Oil adulteration

Imphal, Jul 16Efforts are on to register a case and pull up Molcha Pawar, proprietor of Ajay Traders for adulteration of cooking oil, Health and Family Welfare Minister Phungzathang Ton-sing stated in the State Assembly today.

Responding to a call attention motion raised by MLA Dr I Ibohalbi about adulteration of cooking oil, Phungzathang said that his department is investigating into the reports of cooking oil adulteration.

By stationing a Food Inspector in each district, the department is monitoring adulteration of food products. Adulteration of cooking oil was detected when two Food Inspectors raided a godown of Ajay Traders at Mantripukhri. Some other expired products were seized from the same godown.

Subsequently, Ajay Traders trade licence was cancelled and their store has been shut down.

On being check in laboratory, it has been confirmed that the cooking oil sample was adulterated. Three persons involved in the adulteration have been arrested.

Moreover, due process has been initiated to pull up Molcha Pawar with the help of police. Molcha Pawar is a native of Rajasthan. There is a provision of imprisoning the culprits in addition to imposing fine of Rs one to five lakh, Phungzathang stated. Raising the call attention motion, Dr Ibohalbi expressed suspicion that traders coming from outside the State may be adulterating many other products in addition to cooking oil.

He went to question if the State Government has taken up any measures to thwart the alleged attempt of poisoning all the people of Manipur slowly and steadily.

He also whether any Government agency is checking adulteration of food products at Jiribam, Moreh and Mao.

Replying to another query raised by MLA L Ibomcha, Phungzathang the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness is being implemented in Imphal West, Churachandpur, Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts.

However, the programme could not implemented properly as there are only four people, one for each district, said the Health Minister.

Health Ministry finds top restaurants serving up adulterated and misbranded food... while 20 per cent of ALL food in India fails quality tests

At least a fifth of food items from across the country have failed to meet quality standards during tests at government laboratories and even top restaurants and fast food outlets in the National Capital have been found to be dishing out treats that were either adulterated or misbranded. 

Data recently released by the Health Ministry stated that 46,283 food samples, including milk and milk products, edible vegetable oils and spices, were analysed at laboratories during 2013-14.

A total of 9,265 samples were found to be adulterated and misbranded.

Authorities found that a food item called "Rizo Rice" at a KFC restaurant in Connaught Place was unsafe and hazardous for health

In Delhi alone, the government recently launched 61 prosecutions against erring manufacturers and vendors.

Since the beginning of the year, at least 27 food and milk products were found to be sub-standard and six products at different outlets were found to be "unsafe to eat". 

The tests revealed that spices used at the Punjabi By Nature outlet at City Square Mall in Raja Garden were "unsafe". 

Similarly, authorities found that a food item called "Rizo Rice" at a KFC restaurant in Connaught Place was unsafe and hazardous for health. 

According to government officials, the New Punjabi Kitchen, at Metro Road, Eastend, Public School, New Ashok Nagar was selling "unsafe" prepared food. 

An outlet of the Bikanerwala chain at Karol Bagh was selling 'besan barfi' unfit for consumption.

The Bikanerwala outlet at ITL tower, Netaji Subhash Place was found selling substandard 'kaju tukra'.

Poor results: Two outlets of the desi cuisine major Bikanerwala (above) and Pind Balluchi restaurant at Dwarka (below) are among the famous eateries flagged by FSSAI.

Pind Balluchi Restaurant in New Delhi

The Pind Balluchi Restaurant at Dwarka was found to be serving substandard 'channa' and 'paneer' items. 

"The item had dangerous colours that are hazardous for human health," said a senior official at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is under the Health Ministry.

While an Aggarwal Sweets outlet at 612-A, Sri Nagar Enclave, Shakur Basti, in Rani Bagh was found selling harmfully coloured 'boondi laddoo', an outlet of Domino's Pizza at CP was found to be using "substandard" maize and corn flour starch. 

The government also randomly checked containers of full cream, toned and mixed milk from various areas in Delhi. It found those to be substandard and unsafe for human consumption.

"We have initiated action against the erring brands," the official said. 

Responding to the reports of problems with food items, Bikanerwala CEO Suresh Goel said: "I am not aware of the details. We have a dedicated quality control and check department in our company. I will look into the matter." 

