Firm faces charge of selling tobacco-laced chewing gum

Food Safety Week observance begins in city

Food safety authorities have decided to intensify checks on key items such as edible oil, fruits and vegetables

The makers of a leading brand of food items are facing prosecution by the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) in Kerala for selling a tobacco-laced product as chewing gum.

Authority sources told The Hindu on Tuesday that the food-maker had an array of food products under its brand. The company had a drugs manufacturer’s licence from Maharashtra but was selling the tobacco-laced product illegally because chewing gum is on the list of fooditems.

The food items are not supposed to contain nicotine or tobacco derivatives.

Besides, chewing tobacco is among products banned in the State. Analysis of the samples has been completed and the reports are ready for the Food Safety Authority to conduct further investigations after which the Authority is expected to file for prosecution.

Packets of the product, touted as tobacco chewing gum, contained misleading literature on the uses of the chewing gum.

Safety week

Food Safety Week observance began here on Tuesday with a promise to intensify safety checks on key items such as edible oil, fruitsand vegetables. The observance was inaugurated by Benny Behanan, MLA.

An official said two food inspectors’ squads were in place in the district to intensify collection of samples of food items though edible oil, fruits and vegetables were among key targets for the drive.

A statement issued by the Food Safety Authority said creating awareness among hoteliers and training them to adhere to the new food safety standards were also its aims. The statement said important centres in the district would be chosen as ‘areas of safe food’.

Hoteliers protest

Kerala Hotel and Restaurants’ Association has reiterated that the industry players will extend their full cooperation to the food safety drive but protest against the Food Safety Authority’s act of closing food selling units that were found wanting in standards.

Jose Mohan, general secretary of the association, said on Tuesday that Food Safety Authority officials had to issue improvement notices first to the restaurants. He said the hoteliers had submitted their stand on the issue to FSSA officials in the State.