Guidelines for Milk and Milk Products to ensure FSMS compliance needs

Milk Processing Unit
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act (2006), you cannot deal in Milk and Milk products without a License. A Central License is required if your dairy units, including milk chilling units are equipped to handle or process more than 50,000 litres of liquid milk/day or 2500 MT of milk solid per annum. A State License is required if your dairy unit handles from 500 to 50,000 litres of milk per day or more than 2.5 MT to 2500 MT of Milk Solids per annum. To ensure that your licenses are renewed you have to keep in mind that the milk sources and procurement procedures are according to FSSAI regulations. As per the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, the following information will help you to understand and maintain the requirements in order to run your dairy/milk processing food business:
Location and Layout of the establishment
To ensure that food is produced safely, the dairy or milk processing plant should be located away from industries that emit harmful gases, obnoxious odour, chemical etc. The plant or manufacturing unit must have
a permanent roof made of iron or asbestos sheet/RCC
cemented, tiled or stone/ pakka flooring
properly whitewashed and painted walls. covered up to five feet with impervious material
curved junction between the walls and floor
adequate and protected lighting fixtures and ventilation,
Machinery must be installed in a way that it does not occupy more than 50% of the space so as to allow easy movement and continuous flow of production. This ratio also helps to keep the processing unit clean and hygienic. Adequate chimneys and exhaust fans need to be in place if required.
Your milk processing units must have a foolproof refuse and effluent disposal system so there is no accumulation. Also have an adequate drainage system in the milk production unit.
To prevent contamination opt for doors with automatic door closers so that flies and insects do not get to the milk and milk products. Proper cleaning & maintenance of window and door screens/meshes. Keep antiseptic/ disinfectant foot mats at door entrances also help to keep contaminants out of the production area. Workers toilet facilities should be outside the processing units.
Equipment and Fixtures
It goes without saying that equipment must be kept clean, washed, dried so that it is free from moulds and fungi. Keep adequate cleaning and disinfecting facilities for all equipment and instruments. Select containers and equipment that do not cause metallic contamination, therefore stainless steel /galvanised iron/ non corrosive materials are advisable. Only use impervious material and close joints for surfaces where food preparations are made. Have a cleaning in place (CIP) system in your processing units.
Personal Hygiene
Workers can maintain better personal hygiene when there are adequate toilets, hand wash, foot mats, detergent, bactericidal soap, hand drying facility and nail cutter available to them. Aprons and headgear will safeguard the milk from contaminants. Place local language personal hygiene posters, with dos and don’ts in your production units. Make employees aware that smoking and spitting will not be tolerated in the milk and milk product processing units.
A six monthly medical checkup will ensure that your employees are free from infectious, contagious and other diseases. Inoculations to safeguard against enteric diseases must be given to food handlers. Do not use employees who are suffering from a hand or face injury, skin infection or clinically recognizable infectious disease.
Water Supply
You must ensure that there is adequate supply of potable water and facilities to store water in a clean and safe manner. Have the water examined for chemical and bacterial contaminants by a NABL accredited laboratory. Make sure that potable and non-potable water pipes are easily identifiable by marking them appropriately.
Conveyance and Transportation
Transportation is an important aspect in milk and milk product conveyance. A clean vehicle adds value and provides contaminant free products. Ensure it is clean especially if the vehicle is also used to carry non-food items also. It should also have a temperature control system. It is a good idea to have a dedicated vehicle for carrying milk. You must use the stipulated format to maintain details of vehicle transporting milk and milk products.
