DINAMALAR NEWS

Mysuru laboratory says Nestle Maggi is safe

The Food Referral Laboratory, CFTRI, Mysuru has confirmed that Nestle's Maggi products confirm to the stipulated standards.The State Food Drugs Authority (FDA), which conducted tests on the instant noodles samples, had earlier cleared the product for safety.

Goa FDA Director Salim Veljee said on Monday that consequent to the issue of the quality of the Nestle's Maggi noodles variant in May/June, the State FDA Goa Laboratory at Bambolim in north Goa had initially tested/analysed five samples of Nestle's Maggi two minutes noodles products and same were reported to be conforming to the stipulated standards in terms of lead content and MSG as laid down under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Rules/Regulation 2011.

However, he recalled that on account of some apprehensions expressed about the reliability / accuracy/ credibility of the results of analysis conducted by the State FDA Goa Laboratory, the samples of these noodles were subjected for a re-analysis of the said five Maggi noodle products at the Goa State Pollution Control Board laboratory in the city the results of which were found to be consistent with the findings of the Goa FDA Lab in declaring the lead contents to be below the permissible limit of 2.5 ppm and negative for MSG.

Subsequently in mid-June as required under Rule 2.4.3 of the Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011, the other sealed samples portions of these same 5 Maggi noodles samples were forwarded to the Appellate.

Food Referral Laboratory, CFTRI, Mysuru, an FSSAI approved/notified NABL accredited Food Testing Laboratory and the test reports from CFTRI.

Mr. Veljee, however, hastened to add that this does not in any manner give any clean chit to the company for their products and we fully respect the analytical findings of other State Laboratory in this regards based on the analysis of the samples that were drawn by the enforcement officials in those other States and tested/analysed by such other State Laboratories.

He said he had to come out with the CFTRI findings to clear any apprehension in public mind about Goa State FDA laboratory.

Clean chit to Haldirams

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has given a clean chit to Haldiram snacks after testing samples for possible excess lead levels.

Results of Mysuru lab show Maggi noodles safe

Goa FDA had sent samples for a third test to FSSAI-approved lab after the regulator rejected its findings

One-and-a-half months after Goa's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) had sent five samples of Maggi noodles for re-test at Mysuru's Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), the findings show the product adheres to the requirements of the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.

One of the most credible food referral labs in India, CFTRI is approved by the central regulator, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Earlier, FSSAI had declared the Goa FDA findings 'questionable', following a test of the same samples and had ordered recall of Maggi from store shelves all over the country based on results showing contamination by some four-five states. The Goa FDA, like CFTRI, had not found any contamination in the samples.

The lead content in all these five samples has been reported to be well below the permissible limit and the level of monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is negative when analysis was performed separately on the noodles and tastemaker by the Mysuru lab, said an official with the Goa FDA.

CFTRI did not respond to emailed queries on the findings. A CFTRI official, who did not wish to be named, said the lab authorities could not speak on the matter as it was sub-judice. Nestle India, the maker of Maggi noodles, took FSSAI to court over its order to recall the product and stop production in the country. The case is on at the Bombay High Court.

The Goa FDA was perhaps the only state organisation to get a third test done on Maggi noodles. The idea was to restore 'credibility' of the state laboratory in Goa by getting the samples tested at the nationally accredited institute in Mysuru, which is seen as a food referral lab of the longest standing.

Salim A Veljee, director, Goa FDA, had earlier told Business Standard: "We are complying with the recall order of FSSAI. But we have sent the samples to Mysuru for counter-verification. This is only to reinforce our (Goa) lab's credibility."

Following the test at the state government's food lab, the Goa FDA had got a second analysis done at the state pollution control board. Both showed permissible lead content. However, in the results sent to FSSAI, the Goa FDA did not mention the exact quantum of lead as "it was much below the permissible level", according to Veljee. FSSAI called the Goa test result questionable because the lead level was not mentioned.

According to the Goa FDA, the latest findings "do not in any manner give any clean chit to the company (Nestle India) for their products and we fully respect the analytical findings of other state laboratories in this regards based on the analysis of the samples that were drawn by the enforcement officials in those other states and received/ analysed by such other state laboratories.''

Many other countries including Singapore, the UK, and Canada found Maggi noodles to be safe for consumption. FSSAI, however, had termed it 'hazardous' for human consumption.

