Food safety: FSSAI hastens process to notify draft guidelines

Draft guidelines covering 12,000 items have been put up on FSSAI website for comments from industry

The country's apex food regulator is hastening the notifying of guidelines for proprietary foods, health & dietary supplements, food additives and neutraceuticals.

These items are not covered under the food safety regulations of 2011, which operationalises the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006.

The move to crunch the time required to notify guidelines, which would have otherwise taken at least six to eight months, is expected to go a long way in minimising the confusion and litigation that has been the bane of food safety guidelines in its current form.

The 2011 guidelines cover only 377 items, implying only these are standardised. This saw the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at loggerheads with packaged food and health care majors. In August this year, the Supreme Court intervened to scrap an "arbitrary" product approval advisory process that FSSAI had devised to clear non-standardised food and health care products.

Since then, FSSAI, under new chairman Ashish Bahuguna, has been at work, talking to companies and industry representatives, persons in the know said.

Draft guidelines that cover about 12,000 ingredients and additives have been put up on the FSSAI website for comments from industry. The last date for doing so is next month for neutraceutical majors. Food companies have till early December, sources said. Then, FSSAI will prepare the final guidelines, to then go for law ministry approval.

Officials say the final guidelines could be notified as early as January next year, bringing India uptodate with international standards under the Codex Alimentarius. The latter is a collection of internationally recognised standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations on foods, production and safety.

While India is a signatory to the Codex, its norms are yet to be followed here, safety experts said. The draft guidelines, says R K Sanghavi, chairman, neutraceutical sub-committee, Indian Drug Manufacturers Association, would align India with international standards. "The proposed regulations are positive from the point of view of companies, as well as consumers as there will be specific regulations and standards which were hitherto absent," he said.

Sting:Centre asks UP govt to take action against guilty

New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) The Centre today sought a detailed report from Uttar Pradesh government and directed it to take strict action against the guilty in the wake of a sting operation by a TV channel which allegedly showed officials demanding bribes to give nod to unsafe food products.

This comes after Union Health Minister J P Nadda took cognizance of the matter and directed officials to take up the issue with state officials while stating that there is "zero" tolerance against corruption.

Following this, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an advisory to the UP chief secretary seeking a report and also to ensure the establishment of a review and monitoring mechanism to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the state.

"There is zero tolerance against corruption in the Health Ministry," the Minister said even as he told officials that the Centre will provide all necessary assistance to the state.

Yesterday, a leading television channel has conducted a sting operation in which it claimed that food safety officers demanded bribe for approving sale of various food products.

Meanwhile,Union Health Ministry statement said that FSSAI has clarified that the officials who have figured in the sting operation are not working in FSSAI but are employees of the state government.

The FSSAI advisory written by its chairman Ashish Bahuguna which is in possession of PTI said that the sting operation not only depicts the food safety department and state government in "poor" light but also casts a shadow over FSSAI's "concerted" efforts to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

"I shall be grateful if you could kindly direct your officers to send me a detailed report on the above incident and take the strongest possible action against official found guilty of corrupt practices...

"and ensure the establishment of a review and monitoring mechanism so as to prevent recurrence of such cases in the future," the FSSAI advisory said.

Sources in the Health Ministry said that immediately after the matter came to light, Nadda took stock of the situation and issued directives to officials to look into the matter.

Sting exposes FSSAI officials giving nod to unsafe products for bribe

The India Today Television team requested Ramesh Chand, food inspector, FSSAI, Pilkhuwa, for help because their product had excessive amount of lead in it, to which the inspector assured them it would not be a problem.

Sting operation team posed as owners of a namkeen brand and requested Ramesh Chand, an FSSAI food inspector, to help pass their product that had excessive amount of lead in it.

Even as India's favourite Maggi got pulled out of shelves owing to its high lead content, illegal approval of unsafe food products goes unchecked under Food Safety & Standard Authority (FSSAI) with its food inspectors subtly encouraging bribery. This was revealed by a sting operation carried out by India Today Television.

