Bake says ‘no’ to animal fat use

Kochi, Dec. 30: 

The Bakers Association (Bake) has said it is totally against the use of animal fat in food items made and sold at bakeries. 

It said the allegation in certain quarters that many bakeries use animal fat was unfounded and wanted the food safety authorities to investigate the allegation. 

The association offered its full support to the authorities in raiding bakeries to find the use of animal fat. It wanted that any bakery that was found using animal fat should be immediately closed down.

Debate over ban on plastic bottles for medicines

MUMBAI: Plastic manufacturers are up in arms against the union health ministry's diktat of banning the use of plastic / PET containers in liquid oral formulations for primary packaging of formulations for paediatric, geriatrics, women in reproductive age group and pregnant women. The ministry's Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) recommended that it should be phased out and eventually banned.

The pharmaceutical industry is likely to be given an adequate time of six months for the switch over. The decision came in the wake of concerns raised by Him Jagriti, Uttaranchal Welfare Society, Dehradun the use of plastic as primary packaging material in pharmaceutical liquid orals, suspensions and dry syrups can cause severe adverse effects on human health due to the presence of endocrine disruptors.

Their representation to the union health ministry stated, "Leaching takes place under varying storage-temperature conditions and the age of the packaging (leaching becomes faster in hot/warm conditions, and also as the packaging becomes old). The leached elements can cause several diseases including cancer and physical infirmities. Many chemical additives that give plastic products desirable performance properties have grave negative environmental and human health effects." The representation of HIM Jagriti was deliberated by DTAB in May this. They had constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of Dr YK Gupta, prof & HOD, department of Pharmacology, AIIMS.

The committee had concluded that the information provided in the representation of HIM JAGRITI and according to the available literature, is not sufficient enough to establish a definite correlation of causality of plastic container for pharmaceutical products and adverse health effects. The committee observed that scientific evidence needs to be generated in a time bound manner to find out the extent of leachbility, type of toxicants leached and health hazard due to exposure of the leached toxicant.

The PET Container Manufacturers Associations also represented to the Director General Health Services stating that PET packaging with its inherent strength such as product safety, eco-friendliness and recyclability will continue to be used in food, beverage and pharmaceuticals packaging. The PET is universally safe and environment friendly packaging material. The literature attached to the representation, however, did not address the issues raised by HIM Jagriti.

The pharma industry was earlier using glass bottles only as primary packaging material for pharmaceuticals. "The switch over to packing in plastic / PET bottles by the industry is not based on any scientific studies to show that packing of drug formulations in plastic/PET bottles does not have any harmful effect on the drug formulations and there are no releases of endocrine disruptors due to leaching," stated the committee.

Railways plan to get ISO 22000 for better service

Ahmedabad (ADI): In a desperate bid to improve quality of its various services to high-profile passengers of its premium trains, the Indian Railways, which runs 12,000 trains, is now bent on achieving an ISO 22000 certificate. 

The railway board has decided to arm itself with the latest food safety management system after receiving several complaints about unhygienic food from travellers in Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains. 

A gap analysis—comparison of actual performance with potential—of the Ahmedabad-Delhi Rajdhani Express was completed this week to check whether the services during the 13-hour journey in this superfast train met the standards of ISO 22000 granted by the Geneva-based International Organisation for Standards for food, cleanliness and customer service quality. 

Tests for other Rajdhanis to check whether they follow the norms adhered to by leading hotels and restaurants in India and abroad will also be conducted soon as part of railways’ efforts to effectively redress complaints of poor quality service on its first-rate flying trains. 

An Ahmedabad division senior railway official told South Asia Mail that the process was on for procuring testing kits that would instantly reveal the quality of food served on trains. 

The quality of on-train service has been a major concern for the railways which was also planning to do away with pantry system but with ISO 22000, it will be easy to measure performance against a universally recognised benchmark. 

ISO 22000 is a global food safety management system that can be applied to any organization in the food chain, farm to fork. Becoming certified to the ISO 22000 lets a company show its customers that they have a food safety management system in place, thus providing customer confidence in the product. 

Last month, guidelines were issued to all railway zones to provide special meals on demand to diabetic and heart patients among passengers travelling on Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains. 

Sugar-free meals are now provided to those suffering from diabetes but they would have to indicate their preference in advance. 

Diabetics hitherto had to carry their own food from home for the long journey or had to avoid most of the meals served to them resulting in wastage of food, adding that now they could enjoy their train travel as no extra charges would be collected from them.

Let the system be free of paranoia, victimization

The government should create right incentives in the market for its smooth functioning both directly as well as through its regulatory agencies. But what we have seen in the recent Kanwal adulteration issue is diametrically opposite to that.

First, when the allegation of adulteration on this company was made, instead of verifying the allegation SMC out rightly started blaming and maligning the reputation of the company’ products. It appears that the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and rules/regulation 2011 which has laid down detailed and well defined methods for lifting/analysis of food samples, were not taken care of.

Rather than following the procedure, various provisions of the Act  like section 47(1)(a) and rule 2.4.1(3) & (4) which bounds a Food Safety Officer to serve the notice to the food business operator and manufacturer for lifting of food sample; second, under section 47(1) (b) and rule 2.4.1(10) (i) & (ii) the food safety officer is required to lift four parts of sample, weighing 500gms each having same batch number; and, third, under section 47(c) (iii) and rules 2.4.1 (10) (iii) the food safety officer is required to send the fourth part of the sample to the accredited laboratory on the request of Food Business Operator, were not followed.

The allegations were made by SMC based on the laboratory tests conducted at Kolkata. The proper course of action should have been to start an inquiry into the matter and wait for the results of referral laboratory designated by the FSSAI vide its order issued on 31st of July 2013. In case the accusations stood correct strict action should have been taken against the defaulters.

However instead of doing that government went on an overdrive to blame. This was quickly upped up by the “experts” on social media without verifying the detail. The net result has been creation of paranoia about the whole issue. This unresponsive and unreasonable way of dealing with this ‘local issue’ should be bemoaned and strongly condemned.

SMC, which has miserably failed in delivering the basic services, has unnecessarily started framing, defaming and discouraging local entrepreneurs.  A corporation which has wretchedly failed to scientifically deal with the chaos of dogs and dust, dirt and Dal has started unnecessarily hammering our future economy sources. Destroying the potential of our ‘radical and revolutionary entrepreneurs’ at the behest of some kleptocrats unfortunately can be a harbinger of an economic doom and a perilous future. Creating an atmosphere of unfair rules, inimical to innovations and creativity will certainly take us back to stone ages.

  Certain individuals who have dared to unleash a new dawn of inventions and innovations in a conflict ravaged state deserve every kind of support. The conditions in which they operate, the environment in which they do business is somewhat we all should be appreciative.  SMC, rather than slandering any successful local innovative company which otherwise has received great compliments for quality, innovativeness and delivery should also learn to appreciate other such radical firms. We should not undermine the fact that Kanwal Spices in a short span of thirty five years is competing globally with big giants.

A firm which started as a local Kashmir venture now represents Kashmir innovations successfully at a global platform. This factory of ‘traditiovations’ is continuously and successfully blending the culture and tradition of Kashmir with science and technology. What started as a small mill with modest financial and human resources on the banks of river Jhelum has turned out as a successful innovative venture (grassroots to global) with more than 100 crores of annual turnover.

 If one compares such ventures with our state firms, not only do we observe the depressing results and figures but also the pathetic condition of workers and firms too. The need of the hour is thus to stop creating paranoia and not allow mobocracy to rule the roost. It is a serious matter which should be handled with great degree of responsibility.

Now the matter is in the people’s court, we as usual will wait for the best judgment which will be in the larger interests of the people of the state and also for the local innovators.

Centre still a divided house over field trials for GM crops

Activists of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha destroy genetically modified paddy crops on a field owned by Dupont during a protest at Hadonahalli in Bangalore district in this November, 2010

The government’s attempts to get the Environment Ministry to support field trials have failed

The government’s attempts to persuade the Environment Ministry to accept the Agriculture, and Science and Technology Ministries’ views in favour of immediately going ahead with field trials of genetically modified (GM) food crops have failed so far.

The government was to respond to reports filed by the Technical Expert Committee and one of its dissenting members before the Supreme Court in an ongoing case and it was decided by the Prime Minister’s Office that a “harmonised” common stance would be presented to the courts.

But the attempt at the level of the Cabinet Secretary to forge such a common stance in favour of permitting field trials of GM food crops, which is being advocated by the Agriculture and Science ministries, along with the biotech industry, faced the reality of diametrically opposite views prevailing in the government.

