Morgue chemical used by Patna sweet makers for Deepavali

Bitter truth

This Deepavali may not be very sweet for the people of Patna, for most of the manufacturing units in the state capital have been found using stale and adulterated items to make sweets.

This bitter truth came to light when the Food Control Department officials raided some of the units recently.
 Some of them were found using formalin, a highly toxic chemical usually used in morgue to prevent decaying of the body, with  food products to keep it fresh and prevent foul smell.
 In some outlets in western Patna, “doda burfis” and milk cakes were being prepared using stale food stuff.  Formalin is used to keep the recycled sweets made of abandoned food substances afresh. It was also used for making desi ghee.  “We have lodged separate FIRs against these people and one of the manufacturers has been arrested under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006,” said Food Safety Commissioner Sanjay Kumar.

The drive against adulterated sweets, refined oil and desi ghee was launched on October 19. 
It was also detected that many food business units are working without proper licence. Nearly 5,000 litres of adulterated ghee was destroyed by the manufacturers before fleeing, sources said.
Samples collected from 40 outlets have been sent to laboratories for testing.
“Once the results are out, cases will be registered against those found guilty.  They may get six-month imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh,” Sanjay Kumar said.

'Khaini' worth Rs 2.9 lakh seized

Imphal, October 09 2013 : AMSU, CADA, Chaithabi Leirak Development Committee cum Library, and Medical Directorate staff have jointly seized a huge quantity of 'Khaini' a smokeless tobacco product banned by Commissioner of Food Safety, Health Department Secretariat, Govt of Manipur, while it was being shipped in to Imphal today.

Briefing media persons at Medical Directorate, Lamphel, Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety Brojendro Khaba said, the 32,400 cans of Khaini which will cost Rs 2,91,600 in the market were seized from one Sanjay Kumar (30) s/o Jogeshwor Kumar of Sapra, Bihar and presently staying at Majorkhul.
The consignment was bought from Dimapur and transported upto Ukhrul.
It was loaded on a bus from Ukhrul and carried upto Chingarel Jail Lamkhai.
The lot was then loaded on a Tata Iris (MN-06-4967 driven by Rajeshwor Laikhuram s/o Kanto from Lamlai Bazar.


The seized tobacco items
It was seized near Chaithabi Leirak on its way to Imphal today, the Deputy Commissioner added.
He said, the owner of the seized lot, Sanjay Kumar has been staying in Manipur for more than 10 years now and carrying out the business of selling such products.
Th seized Khaini (Bengali Spit Tobacco) were inscribed with 'Golden Tobacco MFG Co, H-5 and 6 Panipat' and 'B.O Guwahati' on its cans.
The items were manufactured in August 2013, weighing 18 gm and has an MRP of Rs 6.50 inscribed on its can, though sold at Rs 9 per can in the market.
A labourer Prabhu Sahni (18) of Bihar (who worked in lifting the seized lot) was also nabbed along with Sanjay.
He has been staying in Manipur for only 5 months now, Khaba continued.
He also said, such seized products which contain tobacco or nicotine were banned under the Food Safety and Standard (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation 2011 by Health Department Secretariat, Govt of Manipur.
One can be penalised by imposing a fine of Rs 2 lakh under the Food Safety and Standard Act for bringing in such banned products, however, cannot be imprisoned.
SP Imphal West has been informed about the matter, and the SP then informed it to the Lamphel PS.

