FSSAI ADVT.

Labels must for GM food

Industry clueless about implementing labelling rule; FSSAI dithers over regulations

A supermarket in Moscow. Label of GM-free food is seen in the foreground (Photo: Reuters)
INDIA MAY NOT have started growing genetically modified (GM) food crops, but it does import food products that contain GM ingredients. Consumers who buy them have no way of knowing what they contain. Recently, the department of consumer affairs under the Union food and consumer affairs ministry decided to take a corrective measure to help consumers make an informed choice. It mandated that all packaged food products containing GM ingredients should carry a GM label from January 1, 2013.
The department notified 19 commodities to be covered by the new labelling rule under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules. These include baby food, biscuits, breads, edible oils, milk powder, cereals and pulses. “Every consumer has a right to know what kind of food he or she is eating, and with the controversy over health impacts of genetically modified food, labelling becomes all the more important,” says B N Dixit, director (legal metrology) with the department of consumer affairs.
Who will monitor?
But how will the new rule get implemented? The consumer affairs department deals only with packaging, and weights and measures. Dixit says it is for the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to decide what information should be displayed and in what manner. FSSAI was mandated by the Food Safety Standards Act of 2006 to regulate GM food and draft regulations for labelling food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). These have not been finalised till date.
Down To Earth (DTE) asked FSSAI what specific symbol would be used for GM labelling, how it plans to monitor GM labelling and whether it has drafted rules for implementing it. FSSAI chief executive officer, S N Mohanty, had this to say in his written response: “Regulations for labelling of GM food are under preparation in FSSAI and these would be incorporated in labelling and packaging regulations of FSSAI which is under preparation.”
In 2010, FSSAI had prepared an interim regulation—Operationalising the Regulation of Genetically Modified Foods in India. It says that to manage the regulatory programme for GM foods, FSSAI would establish a new secretariat—GM Foods and Food Safety Assessment Unit (GMFSAU). It would have a multi-disciplinary team of scientists trained in safety assessment.
This unit would assess and decide whether the GM event (gene insertion) for which approval is sought can be considered as safe as non-GM food. The report of GMFSAU would then be reviewed by FSSAI’s expert committee on GM foods, which would also oversee the public consultations process before giving its recommendation (see diagram).
But this interim regulation may end up as an exercise on paper. Mohanty says the department of biotechnology has since mooted the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) bill for a single regulator for genetically modified food. Since BRAI has come into picture, it is yet to be made clear who will regulate GM food.
The food processing industry, meanwhile, is clueless about what needs to be done before the approaching deadline of January 1. Industry sources say they cannot act unless they get clear instructions. Dixit blames FSSAI for the situation, saying the consumer affairs department had given it more than six months to formulate regulations.
“Our department plans to hold public awareness campaigns through advertisements about GM labelling and we’ll be at work from January 1,” he says. The consumer affairs department has powers to penalise violators and seize consignments of their products.
The one-line rule notified by the consumer affairs department has baffled activists, too. The glut of imported food products is from countries that do not follow GM labelling standards, like the US and Canada. There is no way of tracing the origin of these and indigenous food products, and this is one of the biggest hurdles in implementing a GM labelling regime.
The hurdles
“How will the consumer affairs ministry hold companies and brands liable when there is no system of trace-back (of ingredients used in a product)?” asks Shivani Singh, campaigner for sustainable agriculture with non-profit Greenpeace India. The ministry needs to flesh out the notification to meet the desired objective, she points out.
She says the authorities should adopt zero-tolerance for GMOs that have not been approved for commercialisation in India. “Any traceable amount of GMOs (>0.01 per cent) should be reflected on the packages,” she says.
Kavitha Kuruganti of Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture says the new rule has addressed one aspect of the problem relating to packaged foods. “But the question is how labelling can be implemented when most of the consumption is of food sold in loose form.” She says not a single case has been registered so far against importers of products containing GM ingredients like corn, canola and soy, and there is no system for segregating such products.
She cited the example of import of 64 kg of pickles from Japan, containing GM corn and soy, by a Japanese restaurant in Delhi in 2009. A civil society organisation had complained but the case was never taken to its logical end, says Kuruganti. At present, about 40 countries have the GM labelling system, either mandatory or voluntary (see list).
A major constraint in implementing the GM labelling regime in India is shortage of laboratories equipped to test food products for GM ingredients. There are just a handful of them, like the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) at Mysore, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics at Hyderabad and the National Bureau of Plant and Genetic Resources in Delhi.
A senior official with the department of consumer affairs says upgrading lab facilities will be considered once the practice is established.
Scientists add that DNA-based methods for testing genetic modification are expensive and tedious, requiring highly skilled, trained personnel. Scientists at CFTRI-Mysore say that every company is developing its own genetically modified crop with different genes because of which there is no universal and precise method to detect GMOs. For example, in herbicide tolerant soy (GM soy), two different genes confer resistance to glyphosate and glufosinate, commonly used herbicides.
So, for genetic testing of soy, scientists need to set up different protocols and optimise and standardise procedures for identifying promoter genes that regulate the expression of neighbouring genes. Thus, testing for GMOs needs to be on case-to-case basis. Scientists also enumerate difficulties in obtaining samples of crops like GM soy seed or seed powder from which DNA is to be extracted. These are required to ascertain whether the testing procedure is correct. Effective and efficient sampling plans are needed to get the most representative sample.
The procedure for importing samples of modified and unmodified crops or food stuffs requires clearances from various ministries, beginning with application to the Institutional Biosafety Committee. Once this approval is granted, an import licence and approval is required from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage under the agriculture ministry. After this, the developer firm has to be approached for seed and leaf powders—and the firm can easily turn down the request. A German company, FLUKA, supplies “certified reference materials” of a few GM crops, but at a high cost of Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 per gram.
Scientists add that in processed food, DNA degradation is very common, and therefore the methodology has to be modified and optimised by simulating processing operations, such as baking and autoclaving.
The absence of a sound regulatory and enforcement regime means consumers may not really have a choice over what they eat even after the new labelling rule comes into force.

Govt takes action against food manufactures for misleading ads

The government has launched prosecution against the manufactures of 19 food items for allegedly making misleading claims in the advertisements for their products, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Health A H K Choudhary said the alleged misguiding claims in the advertisements for 38 food items were monitored by Food Safety Standards and Authority of India (FSSAI).

"So far 38 food items had been identified with misleading claims. Manufacturer of these articles were served with show-cause notices and their replies were examined at FSSAI by a three-member committee. As per recommendations of the committee, prosecutions have been launched in 19 cases by Designated Officers at regional level," he said.
On a querry over sale of soft drinks in hospitals, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that his Ministry has not issued any directive in this regard.

 "Since health is a state subject, it is up to the state governments to take decision in this regard," he said.

Replying to a question on misuse of correction fluids and nail paint removers, Azad said the states have been requested to take action for enforcement of necessary measures by sensitising the industries producing these products.

On the amount spent for conducting research and development by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the Ministry said that Rs 5.21 crore had been spent for the purpose from 2009 till date.

