Special drive to check inflow of spurious milk may hit legal roadblock

A special drive initiated by the Dairy Development Department to check the flow of spurious milk to the state during Onam season is most likely to hit a roadblock as several technical issues and legal loopholes might prove to be major hindrances.
The Dairy Department is set to establish quality information centres in all districts anticipating a huge influx of spurious milk to Kerala from bordering districts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
As part of special vigil measures, the department is also intensifying surveillance in border checkposts like Valayar, Meenkshipuram, Kumili, Aryankavu and Parassala.
Sources pointed out that the special drive will be a paper tiger for several reasons.  “Lack of coordination between several departments, especially dairy and food safety, and legal loopholes will be major handicaps in the drive,” pointed out a senior official associated with the Dairy Department.
“With the implementation of the Food Safety Act, crucial enforcement powers are entrusted with food safety officials and there is a drastic reduction in the legal power of the officials affiliated to the Dairy Department,” he said.
It is said if Dairy Department officials are detect spurious milk in their raids, they can only report about it to the Food Safety Department.  “The situation was different before 2011. Dairy Department could then invoke orders like the MMPO (Milk and Milk Products Order) to initiate legal proceedings against manufacturers of spurious milk. But with the implementation of new Food Safety Act, they have only recommending powers. This creates several problems,” a senior official said.
While the quality control wing of the Dairy Department has full-fledged laboratories in all districts armed with trained experts, the Food Safety Department has laboratories in Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thrivananthapuram only.
“So if suspected spurious milk is found in remote regions in Idukki, to take legal action it has to be tested in the Food Safety Department’s lab in Ernakulam. It takes hours for the sample to reach the lab. In most cases, preservatives are added in the sample to prevent decay during transportation.

Food waste management project at school

Guests taking a look at the exhibits displayed as part of the Food Waste Management Project organised by the students of GKD Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Coimbatore.

Students of GKD Matriculation Higher Secondary School launched a ‘Food Waste Management’ project recently. It was based on the theme ‘Save Food and Spare Bins’.

Students had to prepare projects based on food wastage at different levels such as production, storage, processing, and consuming, etc.

The project was inaugurated by R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Safety and Drug Administration Department, Food Safety Wing, Coimbatore, in the presence of H.N. Vijayan, Executive Chef, Vivanta by Taj-Surya.

Students had prepared models focussing on food waste in homes, educational institutions, hotels, and social functions, waste arising due to birds, animals, insects, rodents and natural calamities, etc. There were also lectures, street plays, ‘Villupaatu’, and songs to showcase the theme. An exhibition was also held.

Students had prepared models focussing on food waste in homes, educational institutions, hotels, and social functions

Hygiene fears prompt ban on birthday candles

 

Hygiene fears prompt ban…
A strict law in Australia forbids kids from blowing on a cake in the name of hygiene; Mumbai docs feel it might be taking things too far.
Here's one rule that might literally add to the term 'party pooper'. Australian children are banned from blowing out candles on communal birthday cakes, according to National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines. The rules apply to childcare centers. Reason? They might be 'puffing out germs onto each other on a shared cake. So, for those kids who really love puffing out on a candle, they are to cart along their own individual cupcake and blow out the candle on it. But the new regulations have been slammed, claiming that it's 'bubble-wrapping' children." Indian doctors agree, saying it's much ado about nothing and that some exposure to bacteria is essential to develop a strong immune system.

Expert speak
South Mumbai-based clinician Dr Altamash Shaikh says he had got a query from a parent on this issue, after the person had read the news. "Such hygiene apprehensions do come up. The parent in question wanted to know if blowing on a cake with other kids could cause risk; I reassured them that it wouldn't unless the child had a problem. It's obviously no worry unless a child is actually unwell — then it's dangerous. Germs can be passed by coughing, which can happen in any environment."
Developmental pediatrician, Dr Anjana Thadhani, feels the ban goes too far and has no standing. "For one, children have no such blowing capacity to be able to carry the organism load that can cause infection. Sneezing on a cake is one thing, but just blowing on it is not enough. In addition, exposure to a certain amount of antigens are crucial to building a strong and healthy immune system." She also feels we would be putting kids in a bubble by doing so, which is wrong. "I also think it's ridiculous," she says. "Imagine each child carrying his or her own cake, it's totally unnecessary." 