Huge tobacco consignment intercepted

IMPHAL, Oct 9: Volunteers of Coalition against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA) and All Manipur Student’s Union (AMSU) intercepted tobacco (Khaini) worth over Rs two lakhs this morning from Khurai area.
It may be mentioned that there is a complete ban on smokeless tobacco products imposed under the food safety and standards (Prohibition and Restriction on sales) Regulation, 2011 in the state.
The items was recovered from a Tata Iris mini-van bearing registration number MNO6-4967, coming from Ukhrul.
Speaking to media persons, T Brojendro Khaba, Deputy Food and Safety, said that the tobacco products belong to one Sanjay Kumar (30), son of Jageshor Kumar of Bihar Sapra, currently staying at Majorkhul Imphal.
The team also apprehended an accomplice of Sanjay Kumar, a labourer, identified as Prabu Sahani, currently staying at Nagamapal. Informing that Sanjay Kumar brought the tobacco product from Dimapur, he was intercepted near Khurai Chaithabi Leirak by volunteers of CADA and AMSU assisted by Chaithabi Leirak Development Committee cum Library centre Khurai and staff of food safety commission of Medical Directorate.
The volunteers recovered 60 packages containing 32,400 containers (tin can) of Khaini from the mini-van which are estimated to be worth Rs 2,91,600.
Brojendro also informed that as per the provision of the Food Safety and Standards Acts, 2006, the accused involved is liable to pay a fine of amounting upto 2 Lakhs rupees but ruled out the provision of imprisonment.

CCI hails drive against adulteration

Jammu, Oct. 09: The Chamber of Commerce and Industry appreciates the drive launched by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) for sanitation and adulteration in Jammu City and its peripheries.
We welcome the drive for sanitation and check adulteration, Chamber appeals the milk suppliers to supply milk as per food safety and standards act. Chamber also condemned the attack on the Health Officer by some milk suppliers supplying spurious milk in the market.
Chamber also added that the Corporation officials, shopkeepers and milk sellers should devise a formula so that things were settled smoothly especially during the festival season so that the people don’t suffer.
Chamber hopes that a solution would be found by all stakeholders in shortest possible time.

Health department teams inspect Food business Establishments to keep tab on for adulterated foods

A team of health department visited Food Business Establishments in Dharamshala to keep a tab on adulteration of food and sweets. The team consisted of Medical Officer Health Dr RK Sood, BMO Shahpur Dr Sushil Sharma & FSO Manjeet Singh.

Advisories were issued to those establishments who failed to comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.

Very often food is adulterated by merchants and traders who are unscrupulous and want to make a quick profit. Adulterated food is dangerous because it may be toxic and can affect health and it could deprive nutrients essential for proper growth and development.

Dr RK Sood taking to HR said that we need to educate people. This is not to harass common people, but to ensure food safety and health of people. This will check adulteration, which pays major role in serious diseases like cancer, kidney failure, and allergies. Similar checks were being conducted throughout the district by BMOs.

He reiterated that every food business operator should have valid licence under FSSA 2006 or he has to face imprisonment upto six months and or fine upto 5 lakhs. The deadline for this is Feb 2014. Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. The law lays 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.

FSSA 2006
Penalty for selling food not of the nature or substance or quality demanded.	Penalty not exceeding five lakh rupees.
Penalty for sub-standard food.	Penalty which may extend to five lakh rupees.
Penalty for misbranded food.	Penalty which may extend to three lakh rupees.
Penalty for misleading advertisement.	Penalty which may extend to ten lakh rupees.
Penalty for food containing extraneous matter.	Penalty which may extend to one lakh rupees.
Penalty for possessing adulterant. where such adulterant is not injurious to health	Penalty not exceeding two lakh rupees;
Penalty for possessing adulterant. where such adulterant is injurious to health	Penalty not exceeding ten lakh rupees.
Penalty for contraventions for which no specific penalty is provided.	Penalty which may extend to two lakh rupees.

Health activists have welcomes this move, “people had no fear of law. We Indians, when we go abroad obey all rules for fear of prosecution and strict punishment. This landmark move will go a long way in curbing such practices and promoting the food safety in the region”.

Food is declared adulterated if a substance is added which depreciates or injuriously affects it, cheaper or inferior substances are substituted wholly or in part; any valuable or necessary constituent has been wholly or in part abstracted; It is an imitation; It is colored or otherwise treated, to improve its appearance or if it contains any added substance injurious to health, or for whatever reasons its quality is below the Standard.

