Bombay High Court reserves order till August 3 on Nestle plea against Maggi ban

Nestle's lawyer Iqbal Chhagla said the company was agreeable to the suggestion but the tests should be conducted in the presence of a renowned scientist.

The Bombay High Court on Friday reserved its order till August 3 on a petition filed by Nestle India against orders of Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Food and Drugs Administration of Maharashtra banning Maggi as it contained lead beyond permissible limit.

Nestle argued that its product did not contain lead in excess of permissible ceiling and challenged the tests by FSSAI and FDA, while the food regulators asserted that the lead content in Maggi detected during tests in reputed laboratories was harmful to public health.

The order was reserved by justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawala who had asked both the sides to give their consent for a fresh independent test. However, the parties could not arrive at a consensus to the suggestion mooted by HC which said it would pass an order on Monday.

Nestle’s lawyer Iqbal Chhagla said the company was agreeable to the suggestion but the tests should be conducted in the presence of a renowned scientist and the samples available with the company should be used.

Darius Khambata, appearing for FDA, contended that one of the samples must be from the lot collected by state FDA.

“For us, consumer interest is most important… this litigation may go on but we feel that the issue should be resolved amicably and therefore we suggested the parties to agree to a fresh independent test,” the bench observed.

“As both the parties have given their say to our suggestion, we shall give an order on Monday on the issue,” the judges said while adjouring the matter until then.

The Nestle lawyer alleged that FSSAI and FDA had not followed the principles of natural justice by not giving a hearing to the company before banning nine variants of Maggi on the ground of lead content in it being in excess of the permissible limit.

Also, though only three variants were tested, the regulators banned all nine variants of Maggi, Chhagla argued.

He said there was no substance in FSSAI’s allegation about the company destroying evidence by burning Maggi stock.

“On the contrary, we have acted on the instructions of the food regulators by destroying Maggi product,” he said.

Compulsory Testing of Packaged Food Products

Compulsory Testing of Packaged Food Products
As per the conditions of license prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, all food business operators have to ensure testing of relevant chemical and/or microbiological contaminants in food products in accordance with these regulations as frequently as required on the basis of historical data and risk assessment to ensure production and delivery of safe food through own or NABL accredited /Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified labs at least once in six months. Every food business operator in the country has to follow and comply with Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations made there under.
Besides, safety standards of food items have been notified in respect of around 365 categories of food products. These standards are enforced by the Food Safety Departments of the States/UTs.
The MoS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.

Non-Defining of Junk Food Under Food Safety Act

Junk Food has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.
At present, there is no proposal under consideration of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to define junk food under the FSS Act. However, guidelines for making available Wholesome, Nutritious, Safe and Hygienic Food to School children in the country have been framed by the Central Advisory Committee, FSSAI.
The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), ICMR has not conducted a study on junk food. A study had, however, been conducted by NIN to assess ill-effects of consumption of Carbonated Water beverages (CWBs) on the health of adolescents and young Adults, which showed higher increments of body fat in young consumers.
The consumers are educated/made aware of the food safety through consumer awareness programmes launched jointly by the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). These include advertisements in different media, campaigns launched by the FSSAI on social media such as Face-book, documentary films on YouTube, educational booklets, information on FSSAI website, stalls at Fairs/Melas/Events and mass awareness campaigns.
The MoS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.

What defines junk food? Health ministry has no idea

The health ministry has done quite a lot in framing reports and conducting studies but has never defined junk food in any way.
NEW DELHI: While India may be pushing for rules to regulate packaged food, supplements and dietary items, it has absolutely no guidelines for "junk food".
In fact, "Junk Food" has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.
"At present, there is no proposal under consideration of the health ministry to define junk food under the FSS Act. However, guidelines for making available wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic food to school children in the country have been framed by the Central Advisory Committee, FSSAI," the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), ICMR has not conducted a study on junk food. A study had, however, been conducted by NIN to assess ill-effects of consumption of Carbonated Water beverages (CWBs) on the health of adolescents and young adults, which showed higher increments of body fat in young consumers.
In such a situation, the ministry is banking on consumer awareness programmes.
"Consumers are educated/made aware of the food safety through consumer awareness programmes launched jointly by the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). These include advertisements in different media, campaigns launched by the FSSAI on social media such as Face-book, documentary films on YouTube, educational booklets, information on FSSAI website, stalls at Fairs/Melas/Events and mass awareness campaigns," MoS, Health, Shripad Yesso Naik told the Rajya Sabha.
"As per the conditions of license prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, all food business operators have to ensure testing of relevant chemical and/or microbiological contaminants in food products in accordance with these regulations as frequently as required on the basis of historical data and risk assessment to ensure production and delivery of safe food through the operator's own laboratory or NABL accredited /Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified labs at least once in six months," Naik said.
Every food business operator in the country has to follow and comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder, he added.
"Besides, safety standards of food items have been notified in respect of around 365 categories of food products. These standards are enforced by the Food Safety Departments of the States/UTs," he said.