Replying to a question on Child Mortality Rate in the country, Choudhary said India ranks 49 in the under five mortality rate as per UNICEF Progress Report 2012.

Beverage Products

The Food Safety Standards & Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, monitors labels on various food items and claims advertised for food items by different companies in print and electronic media. Such findings and complaints received from stake holders are analysed in FSSAI and show-cause notices are issued to the manufacturers. Their replies are examined at FSSAI by a 3 member Committee constituted for this purpose. As per recommendations of this Committee, actions including prosecution are initiated by Designated Officers at the regional level.

So far, 38 food items have been identified with misleading claims. Manufacturers of these articles have been served with show-cause notices and the replies received, examined at FSSAI by a 3 member Committee constituted for this purpose. As per recommendations of this Committee, prosecutions have been launched in 19 cases by Designated Officers at regional levels.

Under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Regulations have been notified on 1st August 2011. Implementation of provisions of the Act and various Regulations made thereunder is already in progress in the country. Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011 envisage labelling and packaging rules on food items. Actions on misleading label declarations and misleading claims through advertisements through print and electronic media are taken as per Section 24 and 53 of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and as per provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.

There is no proposal to change their regulations at present.

This information was given by Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Shri Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

Gujarat the first state in the country to operate food laboratory vans

While most of the states are still in the process of getting vans for food testing, Gujarat has already had the distinction of being the first state in the country to start the process of testing food in mobile laboratories.

Confirming this, H G Koshia, food safety commissioner, Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA), told, “This festive season we got a very good response in testing food through these mobile vans.”

Gardens told to abide by safety norms

Guwahati/Silchar Nov. 29: The Tea Board of India today said from February 1 next year no teas can either be exported from or imported into India, without conforming to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) parameters and teas would be subjected to random testing.

The statement issued today comes in the backdrop of various quality issues that have cropped up in recent years.

The Tea Board of India has established a Tea Council for north India and one for south India, under its direction, to put in place an online mandatory mechanism to track all exports and imports of tea and ensure that quality norms are enforced.

The mechanism will be hassle free and paperless.

"We want to ensure that only tea worthy of the tagline 'Indian tea' is exported," the board said in a statement.

Speaking to The Telegraph after addressing an awareness workshop for Cachar tea planters at a leading hotel in Silchar yesterday afternoon, Anirban Basu Mazumdar, a senior research official of the Tea Board, made it clear that his organisation would not hesitate to impose penalties on the gardens which would flout food safety regulations.

He said the penalties for the non-compliant tea estates would range between Rs 50,000 and Rs 10 lakh.

The awareness workshop was organised by the board in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Apart from Basu Mazumdar, the other specialist speaker was Pratyasha Chakra-borty, a counsellor of the CII.

R. Kujur, assistant director of the Tea Board's regional office here, inaugurated the programme and set rolling discussions on safety regulations in tea manufacturing.

The tea planters in the Cachar region, comprising 104 tea plantations in the three tea-growing districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, were told by the two experts on the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2011, and its manifold regulations implemented consequently by the Union health and family welfare ministry to ensure that the tea is processed in such a way that it should always be free of substances that cause health hazards.

The board identified such substances as iron fillings, artificial colours, artificial flavours and dust particles.
Senior board officials said these outside materials pose health hazards and asked tea planters in the Cachar region to "scrupulously" maintain good hygienic practices and proper manufactu-ring devices in the management of food and beverage operations.

A total of 75 senior tea planters, representatives of the bought leaf factories and the tea traders took part in this first exercise in south Assam on the FSSA.

Obtain/renew licences by February 4, dealers told

Sellers and producers of eatables including hawkers selling vegetables and fruits either by head load or through push carts, owners of roadside chilli chicken stalls, tea stalls and other eateries, retail dealers in foodstuffs, owners of rice mills and oil mills and owners of hotels, restaurants, bakeries, mutton stalls, milk producers and sellers, those running canteens in schools, colleges, business establishments and factories and those cooking food in marriage halls in Vellore district have been asked to obtain/renew their licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 before February 4, 2013.

According to a release from the Collector of Vellore district, the registration of the names of the dealers and producers and obtaining the licence to sell/supply/produce the eatables have been made compulsory under the Act. The organisations required to obtain licences included fair price shops, Indian Made Foreign Liquor shops run by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, places where ‘annadhanam’ is performed and ‘prasadam’ distributed in temples, and hostels run by the Departments of Adi Dravidar Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare.

The Collector said that all government-owned establishments dealing in edible items have already obtained the licence. Dealing in edible items and foodstuffs without licence is considered a crime under the Act, which is punishable with a maximum of six months imprisonment or maximum fine of Rs.five lakhs.

Small, tiny and medium establishments doing business in edible items and having a turnover of up to Rs.12 lakh should fill Form ‘A’ available with the concerned Food Safety Officer, while those having a turnover of above Rs.12 lakh should fill Form ‘B’ available with the District Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, whose office is located in the 5th floor of the ‘A’ Block of the Collectorate in Sathuvachari, Vellore. The Food Safety and Standards Act requires the food establishments to keep their premises clean and hygienic. Persons afflicted with infectious diseases should not be employed in their establishments. The premises should be free from rats, insects and disease-causing germs. They should not reuse used edible oil.

Existing licence-holders should renew or modify their licences before February 4, 2013. Those who have not so far obtained their licences should apply immediately and obtain their licences before the same date. Exports and importers of food items should apply for licences before December 4, 2012.

Further particulars could be had by contacting the District Designated Officer, Food Safety Department (ph.0416-2252249, 9698938880).

M.S. Sampath Kumar, District Designated Officer told TheHindu that there are 27 block-level Food Safety Officers in Vellore district.

Call for food safety registration

Roadside eateries, petty shops selling food items, vegetable and fruit vendors are now under the food safety net as the district administration is implementing the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
According to the district Food Safety Department, petty operators have to register with the department. All producers of food items, rice mills, edible oils manufacturers and vendors, hotels, tea shops, sweet shops, bakeries, meat shops, milk vendors, marriage halls,. ration shops, annadhanam and prasadham distribution centres in temples are now required to register under the Food Safety Act.
Failure to register would attract penal action of up to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Business houses with a turn over of up to Rs 12 lakh per year have to file form A and submit it to the food safety officer along with a challan of Rs 100 to get the registration done. Those who make over Rs 12 lakh have to submit form B and pay the appropriate fee to obtain the necessary licence, which is valid for a period of one year.
The last date to register is February 4, 2013. For further details, the district food safety officer can be contacted at 0416-2252249 and 9698938880.

Dinamalar

Misleading ads: food regulator steps in

New Delhi: They are snazzy, slick and smooth but do these ads feed us made up research and even glib outright lies every day?

Such concerns have prompted the food regulator, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India, to send notices to 38 companies for misleading advertisements.

