Cassia and Cinnamon

State FDA fines Byculla restaurant for using banned colours in chicken

The state food and drug administration recently slapped a fine amounting to Rs 50,000 on Renault Restaurant and Bar in Byculla, Mumbai for using colouring agents which were not permitted under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 in the preparation of chicken lollipop. Rakesh Shetty, the proprietor of the eatery, claimed that they were unaware that the use of food colour was not permitted, adding that they have now switched to natural colours such as Kashmiri mirch.
FDA Maharashtra officials said a sample of the dish was collected and sent to the lab for testing, which proved the presence of colouring agents. They claimed that this was the first time an eatery had to pay such a hefty fine because it used colours not permitted under the Act. The use of colouring agents in cooked food has been banned in restaurants under the Act by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra.
Prior to the enactment of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the FDA officials would press charges against eateries in the court and wait for the judicial outcome, but now they directly slap fines on them as per the provisions of the Act. However, Suresh Deshmukh, the state food regulator's assistant commissioner (food), said they can be used within stipulated limits in certain items such as cakes, sweets, ice-cream, flavoured milk, etc.
Kamlesh Barot, former president, the Federation of Hotels' and Restaurants' Association of India (FHRAI), said, “Edible food colours, if used in the wrong quantities for cooking food, are known to be carcinogenic. Many eateries, especially in the unorganised sector, tend to add colouring agents to enhance the appearance of a food item. For instance, colour is added to palak (spinach) to make it greener.”
He added that owners and chefs who do not have technical education are more likely to indulge in these practices, as they are not aware that they are illegal. FHRAI is conducting workshops to create awareness among the owners of restaurants about the Act. FDA officials have also been conducting meetings with restaurateurs' associations for the same in a bid to discourage the use of colouring agents.

Day after strike ends, no water in city homes

The Hindu Packaged water units resumed production on Saturday evening but residents will have to wait a couple of days for supply to be restored

Last week’s water crisis forced many in the city to buy table-top reverse osmosis units

The strike by packaged drinking water manufacturers may have ended but many city residents are yet to get bubbletop cans.

Though vehicles carrying water cans were seen making the rounds of city shops, residents were asked to wait another day so dealers could stock up.

By Saturday evening, most packaged drinking water units had started functioning. The manufacturers had gone on strike last week after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board closed down 92 units in and around Chennai as they did not have the required licences.

Murali, founder patron of Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association, said many units were working two shifts to make up for the past four days as the process of producing clean, drinking water is a long one.

“Raw water is allowed to sit for about four hours after being chlorinated. After that, it is passed through carbon, sand, UV and micron filters, before being ozonised. This being peak summertime, many units are working overtime,” he said.

B. Kannan of Thoraipakkam said his family was dependent on canned water for drinking and cooking. But his supplier had said he was unable to procure bubbletop cans.

“We do not have any groundwater source and are yet to get piped water supply. Without bubbletops, our household cannot run. I have been trying frantically to get some water,” he said.

T. Nagar resident Sriram Prasad said he used alum in a pot of water to allow the solids to settle and then boiled the water. “However, we cannot use the boiled water to make tea as it will curdle the milk. I have cut down on water consumption by half over the past three days,” he said.

The crisis also led many residents to opt for table-top reverse osmosis (RO) units at home. S. Jayaprakash of home appliances store Jayam and Co. in Anna Nagar said Friday and Saturday alone saw around 25 RO units being sold in his showroom.

“We sold some 12 units on Sunday as well. One brand advertised in newspapers that residents should install RO units instead of running behind water can suppliers,” he said.

K. Anthara of Vannandurai said her family switched to a RO unit a few years ago after they found insects in a can of water. “I am very comfortable with the unit. The company representative is very prompt with maintenance,” she said.

Though the strike is over and things are getting back to normal slowly, the packaged drinking water industry is still facing a crisis. A case is pending before the National Green Tribunal’s Southern Bench relating to the 92 units that have been closed by the TNPCB.

On Friday, the Bench directed TNPCB and the Commissionerate of Food Safety and Drug Administration to inspect the 92 units, analyse water samples and submit a report on May 27.

Future looks good for pepper

Kochi is set to spring back to the centre of the Rs. 1,000-crore pepper business in the country with the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) permitting the city-based India Pepper and Spice Trade Association (Ipsta) to re-launch futures trading.

FMC is the chief regulator of forwards and futures markets in India, and Ipsta, with100 members and 140 non-member clients, represents the swelling pepper business in the country.

Futures trading in pepper, an iconic product of Kochi, was suspended in December last year after Food Safety and Standards Authority of India seized 8,000 tonnes of pepper reportedly for the presence of mineral oil, which is used to polish bad quality produce.

FMC order on May 15 to the Ipsta president permitted it to resume futures till December. Ipsta’s performance in conducting trading will be evaluated after December. For now, Kochi’s credentials as the futures trading hub for pepper stands to be tested, said Jojan Malayil, former president of Ipsta and a veteran in the business. Over the last six months Ipsta, which is nearly 60 years old, and the Spices Board have been trying to convince the regulator that the quality issue could be addressed.

Dinamalar