Your samosa is cooked in 1-year-old oil!

KOCHI: Better check before you dig into mouthwatering snacks made by street shops. While many of you may find the food yummy, the unhygienic conditions under which they are prepared may lead to health issues.
Several restaurants are also guilty of serving food made using reused oil, adulterants and in unhygienic kitchens.
The ongoing drive by food inspectors have once again underlined the fact that the food served by these shops is not really safe. These unsafe roadside favourites include bhel puri, paani puri, kuluki sarbath, fried items such as vada and pazham pori, displayed usually in glass shelves at these shops.
T A Abdul Majeed, senior district food safety officer, said, "During our inspections in eateries, we found unhygienic kitchens, dirty shelves storing food items, and reused oil which had 'tar-like' consistency. Cooked food items, meant for customers, were kept uncovered under cots of workers, mostly migrants, in their rooms."

"Most often, these eateries, particularly chat centres, fail to meet health and hygiene standards. The oil is reused over and over, I have even seen instances where owners admit to using the same oil for a year! Most often the leftover food is reheated and served the next day. The ingredients too are not fresh or of poor quality. The water used in such places is sourced from taps and wells and not boiled or filtered. I would advise people not to eat such food," said K V Shibu, assistant commissioner of food safety, Kochi.
Another favourite kuluki sarbath is a repository of e-coli. "We found e-coli in the water used for making this sarbath. Our continuous inspections have made the quality of the ice better to a certain extent," he said.
At some restaurants, officials found adulterants like non-permitted synthetic colours in biriyani. It's mandatory for restaurants to warn customers of food items that contain, monosodium glutamate or aginomoto, but it's not done, he said. "We try to provide the best food, and that too at nominal prices. Everyday, I use over two litres of oil because samosas, bondas and pakodas need to be deep fried. I do reuse the oil, but not more than a few times. Ingredients are expensive and if I charge Rs 25 for a samosa, nobody will buy it. I have regular customers. If the food was bad or unhygienic, they would have definitely stopped coming," said Thakur Singh, a native of MP who runs a chat stall on Marine Drive.

Liquor Samples Fail Quality Test in Pondy

PUDUCHERRY:After the Maggie noodles controversy over food safety, now alcoholic beverages, including whisky, brandy and wine of some branded companies sold in Puducherry, were found to fall short of the food safety standards fixed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under Food Safety and Standards (Contamination, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
The Puducherry Food Safety Department had found 23 samples that it tested randomly in 2014 (till September 30) to be not in conformity with safety standards. Action may be taken on companies as the alcohol content in 22 samples were found to be lower than what was indicated. Improvement notice was issued to one company, the report said.
In all, 972 food and beverage samples were collected randomly and tested in the UT of Puducherry in 2014 (till September) out of which 30 samples have been found not conforming to the prescribed standards fixed by FSSAI, according to Annual Laboratory Testing Report in states and UTs released by Union Health Minister J P Nadda in the Lok Sabha recently. This includes 23 alcoholic beverages, one non-alcoholic beverage (soft drink), one sample each of jaggery, ripe mangoes, pickles and three samples of iodised salt did not comply with standards. “We are taking action. Improvement notices have been issued for jaggery, mangoes and pickles. The non-alcoholic beverage case is in Consumer Court,” said an official.
In neighbouring Tamil Nadu 1,047 food samples were found wanting in food safety standards. This resulted in 486 criminal cases, 64 civil cases and 203 convictions with a penalty of Rs 34,99,700 raised.
This is part of 12,077 samples failing to meet the food safety standards in the country out of 60,548 samples tested in the entire country in 2014-2015. While 1,989 civil cases and 7,241 criminal cases were launched resulting in 1,355 convictions and a penalty of Rs 10,64,03,414 was raised, stated the report. Even in 2013-2014,319 food and beverage samples have been found to be adulterated or misbranded in Puducherry out of 4,741 samples collected and tested in Puducherry. A good number of the samples are drinking water which were found to be contaminated, sources said. The Food Safety Department has issued directions to the Public Health Department to rectify the water supply, said an official of the department.
In the country also 13,571 samples found adulterated and misbranded out of 72,200 samples tested in 2013-2014. In the action taken 3,105 criminal cases and 7,130 civil cases were launched and 913 convictions resulted and an amount of Rs 7,29,89,474 was raised.

