Despite nationwide ban, calcium carbide used by traders to ripen fruit

Traders continue to use calcium carbide to ripen such fruit as mangoes, bananas, chikoos, oranges and watermelon, despite the ban by the Centre on the use of the chemical. They are undeterred by the fact that state food and drug administrations (FDA) conduct raids every mango season.

According to a trader from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, the state FDA seize between 1,000 and 2,000 boxes of mangoes that have been artificially ripened, with the sole objective of making a quick buck.

“Until the rules are enforced with utmost strictness, traders would continue to be fearless and use calcium carbide to ripen the fruit,” he added. Alam Khan, another fruit trader at the market, stated that artificial ripening was rampant because of the manner in which the market was structured. 

“The mangoes that enter the market before the commencement of the actual season are sold at higher prices. To take advantage of this, traders ripen the fruit using chemicals and sell the fruit as early as possible,” he added.

Khan stated that calcium carbide was banned owing to its carcinogenic properties, and explained the procedure traders follow to ripen the fruit. “Acetylene gas, a by-product of calcium carbide, creates heat,” he said.

“It is mainly used as a fuel and in welding, and contains toxic impurities that affect the nervous system. When acetylene is filled amidst the fruit in a box, it heats the fruit on the outside, and thus the mangoes and oranges turn yellow or orange, as the case may be.”

H G Koshia, food and drug commissioner, Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), Gujarat said, “In 2013, FDCA’s food safety officers destroyed over 30 tonne mangoes ripened using calcium carbide.” 

“In February 2014, we seized over 100 boxes of mangoes ripened using it. Despite knowing about it, most traders are still using it, although stringent action has been taken against on them on a number of occasions,” he added. 

“Since the mango season is approaching, we would be doing regular checks on both retailers and wholesalers of mangoes to find out whether they have stopped using calcium carbide or not,” Koshia said.

Mahesh Zagade, food commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, said, “In 2012, our officials seized over 1,000 dozen mangoes ripened using calcium carbide from all over Maharashtra.”

“In May 2013, the officials seized 706 dozen mangoes, worth Rs 1.23 lakh from Pune’s Kasba Peth area. The use of calcium carbide is banned because it contain the traces of arsenic and phosphorus, which pose a serious threat to human health,” he added.

“Earlier we issued directives to the traders and warned them that they would be prosecuted if they continued to use calcium carbide. However, it is still being used in Maharashtra and across the country,” Zagade said. 

“In order to curb the use of calcium carbide to ripen fruit, we need to create awareness among the masses. We need to make the traders aware that instead of calcium carbide, they could use ethylene gas to ripen mangoes and other fruit,” he added.

DINAKARAN NEWS

979 ration shops operating without FDA registration

PUNE: Of the 1,800 ration shops in the district, 979 shops are operating without obtaining the mandatory licence or registration from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner of FDA, Pune.

Of the total, as many as 800 ration shops are in the city, whereas the remaining shops are located in the rural parts of Pune. Kekare said ever since the new Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Rules and Regulations 2011 came into force from August 2011, about 747 ration shops in Pune district have sought registration, whereas 74 ration shops have applied for licences from the FDA.

Under the new Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, food business operators with an annual turnover of Rs 12 lakh and above have been directed to apply for licences. Those with a lesser annual turnover are required to register with the FDA.

"We often organize camps for ration shop owners, where they can apply for licences or register with the FDA easily. Most of them have sought fair price shop licence. Efforts are on to motivate others to get themselves registered as soon as possible," said Jyoti Kadam, district supply officer of Pune.

As per the conservative estimates, there are around 15 lakh food business operators in the state. FDA grants licences and registrations to big hoteliers, small canteens, roadside vendors, wholesalers, retailers, stockists and people selling food-item sellers including groceries as per their turnover.

The act ensures

* Prevention of fraudulent, deceptive or unfair trade practices which may mislead or harm the consumer

* Prevention of unsafe, contaminated or sub-standard food being used

* Regulation of manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food items to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption

Public distribution system

* Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is operated under the joint responsibility of the Union and state/union territory (UT) governments

* The Union government is responsible for procurement, allocation and transportation of food grains to the designated depots of the Food Corporation of India

* The operational responsibilities for lifting and distributing the allocated food grains within the state/UT governments. They are also suppose to identify families below poverty line (BPL), issue ration cards to them and supervise distribution of allocated food grains to eligible card-holders through the fair price shops (FPS).

* The total number of fair price shops in the country as reported by states/union territories (UTs) up to 2011 are 5.05 lakh. Of the total, 50,555 ration shops are in Maharashtra

புளியந்தோப்பில் குட்கா, ஆட்டோவுடன் பறிமுதல்

பெரம்பூர், மார்ச் 14: 

புளியந்தோப்பு நாச்சாரம்மன் தெருவில் உள்ள ஒரு குடோனில், தடை செய்யப்பட்ட குட்கா பொருட்கள் பதுக்கி வைத்திருப்பதாக புளியந்தோப்பு போலீசாருக்கு தகவல் கிடைத்தது. போலீசார், நேற்று மதியம் அங்கு சோதனையிட்ட போது, சரக்கு ஆட்டோ ஒன்றில் நிறைய மூட்டைகளைள ஏற்றிக் கொண்டிருந்தனர். 

இதுகுறித்து அங்கிருந்த ஊழியர்களிடம் கேட்டபோது, தாம்பூலத்தில் வைக்கும் பாக்கு என கூறினர். ஒரு மூட்டையை பிரித்து பார்த்தபோது, குட்கா பாக்கு இருப்பது தெரிந்தது. இதையடுத்து, அந்த குடோனில் இருந்த 64 மூட்டைகளில் வைக்கப்பட்டு இருந்த குட்கா, ஆட்டோவுடன் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது. அதன் மதிப்பு 6.5 லட்சம். 

