DINAMALAR NEWS

Despite ban, users still have access to tobacco products

COIMBATORE: Inside the food safety department office are six tonnes of seized tobacco, waiting to be destroyed. Despite repeated raids and seizures by the department since January, chewable tobacco in various forms continues to be sold secretly by small petty and pan shops across the city.

More than two years after the state banned the production, stocking, distribution and sale of tobacco products such as gutkha and pan masala under the Food Safety and Standards of India Act, 2006, the substance continues to be present in godowns and shops across the city. "Large quantities of tobacco are stored in godowns in Variety Hall, Ukkadam, R S Puram and Mettupalayam Road," said a food safety officer in charge of Sukrawarpet. "Once we start raiding godowns in the city, they move the loads overnight to hired godowns in the periphery of the district like Mettupalayam Road, Sulur and Sathy Road," he said.

The godown owners have been issued notices and cases have also been filed against them by the food safety department.

A majority of substance seized from godowns this year has been Hans, a brand of chewable tobacco that claims to be manufactured and based in New Delhi. "The tobacco industry, which is a massive lobby, seems to have split various districts and markets among themselves informally," said the officer. "It is the Hans brand which dominates Coimbatore and Tirupur , this is besides the tobacco concentrates being sold for being used in beedas," said A Karnal, who runs a beeda stall on Government Arts College Road. Hans is a chewable tobacco product which is usually kept below a person's tongue or between his lips and teeth and suck on the juice it produces. This is believed to give a person an immediate high because the juice contains nicotine which easily mixes with a person's blood. This substance is available in Rs 5 sachets.

Besides this, there are many tobacco concentrates which are sold by brands like Mangal Singh, Zarda Patta and Amdu which are usually mixed in beedas which are sold in forms called 120 and 420.

Ask any regular beeda user in the city for the place where you get "beedas" which gives you a high, and pat comes the reply — Thomas Street. This street has the dubious distinction of having the most number of beeda stalls which sell tobacco filled pan options. "These beeda stall owners claim that they do not even know that the tobacco filled form of Gulkand is banned," said designated food safety officer, R Kathiravan. "These beedas when consumed for the first few times can make a person feel dizzy, high and even nauseous," he said.

After a spate of raids alerted pan and department stall owners in the city, they have begun offering these products only to their "regular customers". Since there are too many of these small retailers of the banned tobacco products, the food safety department has decided to focus on wholesalers and distributors instead. "Based on these labels stuck on the products and group discussions with other food safety officers we know that these products, especially Hans, are manufactured in New Delhi and its outskirts. The products are then brought to Tamil Nadu by trucks, a small quantity by train and then very small quantities like a couple of boxes by courier," said food safety officer Kathiravan.

"Here the state head distributor, which in Hans' case is based in Chennai, sends it to district level distributors," said a senior food safety officer. "After tobacco was banned, these distributors use line men to distribute small quantities of products to shops across the city," said Kathiravan. "We have conducted raids by following the movement of the line men closely," he added.

Tobacco products, containing nicotine which acts a strong stimulant, are consumed by people from all economic backgrounds, say doctors. "It is consumed by a lot of shop keepers, construction workers and even small time businessmen," said Dr P Guhan, director, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research. "These tobacco products contain a lot of impurities besides nicotine, which are carcinogenic," he said.

However, consumption of tobacco has gone down,say officers. "Though we do not have statistics to prove it, tobacco consumption has reduced because we have managed to reduce the availability," said food safety commissioner, Kumar Jayanth. "It is not openly sold anymore or sold only in black at unaffordable rates. That is an indicator," he said.

Maggi fallout: Nestle's Pantnagar unit under watch

District authorities in Udham Singh Nagar collect samples from factory under Food Safety and Standards Act

The raging controversy over the alleged high chemicals in Nestle’s Maggi noodles on Saturday reached its Pantnagarfacility in Uttarakhand which came under scanner of the state food safety department.

The district authorities in Udham Singh Nagar collected samples from Nestle’s Pantnagar factory under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.

A high level team of the state food safety department was sent to the Pantnagar plant of Nestle India to collect samples of Maggi noodles. “We have collected some samples of Maggi Noodles from Nestle’s Pantnagar factory. The samples will be sent to various laboratories,” said Pankaj Kumar PandeyDistrict Magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar.

A sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) was also present at the factory when the samples were being collected, Pandey said.

DINAKARAN NEWS

Maggi noodles row: Case filed against Nestle, 5 others

BARABANKI, MAY 30

A case was lodged on Saturday against Nestle India in a local court here over safety standards of its Maggi product, while actors Amitabh Bachhan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta have also been separately dragged to the court for promoting the two- minute noodles brand.

While the case against Nestle India and five others was filed by the UP food regulator FSDA ( Food Safety and Drug Administration), a local advocate filed a separate case against the three cine personalities.

"Following FSDA Commissioner P P Singhs permission to file a case against Nestle India, a case has been filed in the court of ACJM (Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate) here," Barabanki Food Safety Officer V K Pandey said. The case has been lodged against the companys Nestle Nagal Kalan Industrial Area unit ( Haroli, Una in HP), Delhibased Nestle India Limited, an Easy Day outlet in Barabanki and the Delhi- based parent firm Easy Day, as also against and their FMCG ( fast moving consumer goods) managers, Mohan Gupta and Shabab Alam, Pandey said.

The FSDA had found monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in Maggi samples tested by it.

The FSDA had collected the samples from the Easy Day store in Barabanki and had sent the consignment for testing, which showed that the quantum of lead present was 17 times more than the stipulated limit, which is considered hazardous.

The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has also asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter while Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said yesterday that a class action suit can also be initiated in the matter if a complaint is lodged in this regard with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

Pantnagar factory under lens

DEHRADUN, 30 MAY

The raging controversy over the alleged high chemicals in Nestle’s Maggi noodles on Saturday reached its Pantnagar facility in Uttarakhand which came under scanner of the state food safety department. The district authorities in Udham Singh Nagar collected samples from Nestle’s Pantnagar factory under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.

Maggi noodles row: Case lodged against Nestle, 5 others

Union consumer affairs ministry asks the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter

Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday said a class action suit can also be initiated in the matter if a complaint is lodged in this regard with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. 

Barabanki: A case was lodged on Saturday against Nestle India in a Barabanki court over safety standards of its Maggi product, while actors Amitabh Bachhan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta have also been separately dragged to the court for promoting the ‘two-minute’ noodles brand.

While the case against Nestle India and five others was filed by the UP food regulator FSDA (Food Safety and Drug Administration), a local advocate filed a separate case against the three cine personalities.

“Following FSDA commissioner P.P. Singh’s permission to file a case against Nestle India, a case has been filed in the court of ACJM (Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate) here,” Barabanki Food Safety Officer V K Pandey said.

The case has been lodged against the company’s Nestle Nagal Kalan Industrial Area unit (Haroli, Una in HP), Delhi-based Nestle India Limited, an Easy Day outlet in Barabanki and the Delhi-based parent firm Easy Day, as also against and their FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) managers, Mohan Gupta and Shabab Alam, Pandey said.

The FSDA had found monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in Maggi samples tested by it. The FSDA had collected the samples from the Easy Day store in Barabanki and had sent the consignment for testing, which showed that the quantum of lead present was 17 times more than the stipulated limit, which is considered hazardous.

The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has also asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter while Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Friday that a class action suit can also be initiated in the matter if a complaint is lodged in this regard with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

The second case has been lodged by a local advocate in Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court against the cine stars for promoting Maggi noodles, saying they have been found to be harmful for public health.