The investigation team reached out to Pilkhuwa in the western Uttar Pradesh district of Hapur, 60 kilometers away from the national Capital.

The team posed as entrepreneurs willing to launch a namkeen brand - Sharmaji Ki Bhujia. The team requested Ramesh Chand, food inspector, FSSAI, Pilkhuwa, for help because their product had excessive amount of lead in it, following which, Inspector Chand assured them that excess lead would not be a problem.

In the very first meeting, Chand not only agreed to pass the samples, but he also promised to do so without conducting any tests. However, he demanded a fixed price - only Rs 20,000 a year - a nominal sum is all it takes for an FSSAI food inspector to bypass tests and let deadly and dubious food samples pass.

"When you make money by selling your product, just pay me Rs 20,000 on a yearly basis," Chand told the team. He also agreed to travel with the team to Bulandshahr to introduce them to other food inspectors, who would help them pass the proposed toxic namkeen. When the team halted at a local restaurant in Bulandshar, inspector Chand also discussed how passing such products was a well-established practice. He revealed how milk samples from one of India's best known companies had been dismissed by deliberately adulterating it. The milk was safe, but the company did not agree to bribe the inspectors and so the product suffered consequences.

"We tampered with the seal and added adulterants to it and then send it to the testing laboratory.

Similarly, the FSSAI food inspector in Bulandshahr, Shiv Das Singh also agreed to help sell the proposed lead-filled samples, saying, "No tests would be required. I will introduce you to four more people, who are known to us. You will face no problems at all," he said. He also demanded Rs 20,000.

Ramesh Chand further revealed that when it came to big, established brands there sometimes was pressure from the top power centres to declare food samples unsafe. "Maggi is an international brand, there may be a possibility that someone asked for donation and the company denied. Laboratories and samples lie under the government - it can do anything," said Chand.

The team moved ahead to Mukhteshwar, where they met KT Singh, the food inspector in Mukhteshwar. He explained how the presence of lead is examined in food samples. All that mattered was ensuring that those overseeing the test were taken care of. "You support us, we will support you," said Singh. Further, the team also discovered that it was possible to disturb a competitor brand by getting its samples failed in the test. A food inspector in Lucknow was not only prepared to fail the namkeen sold by the investigation team's competitor brand on spurious grounds, but he also promised to help generate massive media coverage.

Maggi ban: For one lakh rupees, FSSAI officials willing to fail your competitor's product: Reports

The official also asked them reporters to get a sample of the product and agreed to approve it for Rs 20,000 for a year.

In a shocking expose by India Today, some FSSAI officials were caught asking for a bribe to clear a food product which the channel reporters said had high lead content.

As per the news channel, the sting operation was carried in Uttar Pradesh. An FSSAI food inspector Ramesh Chand in Pilkhuwa agreed to pass a food product which they claimed had increased lead content, for Rs 20,000 a year. The channel's reporters told him that they wanted him to clear a 'namkeen' product, but it would have high lead content as it uses Delhi's ground water. So Chand asked them to get a sample of the product and agreed to approve it for Rs 20,000 for a year.

Another food inspector Shiv Das Singh from Bulandshaher claimed that bogus products being cleared and good ones getting failed was an established practice in the body. He also said that a product of a competitor can get disapproved for one lakh rupees.

The report quotes Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan reacting to the sting operation. "Standard products are being labelled as sub-standard and faulty products are being passed by such corrupt officials. This is a big crime and I demand strongest possible action against all those found guilty," Paswan said. "As a consumer minister I assure you that my department will take up the case seriously. FSSAI doesn't come under my ministry but I want to make it clear that strong action will be taken against such officials. They should be sent to jail," he added.

Put corrupt food inspectors behind bars: Paswan

Reacting to a sting operation conducted by a televison channel, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said strict action should be taken against corrupt food inspectors and they should be put behind bars. 

