உணவுப் பொருளில் கலப்படத்தை கண்டறிய செயல்முறை விளக்கம்

உணவுப் பொருளில் கலப்படத்தை கண்டறிவது குறித்து காரைக்காலில் பொதுமக்களுக்கு செயல்முறை விளக்கம் அளிக்கப்பட்டது.

 காரைக்காலில் திருவள்ளுவர் வாழ்வியல் பயிற்சி நடுவம் சார்பில் 69-வது பயிற்சி கூட்டம் வியாழக்கிழமை நடைபெற்றது. பயிற்சி நடுவத்தின் பணிக் குழுத் தலைவரும், திருவள்ளுவர் தமிழ் பள்ளியின் தாளாளருமான முத்துகிருஷ்ணன் பயிற்சியின் நோக்கம் குறித்து விளக்கிப் பேசினார்.
 மயிலாடுதுறையை சேர்ந்த வணிகர் மீ. முத்துச்செல்வன் சிறப்பு அழைப்பாளராக கலந்து கொண்டு, உணவுப் பொருளில் கலப்படம் குறித்தும், தீர்வு முறைகள் குறித்தும் விளக்கிப் பேசினார். நுகர்வோர் பெரும்பாலானோர் விலையை பார்த்தும், பேரம் பேசியும் வாங்கிச் செல்வதில் கவனம் செலுத்தாமல், தரத்தை சோதித்துப் பார்த்து வாங்குவதில் விழிப்புணர்வு பெற வேண்டும்.
 கலப்படம் மிக்க பொருள் சந்தையில் பெருகியுள்ளதால் பொதுமக்கள் உடல் நலத்தை பேணும் பொருட்டு மிகுந்த கவனத்துடன் செயல்பட வேண்டுமென வலியுறுத்திப் பேசினார்.
 நிகழ்ச்சிக்கு பயிற்சி நடுவத்தின் பணிக் குழுச் செயலர் பா. குணசேகரன் தலைமை வகித்தார். பொதுமக்கள் எழுப்பிய பல்வேறு சந்தேகங்களுக்கு முத்துச்செல்வன் விளக்கமளித்தார். பயிற்சியில் சுமார் 100 பேர் கலந்து கொண்டனர். பயிற்சிக்கான ஏற்பாடுகளை டாக்டர் உமாமகேஸ்வரி செய்திருந்தார்.

Pepper contract with all statutory quality parameters soon

The new pepper contract conforming to fulfill specifications of all statutory bodies is set to be introduced for trading on the futures platform soon.
The launch of the last pepper contract for delivery in June 2013 was earlier postponed indefinitely by the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), India’s largest agri-centric commodity exchange, due to quality related issues.
Early last month the exchange had postponed the scheduled launch of pepper contract for delivery in June 2013 till further notice. The revised launch date is expected to be announced in due course. Pepper contract for delivery in March 2013, however, is available for trading.
“We are in the process of applying afresh the specimen of new pepper contract to the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) which would be completed soon. On approval from the commodity markets regulator we would commence futures trading in pepper again," said Ananda Kumar, Chief (Corporate Services) of the NCDEX.
Finding traces of mineral oil, the Food Safety and Standard Authority (FSSAI) officials sealed around 8000 tonnes of pepper demated in six NCDEX-accredited warehouses in Kochi on December 18, 2012. This raised serious quality issues with the pepper stored in these godowns.
Traders used mineral oil to polish pepper to improve appearance of the commodity and therefore hiding inferiority of it. Use of such  mineral oil is a prohibited substance globally. A tasteless and odorless, mineral oil is a common ingredient in baby lotions, cold creams, ointments and cosmetics. Following global norms, the government of India has also prohibited use of mineral oil in food articles.
Since, mineral oil testing was not made mandatory by the FMC as per the current quality parameters, the commodity was conforming to the existing futures market guidelines. But, the same was found violating the mandatory requirement by other statutory bodies including FSSAI.
Understandably, the new contract specifications, therefore, would incorporate all mandatory requirements by major statutory bodies including FSSAI, Spices Board, Bureau of Indian Standard, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and others.
The FMC, meanwhile, has also compiled quality specifications set by statutory bodies in India. The quality standard set by the commodity derivatives market regulator would be at par with global norms and, most importantly, acceptable to all. Exporters and domestic processors would also be able to ship pepper without any quality checking hassles.
The FMC had earlier asked commodity exchanges to incorporate quality specifications laid out by all statutory bodies across the country.
“The new contract, therefore, would incorporate all statutory requirements in terms of quality," said Kumar.

Corporation canteens serve it up, but lack licence

Mar 6, 2013 CHENNAI: Chennai Corporation, which used to inspect eateries across the city for food safety, should put its house in order. None of the 39 canteens recently launched by the civic body has a food safety licence. Another 40 such canteens will be added to the string on Wednesday.

The Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, had set new licensing and registration norms for food business units in the country. The responsibility of food safety was taken over from municipal corporations and given to the state food safety department after the act came into effect. Eateries with a turnover of more than 12 lakh should obtain license from a designated officer and those below this limit should register themselves with the food safety officer, the Act states. However, of the identified 22,441 food outlets in the city, only 7,000 were enrolled with the food safety department. Following the poor response, the government has extended the deadline of license till next year. Data sourced by TOI from the food safety department shows that no budget canteens of the corporation has been enrolled with the state food safety department. Sources said that the canteen at the state secretariat and also the herbal canteen in Ripon Buildings are also not enrolled with the food safety department.

