Aug 5, 2015
FSSA panel submits report, recommends harsh punishment for adulteration
The Central government has taken several steps so that quality of food products could be ensured. A committee has been constituted by the Government of India to undertake a comprehensive review of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The committee has submitted its report to the department of health and family welfare and, amongst, others, has also made recommendations to provide for harsher punishment to any person who, whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf, adds an adulterant to food to render it injurious for human consumption with an inherent potential to cause his death or is likely to cause such harm on his body as would amount to grievous hurt, irrespective of the fact whether it causes actual injury or not. This information was given by Union health minister J P Nadda in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Laboratories available in the country to check quality of food products
Sl. No.
|
Laboratory
|
Number
|
01
|
Referral laboratories
|
12
|
02
|
State/Pubic food laboratories
|
72
|
03
|
NABL accredited private laboratories
|
82
|
Total
|
166
|
Year
|
Number of Cases
Launched Criminal /Civil |
Number of
Conviction |
Penalties/
Amount raised
|
2012-13
|
5840
|
3175
|
Rs. 5,24,95,016
|
2013-14
|
10235
|
913
|
2932/ Rs. 7,29,89,474
|
2014-15
|
9230
|
1355
|
2682/ Rs.10,64,03,414
|
The implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, rests with State/UT governments. Random samples of food items are drawn by the state food safety officers and sent to the laboratories recognised by FSSAI for analysis. In cases where samples are found to be not conforming to the provisions of the Act and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder, action is taken as per the provisions of the FSS Act.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also regularly takes up issues relating to enforcement of the provisions of the FSS Act and Regulations made thereunder with the state/UT authorities, through various communications sent to them and interactions during the meetings of the Central Advisory Committee.
Dogs for meat idea bites back, but panchayat chiefs hold firm
Animal lovers who have no problem with the sale and export of meat of other animals should not be opposing it in the case of dogs alone, says K.R. Jayakumar.
It’s illegal, say activists. We will go for it, say Panchayat presidents
Animal rights activists are incensed over the idea of exporting dog meat as a one-stop measure for curbing the State’s stray dog population. They say it is illegal to do so. But the Ernakulam District Grama Panchayats Presidents’ Association, which had suggested that street dogs be exported to places like the north-eastern States, South Korea and China, where dog meat is consumed, is not backing off yet.
Highlighting the illegality of the resolution, N.G. Jayasimha, a member of the Animal Welfare Board of India, has written to M.K. Muneer, the State Minister for Panchayats and Social Welfare, seeking to advice the local bodies to implement animal birth control activities than resorting to “illegal, unscientific and illogical ideas such as trade in dog meat.”
The idea of exporting dog meat and/or establishing dog farms for the purpose of export or domestic consumption is entirely illegal. The Meat and Meat Products Order, 1973, has prescribed that ovines (sheep), caprines (goats) suillines (pigs) and bovines (cattle) and poultry shall be slaughtered for meat.
No license can be issued to manufacture meat which does not belong to the animals specified in the legislation, he said.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has expressly prohibited slaughtering of animals, except the ovines, caprines, suillines, bovines and poultry, he said.
‘Not an odd proposal’
The local body heads, however, are not convinced there is anything wrong with their ‘dog for meat’ proposal, and claim it has statewide backing, from other panchayats too.
The proposal unanimously passed by panchayat presidents in Ernakulam found resonance at the association’s State level meet held at Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
“It received good response from local body heads from across the State since an urgent solution to the stray dog menace needs to be found. We would place the proposal before the State government,” P.K. Chandrasekharan Nair, vice-president of Ernakulam district association, who moved the proposal, told The Hindu .
K.R. Jayakumar, who initially moved the proposal at the district association meeting said that it was for the Central and State governments to put their heads together to remove the legal hurdles in implementing it. He said that local bodies with their hands tied on tackling the issue of stray dogs in the face of court orders and belligerent animal lovers are at their wits end.
