Dinakaran News

To be or not to BT

The big debate on genetically modified crops and their impact on the lives of farmers in the developing world across the globe has been the focus of Farmers Film unFestival organised by the Documentary Circle of Hyderabad (DCH) and the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) at Lamakaan, Banjara Hills.
The three day ‘un-festival’ captures the myth of scientific development being a win-win situation for all the parties involved.
Setting the ball rolling, the three day screening of documentary films screened  The World According to Monsanto by French journalist Marie-Monique Robin. The film centres on the controversies generated around the promotion of Genetically Modified (GM) seeds produced by the US-based company Monsanto. GM-Canola is one of the GM products from Monsanto which was leading to the destruction of indigenous crops and faced opposition from farmers across the world.
The company has failed to meet the promise of providing stable and productive GM varieties so far. Most expensive GM seeds left farmers with huge losses after they utilised the seeds which had low resistance to pests. The film takes us around Canada, Norway and India and Marie also captures the outrage against GM seeds in India. 
“Government does not realise the seriousness of the problem. The use of GM seeds can ruin indigenous crop varieties. Organic agriculture is healthier and more productive. The existing seed act is not very effective in controlling the introduction of GM seeds. We need a new bio safety law to prevent the damage,” said Dr. D. Narsimha Reddy who participated in a discussion following the screening of the movie.
On the last day of the screening, the festival screened ‘Bt Cotton in Andhra Pradesh -- a three year fraud’ shot by an all women-farmers crew and produced by Deccan Development Society (DDS). The other movies screened at the fest include Bitter Seeds, Death of a Farmer and Unnatural Selection. The films captured many controversies surrounding the use and promotion of GM seeds at various countries like USA, Canada, Mexico, Paraguay, France and India. The films point at the alleged collaboration between multi-national seed companies and governments leading to the monopolisation global agriculture market.  
Issues facing agricultural sector including suicides by cotton farmers owing to promotion of Bt-cotton variant and haphazardness of GM food were highlighted by the films.
The documentaries were screened between May 31 to June 2 at Lamakaan.

Govt to upgrade 2 food testing labs

Will equip all districts with mobile labs; 36 additional posts created in DFCO
Srinagar, June 2
With the high court seized of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking implementation of the food safety standards to check adulteration, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to upgrade existing food testing laboratories in two capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar to national-level standards.
The government is also planning to equip other districts with mobile food testing labs.
On April 7, the state health authorities in their compliance report to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court had stated that they have acquired a project report on mobile food testing laboratories from the Gujarat Government and are actively considering setting up the same in the state to check adulteration of milk and milk products.
The government has decided to set up mobile food testing laboratories in all districts besides upgrading the existing food testing laboratories in Jammu and Srinagar cities to check food adulteration.
The decision in this regard was taken during a high-level meeting of health officials here in Srinagar on Friday chaired by Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmad Khan.
During the meeting, it was decided that food testing labs in Srinagar and Jammu cities would be upgraded to national-level standards at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
Khan informed the meeting that the government has already decided to create 36 posts of different categories to provide the required staff in the Drugs and Food Control Organisation (DFCO), which is tasked with implementing food and safety standards in the state.
Directing the authorities concerned to intensify efforts to check the food adulteration in the markets, Khan said market checking squads of the DFCO have been asked to impose heavy penalties on the persons indulging in food adulteration with directions that their licences should be cancelled without any discrimination.
Concerned over the increased adulteration in food items, the high court had earlier ordered continuous testing of milk being sold in the market and directed the authorities concerned (DFCO market checking squads) to take samples of eatables from markets and factories in all districts of the state on a weekly basis for testing and initiate action against the defaulters.
The high court is hearing a PIL seeking implementation of the food safety standards to check adulteration in the state.
What the PIL says
The PIL had sought court directions commanding the respondents to implement the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011
It had been submitted that the non-implementation of the Act and rules by the state government was a grave issue and the matter required to be dealt with seriously to check adulteration of food items and eatables
The government has often come under criticism for lack of seriousness on the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act in the state

Dinamalar

Ice creams face the heat

Ice creams are vulnerable to microbial growth when they meltWater used in ice creams should not exceed 0.2 ppm of residual chlorine

The comfort dessert becomes a victim to raging power cuts

When a 20- year old student from the city started experiencing severe abdominal pain, nobody expected a scoop of ice cream to be the culprit. As mercury levels shoot up, people consume ice creams believing that these provide relief from the heat.

But health experts say it might not be all that safe, considering the frequent power cuts. When temperatures vary, it results in a cycle of melting and refreezing.

“Ice creams with a high nutrient value are vulnerable to microbial growth when they melt. This causes food poisoning affecting the gastrointestinal system,” says V.G. Mohanprasad, a gastroenterologist.

R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), says it is important for consumers to be aware of such issues and protect themselves from unhealthy fares.

“If we receive complaints (which can be emailed to dofssacbe@gmail.com), we will take appropriate action and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will do everything to help the public,” he says.

The FSSAI is the regulatory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Chapter VII, Section 40 of the Act empowers consumers to analyse food purchased with an authorised food analyst. This should be done after informing the food business owner.

If the sample is found not to be adhering to the specified standards, consumer will be entitled to reimbursement. Further, the food business owner will be prosecuted. Coimbatore is one of the six districts to have a laboratory accredited to FSSAI.

Pravin Kumar, a franchisee of a leading ice cream shop, says that the firm has specific operating procedures with regard to maintaining temperature. “All ice creams are stored at -18 degrees to maintain quality and ensure safety,” he adds.

R. Damodaran, Deputy Director of Public Health, says the problem begins at the grass root level. Many ice cream manufacturers don’t follow the specifications with regard to water used in the process. While drinking water can contain 0.5 parts per million (ppm) of residual chlorine, water used in ice creams should not exceed 0.2 ppm.

If it exceeds this level, it causes adverse reactions with certain additives, he adds.

Safe-to-eat tag for vegetables

The Hindu The KAU is working on an initial plan to produce and provide pesticide-free vegetables at a premium price for quality-conscious consumers.

KAU bid involves food safety certification, promotion of homestead horticulture

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has embarked on an initiative aimed at ensuring that vegetables and fruits consumed in the State are safe to eat and free of pesticide residue.

The programme, funded by the Department of Agriculture, involves food safety certification, promotion of homestead horticulture, and creating awareness of the hazards of pesticide residue.

The KAU is working on an initial plan to produce and provide pesticide-free vegetables at a premium price for quality-conscious consumers. The Pesticide Residue Research and Analytical Laboratory at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, will play a key role in the programme.

KAU Vice-Chancellor P. Rajendran said the laboratory had detected pesticide residue in 226 out of 1,024 samples, with 78 samples exceeding the maximum residue limit (MRL). “We are developing and popularising protocols to remove pesticide residue from high-risk vegetables and fruits based on already identified techniques,” he said.

Dr. Rajendran said efforts were afoot to equip the laboratory with more sophisticated instruments to cater to the analytical needs of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Family Welfare, Ground Water Directorate and other research agencies.

S. Nazeemabeevi, who heads the laboratory at Vellayani, said alarming levels of pesticide residue had been detected in cardamom, the key export commodity of the State. “All the samples showed residue and in most cases, the levels exceeded the MRL also. Pesticide residue above the MRL were seen in cabbage, cauliflower, cowpea, and bitter gourd. At least seven common pesticides, including endosulfan, were detected,” she said.

Dr. Nazeemabeevi said the case of curry leaves was a matter of grave concern. “Of the 64 samples analysed, residue was detected in 39. Of the 242 vegetables tested, residue were detected in 79, of which five exceeded the MRL.