Heinz's popular product Complan faces prosecution for claiming the product helps children grow twice as tall as they would if they had any other another drink. Boost and Horlicks from the GSK stable claim their products provide more stamina and make children smarter. Kellogg's claims on the slimming qualities of their product have also been questioned.
17:5

The government has also initiated prosecution procedure in 19 cases. Dr Shweta Khandelwal, of Public Health Foundation of India says, "This is an eye-opener for all of us. We should realise and understand that whatever claims are being put out in terms of nutrition labels that are being put out are not always what you should believe on. These companies claim that they use a lot of studies to base their studies upon. However in reality, these studies are not conducted in scientific rigueur. They lack many technical qualities. This is a common thing that people experience. They do not even know the difference between ingredients and tag lines for example, so I could say that they (consumers) are fooled every day. Another factor is the mixing of normal terms, terms that we use in everyday language with scientific terms, mislead as well."

Her view is not shared by the world of advertising. Ad gurus feel that consumers are smart enough and point out that there is already a system of checks and balances through the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) that has in the past pulled out a number of ads that have crossed the line.

Executive Director and CEO of Draftfcb + Ulka, Ambi MG Parameswaran told NDTV, "I believe in a free market economy, there is enough competitive pressure to stop you from making false claims. As consumers become more and more aware... and more knowledgeable, as a famous advertising man said - they are not morons. They know what works and what does not work. They know what is an advertising claim, and in their mind they know what is an admissible over claim that brands can do and get away with. The government should help strengthen ASCI's arms. No self-respecting firm will lie about their product. And in the past as well we have seen these hollow claims don't last. These products cater to a section of society that is well read and can see through lies. ASCI is an important body. It is set up by activists, clients and media and the government must instead focus on giving ASCI more teeth. ASCI has in the last one year put in place a tatkal system where you can actually file a complaint and get a panel to review it within a week or so. Finally no company, large or small, wants to sell fraudulent products or make intentionally false claims.

The companies in question could not be reached for comment, and a survey of their consumers showed opinions are diverse.

A young parent said, "People are far more well-read and conscious and I don't think they will simply be taken in by the tall claims made. I'm not fooled by it." Another lady said, "I bought a product after the claims I saw made in the ad. But when I bought it, it didn't live up to the promises it made."

Is one chocolate drink better than another, or can a product really sharpen your child's memory? In this world of claims and counter claims, one may still say the consumer is King, but it seems the King needs to read the fine print to know the real from the imagined so as to not get taken for a ride.

Too good to be believed

Advertisements tend to influence consumers’ choice to a large extent. All products claim to be better and more effective than the other, leaving buyers to fall for them.

In this scenario, the notice of Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) to 19 food products for making misleading and deceptive claims without any studies to substantiate them, would rather make people rethink their beliefs.

FSSAI has sent notices to health drinks Horlicks, Bournvita, Boost, cooking oil Saffola, Today Premium Tea, Maggie Multi-grainz noodles, Kelloggs Extra Muesli and others.
Metrolife talks to consumer rights activists and buyers on the issue as these are the products that make way to almost every household.

While activists feel that government consumer redressal forums are neither capable nor willing to tackle the problem, owing to their political agendas, buyers continue to remain at the receiving end.

Rajeev Yadav, a member of Supreme Court Bar Association and national president of Adhikaar — the rights path, says false claims regarding food products is a very serious matter and a concerns people of all age groups.

“People can approach consumer courts but there is no point doing that too as the decisions given are very weak. In the US, the fines imposed by consumer courts are huge. Here, district consumer forums and state consumer disputes redressal commissions give judgements which suit the government agenda,” he says

“The judgements made by these bodies are weak. That is why multinational companies easily get away despite deficiency in services and unfair trade practices. The  Consumer Protection Act has got all clauses and is good enough but is not implemented strongly,” he adds.

Abhishek Kaushik of Consumers Forum, which works for Consumer Protection Act, 1986, says their experience has been that small companies cooperate, but big and multinational companies are not scared of the law.

“The products to which FSSAI notice has been sent belong to big brands. They spend crores on ads but when it comes to giving compensation, the amount gets shrunk. Thanks to our implementation machinery. It is better if people use their mind for buying things instead of trusting the commercials.”

However, for buyers, advertisements end up becoming a major criteria which help them choose from countless products and services. Many of them are unaware of such notices being sent to the companies whose products they rely blindly.

Rita Sharma, a Delhi-based homemaker, says, “I always thought if  companies are making such claims and that too through TV commercials, there would be some truth in them. We simply go by what they promise without noticing the ingredients. Anyway we, as consumers don’t have any other option than buying these products.”

Ruma, a professional and mother of two schoolchildren, says, “I rely on health drinks which claim to help increase height and in overall development of kids. We are no experts and simply trust such claims. If what they show in ads is far from truth, why should I buy them?”

No tea trade without conforming to FSSAI parameters: Tea Board

Kolkata, (IANS) In a bid to ensure quality and protect the image of India tea globally, the Tea Board of India Thursday said no tea can be exported from or imported into the country from February if it does not conform to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) parameters.
“Effective Feb 1, 2013, no teas can either be exported from or imported into India, without conforming to FSSAI parameters and teas would be subjected to random testing,” a Tea Board of India release said here.
FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 as a statutory body for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and regulating manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food so as to ensure safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Against the backdrop of various quality issues that have cropped up in recent years, the tea board has already taken firm steps to protect and enhance the image of Indian tea globally and to ensure that only tea worthy of the tagline ‘Indian tea’ is exported.
The board has recently established Tea Councils for both north and south India to put in place an online mandatory mechanism to track all exports and imports of tea and ensure that quality norms are enforced.

FSS Regulations, 2012 New Amendments - Gazette Copy

How to read food labels

Do you know what all those complicated nutrition facts on food labels mean? Taking the time to find out will allow you to make informed, healthy choices and avoid health problems later.

Nutrition facts: This panel provides information about the energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat and sodium the food item contains. Choose foods that have low fat, sugar and sodium content.

Serving size: Check the serving size and the number of servings on the package. The number of servings you have determine the calories and nutrients you have consumed.

Check the calorie content: If the total calories per serving is 170 and calories from fat 60, two servings of this food item means you consumed 340 calories with 120 of the calories coming from fat.

Watch out: Try your best to limit the intake of fat (saturated and trans fat), sodium and cholesterol. Trans fats are oils which have been chemically modified to increase a product's shelf life. They are harmful as they increase the levels of bad cholestrol while reducing good cholestrol.

0% trans fat: This may not be true. Indian laws allow for .5gm trans fat to be printed as 0%. If a packet of namkeen says one serving size is 20gm, one serving may have .5 trans fat, but in reality you would eat close to 100gm.

Wise decision: Choose food items that have more of these nutrients.

The per cent Daily Value: The per cent DV component tells you about the percentage of each nutrient in one serving of the food product. If you want to eat less of say sodium, then choose foods with a lower per cent DV (5% or less is low)

Three types of fatty acids: Avoid consuming too much saturated fatty acids as they are manufactured naturally by the body. Mono unsaturated and poly unsaturated fatty acids are comparatively healthier; mono is preferable to poly as it protects your cardiovascular system.