"Strict action should be taken against these kind of officials. As a Cosnumer Affairs Minister, I will take this matter very seriously," Paswan told India Today TV. 

The TV channel conducted sting on Food Inspectors in some districts of western Uttar Pradesh which showed food inspectors' readiness to approve sub-standard product against annual bribe of Rs 20,000. 

One of the food inspector also shared the way they manipulate food items if the supplier does not pay them bribe. 

"Though FSSAI comes under Health Ministry but irrespective of being under any ministry, if anyone is going to play with life of people then not only strict action should be taken but also they should be sent behind bars," Paswan said. 

The Minister said that he will direct department under him to look in to the matter and work with FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) to take steps in the interest of consumers. 

The TV channel conducted a sting operation to investigate the ground reality after ban of Maggi noodles. 

FSSAI had banned Maggi noodles saying it was "unsafe and hazardous" for consumption after finding lead levels beyond permissible limits. The company had withdrawn the instant noodles from the market. 

Nestle India had later challenged the ban by FSSAI in the Bombay High Court. In August, the court lifted the nation-wide ban imposed by the Indian food regulators on Maggi noodles but ordered a fresh test of samples of the product in three independent labs across India. 

Last week, Nestle India had said that all samples of Maggi cleared tests conducted by three laboratories, as mandated by the Bombay High Court. The company is now planning to relaunch the product soon.

State food safety department to alert FSSAI on safety act snags

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The food safety department will write to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the statutory body to ensure safe food, on the loopholes in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The move follows the high court decision to lift the ban on manufacture and sale of three Nirapara products earlier this week.

The lack of a proper act to deal with repeated offences has spoiled many efforts of the department to prevent adulteration. In the Nirapara case, food safety commissioner T V Anupama had decided to ban three of its spice products - chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder - after finding that it repeatedly committed 34 offences without rectification. The department had found the presence of sub-standard starch in these products.

The department had imposed fines - ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh - on Kalady-based KKR Food Products, the manufacturers, several times but it continued to sell the adulterated products. "It's a sad situation if you cannot take strong action against a repeated offence. We will soon write to the FSSAI on the situation," Anupama said.

KKR Food Products had argued in court that the food safety department could only ban products as per Section 34 of the Act, if it is unsafe for human consumption. Only adulterants that come under the 'unsafe' category warrant a ban.

The food safety dept has invoked the following provisions while moving against Nirapara: Section 29 (3) which stipulate that the authorities shall maintain a system of control and other activities appropriate to the circumstances, including public communication, on food safety risk, food safety surveillance and other monitoring activities covering all stages of food business. Section 30 (2) (d) which says the commissioner of food safety shall ensure an efficient and uniform implementation of the standards and other requirement as specified and also ensure a high standard of objectivity, accountability, practicability, transparency and credibility. Section 26 (2) (ii), according to which no food business operator shall himself or by any person on his behalf manufacture, store or distribute any article of food which is misbranded or substandard or contains extraneous matter. Section 36 (3) (b) which states designated officer can prohibit the sale of any article of food which is in contravention of the provisions of the Act.

However, the high court considered the argument of KKR Food Products that as per Section 34, that commissioner of food safety must do emergency prohibition only if the product poses a health risk.

Another recent high court order too proves that the Food Safety and Standards Act is toothless. A Kannur-based cinnamon farmer Leonard John had approached the high court recently seeking a directive to ensure that cassia is not sold in Kerala. He had claimed that low-cost cassia is sold as cinnamon in the state.

Cassia has a high presence of coumarin, which is unsafe for human consumption. John said that the official website of FSSAI had featured reports that said coumarin is toxic to liver and kidney. Even after getting a directive from the high court, the food safety department could not take a strong action against the sale of cassia.

"Cassia is a food product and action can be taken only for selling sub-standard products or misbranding. Hence, the issue is now being dealt with by the district-level food safety officials," said Anupama.

