GoM banned four items of Myanmar food product

Imphal Mar 10 : Four packaged food items imported from Myanmar to India were banned in Manipur by an order of the state government issued by the state food safety commissioner. The ban packaged food items were Mikko Nutritious Cereal (High Calcium)-25 gm, Mikko (3 in 1 instant Coffeemix), snacks (bakery items) and milk and milk products, and Pickles/Achar items (fruit and fishes) etc.
Manipur government has banned these items under the provisions of Section 23 and 25 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Regulation no. 22 of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulation, 2011, said an official source in the state health department.
“Violation of this order shall be liable for punishment and fine as per the provision of the Act,” the order stated, asserting that the four packaged food items imported from Myanmar to India through Moreh of Manipur have no indication of the name of manufacturers, Batch Number, date of expiry of the items etc. which were mandatory under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Import and selling of these four items was violation of Section 23 and 25 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Regulation no. 22 of the Food and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulation, 2011, the order stated.
As per section 23 of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, no person should manufacture, distribute, sell or expose for sale or dispatch or deliver to any agent or broker for the purpose of sale, any packaged food products which were not marked and labeled in the manner as specified by the regulation.
The Regulation no. 22 stated that every package of food should carry the information on the label, namely (1) the Name of food including the trade name or description of food contained in the package, (2) the list of ingredients, names of ingredients used in the product in descending order of their composition by weight or volume at the time of manufacture.
As per Section 25 of the Act no person should import into India any unsafe or misbranded or sub-standard food or food containing extraneous matter and any article of food for import of which a license is required under any Act or Rules or Regulations, except in accordance with the conditions of the license.
Any article of food in contravention of any provision of this Act or of any rule or regulation made thereunder or any other Act were prohibited from being importing into India by the section, the order reminded while banning the four imported packaged food items.

Govt plans crackdown on roadside foodstalls soon

PATNA: Come summer and roadside fruits salad and summer drinks are a hit among all age groups. The colourful 'gola' made from crushed ice is also in high demand, especially among youngsters. The city sweetshops are also gearing up for the Holi as demand for sweets increases, raising the chances of food adulteration.

"Fast food has become more popular among people nowadays because it's easily available. Different varieties of fast food are not only tasty but easy to carry as well. But these street food items prove to be really harmful to the person eating them as they add more calories and do not have any nutritional value," said Ashish Kumar Singh, designated officer, food and safety department.

This is only the onset of summer but all the street food sellers are ready to offer fruits salad, 'gola', fruit juice, nimboo pani (water with lemon), coconut water, jaljeera apart from golguppa, momo and others. But the department concerned never conducts any raid to check the quality of such street foods.

Singh said, "All the food business operators get their licenses under the Food Safety and Standards Act from the state food safety commissioner. But there is no standard fixed for the quality of foods sold on roadside. The sellers take advantage of the loopholes in the law and often sell food of low quality."

Citing the example of colourful and attractive 'baraf-gola', he said, "People today are very health conscious. So, they should go for branded ice creams than any such local stuff. It is tough to determine the standard of the ice used for making the 'gola'. Generally, the sellers buy the ice from cold storage at a lower price."

He added, "People should avoid nimboo pani, jaljeera, fruit juice, golguppa. The officials cannot always conduct raids to check the quality of water. Instead, people should be conscious about such food and water."

However, ahead of Holi, the food and safety department officials are gearing up to conduct raids to check adulteration of edible oil and sweets and snacks.

Rakhi Shrivastav, a housewife, said, "The officials concerned should be more strict and conduct raids on roadside food stalls. We all know the food sellers are selling low-quality food under the administration's nose. I doubt many of them have a valid licence."

கலரூட்டப்பட்ட கவுதிமாலா ஏலக்காய்

கம்பம்:ரசாயன முறையில் கலரூட்டப்பட்ட ஏலக்காய் கவுமதிமாலா நாட்டில் இருந்து இந்தியாவிற்கு இறக்குமதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது .இதனால் உள்ளூர் ஏலக்காய்க்கு, விலை கிடைப்பதில் சிக்கல் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.இடுக்கி மாவட்டத்தில் 1.5 லட்சம் ஏக்கர் பரப்பில் ஏலக்காய் சாகுபடி செய்யப்படுகிறது. சாகுபடி செய்யப்படும் ஏலக்காய்க்கு கட்டுபடியான விலை கிடைக்கவில்லை. ஒரு பொருள் தட்டுப்பாடாக இருக்கும் போது, அதன் விலை உயரும் என்ற பொருளாதார கோட்பாடு ஏலக்காய் விஷயத்தில் பொய்த்து போகிறது. விளைச்சல் குறைந்தும், விலை கிடைக்கவில்லை. சராசரியாக கிலோவிற்கு 650 ரூபாய் வரை கிடைக்கிறது. இந்நிலையில், கவுதிமாலா நாட்டில் இருந்து ஏலக்காய் இந்தியாவிற்குள் இறக்குமதி செய்யப்படுகிறது. இந்த ஏலக்காய்க்கு மெஷினில் ரசாயன கலரூட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. பச்சை கலரில் பளபளப்பாக உள்ளது. இதனால், உள்ளூர் ஏலக்காய்க்கு விலை கிடைப்பதில் சிக்கல் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.