DINAMALAR NEWS

Water supply plan for district chalked out

The Ernakulam district administration on Thursday chalked out a long-term water supply programme for increasing water availability and ensuring quality of water supplied within city limits.

The plan, to be implemented in 40 panchayats, envisages supply of drinking water using tanker lorries and by establishing distribution centres at various points. It stipulates setting up of a water collection centre in each panchayat, where distribution of water will be regulated by the local body concerned. Addressing a meeting to review the drought relief measures, district collector M.G. Rajamanickam asked the ground water department to find out at least one sustainable water resource in each Panchayat. He also issued strict directions to regulate water supply based on reports from tahsildars.

Further, steps have been initiated to intensify checks on the quality of water at the source of collection and a team comprising officials from the health, food safety and revnue departments has been formed. Directions have been issued to seize the vehicles not complying with the safety directions. The authority also proposes to commission in part the Kadamakkuday–Varappuzha drinking water project next month. A meeting to expedite laying of pipelines at Thanthonnithuruthu in Vypeen will be also convened.

Civic body continues drive against food adulteration, polythene

15 kg ice cream destroyed, fine of Rs 5900 realized

Jammu, Apr 24: Continuing its drive against food adulteration, the team of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) today lifted samples from different shops from across the city and also destroyed 15 kg of ice cream, which was found to sub standard. 

The JMC team also seized 5 kg of polythene and realized a fine of Rs. 5900/ from the defaulters.

The JMC team led by health officer, Dr. Mohd Saleem Khan along with food safety officers, assistant sanitation officer, sanitary inspectors and other field staff under the instructions of Commissioner, Kiran Wattal, conducted a tour in different areas of the city including Bakshi Nagar, Raj Pura, Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Gangyal, Sanjay Nagar, Digiana, and inspected number of food establishments including sweet shops, meat shops, fish shops, provisional stores, bakery shops, food stalls and moving vendors. 

The team lifted 4 food samples from different food establishments, which would be sent to food analyst for ascertaining the quality. The samples which were lifted included “Kaju Burfi” and “Milk Cake” from Pahawan’s Sweet Shop, Gandhi Nagar Jammu, “toasted bread” from M/s Rajesh Karyana Store Rajpura, Jammu and “Parle Biscuits” from M/s Gupta General Store, Bakshi Nagar. Apart from this, about 15 kg of Ice cream was also destroyed on spot from Jawala Fruit Ice Cream Corner at Gangyal which was found to be of poor quality and not fit for human consumption.

During the tour, the team also seized about 5 kg of polythene and realized a fine of Rs. 5900/- from the defaulters.

The JMC has appealed to all the food business operators to maintain quality standards and keep their surroundings neat and clean.

Those who do not adhere to the Food Safety & Standards Act 2006, will be penalized and action as per law will be taken against them, the JMC warned.

The shopkeepers were also instructed not to use polythene bags which in the long run are injurious to health and can cause cancer and impotency. The JMC requested the people to co-operate in making Jammu City free of polythene in this summer season.

Huge quantity of artificially coloured tea dust seized

Port Blair, Apr 23: In several reports in past Andaman Sheekha had highlighted about use of artificially coloured tea dusts in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which may even damage Kidney. Now according to reports 750 kg artificially coloured tea dust seized from Haddo Wharf recently.

On receipt of an information from CID, A&N Police regarding the arrival of adulterated tea dust at Port Blair, the enforcement officials of Food Safety Department along with the officials of CID carried out an inspection of Haddo Wharf on Apr 17 and from a container they recovered 50 boxes (750 kgs) of packed tea dust supplied by M/s M.S.K Tea Company, Chennai.

According to sources during field test, it was observed that the tea dust is artificially coloured. Hence, samples were collected for its detailed analysis. The entire consignment has been detained and samples are being sent to Chennai and Kolkata based NABL Accredited Food Laboratories for analysis and report. “On receipt of analysis report, stringent action shall be taken against the supplier and buyer under the provision of Food Safety & Standards Act’ 2006,” a release said.

Drink Pure duo aim to end milk adulteration

Pravir and Partha, the proud creators of Drink PureThe Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) made a shocking revelation in 2011. In a first-of-its kind survey on milk adulteration the authority found that 70 percent of the milk in India is contaminated. Most Indians are consuming detergent and other contaminants along with milk without even realising it and consumers are largely helpless. How do you tell whether the milk you’re drinking is fit for consumption or not? For all you know you could be drinking poison in the name of nutrition.

This horrified two students at IIT Bhubaneshwar enough to do something about it. Pravir Singh Gupta and Partha Ghosh decided that it was time one stopped relying on government authorities and found a way to empower consumers instead. This led them to create Drink Pure - a device that would allow consumers to detect impurities in milk for themselves.