The department had sent several letters to FSSAI demanding amendments in the Act. "We had come across several such cases. For example, during the Maggi controversy, it was found that the act does not specify the permissible level for MSG. We had informed FSSAI about such issues," she said.

MLA V T Balram had written a letter to chief minister Oommen Chandy seeking the intervention of the advocate general, so that food safety department could function effectively.

CCFI moves high court against Kerala drive to restrict vegetables from Tamil Nadu

In the recent months, the Kerala government had acted tough against the high level of pesticide residues in vegetables.

Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI), which functions to protect the interest of pesticide manufacturers and users, has moved the high court against the Kerala government drive to restrict the supply of vegetables with pesticide residues above the permissible level from Tamil Nadu. 

In a writ filed in the high court on Monday, the CCFI has sought that directions be issued to the Chief Secretary to strictly function under the contours of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. CCFI wanted State Food Safety Commissioner T V Anupama withdraw her statements on pesticide content in vegetables transported from Tamil Nadu to Kerala. 

It said the commissioner made observations without any scientific credibility about pesticide usage and she was harassing farmers, in violation of the section 18 (3) of the food safety and standards act. 

The federation alleged that the Kerala Food Safety Commissioner has been causing and spreading unwarranted panic and paranoia about vegetables from Tamil Nadu. 

It sought the high court to direct the Kerala food safety commissioner to make public the analytical results of 700 samples claimed to have been taken by her directly from the farmers in Tamil Nadu. 

In the recent months, the Kerala government had acted tough against the high level of pesticide residues in vegetables. The food safety commissioner had sent her teams to farms in Tamil Nadu, a major supplier of vegetables to Kerala, to realize the gravity of issue after lab tests found that supply from Tamil Nadu contained pesticides above permissible level. 

Subsequently, Kerala had issued guidelines to truckers to reveal the markets from where they sourced the produce. In the recent months, sale of vegetables and fruits from other states have come down due to the reports about pesticide residue.

Beware of cinnamon you buy, warns activist

MANGALURU: Cinnamon that you buy from the market may not be original, warns Leonold John, who is instrumental in making Kerala High Court direct the state government to check the matter. 

John, who has launched a legal battle and commenced a campaign against the unethical marketing, says that most of the cinnamon brands available in the market contain cassia. He also warns people not to use cassia, which very similar in colour, shape and taste, as it would cause cancer and several other health hazards. 

John, who owns 45 acres of cinnamon plantation in Kannur district of Kerala, urged Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah to ban the sale of cassia as cinnamon. He also urged the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to take note of the rampant sale of cassia in the name of cinnamon in India. 

He told reporters here on Tuesday that his fight will continue despite the fact he has been getting threatening calls from various places including Bengaluru. "Millions of Indians are being cheated by buying cassia instead of true cinnamon. FSSAI in its website says that cassia contains high quantity of coumarin and it causes kidney and liver damages. Further, it is carcinogenic too. Hence, all states should ban the sale of cassia in the interest of public health. Moreover, it affects the sale of original cinnamon and farmers who grow it too," John said. 

In September, the Kerala High Court has directed the state government to inform the court whether it had taken any step to prohibit the sale of cassia, which is allegedly sold in the state as cinnamon. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has already banned the sale of cassia, John said. 

Those companies sell cassia as cinnamon are cheating people and earning crores, he said. "Though cassia is not grown in India, it is being imported from China, Indonesia and Vietnam. While the price of cassia is just Rs 60 per kg, it is being sold at Rs 400 per kg with a label mentioning it as cinnamon. Only a thorough lab analysis can differentiate cassia and cinnamon. An average of 4 lakh kg of cassia is being sold as cinnamon in India," he added.

Maharashtra Government Moves Supreme Court, Says Maggi Ban Should Stay

The Maharashtra government is going to file an appeal against the Bombay High Court's order to lift the ban on Maggi noodles, state food and civil supplies minister Girish Bapat announced recently.