“Dog meat is in demand in countries like the Philippines and China and is even consumed within the country in the northeast. Animal lovers who have no problem with the sale and export of meat of other animals should not be opposing it in the case of dogs alone,” Mr. Jayakumar said.
Birth control not practical
The idea of animal birth control is not practical for two reasons: it’s costly, and there is the possibility of stiff opposition from local people against releasing back sterilised dogs caught from their areas, Mr. Jayakumar said.
Besides, sterilisation of stray dogs could lead to imbalance between local and pedigreed breeds in the long run, according to him.
M.A.M. Muneer, Edathala panchayat president, who had seconded the proposal at the Ernakulam district meet, said that it may even spur dog farming on an industrial scale just as in the case of poultry and cattle. “We stand firm by the proposal no matter what the consequences may be,” he said.
Gujarat extends ban on Maggi noodles by a month
Says company has not furnished any safety data for the product as per FSSAI rules
Gujarat Food and Drug Control Authority has extended the ban on Maggi noodles for third time in a row for a month as its manufacturer Nestle did not furnish any safety data for the product.
"We have extended ban (on Maggi) for one more month as the company (Nestle) has not furnished any safety data for that product (Maggi), as per the Food Safety Standard Act and the rules and regulations there under," Gujarat Food and Drug Control Authority Commissioner H G Koshia told PTI, when asked about extension of ban on Maggi noodles.
"Once the report was given that the product (Maggi) was unsafe, we served notice to the company (Nestle) seeking their report on products as we found 28 samples unsafe in Gujarat," Koshia said.
"Till date the company (Nestle) is only furnishing their day-to-day recall saying by now they have recalled 471 tonnes of Maggi from Gujarat," he said.
"But that is not full compliance, they must establish safety of the product and they have failed to do so, that is why we have extended ban for one month," he said.
Yesterday, the FSSAI-approved laboratory of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) found Maggi noodles to be in compliance with the country's food safety standards.
CFTRI had tested five samples sent by Goa Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when Maggi was banned in June, in the wake of findings in Uttar Pradesh and other states that the instant noodles brand had lead levels beyond permissible limits.
The CFTRI findings showed that samples of Maggi noodles were in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.
Just 11,000 food operators enroll as deadline ends
Chennai:
The ban on Maggi has created renewed awareness on food quality among customers but seems to have done little to put the fear in the minds of food operators.The deadline for enrolling with the food safety department expired on Tuesday but very few food operators in the city have enrolled.
The food safety department does not have a count of the exact number of food operators but officials say they have identified 22,424 and that less than 11,000 have enrolled so far.
“Nearly 6,500 food operators in the city got licences and close to 4,000 have registered so far. The deadline for enrollment has been extended five times but many operators are not taking the act seriously . We have not been able to take action against eateries selling unhygienic ood because of the extensions,“ said an official. The department has just 25 food safety inspectors to monitor thousands of businesses.
The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 set new icensing and registration norms for food businesses -hotels, restaurants, canteens, hostels, roadside eateries, dairy shops, tea shops, meat shops, juice shops and vegetable and fruits vendors. The Act was implemented in August 2011. The Centre extended the dead ine multiple times because operators resisted the rules or mandatory registration and licensing. Tamil Nadu Hotels' Association secreta ry R Srinivasan said the Act is too stringent. “Studies show there is severe pesti cide content in vegetables but the Act mandates penal ties to those selling food. We hope the Centre will extend the deadline and amend the Act after consulting with food operators,“ he said.
Many roadside vendors said they were unaware of the Act. “I have not heard anything about registering with the food safety depart ment. Ideally , they should conduct camps for this,“ said a vendor in Saidapet.
Activists said lack of awareness could be a reason for poor compliance. “The government will not have any control over food operators if there is no licensing system. The government should implement the Act immediately to safeguard customers,“ an activist said.