"We only use a natural colour (beta carotene) in our Rizo Rice meals which is sourced from highly reputed international suppliers. The recent rice sample collected by FSSAI has also been analysed at an external independent lab at the same time and it confirmed that tartrazine or any other synthetic colour is not present in the product. We are confident of our product quality and are working closely with the regulatory authorities," a KFC spokesperson said. 

After the tests of food samples uncovered adulteration, authorities in Uttar Pradesh launched prosecutions in 2,930 cases. 

In Maharashtra, prosecution has been started in 2,557 cases.

The Health Ministry is now registering cases and initiating prosecutions against food product manufacturers involved in alleged adulteration and misbranding.

Besides consolidating laws related to food, the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 established the FSSAI for laying down science-based standards for food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import. 

The primary responsibility for enactment of the Act lies with the states. 

The FSSAI has framed guidelines for recalling adulterated products or those not meeting the provisions of the law. 

The FSSAI is also working with GS1 India, a non-profit organisation under the Commerce Ministry, which has made some standards that identify the key principles of traceability and demonstrate how to apply them for effective product recall.

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Substandard dates flood markets

Srinagar, July 16

At a time when dates are selling like hotcakes in the ongoing fasting month of Ramadan, several vendors and shopkeepers have been found selling substandard dates and tampering with package labels.

Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Health Officer Dr Rubeena Shaheen said while conducting market checks of various areas along with a team of food safety officers, they found expiry labels of several branded packaged dates tampered with. She said some dates were also found substandard.

While the SMC team destroyed the seized items, Shaheen said they would intensify the drive during the fasting month as dates are consumed in tonnes here.

She said they had raided marketplaces of Soura, Nowhatta and Koker Bazaar and would continue raids at other marketplaces. The Health Officer urged the general public to remain cautious and check the expiry labels before purchasing dates. She said expired dates could pose serious health risks.

Pertinently, dates are consumed mostly during Iftar (fast breaking) time and these days the markets are flooded with dates from all over, including Pakistan, Iran and Middle East.

The most popular variety of dates is Ajwa, which is imported from Saudi Arabia and sells for around Rs 2,500 a kg. Other popular varieties are Safwy, Mabroom, Majdool, Naboot, Helwah, Khudry and Shurwa.

However, these dates are not directly imported to Kashmir, but first shipped to Mumbai and Goa.

The traders also receive stock from Delhi and Amritsar, which are of low quality and are mostly sold in the open by street vendors.

Excise hike on gutka may apply only to Meghalaya, Lakshadweep

The government’s decision to hike specific excise duty on gutka and pan masala can apply only to one State (Meghalaya) and one Union Territory (Lakshadweep).

Currently, all other States and Union Territories have banned the sale of gutka and pan masala (containing tobacco or nicotine).

While presenting the budget on July 10, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said he was proposing to increase the specific excise duty on several tobacco products, including gutka and pan masala, in order to raise money.

“…I also need to mobilise resources. Accordingly, I propose to increase the specific excise duty on various tobacco products, including gutka and pan masala,” he said in his Budget speech.

The specific excise duty increase for gutka and chewing tobacco would be from 60 to 70 per cent, and from 12 to 16 per cent in the case of pan masala, he said.

However, the hike will have limited impact on revenue generation.

This is because the sale of any food product that contains tobacco or nicotine as ingredients is prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 (issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006).

As a result, starting from 2012, States and Union Territories began banning the manufacture, storage or sale of food products such as gutka and pan masala.

Both items are available despite the ban, and manufacturers have found new ways to circumvent it. As there is no restriction on chewing tobacco, manufacturers do not premix pan masala or gutka with tobacco.

“Instead, they sell pan masala/gutka and tobacco in separate pouches and the customer mixes them before consuming it,” said Dr. Srinath Reddy, president of the Delhi-based Public Health Foundation of India .

The manufacture of gutka for export is not banned, but even in such cases, the increase in excise duty is unlikely to generate revenue.

According to a Central Board of Excise and Customs spokesperson, just as the existing excise duty gets neutralised — either as drawback or other means, whichever applies to gutka exports — so will be this proposed hike.

Online System for Food Business Operator license and registration for all districts of Haryana Launched

CHANDIGARH, March 22- Haryana Government today implemented centralized Online System for Food Business Operator (FBO) license or registration in all districts of the State. Therefore, manual applications would not be accepted for License or Registration anywhere in the State with effect from April 1,2013.

This new system was launched by Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Health Mrs Navraj Sandhu by giving away licenses to a manufacturer and a retailer here today.