Nutrition information per 100g of biscuits (Approx)
Carbohydrates 70g
Sugar 38g
Proteins 4.6g
Fat 20g
Saturated fatty acids 10g
Mono unsaturated fatty acids 7g
Poly unsaturated fatty acids 2g
Trans fatty acids 0g
Cholestrol 0mg
Energy 470kcal

Nutrition facts
Serving Size: 1/6 pkg. (30g mix)
Serving Per Container: 16
Amount Per Serving:                    Mix          Baked
Calories                                            110            170        

 Calories from Fat                            5                60

                                                         % Daily Value**
Total Fat 0.5g*                                  1%           11%
Saturated Fat Og                               0%           21%

Trans Fat Og
Cholesterol Omg                            0%           13%
Sodium 85mg                                 4%            4%
Total Carbohydrate 24g                  8%            8%
Dietary Fibre 2g                             8%            8%

*Amount in a general chocolate cake mix.
** Per cent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. Your DV may be higher or lower depending on your specific calorie needs.

Food Jargon Explained
Reduced sodium: Not reliable as though the product may have cut down on salt, you still don't know what salt substitutes have been used. Keep in mind that an average person needs just 5gm of salt per day. Also, many products (such as jams, biscuits) use salt as a preservative even though it doesn't taste salty.

This can up your salt intake. Calcium fortified/Vitamin D fortified: Check the degree of fortification. If it is a very miniscule quantity then it doesn't really help. It makes sense to know what your daily vitamin or calcium requirements are and choose those products that deliver. Avoid locally made, unlabelled products and those that do not mention a use-by date.

With inputs from Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, chief nutritionist, Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru and Dr Ritika Samadhar, chief dietician, Max Healthcare.

FSSAI buckled under pressure on tea!

Even as the outcome of Government-ordered toxicological tests for iron filings in tea is awaited, the country’s top food watchdog has gone ahead allowing the maximum limit of 150 mg iron particles in a packet of one kg tea. “Intense pressure” from the tea industry is said to have worked.
Interestingly, the Food Regulations 2011 too do not permit any extraneous materials including iron fillings and pesticides in the tea. However, justifying the move to limit the levels, CEO of the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) SN Mohanty said that it was an interim step pending the finalisation of the assessment report being prepared by the National Institution of Nutrition (NIN) to quantify the total iron content that can be allowed in the tea.
The Tea Board, which represented to the FSSAI recently, had argued that even the best of technologies cannot remove these iron filings which get mixed up with the tea because of the wear and tear of machinery. The tea lobby also claimed that several countries even allow such iron filing-contained tea giving prescribed limits. The logic behind is that tea is not consumed raw but after brewing. The brewed tea does not contain filings or in extreme limitation which is completely safe.
Agreeing with the industry’s views, Mohanty termed the “zero permissible limit” defined in the FSSAI regulation as a technical error and that it was a gaping loophole that needs to be plugged. Moreover, the limit is at its lowest currently when compared a few years back when it was 250mg/kg, he further said and maintained the 150mg/kg was a permissible limit being followed by the UK as well. But, it is high as 500mg/kg in Sri Lanka, he added.
The FSSAI advisory issued on November 23, says: “It is concluded that pending completion of the detailed study on the presence of iron fillings in tea, which the National Institute of Nutrition is doing and the assessment by the Food Authority’s specific panel, the maximum limit of iron particles in tea may be adhered to 150 mg/kg.” The FSSAI has also asked its enforcement departments to not to launch the prosecution against the tea producer in case their items are found to contain the specified limit of iron particles.
According to the food regulations, pesticide residue, insecticides, common heavy metals, micro-biological and foreign matters counts should not be in excess of such tolerance limit and quantity stipulated by it. There have been cases when the tea manufacturers were found to be adding the iron fillings to increasing the weight of the product while ignoring its harmful health impacts.

Now govt wants states to ban pan masala, zarda

The Union Health Ministry, in its efforts to push for a countrywide ban on edible products containing tobacco, has written to all states and Union territories pointing to a 1982 Allahabad High Court order and an executive order issued by the Mizoram government last August banning pan masala and zarda.
The move comes at a time when the Rs 8,000-crore gutkha industry has unleashed an advertising blitzkrieg protesting against the ban.
The letter dated November 21 from Special Secretary Keshav Desiraju is a follow-up to a similar letter sent earlier to states on gutkha following which several states including Delhi banned it. It states that the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 has laid down that tobacco and nicotine cannot be used as ingredients in food products and that the 1982 court order and an earlier one in 1981 had categorised zarda and tobacco as food.
A copy of the Mizoram order has been enclosed with the letter for necessary action. The letter also quotes Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) figures to point out that 206 million Indians were using smokeless tobacco in 2010. It is believed to be responsible for 80-90 per cent of all oral cancers in India and is also thought to play a major role in cancers of the stomach, foodpipe also the urinary bladder.
Earlier the Health Ministry had pushed for a ban on gutkha following an SC observation that pan masala, gutkha or supari are eaten for taste and nourishment and that they are all food items within the meaning of Section 2(v) of the PFA Act. It would imply that they cannot contain a harmful substance like tobacco. But this is for the first time that the ministry has extended its opposition to pan masala and zarda.
Tobacco control officials say that since health is a state subject, the ministry cannot ask the states to ban pan masala and zarda. But given the clear judicial position on the matter, a clear stand on the issue is long overdue. “Since Mizoram has already set a precedent, we thought it fit that other states should be informed about the legal position,” a senior official said.
Officials said the ban on gutkha has led to its surreptitious trade and black marketing in states where there is a ban with huge quantities being smuggled in from neighbouring states. “We are pushing for a countrywide ban,” an official said.

The big fat lies: Food regulator exposes adverts' bogus claims over nutritional value as it prepares to prosecute 19 cases

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated proceedings in 38 cases involving leading brands, including Kellogg's Special K

You are being led up the garden path by manufacturers of food and health products making tall claims in advertisements.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) - which put many products under its scanner over the misleading claims - has initiated proceedings in 38 cases involving leading brands.

The food regulator, which has received complaints against the products, has begun prosecution proceedings in 19 cases under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act.

Show-cause notices have been issued in the other 19 cases. The advertisements of the products, which are popular with most Indian households, promise quick results from slimming to healthy heart and faster growth for children.

The food regulator, which has presented a report to Parliament on the action taken in these cases, found that the companies manufacturing the food and health products not only made misleading claims in the advertisements but also carried similar pictures on the packaging. For instance, Complan is currently facing prosecution for claiming one can 'grow two times faster'. Complan Memory is in trouble over claims of boosting memory.

Boost and Horlicks, popular nutrition food for children made by Glaxo Smithkline, claimed they were better for stamina building than regular chocolate drinks and made children taller, stronger and sharper. The FSSAI said these claims were 'misleading, and no study has been submitted' to back the claims.

On Kellogg's Extra Muesli, the food regulator said the 'label showed a number of fruits thus making a misleading claim that product contained too many fruits'. Others products under the food regulator's scanner are Emami Soyabean Oil, Saffola, Nutri Charge Men, Engine mustard oil, Kellogg's Special K, Britannia NutriChoice biscuits, Today Premium Tea, PediaSure drinks, Real Active Fibre +, Nutrilite, Kissan Cream Spread, Rajdhani Besan and Britannia Vita Marie. These were found to have promised higher health benefits, higher nutritional value, or faster benefits like losing weight or ensuring growth.