Ban on food supplement
The Commissioner of Food Safety has banned the storage, distribution and sale a brand of food supplement, ‘Pulmo Plus’, in Kerala, following several complaints from the public about the poor quality of the product, which was later confirmed by food safety officials through laboratory analysis.
In a statement here, the Commissioner, T.V. Anupama, said the product had been tested by her department in laboratories following three specific complaints from consumers that the product had been infested with insects, live and dead, as well as insect larvae. The food safety officials, on physical examination of the product and on lab analysis, found that the complaint was true. The product, manufactured by M/s British Biologicals, Bengaluru, is a proprietary health supplement prescribed by doctors for improving general health in children. The ban will be in place for a period of one year from August 3 or until the required food safety measures are taken by the manufacturer and certified by the Commissioner of Food Safety, Karnataka, where the product is manufactured.
Veggie traders rush for food safety docus
COIMBATORE: Vegetable and fruits traders in Tamil Nadu are racing against time to obtain licences and registration certificates from the state food safety department to be eligible to transport and sell their produce in Kerala.
The state horticulture department in Coimbatore confirmed that 223 wholesale vegetable traders have been issued licenses and 30 small-scale wholesalers have been registered since Monday last week.
"We, along with the food safety department, have set up camps on and off in many markets like Thyagi Kumaram Market, Ottanchathiram Market, MGR Market, Mettupalayam Market and Pollachi Market," said deputy director of horticulture department, A Ramakrishnan.
The food safety department is conducting camps in all major fruits and vegetables markets in the districts to issue these mandatory permits. The move comes in the wake of its Kerala counterpart making food safety license or registration compulsory for any trader selling food items to or within the neighbouring state. A sizeable chunk of Tamil Nadu's fruit and vegetable produce is sent to Kerala daily. Coimbatore district alone sends about 200 tonnes of vegetables while Oddanchatram market in Dindigul supplies about 500 tonnes daily to Kerala. Kerala would start enforcing its order mandating the documents from traders from Wednesday.
The Kerala government has informed the traders that the food safety license or registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 will be demanded at all check-posts through which vegetables and fruits cross over into their state. However, officers in Kerala's side of the Walayar check post say that trucks were not inspected by food safety officers on Tuesday.
Wholesalers in markets who missed their date with food safety officers, are flocking to the food safety department's headquarters on Race Course Road to apply for these licenses. "We have put up notices in all the markets informing traders about this rule. So, many farmers and traders have been approaching us directly for licenses," said designated food safety officer, Dr R Kathiravan.
This rule had mixed response among big traders across the state. While a majority of the traders in Ottanchathiram market, in Dindigul, felt that the new license and registration was "unnecessary", a few traders in Coimbatore did not mind. "This could lead to unnecessary complications and more hassles for traders," said the president of the Ottanchathiram market, K Thangavel. "We do not know why such a measure is being taken all of a sudden, though we have sending vegetables for ages," he said. "However, this license qualifies us as "traders" and it will help during loan applications," he added.
Traders also said that making food safety licenses and registrations compulsory was not going to make their vegetables any safer. "For a food safety license, people just check for our tax receipts, address, location of the shop and the owner's identity proof. They don't even talk or check for pesticide content," said Thangavel.
Food safety certificates for veggies going to other States
Food Safety Officers on Tuesday began issuing licences to vegetable and fruit vendors in the city under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
After reports of pesticide residue in vegetables supplied to Kerala, the Tamil Nadu government decided to issue food safety certification before the produce was sent to the neighbouring States.
R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), issued the certificates to 30 vendors on Tuesday.
As many as 242 vendors and traders have applied so far for the licenses, which would be issued after physical verification of the shop and the documents.
A camp to collect applications from vegetable vendors was organised here on Friday by the Departments of Agriculture, Agri-Marketing and Horticulture besides the Food Safety Wing. These departments are also part of a committee formed by District Administration to tackle the issue of excess pesticides in vegetables and fruits.