There were no comments from the company.

Talking to newspersons, the advocate said he has lodged the case in the court of CJM against the three film stars who have claimed the instant noodles as healthy in TV promotions under sections 420, 272, 273 and 109.

He said these film stars have earned hefty sums by terming Maggi noodles as healthy in advertisements and alleged “this wrong publicity amounts to malafide intentions and playing with the health of the kids and young people of the country”.

Barabanki court admits complaint against Nestle India

LUCKNOW: A case has been lodged in a local court in Barabanki on Saturday against Nestle India over inadequate safety standards of its product – Maggi. The complaint was lodged by a food safety officer of Barabanki, Sanjay Singh. The complaint was accepted and admitted on Saturday. The court also asked Nestle India and five others, including retailers Easy Day, to remain present before it on July 1, in relation to the case.

Confirming the development, designated officer (food safety), in-charge of Barabanki, VK Pandey, said, “Following FSDA Commissioner PK Singh’s permission to file a case against Nestle India, a case has been filed in the court of ACJM (Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate) here.”

The case has been lodged against the company’s Nestle Nagal Kalan Industrial Area unit (Haroli, Una in HP), Delhi-based Nestle India Limited, an Easy Day outlet in Barabanki, and the Delhi-based parent firm Easy Day, as also against and their FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) managers, Mohan Gupta and Shabab Alam, Pandey said.

Meanwhile on Saturday, more than 4 teams of FSDA continued their sampling exercise under the surveillance activity in Lucknow, and collected samples of Maggi from shops located in different areas including the posh Jopling Road.

On behalf of FSDA, Pandey had collected the samples from the Easy Day store in Barabanki and had sent the consignment for testing to a Kolkata laboratory, which showed that the quantum of lead present was 17 times more than the stipulated limit, which is considered hazardous. It also found presence of mono sodium glutamate.

Following the crack down on Nestle India, the Union ministry of Consumer Affairs had also directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter. On Friday, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan had said a class action suit may also be initiated in the matter if a complaint is lodged with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

DINAMALAR NEWS

நூடுல்ஸ்க்குத் தடை? தயாராகும் மாநிலங்கள்

உங்கள் குழந்தை நூடுல்ஸை விரும்பி சாப்பிடுகிறதா? அப்படி என்றால் நிச்சயமாக இதைப் படியுங்கள். நம் உணவு மேஜை நச்சுப் பொருட்களின் கூடையாக மாறிவருகிறது என்றால் எல்லோருக்கும் அதிர்ச்சியாகத்தானே இருக்கும்? ஏற்கெனவே நாம் உட்கொள்ளும் உணவுகள் யாவும் ஏதாவது ஒருவகையில் ரசாயனக் கலவையாகி இருக்க, இப்போது வெளிச்சத்துக்கு வந்திருப்பது நூடுல்ஸ்.

' குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ள அளவுக்கு மேல் ரசாயனக் கலவை உள்ளது. அதை தடை செய்யவேண்டும்’ என்று அறிக்கை அளித்துள்ளது உத்தரப்பிரதேசத்தின் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து மேலாண்மை நிறுவனம். உத்தரப்பிரதேசம், மகாராஷ்டிராவில் நூடுல்ஸ் பாக்கெட்களுக்குத் தடை விதிக்க தீவிரமாக ஆலோசிக்கப்படும் நிலையில், கர்நாடக அரசும் பரிசோதனை நடவடிக்கையை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளது. மற்ற மாநிலங்களும் காத்துக்கொண்டிருக்காமல் நூடுல்ஸ் குறித்த ஆய்வுக்கு உத்தரவிட முன்வர வேண்டும் என்றும் குரல்கள் எழுந்துள்ளன.

அவர்கள் அளித்துள்ள அறிக்கையில், 'உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு சட்ட விதிகளைப் பின்பற்ற வேண்டியது உணவுப் பொருள் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்களின் கடமை. அவற்றைப் பன்னாட்டு நிறுவனங்கள் மதிப்பதே இல்லை. நாம் உட்கொள்ளும் நூடுல்ஸில் சராசரியாக அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட அளவைவிட ஏழு மடங்கு அதிகமாக ஈயம் கலந்துள்ளது. 0.012.5 பிபிஎம் (ஜீஜீனீ) என்ற அளவில் மட்டுமே ஈயம் கலந்திருக்க அனுமதி உண்டு. ஆனால், நூடுல்ஸில் 17.2 பிபிஎம் அளவுக்கு ஈயம் கலந்துள்ளது. இது குழந்தைகள், பெரியவர்கள் அனைவருக்குமே ஆபத்தானது. எதிர்காலத்தில் இது குழந்தைகளின் வளர்ச்சியைப் பெரிதும் பாதிக்கும். நரம்பு, மூளை, வயிறு ஆகியவற்றில் பிரச்னைகள் ஏற்படலாம். எனவே, மக்களின் நலன் கருதி இதனை தடை செய்யவேண்டும்’ என்று தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

இதுபற்றி மருத்துவர் கு.சிவராமனிடம் பேசினோம். ''நூடுல்ஸ் என்பது கார்ப்பரேட் உணவு. எங்கு பார்த்தாலும் பன்னாட்டு நிறுவனங்கள் கிளை பரப்பி தங்கள் வியாபாரத்தை நடத்திக்கொள்ள நம் சந்தையைப் பயன்படுத்தி வருகிறார்கள். இதில் பாதிக்கப்படுவது நம் மக்கள்தான். குறிப்பாகக் குழந்தைகள். நூடுல்ஸ் என்பது பட்டை தீட்டப்பட்ட மைதாவை மூலப்பொருளாகக் கொண்டு செய்யப்படுகிறது. மைதாவே கோதுமை மாவு உற்பத்தியின்போது மீதமாகும் ஒரு பொருள். அதோடு பல்வேறு ரசாயன கலவைகளைச் சேர்த்து நூடுல்ஸ் செய்யப்படுகிறது. அதிலும் முக்கியமாக மோனோ சோடியம் குளூக்கோமைட் மற்றும் காரீயம். இவை இரண்டும் சுவையூட்டுவதற்காகச் சேர்க்கப்படுகின்றன. குழந்தை​களுக்கு இது ரத்தசோகை, மூளை நரம்பு பாதிப்பு போன்றவற்றை ஏற்படுத்தும்.

நூடுல்ஸ் என்பது அவசியம் சாப்பிட வேண்டிய உணவே அல்ல. அதில், நார்ச்சத்து, புரதச்சத்து, வைட்டமின்கள் என எந்தச் சத்துகளுமே இல்லை. ஆனால், சீனர்கள் சாப்பிடும் உணவு அவர்கள் மரபுப்படி தயாரிக்கப்படுகிறது. அதில் அவர்கள் ரசாயனம் சேர்ப்பது இல்லை. இங்கு விற்கப்படுவதெல்லாம் சீன உணவே அல்ல. தங்கள் வியாபாரத்துக்காக நிறுவனங்கள் தயாரிக்கும் நச்சுக் கலவை. மோனோசோடியம் குளுக்கோமைட் என்ற சோடியம் உப்பு சுவை ஒருவரை அடிமையாக்கும் குணம் கொண்டது. குறிப்பாக, குழந்தைகளை மீண்டும் மீண்டும் இதே உணவைச் சாப்பிட வைக்கும். ஈயம் விஷத்தன்மை கொண்டது. இதைச் சாப்பிட்டால், உடல் உறுப்புகள் பாதிக்கப்படும். நரம்புப் பிரச்னைகள் ஏற்படும். கடுமையான வயிற்றுவலி வரலாம். உடல் பருமன், உயர் ரத்த அழுத்தம், மன அழுத்தம், சிறுநீரகக் கோளாறு ஏற்படும்.