Food Operations and Controls
You must facilitate hygienic handling of raw materials, non-packed or non-wrapped dairy products so they are protected from contaminants during loading and unloading, transportation and storage. Provide bulk milk cooling facility. Facilitate cleaning and disinfecting tank that is used for transporting dairy product and raw milk.
To prevent contamination you must keep in mind that raw milk is
stored or handled in a clean area
cooled at temperature of 5°C or lower
temperature is maintained till further processing
To ensure that you are meeting all regulations make appropriate arrangements for
storage of food and food ingredients to keep them properly segregated, labeled and follow stock rotation system
a raised platform with sides and top sufficiently protected to prevent contamination while unloading the raw milk
the raw milk receiving section to be away from the milk processing area
stacking milk products on pallets that are made from non-absorbent material and stack products one foot away from wall.
proper maintenance of time – temperature control during storage as per product requirements
recording and maintaining specific process controls and temperature
a separate cold storage facility for milk and milk products (e.g. packed milk, butter, ice – cream, cream, ghee, dahi, paneer, milk powder, cheese or any other product)
a separate area for packaging of various milk products under satisfactory hygienic conditions
valid weight and measure certificates for weighing scales and weights from a designated authority
You must make sure that the source, standards of raw material, food additives, ingredients and packaging material wherever applicable all conform to regulations as stated in the Act. Do not use mild steel metal and plastic material for cans/ containers used for storage and transportation of milk and milk products
Inspection / Documentation and Records
If you want to ensure that all is in order you must have adequate documented system SOPs in place for core processes like procurement, storage, processing, packing, etc. According to regulations you must maintain daily records for production, raw material utilization and daily sales. Make sure you conduct a periodic audit of the whole system according to the Standard Operating Procedure regarding Good Manufacturing Practices/Good Hygienic Practices (GMP/ GHP) system. Also maintain records of food processing/ preparation, food quality, laboratory test results, pest control etc. for a period of 1 year or the shelf – life of the product; whichever is more.
Maintain records of sale and purchase of the food product that are sold to registered/ licensed vendors and raw material purchased from registered/ licensed suppliers. Have a documented recall plan so it can be is implemented effectively if required.
Food Testing Facility
Raw milk testing facility and parameters must be available at raw milk reception if in-house laboratory is available for testing of milk and milk products. The test report from your own or NABL accredited/ FSSAI notified lab regarding microbiological contaminants in food items must be available at all times.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Document a cleaning and sanitation programme. Implement it and maintain the record properly. Make sure food preparation areas are cleaned at regular intervals, with water, and detergent and with the use of a disinfectant. The milk receiving area must be equipped with brush/rotary / through can washer. Have an approved waste water disposal system that is hygienically operated.
Product Information and consumer Awareness
You must ensure that all packaged food products carry a label and requisite information as per Regulations.
Training
You must make arrangements so that food production personnel and production floor managers, supervisors, food handlers can undergo appropriate food hygiene training. Maintain a record of the training programme. From time to time review and schedule training programmes so that handlers meet the hygiene compliance.