The report presented to Parliament by FSSAI showed it had rejected some of the replies to the notices given by the companies saying they 'cannot be accepted'.

No comments

Boost and Horlicks claimed they were better for stamina building than regular chocolate drinks and made children taller

When contacted by Mail Today, officials from various companies like Kellogg's, Glaxo SmithKline that manufactures Horlicks and Nestle which makes Maggi declined to comment immediately.

However, the officials were aware of the show-cause notices issued to their firms by FSSAI. Chandra Bhushan, deputy director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, 'Only notices have issued but no action has been taken. Still, it's good that notices have been issued. Misbranding is a huge problem in the country. The companies target especially children and the health conscious, which is a very emotive issue.'

He said the Advertising Standards Council of India is ineffective in putting curbs on such misleading ads. He added that under the current provisions of the FSS Act, a fine of Rs 10 lakh is very small. He suggested that penalty should be proportionate to the turnover. 'Major reforms are needed in the sector to save people,' Bhushan said.

Neelanjana Singh, consultant nutritionist at PSRI Hospital said, 'Our children cannot just become taller with that special drink. Height, for example, is largely dependent on genes and nutrition. Just a drink might add to the nutrition but cannot solely be given credit for it. If we are to believe the manufacturing companies' claims, all health woes will just disappear.'

Deceptive ads

Singh described the ads as deceptive. She said some drinks boast of being magic potions which can strengthen a child's immune system, protect them from cold and cough but have almost no medicinal content. 'There is no scientific evidence to back their claims,' she said. For special health drinks, dieticians said that their nutrition value, in fact, is low. 'In almost all these health drinks in the market, you would find from their labels that less than 6-7 per cent of their total content actually has proteins and vitamins vital for growth. The rest of the drink has processed ingredients, with 30 per cent sugar and 30 per cent carbs. The different flavours too are processed, rendering them in certain cases, unhealthy,' said Shilpa Thakur, chief dietician at the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences.

A range of products under the scanner

Ishi Khosla, clinical nutritionist and founder, Whole Foods on breakfast cereals, said,'Breakfast cereals which are said to be storehouses of energy, are marketed as fat free but they are high in sugar content. The advertisers are simply riding high on the health bandwagon which everyone seems to have joined.'

In March this year, CSE had lab tested many of the popular brands and found that most of them had higher quantity of trans fats, sugar and salt than claimed in the labels. The misleading advertisements come under the purview of the FSSAI and the Information and Broadcasting ministry. Consumers often write to these bodies against products making big claims.

The Information and Broadcasting ministry, on its part, claimed that it had issued an advisory to all channels in May 2010 warning against advertising products promising special and miraculous cure. Khosla said that a "health fear" had gripped people. 'These companies are simply playing on the fear factor by making fat claims.

'The competition is too stiff and that has led to the spurt in the health products and their claims are getting bigger and bigger. Consumers should read the fine print carefully before falling for them.'

Dinamalar

Cooking up policy for street food vending

The need for a policy to safeguard the interests of street food vendors was expressed at a workshop held for women street food vendors by Sannihita, an NGO, along with the Institution of Cultural Geography at the Indian Medical Association Hall on Tuesday.

More than 25 women street food vendors shared the challenges they face. Through a series of such workshops, various NGOs seek to come up with solutions for general problems being faced by street food vendors. A draft of their proposals would be presented to the government as an aid to policy making.

Despite the fact that street food vending meets the needs of a considerable section of society and provides employment to thousands of families, as yet there is no policy that can give legal or infrastructural support for those who are involved. There is immediate need for the services of street food vendors to be acknowledged and they should be given clear, transparent and fair orientation concerning their rights and responsibilities.

Street food contributes to urban food security to various sections, including students, office goers, bachelors and particularly weaker section of society. According to a survey conducted in 2009, it generates regular income for more than 15,000 families who do not fit in the formal economy. The number has gone up considerably over the years.

It is one of the major elements of highly decentralised urban food distribution system. Street food holds great potential to foster sustainable development in mega cities. Unlike in Chennai and Bangalore, no data collection the regarding number of street food vendors, their caste, class, family background was done for Hyderabad. So, the question of policy advocacy never came up.

There is a draft policy on street vendors, though not specifically for food vendors. A rough policy regarding street food vending has been under process for many years. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has implemented the policy, but it lacks appeal to be utilised universally.

There is no legal security like licences or a single grievance cell where vendors can voice their opinions. Street vendors do not know where to go when they get caught in problems like eviction by government authorities. Also, the government does not provide any infrastructural support or spaces in master plans for them.

Regular discussions should be held for potential policy making to contribute towards settling disputes and integrating the street vending sector in urban planning activities. Initiatives like regular food festivals that have potential to highlight street food as part of the city’s cultural heritage can be helpful. Doubts regarding hygiene and health standards regarding street food are always raised, but food safety trainings can improve standards.

Food Safety and Standards Act armed with stringent provisions: JC

N. Yuvaraj

The Food Safety and Standards Authority India has recently come out with a stringent Act imposing hefty penalty against erring manufacturers and has sections under which the guilty could be imprisoned for a period of one year.

Joint Collector N. Yuvaraj who addressed a meeting of traders organised by the Department of Civil Supplies at A.C College here on Tuesday warned that the new Act was having stringent quality control provisions and license protocols and urged the traders to take corrective measures. Under the act, manufacturers of food items below the standard quality norms, would be imposed a maximum penalty of Rs.5 lakh. Those who might have manufactured food materials which caused death or serious illness would be levied a hefty penalty of Rs.5 lakh.

Unprotected food items can invite even imprisonment up to six months.

Dr. Yuvaraj further said that vendors should maintain a clean environment around their stalls and shops. The act has stringent provisions under which violators would be punished severely.

Assistant Public Prosecutor, T. Madhusudana Rao explained the basic features of Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

District Civil Supplies Officer K. Raviteja Naik, District Manager, Civil Supplies, Krishna Rao and Medical Health Officer of Guntur Municipal Corporation, Lakshmi Naik were also present.