"Sample reports received from government laboratories had mentioned lead traces. We imposed the ban to prevent any health problems for the consumers," Bapat said. After the court's order, Karnataka and Gujarat have revoked the ban on manufacture and sale of Nestle India's popular instant food brand.

The announcements by the two states came after the clean chit given by three government-approved laboratories to Maggi noodles, which was banned by central food regulator FSSAI and various state-level watchdogs in June due to high levels of lead and mislabeling regarding MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had banned Maggi noodles saying it was "unsafe and hazardous" for consumption after finding lead levels beyond permissible limits, following which the company had withdrawn it from the market. Nestle India had then challenged the ban by FSSAI in the Bombay High Court.

Few days ago, the front page of a leading daily had a clutter breaking advertisement from Nestle's stable today, bringing readers up to date on the Maggi Noodles ruling. It went on to reassure fans that they will be able to eat their favourite noodles soon.

Goa willing to revoke ban on Maggi, but may have to wait for FSSAI order

The Goa government has indicated its desire to revoke ban on Maggi noddles, however, Maharashtra government’s decision to challenge the Bombay High Court decision against its ban in the Supreme Court may delay the fate of Maggi in Goa as well.

The possibility of Goa revoking ban on Maggi noodles does not arise unless the legal battle between Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) presently in Bombay High court is completely resolved, though the High court has quashed the ban. Moreover, the case is tagged with Maharashtra government ban issue which is all set to go to the apex court.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told The Hindu on Wednesday morning that since the results of Maggi samples tested in State-run Food and Drugs Administration laboratory had not shown presence of any harmful content, the Goa government was open to lift the ban on Maggi noodles following the decisions of other States like Gujarat and Karnataka.

He, however, went on to confirm that Goa government had never imposed the ban but implemented an order of FSSAI, a Central regulatory agency which is presently being tackled with due process of law after it was quashed by Bombay High court along with the ban of Maharashtra government. He further pointed out that again the issue may face some delay as the Maharashtra government has challenged the Bombay High court decision to quash its ban ,in the Supreme Court. Director of Goa FDA Saleem Velji concurred.

As per the report of the FSSAI, Nestle India allegedly violated three mandatory conditions: having lead in excess of the permissible levels of 2.5 ppm (parts per million), misleading labeling information on the product label and selling Maggi oat masala noodles without its approval.

Goa was one of the few States where the product had tested negative for the two substances in two separate tests which had been conducted in the state. But following the ban across the country the Goa had also to implement the Central ban on Maggi from June 8. Goa FDA Director Velji had then said after the sample test that lead in all the five samples was “reported to be well below the permissible limit”. Besides, MSG had been found to be negative in the said test.

“In any case, the test results of Goa samples had no bearing on the order dated 5th June, 2015 as the samples tested qua Goa were not assumed to be unsafe while passing the Recall order by FSSAI. As such, the present test reports do not have any bearing on that order,” FSSAI press release issued on August 5 had clarified.

Recently, two days after Maggi samples passed all the tests in three laboratories designated by Bombay High Court, Karnataka and Gujarat governments announced that they would lift the ban on the Nestle product.

New FSSAI regulations for product approvals soon

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will come out with new regulations on product approvals in a few months, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

"FSSAI is in the process of having the right kind of regulations to set the house in order," said Ranglal Jamuda, secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), at an Assocham event here.

"In another couple of months, whatever difficulty we have in getting product approvals or diversifying products or coming out with new products to fulfil demand in the market, possibly that kind of situation will substantially change," he added.

"All the operational difficulties that have upset us for the last couple of months will be taking a good shape," he said.

FSSAI, the apex food regulator, scrapped product approvals following a Supreme Court order on August 19 which questioned the procedure being followed for approvals.

