festivity sour

ALLAHABAD: The festive season keeps markets buzzing with hectic shopping activity and it's also the biggest time to buy sweets. With a major increase in demand of sweets in the city, there is also a glut of adulterated ingredients that go into their making.
Sweets are prepared in bulk and some times weeks in advance to be sold around Dussehra and Diwali. To cope up with the demand, oil and khoya (reduced dry milk), used for preparing these sweets, is highly adulterated with the poisonous aregemone mexicana and a deadly butter-yellow dye which is added to the oil. A non-edible bi-product of crude palm oil, stearin is used in adulteration of Vanaspati. It is used mostly to manufacture soaps. Khoya is prepared by mashing blotting paper and toilet paper in milk and synthetic khoya is prepared adding urea. "Likewise, semolina is another important ingredient used in making synthetic milk and don't get surprised to know that milkcake, for which you pay around Rs 250 per kilo, often contains no milk at all," said a shopkeeper of the city.
So as a customer how can you really ensure that the peda or burfi you buy is pure? "You can tell generally from the colour or the mava used. Buy only from a reliable shop and understand that cheaper sweets are being made with cheaper products," said Suresh another sweet shop owner of the city.
"We should buy sweets only from reliable places," says a customer. The trick is to purchase sweets from a reputed shop or buy ones that are less colourful. It is also important to keep in mind that the product should be sampled to ensure it isn't made of inferior quality oil or vanaspati.
Normally, it the khoya which is used most and there is a bigger chance of that being adulterated. Refined palm stearin, a non-edible by-product of crude palm oil, is used as an adulterant in vanaspati. Stearin is used largely to manufacture soaps. We should buy khoya and other sweets only from genuine places, says a customer.
As difficult as it is for us to detect something amiss the administration is not taking any chances with a special task force instituted during festivals to keep a tab on quality of milk and sweets. With authorities gearing up to crackdown on mithai shops using stale ingredients, this Diwali, before you bite into that alluring assortment of sweets, make sure it is all fresh. But with the festival just a few days away, those in the business of making quick money are also active in the city and so is the department of food safety and drug administration which has chalked out an elaborate plan for intensifying the crackdown against those in the business of adulteration.
Talking about the department's plan, food safety officer Sailesh Dixit told TOI, "Keeping track of the eight tehsils in the district, we have six sectors each with one food safety officer who would be responsible for keeping a tab on adulteration. Any complaint related to quality of food would be taken action against. Any trader found resorting to such means of adulterations would be taken to task as the department has enhanced its vigilance in view of the festive season. Check is not only against milk products...we are vigil against any sort of adulteration be it in food items or spices."
Adulteration is not new to officials and now even common people are getting more aware as what he was couple of years ago, said head of the department of Gastroentrology MLN Medical College, Prof Manisha Dwivedi. Metanil yellow dye which is another non-permissible toxic colorant, is used mostly to color besan (gram flour), pulses, miscellaneous prepared foods including sweetmeats like laddoo, barfi, jalebi, dalmoth, papad, etc. for an attractive deep yellow color, informed Prof Jagdamba Singh of the department of Chemistry, Allahabad University.
Food grade colors are available in the market but since they are costly, traders take advantage of the lackadaisical approach of the law enforcing authorities and substitute it with cheap and non-permissible dyes and colors, he added.

