Coming soon, stricter food standards for your rasgulla

NEW DELHI: Your neighbourhood sweetmeat shop may soon have to comply with stricter quality standards while preparing its rasgullas, barfis and snacks, with India's food safety authority planning to bring in comprehensive norms for these eatables.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed the standardization of 'ethnic foods of Indian origin' for which guidelines will be laid down in consultation with sector specific experts. This would mean, among other things, that only ingredients of a certain quality are used in these foods.

While identification of food items to be covered is underway, sources said a range of local sweets and snacks, including traditional south Indian food, is likely to be brought into the net.

The move is likely to impact a range of firms from small and medium enterprises to large companies, sources said. While most companies have welcomed the proposed changes, the impact is expected to be harsher on smaller players who may not have the resources to measure up to the standards.

The exercise is part of FSSAI's larger undertaking to harmonize domestic Indian food standards with Codex standards and other international best practices "to the extent possible and necessary, taking into account our needs".

The Codex standards, created by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization, seek to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts.

"There are several products for which there are neither domestic standards under Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR) nor Codex standards. Ethnic foods of Indian origin fall in this category. We propose to identify these products and develop standards for them in consultation with sector specific experts," the FSSAI website said.

The authority is also expected to review existing food standards in the country — as compared with Codex and standards in other countries — and identify areas requiring improvement. The review will include fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, milk and its products, fish and its products, fats and oils, meat and its products, ready-to-eat food, sweets and confectioneries.

Standards of food additives, food contaminants, pesticide residues, food hygiene, food labelling, food inspection and certification will also under review. The authority proposes to adapt Codex standards "based on India's needs" for items that do not have domestic standards under FSSR. It will also look at international best practices.

"In some cases, the Codex norms are more stringent than the FSSAI ones. A lot of makers will have to change their hygiene and production process if the standards are upgraded. For instance, in dairy sector, milking and storage conditions are not so hygienic. There are challenges, but it will help make the Indian market better," said R S Sodhi, MD, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the parent company of Amul.

"We need a complete revision that can also be followed by small and medium enterprises. We will look at Codex standards and compare these with other developing countries to see what will be suitable for India," a source said.

Experts said alignment with international standards will help boost India's exports as more number of items will be deemed fit to be sold in overseas markets.

Street food delight in Delhi marking Bihar Diwas celebration

PATNA: Street food delight in Delhi with a group of twenty street food vendors from different regions of Bihar started dishing out their cuisines in Delhi at Dilli Haat.

This street food blast would continue till March 22 under the banner of National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) in joint collaboration with NGO 'Nidan'

NASVI would also send a strong contingent of 150 street food vendors from 14 states to Patna to join the 'Spring Street Food Festival' at Gandhi maidan from March 22-24 during three-day Bihar Diwas celebration.

The street food blasts are happening on the occasion of Bihar Diwas celebration under which the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) is organizing a range of events both in Delhi and Patna.

Impressed by the huge success of the Street Food Festival organized by NASVI in the national capital in last December, the BSTDC has invited NASVI to join the Bihar Diwas celebrations through enabling street food vendors putting up their stalls at famous Dilli Haat in Delhi and historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna, said Nasvi programme manager Ranjit Abhigyan.

At Dilli Haat in Delhi, the foodies would relish diverse taste and aroma of a range of street foods from 'Silao ka Khajaa', 'Litti Chokha', Garlic Soaked Mutton Rice and 'Jalebi', 'Rabri' to hitherto unknown the lips smacking Murkhi (made of pure buffalo milk) , Chicken Taash Kabab, Chicken Kabab, and Chicken Stu & Rice, Abhigyan told TOI.

The charm of the palate would be irresistible and the sumptuous delight would transport Delhi based food lovers to a different land tantalizing and satisfying their taste buds.

Advocating for a strong street food promotion campaign, NASVI national coordinator Arbind Singh said, "street food is a treasure house of local culinary traditions and is increasingly playing an important role as an enhancer and force multiplier of tourism sector.

Asian street food is considered as the best in the world". "But, we, in India, still lag behind many other Asian countries, The need is to protect and promote the street food vending and integrate it with economy and tourism", Singh told TOI.

The group of an odd 20 street food vendors representing four different regions of Bihar on Thursday reached Delhi with loads of stuff including ingredients and utensils.

Vikas Kumar Gupta is one of them. He has put up stall for 'Shilao Ka Khaja'. Vikas is a street food vendor from Shilao, a tiny place from 100 Kms from Patna in Nalanda district of Bihar.

Another Patna-based street food vendor is Ashok Gupta. His forte is in preparing special 'litti chokha', garlic soaked mutton rice and 'rabri' 'jalebi'. The rabri jalebi is made of maida, ghee, milk and sugar. He also makes lips smacking sumptuous garlic soaked mutton rice.

Another attraction is Murkhi. Krishna Prasad, of Motihari district, would serve it. In fact, the dish Murkhi is named after a place Murkhi in Bihar. Another Bettiah based food vendor Ranjit Kumar is serving lots of non-vegetarian items including Mutton Handi Rice, Mutton Kabab, Mutton Stu & Rice, Chicken Taash Kabab, Chicken Kabab, and Chicken Stu & Rice.