A lack of awareness, negligence, indifference and lethargy among consumers and inadequate enforcement of foodlaws and food safety measures also lead to food adulteration. We may be eating a dangerous dye, sawdust, soapstone, industrial starch, and aluminum foil etc.

They demanded that all designated officers should also use their powers and act to safeguard the health of the public, as action can also be taken against the food safety officer for not fulfilling their role. The Food Safety Officer shall be liable to a penalty which may extend up to one lakh rupee if he / she is found to be guilty of an offence under section 39 of the Act.

Critical shifts from Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) to FSSA
PFA	FSSA
Multiple Authorities	Single Authority
Adulteration	Safety
Inspection / Control	Monitoring Surveillance
Insufficient Enforcement Personnel	Full time district Officer, Food Safety officer under FSC

Kellogg's says it does not sell GM foods in India

NEW DELHI: Food products giant Kellogg's said it favours genetically modified (GM) food but the company does not use such items in breakfast cereals sold in India as it is conscious of consumer preference.
"We are in favour of GM food as a company. We believe in safety and science of GM. Having said that, we are also concerned about consumers. We do not use GM (food) in our breakfast cereals sold in India," US-based Kellogg's, division of advanced innovation, research, quality and technology, vice-president Ronald L McDermott said.
The GM food items are not used in products sold in Europe as well because of regulatory environment, he said on the sidelines of an event here.
Kellogg's uses GM food items for the US market. It also sells organic products as the company believes in giving consumers choices, he noted.
In India, the government has currently allowed commercial cultivation of cotton. It has imposed moratorium on Bt brinjal because of safety concerns expressed by some section of the society.
Speaking about 'rice from field to the fork' at an event organized by agro-chemical firm Bayer CropScience, McDermott said, "Consumers are interested in knowing their food origin. They want transparency in the entire value chain. If we do not care about their interest, they will not care about us."
Citing challenges being faced by all stakeholders in the rice industry, he said there is a need to assure quality products to consumers as there is "growing food fears and upsurge in food activism" across the world.
Kellogg's manufactures cereal and convenience foods in 18 countries and marketed in more than 180 nations. In India, its brands include Corn Flakes, Special K and Chocos, among others.

UGC Seminar: Meet on food safety held

• Dr Kalpagam Polasa, director-in-charge, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, inaugurating the seminar at St Teresa’s College in Kochi | Express

A UGC-sponsored two-day national seminar on ‘Food Safety- Concern and Issues’  was conducted at Sr Teresa’s College the other day. Dr Kalpagam   Polasa, director-in-charge, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad inaugurated the seminar.

In her keynote address, Polasa gave a comprehensive view of food safety   concerns that exist in our country. While stressing on the need for food   safety at all levels of the food chain, she highlighted the critical food   safety issues at various stages, from agricultural production, storage, transport to consumption.

She elaborated on the fraudulent claims and misbranding of functional foods  flooding the market, the need for nutrient risk assessment, use of safe and intelligent packaging materials to prevent adulteration and the importance of having a robust outbreak-handling mechanism with early detection and traceability.

Polasa also mentioned the need for imposing stringent import laws in the country. She exhorted the students to be socially responsible and spend at least 20 percent of one’s lifetime energy for socially-relevant causes and said that the smallest of thought can create great ripples of change.

Sr Teresa, the college principal, in her presidential address, referred to the issue of food safety and standards quoting the alarming food safety issues that have recent made headlines in the state. She emphasized ‘we are what we eat’ and thus it is imperative that the youth of the country resort to safe food habits. The other key sessions of the seminar includes food safety management systems and environmental toxins,  safety concerns of commercially-vended foods and quality assurance a public health perspective. Sheelamma Jacob, head of the Department of Home Science, welcomed the gathering and Shilpa Jose, faculty department, Home Science, proposed the vote of thanks.