'Staff Crunch Not To Affect Crackdown'

COIMBATORE: Activists have welcomed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s initiative on regulating fat, sugar and salt content in food, but they feel that implementation of such regulations would be difficult, given its limited manpower.

The FSSAI has constituted an expert group to advise it on the health risks associated with high consumption of fat, sugar and salt, their current consumption by Indians and their levels in Indian food products in the market.

The adverse effects caused by food high in fat, sugar, salt, commonly referred to as ‘junk food’, on the health of consumers has been a matter of serious concern, FSSAI said in its order constituting the committee.

R Kathiravan, FSSAI Designated Officer in Coimbatore, said the shortage of personnel would not be a problem in carrying out the required checks. “We have adequate manpower to perform these duties. If we get relevant orders from the authorities to test fat, sugar and salt content in food items, we will be able to do it,” he told Express.

In Coimbatore district, only 26 out of the 31 posts of Food Safety Officers have filled. Five posts are vacant.

The major constraint in implementing the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is the lack of adequate laboratory facilities to test the samples collected, said V Raveendran, said a Food Safety Officer in Coimbatore.

A roadside fast food stall in Coimbatore; (right) salt packets for sale in a shop 

“There are now only six laboratories in Tamil Nadu which are approved by the government for food tests. Only tests done in these labs are legally valid. In the laboratory in Coimbatore, samples from Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Erode and Tirupur are tested. Samples from Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri are tested in a Salem lab. Because of the limited number of recognised labs, we have a backlog of food samples taken for testing,” he added.

“We routinely collect food samples and test them for violation of the Food Safety Act. We also collect samples based on complaints. In the case of cooked food, samples are collected only if there are complaints,” he said.

The Food Safety and Standards Act should be strengthened, said Coimbatore Consumer Cause secretary K Kathirmathiyon.

“FSSAI should collect more samples regularly and test them. The results of these tests should be published on its website and not kept a secret. Only then will manufacturers and traders fear losing customers and consumers themselves gain confidence,” he said.

Also, FSSAI officials should be able to function without interference and must not misuse their power, he added.