Jamuda urged the industry to mobilise existing and prospective entrepreneurs to apply in large numbers to avail services from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard).

The bank has set up a Rs.2,000 crore fund for lending to processing industries in mega food parks and designated food parks.

"So far seven applications have been sanctioned worth the total amount of Rs.255 crore. If we do not utilise this fund by the end of this financial year, it would be very difficult to ask the finance ministry to extend this facility in coming years," Jamuda said.

He also suggested the Nabard should delegate more powers to its regional offices so that things could move much faster in this regard.

Highlighting that this fund support was available only for designated food parks, the secretary said: "As of today we have notified about 146 designated food parks, including mega food parks across the country and five out these have become operational and another three are likely to become operational in the next couple of months."

DINAMALAR NEWS

அனு மதி பெறு வதை எளி மை யாக்கி விரை வில் வரு கி றது புது விதி மு றை கள்

புது டெல்லி, அக்.21:

மேகி விவ கா ரத்தை தொடர்ந்து, உணவு பாது காப்பு தொடர் பான விதி மு றை கள் கடு மை யாக் கப் பட்டன. ஐஸ் கி ரீம், பால் பொருட் கள், மருந்து பொருட் கள் தொடங்கி ஒவ் வொன் றுக் கும் புதிய தர விதி களை இந் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தர நிர் ணய ஆணை யம் முடிவு செய் தது. இந்த கெடு பி டி களை தொடர்ந்து, புதிய உணவு தயா ரிப் பு களுக்கு அனு மதி பெறும் நடை மு றை களும் கடு மை யாக உள் ளன.

இந் நி லை யில் இந்த விதி களை எளி மைப் ப டுத்த இந் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தர நிர் ணய ஆணை யம் (எப் எஸ் எஸ் ஏஐ) திட்ட மிட்டுள் ் ளது. இது கு றித்து அசோ செம் சார் பில் நடந்த உணவு பதப் ப டுத் து தல் தொழில் சார்ந்த நிகழ்ச் சி யில் பங் கேற்ற உணவு பதப் ப டுத் தல் துறை செய லா ளர் ராங்க் லால் ஜமுதா கூறி ய தா வது:

சந் தை யில் தேவை களுக்கு ஏற்ப புதிய தயா ரிப் பு கள் வந்த வண் ணம் இருக் கின் றன. ஆனால், இவற் றுக்கு அனு மதி பெறு வ து தான் சிக் க லா ன தாக உள ளது. இன் னும் சில மாதங் களில் புதிய தயா ரிப் பு களுக் கான அனு மதி பெறு வ தில் உள்ள செயல் பா டு கள் மற்றும் விதிமுறைகளை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையம் எளி மை யாக் கும். நடை முறை சிக் கல் கள் களை யப் ப டும். உணவு பதப் ப டுத் தல் துறை நிறு வ னங் களுக்கு கடன் வழங்க தேசிய வேளாண் மற் றும் ஊரக மேம் பாட்டு வங் கிக்கு (நபார்டு) ₹2,000 கோடி ஒதுக் கீடு செய் யப் பட்டுள் ளது. இதை உணவு பதனீட்டு நிறு வ னங் கள் பயன் ப டுத் திக் கொள்ள வேண் டும். இது வரை 7 விண் ணப் பங் களுக்கு ₹255 கோடி வழங்க அனு மதிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது என் றார்.