# Stand Against Food Adulteration

 

Boycott food with toxic additives

Instant food that comes in an assortment of flavours, colours and preservatives has plagued the health and well-being of tender lives as much as those of the adults. Delectable dishes that contains a lot of calories beyond the daily requirement, sweets and other sorts of delicacies that tantalize the taste buds draws the attention of everyone with a sweet aroma and beauty that is a secret confined to the culinary art. Despite the various awareness programmes that are launched countrywide to alert the public about the potential risk of consuming artificial food energisers, artificial food additives and instant food yet there remains a majority who fall prey to these food trends.
Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said they had carried out a major campaign on food safety in Sri Lanka. The GMOA had also presented a ten-fold proposal to the Government last year concerning this issue. Dr. Herath shared these views at a news conference that was held recently at the Head Office of GMOA.
Dr. Herath stressed the importance of boycotting food that contained artificial food preservatives and artificial energisers. Furthermore, the diseases that can be caused due to the consumption of these food elements, especially owing to instant food are high among the young generation.
Speaking to Daily Mirror, GMOA Committee Member and Medical Nutritionist Dr. Timothy Wickramasekara said the percentage of children among the urban population who have succumbed to obesity, malnutrition and those who are in between amount to about thirty per cent, twenty percent and fifty percent respectively.
“This has resulted in the rise of non communicable diseases among the younger generation of the urban population which is a bad symptom,” Dr. Wickramasekara added.
Most often the target group of these unhealthy foods is innocent school children. Recent research concerning this topic had helped in identifying that kidney diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and cancer are the major diseases that are peaking high among the younger generation due to the high consumption of unhealthy food. This condition is highly evident among the urban population of the country.
Food containing MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is very popular in Chinese restaurants and sometimes they are found in savoury snacks and processed food. Glutamate is considered as the fifth taste known as ‘Umami’ which is also translated to Japanese as ‘pleasant savory taste’.

