FDCA to launch digital system to improve efficiency

Under this system, the FDCA also eyes to track their staff and build a central database of all the food samples

In order to streamline and speed up its work and improve efficiency, the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) is set to launch a system wherein dedicated softwares would be utilised and gadgets would be given to field officers.

"To accomplish our goals, we have made a dedicated software for our upcoming project- Food Safety Management System (FSMS). The software will be installed on devices such as mobile phones, tablets or a dedicated hand-held devices, which will remain connected with our central server," Commissioner of Gujarat FDCA Dr H G Koshia told PTI.

Under this system, the FDCA also eyes to track their staff like Food Safety Officers (FSOs), build a central database of all the food samples collected in the state and increase conviction ratio ofpeople caught selling or making adulterated food items.

To ensure that Food Business Operators (FBO) do not sell or manufacture adulterated food, FSOs collect food samples and then send them to government food laboratories and if the lab gives negative remarks, the FBOs have to face legal action from FDCA. However, officials feel that the present system is not up to the mark.

"Food samples and their details reach us after a considerable gap of time. But with the FSMS, we will overcome such problems, as details of samples will be submitted to us in real time through the devices by the FSOs," said Koshia.

As per the plan, around 270 such devices with GPRS connectivity and FSMS software will be given to officers, who will have to enter the details of each sample and submit them online.

Civic body goes without food safety officer

BHOPAL: About a dozen ongoing court cases of food adulteration monitoring of adulterated food in market have been affected after BhopalMunicipal Corporation's lone food officer was removed in a season when food infections are at their peak. 

State food and drugs administration (FDA) stripped BMC health officer SP Shrivastava of his powers after he failed to complete mandatorytraining under Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act. He was involved in seizure of samples of ghee, mawa, curd and other edibles. He was food officer in about a dozen court cases. 

Challenging FDA commissioner's authority he told TOI, "He has no powers to appoint or remove me as food safety officer as I am not answerable to him." 

BMC commissioner Vishesh Garphale said, "The power was given by other department (MP-FDA) from government side. BMC has nothing to do with it."

Why Microbiological Testing is required for Food Products?

Microorganism

The contaminated food can lead to food poisoning and to ensure the food safety, the analysis of food is extremely important. Foodcontamination occurs due to viruses, bacteria, metals or chemicals. Food poisoning is generally caused due to bacterial contamination.

The classes of Bacteria associated with food poisoning are E coli, Staphylococci, Salmonella, Clostridium, Campylobacter, Salmonella and Shigella. They can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, distress, diarrhea, dehydration, and also death. Hence, microbiological testing of food is important.

Every year, millions of people fall sick and die due to food poisoning. An outbreak of food poisoning is an alarm for improvement in food safety standards. Regulatory bodies assure the food processing standards at 

production, processing, packaging and storage stages and thus ensure public health. This helps the consumers to avoid food borne illnesses.

There are several ways of food contamination:

• Touching the food with unclean hands

• Contact of food with meat and poultry droppings

• Coughing and sneezing near the food without covering the mouth and nose

• Improper storage temperatures

• Leaving the food open

• Not washing of hands after toilet use and before food preparation.

It is essential for the food business operators to manufacture/sell a healthy and safe food for the consumers. From a business point, the food testing is advantageous as it is abiding the law, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations, providing safe food for the consumers and thereby earning a reputation.

There are many tests mandatory in food testing. For microbiological analyses of food the essential parameters are: Total Plate count, Coliform count, E.Coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Yeast & Mould Count and Listeria Monocytogens.

As per Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, the food products have been categorized as following:

* Dairy Products and Analogues

• Fats, Oils and Fat Emulsions

• Fruit & Vegetable Products

• Cereals and Cereal Products

• Meat & Meat Products

* Sweetening Agents including Honey

• Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products

• Beverages

• Proprietary Food

• Other Food Product and Ingredients

Some Common Testing Parameters for above mentioned products include Flat Sour Organisms, Staphylococcus Aureus, Salmonella, Shigella, Clostridium Botulinum, E. Coli and Vibrio Cholera

The laboratory analyses can identify the micro-organisms present in food and thus can determine safety of the food for consumption. Through sample testing at various stages of food processing, it is possible to identify the source of contamination, if any.

‘Food processing must to increase production’

With increasing pressure on agriculture to cater to a growing population and exacting standards of quality, speakers at a one-day workshop here on Saturday emphasised on food processing to ensureproduction efficiency.

Intake

Chinnayya Gowda, Assistant Director, Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, said though the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) recommends an average intake of proteins equivalent to 180 eggs per person a year, current production is just 56 eggs per person a year in the country.

Meat consumption should ideally be 20 kg per person a year, but the production is limited to 2.5 kgs annually, he pointed out.

“Nearly 70 per cent of the samples of milk samples tested by the Food Safety Authority of India have failed the prescribed standards,” he said.

The workshop, aimed at farmers and small agro-business entrepreneurs, elaborated on the schemesunder the National Mission on Food Processing which include subsidies for setting up modern abattoirs, creation of cold chains, financial aid to meet ISO standards, modernisation of meat shops, and assistance in training and human resource development.

Laying emphasis on research and augmentation of agriculture, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said there is a greater need for food processing to supplement income of the farmers with the land under agriculture reducing and labour problems cutting into the economic viability of farming.

At the workshop, a handbill of ‘National Mission on Food Processing’ and a booklet on ‘PerspectiveIndustrial Development Plan 2013-17’ were released.

FSSAI - REFERRAL FOOD LABORATORY NOTIFICATION

Gutka, pan masala ban: DC warns erring sellers

SHILLONG: Almost a month after the manufacture, storage, transport, sale or distribution of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients was banned in the State the banned is yet to be truly implemented.

Taking cognizance of this non compliance, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Sanjay Goyal has warned that the District Administration along with other agencies would soon conduct surprise checks and raids in the shops of Shillong where these items are still being sold openly.

The district administration, Goyal said, will file cases against shopkeepers selling these products openly.

The Deputy Commissioner, however, admitted that it would not be an easy task to enforce the order and the police department would require cooperation from all the line departments besides the public to enforce the ban.

All police stations in the district have been asked to implement the order in letter and spirit.

The Manufacture, storage and sale of guthka and pan masala have been prohibited under sub section (2) of section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, for a period of one year in the interest of the public health.

Legal action against three salt manufacturers

Three salt manufacturers were booked as they did not have registration certificates during aninspection conducted by a team led by J. Kalidas, District Deputy Controller of Legal Metrology, at Tharuvaikulam here on Saturday.

As per the Packaged Commodities Rule 27, any packer or manufacturer of packaged commodities should obtain registration certificate from the Controller of Legal Metrology, Chennai, within three months from the date on which the packaging started.

Hence, legal action has been initiated against the three manufacturers after serving show-cause notice to them for violations of Packaged Commodities Rules, 2011, and Legal Metrology Act, 2009.

Besides, the team seized seven electronic weighing machines and five cast-iron weights from seven traders. The seized items were found to be unverified and unstamped by Stamping Inspectors. Hence, compounding fee of Rs.5,000 was collected from each of the traders.