The former Environment Minister, Jayanthi Natarajan, had put her opposition to GM food crop trials on record.

The Hindu accessed the draft affidavit prepared by the committee of secretaries led by the Cabinet Secretary in favour of immediate opening of field trials of GM food crops. In meetings held over months, the committee of secretaries, including secretaries from the Agriculture Ministry, Department of Biotechnology and others, tried to push through this version. But the Environment secretary stood his ground upon instructions of the then Environment Minister.

The Environment secretary recommended that safeguards such as public hearings and consent of State governments be put in place before going ahead with the trials. He also advised site specific safeguards and risk assessment guidelines as part of the reforms.

The Minister on her part noted that she had told the Prime Minister of her opposition to the trials and preferred to file a separate affidavit on behalf of her Ministry rather than go with the widely different views of the Ministry of Agriculture and others which are ‘promoting’ ministries.

If the government was to now forge a common stance overruling her opposition it should be done at the level of the Prime Minister or the Union Cabinet and not be dictated by a committee of secretaries, Ms. Natarajan said, noting that if a common affidavit was what the government wanted it had to take in to account the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s opposition to such trials as well as the opposition from many State governments. The Environment secretary conveyed the decision but the committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary continued to push for a “common” affidavit.

In an attempt to forge a ‘common ground’, the committee did try to tone down its harsh attack against the Technical Expert Committee of the Supreme Court, which had advocated a moratorium on field trials till a new regulatory regime is put in place. But even while agreeing to some of the regulatory reforms that the TEC recommended, the committee, in its revised position, continued to demand an immediate clearance for field trials without awaiting either the passing of the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority Bill, which is now pending in the Parliament, or other regulatory reforms. It instead leaned almost entirely in favour of the dissenting report of R.S. Paroda, former director general of Indian Council of Agriculture Research, who was put on the TEC after the government complained of lack of balance in the panel. Mr. Paroda in his dissenting report favoured going-ahead with field trials and not awaiting regulatory reforms.

In the same case before Supreme Court, the Agriculture Ministry had earlier presented its views separately and the Environment Ministry stayed out of the litigation owing to its radically different views.

The current Environment Minister M. Veerappa Moily is yet to take a view on the matter but would have to now do a complete turn around on his Ministry and predecessor’s decisions if he wishes to go ahead with the field trials.

Responding to a query on the conflict within the government, Kavitha Kuruganti, member of the Coalition for a GM-Free India, said: “The issue is related to bio-safety and other risks; that is what the case is about. The mandate and responsibility for protecting and upholding bio-safety is with the MoEF. They should be responding in the Court. Ministry of Agriculture represents conflict of interest; it is a promotional body, not regulatory. There is no single rational reason why India should walk into field trials without addressing some basic issues raised by the majority TEC report of independent scientists.”

But, Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises — Agriculture Group (ABLE-AG) argued it did not make sense to hold back field trials at the moment even as the Bill is before Parliament. States and the Central government had adequate systems for supervision and monitoring in place, it said. “There should be only one view of the government on the matter. There are no worries about confined field trials. Regulatory process should also evolve with introduction of new technologies. No question of environment safety is involved in the field trials right now,” ABLE-AG executive director N. Seetharama said.

Registration of devotees mandatory before distributing 'annadhanam'

TRICHY: Apart from deciding on what needs to be served to people as part of annadhanam (a sacred offering of food) during the Vaikunta Ekadesi, which falls on January 11, 2014, the devotees must also be careful about food quality, as the food safety department officials will be at your door step to check the quality of the food served.

The food safety wing of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has made it mandatory for devotees to register if they wished to participate in the annadhanam. The certification is needed if devotees intended to distribute their offerings.

As far as Trichy is concerned, Vaikunta Ekadeshi (the opening of heavenly gate) at Sri Ranganathasamy temple is a festival that attracts people from neighbouring districts too. During the fest, numerous food stalls will be put up to provide food for the devotees.

Though the new rule has taken people by surprise, many have welcomed the initiative as it is ensures that the quality of food served is not compromised. "Until the previous year, there were no restrictions on the food served by the devotees. But, this year, the district administration has planned to take some serious measures in order to ensure that the food served is hygienic. The reason, they say, is to prevent any outbreak of disease due to food contamination," said a devotee, who has been attending the festival for the past many years.

Hence, the food safety wing has asked devotees to register by paying a fee of Rs 100 at their department near Jamal Mohammed College in Trichy. Following the registration, food safety officers (FSO) will conduct a quality-check up of the ingredients, water etc before the food is prepared. A go-ahead certificate will be issued, if the quality is found to be satisfactory. Talking to TOI about the status of the registration, Dr A Ramakrishnan, the designated officer of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration department, Trichy, said, "We have received a few applications seeking permission for annadhanam. With 10 more days left for the festival, we are expecting more people come forward and register as it has been made mandatory."

He further specified that even the road-side tea shops, eateries and hotels must also get permission ahead of the festival. "Applications will be accepted till 10 January," he said.

Food Safety and Standards Act

The Regulation 2.2.1 of Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, prescribe conformity with the IS standards for packaging materials including tin for storing of food product products intended for sale in the Country. These IS standards are notified by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). 

The implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules, Regulations made there under rest with State/UTs Governments. Random Samples of food items are drawn by the State Food Safety Officers and sent to the laboratories recognized by FSSAI for analysis. In case where samples are found to be not conforming to the provisions of the Act and the Rules and Regulations made there under, penal action is taken against the offender. 

Specific data of violations of regulations relating to packaging material, is not maintained centrally. 

Harmonization of the national standards for packaging material with those of international standards, by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), is a continuous process.

LSG deals a fatal blow to corporation's modern abattoir plan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even if foot and moth disease (FMD) threat is negated, the city folk will have to consume meat at their own risk. Exactly a year after the health wing of the city corporation submitted a proposal to modernize its slaughterhouse at Kunnukuzhy, the project has been dropped after the local self government department communicated that it could provide only Rs 50 lakh when the entire project cost is Rs 2.5 crore.

The health standing committee meeting held on Friday decided not to proceed with the project anymore citing that the finance standing committee would raise objections regarding disbursal of rest of the amount from own fund. "We can't go ahead with the project considering the directive from LSG. We were looking forward to meeting the entire expense with the funds from the government. The communication that only Rs 50 lakh will be allowed was never expected," said S Pushpalatha, chairperson, health standing committee.

The civic body has also not prepared another project proposal which needs to be submitted to the ministry of food processing to avail funds for setting up modern slaughterhouses. Also the ruling council has decided to press for Rs 15-crore project proposal mooted by food safety commissioner Biju Prabhakar. However, funds required for this project will be allotted only in the next financial year.

What this means is that the city will be practically left with no standardized slaughterhouse to ensure hygienic supply of meat for at least next two years. The civic body had recently clamped down on the illegal slaughtering thriving at Kunchalumoodu and areas around Nemom. With no measures to be implemented during the New Year to check the practice, illegal slaughtering is expected to gain strength posing serious health hazards to the city residents who consume meat.

The decision to drop the plan to modernise the slaughterhouse has raised questions about the proposal to train butchers as per the recommendations to train expert committee. About 50 butchers have been chosen for training at Peroorkada and Kudapanakkunnu. "What are the butchers supposed to do after the training? There is not going to be any slaughterhouse in the city for the next two years. The training of butchers will now be a farce and wastage of funds," a corporation official said.

As per the plan, the corporation had drawn a project proposal to modernise the slaughter house and set up a rendering plant. The rendering plant, with a capacity to treat four tonnes of waste a day, was to be set up at a cost of Rs 2 crore, and was to function on a build, operate and transfer basis. The pollution control board has also denied sanction for slaughtering small animals at Kunnukuzhy citing lack of a biogas plant to treat the waste.

SLAUGHTERED PROPOSAL

Corporation submitted a proposal to modernize its slaughterhouse at Kunnukuzhy at a cost of Rs 2.5 cr

Local self govt department says it could provide only Rs 50 lakh

The civic body has also not prepared another project proposal to be submitted to the ministry of food processing to avail funds for setting up modern slaughterhouses

Pollution control board denies sanction for slaughter of small animals citing lack of biogas plant

Health standing committee meeting held on Friday decided not to proceed with the project

Health Dept collects 41 food samples from hotels, restaurants

Amritsar, December 28

Health Department has collected 41 food samples from various hotels and restaurants on the GT road here in the past two days. The team collected samples of curd, cheese, flour, sauces, samosa, cooked pulses, vegetables and common salt. 