Recent scientific research indicates that MSG could cause cancer although scientific proof that supports this statement has not been established yet. The side effects of Monosodium Glutamate are known as the ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ which refers to illnesses such as burning sensation. palpitation, headache and chest pain. Despite these controversial notions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), American Medical Association and the National Academy of Science confirm that MSG is safe for general consumption. Many fail to notice the side effects of this food additive because it is universally accepted as safe for use. It is important that the health and food authorities take necessary steps to raise awareness among the public pertaining to the use of MSG in food products.
Advertising of unhealthy food which consists of artificial elements (preservatives and additives) in food items such as popsicles, soft drinks, margarine and etc is apparent in many instances. Dr. Herath highlighted the importance of prohibiting the promotion of unhealthy food items through the media as they have a negative impact on the wellbeing of school children. 

It is vital that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education work in collaboration to ensure the safety and the nutritious value of the food that the school children consume. The recent circular banning milk powder advertisements was highly commended by the GMOA. Dr. Herath said it was high time that the relevant authorities took action against food companies that advertise unhealthy food.
“This has become a big burden to the health of Sri Lanka. Food companies are trying to get the attention of the young population,” Dr. Herath added.
Instant food, preservatives and additives need to be replaced by food that is healthy and high in nutritious value. Vegetables and fruits that are grown in one’s own garden would further enhance the living standards of the people. ‘Traditional agriculture must be promoted country wide and the use of chemicals for agricultural purposes must be discontinued’ said Dr. Herath. In addition, he also said that an ideology is developing in the western sphere which signifies the value of fresh food that can be obtained from one’s homeland.
The ‘School Canteen Policy’ which was drawn up by the Ministry of education focuses on the promotion of healthy food among children. Chief Health Officer of the Colombo Municipal Council, Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni said that the main objectives of the policy were to prevent the rate of obesity, diabetes and hypertension among school children which is currently at the rise.
’ According to available statistics, 20 000 people are dying per annum in Sri Lanka due to the increased use of fat, salt and sugar in food’ added Dr. Wijayamuni. He also said that the level of mean blood pressure is going up due to the consumption of unhealthy food. ‘Heart attack, strokes and cancer are the three main killers that threaten the lives of people due to the excess consumption of such food items. Diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia are the underline causes for heart attacks’ added Dr. Wijayamuni.
In line with the School Canteen Policy, many programmes have been organized. Dr. Wijayamuni said that they are trying to prevent students from drinking sugared beverages and they have introduced fresh juice as a better substitute which is healthy and rich in nutritious value. They have also launched programmes that look into food safety and the sanitary conditions of the school and a track record of the investigations conducted are maintained by them.
“It is evident that the circular on the ‘School Canteen Policy’ which prohibits the selling of unhealthy food such as those that contain an excess of wheat flour, artificial colouring, additives and preservatives are not given serious consideration by the relevant authorities. Unfortunately, many schools fail to take heed on the adverse effects that it would cause children and the commercialization of such food items in canteens is still evident in many schools,” Dr. Wickramasekara said.
Instant food, preservatives and additives need to be replaced by food that is healthy and high in nutritious value. Vegetables and fruits that are grown in one’s own garden would further enhance the living standards of the people. “Traditional agriculture must be promoted countrywide and the use of chemicals for agricultural purposes must be discontinued,” Dr. Herath said. He said an ideology was developing in the West which signified the value of fresh food that could be obtained from one’s homeland.
Speaking to Daily Mirror, Dr. Wickramasekara said measures were being taken worldwide to promote the safety of the food people consume. ‘Codex Alimentarius’, an international standard of guidelines and codes that ensures the safety and quality of food is setup as a joint collaboration of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accordingly, issues concerning contaminants, food additives and biotechnology are some of the most common debates that are taken into consideration at the Codex meetings.
He said it was the duty of the Sri Lankan Food Authority to ensure the safety and nutritious value of food in our country.
According to the Health Ministry’s Food Control Administration Unit Assistant Director H. Tilakaratne, “The quality of food products for commercial purposes cannot be preserved without the use of preservatives.” Food preservatives are necessary to maintain the freshness of food products but they can be used only within the permited range.
Retired Government Analyst and the Food Advisory Committee Member E. G. Somapala, supported Mr. Tilakaratne’s statement saying preservatives are inevitable elements that must be used to secure the freshness and quality of food products.
Mr. Somapala’s scientific research has also helped in identifying that the rate of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) that is evident in many ready-to-serve drinks is high. A large number of drinks that fall under the category of ready-to-serve contain an excessive amount of SO2 which is not very advisable for the health. The use of SO2 in soft drinks could have a negative impact in the body in terms of asthma. This situation mainly rises due to the manufacturer’s lack of scientific knowledge in the preparation of such beverages.
The best preservatives that can be used for food products are those that can be extracted from herbs as they are natural preservatives. Furthermore, it has been identified that the side effects of the use of artificial preservatives are sometimes not recognized. These are identified as oncogenic agents that cause cancer unlike natural preservatives which is considered as a highly valuable source that acts as an anti-cancer agent.
Children are most often addicted to flavoured drinks, sweetmeats that contain a lot of artificial preservatives and instant food that are high in calories. This does not promote a balanced dietary system which is crucial for the healthy development of a younger generation.
“It is always better to consume food such as fresh fruits and vegetables and children must be given home-made food as far as possible,” said Dr. A.M.A.S.B. Mahamithawa, Director of the Nutrition Division of the Ministry of Health. When inquired on the high intake of flavoured milk, soft drinks and yoghurt consumed by children, Dr. Mahamithawa said that despite their nutritious values, these food elements consists of an excess amount of sugar. This may lead to non communicable diseases such as diabetes and obesity which is already evident in many school going children. According to Dr. Mahamithawa it would be advisable to avoid consuming such delicacies on a daily basis and resort to a healthy diet system. He said it would not cause serious harm if they are consumed in limited amounts.
To ensure the well-being of children, it is vital that the relevant authorities and parents act sensibly. Children as well as adults need to be aware of the potential risk they face due to unhealthy food trends. The consumption of unhealthy food that contains calories beyond the daily requirement, soft drinks and Popsicles with an excess of colouring and artificial flavours and other types of food that causes a threat to the physical well-being of the children must be avoided and it was vital for public awareness to be raised regarding this issue constantly.