Food outlets at bus depots under scanner

MEERUT: To keep a check on food adulteration at bus depots, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) department of Meerut has brought all the eateries in the area under its scanner. The department had recently received complaints of adulteration in mango shake, nimbu pani and other drinks sold at the depot. The department had launched an anti-adulteration drive a week ago.
"I have received complaints about people selling adulterated food items at bus depots. Taking this into account, we have started an anti-adulteration drive, which will last for one week. During this drive, samples of drinks and unpacked food items will be taken and sent to the laboratory for testing," said JP Singh, chief food safety officer, Meerut district.
This has come days after chief secretary Uttar Pradesh issued guidelines to the DMs of all the 75 districts to inspect the bus depots and clean the areas, especially near the eating areas, to avert spread of any diseases from there due to the ongoing monsoon season.
Thousands of commuters take UPSRTC buses every day. Moreover, they also stop by and eat at the eating outlets in the bus depots. But due to incessant rainfall, the bus-stops and the eating areas become filthy as garbage collects near them. The DMs are requested to inspect the bus-stops and see that the surrounding conditions are hygienic for the commuters," read the government order issued by Uttar Pradesh chief secretary, Hemant Rao.
The order was issued keeping in mind the health and hygiene of commuters of Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses.
"As of now, we will take samples and issue them notices in case any rule is being flouted. A case will be registered against them only if any adulteration is found in the samples taken. We have got complains of artificial colour being used in the mango shake and nimbu pani," said Singh

Why Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is giving hell to restaurants

They will soon have to set up departments to also chuck away all ingredients considered unpalatable by the agency.

With the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) spreading terror in the industry, so much so that even food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has recently spoken up against what she describes as a "fear psychosis", a nudge-nudge-wink-wink economy of products banned by the FSSAI had started thriving over the past year.Hoteliers and restaurateurs keep complaining about the steep spike in prices of ingredients such as Japanese rice vinegar, about which the FSSAI "aren't amused", but they have no option but to buy these essentials from the grey market to keep themselves in business. Imagine sushi without rice vinegar!

The days of the underground party seem to be numbered now, with the country's food safety commissars issuing a diktat a couple of weeks ago making the person(s) or company running a food business operation liable for any lapse in compliance to the FSSAI regulations. Hotels and restaurants, in other words, will soon have to set up departments devoted to FSSAI matters and also chuck away all ingredients considered unpalatable by the agency. They can't any longer get away by saying that they had bought their stocks in good faith from their suppliers. If that means making sushi without Japanese rice vinegar, so be it.
The answer of the FSSAI bureaucrats to any question relating to the rationale behind a ban is that "no one will die because of it". The issue here is not if a particular food product is essential to human survival. What is at stake here is the right of every human being to choose what he or she eats without being told what to do by state-appointed commissars. If Indians can eat the famous Italian cheese, Grana Padana, or savour slices of Parma ham in their pasta, or dig smoked salmon in their afternoon sandwich anywhere in the world, what makes these products so bad when they land on Indian shores? Why should we be denied the pleasure of eating with the rest of the world?
There's absolutely no rationale dictating the FSSAI's list of banned food products. In the aftermath of the Maggi episode, in fact, the agency has come under a cloud of allegations of malfeasance levelled against it by its own former directors, including the one who gave India's favourite snack its FSSAI certification. Its sense of judgement is being questioned as well, now that nine countries, including the normally fastidious Canada and Singapore, have tested Maggi noodles afresh and given it their regulatory green signals.
The man leading the charge against the FSSAI as convener of the Forum of Indian Food Importers, Amit Lohani, can cite example after example of the agency's arbitrary standards. Take olives. The FSSAI has a problem with the pH level of the brine in which olives are packaged. What it doesn't realise is the standards on which its objection is based are outdated because of the advances made in pasteurisation techniques around the world.
It is the same reliance on outdated standards that leads to anomalies such as the FSSAI allowing imports of corned beef, but banning Parma ham. The import of corned beef was first okayed by the British administration in India during WWII for the nutrition of the US and Australian soldiers stationed in the country. Standards for corned beef, as a result, exist in the statute books, but not for Parma ham.
The FSSAI's standards are also responsible for a host of products consumed all over the world, from the popular sea salt and caramel sauce of Starbucks to Hershey's Ice Breakers mouth-freshening mints, being denied to Indian consumers. And now a new irritant is simmering down under in the form of wine standards. The FSSAI is setting the standards in consultation with a lobbying group for the alcohol industry, but the wine industry has been kept out of the process. Like everything the agency does, this too shall remain a mystery.