இட்லி சாப்பிட்டுப் பழக்கப்பட்ட நமக்கு ரசாயன உணவுகளை உண்ணும்போது நிச்சயமாகப் பிரச்னை ஏற்படும். வீட்டில் குழந்தைகளுக்கு நமது பாரம்பர்ய தின்பண்டங்களைப் பழக்கப்படுத்த வேண்டும். ராகி, கேழ்வரகு, சாமை போன்றவற்றில் சத்தான, சுவையான உணவுகளைத் தயாரிக்கலாம். குழந்தைகளுக்கு தாய்ப்பாலுக்குப் பிறகு திட உணவுகளைப் பழக்கப்படுத்தும்போதே பாக்கெட், டின்களில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட உணவுகளைக் கொடுத்துப் பழக்குகிறார்கள். இது தவறான ஒன்று. நம் உணவில் இல்லாத சத்து வேறு எந்த உணவிலும் கிடைத்துவிடாது'' என்றார் அக்கறையுடன்.

குழந்தைகளின் ஆரோக்கியத்தில் நாம்தான் அக்கறையுடன் இருக்க வேண்டும்!

Power drinks can make you powerless

Energy drinks may give you a high, but too many can do more harm than good, doctors say, as addiction risk and misleading labels have led to their ban recently

The next time you're confused while choosing between a cup of coffee and an energy drink after a rough day at work, you might want to keep this little detail in mind - a medium-sized cup of coffee has about 150mg of caffeine, while a can of energy drink could contain anywhere from 154mg to 500mg. That is not to say that one is better than the other, but the abnormal levels of caffeine found in energy drinks have recently become a matter of much debate. Downing multiple energy drinks could mean consuming more than 400mg of caffeine, which exceeds the upper limit of daily caffeine intake. If this makes you roll your eyes, chances are you're already addicted. Caffeine tolerance of different individuals can vary, but it doesn't take an expert to point out that the level of caffeine found in many energy drinks is freakishly abnormal. Citing health concerns regarding energy drinks, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently ordered a ban on the sale and manufacture of several such drinks in the country - the ones that had an unhealthy combination of caffeine and ginseng, which had an "opposing effect on the body," and also contained "vitamins above the recommended daily allowance," the report said.

We spoke to medical professionals in the city, who helped us list the damaging effects of excess energy drink consumption, which, they say, will give you a high, but will almost always make you addicted as well. You wouldn't even know you're addicted Like smoking and alcohol, energy drinks are addictive, but not many know this. Dr Maneesh Gupta, a consultant psychiatrist in Dwarka, explains, "Energy drinks are mostly consumed by young people, who drink them while studying, especially before an exam or when they're with friends. Gradually, it becomes a habit without them realising it. I've had patients, who consume a lot of energy drinks, coming to me and complaining about not being able to sleep, irritation in their body and seeing 'flashing lights' in their head. It is a revelation for them when they find out that this comes from addiction to energy drinks.

They don't think these drinks are harmful and instead, think they are 'just another soft drink,' but energy drinks have a really, really high level of caffeine in them, which gives you a sense of false energy. After you become a regular drinker, your mind craves more caffeine. Hence, it takes a lot of time for someone who is addicted to an energy drink to wean themselves off it."

Energy drink labels are misleading Energy drinks should ideally carry warning labels about the risks of over-consumption, but doctors say that some manufacturers aren't even honest about the ingredients, let alone a health warning. Dr Nikhil Raheja, a psychiatrist at the National Institute of Psychiatry, says, "No company that manufactures energy drinks will ever come out with its true composition. These drinks contain stimulants that make you feel very active. You're able to talk nonstop, so it helps you socialise. You can work out in the gym for longer hours and it also keeps you energetic while travelling. It is a known fact in biology - anything that shows instant results is never natural, there have to be chemicals in it.

If you ever ask these companies to tell you the real ingredients, they will always give you a very evasive answer. Plus, the branding and advertisement through which they promote their product, have a deep psychological effect on you. They make wild claims and you believe them." Alcohol and energy drinks: The dangers of mixing At most bars and pubs in the city, energy drinks mixed with alcohol have become the go-to cocktails among partygoers. Dr Rahul Chandhok, senior consultant psychiatrist at Fortis, explains the adverse effects of mixing the two. He says, "Even if people are addicted to energy drinks, they will never go and see a doctor on their own, because firstly, they won't even consider that they might be addicted. Secondly, even if they do consume a lot of these drinks, they assume that the possibility of getting hooked on to them is minimal, as these drinks don't seem like alcohol. But the caffeine in energy drinks leads to a hyper-alert state of mind and makes it even more excited.

People think they are channelling this energy in a positive direction, but they are in fact consuming so many energy drinks that they can no longer focus on anything. When they mix these drinks with alcohol, they're actually doubling the harmful effects." Dr Nikhil Raheja adds, "I have noticed that some of my patients, who used to be addicted to alcohol or drugs, eventually moved on to consuming energy drinks - about 20-30 drinks in a day! There is an element of dependence and there is definitely a tendency to get hooked. There aren't many studies on this type of addiction and people don't talk much about it either. This is the reason why it is such an unpopular kind of addiction.

Any carbonated drink mixed with alcohol doubles the harmful effects. Alcohol is a depressant and energy drinks are a stimulant. So you can imagine the kind of effect the two mixed together will have on your brain - one is activating it, while the other is depressing it." Consuming too many energy drinks is not a sensible choice Dr Ankur, an emergency physician in Delhi, says, "A high dose of energy drinks could lead to restlessness, insomnia, increased heart rate, palpitations, irritability and even allergic reactions. Most of these drinks contain a very high level of sugar as well. Companies play it very smart and mislead consumers by making the sugar in their energy drink seem healthier. Sugar, too, is somewhat addictive. Hence, the addiction to energy drinks becomes very hard to cure and if the consumption is stopped abruptly - it can give you headaches and other such symptoms. There are a lot of different ways to get a healthy energy boost - good food, sufficient sleep, exercise and lots of water. Depending on energy drinks, when feeling energetic can be achieved naturally, is not a very sensible choice."

Delhi Govt to enhance punishment under food safety act

Taking a strong view against adulteration, Delhi Government has decided to amend the Food Safety & Standards Act in the next Assembly session to enhance the maximum punishment to life imprisonment. 

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked officials to initiate stringent action against adulteration. According to the government, the Food Safety and Standards Act will be amended in the Budget Session to be held in mid-June. 

"In extreme cases where adulteration could lead to death, Delhi Government has proposed imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend up to imprisonment for life and also with fine which shall not be less than Rs 20 lakh," the government said in a statement. 

As per exiting rule, in such cases, imprisonment is not less than seven years but which may extend up to life imprisonment and fine which shall not be less than Rs 10 lakh. 

The government has also proposed to increase penalty from existing Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for unhygienic or unsanitary processing or manufacturing of food. 

An official said it has also been decided that with the enhancement of penalty, the transparency aspect should be strengthened and the prosecution process should be made speedy and time-bound including by setting up of special courts, for which provision exists in the act. 

The official said that a person, involved in such adulteration which is not injurious to health, will have to face imprisonment for a term which may extend up to three years or with a fine which may extend to Rs 5 lakh or both. 