DINAKARAN NEWS

செம்பனார்கோவில் பகுதியில் கடை களில் அதி கா ரி கள் திடீர் ஆய்வு

செம் ப னார் கோ வில்,அக்.21:

நாகை மாவட்ட உண வுப் பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர். செந் தில் கு மார் தலை மை யில் வட்டார உண வுப் பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் தவ பா லன், சேகர், சீனி வா சன், சதீஷ் கு மார், செந் தில் கு மார், முத் தை யன், மகா ரா ஜன் ஆகி யோர் கொண்ட குழு வி னர் செம் ப னார் கோ வில் பர ச லூர் பகுதி சேர்ந்த கடை களில் திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட னர். ஹோட்டல் கள், மளி கைக் கடை கள், பேக் கரி, டீக் க டை கள், இறைச்சி கடை கள், காய் கறி கடை கள். பழக் க டை கள் பால் மற் றும் குளிர் பான கடை களில் ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட னர். ஆய் வின் போது ரூ.7 ஆயி ரம் மதிப் பி லான காலா வ தி யான மளி கைப் பொருட் கள், தடை செய் யப் பட்ட பான் மசாலா, குட்கா போன்ற பொருட் களை பறி மு தல் செய்து அழித் த னர். மேலும் தடை செய் யப் பட்டுள்ள பான் மசாலா, குட்கா மற் றும் காலா வ தி யான உண வுப் பொருட் களை பொது மக் களுக்கு விற் பனை செய் யக் கூடாது போலி டீத் தூள் பயன் ப டுத்து தேநீர் தயா ரிக் கக் கூடாது என் றும், பேக் கரி இனிப்பு வகை பொருட் களில் நிர் ண யம் செய் யப் பட்ட அளவை விட கூடு த லாக வண்ண சாய பவு டர் பயன் ப டுத்தி விற் பனை செய் யக் கூடாது என் றும் உணவு நிறு வ னங் களை சுத் த மா க வும், சுகா தா ர மா க வும் வைத் துக் கொள்ள வேண் டு மென்று எச் ச ரித் த னர்.

மீறி னால் தமிழ் நாடு உண வுப் பாது காப்பு தர நிர் ண யம் சட்டப் படி நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என்று அறி வு றுத் தி னர். மேலும் பொது மக் கள் உண வுப் பொருட் களை வாங் கும் போது பாக் கெட்டு களில் உற் பத்தி தேதி, காலா வதி தேதி உள் ளதா என பார்த்து வாங்க வேண் டும் என்று பொது மக் களை கேட்டுக் கொண் ட னர்.

வெல்லத்தில் வேதிப்பொருட்கள் கலந்தால் கடும் நடவடிக்கை

தர் ம புரி, அக்.20:

வெல் லத் தில் வேதிப் பொ ருட் கள் கலந் தால் கடும் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் என எச் ச ரிக்கை விடுத் துள் ளார்.

தர் ம புரி மாவட்டத் தில் பாப் பா ரப் பட்டி, முத் து க வுண் டன் கொட்டாய், மொரப் பூர், முக் கல் நா யக் கன் பட்டி உள் ளிட்ட பகு தி களில் 250 கரும்பு கிர சர் களில் வெல் லம் தயா ரிக் கப் பட்டு வரு கி றது. நேற்று உணவு பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் தினேஷ், முத் துக் க வுண் டன் கொட்டாய் பகு தி களில் உள்ள கரும்பு கிர சர் களில் திடீர் சோதனை செய் தார்.

வெல் லம் தயா ரிக் கும் உரி மை யா ளர் களி டம் காஸ் டிக் சோடா, ஹைட் ர ஜன் பராக் சைடு, பாஸ் ப ரஸ் போன்ற வேதி பொருட் களை கலக் கக் கூ டாது. இயற் கை யான முறை யில் சுண் ணாம்பு கலந்து வெல் லம் தயா ரிக்க வேண் டும்.

இவ் வாறு தயா ரிக் கப் ப டும் வெல் லத் தில் இரும்பு சத்து, கால் சி யம் சத்து அதி க மாக இருக் கும். வேதி பொருட் களை வெல் லத் தில் கலந் தால் கடும் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என கிர சர் உரி மை யா ளர் களி டம் எச் ச ரித் தார். முத் துக் க வுண் டன் கொட்டாய் பகு தி களில் உள்ள 30 கிர சர் களில் சோதனை நடத் தி னார்.