Regulating Production and Sale of Bottled Water

Bureau of Indian Standards has formulated Indian Standard IS 14543 for Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) and IS 13428 for Packaged Natural Mineral Water (PNMW) which specifies the quality parameters for the respective water sold in packaged form. The above mentioned Indian Standards are under mandatory BIS certification as per Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition & Restriction on sales) (Amendment) Regulation 2011. As per this regulation, "No person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale, Natural Mineral Water and Packaged Drinking water, except under the BIS Standard Mark". This information was given by the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Prof. K.V. Thomas in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today. 

Prof Thomas said that BIS ensures compliance of the standards of Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) as well as Packaged Natural Mineral Water (PNMW) manufactured by its licensees through a well defined certification scheme wherein regular surveillance is done of the licensees by factory inspections and drawing of samples from factory & market and their independent testing to check the conformity of the product to relevant Indian Standards (IS 14543 & IS 13428). If such licensees are found not meeting the parameters prescribed in the relevant Indian Standards, actions like warning/stop marking/ expiry of licence/ cancellation of licence are taken. Such actions depend on the seriousness of default and/or frequency of recurrence of failures or unsatisfactory operation of the licence. 

The implementation of FSS Act/Rule/Regulation rests with the State Government/Union Territories. Accordingly, samples are drawn by State/UT Government and action is taken against the offenders, in case where sample are found to be non conforming. 

Food Safety

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the nodal agency for regulating manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of articles of food, has reported that as per information received from some of the State/UT Governments, no incidence of food poisoning has been detected / reported except one case each in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. In these cases the prosecutions have been launched

On the request of various stakeholders and associations, the Government has extended the timeline upto 4th August 2014 for all the Food Business Operators including hoteliers and restaurants seeking conversion/renewal of existing license / registration. 

The implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 rests with State/UTs Government. Random Samples of food items are being drawn by the State Food Safety officers and sent to the laboratories recognized by FSSAI for analysis. In case where samples are found to be not conforming to the provisions of the Act and the Rules and Regulations made there under, penal action is taken against the offender. This was stated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today. 

Food Safety in India

Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 has been repealed w.e.f. 5th August 2011. The implementation of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 has commenced from that date. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has issued guidelines and requested all States and UTs to conduct periodic inspection and surveillance every 3 months initially for major fruits and vegetables markets, soft drinks and Ready to Serve Fruit Beverages as per Supreme Court Order dated 22.10.2013 in the matter- Writ petition No. 681 of 2004-Centre for Public Interest Litigation v/s Union of India. 

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India only fixes the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) as per Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. The amount of Chlorphyrifos shall not exceed the tolerance limit prescribed in column 4 of Table at point No. 29 under 2.3.1 (2) of the said regulation. 

The implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 rests with State/UTs Government. Random Samples of food items including carbonated drinks are being drawn by the State Food Safety Officers and sent to the laboratories recognized by FSSAI for analysis. In case where samples are found to be not conforming to the provisions of the Act and the Rules and Regulations made there under, penal action is taken against the offender. 

This was stated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today. 

Rice Protein Purveyor Axiom Foods Reveals Reality Of Heavy Metals In Food

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Axiom Foods, whose Oryzatein® enzyme-extracted, whole grain sprouted brown rice protein is supplied to food manufacturers throughout the U.S., Europe and other countries, is embarking on a campaign to educate consumers about the reality of heavy metals in plant foods.  Since the sharp rise of vegetarianism and veganism in the U.S. (Google Trends reported a doubling of veganism since 2010), those whose diets consist mostly of vegetables have a naturally higher heavy metal contribution to their bodies* than those who ingest an animal-based diet. An ethically-based food ingredient provider, Axiom is on a mission to make consumers aware of all the aspects of how and why metals naturally occur in vegetables that grow in healthy soil, so they can make informed decisions about their intake and understand if and when those levels are toxic to the body.

The problem with any metals, beneficial or not, is when the substance reaches toxic levels in the body.  The question is: what is considered to be toxic and what testing methods are certified to determine toxicity? What happens when test results are reported as parts per million vs parts per billion?

