1,724 bottles of imported beer seized in raid

They were up for sale after expiry date

Beer bottles that were stocked beyond expiry date being seized by the Food safety officials at Mettupalayam near Coimbatore on Friday.

The sale of imported beer on ‘buy one get one free’ offer has landed a bar attached to a leading resort near Mettupalayam in trouble.

The Designated Officer of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department’s Food Safety Wing, R. Kathiravan, who led the team that conducted a surprise raid in the bar, said that 1,724 bottles of beer in 86 cases with expiry date of February 20, 2015, were seized.

Mr. Kathiravan told The Hindu that the raid was conducted based on a complaint received via email from a lawyer based at Chennai.

The officer said that the product on sale was a Russian brand manufactured on February 20, 2014.

“But, the consignment of 2,000 bottles had reached the bar only on the date of expiry,” he said.

The bar authorities had tampered with the hologram seal on the bottles and had also concealed the expiry date with a sticker. After inspecting the bar and the warehouse where the bottles were stored, the officer said that the bar had already sold 276 bottles - priced at Rs. 300 each - and that the remaining stock worth Rs. 5.17 lakh was seized during the raid that went on for more than three-and-a-half hours.

“Samples of beer will be sent to the Food Analysis Laboratory in Coimbatore for testing,” he said and added that the result was expected in two weeks. Based on the outcome of the analysis, legal action would be initiated against those found guilty. Officials who conducted the raid include Food Safety Officers S. Rajeshwaran, K. Chandran and Gerald Sathya Punithan.

‘Samples of beer will be sent to the Food Analysis Laboratory in Coimbatore for testing’

Fake gutka worth over Rs 6.40 lakh seized in Thane Dist

The officials of Food and DrugAdministration have seized packets of different brands ofgutka and pan masala worth over Rs 6.40 lakh during a raidon a godown in Bhiwandi town of the district.

Acting on a tip-off, the FDA officials last eveningraided the godown of one Shaikh Israr Mohamamad and seizedduplicate brands of banned gutka and paan masala includingthat of Vimal worth Rs 6,41,800 during the raid, sources inFDA said. Taking the advantage of darkness, he tried to flee fromthe spot but was arrested by the officials. The arrested accused was manufacturing the banned gutkaand was repacking it in small pouches in a unit within the godown. 

The FDA team also seized a packing machine and a pickupvan from there. Offences under Sections 328, 420, 468, 471, 188, 272,273 of the Indian Penal Code and also Sections 26 and 27 ofthe Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 have been registered with the local police against the alleged accused, sources added.

New GMO potatoes, apples approved for US market

Potatoes that are genetically engineered to withstand bruising and produce less of a harmful chemical when fried, along with two kinds of browning- resistant apples were approved for the US market today. 

"These foods are as safe and nutritious as their conventional counterparts," said a statement by the Food and Drug Administration. 

The ruling applies to six varieties of potatoes, known by the trade name Innate potatoes, genetically engineered by J R Simplot Company in Idaho. 

The potatoes not only resist bruising, they also produce less acrylamide, a chemical that can form in some foods during high-temperature cooking or frying, and has been found to be carcinogenic in lab rats. 

The FDA also approved two kinds of apples engineered to resist browning from cuts and bruises, known as Arctic apples, made by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc. In Canada. 

The FDA said it "has no additional food safety questions at this time concerning food from these plant varieties," after a review of the data that included safety and nutritional information provided by the companies that make the products. 

"The consultation process includes a review of information provided by a company about the nature of the molecular changes and the nutritional composition of the food compared to traditionally bred varieties," said Dennis Keefe, director of the FDA's Office of Food Additive Safety. 

"This case-by-case safety evaluation ensures that food safety issues are resolved prior to commercial distribution.

Govt raises the steaks; beef to no longer be rare

PANAJI: Not only will BJP-led government in Goa not join Maharashtra and Haryana in banning beef, an essential part of cuisine of the minority Christian and Muslim communities, but has taken adequate steps to import beef to mitigate any shortage due to the crisis in the state arising out of some NGOs raising a heckle on transportation of bulls, chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar told TOI on Friday.

Parsekar reiterated the state government's stated position that the BJP government will not ban sale of beef in Goa and made it clear he would not follow other states.

The CM said that eating beef is a part of the minority communities' food habit and his government does not want to betray the trust of Christians and Muslims, which BJP took several years to earn in the state.

There has been a shortage in beef supplies in the state after some NGOs blocked transportation of bulls into the state and the government machinery cracking a whip on stalls which were unhygienic and not possessing licences to operate, as reported in TOI.

Parsekar said "beef will continue to be sold in Goa. At present, Goa gets beef supplies from Belgaum in neighbouring Karnataka to overcome the shortage due to closing down of some illegal stalls". The CM said that the state government will monitor the supply of beef to Goa, keeping in mind that beef hygiene is not compromised and Goa's minorities get good quality beef at their door step.

He said that the state-owned Goa meat complex (GMC) is being modernized and as soon as the upgradation is complete, operations will commence.

Recently, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) conducted a special inspection of meat stalls and shops across the state and found 77 shops operating without a food safety licence. Parsekar said that meat stalls have to comply with FDA norms and run their business. "The government cannot exempt beef stalls from obtaining licences," the CM added.

Two weeks ago, traders stopped getting oxen and bulls following monitoring by some NGOs along with the state government. Meat traders alleged that the state government machinery has started harassing meat traders while bringing bulls in the state. Following the trader's decision to stop the meat and bulls import, there was shortage of beef in Goa, as reported by TOI.

Meat complex chairman Lyndon Monteiro said that they are the facilitators to obtain beef from other states to overcome the beef shortage. "Currently, there is no beef shortage in the state," he claimed.

Monteiro said that on Saturday the meat complex will import 10 tonnes of beef from Karnataka for supplies in Goa. He said that the meat complex is ready for slaughtering and as and when traders bring animals, they can start slaughtering.

Identification of Food Products and Their Markets

The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Commerce, has identified product specific production clusters in different States to encourage export oriented production. APEDA has also commissioned a study on augmenting export of value added food products from India. 

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the various regulations made thereunder lay down the food quality and safety standards in India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, a statutory body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is in the process of harmonizing the existing food products standards with CODEX international food standards. APEDA has developed web-based traceability system for tracing, tracking, product recall under a single window clearance system for peanuts, grapes, pomegranate and organic products. Exports of these products are routed through this online system. 

Encouraging exports of food products is a continuous process. The Government is taking steps to encourage exports of food products through measures and incentives under Plan schemes of the Commodity Boards and Export Promotion Councils. Besides these measures, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has put in place various schemes namely Market Development Assistance (MDA), Market Assistance Initiative (MAI), Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE), Vishesh Krishi and Gram Upaj Yojana (VKGUY), Focus Product Scheme, Focus Market Scheme, Town of Export Excellence, etc. to provide assistance to encourage exports. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of 14 scheduled products. APEDA participates in several international trade fairs every year to promote the export of agro products from India. APEDA also works with the regulatory bodies in the importing countries to negotiate and achieve market access for Indian agro products. To enhance the capabilities of the exporters, APEDA extends financial assistance for market, quality and infrastructure development to registered members under the plan scheme Agriculture Export Promotion Scheme. 

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.