DC reviews implementation of Food Safety Act

Srinagar:

In order to ensure availability of quality food products to general people, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr. Farooq Ahmed Lone convened a meeting of officers of Food Safety Department here today and also reviewed the implementation of Food SafetyAct.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Assistant Commissioner Food Safety, Health Officer SMC and other concerned officers.

Dr Lone directed the Food Safety Department to regularly inspect establishments dealing with food products in Srinagar and intensify market checking.

He also reviewed the status of implementation of Food Safety Act in Srinagar.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner was informed that out of 94 cases submitted before the competent court, 20 cases have been filed for selling food articles found in insanitary conditions and remaining 74 cases have been for violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

The meeting informed that 107 samples were declared as sub-standard and food articles worth Rs. 18.12 lakh have been seized during the inspection by the Food Safety department from November, 2014 to July, 2015. It was also informed that the department has recovered Rs. 3.74 lakh as fine from the food business operators.

200 traders apply for licence to supply veggies to Kerala

Deadline to obtain the same is August 5

Food safety department officials have started taking efforts to monitor the pesticide content in vegetables sent to Kerala from Coimbatore. In one such move, they are educating the traders on the need to obtain the registration certificate or licence, based on the quantum of business they are doing.

This effort has been taken after the Government of Kerala made it mandatory for wholesale traders from other States to obtain the certificate or licence before August 5 to continue sending fruits and vegetables to Kerala.

According to Food Safety Wing Designated Officer (Coimbatore) R. Kathiravan less than 20 traders in Coimbatore have obtained the licence so far.

The officer told The Hindu that a special one-day camp was organised at six places on July 31 for the traders and commission agents. “Two hundred traders obtained challan to pay for the licence or certificate at the camps held at MGR Market and TK Market in the city and at Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Kinathukadavu and Sultanpet Markets,” he said.

Arrangements have been made at 15 browsing centres located near the markets to help traders apply online for the licence or certificate. The applicants would then be issued the certificate on Tuesday — a day ahead of the deadline for obtaining the same. It is learnt that MGR Market on Mettupalayam Road in the city sends 750 tonnes of various vegetables from Coimbatore, Mettupalayam and Ooty and onions from Nasik (Maharashtra) and Bellary (Karnataka) to Kerala. The licence would first be given to the traders there before it is issued to traders supplying locally.

According to an official, providing the certificate is the first step to monitor the quality of vegetables sent to Kerala through Coimbatore. Food safety officials would then collect vegetables samples from traders and send it for testing. There is no facility to test vegetables for pesticide residues in Coimbatore. Collected samples will be sent to the National Accreditation Board Laboratories (NABL).

New import norms on the anvil for US chicken legs

Food safety body may ban import of chickens older than six months and those fed with GM feed

MUMBAI, AUGUST 2: 

The Indian consumers’ liking for chicken leg piece may ruffle a few feathers in the poultry industry with the Centre looking to frame import norms that would allow chicken imports from the US.

The fear of cheaper US chicken leg pieces flooding the market and use of genetically modified feeds such as corn and soyabean are major concerns for Indian industry. Genetically modified crops are banned in India.

There is not much demand for leg pieces in the US and it does not find a market despite being sold at deep discount. While the chicken is sold at $6 a piece, there are not many takers for the legs even at less than $1 (₹63). In India, chicken legs cost about ₹250 ($3.9) a kg.

The demand for chicken legs in the US is so weak that it is left with stockpiles of 3-4 years, particularly after most Asian countries restricted chicken imports from the US. Incidentally, India last month lost an appeal at World Trade Organisation against ban on chicken imports from the US.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is, therefore, setting new import norms which may kick in within six months. It may include ban on import of American chickens older than six months and those fed with genetically modified feed. “We can compete with the US if it exports the entire chicken. The concern is only if it tries to push the legs which are not in great demand there. While the cost of imported chicken would be $4 a piece, the legs can land at $1 or even less,” said Babanrao Shinde, a poultry farmer.

Large scale imports from the US will bring the unorganised poultry industry to its knees as they already face many challenges such as high feed prices and falling realisations, said an official of a poultry company and added that the frequent outbreak of bird flu and subsequent fall in demand is also a drag.