“Frequent reports of adulteration of milk with harmful chemicals, associated health hazards and lack of government surveillance for such incidents - inspired us to come up with the idea of Drink Pure – a simple take-at-home test to check milk for adulteration,” says Pravir.

How Drink Pure worksMost home based methods to test adulteration check only for water and are more often than not time consuming. The tests to detect chemical based adulteration use chemicals themselves and can only test for a limited number of contaminants at a time. Each chemical requires a different test and busy householders decide to forgo these entirely to save on time. This is where Drink Pure comes in.

“Drink Pure is a handheld device that uses semiconductor based sensors to detect adulteration in milk," explains Partha. "It does not require any chemical reagents to detect adulteration."

Pravir chimes in with the philosophy that has led the two of them to develop Drink Pure in the first place. “I strongly feel innovators need to focus on empowering consumers,” he says. "This is because in developing countries consumers are more likely to be cheated as producers take advantage of lax government agencies that fail to prevent it.”

However, the project has run into a familiar roadblock known to all budding inventors - shortage of funding.

“The design of the product is ready,” says Pravir. “However, currently we are trying to procure equipment to manufacture sensors. Some equipment we have managed to get but the rest is pending. Shortage of funding is the major challenge we are facing. We need an industry collaboration to help us manufacture a prototype.”

In their final year of B-tech at IIT Bhubaneshwar, the two hope to see their project come to fruition in the next couple of years. While, Pravir dreams of making it big as an entrepreneur, Partha wants to become a scientist and this – their respective areas of expertise and interests – they say is what makes them such a great innovating team.

The two 22-year-olds are currently working on a ‘surveillance system for smart cities’ and have filed for a few patents together. When asked will the partnership survive graduation, both insist in unison “Of course!”

Milk produced in Jammu & Kashmir found to be adulterated with detergents

As per sources, the Central Food Laboratory (CFL) is reported to have declared in its recent test report that the milk samples taken from one of the milk producing farms in the state of Jammu & Kashmir were found to be adulterated with the detergents.

Khyber Agro Farms is one of the leading milk producers in the state of J&K which supplies over 60 MT per day has failed in the milk adulteration test done by CFL.

The report from the Central Food Laboratory which was recently given to the Municipal Corporation at Srinagar has established that milk sources of Khyber contains detergent and is not fit for human consumption.

Considering this as a serious issue, the local district administrations along with the higher food officials are planning to take strict action and they may initiate a legal action against the company. The authorities will soon share the details of CFL findings among the general public.

Khyber was also in news last year when the samples of its tonned milk were found to be unsafe and substandard when tested by the Central Food Laboratory and was severely penalized under the provisions of the FSS Act, 2006.

Milk Adulteration is not only a matter of concern in J&K but it is one of the common concerns all over India because of the huge demand of milk in the country. Milk is a good source of nutrition needed by our body. Some common milk adulterants are: (a) Water (b) Starch (c) Urea (d) Vanaspati (e) Ammonium Sulphate (f) sodium carbonate (g) Hydrogen Peroxide (h) Formalin.

The presence of detergents in milk can cause food poisoning and other gastrointestinal complications. Urea present in the milk can damage the intestinal tract and digestive systems. Formalin present in the milk can cause organ dysfunction.

FSSAI had issued the information as how one can check the adulteration inmilk & milk products at home and at the testing laboratory.

'Detergent' in Kyber milk confirmed

India’s Central Food Laboratory has reported the milk produced by Khyber Agro Farms is unsafe for consumption as traces of synthetic detergent have been found in the samples.

Khyber Agro Farms located at Letapora in South Kashmir supplies sixty thousand liters of milk per day all across Kashmir that is being consumed by millions of Kashmiri people.

Highly placed sources said the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has received a report from Central Food Laboratory (CFL), Kolkata, which has declared Khyber milk unsafe and hazardous for human consumption. 

Taking serious note of the report, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation according to sources has directed Health Officer of the corporation to apprise the district administration officials about the issue so that legal action against the company could be initiated.

Sources said a high-level meeting would be held in Srinagar on Thursday which would be chaired by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Shalinder Kumar. Sources said that the issue would be discussed threadbare in the meeting.

Health Officer, Dr Shafqat Ahmed Khan, said a negative report about Khyber Agro Farms has been received by the corporation and in this regard a high level meeting was going to be held in Srinagar on Wednesday but due to some reasons it was postponed and now would be called on Thursday.

“Yes, the samples of Khyber milk have been contaminated. We have received the report. There is nothing to hide and we are going to inform the general public within days,” Khan said, adding that they would follow legal process and would apprise all the authorities about the negative report of the company.

The Health Officer said that it is a public issue and the authorities have taken a serious note of it. “The report is lying with me and we are going to initiate action against the company under law and soon after the meeting a notice would be sent to the said company,” he told CNS.

