AURANGABAD: The Aurangabad division of the Food and DrugAdministration plans to check that all food business operators (FBOs) conform to basic sanitary, safety and hygienic requirement. Food business operators engaged in manufacture, processing, storing and selling of milk and milk products using plastic containers for storage, transportation and preparation of curds will be under the scanner. It is an attempt to ensure that food safety norms are followed with the Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI).
FDA joint commissioner (Food), Aurangabad division, Chandrashekhar Salunke called a meeting of the food business operators engaged in manufacture, processing, storing and selling of milk and milk productson Wednesday and warned them from usage of plastic and mild steelcontainers for storage and transportation of milk and milk products.
Salunke said that when he had been on an inspection drive on Tuesday he observed that a trend of using plastic containers for storage and transportation of milk was rampant in Aurangabad. "Warnings have been issued to the erring operators," he said, adding that if any operator is found to continue using plastic container his license would be cancelled.
He said, "These containers are generally sold as scrap material from industries. Such containers are used by industries engaged in fertilisers and chemical business. Considering the hazards, the FDA had to take steps and issue warnings."
Altogether 2,342 food business operators engaged in manufacture, processing, storing and selling of milk and milk products are there in the city, of which 325 have obtained license while 2,017 registrations have been granted.
He said, "Many milk suppliers also use plastic containers to prepare curds, which is hazardous topublic health. Along with high contamination of food in plastic containers it also creates safety and health problems. Many chemical additives that give plastic products desirable packaging qualities also have negative environmental and human effects. These effects include direct toxicity as in the case of lead, cadmium and mercury. Chemicals are used in the manufacture of plastic containers for heat stabilisation and as plasticisers. Food can be contaminated by plastic containers because some chemicals diffuse from the packaging polymer of which they are made to the foods they contain. With continuous consumption of food stored in plastic containers, people can suffer from diseases related to kidney, heart and cancer."
While explaining about the sanitary requirements for storage, Salunke said, "If raw milk is brought to the dairy plant by a producer or farmer then it shall be ensured that he brings it within four hours of milking and it shall be cooled as soon as practicable to temperature of 4 degrees celsius or lower and maintained at that temperature until processed."
He also advised that the operators ensure that the diary place is hygienic for operations. "The place should be free from vermin and dust which could constitute an unacceptable risk of contamination of the product and shall be separated from rooms containing substances which might contaminate the products."
He also stressed that the containers be cleaned and disinfected after every use and measures taken to avoid cross-contamination. "All the food business operators should ensure that all food handlers are aware of their role and responsibility in protecting food from contamination or deterioration and persons working directly with and handling raw materials or dairy products shall maintain the highest standards of personal cleanliness at all times," he urged.
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