Is the Maggi saga stifling food companies?

Over the past several months, new product launches have slowed as companies are growing increasingly anxious about regulatory oversight
The list of food companies that are cutting back supply, withdrawing products from the market and putting new launches on hold is getting longer by the day. In the latest such incident, a leading poultry company has curtailed the supply of processed chicken to retailers after it came under the scrutiny of the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India, or FSSAI.
Over the past two months, several food items, which were not approved by the regulator, have been pulled out from the market. The future too looks grim. Usually a time for launches, the festival season is unlikely to see too many new products, given the huge pile of pending approvals with FSSAI.
In the wake of the Maggi noodles saga, the food industryseems to be taking a step back from growth. The Maggi scare, which was prompted by the presence of taste enhancer monosodium glutamate, or MSG, and excessive lead in some samples, led to FSSAI ordering a nationwide recall of the product last month. Switzerland-based Nestle, which makes the instant noodles, was also asked to close its manufacturing plants in India.

UNHEALTHY MIX? Products under FSSAI scanner, besides noodles and pasta

Kellogg's Special K-Red Berries (Kellogg's India) Chicken Arabic style kofta, Crispy Chicken Burger patties (Venky's India) Egg mayonnaise salad dressing variants, natural vinegar (Field Fresh Foods) More than 30 syrups, toppings, sauces, drink mixes (Tata Starbucks) Milky and cocoa spreads (Ferrero India) Several vitamins and nutrients (Swiss Garnier Life Sciences) Source: FSSAI website Note: Most products have been found with excessive amount of sugar, caramel, salt, heavy metals or iron filings

While Nestle is now fighting the FSSAI order in the Bombay High Court, the recalls and cut-backs point to another problem: unease in the industry. The unease could only increase, given that Nestle has for the first time in about two decades run into the red, owing to the Maggi mess, as its April-June quarter numbers showed.
Without mincing words, Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal at a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry earlier this month said FSSAI was creating "an environment of fear in the industry.'' FSSAI needed to streamline its regulations as the steps taken by the regulator were "stopping innovations in the processing sector, she said, adding that the industry was in the midst of a "fear psychosis''.
Throwing a scare
Is the fear real? Clearly, Nestle, the company at the centre of the crisis, is worried about restoring confidence in brand Maggi, which makes up for 30 per cent of its India revenue at Rs 2,500 crore. Having announced it was destroying Maggi noodles worth Rs 360 crore following the FSSAI order, the group replaced its CEO Etienne Benet with Suresh Narayanan from the Philippines.
On whether there's an environment of fear in the industry, Piruz Khambatta, chairman of the national food processing committee at CII, says there's risk in any business, whether it is food, taxi aggregation or any other. Rather than live in fear, "the industry must learn to manage and mitigate risk," he adds.
The risk from a recall could be many. Sanjay Kedia, country head and CEO of Marsh India, an insurance and broking and risk management firm which has been looking at the food industry closely after the Maggi controversy, says, "the possible stress on balance sheet can be very high due to any possible government action in the food and beverages industry.''
Until now, a lot of F&B companies, says Kedia, were operating oblivious to the bearing food recalls could have on their cash flows. To safeguard against such risks, Kedia suggests "evolved insurance solutions" like contaminated products insurance that can cover costs involved in case of recall, contamination, packaging problems and legal liabilities.
Even as companies and experts wake up to risk management, the government has begun to communicate with the industry to understand its side of the story.
On Monday, top officials of the health ministry and FSSAI had a meeting with senior members of the food industry to discuss the regulatory mechanisms and product approval processes, among other things. Also, FSSAI is setting up its own house in order by filling up vacancies. It recently appointed former agriculture secretary Ashish Bahuguna as its chairman, after months of that post lying vacant.
FSSAI CEO Yudhvir Malik could not be contacted for this report, but company executives say the lacuna in the regulatory system is adding to the nervousness. "Without sufficient number of accredited laboratories and infrastructure resources, how can FSSAI order a recall like it did in the case of Maggi noodles?'' asks an industry source.
Many people have also questioned whether the tests conducted by FSSAI on food samples were trustworthy as global tests for the same product did not show any contamination.