Pertinently, the High Court bench of Justice Hasnain Massodi and D S Thakur, while showing concern over poor implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act in the state, had held that presence of detergent in milk samples collected on its direction from the market is indicative of milk having been manufactured with constituents highly harmful for human consumption.

“Synthetic milk,” the bench had observed, “as per available scientific research is prepared by mixing urea, caustic soda, refined oil and common detergents. The detergents are used to dissolve oil in water giving frothy solution characters of white colour of milk. Refined oil is used as substitute for milk fat. Caustic soda is used to blend milk and to neutralise acidity preventing it from turning sour during its transport from the place it is manufactured to the consumers.” The bench had observed: “The synthetic milk may cause cancer as it has carcinogenic properties. It may cause cancer and other serious ailments of vital organs of a human being.”

According to a study conducted by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) experts fear the consumption of contaminated milk by the gullible people across the state could lead to gastroenteritis, food poisoning, endocrinology and several other chronic diseases.

Ban sought on junk food in schools

The Centre for Science and Environment Director-General, Sunita Narain, has demanded that all junk food be banned from unaided and private schools across the country. Food high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) should not be available in educational institutions and within 500 yards of them.

Ms. Narain is the chairperson of the working group set up by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India as per the Delhi High Court’s directions in 2013. It has given a set of guidelines for regulating consumption of HFSS food among children.

“Schools are not the right place for promoting HFSS foods. Benefits of balanced, fresh and traditional food cannot be replaced. Frequent consumption of food high in salt, sugar and fats and low in other essential macros and micronutrients is detrimental and should be avoided. Children are not the best judge of their food choice. They have limited understanding about the impact of food on their health. Broadly, they are not aware about the concept of balanced diet and what kind of food is to be consumed and avoided to achieve it,” Ms. Narain added.

She also said cricketers, Bollywood actors and other celebrities should avoid endorsing junk food.

“Advertisement of HFSS food targeted on children and adolescents should not be allowed to be broadcast on television and radio from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and holidays.”

Dietary recommendations in schools are whole wheat roti/poori with seasonal vegetable, multi-whole grain roti/poori with seasonal vegetable, rice and dal, vegetable pulao, rice and black chana, sweet dalia, rice and white chana, idli, vada, sambar, kheer and milk products like curd, buttermilk and lassi.

While Ms. Narain had six paediatricians and nutritionists working as members of the working group, representatives of industry associations submitted a document titled “Guidelines on Wholesome Food and Nutrition for School Canteen” to the expert group on January 16, 2013.

In 2010, a public interest litigation was filed by the Uday Foundation, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation seeking a ban on junk food sold in schools, regulations on junk food promotion and advertisement and development of school canteen policy.

‘Children are not the best judge of their food choice’

‘Celebrities should avoid endorsing junk food’

Need to specify junk food items regulated in schools: HC

The Delhi High Court Wednesday stressed the need to specify the junk food items that should be regulated in schools.

Hearing a plea seeking a ban on junk food in and around schools, the court asked advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, the amicus curiae in the case, to segregate the portion enforceable in the draft guidelines submitted by an expert panel.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog asked the amicus curie to submit a report within three weeks and posted the matter for further hearing Aug 6.

The court's order came on a plea filed by social activist Rahul Verma of the NGO Uday Foundation, who demanded a ban on the sale of junk food in schools.

It further wanted the high court to initiate measures to discourage availability of fast food within 500 yards of schools in Delhi, besides formulating a canteen policy.

The draft guidelines recommended "restricting/limiting availability of junk food" in schools and nearby areas, instead of complete ban that was submitted by the working group.

The experts who drafted the guidelines are split on the issue.

Environmentalist Sunita Narain, who was part of the expert panel to render opinion on dietary habit and consumption of junk food amongst school children, alleged that the original recommendations were diluted to accommodate and protect the food industry.

The draft guideline for regulating food high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), also popularly known as junk food, submitted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), was not equipped to safeguard the health of school children, alleged Narain.

The panel members suggested ban on junk food within a radius of 500 yards around schools. However, in the draft guidelines, the distance was reduced to 50 metres.

CSE welcomes HC's move seeking response on case of banning junk foods in schools

LUCKNOW: Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has welcomed the direction of Delhi high court in the case of banning junk food in schools. In its direction to the amicus curiae N K Kaul, the bench has asked him to file a detailed response within three weeks segregating what out of the submitted guidelines is enforceable and what is suggestive. The court also stressed on the need to specify the junk food items that should be regulated in schools. 

The case goes back to 2010, when Uday Foundation, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), seeking ban on junk food sold in schools and around them, regulation of junk food promotion and advertisement, and development of a school canteen policy. In response to this, the court had asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to set guidelines. In March 2014, the FSSAI submitted a set of guidelines to the court for "making available quality and safe foods in schools". The guidelines were developed by an 'expert group' set up by FSSAI as per directions of the court in September 2013. 