Test before you taste milk and khoya

ALLAHABAD: The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) department is poised to educate and spread awareness among masses regarding purity of food and milk products during festivals like the forthcoming Diwali and on the other hand, an instant kit to determine purity of milk has become popular in KAVAL cities. An instant impurity detection kit is helping consumers in various cities check adulteration in 'khoya' and sweets. These kits are helpful and quick compared to laboratory tests which take days to confirm if sample is adulterated.
Food safety officials are promoting consumers to use the kits or other time-tested methods to detect on the spot if the khoya or mithai has impurities. But, since these kits use solutions such as tincture of iodine and sulphuric acid, other traditional methods are also being employed.
"A few drops of tincture of iodine can test the quality of khoya. If it turns bluish, it is adulterated. Sulphuric acid also rule out adulteration," said an official.Adulteration causes serious risk to human health. Presence of harmful starch, urea mixed milk, caustic soda, 'ararot', artificial sweetening chemicals, non-approved colored sweets (like heavy metals incorporated malachite green, etc) and unhygienic conditions lead to acute gastritis, serious diarrhoea, dysentery, dehydration, kidney inflammation, etc.
Apart from constituting teams for conducting raids on specific locations, the department has also planned to set up a helpline to provide information and teach methods to detect adulteration in food products. Chief Food Safety Officer, HK Srivastava told TOI "We are ready to apprise people about the benefits of home remedies to detect adulteration in food products. Besides, there is a plan in place to conduct surprise raids at sweet shops, godowns and manufacturing units from where samples will be collected and sent to the Public Analysis Lab, Lucknow and Regional Public Analysis, Varanasi for tests.
The state government had formed FDA (Food & Drug Administration) to check cases of adulteration but public participation and coordination is must to eradicate the menace. "Everyone should be alert while purchasing food and milk products and he or she should also be aware of the homely tips to check adulteration," said Srivastava. He added that public awareness was must to deal with the situation and people should come forward to know simple measures/techniques to detect adulteration. A team of 12 food inspectors are working round-the-clock to detect cases of adulteration in the district.
If anyone wants to complain against food/milk adulterated product, he or she may contact office of the FDA and food inspectors would help them out.
FDA officials have launched a special drive to apprise people about simple measures to detect adulteration at home or take professional assistance if required. The officials of FDA are also gearing up to initiate actions under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (1954) against errant shop owners. "Public generally is not optimally aware about adulteration and the ways in which items of consumption are laced with harmful additives, either to enhance its shelf-life or to give it more volume," said an official.

Soya milk – the health answer as 68% of milk in India adulterated

The health answer is to shift to soya milk, said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal President Heart Care Foundation of India. Dr Aggarwal said that the forthcoming MTNL Perfect Health Mela will focus on health benefits of shifting to soya. During festive season, especially Diwali as non adulterated milk is often used to prepare sweets it is impossible to get pure milk to drink. At least during these days it is safe to shift to soya milk.
Some facts about soya milk

• Soy milk (also called soya milk, soymilk, soybean milk, or soy bean juice and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage) is a beverage made from soybeans.
• It is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water.
• Soy milk contains about the same proportion of protein as cow’s milk: around 3.5%; also 2% fat, 2.9% carbohydrate, and 0.5% ash.
• Soy milk can be made at home.
• The coagulated protein from soy milk can be made into tofu, just as dairy milk can be made into cheese.
• The American Academy of Paediatrics considers soy milk a suitable alternative for children who cannot tolerate human or cow’s milk, or whose parents opt for a vegan diet.
• It is associated with a reduction in low-density lipoprotein (“bad cholesterol”) and triglycerides.
• It is good for women undergoing menopause.
• Soy affects bone mineral density.
• Gout sufferers limit consumption of soy products.
• It is good for the health of the thyroid gland.

Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture seminar on food safety

PUNE: The Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) has organised a seminar on food safety and standards Act and rules on October 31 in the city. At the seminar, participants will be informed about the new Act and rules which is recently being implemented across the state. The seminar is mainly to create awareness among food business operators and food processing industries. Some of the salient features of the seminar include licensing and registrations, new rules introduced this year, importance of food safety, necessity of food safety implementation in food processing industry, comparison with the previous Act, improvements in the new rules, awareness on the Food Safety and Standards Authority to consumers and food business operators, benefits to people in the business as well as consumers, sampling procedures among others.
The seminar will be useful for beginners and small scale food business operators and food processing industries. It will also help managers and employees of supply chain management functions. P M Kulkarni, former assistant commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra, will guide the participants at the seminar to be held at the MCCIA on Senapati Bapat road between 4 pm and 6pm.

Fear Factor – Drinking tea, coffee and milk, in the light of results from ‘National Survey on Milk Adulteration 2011’

Food Safety and Standards authority of India Today morning, I went to a nearby hotel for breakfast. In my last four years in Bangalore, majority of my daily meals were from hotels. In the counter, two people were standing in front of me. My eyes went through the menu list pasted next to the printing machine; after having a quick look I decided on Idly.

Next to that, price for tea and coffee were also listed. I am not a big fan of tea/ coffee. Last time, I ordered a full tea. But today, seeing the entry itself created a terrible feeling. After all, only yesterday I read the result of ‘The National Survey on Milk Adulteration 2011’.