The team inspected Sindhi Vinayk Food Corner, Itraf Dhaba, Jaan Restaurant, Grover Dhaba, Chopra Dhaba, Jumbo Dhaba, Babby Dhaba, Gursharan Dhaba and many other eating places. District Health Officer Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon said the team's focus was on dhabas and restaurants on the GT road. 

He said many of the general stores selling food ingredients were also inspected. He said all the samples have been dispatched to Food Testing laboratory and the reports would be received soon. 

Dr Kahlon said it has been found that many hoteliers have still not applied for the licenses or registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act. He said even those whose licenses have expired must get these renewed as the department would soon launch a drive to check unregistered hotels and restaurants. 

Dr Kahlon said the District Health Department has collected over 700 food samples from the district. He said till September this year, over 4,407 samples were collected from the entire state of which 514 were collected from Amritsar alone. 

He said of all the samples collected in the current year, over 300 had failed on quality parameters and department has initiated action against all the shops whose samples were found to be of substandard quality. He said the district department has secured permission from the state authorities in filling court cases against 33 shops whose samples were categorised as unsafe for human consumption by food testing laboratory.

வீட்டில் பதுக்கி வைத்திருந்த 4 லட்சம் பான்பராக் பறிமுதல்

ஆவடி, டிச. 29 : 

வீட்டில் பதுக்கி வைத்திருந்த ரூ.4 லட்சம் மதிப்புள்ள ஹன்ஸ் மற்றும் பான்பராக் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்து அழித்தனர். 

அம்பத்தூர் அடுத்த கொரட்டூர் காமராஜர் நகர் 2வது தெருவில் உள்ள ஒரு வீட்டில் புகையிலை பொருள்களான ஹன்ஸ், பான்பராக் ஆகியவை பதுக்கி வைத்திருப்பதாக திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அலுவலர் செந்தில் முருகனுக்கு நேற்று ரகசிய தகவல் கிடைத்தது. 

இதனை அடுத்து அவரது தலைமையில் அம்பத்தூர் பகுதி உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அலுவலர்கள் வெங்கடேசன், கார்மேகம், ஜெயசந்திரன் ஆகியோர் கொண்ட குழுவினர் அந்த வீட்டுக்கு சென்று அதிரடி சோதனை நடத்தினர். அப்போது அங்கு தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்களான ஹன்ஸ், பான்பராக் மூட்டை மூட்டையாக வைத்திருந்தது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. 1.2 டன் எடையுள்ள அவற்றை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்து அத்திப்பட்டு குப்பைக்கிடங்குக்கு எடுத்து சென்றனர். அங்கு தீவைத்து அழிக்கப்பட்டது. இதன் மதிப்பு ரூ. 4 லட்சம் ஆகும். 

உரிமையாளர் சரவணனுக்கு அதிகாரிகள் எச்சரிக்கை நோட்டீஸ் வழங்கினர். அரசால் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருள்களை விற்பனை செய்தால் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டப்படி குற்றவியல் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என அதிகாரிகள் எச்சரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

ரூ.5 லட்சம் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல்

ஈரோடு, டிச. 28: 

ஈரோடு மாவட்டத்தில் தடை செய்ய புகையிலை விற்பனை பரவலாக நடந்து வருவதாக புகார்கள் வந்தன. இதனையடுத்து உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் கருணாநிதி தலைமையில் நேற்றிரவு பஸ்நிலையம், நாச்சியப்பா வீதி, மேட்டூர் ரோடு, கொங்காலம்மன் கோயில் வீதி பகுதி கடைகளில் 4 குழுக்களாக பிரிந்து திடீர் சோதனை மேற்கொண்டனர். கடைகளில் ரூ.1.30 லட்சம் மதிப்புள்ள தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது. 

கொங்கலாம்மன் கோயில் வீதியில் உள்ள ஒரு குடோனில் அதிகாரிகள் திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தியதில் சிறுசிறு டப்பாக்களில் அடைத்து விற்கப்படும் புகையி லைப் பொருட்கள் சிக்கின. அவற்றின் மதிப்பு ரூ.4 லட்சம் இருக்கும். இந்த சோதனையில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் முத்துகிருஷ்ணன், முருகன் கண்ணன், பூபாலன் உள்ளிட்டோர் பங்கேற்றனர்.

Tobacco seized

Officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration carried out raids in shops at Kongalamman street and Bus Stand on Friday and seized banned gutka, hans, pan masala and other chewable tobacco products worth over Rs. 5 lakh, said G. Karunanidhi, District Officer for Food Safety and Drug Administration said.

TN FOOD SAFETY ADVT

JMC lifts samples from Industrial area

JAMMU, DEC 27: Jammu Municipal Corporation, in its drive against Food adulteration, today lifted samples from the Industrial area of Gangyal under the guidance of Commissioner, Kiran Wattal.

The team comprising of Health Officer, Dr Mohd Saleem Khan, Food Safety Officers and other staff members lifted samples of Ghee, Pasteurized Milk and Skimmed Milk Powder from M/S Vaid Milk Products (Surya Milk) and Sounf powder from M/S Mahavir (Jain Masala) Industries. The samples were lifted under Food Safety and Standards Act to check the quality and other parameters.

The team also realized a compounding fee of R 71,000/- from M/S Vaid Milk Products, s 30,000 from M/S Kailash Industries, s 20,000 from M/S Kesar Industries and s 30,000 from M/S Mahavir (Jain Masala) Industries on account of non-maintenance of hygiene, cleanliness and usage of Polythene Carry Bags in their manufacturing units and surrounding premises.

During the inspection, awareness regarding the norms under different Acts applicable on these units was also made and strict instructions were issued for complying with terms and conditions of the Acts. 

JMC appeals to all the Food Business operators especially those dealing with milk products to maintain hygienic environment and make available quality products to the consumers.

Corporation further warns all these operators of strict action, in case they fail to comply with the norms.

Sub-Standard Mechanisms

The decision of High Court directing the three companies involved in the manufacture and supply of adulterated food items is a novel one. The incidents of food being adulterated, sub-standard or even dangerous are not new. As elaborated by SMC, about four samples are picked up from market everyday

and sent for testing.

Every household in the state has a personal experience of ending up buying what appears not to be what they wanted. As per an India-wide milk sample survey 70 percent of milk was found adulterated with a range of adulterants like detergent, caustic soda and even paint.

While the apex court in India has favoured adulteration of milk with life imprisonment, we in the state seem to be sleeping with adulterated food in our stomachs. It is shocking that no steps are being taken to establish a

Food Safety and Testing Laboratory in the state.

The High Court had directed government to create the ‘paraphernalia’ for making the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 “effective and visible on the ground” a long back. But in spite of that, we are dependent on testing infrastructure located thousands of kilometres away.

Last year, the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India had announced setting up of 125 food testing labs in India. Apart from these proposed labs, there are more than 70 food testing labs in the country, but alas, none in the state. It would have been a well-timed step if along with the Rs 60 crore drug-testing lab proposal sent for approval to Union Health Ministry, a similar proposal for food testing lab was also forwarded.

But, testing and test results of drugs and foods seem to be highly complicated and sophisticated matters, with common man having no access to them. With Jammu and Kashmir on the path of putting together all the machinery and manpower to create products that can compete for shelf space all over the world, such reports of adulterations have serious implications.

The local market, as well as the one in the view is fast slipping out of hand and big names, not local, are throwing the locally produced brands off the shelves once more. In this scenario, the government needs to be proactive and think out-of-the-box. The misgivings against the adulterations need to be replaced with

information and truth. What and how are the products identified for testing?

Are the products in news the only adulterated products in market? What happens when the authorities seize sub-standard food items and destroy them? Why are culprits not punished then? Is there a way to ensure that the consumer can trust a product? Stray reports, stray tests and stray actions are not an answer.

A mechanism and infrastructure needs to be put in place.

Energy drinks pack a caffeine punch, says CSE

Panaji, July 18, 

Energy drinks touted to have major health benefits are so packed with caffeine that they can cause more harm than good, according to the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment which is calling for strict regulatory controls over caffeine content in drinks like Red Bull and Cloud 9. 

CSE said tests carried out on leading brands like Red Bull and Cloud 9 found high levels of caffeine in 44 per cent of the samples. “Their makers and sellers claim that these energy drinks help increase alertness of the mind and improve concentration, stamina and athletic performance, but in reality, the caffeine in them can cause severe health impacts,” said CSE in a statement.

Forty-four per cent of the samples tested by CSE breached the safe limit of 145 parts per million (ppm) of caffeine prescribed by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954.