"Besides, where such adulterant is injurious to health, imprisonment will not be less than five years which may extend up to life imprisonment or with fine which may extend to Rs 10 lakh rupees, or both," the official said. 

According to the government, penalty for misleading advertisement will be Rs 10 lakh or thrice the cost of the advertisement whichever is more. 

"As per the proposal, for the purpose of adjudication under this Act, an officer not below the rank of Additional District Magistrate or Metropolitan Magistrate of the district where the alleged offence is committed, shall be notified by the State Government as the Adjudicating Officer for adjudication in the manner as may be prescribed by the central government," the government said.

AAP govt. cracks the whip against food adulteration

In extreme cases, where adulteration could lead to severe health loss, the government proposes maximum of life imprisonment.

To amend rules; adulterators can get life term

Soon, traders found involved in cases of adulteration could face stringent punishment, including life imprisonment.

Taking a strong view on adulteration, misleading advertisements, unhygienic or unsanitary processing of food and interfering with seized items following numerous complaints by consumers, the Aam Aadmi Party government has decided to amend the existing Food Safety and Standards Act, 2005, in the next part of the ongoing Assembly session and make the punishment more stringent.

Officials said the Act will be amended following the process prescribed for matters under the concurrent list. In extreme cases, where adulteration could lead to severe health loss, the Delhi Government proposes maximum of life imprisonment.

Besides proposing a life term, the government has also proposed enhancement of penalty. Also, focus is being laid on strengthening transparency, besides making the prosecution process speedy and time-bound by setting up of special courts, for which provision exists in the Act, officials added.

Milk and oil used by street vendors under govt scanner

New Delhi:

Milk and oil used by street vendors and in restaurants are under the scanner of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The authority is going to launch a massive drive for milk and oil with major sampling and testing across the country.

"Milk and oil are majorly used and adulterated by vendors. We will be harsh on such food vendors, whether they are the restaurants who serve or companies manufacturing these items. Contaminated milk and oil pose a major risk to human health. So, this has to be monitored minutely," a senior official at FSSAI said.

It has also written to all the state food safety officers to ensure food safety rules are followed by street vendors as the number of these vendors is swelling in the country.

"Street food vending has become a serious health issue and a great concern. This is due to an alarming rise in food-borne diseases which are a result of the mushrooming of wayside food vendors, who lack adequate understanding of the basic safety and hygiene issues. Major sources contributing to microbial contamination are the place of preparation of food, utensils used for cooking and serving, raw materials, lack of access to potable water, time and temperature abuse of cooked foods, inadequate solid waste management systems and the personal hygiene of the vendors," the official said.

Most food-borne diseases, if not all, can be prevented by applying the basic principles of food hygiene throughout the food chain. The FSSAI has proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Street Vended Foods. "The draft code provides the guidelines defining the general hygienic requirements and recommended practices concerning the preparation and vending of street foods," the official said.

DC NEWS - ADULTERATED JUICE

Two mango mandis raided in Shivamogga

As part of a crack down on the sale of mangoes ripened with calcium carbide, the officials of the Department of Food Safety and Standards raided two mango mandis here on Thursday.

K. Krishnappa, District Food Safety Officer, told The Hindu that during the raid on a shop owned by Naresh on O.T. Road and another shop owned by Shafiulla Ahmed on B.H. Road, packets containing calcium carbide were found in the mango crates. Samples of the fruits from such crates had been sent to the Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru, for analysis, he said. As the research had proved that the consumption of mangoes ripened with calcium carbide would cause serious health problems like cancer, ulcer and loss of appetite, the department had earlier cautioned the traders against using the chemical. The Department of Horticulture had also organised training programmes for farmers and vendors focussing on natural methods of ripening mango. The owners of the two shops that were raided on Friday were told not to sell mangoes till the receipt of laboratory report. Appropriate action would be taken based on the laboratory test report, he said.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Maggi in soup: Centre scanner on Nestle India, UP FDA to file case

New Delhi/ Lucknow, 29 May

The Union ministry of consumer affairs on Friday jumped into the controversy surrounding the reportedly high levels of monosodium glutamate ( MSG) and lead in Nestles famous noodle brand Maggi. It said it had directed the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ( NCDRC) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to take note, as it concerned the health of a large section of consumers.

“A class action suit can be initiated into the matter if a complaint is made to NCDRC,” consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Friday.

The Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also filing a case against Nestle India at a district court at Barabanki, from where it had collected the “contaminated” samples, UP FDA additional commissioner (administration) Ram Araj

Maurya told Business Standard on Friday. Barabanki FDA designated officer V K Pandey confirmed they have completed preliminary homework to present a case before the court.

The UP FDA continues to collect random Maggi samples for investigation. So far, it has collected about a dozen samples from Lucknow and is checking if these are ‘ clean’. “The reports of three such samples have come and they have tested negative. Reports of the remaining samples are awaited,” Maurya said. There are six FDA labs in UP at Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Meerut, Varanasi, Agra and Jhansi.

Last month, the UP FDA had asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles " manufactured in February 2014" after it said it had found high levels of added MSG, a taste enhancer, in the noodles and lead beyond permissible limits. 

Madhuri gets notice for endorsing Maggi

Dehradun, 29 May

Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit ( pictured) seems to have landed in a soup for endorsing Maggi with the Haridwar Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) on Friday serving a notice to her on the claims made in the advertisement.

The notice seeks a report from the actress within 15 days on claims made in the advertisement regarding the nutrition value of the 2- minute noodles, an official of Haridwar FDA said. Dixit has been asked to explain how Maggi is good for health and the basis of making the claims. If the actress fails to respond to the notice within the stipulated time, a case could be registered against her, food security officer Mahimanand Joshi said.

‘Class- action suits on firms misleading consumers’

The Union consumer affairs ministry said it would lodge class- action suits against companies against which complaints of misleading advertisements are filed. The ministry has received 116 complaints of violation of consumer rights since it launched its website. Of these, 27 are related to health, 24 are related to education and nine are related to real estate.

Notice to Madhuri for endorsing Maggi

Madhuri Dixit has been asked to explain how Maggi is good for health.

Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit seems to have landed in a soup for endorsing Maggi as the Food and Drug Administration, Haridwar, serving a notice to her on Friday on the claims made in the advertisement.

The notice seeks a report from the actor within 15 days on claims made in the advertisement regarding the nutrition value of the “2-minute noodles”, an official said.

Maggi recently came under the scanner after samples collected by the Food Safety and Drug Administration of Uttar Pradesh were reported to be containing more monosodium glutamate (MSG) and lead than the permissible limits.

The authorities asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of the popular food product from the market in Uttar Pradesh recently.

Ms. Dixit has been asked to explain how Maggi is good for health and the basis of making the claims.

If the actor fails to respond to the notice within the stipulated time, a case could be registered against her, Food Security Officer Mahimanand Joshi said.

Madhuri Dixit gets FDA notice for endorsing Maggi noodles

The notice seeks a report from Madhuri Dixit within 15 days on claims made in the advertisement.

Madhuri Dixit seems to have landed in a soup for endorsing Maggi with the Haridwar Food and Drug Administration today serving a notice to her on the claims made in the advertisement.

Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit seems to have landed in a soup for endorsing Maggi with the Haridwar Food and Drug Administration serving a notice to her on the claims made in the advertisement.

The notice seeks a report from Madhuri Dixit within 15 days on claims made in the advertisement regarding the nutrition value of the ‘2-minute noodles’, an official of Haridwar Food and Drug Administration said.

Maggi recently came under the scanner after samples collected by Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration were reported to be containing Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG) and lead more than the permissible limits.