Problems galore
Still, the FSSAI clampdown has not been entirely uncalled for. For long, the Indian food industry has been half-hearted about adhering to regulatory guidelines. In the first five months of 2015, according to Wall Street Journal, the US food regulator has rejected more snack imports from India than from any other country.
Delhi-based Centre for Science & Environment had called the Maggi development a wake-up call for food & beverage companies. "I am happy that regulators are testing food products and taking action. As long as you don't test, you will not know what is going into these," CSE Deputy Director-General Chandra Bhushan says. It was CSE that had first raised the issue of pesticides in aerated beverages 12 years ago, prompting the then government led by Atal Bihari Vajyapee to set up a joint parliamentary committee to investigate the matter.
It was then that the government got active on the Food Safety & Standards Act, which mandates what should go into packaged foods and to what extent. An industry source says most large companies are aware of the regulatory processes, and smaller companies are becoming cautious now.
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has made it clear that the government does not want to create "panic or inspector raj". "Investors should not fear. There are many good companies, but those in the wrong should be aware that the government is watching," he says.
Still, questions remain on how and by when FSSAI would be in a position to scrutinise the food industry in a comprehensive way, rather than through the present method of tests in ad hoc labs across states.

Nestle agrees to HC's proposal of fresh testing of Maggi

Mumbai: Nestle India, the manufacturer of Maggi instant noodles, on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that it was ready for an independent lab testing of the product provided the tests were carried out in the presence of a reputed scientist.
The division bench of Justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawala, while hearing Nestle's petition against the June 5 order of Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banning nine variants of Maggi, today asked whether the company was ready for fresh independent tests.
Nestle's lawyer Iqbal Chhagla said the company was agreeable but the tests should be conducted in the presence of a renowned scientist and the samples available with the company should be used.
Darius Khambata, appearing for Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration and the FSSAI counsel sought time till tomorrow to take instructions from their clients. Khambata also contended that one of the samples must be from the lot collected by state FDA.
The judges earlier said they proposed to order independent testing of Maggi, and sought the parties' views.
The Nestle lawyer alleged that FSSAI and FDA had not followed the principles of natural Justice by not giving a hearing to the company before banning Maggi on the ground of lead content in it being beyond the permissible limit.
Also, though only three variants were tested, the regulators banned all nine variants of Maggi, Chhagla said, adding there was no substance in the allegation of FSSAI about the company destroying evidence by burning Maggi stock. "On the contrary, we have acted on the instructions of the food regulators by destroying Maggi product," he said.

Court may direct fresh tests on Maggi noodles

Bombay high court has asked food regulators if they are fine with conducting fresh tests
Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked food regulators if they are fine with conducting fresh tests on samples of Maggi noodles that are available with Nestle India Ltd.
Nestle India had appealed to the court on 11 June against a ban on Maggi noodles imposed by apex food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on 5 June and by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 6 June.
In its arguments, the Indian arm of Swiss multinational Nestle SA had discredited the test reports presented by the food regulators as the laboratories lacked accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Laboratories or a similar authority recognized by FSSAI.
According to the FSSAI Act 2006, the regulator is required to keep four samples of a product for analysis.
If after the analysis of the first sample, the company is not satisfied with the results, it can request the regulator to get the test done at an accredited food laboratory for which a second sample is to be used.
In case there is a variance between the two tests, the third sample will then be sent to the apex or referral food laboratory whose test results will be final.
The food regulator said Nestle had not asked for the tests to be done at an accredited food laboratory and should do so now.
On Thursday, the company urged the two-judge bench comprising justices V.M. Kanade and B.P. Colabawalla to authorize fresh tests. However, it said these tests ought to be conducted on the samples in its possession and at five different laboratories to satisfy the food regulators.
The Maharashtra FDA objected and said the samples in its possession should be tested as per the protocols of the FSSAI Act.
A way out of the stalemate is expected on Friday, once the company and food regulators come to an agreement on the tests.