Under the act, manufacturers of food items below the standard quality norms, will be imposed a maximum penalty of Rs.5 lakh

Food safety measures: High Court directs JK Govt to furnish compliance report

‘If Report Is Not Furnished, Chief Secretary Shall Have To Appear In Person’

Srinagar, Nov 27:  The J&K High Court Tuesday directed the state government to file a report about the steps it has taken with regard to the mandate of the Food Safety and Standards Act in the state following the court directions on the issue from time to time. The Court said if the report is not furnished, the State Chief Secretary shall have to appear before it in person on the next date of hearing.
 A division bench of High Court comprising justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar passed the direction on a Public Interest Litigation by Advocate Muhammad Ayoub Sheikh seeking implementation of Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and Food Safety and Standard Rules, 2011.
 The court said in the interest of justice it was deemed proper to direct the government to comply with the directions passed from time to time and file a compliance report.
 The division bench also directed the government to file an affidavit indicating the measures taken for implementing the recommendations of the committee on implementation of Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and Food Safety and Standard Rules, 2011.
 The court also asked the respondents to take samples from the across the state, get them examined and submit the report of the experts to the court.
 The court directed the Commissioner of Food and Safety , Jammu and Kashmir, to appear in person before it on the next date of hearing.
 Earlier the court had expressed dissatisfaction over the reply the state filed to the PIL, saying it was not in sync with the court directions.
 Pertinently, the court on March 28, 2012 had directed the government to file compliance report vis-à-vis the steps taken by it to implement the Act and the Rules.
 The Court had directed the Divisional Commissioners Kashmir and Jammu, and Commissioner Food Safety J&K to file compliance report within two weeks while issuing notice to the government to file reply to the PIL. The PIL contends that the food safety issue has a pivotal importance and requires to be taken with seriousness.
 According to the PIL, Food Safety Act 2006 and Food Safety & Standards Rules of 2011 provide that the post of Commissioner Food Safety should be manned by a person of Commissioner/Secretary rank, while in J&K an In-charge Drug Controller has been assigned the job, who “lacks the basic eligibility and qualification.”
 According to the PIL, the present incumbent is “not competent” to hold the post and sanction any prosecution and he is not in a position to take any action against the person found guilty under the Act and Rules.
 The petition alleges that the adulterated food items are openly sold and many spices and edibles in the market are unsafe for consumption as the Act and Rules have not been implemented.
 Senior Additional Advocate General A M Magray represented the state .

Food adulteration: HC asks govt to examine samples across JK
Srinagar: Observing that food adulteration caused most diseases, Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to take samples of food items from entire state and get them examined by experts.
The directions were passed by a division bench of the high court comprising justices Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Muzaffar Hussain Attar while hearing a Public Interest Litigation, seeking implementation of Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 to check food adulteration in the state.
The bench also directed the government to submit the report of the experts to the court within two weeks.
On 1st June, the court had directed government to comply with the mandate of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006. “They have failed to do as on date,” the bench said.
Thereafter, the bench said, the government constituted a Committee which has made some recommendations regarding the food safety measures.
“Consequently, in terms of order dated 31 June, the respondents were directed to file an affidavit indicating therein as to what measures have been taken for implementing the recommendations,” the bench said, adding, “The affidavit was required to be filed within two weeks but they failed.” 
In the given circumstance, the bench said: “In the interests of justice, we deem it proper to direct the State Government to comply with the Court directions passed from time to time and report compliance within two weeks.”
In default, the bench said Chief Secretary of the state shall appear in person before the court. “Further, we direct the Commissioner of Food and Safety, Jammu & Kashmir, to appear in person on the next date of hearing.”
In June, the court had given three months time to the government to implement the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006.
The PIL, filed by a lawyer—Sheikh Muhammad Ayoub, states that non-implementation of the FSSA in the State is a grave issue and requires to be dealt with all seriousness.
According to the PIL, the Act provide that the post of Commissioner Food Safety should be manned by a person of Commissioner Secretary rank, while in J&K an in-charge Drug Controller has been assigned the job, who “lacks the basic eligibility and qualification.”
The petition alleges that the adulterated food items were openly sold and many spices and edibles in the market were unsafe for human consumption as the Act and Rules have not been implemented.
Advocates Tasaduq Khwaja and Javed Hameed appeared on behalf of the petitioner while government was represented by Additional Advocate General A M Magray, Government advocate Shah Aamir.

HC directs Govt to check food adulteration

Srinagar, Nov 27: In response to the Public Interest Litigation filed in High Court to curb food adulteration in the State, Jammu and Kashmir High Court Tuesday directed the government to take samples from the entire State, get them examined, submit the report to experts, file the affidavit and directed to comply with the court directions passed from time and time.
The directions were passed by the bench comprised of Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar.
The Public Interest Litigation filed in High Court to curb food adulteration in the State was listed today and would be listed again after two weeks.
The bench directed respondents to take the required steps, and asked Chief Secretary of the State to appear in person.
The bench directed the Commissioner of Food and Safety, Jammu and Kashmir to appear in person on the next date of hearing.
Previously, the court directed the State to comply with the mandate of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which they failed.
Thereafter the respondents constituted the committee and the committee made some recommendations.
Earlier, the court directed the State to file an affidavit indicating therein as to what measures had been taken for implementing the recommendations, which they had failed to file.

Big brands join Sahara Q Shop in deceptive advertisements!

Lucknow: Even as the Sahara Group enter into the packaged food item market, claiming serving best in the market with their pure and nutritious value catchword, the ad claims made by a few big companies in the market has come under the scanner of FSSAI(Food Standard & Safety Authority of India). FSSAI has served notice to leading companies for their deceptive advertisements.

Pardaphash has raked up the issue with Sahara joining the bandwagon to cash in on the flourishing market of healthy food. Sahara featured the cricketers in the ad to support their claim. Here, we discusses how such merchandise enterprises navigate the mentality of the common man and serve them their (commoner’s) own, with their slice of so called “perfection”.

Aao Kare Milawat Se Jung is the motto of ‘Sahara Q Shop’ that promises a subjugation over adulterated food but do the promises come in truce? It is big question that lays overhead when you witness a lineup of such companies promising the same. The Food Safety and Standards and Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notice to the companies which it finds to be ‘misleading and Deceptive’. Under mentioned products are flouting Food Safety and Standard Act.

Product(s)/Company
- Complan, Complan Memory/Heinz India Private Limited
- Horlicks, Boost/Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Healthcare Limited
- Pediasure/Abott India Limited
- Kellogs Special K, Kelloggs Extra Museli/Kelloggs India
- Maggie Multi-grainz Noodles/Nestle Group
- Saffola Active/Maico Limited
- Today Premium Tea/Today Tea Limited and other ample lots.

These corporation have drawn criticism and are being scanned for reality in promises made by the labels of their products. They are facing cases in several cities for misleading assurances like that of – body growth, increased stamina, turning slimmer, strengthening of memory, containing fruits. Simply, they have opted to sell their products in a boisterous manner and are clearly unreliable. Impeccability of such manufactured food products comes in question at large, as companies are not able to substantiate, what their product claims.

Nowadays, companies have found a way to fool people with new techniques. These syndicates innovate new styles of brand development and endorsements with strong advertisements gimmicks. The commoner falls prey to such hostile methods which are wrapped up with benefiting promises. This only adds to the finances of these companies making toll claims of health benefits.

The companies have turned rather smart then you can think them to be. They have literally out grown themselves because of some intelligent moves that an average person fails to understand. One should rush brain cells in order to understand the corruptive dealings of such companies which first manipulate things for their benefit and then later companies promising removal of those manipulations emerging in market.

One can see how contrasting are the modus operandi of these companies. The consumer suffering with adulteration goes in search of healthy benefitting products and is jolted again with high rated products, this is the moment where company strikes back in business.