A senior food safety official said: "Food license is a mandatory requirement for all the food operators under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Several government canteens are also violators". The corporation is planning to start one canteen in each of the 200 wards of the corporation. The budget canteens have been selling idli (100gram) at Re 1, sambar rice (350g) at Rs 5 and curd rice (350 gram) at Rs 3. These places are being patronised mostly by daily labourers, migrant workers and slum dwellers.

When TOI pointed out the deficiency of licence, a senior corporation official cited the extension: "We have time till February 4, 2014. We will register before the deadline". R Desikan, founder trustee of Consumer Association of India (CAI) said the civic body should be setting an example by registering early.

Seminar on emerging trends in food safety organised in Allahabad

A two-day national seminar on emerging trends in food safety was organised by Ethelind School of Home Science, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences (SHIATS) in Allahabad recently.

The seminar was inaugurated by Devesh Chaturvedi, divisional commissioner, Allahabad. As chief guest of the session, he spoke on consequences of food adulteration on human health. He suggested that research needed to be carried out in the field of food safety and food standards and sensitised the house towards steps to be taken to stop wastage of food.

He suggested that signs reading 'don't waste food' be put up in all restaurants of the country.

The seminar provided insightful details by experts across the industry on the concept of food safety, the rules and regulations for foods, awareness on hazards pertaining to adulteration, and prevention measures to be taken.

Use of Banned Chemicals for Ripening Fruits

Clause 2.3.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, prohibits sale of fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas commonly known as carbide gas produced from Calcium Carbide. There is no provision of use of ripening hormones under the Food Safety and Standards Act/ Rules/ Regulations. However, the Ministry of Agriculture has recommended the use of ethylene gas in low concentration exogenously to trigger ripening of fruits.

There are certain reports suggesting the use of the chemicals like calcium carbide, ethylene and ethion for the use of early ripening of fruits. However, no scientific validated published information is available on the same.

Following the reports of use of the artificial coloring/ ripening agents in vegetables/ fruits, a Joint Committee for Research on Food Safety, was formulated in August, 2010 under Co-Chairmanship of the Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Director General, Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) to address the various issues relating to the safety of using ripening and coloring agents, and any other relevant issues in nutrition & food safety which emerge from time to time. The Committee has recommended further research studies to generate information/ data regarding the extent of use and effect of artificial ripening agents and other chemicals in fruits and vegetables.

Implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act/ Rules/ Regulations rests with State/U.T. Governments. The Commissioners Food Safety/ Food (Health) Authority of States/ UTs who are responsible for implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and its Rules/ Regulations in their States/ UTs, have been requested from time to time to keep a strict vigil on use of carbide gas and other hazardous chemicals for ripening of fruits and to take legal action for violation of the above provision of the Act/ Regulations. The State Governments have also been advised to educate the public through print and electronic media against consumption of such artificially ripened fruits and vegetables. State Governments have taken measures in this regard, such as ordering the Food Safety Officer (FSOs)/ Designated Officers (DOs) to keep watch on fruit markets, inspection of fruit market, fruit stalls/ godowns, taking samples of fruits, vegetables & milk, educating fruit vendors to refrain from using these chemicals, etc.

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 Rajya Sabha today.

Fruit ripening plant coming up

 
Ethylene-based plant in vegetable market will ensure fruits are free from toxicity

Bathinda, March 5
Bathinda will get fruits free from toxicity with the setting up of an ethylene-based ripening chamber at the local vegetable market. The Punjab Mandi Board is constructing a pack house at the local vegetable market behind Government Rajindra College where the fruits will be ripened without using the toxic calcium carbide, known as "masala" amongst the fruit vendors.
The project is being set up at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore and is expected to bring health benefits not only to the consumers but to the farmers as well.
"The pack house will have eight lighting (ripening) chambers of 10 tonne capacity each and two cold rooms of 50 metric tonne capacity each," said the District Mandi Board Officer Gursewak Singh. He added that the pack house would be ready over a period of next six months.
As per a rough estimate, the per day consumption of bananas alone in the district is around 180 tonne. Currently, fruits like mango, banana, sapota and papaya are ripened using calcium carbide. The chemical is wrapped in a newspaper and kept under the fruits. On reacting with the moisture in the fruits, it starts ripening them and releases toxic gases.
Though the use of calcium carbide is banned, under Section 44-A of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act and many states like Delhi and Gujarat have effectively implemented the ban, the practice finds its adherents in Punjab. In Delhi and Gujarat, the use of calcium carbide also attracts punitive action.
In chambers coming up at the Bathinda vegetable market, ethylene gas will be used for ripening the fruits. It is close to ripening fruit naturally as ethylene gas has been declared safe by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Already the centre is being run in Ludhiana and has been a huge success. The fruits ripened in these chambers not only have better taste and look fresh but are also sold at a higher price in Ludhiana.
Besides being beneficial for the consumers, it will be a boon for the farmers who can store their additional produce in the cold rooms. Jagtar Singh Brar, afarmer from Goniana, said the cold stores would be used by the farmers to store their additional produce.
"The Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR) runs a similar post-harvesting infrastructure of Rs 100 crore at Panipat, which is highly beneficial for the farmers. Having a similar centre at Bathinda will enable us to sell produce at far off places," he said.
Gursewak Singh said once the pack house is set up, the Mandi Board will come out with rates for the cold store as well as the ripening chambers.
It may be mentioned that eating of fruits ripened by calcium carbide can have adverse effects on human health. It can affect the functioning of the liver and kidney, cause vomiting and diarrhea. It is especially harmful for the expectant mothers.

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