FDA cautions citizens against rising adulteration in sweets

PUNE: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized adulterated sweets and its ingredients worth Rs 17.40 lakh and drawn over 373 samples for tests in the last 14 days.
Be it excess use of edible colours or cleverly substituting pistachio with coloured groundnut flakes, adulteration in sweets is rampant in Pune's market ahead of the festive season.
"Three samples of sweets had food colour beyond permissible limits. As per the food safety norms, colours up to 100 parts per million i.e. PPM, a way of expressing very dilute concentrations of substances, are allowed in food articles. However, three samples sent to the state public health laboratory were found to contain colours up to 500 ppm which can be very harmful to health," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.
The FDA also found groundnut flakes coloured in green and used as pistachio in 'Sohan-papadi' at a shop in Pimpri. "The enormous demand for sweets ahead of Diwali drives people to look for ways to resort to such such indigenous method in lure of quick money. We have intensified surveillance across Pune," said Kekare.
Besan (gram flour), used extensively to make laddoos, are also mixed with kesari or Laakhi daal which can be injurious to health. "We found samples of besan containing this daal which was brought from Madhya Pradesh. We have seized besan worth Rs 82,000 and maida worth Rs 2.17 lakh in the last few days," Kekare said.
FDA officials are conducting random inspections and on-the-spot tests to check quality of milk and milk products such as khoya, besides rawa, maida and other flours.
They also found that some units were reusing old tins for packaging edible oil which is not allowed under the new Food Safety and Standards Act.
"At some places we found unit owners had purchased oil in bulk and packaged it locally. The tin containers used for packaging the oil were old and recycled. Stock worth Rs 7.31 lakh were seized. Besides, hydrogenated vegetable oil worth Rs 38,200 was also seized," said Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner (food), FDA.
Besides, the officials also found that some sweet shop owners were using sorbic acid in excessive amount and selling such sweets as 'special burfi'. "Sorbic acid up to 1000ppm is allowed, but some shop keepers had raised the limit to 6,700 ppm," Sangat said.
Adulteration causes serious risk to health. Presence of harmful starch, urea-mixed milk, caustic soda, 'ararot', artificial sweetening chemicals, non-approved colored sweets (such as heavy metals incorporated malachite green, etc) and unhygienic conditions lead to acute gastritis, serious diarrhoea, dysentery, dehydration, kidney inflammation, etc.
Detect adulterants in your food
* Tea: Wet a white blotting paper with water and sprinkle tea powder on it. The appearance of yellow, red or orange spots indicates use of artificial colours
* Hing (asafoetida): In its pure form, 'hing' would dissolve and form a milky white solution in water. It burns with a flame
* Saffron: Genuine saffron, unlike artificial one, will not break easily. Artificial saffron is prepared by soaking maize cob in sugar solution and colouring with coal-tar dye. The colour will dissolve in water. Pure saffron completely dissolves in water while maize cob will not
* Ghee or butter: Adulteration with vanaspati can be detected by adding sugar and hydrochloric acid. Upon mixing, a red colour will appear
* Edible oil: If adulterated with argemone oil, it will give a red colour when treated with nitric acid
* 'Pithi' sugar spiked with washing soda: Add a few drops of hydrochloric acid, effervescence will indicate the presence of washing soda
* Honey spiked with sugar solution: A cotton wick dipped in pure honey, when lighted with a match stick, burns and show the purity of honey. If adulterated, the presence of water will not allow honey to burn. If it does, it will produce a cracking sound
* Silver foil: Aluminium foil is whitish gray in colour and is readily soluble in concentrated hydrochloric acid while pure silver foil is not

SWEETS MAY TURN SOUR AS ADULTERATION POSES RISK THIS DIWALI

The demand of sweets goes up manifolds during Diwali and so is the supply of ingredients required to make sweets. But there is hardly any mechanism to address the menace of adulteration that is extremely hazardous for the masses. The food safety mechanism present in place in the State is not effective enough to control the dangerous practice before it takes its toll.
The situation can be gauged with the fact that there is no mechanism to check adulteration on the spot. And, a report of samples collected usually takes about 14 days. Food safety thus is more like a damage control in nature than preventive.
“A lab cannot move with us. We have nothing to ascertain adulteration on the spot,” said a Food Safety Officer of Ranchi.
Keeping check on the practice is too casual a business in Jharkhand where food samples collected are too small in number to even think about the existence of any mechanism discouraging people from selling contaminated products especially during festivals. About 27 samples have been collected so far by Food Safety Officers in-charge of Ranchi in raids conducted in last three days. But considering the time taken in generating report on samples collected a consumer is exposed to the risk of food poisoning especially during festivals while culprits make money under the nose of enforcement agencies.
“We have collected samples and will send it for examination and unless we get a report no action can be taken,” said ACMO-1, Ranchi, Bina Sinha.
According to sources about 70 cases of adulteration were reported to the district administration in last 18 months and a fine of Rs1-crore has been imposed in about 40 cases of substandard products collected from different outlets. According to provisions fine of Rs5 lakh is imposed for selling substandard products where as Rs3 lakh is fined for misbranded products and there is a provision of prosecution as well as fine for selling unsafe items.
Food safety comes under the department of Health and health officials in each district are entrusted with the job of monitoring safety of food and verify adulteration by collecting samples which is examined in designated labs. Health officials are assisted by Food Safety Officers (FSOs).
But the real cause that has thrown the food safety mechanism out of order is few overly burdened FSOs finding it difficult to do their job besides hundreds of non-performing FSOs in the State. Enforcement structure as decided for Jharkhand by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) envisages 24 designated and adjudicating officers besides 205 FSOs and one Food Analyst for the State. Ironically, the strength of 205 FSOs include 194 non-descript in-charges of Primary Health Centre who are for namesake as evident by incident of food poisoning reported from Ormanjhi about a week ago where 40 kids fell ill after consuming rotten eggs.
Also, out of the 11 FSOs other than 194, seven are in charge of two districts each where as four FSOs have been given the responsibility of keeping adulteration under check in three districts. Ranchi is looked after three FSOs.