Madhuri Dixit in Maggi Oats noodles ad.

Nestle India was asked to withdraw a batch of the popular snack from the market by the authorities in Uttar Pradesh recently.

Dixit has been asked to explain how Maggi is good for health and the basis of making the claims.

If the actress fails to respond to the notice within the stipulated time frame, a case could be registered against her, Food Security Officer Mahimanand Joshi said.

Govt asks Food Safety body to probe Maggi

NEW DELHI, MAY 29: 

Taking “serious” note of quality issues related to global giant Nestle’s noodle brand Maggi, the government has asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter.

“We have received complaints regarding Maggi and have referred them to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said here on Friday.

“The Consumer Affairs Ministry, Health Ministry and FSSAI will proceed in a coordinated manner to address the issue,” he added.

Recalling packets

Officials from the Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had, on April 30, asked the Swiss company to recall one batch containing 200,000 packets of the popular noodles that was produced in February 2014, after it found 17.20 parts per million (ppm) of lead against the 2.5 ppm norm for food items and elevated levels of artificially added MSG.

Notice to Madhuri Dixit

Meanwhile, actor Madhuri Dixit was served a notice by the Uttarakhand FDA for endorsing the “2-minute noodles” brand.

The 48-year-old actor has been asked to respond within 15 days to an advertisement which highlighted Maggi’s nutritional value, an agency report said.

A Food Security Officer of the Haridwar FDA said a case could be registered against Dixit if she failed to respond to the notice within the stipulated time-period.

More tests

Three other State governments, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka, have also said they will test samples of the product.

'Class action suit' awaits Maggi if it fails tests

NEW DELHI: The food safety regulator has picked up samples of popular Maggi noodles from Delhi after those collected from some part of UP were found containing added MSG and lead in excess of prescribed limits. The reports on the samples collected from the capital are expected in a week. 

Sources said in case of adverse findings, the consumer affairs ministry could drag Nestle, the multi-national firm which produces Maggi, to the national consumer commission for violating consumer rights in what they described would be a "class action suit" on behalf of consumers.

Consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan said his ministry has asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to look into the quality issue of Maggi. "Our responsibility is to protect the interest of consumers. It is a serious issue. FSSAI has the power to take action, including imposing fine and major punishment. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) can also start proceedings against the company, if it receives a complaint," Paswan said. 

Sources said FSSAI investigation will cover all parameters including the led content and added monosodium glutamate (MSG) more that the permissible limit. "We can file a case under the present consumer protection law against the company on behalf of the consumers. We are waiting for the FSSAI report," said a consumer affairs ministry official. 

NCDRC president Justice D K Jain said till now no one has filed a complaint against Nestle related to Maggi. "NCDRC does not have jurisdiction to take suo motu action," he said. 

Nestle has denied any irregularities and said the contents of all its products conform to the existing norms. 

Last month, Maggi noodles had come under regulatory scanner after samples from UP were found to have added MSG and lead in excess. The Lucknow Food Safety and Drug Administration had initiated inquiry and written to the FSSAI seeking to cancel the licence for Maggi. 

Sources said two types of sampling are done for testing - normal market surveillance and legal sampling. Those collected in Delhi were legal samples. They said legal sampling is followed for initiating action against any manufacturer or marketing firm where the seller is informed that the sampling is being done for testing. "This exercise is undertaken where you suspect something wrong being done intentionally. So, the samples picked up are recorded and all details are maintained," said an official.

Maggi Noodles Row: Uttar Pradesh Food Administration Gives Nod to Prosecute Nestle

A batch of Maggi noodles was found to contain very high levels of lead by Uttar Pradesh food administration

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration has given its go ahead to prosecute Nestle India, which manufactures instant noodles Maggi, a batch of which was found to contain dangerous levels of lead.

A complaint case against Nestle will be filed in the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Barabanki district, which is where the samples had been taken for testing.

Last month, the UP Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) had asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, in the noodles and lead beyond permissible limits.

Local FSDA officials had said the packets of instant noodles tested in the state-run laboratory were contaminated.

In a press statement last week, Nestle said it has submitted samples to an independent laboratory and will provide those results to officials. "We are aware of reports that tests by the local authorities have detected Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in a sample of MAGGI Noodles ...People can be confident that MAGGI Noodle products are safe to eat."

However, results of those tests are yet to be made official.

Nestle India said the batch of about 200,000 packets of noodles it was being asked to recall were made in February last year and had already reached their "best-before" date last November.

Shortly after food inspectors ordered the recall of batch of Maggie noodles across Uttar Pradesh, other states like Maharashtra and Gujarat also got Maggi noodle samples tested in their respective states, results of which are awaited.

Meanwhile, taking a "serious" note of the issues related to Maggi, the Central government today asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter.

A class action suit can be initiated into the matter if a complaint with National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) is filed, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said.

"It is a serious issue. We have referred the matter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)," Mr Paswan said.

Beware, Delhi! Your street food is shit

The report highlights that fast food consist of extremely high volume of E.coli bacteria which can cause severe infections.

If you were already battling a strong urge to refrain yourself from Maggi after the fresh controversy of excess level of lead and MSG found in it, yet another irresistible food category in India is under scanner.The spicy water filled 'golgappas' (also called as Pani puri and Puchkas) or 'steaming momos' and all other street food that you relish is highly contaminated with faeces.

A latest study carried out by Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Pusa, shows that street food items in several west and central Delhi localities contain extremely high amount of E. coli bacteria which can cause severe infections.

Dr Arpita Sharma of the Institute of Hotel Management Catering and Nutrition had conducted a survey of commonly consumed street food on 100 individuals for a microbial analysis, an news magazine reported.

According to the report, the unclean water in which the food is cooked is the primary reason for contamination along with unhygienic conditions in which the food is cooked and served. 

The report stated the prominent reasons for contamination depends on the handling practises as well as weather conditions. During summers and rainy season, bacteria are more conducive for growth.

For the study, the locations chosen for the analysis were mainly the areas which come under West and Central Delhi.The sample food products collected for the microbial analysis consist of samosa, golgappa, burger and momos and were taken from popular shops twice where sales were maximum, at one month interval.

The samples which were infected with bacteria, were drawn from both well-off localities like Connaught Place and famous markets like Rajouri Garden main market, Rajendra Place and Subash Nagar. The amount of bacteria or the normal Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliform bacteria in such foods is 50 or less as per the Central Pollution Control Board. However, the MPN of the samples was over 2,400.

These bacterial pathogens found commonly in our street eateries are bacillus cereus, clostridium perfringens, staphylococcus aureus and salmonella species. Bacillus cereus cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Clostridium perfringens causes abdominal cramps along with diarrhoea. Staphylococcus aureus may lead to appetite loss and fever, while salmonella species which leads to typhoid, food poisoning, and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has written to Delhi's food safety commissioner to check the quality of street food eateries. The Food Safety & Standards Act of 2006 keeps a check on their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import for safe human consumption. Any person found manufacturing or processing any food item in unhealthy or unhygienic conditions is liable to a penalty of up to Rs.1 lakh. Harmful food that may lead to death of any consumer may get the seller imprisoned.

Dr Manoj Singh, professor at department of pathology at AIIMS, said that E. coli can lead to typhoid and cholera. He suggested street food handlers be trained for maintaining hygiene conditions while handling food products.

BP Mishra, administrative officer with the department of food safety, Delhi government, assured that appropriate verification and actions will be taken. He also said that the government had made it mandatory for all of street food vendors to register with the government, along with training programmes for them keeping the safe and clean drinking water aspect in mind.

