While shops down shutters today, bakers to become more 'FIT'

As the traders in the state are downing shutters on Wednesday in protest against allowing FDI in the retail sector and the alleged excesses of the officials of the Food Safety Commissionerate against the backdrop of incidents of food poisoning and death, Bake, the Bakers Association Kerala, which is also participating in the agitation, is taking the opportunity to become more ‘FIT.’
‘FIT’ or ‘Friendly Inspection Team,’ formed under the aegis of Bake, is going to take up a vigorous, full-day cleanliness drive in the shops under it on the strike day.
The cleanliness day is aimed at ensuring quality products and counter the challenges posed by the FDI in the food sector, though everyone is pinning hope on the government promise that Kerala’s retail trade will not be opened up for foreign players.
 “We realise that the influx of multinational companies is going to be a reality in the state. Instead of blindly opposing it, the Association is keen to protect small and marginal bakeries,” P M Sankaran, state president, Bake, said.
Bake is taking a cue from the experience of countries such as Japan and China, where the small-scale sector is making products for multinational brands. “We are sure that our country, especially Kerala, will also become a favourite ground for multinational brands for outsourcing products for marketing, provided we can ensure cleanliness and quality of products. We want to gain strength from challenges and follow the guidelines of the Food Safety Act, 2006,” Sankaran said.
FIT is guided by a three-pronged district-wise initiative, with select owners of bakeries visiting their counterparts and giving guidance for improving facilities, followed by inspection of another team from their own fold and finally by a team comprising both owners and Food Safety Department officials.
The initiative also coincided with a concerted drive for ‘Nirangalodu Vida’ (bidding adieu to colours) and ‘Thanimayude Tharavattilekku’ (back to ethnic food), in vogue since two years, which had a big impact on the bakery sector in the state.
 “Even when eatery outlet owners were forced to be on the defensive after the unfortunate incidents over the shavarma-related death and other incidents, there was no let up in our drive.
Ernakulam district has been fully covered by the ‘FIT’ process,” Bake state general secretary K R Balan said.
“We are positive. We are thinking of ourselves as consumers. The mindset that there will be takers for anything and everything supplied to consumers has to change. Customers have become very much quality conscious. Let the foreign players come. What the government has to do is to help the local food sector to improve and compete, by providing incentives,” Sankaran told Express.

Instant kits to detect adulteration in 'khoya'

PUNE: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) will use an instant detection kit to check adulteration of any form in 'khoya' (also called khawa) and sweets. This will help save a lot of time and ensure stricter compliance since samples sent for laboratory tests take days to confirm adulteration, if any. The aim is to check malpractices during festive season and prevent sale of substandard food products in Pune and adjoining districts.
"Food safety officials can now use testing kits to find out adulteration in khoya and mithais on the spot. If the instant screening reveals that the product is adulterated, then a sample of it will be taken for record and the rest will be destroyed right away," said FDA joint commissioner (food) Shashikant Kekare, on Wednesday.
The on-the-spot food product testing kit uses solutions such as tincture of iodine and sulphuric acid. "A few drops of tincture of iodine can test the quality of khoya. If khoya turns bluish, then it is adulterated. Another kit makes use of sulphuric acid to rule out adulteration," Kekare said.
These tests are scientific, hence they are confirmatory. "The instant detection mechanism will enable our officials to work efficiently and initiate instant action. This will automatically preclude long waits for laboratory reports," said Kekare.
Adulteration is not only an unethical practice, but also a 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 may lead to acute gastritis, serious diarrhoea, dysentery, dehydration, kidney inflammation, etc.
The FDA in the neighbouring state of Gujarat has been using on-the-spot food product testing kit for quite sometime with great success. Their kit can detect 21 types of adulteration, such as urea in milk, argemone in oil, traces of metals in food, aluminium in place of silver foils, etc.
During the last few days, FDA officials in Pune have collected 15 samples of khoya and 28 samples of mithai across Pune division and sent them for laboratory tests. "The report is awaited. From Friday, our officials will start using the new kits. This will facilitate early detection of adulteration and help prevent their consumption,'" said FDA assistant commissioner (food), S S Desai.

Food safety officials raid anganwadis & toddy shops

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Food safety officials on Friday carried out raids at anganwadis and toddy shops across the state and collected food and toddy samples for detailed examination.

Raids were conducted at 160 anganwadis and 105 toddy shops. As many as 15 food samples were collected from anganwadis for scientific examinations.

The food safety officials seized and disposed of large quantity of stale rice and pulses kept at anganwadis. Instructions were given to take urgent steps to improve the quality of food items supplied to anganwadis.

Most toddy shops were found to be lacking cleanliness and in food quality and were asked to improve the conditions on a war footing. As many as 118 hotels and bakeries in places declared as hotspots were also examined by the officials.

Of these, two shops were served closure notice and 58 shops would be served notices.

Penalties worth Rs 27,000 would be levied on these shops, a statement from the office of Food Safety Commissioner said here.

Similarly, the commissionorate has given permission for the reopening of the production unit and outlet of Ambrosia bakery, subject to certain conditions.

A provision store at East Fort was given closure notice. Sources said it will be allowed to operate only after until the grave flaws detected in the shop are addressed satisfactorily.

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