FSSAI issues new regulations for info on dairy & bakery package labels

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued new regulations about the information on the labels on packages of food, including dairy and bakery products, and asked all stakeholders to file their suggestions about them and submit the same.
One of the regulations proposed by the apex food regulator was that every package of food and beverages containing plant stanol esters shall bear a declaration to that effect, along with the amount per 100g or 100ml.
It should also state that those on cholesterol-lowering medication, pregnant or breast-feeding mothers and children under five should use the product only under medical supervision, and the consumption of over 3g of added plant stanol should be avoided.
This regulation is applicable to fat spread, milk products, milk-based fruit drinks, soy and rice drinks, cheese products, yoghurt products, spice sauces, salad dressings, juices and nectar.
FSSAI also proposed that if a product contains Trehalose, the packaging should mention that it contains Trehalose, a source of glucose. This would be applicable to such products as biscuits, bread, breakfast cereals and carbonated water.

Hotels on highways, roadside eateries told to ensure quality

Those running hotels on the highways and the roadside eateries have been urged to serve quality food and water at reasonable prices.

In this connection, Project Officer of District Rural Development Agency G.Muthumeenal convened a meeting of about 69 hoteliers to drive home the point that no compromise would be made on the quality of food supplied to the travelling public.

She told them that a slew of complaints were received from the people to the effect that these hotels and eateries were known for supplying sub-standard food. Their hygienic condition had left much to be desired.

The packed food items were over priced and being sold beyond their expiry date. Ms Muthumeenal categorically told the hoteliers that they should scrupulously adhere to the quality norms and should not fleece the travelers by inflating the prices of food articles.

V.Arumugham, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Act, said that during surprise raids on the wayside hotels, it had come to the notice of the officials that they were using the edible oil repeatedly.

He told them that once the edible oil acquired blackish tint, it should not be used further. They should not recondition the spoiled food and serve it. Such unhealthy practices would lead to many health hazards which the people-on-the-go could hardly afford. Dr Arumugham also told them that they should keep the flooring and walls of the hotels neat and clean. They should drastically cut down usage of food colours and additives. To avoid fly infestation, they should keep all food items duly covered.

Those employed in these hotels ought to keep good health and take proper care of personal hygiene. The crew of the State Transport Corporation-run buses had been instructed to make halts only at quality hotels and eateries.

Consumer activists Noor Mohammed, Subramanian and Kennedy called upon the officials to impose the strict quality norms on the eateries run on push carts too. Due attention must be paid to the water quality as this happened to be the culprit for many stomach ailments, they said..

Food safety awareness

Students of Food Process Engineering of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University conducted a food safety awareness camp for fruits and vegetable vendors. They made the vendors aware of the effects of artificial fruit ripening, using harmful chemicals and Government regulations.

Guidelines proposed for Mobile Fast Food

* Mobile fast food joints may be operated only from clean premises, free of open drains.

* The inside of the vehicle, including the floor, used to sell/ cook food should be lined with seamless aluminium or fibreglass sheets that can be cleaned easily.

* Vehicle to be clean, washed daily.

* Food to be stored only in clean, un-dented stainless steel vessels with covers.

* Safe, potable water should be provided as drinking water and for washing hands.

* Food waste and waste water should be collected in vessels and disposed of properly elsewhere.

* Those handling food should necessarily wear clean clothes, head cap, apron and gloves.

* All food handlers should be given training in handling food and should compulsorily avoid smoking/ chewing tobacco during business hours.

* Health certificates must for all food handlers.

* Exhaust fans mandatory. Clean kitchen wipes/clothes to be used.

* Only food-grade plastic covers or aluminium foil for packing food.

* In case food being sold in the van is cooked elsewhere, the place of food preparation should have a registration certificate and fulfil conditions of food safety.

* Meat, egg and poultry should be bought from licensed suppliers and a register of the details of suppliers and the daily supplies should be maintained.

* Use of mini-refrigerator, microwave ovens will be encouraged for food safety.

* Cooked meat and uncooked/ ready-to-be-cooked meat should be clearly separated. These cannot be kept unrefrigerated for more than three hours.

* Temporary clean roofing material should be drawn up if food is cooked outside the van.