FSSAI moots regulations for infant milk, substitute food, fortified atta

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new regulations for infant milk and substitute food, fortified atta and ingredients for different foods - Food Products Standards and Additive - Amendment Regulations 2013.
For infant nutrition - the regulations defined substitutes for infant milk as milk protein between 10 and 16 per cent of by weight and total milk fat not less than 18 per cent. The draft also has regulation related to processed cereal-based complementary food for use in specific conditions. It provides that such food shall conspicuously be labelled as mono cereal-based complementary food - it can incorporate single cereal like rice or ragi and for use under medical guidance.
The regulations also defined the amount of nutrients for fortified atta and maida. Nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin A, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid and niacin.
Some more ingredients were covered for use under the new regulations like oligofructose, not more than 10 per cent of the product. This ingredient could be used for dairy products like yogurt, spreads, frozen desserts, ready-to-eat dry breakfast, and milk product-based sweets.
Second ingredient that was included in draft regulations - phyto or plant stanol esters again for milk-based drinks, juices and so on with limit of 3 gm per day consumption. Third ingredient is Trehalose for carbonated beverages, biscuits, macaroni, noodles, pasta, sweets and candies with an amount 0.5 per cent to 75 per cent.
The fourth ingredient was sodium iron III ethylene diamine tetra acetate. This could be used for carbonated fruit drink and fruit nectar with not more than 155 ppm.
Meanwhile, what was the need for these regulations and how this would further augment the food safety standards in India is still unknown as the regulations are under deliberations. The food authority has asked all the stakeholders to submit their suggestions and objections with respect to the draft regulations.

Safety of water laid to rust

Thousands of people in the city, who either do not have Metrowater connections and those who live in neighbourhoods where supply is infrequent, are forced to consume impure water delivered by tankers.
If water from a tanker is poured into a clean glass and held up to light, chances are it will be off-colour and sedimentfilled. The water, which usually contains a host of disease-causing contaminants including fecal coliforms, is also likely to contain rust from tankers in which it is transported.
Too few of the hundreds of vehicles in the city have rust-proof coating or anti-corrosive paint on the inside of water tankers to prevent contamination. Residents of some localities allege that private operators use the oil to transport water.
Water contaminated by rust can be dangerous if a person has a wound in the mouth or food pipe or has a compromised immune system.
"Private tankers are supposed to add chlorine in the water and coat the interiors walls with bleach to prevent algae growth," said former director of public health and Indian Public Health Association state president S Elango. "Water suppliers don't follow these rules." Elango cites a cholera outbreak in Tiruvannamalai district, 70km southwest of Chennai, during an acute water shortage in 1985. "Many people there depended on private tankers for drinking water," he said. "Inspections later revealed interiors of the tankers were unhygienic and had contaminated the water." Elango says a 12,000-litre water tanker should use chlorine and 20g-25g of bleaching powder to prevent growth of algae.
Private operators supply water to apartment complexes, hospitals, hotels and other establishments in the city. Several customers complain that the suppliers draw water from borewells and open tanks and deliver it to residents without any purification.
Suppliers of drinking water must have a food business operator licence under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration) Regulations, 2011. But the food safety department and corporation have stopped inspections for the licence and don't regularly test water samples.
Private operators flout colour coding rules as it's easier for them to dodge authorities. All tankers carrying drinking water should be painted blue to indicate as much, but very few are. This allows operators to claim that the water is meant for other purposes, like for use in construction.
A driver admits private operators deliberately do not make it clear how the water will be used. "It is easy to convince officials that the water is for construction," he said. Chennai Private Water Tankers Operators Association president H P S Sundaram denied that tankers are polluting drinking water. "We ensure that the water is clean and fit to drink."