Owner locks health team in sweets shop Police resuce the joint team of Health and Admn from Sharma Sweets at Model Town

Ludhiana, October 21
High drama was witnessed at Sharma Sweets, Model Town, today when the owner of the sweets shop locked a team of the Health Department and the district administration along with himself inside the shop to prevent the from taking take the sweets samples from his shop. A case has been registered against the shop owner, Jaspal Singh.
Mukesh Sharma, Executive Magistrate, who was also accompanying the health team, said when they went to Sharma Sweets located at Model Town for collecting sweets samples, the owner of the shop did not allow them to do their duty.
“He started making calls but did not allow the health team to collect samples despite our requests for cooperation. We told him that we were there on the orders of the Deputy Commissioner and also showed him the papers but still he did not allow the team to collect samples. He instead asked one of his employees to put up the shutters, thus locked the raiding team along with himself inside the shop. We contacted the police, who reached the spot, after which the shop was opened and the samples were taken,” said Sharma.
Food Safety Officer Ravinder Garg said although he signed the documents confirming that the samples were taken from his shop but he did not sign the samples. He has absconded. “We collected the samples and sealed them. It is mandatory for the owner of the shop to sign the samples to confirm that these belong to his shop. Though the police were also present at the shop, he managed to flee from the scene,” said Garg.
The District Health Officer, Dr Abnash Kumar, said the raids were conducted with the sole motive that people got pure sweets during the festivals.
DC Rajat Aggarwal said he had ordered the collection of samples from the shop. According to information received by him, the owner was not allowing the team to collect samples on the plea that he was planning to close down the shop soon. “If he is planning to close down the shop that does not mean he will not give the samples,” said the DC.
Six samples were collected from Khushi Ram, three from Lovely Sweets and four from Dhodha Sweets.

17917 samples of sweets, milk and milk products collected for analysis : Jyani

Drive against adulteration intensified in Punjab
Adulterated goods worth Rs.1 crore seized in the State, Rs.67.88 lakh recovered as penalty
Fazilka October, 22 : Drive against adulteration of sweets has been intensified in Punjab with state government launching statewide raids on shops, godowns suspected to be selling/storing/manufacturing such products. The Punjab government acting tough with all those selling adulterated and contaminated food items and playing havoc with the human lives has collected 17917 samples from 2011 till date and sent them for detailed analysis.
Disclosing this here today Punjab health and Family Welfare Minister, Surjeet Kumar Jayani said that the government has already launched an aggressive campaign against the sale of adulterated food items including sweets, khoya and other milk especially during the ongoing festival season. He also said that the government has collected 17917 samples so far and after getting them examined in the hi-tech labs found as many as 2167 sampled failed.
He also said that with a view to ensuring purity in the sweets and other eatables over 2000 traders have been inspected by the Department of Food and Supplies across the state. A staggering 500 traders were prosecuted for selling commodities in violation of health and safety norms.
Meanwhile, in Punjab officials seized adulterated goods worth Rs 1 crore. The Minister also said that from April 2014 till date out of the collected 3904 samples about 694 samples failed.
To keep strict vigil on the milk products and khoya coming from other states, the Minister said that all the entry points including the railway stations, bus stands have been guarded against adulterated food items. The adulterated food items would be destroyed there and then by the special task force deputed at various sensitive points, said Mr. Jayani.
Cautioning the people to be vigilant against adulteration, the Minister said that when the filter paper is put on the sample if the top layer leaves a mark on the paper, the sweet is adulterated and the people should report such instances so that appropriate action could be taken against the erring food sellers. As many as 260 cases against the erring food sellers have been lodged in the courts and the government has recovered Rs. 67.88 lakh as penalty from such shopkeepers.
Adding further Jayani said that according to the Food Safety and Standards Act, the punishment for selling adulterated food is seven years imprisonment and a Rs 10 lakh fine. For selling sub-standard food you could face a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh. And for death caused by adulterated food, the offender could face seven years jail term to life imprisonment. He has asked the officers of the department to remain cautious against the sale of unsafe food in the state.
The Minister also said that the government has initiated the online registration and obtaining online license for the small scale and whole sale retailers of food items.