இதுதொடர்பாக, அதே பகுதியை சேர்ந்த செந்தில் (37), தாஸ் (47), சிவகுமார் (32) ஆகியோரை கைது செய்து, சிறையில் அடைத்தனர். தலைமறைவாக உள்ள குடோன் உரிமையாளர் சசிகுமாரை தேடிவருகின்றனர்.

What is Food Packaging? What are the general requirements for packaged food materials?

Food Packaging is the packaging of the food product, to protect from contamination & damage besides conserving taste & quality during the shelf lifeof a food product.

The food packaged material should be made of high quality and it should be free from any chemical contamination. As per FSS (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations, 2011, the following type of containers shall deemed to be unfit for human consumption:

Containers with Rust.

Enameled containers which have become chipped or have turned rusty.

Containers made of Copper or Brass are not properly tinned.

Containers made of Aluminium not conforming in chemical composition to IS-20 specifications for the Cast Aluminium & Aluminium Alloy for utensils or IS-21 specification for Wrought Aluminium and Aluminium Alloy for utensils.

Plastic Material Containers being used for food packaging should follow the following Indian Standards Specifications:

a) IS : 10146 (Specification for Polyethylene in contact with Foodstuff.

b) IS : 10142 (Specification for Styrene Polymers in contact with Foodstuffs)

c) IS : 10151 (Specification for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) in contact with foodstuffs)

d) IS : 10910 (Specification for Polypropylene in contact with Foodstuffs)

e) IS : 11704 (Specification for Ethylene Acrylic Acid (EAA) copolymer.

f) IS : 12252 (Specification for Polyalkylene Terephadthalates (PET)

g) IS : 12247 (Specification for Nylon 6 Polymer.

h) IS : 13601 (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)

i) IS : 13576 (Ethylene Metha Acrylic Acid (EMAA)

j) Tin and plastic containers once used, shall not be re-used for packaging of Edible oils and fats.

For Canned Food Products, the following general requirements have to be followed:

a) All containers shall be securely packed and sealed.

b) The exterior of the cans shall be free from major dents, rust, perforations and seam distortions.

c) Cans shall be free from leaks.

FSS Regulations have also defined product specific requirement of the packaged materials which are applicable to certain category of food products.

Centre set to ban sale of junk food, aerated drinks in schools

The junk is being taken out of children's lives across the nation. The Centre is set to ban the sale of junk food in school canteens and around school premises across the country soon. In its final guidelines submitted to the Delhi High Court on Wednesday on regulating the sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around schools, the Centre's expert committee has said it wants to restrict the availability of junk food items such chips, fries, colas, chocolates, etc. inside schools and up to within 50 m of their boundaries.

It was in September last year that the high court had directed a 13-member expert committee to review and modify the Centre's draft guidelines on the issue.

The guidelines that the committee finalised earlier this week mention that schools must regulate the sale of junk food items such as burgers, pizzas, chips, samosas and colas to rein in obesity and hypertension among children. Schools have also been asked to discourage binge eating among students and develop a canteen policy to provide nutritious, wholesome food in schools.

The revised and final guidelines focus on "nutrition levels, health standards and on regulating such consumption in accordance with a child's nutritional and health needs. Among other things, the guidelines prescribe a uniform policy that includes labeling food items with reference to their ingredients, calorie contents and nutrition levels in three categories viz. Red, Yellow and Green with Red including popular HFSS (high fat, sugar and salt) food items, yellow consisting of some baked goods or dairy items whose ingredients can be tweaked to increase their nutrition levels and green consisting of healthy fresh food such as fruits, fresh juices, salads, etc," said committee head Sunita Narain, from the Centre for Science and Environment.

"The idea here is not to deny a child any food item entirely. During an earlier hearing, the High Court too had observed that no food is without some nutritional value and a child cannot be made to give up packaged or fried food entirely. However, the committee is keen on regulating such consumption in accordance with a child's nutritional and health needs," Narain said.

The guidelines are meant to be implemented across the country and hence, have a section dedicated to varied needs of each state in the country. For instance, as one of the measures to restrict access to junk food for students in Delhi, the committee recommends that school management authorities in the Capital must ideally "put restrictions on the movement of students outside the school and hence, naturally restrict the availability of junk food irrespective of whether such stalls or vendors exist near schools or not".

In August last year, the Centre had submitted its draft guidelines to regulate the sale of junk food in and around schools across the country. However, at the time, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the All India Food Processors' Association, had opposed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) draft guidelines, saying that private agency AC Nielsen could not be allowed to frame guidelines that would affect the entire nation. AC Nielsen ORG-MARG had been assigned the work of framing the guidelines by FSSAI. Responding to the same, Additional Solicitor General Rajeev Mehra, appearing for the Centre had told the court that the Centre already had an expert committee in place that could review the same. Following the court's permission and its suggestion, public health and industry experts were then roped in. The committee decided to take the draft guidelines made by AC Nielsen ORG-MARG as a "starting point".

"The problem of obesity among children is on the rise mainly due to reckless dietary habits. Based on a study conducted by the health ministry and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, we can say that junk food items such as burgers, pizzas, chips, fries, samosas, biscuits etc. sold rampantly in school and college canteens contain no vitamins or proteins and are instead high on salt, sugar and saturated fat. The committee largely wants to restrict the access of junk food to children in and around schools. Not much can be left to the canteens or to the children assuming that they will make the right choices. Instead, we wish to restrict the sale of unhealthy food," a committee member said.

The high court is to take cognisance of the report in the coming week.