The National Survey on Milk Adulteration 2011

According to the survey - ‘to ascertain the quality of milk and identify different type of adulteration in the liquid milk throughout the country’,

1. ‘total non-conforming samples were 1226 (68.4%)’.
2. ‘non-conformity of samples in rural areas were 381 (31%)’ [Packet samples: 64 (16.7%), Loose samples: 317 (83.2%).
3. ‘In urban area, the total non confirming samples were 845 (68.9%)’ [Packet samples: 282 (33.4%), Loose samples: 563 (66.6%).
4. ‘deviations were found highest on account of Fat and SNF content in 574 samples (46.8%) of the total non–conformity, which includes 147 samples with detergent and two samples with neutralizers respectively’.
5. ‘Detergent was also found in 103 samples (8.4%). Perhaps the reason may be dilution of milk with water’.
6. ‘The second highest parameter of non conformity was the Skim Milk Powder (SMP) in 548 samples (44.69%) which includes presence of glucose in 477 samples. Glucose would have been added to milk probably to enhance SNF’.
7. ‘The presence of Skim Milk Powder indicates the reconstitution of milk powder’.

If I summarize,

1. 68.4% of milk is not fine for human consumption.
2. Apart from water, detergents are also present in milk.
3. People are adding milk powder.
4. Neutralizers are also present in the milk.

Regions

This issue is not limited to any single part of India. Survey was carried out by five regional offices of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in 33 states; sample size was 1791.

Moral Issues

After having breakfast, I walked towards a supermarket located some 200 meters away. Young man of around 30-32 years old was walking in the opposite direction. I could see half litre milk packet, inside a partially transparent plastic bag he was carrying. He may have a kid of 2-3 years old. It is also possible that the kid may drink this milk as well– which may contain detergents and other things.

We are buying milk (any other item for that matter) with the belief that, other side will play fair. Moreover, everybody can’t have a cow at their home.

Conclusion

It is a known fact that a good percentage of milk selling in India is not adhering to the highest standards, people made water as the twin brother of milk long time back; but detergents? adding milk powder?

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted a survey and enlightened the people. Good thing, but who will take action against the entities contaminating milk? Simply conducting an ‘ease of doing business survey’ will not increase the ease to do business. It should be firmly backed by action at ground level. Here, if I am not wrong, independent India always had food inspectors, regulators etc. Even this ‘Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’ was not created yesterday. Still this is the situation.

It is important for government and its various arms to make sure the security of her citizens. Providing security is not limited to protecting borders or conducting income tax raids, it also includes the protection of consumer and sanity of market place.

Sajeev.

Mineral water units must stick to norms, says Deputy Commissioner

Deputy Commissioner V.P. Ikkeri has stated that action will be initiated against mineral water units in the district if they fail to follow the norms as per the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. In a press release here on Saturday, he stated that a team of officials had been formed to check if those units had obtained clearance and were following the norms.

This apart, the tahsildar, officials from Bescom and the Health Department, and municipality officers would also inspect and stop operations of any unit that did not adhere to the norms. “Besides ordering the closure of such units, officers would file criminal cases against them,” he added.

VILLUPURAM & DHARMAPURI DIST. FSO ACTIVITIES

டீத்தூளில் துணிக்கு போடும் சாயம் "மிக்சிங்'

சேலம்: "டீத்தூளில், முந்திரி தோல், இளவம்பஞ்சு காய், துணிகளுக்கு போடும் சாயம் போன்றவை கலக்கப்படுகிறது. செந்நிறமாக இருக்கும் டீயால், குடல்நோய், கல்லீரல், புற்றுநோய் உள்ளிட்ட பாதிப்பு ஏற்படும். கலப்பட டீத்தூள் பயன்படுத்துவோர் குறித்து தகவல் தெரிவிக்கலாம்' என, கலெக்டர் மகரபூஷணம் வேண்டுகோள் விடுத்துள்ளார்.
இது குறித்து, அவர் வெளியிட்ட அறிக்கை:ஏழை, எளியவர்கள் முதல் வசதி படைத்தவர்கள் வரை, பருகுவது டீ ஒன்று தான். அந்த டீத்தூளில், பல்வேறு கலப்படங்களை செய்து, மக்களின் உடல் நலத்தை கெடுக்கின்றனர். குறிப்பாக, முந்திரிதோல், துணிகளுக்கு போடும் சாயம், இளவம்பஞ்சுகாய் உள்ளிட்டவை கலக்கப்படுகிறது. உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரங்கள் சட்டப்படி, டீத்தூளில் எந்தவிதமான சாயங்களும் சேர்க்கக்கூடாது. செயற்கை வண்ணங்கள் உடல் நலத்துக்கு கேடு விளைவிக்கக்கூடியது.