Beware of adulterated sweets this festive season

New Delhi: With the start of the festive season, families across India are on a shopping spree for sweets. But savouring these tasty treats can prove fatal. As demand and the price of sweets and its ingredients go up, many sellers are resorting to making sweets from contaminated and adulterated ingredients at cheaper rates.
In the national capital itself, over 1800 traders have been inspected by the Department of Food and Supplies. A staggering 731 traders were prosecuted for selling commodities in violation of health and safety norms. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, officials seized adulterated goods worth Rs 1 crore.
Government authorities have collected several samples and have sent them to this lab for a detailed analysis. "When we put filter paper on the sample..if the top layer leaves a mark on the paper, the sweet is adulterated," says a lab technician.
While this has not impacted the sales, retailers concede that many people are flocking to their competitors.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Act, the punishment for selling adulterated food is seven years imprisonment and a Rs 10 lakh fine. For selling sub-standard food you could face a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh. And for death caused by adulterated food, the offender could face seven years jail term to life imprisonment.

TDB bid to keep Appam and Aravana safe

Offerings from Sabarimala to comply with food safety standards
Appam and Aravana to be sold from the Sabarimala temple would adhere to food safety measures, including Good Manufacturing Practises (GMP) soon.
Besides putting in place the GMP, it has been proposed to introduce Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points (HACCP) at Sabarimala. The Centre for Food Research and Development (CFRD), Konni, has drawn up food safety plans for the hill shrine, which is visited by thousands of devotees each season.
The effective implementation of the food safety measures would go a long way in eliminating possibilities of food contamination in Appam and Aravana and at Annadanam, free food offered to the devotees.
The food safety systems could be made operational within a fortnight on order from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), said M.K. Mukundan, CFRD director.
P. Venugopal, TDB Commissioner, conceded that there were complaints of poor quality of Appam and Aravana sold from the temple. It was following these complaints that the board decided to assign the job of ensuring food safety measures to the CFRD. The system would be in place during the forthcoming pilgrim season.Health card
The CFRD will check the samples of raw materials brought to the temple for preparing the sacred offering. Sanitary surveys would also be carried out. A health card for workers engaged for the preparation of the offerings would be prepared to ensure that the health and hygiene parameters are not compromised. Swabs would be taken from the workers to test them for contagious diseases, Dr. Mukundan said.

Smokeless kitchens in govt schools by March '15

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to introduce smokeless kitchens in all government schools by the end of fiscal year 2014-15.
Official sources said last year's plan to launch the facility on a pilot basis remained a non-starter. The proposal to distribute locally-designed smokeless chullahs developed by Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency is also gathering dust.
During a recent review meeting on midday meal (MDM), chief secretary G C Pati asked school and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra to ensure that nutritious food is served to the children.
"Last year, the Centre allowed subsidy of Rs 35 crore on LPG cylinders to be used under MDM scheme. But majority of schools use firewood, leading to fire mishaps and unhygienic and polluting atmosphere," said an officer.
Over 55 lakh students of Class I to VIII in around 63,000 state-run schools are being served lunch six days a week. To ensure quality and safety of noon meal, the government is planning to construct safe and fire-proof kitchens.
"Collectors have been asked to look into proper convergence of departments, agencies and NGOs involved in the process," the officer said.
The chief secretary has asked collectors to hold regular meeting with MPs and MLAs and ensure timely release of funds for MDM. They also have to monitor proper implementation of guidelines on kitchen cleanliness, hygienic storage of food items, quality control measures in case food is procured locally, personal hygiene of cooks and students and ensure whitewashing of existing kitchens.

WISHING YOU ALL!!!