Government takes 'serious' note of Maggi issue; FSSAI to examine

Last month, the UP Food Safety and Drug Administration had asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found high levels of added MSG, a taste enhancer, in the noodles and lead beyond permissible limits.

Taking a "serious" note of quality issues related to global giant Nestle's famous noodle brand Maggi, the government has asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter.

Besides, a class action suit can be initiated into the matter if a complaint with National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) is filed, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said today.

Last month, the UP Food Safety and Drug Administration had asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found high levels of added MSG, a taste enhancer, in the noodles and lead beyond permissible limits.

Disputing the claim, Nestle India had said: "The company does not agree with the order and is filing the requisite representations with the authorities."

"It is a serious issue. We have referred the matter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Under the current law, FSSAI has the power to take action, including imposing fine and hefty punishment," Paswan told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

There are different authorities to handle different complaints related to different consumer items, FSSAI under the Health Ministry handles food related issues, he added.

Besides FSSAI, the Consumer Affairs Ministry has also asked the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) to take action against FMCG major Nestle India on the Maggi issue.

"It is a serious issue (but) the Commission has limited powers. It cannot take suo moto action. It can file class- action suit only after someone files complaint against the company," Paswan said.

NCDRC President Justice D K Jain said till now no one has filed a complaint against Nestle related to Maggi.

Till now, no one has filed any complaint. Somebody has to approach us so that we take class action suit. NCDRC does not have jurisdiction to take suo moto action," he said.

Jain further said: "There is a provision for class action. NCDRC is ready to take action after an NGO or any consumer body files a formal complaint.

Maggi issue to be tackled by three Government agencies

NEW DELHI, MAY 29: 

The storm surrounding Nestle’s Maggi noodles containing high levels of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavour enhancer, is likely to be tackled at least by three Government agencies, said Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Officials from the Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had on April 30 asked the Swiss company to recall one batch containing 200,000 packets of the popular noodles that was produced in February 2014. After it found 17.20 parts per million (ppm) of lead against the 2.5 ppm norm for food items and elevated levels of artificially added MSG.

“We have received complaints regarding Maggi and have referred them to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to look into the matter,” said Paswan, on the sidelines of an event.

“The Consumer Affairs Ministry, Health Ministry and FSSAI will proceed in a coordinated manner to address the issue,” he added.

Meanwhile, actor Madhuri Dixit was served a notice by the Uttarakhand FDA for endorsing the “2-minute noodles” brand. The 48-year-old actor has been asked to respond within 15 days to an advertisement which highlighted Maggi’s nutritional value.

A Food Security Officer of the Haridwar FDA stated that a case could be registered against Dixit if she failed to respond to the notice within the stipulated time-period.

Maggi episode: UP to file court case against Nestle India

UP FDA had picked up in Barabanki a batch of Maggi contaminated with lead and monosodium glutamate

Uttarpradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) will soon file a court case against Nestle India over detection of high lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) content in a batch of Maggi.

Since, the 'contaminated' batch of Maggi was picked up byFDA from Barabanki, about 25 km from the state capital here, the case would also be filed in a district court there.

"We have forwarded the recommendation to our designated district officer to file the case against Nestle India," UP FDA Additional Commissioner (Administration) Ram Araj Maurya told Business Standard today.

Barabanki FDA designated officer V K Pandey confirmed they had completed all the preliminary homework to present a foolproof case before the court.

Meanwhile, the FDA continues to collect random samples of Maggi for checking across UP. So far, about a dozen samples had been collected in Lucknow and sent to the laboratory for checking to ascertain if these batches were 'clean'.

"The lab report of three such Maggi samples has come and they have tested negative, while the report of the remaining samples is awaited," Maurya informed.

There are six FDA labs in UP at Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Meerut, Varanasi, Agra and Jhansi. Besides, the FDA has been randomly checking samples of other food items sold in UP.

"We have not initiated any special drive, but in the routine nature of our job, we have been conducting frequent checks to collect food," he added.

During a similar check, the Maggi samples collected by FDA in Barabanki, were found containing MSG beyond the permissible level.

However, Nestle contested the findings. Later, the samples were sent to the central lab in Kolkata, which not only reaffirmed the findings of the UP lab about MSG, but also detected lead in the Maggi noodles.

Later, Nestle India was asked to recall the batch.

Maggi controversy shows Indian consumers are taken for granted

Senior associate editor Ajita ShashidharIndia, with a population of 1.2 billion, is one of the world's largest consumption economy, where every global consumer products company wants to have a share of the consumption pie. Unfortunately, this is also a market which allows brands to take their consumers for granted due to lack of proper regulations.

Maggi Noodles has been facing the brunt of consumer wrath due to high contents of MSG and lead. The brand is being bashed and abused on social media. Nestle, which earns over 50% of its revenue from Maggi , has even called back the product.

But one can't really take Nestle to court as there is no regulation which states the permissible levels of MSG and lead that can be used in a product in India. One can also now argue why Nestle couldn't adhere to the global norms in India.

The Maggi controversy is not the first of its kind. Almost a decade ago, there was a furore over worms being found in Cadbury chocolates. The company had said that since most stores in India didn't have refrigeration facilities, it affected the product.

The company then came up with packaging which would keep the freshness of the product intact even if there was no refrigeration. However, it is a known fact that chocolates need to be refrigerated and if cold storage is an issue in the Indian market, the question to be asked is: Why did Cadbury have to wait for the worm controversy to change its packaging?

Even when the pesticide crisis hit the cola companies in early 2000 and wiped off their growth for over two years, the companies couldn't be blamed of violating norms as there was nothing to prove that the cola companies had violated norms. In fact, there was no norm in place. The level of contamination in our ground water is so high that any beverage using that water is bound to have pesticide contents.

The pesticide crisis had, in fact, raised the question of the existence of the cola majors in the country. Their growth in the country was virtually wiped out for close to three years. Both the companies had consciously stayed away from promoting their cola beverages and began to push their fruit-based drinks. PepsiCo began to position itself as a food and beverages company and not a beverage-only company.

When controversy hit them, Nestle, the cola majors and Cadbury did respond at once by improving their offerings, but in all the cases it came as an afterthought.

Meanwhile, sales of Maggi Noodles have dipped, though not wiped out. Kirana store owners in Mumbai say that die-hard Maggi loyalists are trying out other brands such as Sunfeast or Top Ramen. "Many of them are switching to other variants of Maggi such as Maggi Atta and Maggi Oats," points out the marketing head of a modern retail chain.

Raghu Vishwanath, MD of brand valuation company, Vertebrand, says that Nestle should actually use this crisis as an opportunity to look at further developing the product. "They should come up with a new variant that is completely devoid of MSG and lead," he says.

While a dip in sales at least in the short-term is inevitable, marketing gurus are confident that Maggi would bounce back in the long-term. If the cola brands could bounce back, there is no reason why Maggi won't. "For the kind of equity the brand has built, the consumers will forgive them," says Vishwanath.

However, there are certain things that the company should do at once in order to make sure that the consumer sentiment doesn't turn against them, says Harish Bijoor, CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults. "They must publish a white-paper in consumer interest. This white-paper must be open and frank and must pack brand and product transparency in its submission to the public at large. This will enhance the image of nestle in India for sure," he says.

Tests on Delhi eateries show high level of faecal matter in street food

The study by Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Pusa, shows extremely high volume of E. coli bacteria, which can cause severe infections, in these snacks

NEW DELHI: If you were so far unable to fight the urge of digging into spicy water-filled crispy golgappas or steaming momos, here's a very strong - and shocking - reason: the latest study has found high faecal contamination in such fast food and junk food items, especially in several west and central Delhi localities.