Here is a list of facts:

• Heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium and lead are found in all plants that grow in healthy soil because they are natural constituents of the Earth's crust and have existed on earth since its formation (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2011)
• Some metals, such as iron, copper, chromium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc are required by the human body in trace amounts as essential nutrients. Naturally, any metal in the soil or surrounding bodies of water will leech into any plants we consume. This environmental exposure impacts both organic and conventionally grown crops (European Food Safety Authority, 2012, "Metals as Contaminants in Food."
• We consume metals in common plant foods daily, from spinach to spices. Any metal, including those that are essential to the body to function can cause toxicity if introduced at high levels (Total Diet Study Statistics on Element Results, 2007, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
• According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, vegans are shown to live longer.
• Just because a food contains a certain level of metal does not mean the body will absorb or retain it; The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry states, for example, only 2-6% of ingested cadmium is absorbed.
• Some plants that grow in water, such as rice, spinach and asparagus, are often targeted as contaminated by heavy metals because some crops have been found to be in polluted areas of the world. This is well known by efficacious growers and manufacturers and as such they consciously choose pristine fields and regularly test in specifically certified laboratories to ensure levels are below what is considered to be toxic. In China, for example, one polluted field cited in the news recently was 3000 miles away from where Axiom has sourced rice on the Himalayan border of Tibet.
• Testing for contamination in food products needs to be done in accredited laboratories in the United States, where standards for calibration exist and highly-educated practitioners test with accepted scientific methodologies. Test results can vary vastly based on seemingly insignificant factors. In April, 2013, Dr. Tongesayi of Monmouth University, released a study showing he'd found levels of metal that exceeded FDA safety limits. It turned out he recalled his tests because his instruments were not calibrated.
• The benefits for plant-based protein outweigh the negatives. Approximately 50 million people in the US are allergic to or intolerant to dairy and 1 in 133 Americans suffer from allergies to wheat gluten, according to the National Foundation of Celiac Awareness; many plant-based proteins are allergen-friendly, aside from soy protein.
• Standards for levels of metals are set by World Health Organization (W.H.O.), The European Union, The Canadian Natural Health Products Directorate, the U.S. FDA (tolerable daily intake), US Pharmacopeia, U.S. EPA (drinking water) and California's Proposition 65. All companies that sell products with any levels of metals must be tested by accredited laboratories. These tests are measured in "parts per million" (ppm); when numbers are reported as "parts per billion" (ppb) they appear exaggeratedly large and raise unnecessary alarm to the consumer.
• The FDA has yet to set levels for heavy metals in rice, but has used Axiom Food's technology as the standard for responsible sourcing, fractioning and manufacturing of rice protein. Axiom's Oryzatein® is in the process of becoming the first GRAS certified rice protein, which will lead toward it becoming the world's first FDA monographed standard for the entire industry. Oryzatein® was also used in the first double blind clinical trial that showed it equals animal-based whey in building and repairing muscle.
• Errors can occur in testing and managing levels because natural conditions can change plus accredited labs report that levels can vary by 50% when the amounts of heavy metals that are being found and tested are so small. The amounts are similar to taking a cube of sugar, chopping it into 1,000 pieces, taking one of those pieces and then chopping it into 1,000 more pieces, and then testing that final piece.
• How much one ingests is not indicative of how much is retained as the body is a natural filter, dependent upon health factors and level of nutrition, as many foods act as natural antioxidants, helping further filter heavy metals.

"Because we provide whole grain sprouted brown rice protein to food manufacturers worldwide," said Axiom CEO, David Janow, "certifying bodies such as the FDA and USDA watch what we do very closely and come to us for intelligence on setting standards.  Testing our products in the most well-respected and, most importantly, certified laboratories, is a continuous part of our daily process.  Proper testing will make the difference between something that appears to be safe or toxic. We provide our test results to our customers. We source from the most pristine fields in the world and avoid polluted areas.  As makers of human food, we are in a highly responsible position and work as closely with Mother Nature as she will allow.  At this time in history, avoiding pollution of any kind is no easy task, but it's something we pursue diligently as part of our standards and practices."