Nestle Agrees to Court's Proposal of Fresh Testing of Maggi

Mumbai: Nestle India, the manufacturer of Maggi instant noodles, on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that it was ready for an independent lab testing of the product provided the tests were carried out in the presence of a reputed scientist.

The division bench of Justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawala, while hearing Nestle's petition against the June 5 order of Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banning nine variants of Maggi, on Thursday asked whether the company was ready for fresh independent tests.
Nestle's lawyer Iqbal Chhagla said the company was agreeable but the tests should be conducted in the presence of a renowned scientist and the samples available with the company should be used.
Darius Khambata, appearing for Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration, and the FSSAI counsel sought time till Friday to take instructions from their clients. Mr Khambata also contended that one of the samples must be from the lot collected by state FDA.
The judges earlier said they proposed to order independent testing of Maggi, and sought the parties' views.
The Nestle lawyer alleged that FSSAI and FDA had not followed the principles of natural justice by not giving a hearing to the company before banning Maggi on the ground of lead content in it being beyond the permissible limit.
Also, though only three variants were tested, the regulators banned all nine variants of Maggi, Mr Chhagla said, adding that there was no substance in the allegation of FSSAI about the company destroying evidence by burning Maggi stock.
"On the contrary, we have acted on the instructions of the food regulators by destroying Maggi product," he said.

Tata Starbucks, Kellogg, McCain fail to get FSSAI approval

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has rejected product approval applications of Tata Starbucks, Kellogg and McCain...

While 34 products of Tata Starbucks have been rejected which included honey vanilla flavoured syrup, sea salt and red bean sauce, two products of Kelloggs including Kellogg's special K Red Berries and Kellogg's special K Oats and Honey have been rejected.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has rejected product approval applications of Tata Starbucks, Kellogg and McCain due to lack of sufficient supporting documents for safety assessment, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.
While 34 products of Tata Starbucks have been rejected which included honey vanilla flavoured syrup, sea salt and red bean sauce, two products of Kelloggs including Kellogg’s special K Red Berries and Kellogg’s special K Oats and Honey have been rejected.
“FSSAI has rejected product approval applications of Tata Starbucks, Kellogg and McCain due to lack of sufficient supporting documents for safety/risk assessment,” Minister of state for Health Shripad Naik said.
The only product of McCain Foods India which was rejected was McCain Battered Pepper and Cheese Bites.
The Minister said that the primary responsibility of FSSAI is to lay down science based food standards, make regulations, regulate imports and undertake coordination with states and UTs on food safety.
The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006 largely rests with states and Union Territories. Random inspections of premises and sampling of food items are done by officials of the food safety departments of the respective states and UTs to ensure compliance of the FSS Act 2006, Rules and Regulations.
“In cases where samples are found to be non-compliant, action is taken as per provisions of the FSS Act 2006 by the state authorities or the FSSAI,” Naik added.

Screen What You Eat: How to Spot Adulterated Food

We have all become a little skeptical of the purity and quality standards of the food we consume these days. Food colours, chemicals and additives often creep up not just in our local produce, but even in packaged products. Mixing milk with water to add volume, starch in paneer to make it thicker and fluffier, hydrogenated oils and vanaspati in ghee, and anatta in butter to give it that dark, rich yellow colour, stories like these often shake us up and make us question what we eat. 

The recent case of food adulteration that took the country by storm was 'The curious case of instant noodles'. Maggi Noodles was found to contain higher than permissible levels of lead and MSG. It was tested by independent and state run food labs across the country. Some validated the accusations while others dismissed it, but the entire episode tarnished the image of not just 'Meri Maggi' but of the category of instant noodles itself. 

Unlike certain cases of adulteration which might be purely cosmetic, some like Maggi Noodles can have serious health implications. For example, what would happen if you were to eat lead as part of your food over a long period of time? Prominent nutritionists and doctors told us that lead, if consumed in larger quantities, could damage almost every organ of your body causing them to shut down, one by one.