நல்ல தரமான டீத்தூளில், 200 கப் டீ மட்டுமே கிடைக்கும், கலப்பட டீத்தூளில், 400 கப் டீ கிடைக்கும். இந்த டீயை சாப்பிடுவதால், குடல், கல்லீரல் உள்ளிட்டவை பாதிக்கப்படும். புற்றுநோயும் வருவதற்கான வாய்ப்புள்ளது. கலப்பட டீ விற்பவர்களுக்கு, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டப்படி, ஏழு ஆண்டு வரை சிறை தண்டனையும், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய் அபராதம் விதிக்கப்படும்.டீத்தூளில் கலப்படம் உள்ளதா என்பதை எளிய முறையில் கண்டறியலாம். அதாவது, ஒரு கண்ணாடி டம்ளரில் முக்கால் பாகம் குளிர்ந்த நீர் எடுத்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். கண்ணாடி டம்ளரில் உள்ள நீரில் டீத்தூளை தூவவும். டீத்தூள் நீரில் இறங்கும்போது, நீர் சிகப்பு அல்லது பழுப்பு நிறமாக மாறினால், அது கலப்படத்தூள். சுத்தமான டீத்தூள் குளிர்ந்த நீரில் சாயம் வராது. கொதித்த நீரில் மட்டுமே சாயம் வரும்.மேலும், தீபாவளி பண்டிகையையொட்டி, இனிப்பு, காரவகைகள் விற்பனை செய்வோர், கலப்படம் இல்லாத வகையில் தயாரித்து விற்பனை செய்ய வேண்டும். உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையில் கட்டாயம் லைசென்ஸ் பெற்றிருக்க வேண்டும். பொதுமக்கள், லைசென்ஸ் பெற்றுள்ள கடைகளில் மட்டுமே, இனிப்பு, காரவகைகளை வாங்குங்கள். புகார்கள் இருக்கும்பட்சத்தில், தொலைபேசி: 0427 - 2450332, மொபைல்: 94435 20332 என்ற எண்ணில் தொடர்பு கொண்டு தகவல் தெரிவிக்கலாம்.இவ்வாறு அறிக்கையில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

SALEM DIST. FOOD SAFETY DEPT. NEWS

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Mynamarese food items to be tested

Imphal, October 26 2012: Food items imported from neighbouring Myanmar to Manipur are now subject to safety and efficacy testing in laboratory and at the same time the next step is to pay special attention to different brands of packaged drinking water produced in the state, an official of Manipur Medical Directorate said.

The step has been taken up by the state Government in response to an official instruction by Central Government, an official of the state Medical Directorate who did not want to be named told Nepram Tombi of Newmai News Network on Friday.

With the centre paying special attention to all the eatables included in Indo-Myanmar boarder trade, the instruction was given to the state Government by Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) at the Centre acting on a prior proposal submitted to the latter by Manipur Government in this regard in July this year, the official informed.

As per the instruction, the largest imported food item betel nuts were tested at Food Testing Laboratory, Lamphelpat in August, he said.

The test was conducted after taking samples of the betel nuts under the supervision of food experts.

However, no detrimental substance was detected during the testing after which further import of betel nuts in the state was approved, he added.

The procedure of testing of every suspicious food item is carried out by way of purchasing them from traders and then sending them to the state laboratory, he further said.

This, he said, is done by the concerned Food Safety Officers (FSOs) of all the districts.

In the case of imported foodstuffs, test is conducted after the samples are received, the Medical Directorate official said.

The food samples are sent to the laboratory by custom officials.

He also said it has become quite necessary at the same time to keep special attention to all the packaged drinking water available in the state.

It does not mean that they are all bad but the point is that the need for testing such article has grown up, he stressed.

The official said it has been a demand from some section of the public that manufacturing and expiry dates pasted along with label tags on every bottled drinking water brands should be indicated by markings only.