CSE’s deputy director general Chandra Bhushan points out that currently, the caffeine content in energy drinks is unregulated and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is mulling a norm of 320 ppm. “The government has set 145 ppm as the safe limit for carbonated beverages – how can it now allow 320 ppm in energy drinks?” he argues.

What’s more worrying is that energy drinks are being confused with sports drinks. “Studies show that these drinks are not made to rehydrate and replenish the body. In fact, consumed during intense physical activity, they can lead to dehydration,” he says.

The brands tested by CSE were Red Bull, Coca-Cola’s Burn, Cloud 9, Hector Beverages’ Tzinga, Monster Energy Ltd's Monster Ripper and three of JMJ group’s XXX energy drink brands — Rejuve, Nicofix and Minus.

Centre to rethink arecanut ban: Gulam Nabi Azad

Families in Malnad and Coastal districts of Karnataka depend on the arecanut crop for their livelihood 

The Central government has decided to "rethink" the proposed ban on arecanut cultivation in Karnataka.

The move follows pressure from various quarters and the state government, said Gulam Nabi Azad, minister for health and family welfare.

Talking to reporters after reviewing the various schemes of the health and medical education departments, here today, he said the government has decided to put on hold the proposed arecanut ban.

A delegation led by chief minister Siddaramaiah had met Azad in Delhi a few days ago and urged him not to impose ban on arecanut.

Thousands of families in Malnad and Coastal districts of Karnataka depend on the arecanut crop for their livelihood.

On September 6, 2013, Amal Pusp, Director, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, wrote a letter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), to examine the scientific evidences on the harmful effects of arecanut.

The move was aimed at initiating necessary action to classify the nut as an injurious substance and accordingly prohibit its use as ingredient in any food product, in conformity with the objectives of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader and Minister of State for Medical Education Dr Sharan Prakash Patil reviewed the progress of various schemes with Azad.

Himachal HC bans sale, entry of food items with plastic packaging

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday imposed a ban on the sale of junk food in non-biodegradable plastic packaging. The ban will come into effect from January 26.

The ban will come into effect from January 26.

"The High Court of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday vacated the stay on the state government's notification dated June 26, 2013, and directed it to implement the notification banning the storage, supply, sale and entry of non-essential food items packaged in plastic and non-biodegradable material from January 26, 2014," a court release said.

The court has, however, allowed sale of essential items like bread, milk, drinking water and medicines in plastic packaging till March 31, 2014. 

The division bench comprising Justices Rajiv Sharma and V.K. Sharma further directed the government to ensure that edible oil is not sold in plastic bottles/pouches and shall only be packed in tin containers. The court also directed the government to ensure that from March 31, next year no food stuff, including primary and essential food, is manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed without conforming to the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Food Safety & Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011.

The court has directed the district magistrates and superintendents of police in the state to enforce the ban.

While ordering that a food commissioner be appointed within four weeks, the court also directed the state to ensure that no person is permitted to commence or continue any food business without obtaining licence.

Another direction came for laying down the norms as per Section 3A of the Himachal Pradesh Nonbiodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1995 within 12 weeks and to implement Section 7 of the said Act in order to determine the new non-essential food items, which are required to be packaged in biodegradable material.

The court also asked all the municipal authorities to ensure safe storage, transportation, and disposal of plastic waste so that no damage is caused to environment.

கலப்பட இறைச்சி விற்பவர்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை ஆலோசனை கூட்டத்தில் கோரிக்கை

ஈரோடு, டிச. 27:
ஆட்டிறைச்சியுடன் மாட்டிறைச்சியை கலந்து விற்பவர்கள் மீது கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டுமென ஆலோசனை கூட்டத்தில் வலியுறுத்தப்பட்டது.
ஈரோடு மாநகராட்சி மற்றும் மாவட்டத்தில் செயல்பட்டு வரும் இறைச்சி கடைகளை நவீனப்படுத்துதல் மற்றும் சுகாதார விதிமுறைப்படி விற்பனை நிலையங்கள் அமைத்தல் தொடர்பாக 5 லட்ச ரூபாய் வரை வேளாண்மை விற்பனை மற்றும் வேளாண் வணிகத்துறை மூலமாக மானியம் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இதுதொடர்பான கூட்டம் நேற்று கலெக்டர் அலுவலகத்தில் நடந்தது. இந்த கூட்டத்திற்கு கலெக்டர் சண் முகம் தலைமை தாங்கினார். மாநகராட்சி மேயர் மல் லிகா முன்னிலை வகித்தார். கூட்டத்தில் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள இறைச்சி கடைகளை சேர்ந்த உரிமையாளர்கள் பலரும் கலந்து கொண்ட னர். அப்போது கோரிக்கைகள் குறித்து அவர்கள் பேசியதாவது:
மாநகராட்சி பகுதியை பொறுத்தவரை 4 மண்டலங்களாக உள்ளது. ஒவ்வொரு மண்டல பகுதிகளிலும் ஏராளமான கோழி, ஆடு இறைச்சி கடைகளும், மாட்டிறைச்சி கடைகளும் உள்ளன. அனைத்து இறைச்சி கடைகளையும் ஒரே பகுதிகளில் அமைக்க ஒவ்வொரு மண்டலத்திற்கும் இடத்தை ஒதுக்கி அங்கு அனைத்து வசதிகளுடன் கூடிய இறைச்சி கூடம் அமைத்து தரவேண் டும். ஒரு சில இறைச்சி வியாபாரிகள் ஆட்டிறைச்சியுடன் மாட்டிறைச்சியையும் கலந்து விற்பனை செய்து வருகிறார்கள்.
இதுதொடர்பாக உரிய ஆய்வு நடத்தி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். ஈரோடு மாநகர பகுதிகளில் செயல்பட்டு வரும் மாட்டுச்சந்தையால் பொதுமக்களுக்கு பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டு வருகிறது. இந்த மாட்டுச்சந்தையை வேறு பகுதிக்கு மாற்ற வேண்டும். அனைத்து இறைச்சி கடைகளுக்கும் முறையாக லைசென்ஸ் வழங்க வேண்டும். பெருந்துறை பகுதிகளில் ஆடுகளை வெட்டுவதற்காக இறைச்சி கூடங்கள் இல்லை. அங்கு இறைச்சி கூடங்கள் அமைத்து தரவேண்டும்.
இவ்வாறு வியாபாரிகள் பேசினார்கள்.
மாநகராட்சி மேயர் மல்லிகா பேசுகையில், உணவாக பயன்படுத்தப்படும் இறைச்சிகளை சுகாதாரமான முறையில் வைத்து விற்பனை செய்ய வேண்டும். ஏற்கனவே மாநகராட்சி பகுதிகளில் உள்ள ஆடுகளை அறுக்கும் இடத்தை யாரும் பயன்படுத்துவதில்லை. இறைச்சி கடைக்காரர்கள் அங்கு கொண்டு சென்று தான் ஆடுகளை அறுக்க வேண் டும். மாட்டுச்சந்தையை வேறு இடத்திற்கு மாற்ற வேண்டும் என்று கோரிக் கை வைத்துள்ளீர்கள். ஒரு சிலர் இதற்கு எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவிக்கிறார்கள். உங்கள் கோரிக்கைகள் தொடர்பாக உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்றார்.
மாவட்ட கலெக்டர் சண்முகம் பேசுகையில், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு விதிகளின்படி சுகாதார முறைப்படி இறைச்சி விற்பனை நிலையங்கள், கத்தி முதல் பயன்படுத்தப்படும் அனைத்து கருவிகளும் வழங்க 5 லட்ச ரூபாய் வரை மானியம் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. உரிய விதிமுறைகளின்படி இறைச்சி கூடங்களை அமைத்தால் மட்டுமே இதற்கான மானியத்தை பெற முடியும். மாவட்டத்தில் பெரும்பாலான இறைச்சி கடைகளை சாக்கடை கால்வாய் மீது அமைத்துள்ளார்கள். இதனால் சுகாதாரகேடு ஏற்படும். இதை அனைத்து இறைச்சி வியாபாரிகளும் தவிர்க்க வேண்டும். ஆட்டிறைச்சியில் மாட்டிறைச்சியை கலப்பதாக புகார் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதுதொடர்பாக உரிய ஆய்வு நடத்தப்படும். நீங்கள் அமைக்கவுள்ள இறைச்சி கூடத்தின் திட்ட மதிப்பீட்டில் 50 சதவீதம் இந்த மானியம் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இதற்கான விண்ணப்ப படிவங்கள் தங்கள் பகுதியில் உள்ள வேளாண் விற்பனை துறை, உதவி வேளாண்மை அலுவலகத்தில் பெற்று வேளாண்மை துணை இயக்குனருக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டும் என்றார். இந்த கூட்டத்தில் மாவட்ட வருவாய் அலுவலர் கணேஷ், மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் கருணாநிதி, மாநகராட்சி ஆணையாளர் விஜயலட்சுமி, நகர்நல அலுவலர் சுமதி உட்பட பலர் கலந்து கொண்டனர்.