On Monday, the government informed Lok Sabha that companies were unable to provide any base to the promises made by the advertisement of their respective products as there were no surveys and reviews that guaranteed their say. Evidently, there is a need to push such topics into mainstream discussion and serve them immediate warning to either provide an insightful argument towards the same or am effective shutdown of manufacturing products that ‘mislead’ the consumer.

DINAMANI

High Court asks TDB to ensure food hygiene

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to maintain good hygiene and manufacturing practices while preparing appam for the Sabarimala pilgrims.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan and Justice A V Ramakrishnapillai issued the directive while considering the report of Food safety Commissioner, laboratory reports and special commissioner’s report regarding the issue. “Kootu for the appams should  be made as per the traditional practice. It should not be diluted or changed without the permission of the court. It was deplorable to see that the appam was kept in open space, leading to fungus infection,” the HC said.
The technical assistant to Food Safety Commissioner found serious irregularities in preparing and packing appam during his visit after the controversy. The court ordered that the health of the pilgrims was more important. “No food times, including prasadam unfit for consumption, should be distributed to Sabarimala pilgrims,” the court said. That the prasadam being distributed for pilgrims is ‘’unfit for human consumption’’ is cause for anxiety, it added.
The court directed that the food safety  officials should have strict vigilance over the food being sold in Sabarimala and added that the objective was to prevent  passing of food unfit for consumption as prasadam. The food safety officers should inspect the premises every four hours so as to ensure hygienic condition.
The food safety official had directed destruction of the fungus-infested appams and cleaning the premises before storage. The court also pointed out the laboratory test reports confirming that the appam samples collected from the devaswom store were infested with fungus.
The court also directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to take effective steps  to ensure that appam was packed and distributed in  ‘first in first out’ method. A separate register should be maintained for entering the details of production, packing and distribution. The lab reports had stated that the shelf life of the appam had been reduced by storing huge quantities. The buffer stock of appam need not be kept for long days.
The court  said that the contractors who had been given the right to prepare the apppam should employ skilled and experienced labourers for making high-quality appams.
The cleaning operations should not be stopped based on the plea that the manufacture of the appam  would be affected. In fact, proper hygiene should be maintained at the manufacturing unit. The personal hygiene of the labourers should also be ensured, the court said.
The court further made it clear that former chief secretary K Jayakumar would exercise all authority in his capacity as chief coordinator.
He should be provided personal staff, police security and  other facilities as if he was the chief secretary. The court also made it clear that the rights of the board members to take decisions shall not be affected by this order.

திருவனந்தபுரம், நவ.28:

சபரிமலையில் பக்தர்களுக்கு பிரசாதமாக வழங்கப்படும் அப்பத்தை மிகவும் தூய்மையான முறையில் தயாரிக்க வேண்டும் என்று திருவிதாங்கூர் தேவசம்போர்டுக்கு கேரள உயர் நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

சபரிமலை ஐயப்பன் கோயிலில் பக்தர்களுக்கு பிரசாதமாக அப்பம், அரவணை பாயசம் விற்கப்படுகிறது. 7 எண்ணம் கொண்ட ஒரு பாக்கெட் அப்பம்

கி25க்கு

விற்கப்படுகிறது. சில தினங்களுக்கு முன் பக்தர்கள் வாங்கிய அப்பம் கெட்டுப் போயிருந்தது. இதையடுத்து, தேவசம் போர்டு அதிகாரிகள் நடத்திய பரிசோதனையில் பல லட்சம் அப்பங்கள் கெட்டுப்போய் இருப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டு,

கி41

லட்சம் மதிப்புள்ள அப்பங்கள் அழிக்கப்பட்டன.

இதற்கிடையே, கெட்டுப்போன அப்பங்கள் பத்தனம்திட்டா மாவட்டம் கோன்னியில் உள்ள பரிசோதனை கூடத்துக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டது. அதில், அப்பம் கெட்டுப் போயிருந்தது உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டது. இந்த பரிசோதனை அறிக்கை, கேரள உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் நேற்று முன்தினம் தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டது. அதில், அப்பத்தில் கலப்படம் எதுவும் இல்லை. ஆனாலும் பரிசோதனைக்குஉட்படுத்தப்பட்ட அப்பம் சாப்பிட தரமில்லாதது. முறையாக தயாரிக்கப்படாததால் இந்த குறைபாடு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது என கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இந்த அறிக்கை மீதான விசாரணை, நீதிபதி ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் முன்னிலையில் நேற்று நடந்தது. அப்போது நீதிபதி பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவில், கெட்டுப் போன அப்பங்களை உடனடியாக அழித்தது பாராட்டுக்குரியது. இது போன்ற தவறுகள் இனிமேல் நடக்கக் கூடாது.

அப்பம், அரவணையை மிகவும் தூய்மையான முறையில் தயாரிக்க வேண்டும். அப்பம் தயாரிப்பதற்கான மூலப்பொருட்களில் மாற்றம் செய்யக் கூடாது. தேவசம்போர்டு அதிகாரிகளின் தீவிர கண்காணிப்பில்தான் இவை தயாரிக்கப்பட வேண்டும். அப்பம் தயாரிக்கும் அளவு குறைந்தாலும் தூய்மைக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுக்க வேண்டும் என்றார்.

பத்திரிகைகளுக்கு பாராட்டு

அப்பம் கெட்டுப் போனது பற்றி பத்திரிகைகள் தேவையின்றி பெரிதுபடுத்தி செய்திகள் வெளியிட்டுள்ளன. இதுபோன்ற செய்திகளை வெளியிட பத்திரிகைகளுக்கு கட்டுப்பாடு விதிக்க வேண்டும் என்றும் தேவசம்போர்டு வக்கீல் வலியுறுத்தினார். இதை ஏற்க மறுத்த நீதிபதி ராதாகிருஷ்ணன், “பத்திரிகைகள் மிகவும் பாராட்டத்தக்க வகையில் செயல்பட்டு வருகின்றன” என்ற அவர், “கெட்டுப்போன அப்பம் குறித்து கேரள அரசும், திருவிதாங்கூர் தேவசம்போர்டும் உடனடியாக அறிக்கை தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும்” என்று உத்தரவிட்டார்.

Shelf to street, scanner on daily habits

New Delhi, Nov. 26: India's food regulatory agency has indicted several household brands, including Britannia biscuits, Horlicks health drinks and Kellogg's breakfast cereals, for what it says are misleading claims about some of their food products.

The Union government informed Parliament today that the health ministry's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated prosecution in 19 cases where companies have been charged with making misleading claims about their food products in either labels or advertisements.

The authority has also sent notices in 19 other cases in which various companies appear to have either made false or dubious claims or released misleading advertisements about their food products, the information and broadcasting ministry said in a statement laid in the Rajya Sabha.

Several of the complaints had been reported earlier but they have now been put in the public domain through the official statement in the House.

The FSSAI is expected to first send notices to companies that it believes have violated rules and wait for their responses before initiating prosecution. During the hearings, both sides ' the FSSAI and the company ' would have opportunities to argue their cases. The 19 prosecution cases were all filed earlier this year and most hearings are yet to begin.