A chemical compound called bisphenol-A is contained in every bottle to make the water look clean and clear but as expiry date of the compound extends beyond it dissolves slowly and causes harm to health, he further said.

Considering the above fact, experts from the state Food Testing Laboratory are also of the view that it is better to indicate manufacturing and expiry dates of every packaged drinking water through proper markings on the surface of the bottle itself.

This will enable to prevent from reselling of already used bottles and also selling of bottled drinking water brands beyond expiry dates, he suggested.

He further informed that the Central Government has also given approval to upgrade the present building and equipments of the Food Testing Laboratory at Lamphelpat by April 2013 .

All the other eatables included in the Indo-Myammar Border Trade will be tested at the laboratory a soon as it is upgraded but testing of all the items is impossible as of now due to lack of better proper tools and microbiology room, he added.

The major food items now imported from Myanmar through barter mechanism are betel nuts, turmeric, red kidneys beans (rajma), kuth roots, gram, resin, dry ginger, etc.

Offenders escape prosecution in absence of testing facilities

Jammu, Oct 26: With inadequate facility of testing laboratories in the city, the anti-adulteration drive launched by Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is proving a futile exercise as it is unable to get timely result of samples picked for testing to prosecute the offenders.  
 Sources said that the only Food and Drug Laboratory at Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) getting hundreds of samples daily form across the region is overburdened and thus fails to meet the urgency of getting the results to imitate legal action against the  traders resorting adulteration..  
 They said that as per Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) Act-2008, JMC can not set up its own food testing laboratory as a result of which it has to depend on Food and Drug Laboratory at Regional Research Laboratory (RRL)   the only laboratory in the region. The laboratory is regulated by both Union Health Ministry and State Health Ministry, they added.
 They said the laboratory is well equipped with modern gadgets to test all kind of food items which are sent there. Hundreds of samples of food items are sent to this laboratory from across the Jammu region for testing on daily basis which make it overburdened and consequently led to delay in getting results. The maximum time for providing result has been fixed for 14 days which is very long period to take further action against the violators.
 In view of the ongoing festive season, the Health wing of JMC has intensified the anti adulteration drive and conducts massive raids at business establishments selling sweets  , milk and   allied products   within municipal limits and dozens of food samples lifted daily are sent to this laboratory, they said adding that but it cannot get the results in time giving the offenders much time to escape the legal action.
 They added that Consumers Affairs Public Distribution (CAPD) Department was also conducting anti adulteration drives and send the samples to RLL and face same problem   .
 When contacted the Health Officer JMC, Dr Vinod Sharma admitted that Food and Drug laboratory at RRL has very small set up and can not cater to bulk of samples. He said that inadequate staff and many other  problems hamper  the timely testing . 
  “We have to face many problems to take immediate legal action against the defaulters. However we seize adulterated food items and impose heavy fine on the violators”, he added. He further said that Additional Deputy Commissioner has an authority to impose the fine from Rs 5000 to Rs 5 lakh.

DINAKARAN NEWS

An open letter to Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo chairman and CEO

Dear Ms Nooyi

This letter is a gentle reminder of a promise you made in the March of 2010 through a public announcement that your esteemed company , PepsiCo, is voluntarily adopting a new global policy by stopping sales of full-sugar soft drinks to primary and secondary schools by 2012. I believe when you planned this policy, you meant 2012 and not 2013 for we are about to Enter the New Year In a couple of months and to our utter disappointment, you haven't fulfilled your promise till date.

Today, when junk food and sugar-loaded soft drinks are being shunned and banned in the schools globally to prevent our children from poor health and obesity, ma'am, I would have really appreciated your contribution as a savior towards this epidemic "Obesogenic" situation. The campaign to make schools "junk-free" is catching fire all over the world. Activists, doctors, media and a lot of celebrity chefs have immensely criticized sportsmen and celebrities like filmstars for endorsing junk food and colas. Their involvement with such brands has an inevitable and severe impact on kids, who wish to be like them and follow their heroes blindly.

Don't you feel the heat of the situation? Don't the harmful effects of junk food horrify you? India being the "Diabetes Capital of the World" and cancer being the second terrifying disease engulfing Indians don't bother you? Are you ready to be a part of this mayhem? Wouldn't you like to contribute towards helping this situation for the sake of the children, our children, your children? I feel that with timely fulfillment of your promise, PepsiCo could have emerged as exemplary for promoting healthy food and disease-free life among kids.