Most milk in Hyderabad unsafe to drink: GHMC

HYDERABAD: Denizens beware as the milk you give to your child everyday before school and at night is unsafe for drinking.
A new report submitted by the GHMC commissioner to the state human rights commission following a complaint says eight brands of packaged milk were either found to be unsafe or sub-standard, after they were examined by the state-run Institute of preventive medicine.
Some of these brands belong to multi-national as well as well-known dairy companies.
The new report comes months after police busted a huge milk adulteration racket in the city in which some miscreants were caught mixing hydrogen peroxide with water and inferior quality milk powder and sell them as packaged milk.
Surprisingly in 2011, a milk survey undertaken by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found AP to be in the 'mostly safe' zone compared to other states in the country.
But when contacted on Monday, FSSAI officials called for strong action against the guilty firms.
"If there are brands which have been categorized under unsafe, then it is a cause of concern," Pradip Chakraborty, director FSSAI told TOI from New Delhi. "These companies will attract sections 50 to 63 under Food Safety Act. Apart from being slapped with penalty, the managements of these companies are liable to face criminal charges," he added.
Health experts said adulterated milk adversely affects human health in numerous ways with scientists saying that adulterated milk mostly contains salmonella, e-coli and other chemicals.
"It is a clear sign that polluted water is being used in the processing of these packaged milk," said Veena Kshatrugna, leading nutritionist from the city.
"The immediate affects of consuming the adulterated milk can be frequent gastroenteritis, high fever and typhoid," she said.
Adulterated milk consumed for a prolonged period could weaken the immunity of the body, said Suhatha Stephan, another practicing nutritionist from the city.
Officials sitting on report, alleges city RTI activist
"The initial signs may be intestinal disturbances, but those consuming it regularly may fall prey to various other ailments too over a period of time," Stephan said.
The complainant, Achyuta Rao, activist and petitioner in the case said he was hopeful that strong action would be taken. "I first filed this case in January 2013 in the human rights commission after I had got some milk samples tested which proved adulteration," he said.
The Human Rights Commission has however decided to post this matter to January 23, 2014, a good four months after the report was tabled without considering the seriousness of the issue.
"It is shocking that officials are still sitting on the report and not doing anything. The commission should have given directions and closed the case. One should understand that milk is majorly consumed by children and it is having devastating effects on their body," Rao said.
But so far no action has been taken by the authorities on these milk manufacturers even after being in possession of laboratory evidence.
"This case is in the purview of the GHMC commissioner and we will act once he instructs us on it," said a senior of health department, GHMC dodged questions on why they were taking so long to act.

Local bodies to take measures to improve facilities at abattoirs

NEW DELHI: In a move which will bring cheer to meat eaters in India, municipal boards across the country will take initiatives to provide facilities for safe and hygienic production of meat.
These local bodies will also address the problem of availability of suitable land for modernization of abattoirs (slaughter houses). The decision was taken by the municipal boards during the sixth mayors' conference here last week.
The conference was organized by the National Meat and Poultry Processing Board (NMPPB) in the backdrop of growing demand by consumers to clean up the mess around slaughter houses in the country.
The decision assumes significance in the light of Supreme Court's order to this effect last year. The apex court had directed all state governments and Union Territory administrations to constitute committees for modernization of slaughter houses, check use of child labour in this sector and close illegal slaughter houses in the country.
Slaughter of animals for food is a 'state subject' and is regulated by local bodies through licensing of slaughter houses and retail meat shops. However, most municipal slaughter houses lack modern machinery and equipment with inadequate attention to hygiene and sanitation.
Facilities for effluent treatment and waste disposal in these traditional slaughter houses are also far from satisfactory. The utilization of slaughter house byproducts such as skins, edible offal, blood and bristles is low and lacks the desired level of quality.
Alarmed by the condition of slaughter establishments, a number of public interest litigation (PILs) has been filed in the SC seeking directions to state governments as well as the Centre to effectively implement statutory rules relating to prevention of cruelty to animals and pollution control.
The SC had in August last year had directed all state governments and UTs to constitute committees for slaughterhouses, to fulfill mandatory requirements under various legislations dealing with the functioning of abattoirs.
On its part, the Centre has taken several steps to enhance production of safe meat and generate awareness about issues related to food safety, standard, hygiene and animal welfare.
"The ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) has been implementing an infrastructure scheme for modernization of abattoirs... The ministry has introduced a scheme for modernization of meat shops, under which a grant of Rs 5 lakh can be given by state governments for modernization of each meat shop," the agriculture ministry said in a statement on Monday.
It said the state governments have been asked to identify cities where this scheme will be started in 2013-14.