District Collector Archana Patnaik is the chairperson of the Committee, which has been mandated to conduct awareness among farmers about the adverse effects of using excess fertilisers and chemicals for crops.
As many as 242 vendors and traders have applied so far for the licenses, which would be issued after physical verification of the shop and the documents.
உரிமம் பெறாத வாகனங்களுக்கு தடை உத்தரவு அமல் காய்கறிகள் வழக்கம்போல் கேரளா சென்றன
கோவை, ஆக. 5:
உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை யில் பதிவு செய் யாத தமி ழக காய் கறி லாரி கள் கேர ளா விற் குள் நுழைய விதிக் கப் பட்டுள்ள தடை நேற்று அம லுக்கு வந் தது. இருப் பி னும் கேரள லாரி கள் அதிக அள வில் தமி ழ கத் திற்கு வந்து காய் க றி களை ஏற் றிச் சென் ற தால். பாதிப்பு ஏற் பட வில்லை என காய் கறி வியா பா ரி கள் தெரி வித் த னர்.
காய் க றி கள், பழங் கள் உட் பட பெரும் பா லான உணவு பொருட் கள் தமிழ் நாடு, கர் நா டகா மற் றும் ஆந் திரா ஆகிய மாநி லத் தில் இருந்து கேர ளா வுக்கு செல் கி றது. இந் நி லை யில், தமிழ் நாடு மற் றும் வெளி மா நி லங் களில் இருந்து காய் க றி கள், பழங் களை கேர ளா வுக்கு கொண்டு செல் லும் வாக னங் கள் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை யில் ஆகஸ்ட் 4ம் தேதிக் குள்(நேற்று) உரி மச் சான் றி தழ் பெற வேண் டும் என கேரள அரசு அறி வித் தது. இதை தொடர்ந்து தமி ழ கத் தில் இருந்து கேரளா செல் லும் காய் கறி லாரி வாக னங் களுக்கு உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை யின் மூலம் உரி மச் சான் றி தழ் வழங் கப் பட்டு வரு கி றது. கோவை மாவட்டத் தில் கார மடை ஜடை யம் பா ளை யம் மார்க் கெட், செஞ் சே ரி மலை மார்க் கெட், கிணத் துக் க டவு மார்க் கெட், நாச் சி பா ளை யம் மார்க் கெட், பொள் ளாச்சி காந் தி மார்க் கெட், கோவை எம் ஜி ஆர் மார் கெட் பகு தி களி லி ருந்து தின மும் 300 முதல் 400 டன் வரை காய் கறி மற் றும் பழங் கள் கேர ளா விற்கு வாக னங் கள் மூலம் ஏற் றிச் செல் லப் ப டு கி றது. கேரள அர சின் அறி விப்பை தொடர்ந்து கோவை மாவட்ட காய் கறி வியா பா ரி கள் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை யின் மூலம் வழங் கப் ப டும் வாக னத் திற் கான உரி மம் பெற விண் ணப் பித்து வரு கின் ற னர். இதில் பதிவு மற் றும் உரி மம் கோரி சிறு மற் றும் பெரு வியா பா ரி களி ட மி ருந்து 200 விண் ணப் பங் கள் பெறப் பட்டுள் ளது. விண் ணப் பித் த வர் களுக்கு இன் னும் 2 நாட் களில் பதிவு மற் றும் உரி மம் வழங் கப் ப டும் என உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் தெரி வித் துள் ள னர்.