While speaking on the occasion, Mrs Sandhu said that all food business operators in the State can avail of the services for licensing or registration by logging onto the website:www.foodlicensing.net. Alternatively, they can access www.fssai.gov.in and logon to online food Licensing or Registration System(FLRS) link provided in the site. This online food licensing or registration system enables the food business operators at their comfort check for eligibility, apply for License or registration, pay the appropriate fees, upload supporting documents, track the status of their applications, schedule inspections and receive alerts on the status and renewals.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has created a centralized online system for FBO license or registration for use across the country, with the assistance of National Institute For Smart Government (NISG), Hyderabad. The Central Government has enacted Food Safety and Standards Act, (FSS Act, 2006) to regulate and monitor the manufacture, process, pack, transport, store, distribute, sell and import of any food or food ingredient, so as to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption and also to laying down science based standards. The FSS Regulations Gazette Notified on August 5, 2011 mandates that every FBO must obtain License or Registration Certificate.Food business operators are encouraged to create their online user accounts to continue to receive SMS, e-mail alerts from authority.

All the food business operators have, therefore, been requested to avail of the online services for License or Registration and comply with the provisions of FSS Act, 2006.

A spokesman of Haryana Health Department said that Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Haryana achieved the highest rate of conviction in the country in the court cases filed under the Drugs and Cosmetics ACT 1940. The conviction rate in the court cases is over 80 per cent. The FDA Haryana launched its own websitewww.fdaharyana.org in public domain and the FDA Haryana became first northern State to launch online chemist shop licensing in the country. The FDA Haryana has also made all its licensed blood banks online. Any person in need of any unit of particular group of blood or blood components can assess its availability in the blood bank in his location online and also assess the details of contact person or blood bank. The FDA Haryana established its own independent office at Panchkula for smooth and efficient functioning of the department. The incidence of menace of spurious medicines in the State is by and large negligible. The pendency of renewal of sale licenses has been reduced to zero in the State. Eight new Drugs Control Officers joined the department and on job training of FDA officers was organized to upgrade their technical knowledge and auditing skills.

The State has imposed prohibition on manufacturing, sale and stocking of Guthka and Paan Masala with effect from August 15,2012. Such prohibited products were sampled and seized by the department under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. So for 50 such samples have been seized by the Food Safety Officers in the State.The department has also implemented Infant Milk Substitute (IMS) Act 1992 in the State. This Act was implemented for the first time by Haryana in the country. Samples of infant milk substitute's products were seized under the Food Safety and Standard Act.2006 and also under the provision of IMS Act.

He said that so far more than 100 licensed as well as unlicensed sale premises have been sealed for violating various provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945. Â Drugs licenses of 100 shops had been cancelled and licenses of more than 35 shops were suspended by the respective Licensing Authority. Also, 16 cases under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 were also got registered against the unscrupulous elements at Dabwali, Ratia, Yamunanagar, Sirsa, Kalanwali for having stocked for sale Narcotic or Psychotropic drug formulations in huge quantities without holding any license under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945. The unscrupulous elements were engaged in playing with the lives of innocent human beings.

Apart from conducting joint raids to curb the menace of medical intoxicants, awareness campaign against illicit purchase, supply and use of such medicines were also undertaken by the department. Sensitization-cum-awareness program and workshops were convened in many cities or towns to sensitize the chemists, general public as well as the media. Â So far such awareness campaign has been organised at Sirsa, Panchkula, Ambala, Yamuna Nagar, Rohtak, Karnal, Fatehabad, Ratia, Kalawali, Dabwali and Tohana. More such awareness campaigns would be arranged in future to involve the public at large against the crusade.

Mission Director, National Rural Health Mission, Dr Rakesh Gupta and other senior officers of Health Department were also present on the occasion.

Merchants body's plea over FSS Act

MADURAI: 

The Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association has, yet again, made a plea for removal of flaws in the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006 and Rules and Regulations 2011.

According to a release, a delegation led by the President, S P Jeyaprakasm, met Dr. J Radhakrishnan, Health Secretary and Kumar Jeyant, Food Safety Commissioner, Government of Tamil Nadu, and submitted a detailed memorandum for the same.

The memorandum requested for reforming the present committee of FSS Act, so that a new committee with due representation of all stakeholders is ensured to fully examine the Indian conditions to constructively modify the rules and regulations in the Act.