Underlining that street food and hygiene have always been strange bedfellows, the study by Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Pusa, shows extremely high volume of E. coli bacteria, which can cause severe infections, in these snacks.

Taking note of the report, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has written to Delhi's food safety commissioner to check the quality of street food items.

"We conducted the study to analyse the microbial load in Delhi's street food. It was done with a survey of commonly consumed street food by 100 individuals," said Dr Arpita Sharma of the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition.

"We chose five locations in West Delhi, where daily sales were the maximum, for collecting samples. For microbial analysis, five street and five franchisee food products were taken from the most popular shops. We collected food samples (samosa, golgappa, burger and momos) twice from the street shops and franchisee outlets at a one-month interval," she said, adding that the samples were drawn from west and central Delhi. Also read: Milk and oil used by street vendors under govt scanner

To the surprise of scientists, even samples from posh areas like Connaught Place were found infected with bacteria. Other famous markets from where samples were lifted are Rajouri Garden main market, Rajendra Place and Subash Nagar.

The normal Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliform bacteria is 50 or less as per the Central Pollution Control Board, but it was found to be over 2,400 in the samples of branded burger, vegetarian and non-vegeterian momos and other food items.

The bacterial pathogens commonly found in street eateries are Bacillus cereus (causes vomiting and diarrhoea), Clostridium perfringens (abdominal cramps and diarrhoea), Staphylococcus aureus (vomiting, appetite loss, abdominal cramps and mild fever) and Salmonella species (typhoid, food poisoning, irritation and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract).

"This is a matter of great concern. I would never eat street food after reading this report," said Dr Shobha Broor, microbiologist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). "The report literally means that whatever we eat, we are ingesting faeces."

The presence of coliform in the samples indicates the absence of clean water as well as unhygienic conditions at the place where the food was prepared. "E. coli ends up in food through faecal matter. The source could be contaminated water. At most of the street vendors, or even branded outlets, the quality of water and handling of food lack supervision," the report states.

Other experts Mail Today spoke to also confirmed that the study's findings were worrisome. Dr Manoj Singh, professor at department of pathology, AIIMS, said: "E. coli can cause many diseases, like typhoid and cholera. Street food handlers should be trained for maintaining health and hygiene."

Dr Sharma said: "A positive coliform test in golgappa water is a direct indication of faecal contamination. There was high bacteria count in burgers, momos and samosas too . In burgers and momos, the vendors use raw vegetables that increase chances of cross-contamination of various disease-causing bacteria.

Contamination

As far as samosas are concerned, potatoes and spices get contaminated due to unhygienic food handling practices. Bacterial and fungus contamination depend on weather too. In summers and rains, bacteria and fungi get conducive environment to circulate freely."

In India, the Food Safety & Standards Act of 2006 covers food items and regulates their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import for safe human consumption. According to the Act, any person who manufactures or processes any food item in unhygienic or unsanitary conditions shall be liable to a penalty up to Rs 1 lakh. Harmful food which may cause death can also get the seller imprisoned.

"We frequently check the quality of food items. I need to see the complaint and the concern expressed by FSSAI. Then we will lift samples from the said areas and test these in our laboratories. If the shops are found guilty, proper penal action will be taken against them," said B.P. Mishra, administrative officer with the department of food safety, Delhi government.

"As for street vendors, we are streamlining the community. We have made it mandatory for them to register with the government so that we know who is operating where. We are also arranging training programmes for them and providing them with safe drinking water," he added.

No standard method to find 'added MSG' in food products: Food scientists

Food scientists in the country are questioning the credibility of testing food products to find 'added Monosodium Glutamate' (MSG) and authenticity of such recent claims by food safety authorities in light of the recent case of Maggi noodles.

In a serious blow to the food safety authorities of the country, which claim to have detected 'added MSG' in some products and in a mission mode to find more, food technologists underlined that there is no standard method to differentiate between 'added MSG' and the naturally occurring glutamate in any food product, though the high content of lead found in the sample is a serious concern. In fact, there is no regulation to control the naturally occurring MSG in a food product. 

In the above-mentioned recent case, Uttar Pradesh Food Safety & Drugs Administration (UP FSDA) had detected presence of MSG and lead in samples of Maggi noodles beyond permissible limits.

Apart from triggering nationwide testings by respective FDAs and FDCAs, the case has brought into focus the issue of 'added MSG.’ However, experts feel that the issue will die down soon, as there is no way to find ‘added MSG’ nor are there any regulations in place to control it. Further, Maggi noodles, manufactured by Nestle, do have ingredients such as hydrolysed vegetable protein, that can produce glutamate naturally. Also scientists and technologists have acknowledged that it is a smart strategy adopted by Nestle to have MSG in its products, while claiming “no added MSG.” 

Harshdeep Kamble, FDA commissioner of Maharashtra, acknowledged the fact that there is no scientific method to differentiate between 'added MSG' and naturally occurred one in a recent meeting of scientific community. He stated, “We need and will to work together with scientists and technologists to develop any such laboratory technique or method for further regulations and implementation which would definitely help in transparency.”

Meanwhile, Sanjeev Sharma, a food technologist and owner of Food Pathshala (an online food safety portal), said, “There is no standard method, at least in India, to detect 'added MSG' in any food product because the glutamate in MSG is chemically indistinguishable from glutamate present in food proteins. MSG occurs naturally in ingredients such as hydrolysed vegetable protein, autolysed yeast, hydrolysed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate, as well as in tomatoes and cheeses. And there is no regulation by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to control the naturally occurring glutamate.”

Himanshu Manglik, spokesperson, Nestle India, explained, “We do not add MSG to our Maggi noodles sold in India and this is stated on the concerned product. However, we use hydrolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour to make Maggi noodles sold in India, which contain glutamate. We believe that the authorities’ tests may have detected glutamate, which occurs naturally in many foods. We have in place strict food safety and quality controls at our Maggi factories, including thorough quality checks at each stage of our raw material sourcing and manufacturing process.” 

The only regulation on MSG by FSSAI read, “Every advertisement for and/or a package of food containing added Monosodium Glutamate shall carry the following declaration, namely, This package of (name of the food contains added) Monosodium Glutamate.” In fact, US FDA has a regulation which reads, “foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim “No MSG” or “No added MSG” on their packaging,” which controls the naturally occurring MSG in food products. But no such regulations are present in the FSSAI norms. 

Nilesh Lele, secretary, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists India (AFSTI), said, “We are not standing with food safety authorities or the manufacturers of the brand in this issue of MSG, in fact, high level of lead found in the sample is the real issue. We need to find a proper solution by developing a scientific method to detect 'added MSG' and should also have the right regulations to control any food safety violations. In the same time no regulations should be misused, which could be counter-productive. In case of Maggi noodles, it has already affected the sales and image of the brand.”

Maggi, Lead and Ajinomoto

"My job is to protect the health of US citizens and we will not allow sale of any food or drug item that compromises on the quality standards we prescribe whether it be from India or any other country," Michael R. Taylor, the US Food and Drug Administration(USFDA)'s Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine told Business Today in March after inspecting many food processing companies in India.

Can India's food regulator YS Malik, CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), say this with the same confidence of Taylor?

It is interesting to probe this in the wake of the 'Maggi controversy'.

Reportedly, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Uttar Pradesh government says its sample-testing recently revealed that Swiss multinational Nestle's Indian arm Nestle India's flagship brand 'Maggi' noodles contained more than the 'permissible' amounts of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Nestle claims it has not done anything against the laws prescribed by the Indian authorities.