Junk Food - Today in Lok Sabha

Although the term “Junk Food” has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules / Regulations made thereunder, foods which have high fat, salt and sugar, with little or no protein, minerals and vitamins are considered as “unhealthy foods” and belong to the category of fast foods.

As per Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, every pre-packaged food is required to contain on the label, a list of ingredients in the descending order and nutrition information, calorie in Kcal, carbohydrate, protein and fat in gm/100 gm or ml/100 ml. Food in which hydrogenated vegetable fat or bakery shortening is used is required to declare on the label that hydrogenated vegetable fats or bakery shortening used contain trans-fat.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the nodal agency set-up for the purpose of laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption, has not received any such recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO).

This Ministry has requested the Chief Ministers and the Health Ministers of the all States/UTs and the Minister of Human Resources Development to consider issuing appropriate directions to the schools and colleges for withdrawing foods high in saturated fat and carbonated drinks from their canteens and promoting healthy food habits, and that children must be made aware of the benefits of consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, ShriGhulamNabi Azad in a written reply to a question in the LokSabha today.

Death penalty for milk adulterators in Maharashtra not implemented yet

Last year, the government of Maharashtra proposed to the Centre that milk adulteration be a crime across the state, with the death penalty as the maximum punishment, but it has neither been implemented nor has the malpractice stopped.

In the past year, as many as 40 premises of food business operators who adulterate milk were raided, about 50 cases were registered against them, and about 3.5 lakh litres of milk were seized.

K B Sankhe, joint commissioner (food), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra, said, “To bring down the rising cases of milk adulteration in Maharashtra, the state FDA launched a helpline dedicated to complaints of milk adulteration last year.”

He added, “Various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across Maharashtra gave us suggestions after the numbers of cases of milk adulteration rose, which resulted in the launch of the helpline.”

However, a consumer from Bandra, on the condition of anonymity, said, “Although they have started a helpline to curb milk adulteration, it is still rising. The redressal mechanism is unfeasible.”

He added, “I tried to reach the advisor through the helpline, but I was unable to connect with him even after four attempts. If you call the helpline to complain about milk adulteration, you are asked to pay Rs 1,000, which is illegal. I don't understand why citizens have to be charged for this.”

When asked about it, Sankhe said, “FDA doesn't charge any fees for adulteration tests. When we receive a complaint, we collect the sample and test it in our laboratory. A normal fee is charged only if the report is negative. To get the results quicker, consumers can approach their local food safety officers.”

Maharashtra offer incentives to set up nutraceutical units

Mumbai, Mar 13 (PTI) The Maharashtra overnment today invited industries to set up manufacturing and R&D plants in the area of nutraceuticals and functional foods and offered incentives.

"Considering the relevance of nutraceuticals, we invite all industries interested in setting up manufacturing and R&D plants in the area of nutraceuticals and functional foods. We are allotting land near Chiplun (in Konkan region) to parties interested in setting up nutra manufacturing or research plants," Satej Patil, Minister of State for Food and Drug Administration, said on sidelines of a conference here.

He requested the organisers of the conference, 8th Nutra India Summit, to submit to him details of deliberations at the event.

Patil askdd K Chandramouli, Chairperson, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), who was at the meet, to ensure that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act is soon converted into law.

The law will ensure that structured guidelines are laid down for easy operations, decisiveness and quality of the food and related industry, the Minister said.

Maharashtra is the largest consumer for nutraceuticals (food/food products that provide health and medical benefits) in the country, Patil said.

Speaking at the conference, Samir K Brahmachari Secretary, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), observed that India, with its research strengths, will witness great innovation in the areas like nutrition, nutraceuticals and nutrigenomics.

He predicted that by 2030, people''s consumption of chemicals will become negligible and it will be taken over by consumption of natural, organic foods, nutraceuticals and functional foods.

Chandramouli said it was still being debated whether nutraceuticals are to be included in pharma or food.

Food Safety And Standards Act, 2006 Tobacco ban enforced in IE

IMPHAL, Mar 14 : Following the decision of the State Cabinet to ban smokeless tobacco and consequent upon the notification issued by the Health Secretariat and office memo of the Director of Health Services, the Chief Medical Officer/Designated Officer, Food Safety of Imphal East has issued a notification banning the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, display, sale and purchase of gutkha, khaini, zarda, pan masala and other chewable, smokeless tobacco products with immediate effect.
Offenders are liable to be prosecuted under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, said the notice.
Earlier on February 2, the State Government had also issued a notification banning the transportation and sale of certain edibles brought in from Myanmar on the ground that these items violate provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The banned items include Mikko Nutritious Cereal (High Calcium)-25 g, Mikko (3 in 1 instant coffemix), Snacks (bakery items) and milk and milk produce and pickles/achar items (fruits and fishes) etc.
Section 25 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 stipulates that no person shall import into India, any unsafe or misbranded or sub-standard food or food containing extraneous matter etc.
The Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulation, 2001 also stipulates that
every package of food shall carry the information
on the label, namely the name of food including the trade name or description of food contained in the package, 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, etc.