மீண்டும் கலப்பட டீத்துள் புழக்கம் உடல்நலம் பாதிக்கும் அபாயம்

கரூர், டிச.27:
கலப்பட டீத்துள் மீண்டும் கரூர் பகுதியில் புழங்குவதால் அதிகாரிகள் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று வலியுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.
கரூர் நகராட்சி பகுதியான கரூர், தாந்தோணி, இனாம்கரூர், சணப்பிரட்டி மற்றும் பஞ்சாயத்து பகுதிகளான ஆண்டாங்கோயில் கிழக்குமேற்கு, சணப்பிரட்டி, மேலப்பாளையம், காதப்பாறை போன்ற பகுதிகளில் சுமார் 600 டீக்கடைகள் செயல்படுகின்றன. தொழில் நகரமான கரூரில் வேலைக்காக தினமும் 50ஆயிரம் தொழிலாளர்கள் வருகின்றனர். இவர்கள் இந்த கடைகளில்தான் டீ குடித்து வருகின்றனர்.
இந்நிலையில் இந்த கடைகளில் கலப்பட டீத்துள் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. டீத்துள் பாக்கெட்டுகளிலேயே கலப்படம் செய்து இங்கு கொண்டு வந்து விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகின்றன. வழக்கமான அசல் டீக்கும் இதற்கும் வித்தியாசம் நன்றாக தெரிவதாக பொதுமக்கள் கூறுகின்றனர்.
இதுகுறித்து கூலி வேலை செய்யும் செல்வம் என்பவர் கூறுகையில்,
டீயை குடிக்கும்போதே ஒருவித வித்தியாசமான சுவையால் கலப்படம் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளதை உணர முடிகிறது.
இதனால் வயிற்றுக் கோளாறு ஏற்படுகிறது.சம்பந்தப்பட்ட அதிகாரிகள் இதில் தலையிட்டு கலப்பட டீத்துளை கண்டுபிடித்து, தரமான டீத் துளை பயன்படுத்த நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்றார்.

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி என மிரட்டி பணம் கேட்டவர் கைது

திருவனந்தபுரம், டிச. 27 :

திருவனந்தபுரம் அருகேயுள்ள போத்தன்கோடு பகுதியை சேர்ந்தவர் ஷாஜகான். இவ ரது மனைவி ஜீனத். இவர்கள் அப்பகுதியில் சப்பாத்தி தயாரிக்கும் சிறிய நிறுவனம் நடத்தி ஓட்டல்களுக்கு சப்ளை செய்து வருகின்றனர். நேற்று முன்தினம் இந்த நிறுவனத்துக்கு வந்த ஒரு நபர் தான் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி எனக் கூறி சப்பாத்தி தயாரிக்க லைசென்ஸ் உள் ளதா? என கேட்டுள்ளார்.
பின்னர் லைசென்சை காட்டவிட்டாலும் பரவாயில்லை தனக்கு ரூ.2 ஆயிரம் லஞ்சம் தந்தால் போதும் என கூறியுள்ளார். இதுகுறித்து ஷாஜகான் திருவனந்தபுரத்தில் உள்ள உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரிகளிடம் கூறினார். ஆனால் அதிகாரிகள் தங்கள் அலுவலகத்தில் இருந்து யாரையும் அனுப்பி வைக்கவில்லை என கூறினர். எனவே ஷாஜ கான் போத்தங்கோடு போலீ சில் புகார் செய்தார். போலீ சார் அந்த நபரை பிடித்து விசாரித்தனர். விசாரணை யில் திருவனந்தபுரம், கொல் லம், ஆலப்புழா பகுதியில் இவ்வாறு பலரிடம் அந்த நபர் உணவுத்துறை அதிகாரி என கூறி மோசடி செய்தது தெரியவந்தது. மேலும் அவர் அவர் கொல் லத்தை சேர்ந்த பிரசாத் (63) என்பதும் தெரிய வந்தது. பின்னர் அவரை கைது செய்து சிறையில் அடைத்தனர்

Excess food colour led to cake poisoning in Kurla school: FDA

A month after 450 children from the Kurla-based Anjuman Noorul Urdu High School fell ill due to food poisoning in their midday meal, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report indicates that the quantity of food colour used in the cakes was extremely high.

FDA officials said that the food colour used was over four times higher than the permissible limits. "The yellow food colour, also known as Tartrazine, was found beyond permissible limits in the seized cake samples. While the permissible limit allowed for human consumption is 100 parts per million (ppm), the lab results stated that the cakes had food colour exceeding up to 438 ppm," said Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner (food), FDA. Tartrazine belongs to a family of artificial azo dyes and is known to cause allergic and intolerance reactions, especially in asthmatics. Excess consumption of Tartrazine induces anxiety, migraine, depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, heatwaves and suffocation.

The FDA will now prosecute Parivartan Sansthan, the midday meal contractor of the school and the owner of Alfala bakery. "We are launching prosecution proceedings under Food Standards and Safety Act 2006 against the errant parties in Mazgaon court. If found guilty, they will be sentenced to at least six months' jail," said Annapure.

The kids had experienced nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and weakness after eating the cakes on November 25.

FDA drive to check adulterated alcohol

PUNE: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials have taken up a drive to ensure that the alcohol that flows into the city for New Year celebrations is not adulterated.

Officials have started drawing samples to ensure that the liquor sold in Pune and adjoining districts conforms to specified quality and standard norms.

The samples of foreign liquor, Indian made foreign liquor and country liquor will be subjected to quality tests during the six-day drive. "The drive is primarily aimed at ensuring that all kinds of alcoholic beverages sold in Pune and adjoining areas are not adulterated as sale of alcohol usually increases during this period and hence the chances of adulteration. We have asked all our food safety officials (FSO) to draw samples of liquor manufactured at wineries, sold by wholesale distributors and retailers and served at permit rooms and hotels between December 26 and December 31," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.

Kekare said, "Last year, we had drawn samples of alcoholic beverages to ensure their quality ahead of New Year celebrations and all of them were found conforming to the quality. The samples were tested at the state-run public health laboratory."

The officials have also started drawing samples of country liquor as well. "There is a perceptible rise in the sale of country liquor in city's slums and rural parts during the New Year celebrations. Hence, FSO have also been asked to take samples from country liquor outlets as well."

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which came into effect on August 5, 2011, looks at various aspects of alcohol adulteration and divides them into various segments like substance or quality demanded, extraneous but harmless matter, misbranded items and unsafe for consumption.

"Since alcohol has now been classified as food, samples will be subjected to quality tests to ensure that the liquor meets FDA standards. We have to ensure that the quality is genuine and it is free of solvents that are injurious to health," Kekare said.

Adulterants in alcohol

* Cheaper or substandard substances used to substitute necessary ingredient has in part or totally

* Essence that can be injurious

* Colour to improve look/appearance

Himachal HC orders complete ban on junk food items, wafers and Kurkure in state

In a landmark judgment, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday cleared the decks for a complete ban on sale of potato chips, wafers, kurkure and all other junk food-items packed in non-biodegradable and plastic material. The ban would come into effect from January 26, 2014. 

The court also vacated its stay on the notification issued by the department of Science,Technology and Environment on June 26, 2013 imposing ban on sale, storage, entry, supply and manufacture of these items in the state. 

It directed the government to strictly enforce the ban on these non-essential packaged food items, which however will not include drinking water - both packed and mineral. 

The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice V K Sharma which while hearing the petition filed by some dealers and manufacturers of these items challenging the government's notification. 

The court directed the government to ensure that the edible oils/fats shall not be sold in the plastic bottles or pouches and shall be packed in tin containers. Also, from March 31, 2014, the milk and milk products along with edible oils, fats, fruits and vegetables and meat products will be manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed as per regulations of the Food Safety & Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011, the court ordered. 

Passing specific directions for the enforcement of the food regulations, the bench ordered the state government to ensure that from March 31, 2014 onwards, no food stuff including primary and essential food is manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed without conforming to the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Food Safety & Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011. 

The Court also directed the state to appoint a food commissioner, if not already appointed, within four weeks. It also directed the government to ensure that no person is permitted to commence or carry on any food business without obtaining license. 