Although we have made sure that no school shall be selling unhealthy or junk food and colas across India based on Public Interest Litigation filed by us in the Delhi High Court against consumption of Junk Food in Schools. And you will be happy to note that the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already started the work for framing guidelines to make available quality and safe food at schools across the country by March of 2013, but we still feel that you should fulfill your promise and make a graceful exit from schools.

According to the reply filed by FSSAI in the Hon'ble Delhi High Court that there are more than 8 lakh primary and upper primary schools spread all over the country, imparting education to more than 12 crore children and we strongly believe that all these children will have access to healthy and nutritious food along with a happy future.

Ma'am, I understand that PepsiCo is one of the largest manufacturers of beverages and snacks globally. And I appreciate the fact that PepsiCo has also dedicated itself for offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, but I am surprised with the delay about the commitment made by you publicly as till date there is no news of stopping sales of full-sugar soft drinks to primary and secondary schools anywhere in India.

These were your words that you have long advocated for school settings to be made as conducive as possible to promoting good health among students, and you have programs under way with school authorities in several countries to do that. This includes restoring or expanding physical education and promoting nutritional education. This global policy will definitely serve as an important part of that mission, by expanding our offerings of low-calorie and nutritious beverages but, ma'am, I am sorry to say that none of these statements impress us as a majority of common citizens like me believe in actions over speeches and unfulfilled commitments.

Obesity is a health epidemic not only across our country but globally and we have a responsibility as individuals and as society to do whatever we can to promote good nutrition and healthy eating habits so that we can reverse this alarming trend. A study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, among children in the age group of 14-18 found 17% of children to be obese or overweight. A similar study by Fortis Hospital, Delhi, found that 28% of school kids in the city are obese, whereas a research in urban areas of southern India revealed 21% of boys and 18% of girls between 13 and 18 years, to be obese.

School canteens have a social responsibility towards the health and growth of children, and in inculcating healthy eating. They could be used as places to motivate children to consume healthy and hygienic food. However, it really saddens me that through massive billion-dollar advertising campaigns, corporates have laid claim to children's imagination and virtually insinuated themselves into every corner of children's lives. Today, children eat food designed for the health of corporate balance sheets rather than their own health.

The situation is alarming and needs quick action. We all are facing the harmful effects of junk food consumption like allergies, hair fall, poor stamina, digestive issues and adult diseases like, blood pressure, poor concentration, and hormonal disorders in our daily life.

We expect that your company is not only working towards getting good financial returns but also understands its moral responsibility towards mankind and society as a whole. Replacing full-sugar soft drinks from schools with healthy snacks and low-calorie nutritious beverages is a commendable idea. You are quite popular for your involvement by sponsoring the various programs, events and campaigns organized by schools in India and this step of yours will not only put you on a high moral ground but also enhance your reputation globally.

We as a non-profit expect/understand that you are really concerned about the health of children by taking a pledge of leaving the school canteens this year and will definitely fulfill your promise by ensuring the placement of low-calorie, low-sugar content and high nutritional value products on the school canteen racks.

Ma'am, we grew up on your company's products, enjoyed them, endorsed them and also gifted you heavy balance sheets every year. Today, we want a gift from you, a strong commitment that you will fulfill your promise by the 28th of October, so we can have a wonderful and healthy gift on your birthday.

P.S. "Happy Birthday"

Warm Regards

Rahul Verma
Co-founder
Uday Foundation for Congenital Defects and Rare Blood Groups.

(The Uday Foundation has grown from what was essentially a handful of parents and doctors of babies with birth defects to a nonprofit fully dedicated to children, health and human rights. Its main aim is to provide support services to children afflicted with congenital defects, critical disorders, syndromes, and diseases that affect their health condition, education and growth.)

Shocking! All instant noodle brands are fooling you on nutrition, health

Lab tests conducted by CERS clearly indicate that the ‘health’ quotient claimed by instant noodles brands is far from being true. As a matter of fact, high levels of sodium, fat and carbohydrates in these food products can lead to life-threatening conditions like cardiac disorders and blood pressure

Ahmedabad-based Consumer Education & Research Society (CERS) has said its in-house laboratory test of 15 popular instant noodles brand reveals that most health claims made by these brands are deceptive and are way below in nutrition levels as well.