However, CSE pointed out a serious problem with the guidelines - it contended that a close look at the guidelines submitted to the court by FSSAI reveals they will prove to be totally ineffective in addressing requests of the PIL. CSE experts allege that the food industry has worked to influence the expert group's guidelines. as a result of which a diluted set of guidelines has been submitted to the court. 

"This is not the same set of guidelines, equipped to safeguard the health of school children, which was developed by those who are best suited to the issue like eminent pediatricians, public health specialists and nutritionists as members of the Working Group", CSE said. 

The director general of CSE, Sunita Narain said, "We believe that to begin with, carbonated beverages, sugar sweetened non-carbonated beverages, chips and other fried packed foods, potato fries and confectionery items should be completely banned from schools and near-by areas of 500 yards." 

Notably, non-industry members of the FSSAI working group have got the industry representatives on the group to endorse this list of junk foods. Narain adds "The question now is about what is to be done with such junk food items which are high in salt, sugar and fats. We think the court is seriously addressing this issue of huge public health concern."

Don’t leave it to kids to decide what they should eat: NGO

Non-government organisation Uday Foundation, which has sought a ban on the sale of junk food in school premises and within a 500-metre radius, on Wednesday questioned the logic of restricting the availability of such food items only there.

In its submission before a Division Bench of Justice G. Rohini and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, the petitioner questioned the rationality of leaving it to the children to decide which food items are healthy or unhealthy for them.

On Tuesday, the Centre for Science and Environment Director-General Sunita Narain also alleged that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had diluted the original guidelines prepared by an expert group.

The expert group had suggested restricting the availability and consumption of junk food or food high in fat, sugar and salt in schools and in a 50-metre radius around them. It had also called for increasing the availability of wholesome food to school children across the country.

The Bench also refused to endorse the draft guidelines and asked the petitioner to submit suggestions by August 6, the next date of hearing.

The committee has identified chips, fried foods, sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages, sugar-sweetened non-carbonated beverages, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, potato fries and confectionery items as the common foods containing fat, sugar and salt in high quantities.

Another category of concern is the non-standardised deep fried foods such as samosa , chana-bhaturaetc that are available in school canteens and nearby. The guidelines state that the school managements must ensure regulation of such foods through canteen policies that promote consumption of healthy, wholesome and nutritious foods alone.

‘All schools should adopt a uniform canteen policy’

Provide nutritious food to children: CSE’s Sunita Narain

Asserting that banning junk food in schools is the need of the hour, the Centre for Science and Environment Director-General Sunita Narain has demanded that a uniform canteen policy be adopted by all unaided and private schools across the country.

Noting that canteens in schools not be treated as commercial outlets, Ms. Narain said a suitable policy enabling nutritious, wholesome and healthy food to children be developed and adopted across the country. Ms. Narain heads the working group constituted to prepare a draft guideline after the Delhi High Court on September 4, 2013, directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to consult experts in health and junk food. “We need to understand that canteens carry a social responsibility towards inculcating healthy eating behaviours. Canteen policies based on nutrition criteria have been developed in Australia, Canada, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.”

Having studied various models in different countries, she wants canteens in all schools in the country to categorise the food served. “Canteens must specify food like green (healthy). Eighty per cent of the food must be green. Red (unhealthy) should not be available at all and orange (non-standardised food like samosa) be available sparingly in the canteens.”

She said children should be fed proper breakfast at home and they must be encouraged to bring home-cooked food to schools.

A school health team has also been suggested in each school comprising teachers, parents, students and operators of canteens.

Tata Starbucks moves HC to release consignment of syrups blocked by food regulator

NEW DELHI: India's food safety regulator is having Starbucks Coffee in a bit of froth. 

The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has blocked a consignment of syrups meant for the US-based coffee chain's local joint venture, prompting Tata Starbucks to approach the Bombay High Court for relief as the items rot in a Mumbai port warehouse. 

Two people with direct knowledge of the matter said the consignment blocked by the FSSAI earlier this month contained flavored syrups used for preparing beverages sold at Starbucks outlets. 

An FSSAI official said the agency has sought some clarification from Tata Starbucks on the products. 

Avani Davda, chief executive of Tata Starbucks, said the company has filed a writ petition in the high court seeking the release of its consignment. "We have been importing these products since the launch of Starbucks in India," Davda said, while terming the incident "highly unusual" as the FSSAI had previously cleared imports of products with the same composition. 

The case is scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, one of the two people cited above said. An FSSAI spokesman did not respond to a phone message seeking comment left at his office. 

"Our imports are compliant with the standards prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act and are safe for consumption. These products are used across the Starbucks stores in 64 countries over more than 40 years," Davda said.