The bench rejected the argument of the petitioners that court had entered into arena of legislation by issuing such orders. "The courts do not legislate by pronouncing the judgements and issuing necessary directions. The Courts only recognize and enforce the fundamental, constitutional and legal rights of the parties. The orders were passed by the Court after hearing the parties and weighing all the pros and cons to safeguard health of the citizens and natural environment of the State"the judgment reads. 

The court directed the government to lay down the norms as per Section 3A of the HP Non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1995 within 12 weeks and to implement Section 7 of the said Act in order to determine new non-essential food items, which are required to be manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed in biodegradable material by constituting a High Power Committee comprising of Officers not below the rank of Principal Secretaries within 12 weeks. 

The court gave 12-week time to the government to ensure that necessary bylaws are incorporated in Municipal Corporation Rules, Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat Rules as per Rule 6 of the Plastic Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011 . "The municipal authorities throughout the state, including Municipal Corporation, Shimla should ensure safe collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste so that no damage is caused to environment".it ordered. 

The court also directed all the municipal authorities in the state to manage the plastic waste by undertaking "Waste audit" at the beginning of the year. 

The bench directed all the district magistrates and the superintendents of police to enforce the notification of the ban. "They shall be personally liable and accountable for non-enforcement of the notification," the court said. 

Himachal Pradesh is pioneering in implementing a complete ban on polythene carry-bags and had also won Prime Minister's award for enforcing the ban. 

Here is list of items which will be banned from January 26.2014 in Himachal Pradesh; 

A list of Non-essential food items banned in non-biodegradable packaging 

#Chips/wafers 

#Kurkure/mad angles 

#Biscuits 

#Namkeen 

#Lollypop*/Candy/candybar/toffees/ sweets/ chewingum 

#Cheese puffs 

#Cookies 

#Aampappars 

#Ice cream & Ice cream candies 

#Chocolates & chocolates candies

#Maggie*/Noodles 

#Sugary cereals/cornflakes/breakfast cereals coated with sugar 

#Deep fried samosas 

#Pakoras 

#Pizzas 

# Burgers 

#Patties 

#French fries 

#Colas & carbonated drinks 

#Shakes 

#Synthetic & fruit beverages 

#Indian sweets i.e. Jalebees, Gulab Jamun, etc 

#Naan, pav bhajee 

#Gol gappa & other street fruits 

#Creamy Cakes & other fruit cakes. (item marked with asterisk are mainly supplied in non biodegradable packings.)

HP high court bans food items packed in plastic

The Himachal Pradesh high court on Thursday vacated its earlier stay on state's notification and directed for its implementation, thus banning storage, supply, sale and entry of non-essential food items packaged in plastic or non-biodegradable material from January 26, 2014.

Vacating stay on ban, the high court excluded drinking water (both packed and mineral), which could be sold in the state.

The division bench comprising justice Rajiv Sharma and justice VK Sharma further directed the government to ensure that the edible oils or fats are packed in tin containers and not in plastic bottles or pouches. 

The bench ordered that from March 31, 2014, milk and milk products, edible oils or fats, fruits, vegetable products and meat products manufactured, transported, sold, packaged should be distributed as per the regulations of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulation, 2011.

The bench also directed the government to ensure that from March 31, 2014, no food stuff, including primary and essential food is manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed without conforming to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011.

The court also directed the state to appoint a food commissioner within four weeks. Further, it directed the government to ensure that no person is permitted to commence or carry on any food business without obtaining a licence.

The court directed the government to lay down norms as per, section 3A of the HP Non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1995,within 12 weeks and to implement Section 7 of the said Act in order to determine new non-essential food items, which are required to be manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed in biodegradable material by constituting a high powered committee comprising of officers not below the rank of principal secretaries within 12 weeks.

The bench asked the state to ensure that necessary by-laws are incorporated in municipal corporation rules, municipal council and nagar panchayat rules as per Rule 6 of the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 within 12 weeks.

In its order, the court also directed all the municipal authorities throughout the state, including Shimla municipal corporation, to ensure safe collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste, so that no damage was caused to the environment.

The court asked all municipal authorities in the state to manage the plastic waste by undertaking 'waste audit' at the beginning of the year and directed the district magistrates and the superintendents of police of all the districts to enforce the notification of ban on non-essential food items in non-biodegradable packaging, and they shall be personally liable and accountable for non-enforcement of the notification. Earlier, the court had reserved its order on December 6 in the case.

Facts

The bench observed that the plea that the court has entered into arena of legislation by issuing such orders deserve to be rejected as courts had determined the list, on the facts adduced by the parties and after applying the necessary law.

"The courts do not legislate by pronouncing the judgments and issuing necessary directions. The courts only recognise and enforce the fundamental, constitutional and legal rights of the parties. The orders were passed by the court, after hearing the parties and weighing all the pros and cons to safeguard health of the citizens and natural environment of the state," said the division bench in its order.

Some non-essential food items banned in non-biodegradable packaging

* Chips/wafers

* Kurkure/mad angles

* Biscuits

* Namkeen

* Lollypop/candy/candybar/toffees/sweets/ chewing gum

* Ice-cream and ice-cream candies

* Chocolates and chocolates candies

* Maggie/noodles

* Sugary cereals/cornflakes/breakfast cereals coated with sugar

* Pizzas

* Burgers

* Patties

* French fries

* Colas/carbonated drinks

HC bans polythene-packed edible items from Jan 26

Shimla, December 26

The HP High Court today directed the state to impose a ban on the sale/stocking of 25 junk food items in plastic packaging in the state from January 26. 

Dismissing a bunch of petitions filed by manufacturers and others wherein they had challenged a notification issued by the state vide which it had banned these items in plastic packaging, a Division Bench comprising Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice VK Sharma directed the state to ensure ban on storage, supply, sale and entry of non-essential food items packaged in plastic/ non-biodegradable materials from January 26.

This excludes drinking water (both packed and mineral). The Bench further directed the state government to ensure that edible oils/fats should not be sold in plastic bottles/pouches and should be packed in tin containers. It said from March 31, milk and milk products, edible oils/fats, fruits and vegetable products and meat products would be manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed as per regulations of the Food Safety and Standards Regulations.

While passing these directions, the Bench headed by Justice Rajiv Sharma observed: “The state is famous as a tourist destination. It is the duty of the state to make every effort to preserve and conserve the environment and fragile ecology of the state”. 

It further observed: “It is not only the environment of the state but also the health of children, who consume most of these items. It cannot be protected if the sale of such items is not banned in plastic packaging”.

The Bench also directed the government to ensure that from March 31, 2014, no food stuff, including primary and essential foods, was manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed without conforming to the Food Safety and Standards Act. The court also directed the state to appoint a Food Commissioner within four weeks. The court directed the District Magistrates and the Superintendents of Police to enforce the ban in all districts, otherwise they would be held liable and accountable.

The court also directed all the municipal authorities throughout the state, including the MC, Shimla, to ensure safe collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste so that no damage was caused to environment. The court also directed all municipal authorities in the state to manage plastic waste by undertaking “waste audit” at the beginning of the year.

Items banned in non-biodegradable packing

Chips/wafers 

Kurkure/mad angles 

Biscuits 

Namkeen 

Lollypop/Candy/candy bar/toffees 

Cookies 

Ice cream 

Chocolates 

Noodles 

Samosas 

Pakoras 

Pizzas 

Burgers 

French fries 

Colas, carbonated drinks 

Shakes 

Synthetic and fruit beverages 

Sweets 

Naan, pav bhajee, golgappa and street foods

HC Gives Nod to HP Govt Order for Ban on Junk Food

Himachal Pradesh High Court today vacated its stay on a state government order and directed it to ban the storage, supply, sale and entry of junk food packaged in plastic/non-biodegradable material from January 26, 2014.

Sale of drinking water is exempted from the ban.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Rajiv Sharma and VK Sharma also directed the government to ensure that the edible oils/fats shall not be sold in plastic bottles/pouches and shall be packed in tin containers.

The court also directed the government to ensure that from March 31, 2014 onwards, no food stuff including primary and essential food is manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed without conforming to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulation, 2011.

The court also directed the state to appoint a Food Commissioner, if not already appointed, within four weeks to ensure that no person is permitted to start or carry on any food business without obtaining license.

Referring to its previous order, the Bench observed that the court had entered into the arena of legislation by staying the government's notification of June 26, 2013. 

The courts only recognise and enforce the fundamental, Constitutional and legal rights of the parties, the bench said.

The court further directed the government to lay down the norms as per Section 3A of the HP Non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1995 within 12 weeks and implement Section 7 of the said Act in order to determine new non-essential food items, which are required to be manufactured, transported, sold, packaged and distributed in biodegradable material by constituting a High Power Committee comprising of officers not below the rank of Principal Secretaries within 12 weeks.