But where there are problems, there must be a solution. We've got some great tips and techniques that will help you pick out the bad apple i.e. spot adulterated foods and keep them away from your kitchen.

What is Food Adulteration?

The technical definition of food adulteration according to the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is, "The addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food, so that the natural composition and quality of food substance is affected."

Food adulteration can be intentional when done to add volume, texture, taste or stability to the items. Or it can be due to carelessness or poor maintenance of the facility/logistics on part of the food manufacturer/ distributor. The bottom line is that it can cause serious long term damage to your health.

A report in The Hindu suggested "The Annual Public Laboratory Testing Report for 2014-15 brought out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) says that of the 49,290 samples of food items it tested, 8,469, nearly one-fifth, were found adulterated or misbranded." The numbers seem astounding but the fact of the matter is that out of the products/brands that fail to meet safety norms, very few of them are convicted. It's perhaps this lapse in enforcement and accountability that gives many food manufacturers leeway in India.

The Most Common Food Frauds

According to FSSAI, "Some of the most common adulterated foods are milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments, pulses, coffee, tea, confectionery, baking powder, vinegar, besan and curry powder." Sometimes, simply looking at the food won't giveaway whether it's been adulterated or not.

In a lot of cases, food additives and chemicals hide behind their scientific pseudo names. While this might not fall under the exact definition of food adulteration, they're just as bad. Chocolate bars with hydrogenated vegetable oils instead of cocoa, dried herbs that might have been extracted using chemical solvents, modified starch which lets the product withstand extreme temperatures, the use of functional flour in cereals and more.

Check Your Food for Adulteration

There is a good chance that a lot of what you eat is adulterated. While it might be difficult to detect with regards to packaged foods, there are certain everyday foods you can cross-check. FSSAI has put together a list of foods that you frequently consume and how to spot if any of them have been tampered with or adulterated.

Milk

Milk is possibly one of the easiest targets and that's why you'll find hundreds of cases where food authorities or independent food testing agencies have found milk to be adulterated. A 2014 report warned users of how the milk produced by Indian cows might be adulterated because they graze on garbage. A 2012 study conducted by the FSSAI across 33 states found that milk in India was adulterated with diluted water, detergent, fat and even urea.

How to check if your milk is adulterated: Put a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface. If it flows leaving a white trail behind, then it's pure but if it flows without leaving a mark then it's adulterated. To make sure that the milk you're having isn't synthetic, pay attention to its taste. Synthetic milk has a bitter, almost soapy aftertaste and turns yellow on heating.

Coconut OilHow to check if it's adulterated: Place the bottle or container of coconut oil in the fridge. The oil will freeze and leave the adulterant as a separate layer.

Honey

The Journal of Food Science suggests, "Olive oil, milk, honey, saffron, orange juice, coffee and apple juice are the seven most likely food ingredients to be targets for intentional or economically motivated adulteration of food."

How to check if honey is adulterated: Honey is often adulterated with water to increase the bottle's quantity. The best way to ensure that's not the case, dip a cotton wick in pure honey and light it with a matchstick. If there is water in the jar it won't allow the honey to burn.

Chilli Powder

How to check if it's adulterated: Chilli powder is often adulterated with a similar looking substance like brick powder. To find out if yours is too, take a teaspoon of chilli powder and stir it into a glass of water. If the water changes colour to something red and earthy then you know your powder was adulterated.

Cumin Seeds

How to check if it's adulterated: Rub the cumin seeds in the palm of your hand. If they rub off a black colour then they've been coloured and are adulterated.

Green Chilli

Those gorgeous green chillies that turn the heat up in your dishes may not actually be that green. So if you'd like to make sure they are, then take a piece of cotton soaked in liquid paraffin and rub a small portion of the chilli. If the piece of cotton picks up any colour, then the chillis are adulterated.

Tea Leaves

Tea leaves are often adulterated with chemicals and additives that add to its aroma or flavour. But the most common kind is colour and here's how you can spot it.

Take a filter paper and spread a few tea leaves on it. Sprinkle some water over the filter. If there is any colour present in the leaves then it'll stain the paper. Now wash the filter paper under tap water and carefully look for stains against the light. 

It is debatable, the extent to which we can check food for adulteration. But we can do our part to make sure that what we're eating or feeding our families is safe and pure.