இந் நி லை யில், நேற்று கோவை மாவட்டத் தி லி ருந்து வழக் கம் போல் கேர ளா விற்கு காய் க றி கள் அனுப் பட்டது. இது குறித்து கோவை மாவட்ட மொத்த அனைத்து காய் கறி வியா பா ரி கள் சங்க செய லா ளர் அப் துல் அ ஜீஸ் கூறு கை யில், தமி ழ கத் தி லி ருந்து கேர ளா விற்கு அனுப் ப டும் காய் கறி வாக னங் களுக்கு உரி மம் சான்று கோரப் பட்டு வரு கி றது. தற் போது வரை கோவை மாவட்டத் தில் சிலர் மட்டுமே சான்று பெற் றுள் ள னர். இத னால் பாதிப்பு ஏதும் இல்லை. ஏனெ னில் 90 சத வீத கேரள வியா பா ரி கள் தங் களின் சொந்த வாக னங் கள் மூலம் கோவை யி லி ருந்து காய் க றி களை எடுத்து செல் கின் ற னர். இதற் காக கேரள அர சின் உணவு பாது காப் பு து றை யி ட மி ருந்து பதிவு மற் றும் உரி மச் சான் றி தழ் கள் பெற் றுள் ள னர். கோவை யி லி ருந்து 10 சத வீ தம் பேர் மட்டுமே கேர ளா விற்கு லாரி கள் மூலம் லோடு அனுப் பு கின் ற னர். கோவை யி லி ருந்து 300க்கும் மேற் பட்ட லாரி கள் மூலம் கேர ளா விற்கு லோடு அனுப் ப டு கி றது. இதில் 30க்கும் குறை வான லாரி கள் மட்டுமே கோவை மாவட்ட வியா பா ரி களை சார்ந் தது. மீத முள்ள அனைத்து லாரி களும் கேரள வியா பா ரி களின் சொந்த வாக னம் ஆகும்.
எனவே கேரள அர சின் இந்த உத் த ர வால் தமி ழக வியா பா ரி களுக்கு எந்த பாதிப் பும் இல்லை என் றும், கோவை யி லி ருந்து வழக் கம் போல் கேர ளா விற்கு காய் க றி கள் அனுப் பட்டு வரு வ தா க வும் தெரி வித் தார்.
Viagra in your alcohol? China investigating liquor suppliers in latest food-safety scare
Food safety is a chronic problem in China and public anxiety over cases of fake or toxic food often spreads quickly.
Chinese police are investigating if two distillers in the southwestern region of Guangxi added impotence treatment drug Viagra to their liquor in the latest food-safety scare in China.
The Liuzhou Food and Drug Administration said that it found the Guikun Alcohol Plant and the Deshun Alcohol Plant in Guangxi’s Liuzhou city were putting Sildenafil, more commonly known as Viagra, into three of their baijiu products.
Baijiu is a fiery grain liquor that commands high prices in China.
Law enforcement officers have confiscated 5,357 bottles of the suspect products, 1,124 kg of raw alcohol and a batch of white powder labeled Sildenafil, in a case worth more than 700,000 yuan ($112,726), according to a statement posted by the Liuzhou Food and Drug Administration on its website on Saturday.
The case has been transferred to the police, the statement said.
The products were all marketed as having health-preserving qualities, it said.
Food safety is a chronic problem in China and public anxiety over cases of fake or toxic food often spreads quickly.
In June, state media said Chinese customs have seized around 3 billion yuan ($483 million) worth of smuggled meat, some more than 40 years old and rotting, the latest in a grim series of food safety scares.
In 2013, Chinese police said they broken a crime ring that passed off more than $1 million in rat and small mammal meat as mutton.
'18 per cent of food samples tested found to be adulterated'
Around 18 per cent of the food samples tested for violation of food safety standards in past three years were found to be adulterated, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
In a written reply, Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda said that out of 69949, 72200 and 60548 food samples analysed during 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively, 10380 (14.8 per cent), 13571 (18.8 per cent) and 12077 (19.9 per cent) samples were found to be adulterated or misbranded.
"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," he said.
In another reply, Nadda said that a committee has been constituted to undertake a comprehensive review of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
"The committee has submitted its report to the department of Health and Family Welfare and, amongst others, has also made recommendations to provide for harsher punishment to any person who, whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf, adds an adulterant to food to render it injurious for human consumption," the minister said.
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