For many, it is hard to believe Nestle-which has enough resources for ensuring the best quality for its products and services-will compromise on such a sensitive food item, its main revenue earner in India and a product consumed mostly by millions of children. For many anti-multinationals, especially on social media, it is another glaring example of how multinationals make huge profits, while compromising on the health of our people and rules of the land. 

In 2004, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) had published an article saying India's Ayurvedic herbal medicine product (HMPs) contained high levels of lead, mercury, and arsenic, all harmful to health. Following this, many drug regulators banned Indian Ayurvedic products, despite the fact that India's Ayurveda is over 5,000 years old and our forefathers knew the science to turn even toxic metals into medicines.

Here the story and issue is different. Nestle confidently says there are no stated levels of MSG in India and since it does not add any artificial glutamate in Maggi, it is not bound to mention the chemical on the packets. 

MSG is a popular taste enhancer, especially in Chinese, Korean and Japanese foods. It is popularly known in India for a Japanese company's brand, Ajinomoto. Nestle says the contamination could be due to presence of MSG naturally in many foods, like tomatoes, parmesan, potatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables and fruits.

But Nestle may not be able to sell Maggi in the US like the way they sell it in India.

"The Food and Drug Administration (US) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that's 'generally recognised as safe,' but its use remains controversial. For this reason, when MSG is added to food, the FDA requires that it be listed on the label", says a Mayo clinic (one of the world's best cancer and disease research centre in the US) note on MSG. The adverse reactions to foods containing MSG, known as 'MSG symptom complex', include headache, flushing, sweating, facial pressure or tightness, numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas, heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea, weakness etc. However, researchers have found no definitive evidence of a link between MSG and these symptoms, says the Mayo note.

Then how does Nestle confidently say there are no 'stated levels of MSG in India'?

Here is the key. Malik's FSSAI approved the 'Standards for Food Additives in Foods' following its meeting on January 16, 2015, among many other food standards like that for milk and milk products. But these are yet to be framed as rules since further discussions and amendments to the Act are required. The regulator had issued guidelines in 2011 including the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 and the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) 2011. India formulated the rules for food only in 2006 with the Food Safety and Standards Act, which consolidates various acts and orders, governed by various ministries and departments. FSSAI's job is to lay down science based standards for food and to regulate the sector. 

"FSSAI is continuously striving to expand and update the food standards. However, as you are all aware, setting of science-based standards for food articles is a time-consuming and continuous process", says Malik in a recent internal newsletter.

Taylor's confidence stems from the fact that the US FDA is a huge organisation, employing over 8,000 people at least with well-defined rules, technology and systems developed and enacted over so many decades. As against this, the toddler FSSAI has a handful of employees spread over its head office and eight regional offices. It is up to the states to enforce regulations in the sector. Regular surveillance, monitoring and sampling of food products is being undertaken by states.

In some states like Maharashtra and Gujarat, food and drug is under one department. In other states, it comes under the health department or under food and civil supplies or under some other ministry and officials. In almost all states, the ground realities are the same as in the past, despite a central regulator and rules in place. Manpower is a big issue in most states. And their task is also herculean. Till February, FSSAI granted 18,736 central licenses, states and the union territories granted 5,50,808 licenses. There is also a registered base of 23,73,484 Food Business Operators (FBOs) in the food sector. It is practically impossible to collect samples and monitor all these units on a regular basis, even with thousands of officials.

Our testing facilities infrastructure is also pathetic. There are only 166 approved labs, including 72 in public sector, that are capable of testing samples collected from the near 24 lakh FBOs. Of this, the NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) labs are less than 90 and there are some 12 referral labs of repute. But their workload is huge.

The Central food Lab in Kolkata caters to six states. The CFTRI Mysore covers seven states and union territories. The State Public Health Lab, Pune, caters to ten states and UTs, the Food Research and Standardization Laboratory in Ghaziabad also caters to seven states and UTs. Capability wise, the four labs under the Spices Board can take care of spices, the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) in Bangalore is probably the only, and the best competent lab, to test pesticide residue in fresh and processed food. Pesticide residue, heavy metals, microbial contamination, food additives etc can be tested at Indian Institute of Vegetable Research at Varanasi. Milk and milk products have to go to Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock Food (CALF) in Anand, Gujarat. Similarly, IICT Hyderabad can only authentically test fat and oils. So, a sample collected today may be tested after many years!

No wonder YS Malik says we have to go miles, while Michael R. Taylor says 'we will not allow selling sub-standard food products'.

FSDA continues raids on noodle brand

LUCKNOW: The Food Safety and Drug Administration on Thursday informed that it will continue to conduct raids throughout the state to ensure no contaminated sample of the Maggi brand of instant noodles is left in the market.

Commissioner FSDA P K Singh said a general surveillance in this regard would be carried out by the department throughout the state and added that some more samples have been taken from Lucknow and Agra. Singh said, "There is demand to take legal action against the company and in a week's time, there should be a decision."

Recently, the FSDA of Uttar Pradesh had confirmed presence of lead and mono sodium glutamate (MSG) beyond permissible limit in samples of Maggi, seized from a store in Barabanki. Since then, three state governments - Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka - have said they will test samples too. Centre has said Food Safety & Standards Authority of India will look into the matter.

High level of lead in food is known to be harmful, MSG is a flavour enhancer commonly added to Chinese food. To most Indians, it is known as Ajinomoto, because of the Japanese company of the same name that has been manufacturing it for over 100 years.

'மேகி' பாக்கெட்டுகள் பரிசோதனை:உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையம் உத்தரவு

லக்னோ:நாடு முழுவதும் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும், 'மேகி நுாடுல்ஸ்' பாக்கெட்டுகளை பரிசோதனை செய்யும்படி, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.இதுகுறித்து, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத்தின் துணை ஆணையர் விஜய் பஹதுார் கூறியதாவது:குழந்தைகளின் வளர்ச்சி மற்றும் திறனுக்கு ஆபத்தை ஏற்படுத்தக்கூடிய, மோனோ சோடியம் குளூடமேட் (எம்.எஸ்.ஜி.,) எனும் அமினோ ஆசிட் ரசாயனம், மேகி நுாடுல்சில் இருப்பதாக கண்டறியப்பட்டது.

தற்போது சந்தையில் விற்கப்படும் மேகி மாதிரி பாக்கெட்டுகள் சோதனைக் காக சேகரிக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. உ.பி., மாநிலம், பாராபங்கி மாவட்டத்தில், 'மார்ச் 2014' தேதியிடப்பட்ட மேகி பாக்கெட்டில், மோனோ சோடியம் குளூடமேட் மற்றும் லெட் (ஈயம்) நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட அளவை விட கூடுதலாக உள்ளது. எனவே, பாராபங்கியில் இதன் விற்பனைக்கு தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டதுடன் அவற்றை திரும்பப் பெறும்படி, 'நெஸ்லே' நிறுவனத்துக்கு உத்தரவிடப்பட்டது.மார்ச் 2014 தேதியிட்ட மேகி பாக்கெட்டுகளை தவிர மற்ற விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் மேகி பாக்கெட்டுகளின் மாதிரிகள் சேகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. அதன் பரிசோதனை அறிக்கை இன்னும் வரவில்லை.

இந்நிலையில், நாடு முழுவதும் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் மேகி பாக்கெட்டுகளை பரிசோதனை செய்யும்படி, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையம் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறிஉள்ளார்.