Artificial ripening - Bad in Mangoes - Good in Bananas

Most fruits taste sweet as they are ripe… ripening is a natural process in fruits that causes them to become more palatable.
Summer is the season for mangoes ~ and in summer when thre was increased demand for the tasty fruit, health officials were busy seizing artificially ripened mangoes. The implications of using the cancer-causing calcium carbide to ripen the mangoes are many. But warnings and raids hardly deterred the traders form ripening ‘the king’ artificially, with most saying that they have no other way to run their business. Some would even argue that this is the way trade had been doing for decades… and that it is far too difficult to transport ripe mangoes from distant places. So the farmers send only green mangoes and they are later ripened artificially.
It is stated that the mangoes never even come in contact with the calcium carbide. The calcium carbide stones are put in a paper cover; stapled, these packets are then kept under the unripe mangoes. Calcium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula of Ca C2. Its main use industrially is in the production ofacetylene and calcium cyanamide. The pure material is colourless, however pieces of technical-grade calcium carbide are grey or brown. The smell of technical-grade calcium carbide is part of the process or production and is produced intentionally to be unpleasant in larger concentrations, and noticeable in smaller ones, as a part of warning system for unwanted leaks, fires or explosion.
Bananas are the most common, most selling fruits in any market – they possess many good qualities, tasty, good for health and more.. there are very many varieties like – Peyan, Poovan, Robusta, Dwarf Cavendish, Grand Naine, Rasthali, Vayal vazhai, Nendran, Red Banana, Karpooravalli and more. The popular varieties of bananas suitable for hilly areas are Virupakshi, Sirumalai and Namarai. Red Banana, Manoranjitham (Santhana vazhai) and Ladan are also cultivated in hills. Many varieties of Kathali, a small sized tasty fruit is cultivated in Kerala.
In most varieties – the green one is before they are ripe – can be eaten but may not taste sweet as a fruit…. Not in bananas. Green banana is also a fruit, a tasty one at that. It is - Morris or Robusta – the banana that retains its green color even after ripening, it comes from a dwarf variety of banana plants, cultivated throughout Kerala. Not many know that Morris, is artificially ripened, but in a safe way.



Just as you read that mangoes are artificially ripened and not good for health, ripened Morris is considered good as it is done through the technology developed by the Trichy-based National Research Centre for Banana in 2006 and is a rage among banana growers. According to its director, “Bananas naturally emit ethylene gas as they ripen. The artificial ripening process involves storing the raw fruit at a temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius and exposing it to ethylene gas. The ethylene naturally present in the fruit is activated and the ripening process is quickened,” he said. The bananas thus ripened are sold in retail markets.
In a bid to allay apprehension, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had, in the year 2010, clarified that the use of ethylene gas to ripen the fruit was safe. This was decided in consultation with the ministry of agriculture. The banana variety, which is sold for about Rs.5 a piece, is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium phosphorus and iron and is also a source of Vitamin A and C. It is stated that farmers from all over the state, who cultivate the green banana, adopt this technology as the demand in Chennai is more for this variety.

No compromise on food safety: SMC

Intensify market inspections, Dr Qasba

Srinagar, Aug 18: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dr GN Qasba has directed the SMC officials to intensify market inspections in the City even as he said there shall be no compromise on food safety.
Dr Qasba said it during the meeting to review “status of food safety”. Health Officer Dr Rubeena Shaheen was also present on the occasion.
An official handout said: “It was informed in the meeting that 6478 food establishments have been thoroughly checked since 2011 till date and 3580 food licenses have been issued.”
Dr Rubeena informed the meeting that “387 samples were lifted for inspection out of which 39 were declared adulterated.” She said 20 accused traders were prosecuted for violating food safety norms.
“The total revenue recovered from issuance of food licences/registrations has been recorded as Rs 45, 36, 550,” the official handout said.

Commissioner reviews food safety measures
Srinagar, August 18
Srinagar Municipal Corporation Commissioner GN Qasba today reviewed the status of food safety measures in a meeting with the health wing of the corporation.
The meeting was informed that 6,478 food establishments had been thoroughly checked since 2011 and a total of 3,580 food licences had been issued so far.
A health official informed the meeting that the team concerned had collected samples to ensure food safety among general public and in this regard, 387 samples had been taken from the market out of which 39 had been declared adulterated with 20 such persons prosecuted for violating norms and selling substandard food.
A sum of Rs 45.36 lakh had been collected by issuing food licences/registrations since 2011. Qasba gave directions to the concerned that there should not be any compromise on food quality and the markets should be frequently checked.