The fifteen brands tested included brands like Maggi, Top Ramen, Knorr, Ching’s Secret, Sunfeast Yippee!, Foodles, Tasty Treat and Wai Wai X-press. The results were shocking. “Some of the common findings for most of the samples tested included high level of sodium salts, significantly low fibre content, high amount of fats and several other shocking factors. The brands that claimed ‘Healthy’, ‘wholesome’, ‘enriched with proteins and iron’ and ‘full of fibre’, were refuted by the test findings as going way above the safe limit of several harmful elements,” CERS said in a release.

7 Facts about Instant Noodles •   Noodles are junk food with little nutrition value in spite of all the health claims. Avoid if you can. If you cannot, reduce consumption. •    Check the shelf life. It varies from brand to brand. •    Increase the protein value of the noodles by adding an egg or a small amount of soy products such as tofu or soya nuggets. Add vegetables and fruits either for garnishing or as an accompaniment. •    Majority of salt is added to noodles through the seasoning supplied in sachets. So reduce the sodium content by using the minimum amount of seasoning, preferably half of the sachets. •    Instant noodle soup is often high in salt; limit its consumption to avoid excess intake. •    Instant noodles can serve as breakfast or evening snacks but not as main meals. Limit the consumption to a maximum of once in a week or ten days. •    Pregnant women and infants (below 12 months) must avoid consumption of instant noodles containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) as flavour enhancer (INS 621). So watch out for MSG or INS 621 in the list of ingredients given on the packet.

CERS said the domestic market for instant noodles in worth Rs1,000 crore and most people consume it more than once in a fortnight. This led the consumer organisation to probe claims made by these brands.
It said, “Some of the brands like the ‘Top Ramen Oat Noodles’ and ‘Maggi Vegetable Multigrainz Noodles’ that prominently claimed to be relatively healthier than their counterparts through their advertisements, were actually fooling their customers in to eating noodles and harming their health.” 
Instant noodles, while chiefly targeted at easily impressionable kids, are also now promoted across all age groups as a healthy snacking option. But the tests conducted by CERS clearly indicate that the ‘health’ quotient claimed by instant noodles brands is far from being true. As a matter of fact, high levels of sodium, fat and carbohydrates in these food products can lead to life-threatening conditions like cardiac disorders and blood pressure problems.
None of the brands were able to substantiate their tall claims of being healthy snacking option when interpreted against Food Standards Agency (FSA) of UK standards for fats and sodium, CERS said in a release.
Though there are no specific Indian Standards to check the level of nutrition when it comes to instant noodles, CERS conducted the tests for basic parameters that included total ash, moisture level, acid insoluble ash, fat, crude fibre, proteins, sodium, calcium, iron, carbohydrate, and energy. During these tests, the labelling information on each of the samples was checked against the regulations laid down by Food Safety and Standards (packaging & labelling) Regulations, 2011. Contrary to their claims of being a harmless snack, most of the instant noodles brands have emerged to be a dangerous choice in the present day stressful lifestyle, the release said.

CERS has recommended several actions through which the government can force the instant noodle manufacturers to improve their products and safeguard the health of the consumers. Some of these recommendations include suggestions like the Food Safety and Standards authorities take note of the salt minimization efforts put forth by UK FSA and compel manufacturers to reduce the sodium levels. The consumer body has also suggested stringent norms for packaging wherein manufacturers highlight the content of their products explicitly making it easier for the consumer to notice.
Citing the major role played by the misleading advertisements of instant noodles, CERS has recommended that Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) implement stricter conditions forcing manufacturers to refrain from making false claims to innocent consumers. The recommendations are also directed towards manufacturers, asking them to reduce the level of harmful elements like sodium and increase the amount of nutritional elements like calcium and iron.
CERS said it sent out the results of each brand to its respective manufacturer seeking clarification about the alarming results. However, none of the manufacturers responded to the queries raised by CERS, the release added.

How KFC India Could Have Saved Face After The Wormgate Episode

Our views on how KFC India could have saved its online reputation, following the worms found in the chicken at its Trivandrum outlet.

“Someone found worms in my fried chicken and pictures of it are everywhere now. My outlet has been shut down by the food safety guys who have already begun their investigations. I did put up a kitchen tour video on my Facebook page for my worried fans, in which I explained about all the safety measures we take but did not offer an explanation for the worms. I also hogged a piece at the end, after all I’m the Chief Food Innovation Officer. But, my fans seem to be really peeved about this. I don’t understand what the fuss is all about?”