The country's food standards laws impose certain restrictions on nutritional and health claims on labels and in advertisements to ensure that products are not mislabelled or promoted through exaggerated claims.
The safety watchdog is prosecuting manufacturers of several children's health drinks, including Complan Memory, Boost, Horlicks and Bournvita Little Champs, for what it says are "violations" of food regulations.
The agency said Complan Memory, produced by Heinz India, comes with a declaration that it contains "memory chargers" and the product label shows pictures of students with books which, the FSSAI said, "will mislead the public" into assuming that the drink will improve children's performance in studies.
Last year, Jay Karan, a pharmacologist at the Government Medical College in Surat, had written in the journal Indian Pediatrics that the claims relating to the growth of children made by the makers of Complan were "exaggerated".

The food regulator has also objected to GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare's claim that its drink called Boost "provides three times more stamina than sadharan chocolate drink". The FSSAI said this claim was misleading and the producer had not submitted a specific study on this product to substantiate this claim.

The FSSAI has said that GlaxoSmithKline's claim that Horlicks helps children become "taller, stronger, and sharper", is "misleading and deceptive in nature".

The agency has described the claim made by Kellogg that people who eat low-fat breakfast like its Special K cereals tend to be slimmer than those who don't as "misleading and deceptive".

An expert in human nutrition said that while children's health drinks are designed to deliver concentrated levels of nutrients, they typically do not contain the mix of fibre and range of nutrients available from wholesome food.

"The labels always show what a product contains, not what is missing," said R. Hemlatha, a senior scientist at the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad.

Wholesome food, Hemlatha said, is available through a standard mix of cereals, pulses, vegetables and fruits.
The FSSAI is also prosecuting the producers of two brands of edible oil ' Saffola and Engine Mustard Oil ' for what it says are misleading claims in advertisements.
"A claim about a food product needs to be clinically proven, supported by research published in peer-reviewed scientific or medical journals," said Kamala Krishnaswamy, former director of the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.

The FSSAI has also indicted Abbott India for what it says is the company's misleading claim that its product, Pediasure, "helps in a child's growth and development".

Directives for food safety during Hornbill Festival

Dimapur, November 27 (MExN): Health & Family Welfare Department Kohima prohibit the preparation, sale, exposure for sale of unsafe food items, including imported foods during the annual weeklong celebration of Hornbill Festival at the Heritage Village (Kisama) and the State Capital Town scheduled from December 1 to 7, 2012.
This was stated in a press release issued by Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Addl. Food Safety Commissioner, RF Lotha, in exercise of the powers conferred under section 30 of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA) and in pursuance of Schedule 4(A) of Food Safety Regulations, 2011 the Commissioner and Secretary-cum-Commissioner of Food Safety to the Government of Nagaland.
Furthers, owners of hotels & restaurants at Kohima town, food and tea stalls at Kisama and street food vendors are directed to follow the given guidelines:
1.    Utensils for preparing and serving food items should be kept in clean, sanitized conditions free from contaminant, dirt and dust.
2.    Utensils containing food items intended for sale should have tight fitting lids / cover, free from the activity of insects and rodents.
3.    Fast food / fast perishable food items (Meat, poultry, fish products, ethnic food items) are to be stored at a temperature of 60˚C or kept frozen at 5˚C or below.
4.    Overnight perishable food items / fatty foods should not be reprocessed or sold.
5.    Kitchen and eating places should be kept clean and in hygienic conditions: free from pest and rodents.
6.    Ensure that workers should wear clean and proper clothing, apron, hand gloves ect.
7.    Ensure that workers do not have infectious disease, open sores, cut ect.
8.    Ensure that no smoking, chewing tobacco, pan masala, splitting ect in food preparation and serving place.
9.    Provide toilets separately.
10. Avoid foul smell in toilet and surrounding area.
11. To clean toilets regularly with proper disinfection.
12. Packaged drinking water or only filtered drinking water should be provided.
13. Baked / Packaged food items should be properly labeled ie, with date of manufactured, best before, place of productions and ingredients added.
14. Serve food in clean and intact utensils or use disposal plates, cup ect.
15. Serve hot foods hot, cold foods cold.
16. Use separate waste bins for bio degradable and non-degradable.
The general public is also requested to check the label and quality properly before purchase. Non-compliance to this notification would be an offence punishable and penalized under section 55 of FSS Act, 2006.

Ban on Gutkha

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 was enacted with the objective of ensuring availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. This Act, as well as the earlier Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, gives a wide definition of ‘food’ and includes therein any article/substance which is intended for human consumption.The Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 dated 1st August 2011, issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, lays down that tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food products. The Hon`ble Supreme Court in Godawat Pan Masala Vs UOI, 2004 (7) SCC 68 has also held that “Since pan masala, gutka or supari are eaten for taste and nourishment, they are all food within the meaning of Section 2(v) of the (Prevention of Food Adulteration) Act.” As such, by virtue of the regulation dated 1st August 2011 issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, read with the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on the issue, Gutkha products are food products containing tobacco and nicotine and their manufacture, sale or storage is not permitted under law. By virtue of the same regulation, Pan Masala, if it contains tobacco and nicotine, cannot be manufactured or sold. Enforcement of this regulation, however, lies with the Commissioners of Food Safety under the state govenments, as per the provisions of Food Safety & Standards Act 2006.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been regularly sending advisories to the states to implement and enforce the said regulation. The state governments which have so far issued orders/notification to enforce implementation of the ban in accordance with the above regulation are Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Punjab. In addition, Goa has enforced the ban through its State Public Health Act.

There is no question of compromising with the life of millions of people. This Ministry has repeatedly advocated with the state governments to strictly implement the ban onGutkha in letter and spirit. Further, the Ministry has also brought to the notice of the state governments the judgements of the Hon’ble Allahabad High Court in the cases of M/s. KhedalLal& Sons Vs. State of U.P. FAC 1981 (1) 262, and ManoharLalVs State of U.P. Criminal Revision No.318 of 1982, wherein the High Court have held that Chewing tobacco is a food article. In view of this, and the regulation dated 1st August 2011 issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, this Ministry has again written to the state governments to consider examining the issue for banning the sale of gutkha, pan masala, zarda or other chewable products having tobacco and nicotine, with immediate effect.

The Ministry is also trying to generate public awareness through media and outdoor campaigns.

This information was given by Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Advisory on Iron Fillings in TEA

20 of 100 Diwali sweets fail test

LUDHIANA: Some of the sweet shop owners in the city who have been selling adulterated and substandard sweets during Diwali have come under the scanner of health authorities and may face prosecution soon.

Of the 100 sweet samples collected by the health authorities around Diwali, 20 have failed the test carried under Food Safety and Standard Act. What has got the health authorities worried is that of them, six have been found to be unsafe for human consumption.

"As per procedure, the sweet shop owners are being given one month's time to challenge the sample report in a referral laboratory, from where the report will come within 15 days. After that, we will start seeking prosecution of offenders in accordance to the relevant provisions," said Ravinder Garg, the food safety officer. The samples were collected from last week of October to November 9 and have been found to be either sub-standard or misbranded.