The Bench also directed the state to ensure that necessary bye laws are incorporated in Municipal Corporation Rules, Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat Rules as per Rule 6 of the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 within 12 weeks.

The court also directed all the municipal authorities throughout the state including Municipal Corporation, Shimla to ensure safe collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste so that no damage is caused to environment and also asked all the municipal authorities to manage the plastic waste by undertaking "waste audit" at the beginning of the year.

The court has directed all District Magistrates and the Superintendents of Police to enforce the notification of ban on non-essential food items in non-biodegradable packaging, and they shall be personally liable and accountable for non-enforcement of the notification.

ரங்கத்தில் வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி திருவிழா அன்னதானம் செய்ய விரும்புவோர் கட்டாயம் அனுமதி பெற வேண்டும் கலெக்டர் தகவல்

திருச்சி, டிச. 26: 

ஸ்ரீரங்கத்தில் நடைபெறவுள்ள வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி திருவிழாவில், அன்னதானம் செய்ய விரும்புவோர் அதற்காக முறையாக அனுமதி பெற வேண்டும் என கலெக்டர் ஜெயஸ்ரீ தெரிவித்துள்ளார். 

பூலோக வைகுண்டம் எனப்படும் திருச்சி ஸ்ரீரங்கம் ரங்கநாதர் கோயிலில் வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி விழா வரும் 31ம் தேதி தொடங்கி ஜன. 21 வரை நடைபெறுகிறது. இதில் முக்கிய நிகழ்வான சொர்க்க வாசல் திறப்பு ஜன. 11ம் தேதி அதிகாலை நடைபெறும். ராப்பத்து, பகல் பத்து என 20 நாட்கள் நடைபெறும் இந்த வைபவத்தில் நாடு முழுவதும் இருந்து லட்சக்கணக்கான பக்தர்கள் கலந்து கொள்வர். விழாவில் கலந்து கொள்ளும் பக்தர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படும் அன்னதானத்தில் ஏதேனும் பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டு பக்தர்கள் அவதிப்படாமல் இருக்கும் வகையில், கலெக்டர் ஜெயஸ்ரீ சில நடவடிக்கைளை மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறார். 

இதுகுறித்து அவர் வெளியிட்டுள்ள செய்திக்குறிப்பில், 

வைகுண்ட ஏகாதாசி விழாவில், வணிகர்கள், காலாவதியான, கலப்படம் செய்யப்பட்ட, தப்பான குறியீடுகள் கொண்ட, தரம் குறைந்த, பாதுகாப்பற்ற உணவுப் பொருட்களை தெரிந்தோ, தெரியாமலோ விற்பனை செய்யவோ, இருப்பு வைக்கவோ கூடாது. பொருட்களில் வாசனை திரவியங்களை உபயோகப்படுத்தக் கூடாது. மேலும் கொசுக்கள், ஈக்கள் மொய்க்காத வண்ணம் உணவுப் பொருட்கள் பாதுகாப்பாக வைத்தல் வேண்டும். அன்னதானம் செய்ய விரும்புவோர், உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு துறையில் பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற்ற பின்னரே அன்னதானம் செய்ய வேண்டும். மேலும் உணவு தயாரிக்கும் இடம் தூய்மையாகவும், சுகாதாரமானதாகவும் பராமரிக்கப்பட வேண்டும். சமையலுக்கு பயன்படுத்தப்படும் தண்ணீர் பாதுகாக்கப்பட்டதாக இருக்க வேண்டும். பாலிதீன் பாக்கெட்டுகளில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட தண்ணீர் விநியோகம் கூடாது. சமைக்கப்பட்ட உணவுகள் பாதுகாப்பாக மூடியிருக்க வேண்டும். 

தொற்றுநோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்கள் சமையலுக்கோ, உணவுப் பொருட்களை பறிமாறவோ கூடாது. இவற்றை மீறுவோர் துறை ரீதியான நடவடிக்கைக்கு உள்ளாக நேரிடும். அதேபோல பொதுமக்களும் பாதுகாப்பான உணவு மற்றும் பானங்களை மட்டுமே உட்கொள்ள வேண்டும். பாக்கெட் செய்யப்பட்ட உணவு மற்றும் பானங்களை வாங்கும்போது அவை காலாவதியாகி விட்டதா என்பதை கவனித்து வாங்க வேண்டும். 

இவை குறித்த மேலும் விபரங்களுக்கும், அன்னதானம் அனுமதி பெறுவது குறித்தும் தகவல் பெற விரும்புவோர், மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத்துறை, (உணவுப்பிரிவு), ஜமால் முகமது கல்லூரி அருகில், துணை இயக்குநர் சுகாதாரப் பணிகள் அலுவலக வளாகம், ரேஸ்கோர்ஸ் சாலை (ஆயுதப்படை மைதானம் எதிரே), டிவிஎஸ் டோல்கேட், திருச்சி &620021 என்ற முகவரியில் நேரிலோ, அல்லது 0431&2333330 என்ற தொலைபேசியிலோ தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம் என்று தெரிவித்துள்ளார். 

All agencies need to get food licence

Those planning to organise annadhanam at Srirangam Temple should obtain permission

All government agencies involved in running eateries, bars, noon meal centres and ration shops are required to register themselves and obtain licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 before February 4, Collector Jayashree Muralidharan has said.

Chairing a meeting with officials of government agencies including representatives of temples run by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments and educational institutions here on Tuesday, Collector Jayashree Muralidharan pointed out that the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 had come into force across the country and it was essential that government agencies complied with the provisions of the Act.

The agencies should pay annual registration fee of Rs.100 and a fee of Rs. 2,000 for getting the licence, she said. The registration process can be carried out through the website www.fssai.gov.in

Ms. Muralidharan released a handbook of guidelines for traders and agencies engaged in food business.

She handed over licence certificates generated online to the godowns and ration shops of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation.

The district administration has announced that all those planning to organise annadhanams in view of the Vaikunda Ekadasi festival at the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple should obtain permission from the Food Safety officials.

Collector Jayashree Muralidharan, in a statement, said proper hygiene should be maintained at the place where the food was cooked for the annadhanams. The food should be properly preserved. Organisers would be responsible for any illness developed by people on account of consuming the food supplied by them.

They should desist from distributing water sachets.

She warned traders against stocking or selling adulterated products and products beyond their expiry dates. Food products should be stored in hygienic conditions. More details can be had from the Designated Officer, TN Food Safety and Drug Administration (Food Wing) by dialling 2333330.

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All agencies need to register before February 4

The registration process can be carried out through the website www.fssai.gov.in

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Food Safety Act takes effect in Northern Tamil Nadu

Samples can be taken from food joints even without a complaint 

To ensure consumers in this region had access to safe food products, the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing) has ordered its officials in northern districts to immediately begin taking samples from all shops selling food and related products on a regular basis.

The Department directed the Designated Officers of the Food Safety Wing to initiate legal action against shops found selling sub-standard food products.

High Court order

Official sources told The Hindu here on Wednesday that the order came after the Madras High Court recently vacated its stay imposed on certain regulations of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, from taking effect in the northern districts that come under its jurisdiction (including districts in Western Tamil Nadu). The stay order had prevented the Food Safety Officials from taking samples.

A similar stay for the southern districts was vacated by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court a few months ago.

However, the case against these provisions was still pending. The orders were issued during a review meeting held in Chennai on December 20.

A senior official here said that the order would pave the way for the full fledged implementation of Food Safety Act. Hitherto, the Food Safety Wing only performed surveillance and issued licences besides registering food traders. Samples were lifted only based on specific complaints.

Now, the Food Safety Officials could take samples and conduct microbiological and chemical tests to ascertain its standards, even without receipt of a complaint.

If the testing results found the food to be unsafe, it will attract, depending upon the case, both a fine and imprisonment. If it was sub-standard/ misbranded, a heavy penalty would be levied.

Officials said that the Food Safety Wing in Coimbatore had a Designated Officer and 31 Food Safety Officers to enforce the Food Safety Act.

Coimbatore has one of the six food analysis laboratories in Tamil Nadu that are approved under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The others were in Chennai, Salem, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Madurai.

Sources said that so far, 2,500 licences and 6,500 registrations have been done for restaurants, eateries, bakeries and wholesale dealers of food products in Coimbatore. All food and food product enterprises must mandatorily register or get licences by February 4, 2014. A total of 22,500 licences and registrations were expected to be done in Coimbatore.