Here is a table that shows metals found in common foods:

Max. Amounts of Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium found in commonly consumed Foods**
	Lead	Arsenic	Cadmium
Spinach, fresh, boiled (180g) 1 cup	11.5 mcg	7.7 mcg	94.3 mcg
Cucumber, raw (52g) ½ cup	1.6 mcg	1.3 mcg	0.4 mcg
Strawberries, raw (72g) ½ cup	1.2 mcg	0.8 mcg	4.7 mcg
Avocado, raw (75g) ½ cup	3.0 mcg	2.8 mcg	8.0 mcg
Collards, fresh, boiled (190g) 1 cup	25.8 mcg	2.7 mcg	23.2 mcg
Asparagus, fresh, boiled (180g) 1 cup	2.5 mcg	--	25.0 mcg
Iceberg lettuce, raw (72g) 1 cup	0.4 mcg	1.0 mcg	23.3 mcg
White potato baked w/ skin (138g) 1 cup	2.8 mcg	5.8 mcg	15.5 mcg
Broccoli, fresh, boiled (156g) 1 cup	2.2 mcg	--	4.7 mcg

**Based on Total Diet Study Statistics on Element Results. 2007, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration
Axiom Foods is the most innovative source for allergen-friendly, whole grain brown rice ingredients and known for their natural and proprietary methodologies for extracting fractions of other plant proteins such as pea, sacha inchi and others. Since 2005, the California-based company has maximized the potential of whole grain brown rice in all its forms. Their signature Oryzatein^® is the only sprouted brown rice protein of its kind. Axiom continues to widen the possibilities of the world's third largest plant crop into healthful products on which humans thrive.
*Krajcovicova et al. Cadmium Blood Concentrations in Relation to Nutrition. Cent Eur J Publ Health. 2006; 14(3): 126-129
Press contacts:
Alyson Dutch / BROWN + DUTCH PR, INC.
310.456.7151, Alyson@bdpr.com
SOURCE Axiom Foods

BIS formulates Indian packaged drinking water and PNMW stds under FSSR

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) formulated two Indian standards - IS 14543 for packaged drinking water (PDW) and IS 13428 for packaged natural mineral water (PNMW). 

These standards, which specify the quality parameters for the respective water sold in packaged form, are under mandatory BIS certification as per the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) (Amendment) Regulations, 2011. 

As per the regulation, “No person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale, packaged natural mineral water and packaged drinking water, except under the BIS standard mark.”

This information was given by K V Thomas, minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha. He added that BIS ensures compliance of the standards of packaged drinking water (PDW) and packaged natural mineral water (PNMW) manufactured by its licensees through a well-defined certification scheme, wherein regular surveillance is done of the licensees by factory inspections and drawing of samples from the factory and the market, and their independent testing to check the conformity of the product to relevant Indian Standards (IS 14543 & IS 13428). 

If such licensees are found not meeting the parameters prescribed in the relevant Indian Standards, actions like warning, stop marking, expiry of licenses and cancellation of licenses are taken. 

Such actions depend on the seriousness of default and/or frequency of recurrence of failures or unsatisfactory operations of the licenses. The implementation of the FSS Act and Regulations rests with the states’ and Union Territories’ (UTs’) governments. 

Accordingly, samples are drawn by state/UTs’ governments and action is taken against the offenders, in cases where samples are found to be non-conforming.

FSSAI urges states, UT to conduct periodic surveillance for fruit, veg

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued guidelines and requested all states and Union Territories (UT) to conduct periodic inspection and surveillance every three months initially for major fruit and vegetable markets, soft drinks and ready-to-serve fruit beverages as per the Supreme Court Order dated October 22, 2013 in the matter (Writ Petition No. 681 of 2004 - Centre for Public Interest Litigation versus Union of India). 

FSSAI only fixed the maximum residue limit (MRL) as per Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. The amount of Chlorphyrifos shall not exceed the tolerance limit prescribed in Column 4 of Table at Point No 29 under 2.3.1 (2) of the said regulation. 

The implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 rests with state/UT government. Random samples of food items including carbonated drinks are being drawn by the state food safety officers (FSO) and sent to the laboratories recognised by FSSAI for analysis. In cases where samples are found not to be conforming to the provisions of the Act and Regulations made thereunder, penal action is taken against the offender. 

This was stated by Ghulam Nabi Azad, minister of health and family welfare, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.