If you are this man and you don’t understand what the fuss is all about, then you are in grave trouble. In fact, you could become the butt of jokes just as KFC India discovered right after it totally mishandled a wormgate episode on its Facebook page. Here’s what happened earlier this month and since then, there have been no updates regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, I see the page admin has been posting yummy pictures and updates from the Radio KFC Facebook contest. And I also see a standard response that the matter is under investigation, whenever a fan questions about the worms. KFC India is clearly being defensive and that doesn’t help save its face. And all this when it has expansion plans in the country!

Instead of taking a concerned approach on social media rather than one that reeks of indifference, the online reputation managers at KFC India have left me disappointed. While they did take a few damage control steps, there are quite a few blunders in the approach. Let’s take a look:

Address the issue beforehand

Perhaps, a rival planted those worms or this is something even more sinister, but KFC India needed to address the issue on all its digital properties, sooner than it did. Yes, they did address the issue at hand in the form of a Facebook update but this came after a good number of days, during which the damage was already done – the brand was lampooned on Facebook and Twitter and even rechristened as KFW (Kentucky Fried Worms).

A brand is accountable to its community. Just as KFC expects its fans to drool over its yummy zingers and ‘like’ the post at once, it should also be ready to see them being spiteful about the worm incident. Had the statement come in just as the news media broke the story, it would have helped mitigate the damage right at the very beginning. Fans love what you serve them and worms were definitely not in the menu, so the informative update posted by KFC was a good thing but rather late in the day.

Bring in a face to the brand

Fans and onlookers weren’t content with what was posted by the page admin. There were reports of fewer numbers at KFC outlets. As competitors were feasting away their business, KFC came up with a video update from the Chief Food Innovation Officer, Vijay Sukumar of Yum! Restaurants that manages KFC in India. I was thrilled to bits! Here’s a brand with a face. And that is such a human thing to do.

But, in the entire video of 1:27 minutes, Vijay kept harping about the brand’s stringent food safety standards while taking us through a kitchen tour but not once did he make any reference to the worms found in the Trivandrum outlet chicken. He even took a bite from a KFC chicken bucket hoping to reassure us. But, all that ‘human face’ effort went down the drain. A man of authority talks to his irate fans to reassure them about the brand’s safety standards but avoids to address the very reason of his fan’s fury!

Choose their words carefully

The statement by the page admin comes across as a calculated one. When you are already angry about the breach of trust, how would you savour an official statement that begins like this –  ”Hi we know some of you have been hearing and reading about the recent inspection conducted by the local authorities at our restaurant in Trivandrum. Nothing is more important to us than food safety. We take all claims about our food very seriously and we are thoroughly investigating this claim. Please rest assured that as a responsible brand, we are committed to following international standards and serving the highest quality products to all our customers across each of our restaurants.”

The tone chosen suggests that it is all about the brand and how affected they have been by the whole incident. They do not seem to be concerned about the customers at all. Sounds like a sales pitch just as the remainder of the statement!

Besides, the ‘Hi’ has been addressed with an ‘indifferent’ tone. KFC doesn’t seem to be talking to its fans or brand advocates here.

Regain the lost trust

Your community trusts you and you need to respect that. This might be an unfortunate incident and you are breaking your head how this could ever happen to you but the fact is that it did happen and there is ample evidence. So, you have to deal with it. While you are seriously ‘investigating the claim’, you need to seriously regain the lost trust of your fans.

The first rule of ORM is to apologise or acknowledge a disaster at once. KFC took a long time to come up with a statement following the online backlash.

The second rule is to offer a resolution or at least talk about the disaster. KFC’s kitchen tour video did not even make a passing reference to the worms found in its chicken. Avoiding an issue when you are directly accountable is the worst you can do. The brand could have reduced some of the damage by not making that video at all!

Fans have been quite fierce in their comments and the fury is still high on Facebook. Had the brand really put themselves into a damage control mode and followed the steps mentioned above, this fury would have died down by now. Regaining the trust of your customers is tough but not impossible.

As KFC India fights hard to reopen the outlet, I don’t know what it will do to the many articles that come up when you type ‘KFC India’ into Google.