Milk Adulteration: Recommended and Existing Penalties

Milk is very important due to its special nutritive value and important role for human and animal health. Adulteration is practiced either to substitute cheaper ingredients in milk in order to earn more profit or to impress the buyer to think the product is more valuable or of better quality. Adulteration is a process, in which quality of the milk is deteriorated by adding water or any other supplement into it. A Glass of 250ml of unadulterated milk encompasses 146 kcals; 8gms of fat and protein alongside 257mg of calcium. Calcium and other supplementary vitamins and minerals in milk make it a vital portion of a healthful diet for people of all ages.

According to reports of Indian Council of Medical Research, “milk adulterants have hazardous health effects. The detergent in milk causes food poisoning and other gastrointestinal complications. Its high alkaline level can also damage body tissue and destroy proteins.”

Milk is most commonly diluted with water – this not only reduces its nutritional value, but contaminated water can also cause additional health problems. Other synthetic adulterants used are mainly starch, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), sugar, urea, hydrated lime, sodium carbonate, formalin, and ammonium sulfate, and these adulterants may causes impairment, heart problem, 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 and are discussed in coming text.

Urea can lead to vomiting, nausea and gastritis; it is particularly harmful for the kidneys. Formalin can cause more severe damage to the body like liver damage. Caustic soda harms the mucosa of the food pipe, especially in kids. The chemicals which contain sodium can act as slow poison and prove dangerous for those people who are suffering from hypertension and heart ailments. Impact of drinking milk adulterated with these chemicals is worse for the health of children.

Existing laws regarding food adulteration

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in January 2011, collected samples from different cities throughout country, which revealed a shocking truth that; out of total 1,791 random samples taken 1,226 samples, were found not fit for human consumption. It means on national level 68.4 percent of milk samples were found adulterated. In states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh 88% of milk samples were found adulterated. The above mentioned study clearly indicated presence of adulterants like fat, ‘solid not fat (SNF)’, sugar, starch, urea, detergents, formalin etc. in milk samples.

Section 272 of the Indian Penal Code states: “Whoever adulterates any article of food or drink, so as to make such article noxious, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.”

While section 16(g) of  Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 if anyone found guilty of adulteration shall be punished with imprisonment which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to three years, and with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees; in addition to penalty under section 6.

Recommendation of Supreme Court

In a PIL filed by a group of citizens, led by Swami Achyutanand Tirth of Uttarakhand, a bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia recommended the Centre and the state governments of states to amend the sentence from six months to life imprisonment and also sought framing of a comprehensive policy on the production, supply and sale of healthy, hygienic and natural milk. Amongst all Indian states, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Odisha had already made adulteration punishable by life imprisonment.

Rajasthan claims that, it contributes almost 12.5% of the total milk produced in the country; and state punish imprisonment of upto six years along with a heavy fine upto Rs 6 lakh. There are also provisions for life imprisonment in case, if someone dies due to adulteration in food products.

Orders of apex court for increasing the punishment for milk adulteration from maximum three years to life imprisonment, and the amendment in the production and supply of the milk products, are appreciable and should be considered seriously by states throughout country. Suggested amendment will help in decreasing adulteration in milk for sure.

Tobacco products seized

A consignment of Hans chewable tobacco, a banned product in Tamil Nadu, despatched from Bangalore in a private bus was seized by Erode police on Tuesday.

On information, a team led by Erode DSP Periaiah scrutinised a parcel in the bus and found the consignment containing the tobacco without the address of any consignee. “This is the first time we have found tobacco sent in a consignment without address. So far, we had only seized tobacco products from godowns,” the DSP said. According to G. Karunanidhi, District Officer for Food Safety and Drug Control, the value of consignment of the seized tobacco was close to Rs. 1.9 lakh. “We will wait for a month and if there are no claimants, the seized tobacco would be destroyed.”

Food adulteration on rise in Jammu & Kashmir, govt finally steps in

Srinagar: After a prolonged public outcry and recent revelations regarding three companies allegedly involved in the adulteration of food products, a division bench of Jammu and Kashmir led by Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Tashi Rabistan has asked three business house, two Kashmir based and one Delhi based, to deposit Rs 10 crore each with the director of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science for selling adulterated food products in the state. 

The court order followed a report by the Central Food Laboratory (CFL), Kolkata, which said the products are “misbranded, substandard and unsafe". “In our considered view, at this stage we deem it appropriate to direct the owners or managing directors of the above said companies or corporations to deposit the amount of Rs. 10 crores each with the Director SKIMS within two weeks,” the division bench said after clubbing the matter with a public interest litigation filed by Sheikh Ayub on the implementation of the Food Safety Act, 2006. 

The Omar Abdullah government has finally decided to step in. Agencies. The Omar Abdullah government has finally decided to step in. Agencies. The directive comes as a major embarrassment to Kashmir's fledgling corporate sector as they had recently denied using any hazardous agents in their products and threatened to move court against the state officials. They had alleged that the government officials were maligning the image of their products. 

The three corporate houses including two big Kashmir-based brands, Kanwal Agro Food Industries and Khyber Agro farms, had denied any adulteration of their food products. A Delhi-based manufacturing group Avon Agro whose turmeric powder was also found to be adulterated has also been asked to deposit the amount before the prosecution in the cases is started. Director Marketing and Sales Kanwal Agro Food Industries Farooq Amin had recently termed the reports of adulteration as a conspiracy to malign the name of the company. “Some vested interests in the administration are hell-bent to malign our image. That is why they have sent samples to Kolkata even though those samples were cleared by Public Analyst Kashmir Province,” he said. 

Food adulteration is not a new phenomenon in the Valley. In fact doctors say the occurrence has recently seen a phenomenal rise, which has led to a rise in patients with gastric problems in Kashmir. But the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has time and again failed to check the standards of food products in the Valley. “Adulterated food is the basic reason behind the rise of cancers in Kashmir valley. 

These people should be put behind bars, and their manufacturing units closed down. China hanged a man three years back for doing the same thing,” Kashmir -based gastroenterologist Dr M S Khuroo told Firstpost. “It is unacceptable.” People in Kashmir were shocked on December 16, when the Srinagar Municipal Corporation asked people to refrain from using ‘Kanwal Saunf’ powder which was found to contain harmful colouring agents which can even cause cancer. 

The spice brand is manufactured by Kanwal Agro Food Industries based in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Similarly two days after the warning, the Food and Drug Department found traces of detergent in milk products of the Valley's top brand Khyber. The milk produced by the company is distributed throughout the valley. 

Dr Shafqat Khan, an official at the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, said they had randomly picked up a sample of Kanwal Saunf powder manufactured by the Kanwal Agro Food Industries and send the product for analysis at Central Food laboratory Kolkata. “It turned out that the powder contained colouring agents like Carmoisine and Tartrazine which can cause serious health hazards including cancer,” Khan said. 

The western world had banned the use of Carmoisine and Tartrazine in food products after scientific studies showed that these chemicals were responsible for the rise in the number of cancer cases. In its first ever country-wide survey on milk adulteration conducted in year 2011, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India found that of the total 1,791 samples tested throughout the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, at least over 68 per cent i.e. 1,226 samples were either diluted with water or mixed with harmful detergents. It also said that 83 percent of milk produced and consumed In Jammu and Kashmir is contaminated. Despite a government agency confirming the adulteration at such a massive scale, surprisingly, the topic met with a tepid response from state government. 

Experts had warned that the consumption of contaminated milk across the state could lead to multiple gastroenteritis problems, food poisoning, endocrinology and several other chronic diseases. “Hazardous substances like detergent, starch, soda, glucose and other synthetic substances were being mixed with milk which becomes harmful for human consumption,” the report had said. But finally the state government seems to have woken from the deep slumber. 

Authorities have now initiated legal proceedings for violation of Food Safety and Standard Act and the government is likely to give a nod for prosecuting Kanwal Agro Farms and Khyber Industries. “Under the Food Safety and Standard Act, if the two companies are proven guilty of indulging in malpractices in manufacturing process, the law demands that they should either be fined or their licenses should be cancelled,” Kashmir’s advocate general, Mohammad Isaac Qadri said. Kanwal Agro Food Industries is the leading spice manufacturer in Kashmir with an annual turnover of Rs 100 crore which supplies spices to nearly 30 countries across the globe while Khyber Agro Farms is part of the Trumboo family’s multi-billion business empire in Kashmir whose present CEO Umar Trumboo has various business interests from agro to healthcare and hotel industry. 

Last week the State Human Rights Commission took notice of the case and asked the owner of Khyber to appear before the commission in person for what it termed as a ‘case of genocide’.