Synthetic food colours pose health risk

Survey in north Kerala reveals need for more regulations
The sweetmeats inside the glass counter look tempting in their many hues but the colours that make them appealing could be hiding a toxic cocktail. A recent survey conducted in northern Kerala revealed excessive use of synthetic colours in sugar-based confections, posing a serious health risk, especially for children.
The survey found the use of two non-permitted colours, Amaranth and Rhodamine, underlining the need for more stringent food safety regulations.
Of the 14 samples collected from various locations, 97 per cent were found to contain permitted colours while three per cent contained a combination of permitted and non-permitted colours.
The analysis also showed that 82 per cent of the samples exceeded the prescribed limit of 100 ppm (parts per million) for permitted colours. Tartrazine was the most widely used permitted colour, followed by sunset yellow.
Commonly used
It was noticed that though the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) permits eight colours to be added to specific foods, only six, namely Tartrazine, Sunset yellow, Carmoisine, Ponceau 4R, Erythrosine and Brilliant blue FCF, were commonly used. Brilliant blue was mostly used in combination with Tartrazine to impart a green shade to sweets, instead of using Fast Green, says R.Subburaj, Junior Research Officer, Food Safety Department, who presented a paper on the survey at the World Food Day celebrations here earlier this month.
Studies on animals have indicated that Brilliant blue induces liver damage, renal failure, and asthma while Tartrazine is responsible for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Sunset yellow causes adrenal tumor and hypersensitivity.
The survey found that indiscriminate use of colours in sweets was prevalent in small-scale industries and homestead units.
Non-permitted colours were not used in reputed brands of sugar boiled confectionaries but all the eight permitted colours were used in different combinations, ignoring the cumulative health effects caused by mixing synthetic food colours.
Joint Commissioner of Food Safety K. Anilkumar said there was scientific evidence to support the impact of synthetic food colours on human health. Pointing out that a campaign launched by the Bakers Association to avoid the use of synthetic colours had collapsed due to lack of response from buyers, Mr.Anilkumar stressed the need for a sustained consumer awareness drive.

Packaged drinking water unit sealed

A packaged drinking water unit at Pallipalayam that was found functioning without licence was sealed by the officials of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department.
A team led by District Designated Officer T. Tamil Selvan inspected four units at Pallipalayam area.
Workers of the units were asked to wear face mask, gloves and cover their head with a cloth while on duty.
One of the units was found functioning without obtaining BIS certification or licence from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Also, officials found drinking water cans of various brands on the premises for refilling and supply to retail shops.
The unit was already served notice twice for not obtaining licence.
Hence, water samples were taken and the unit sealed.
Officials said that based on the laboratory report further action would be initiated as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Inspection to continue
They also warned of action against units that were functioning without licence or supplying sub-standard drinking water to the public.
Officials said that the inspection would continue in other units too in the coming days.

Health team seals 3 units in Daria

Chandigarh, October 30 A team of Health Department today sealed three units in Daria village here as these were being run without a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence.
While a namkeen-manufacturing unit, run by Harun Ali at Plot No. 927, was issued prohibition notice for manufacturing in unhygienic and insanitary conditions, it was also found operating without having a valid FSSAI licence. The workers of the said unit fled from the spot, following which the unit was sealed.
A challan was issued to New Gopal Sweets, Plot No. 438, for operating without a FSSAI licence.
Another sweets unit was not operational because of Karva Chauth festival but the people present on the spot could not show a licence. They have been instructed to present it by Monday.

Jammu: 2 meat shops sealed for slaughtering animals illegally

The directions to seal shops in the Kacchi Chawni area were issued by MC commissioner Mandeep in a surprise raid conducted along with Save Animals Value Enviornement (SAVE), animal rights NGO chairperson Rumpy Madaan.

The municipal corporation (MC) has sealed two meat shops for slaughtering animals illegally in violation of standard guidelines of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The directions to seal shops in the Kacchi Chawni area were issued by MC commissioner Mandeep in a surprise raid conducted along with Save Animals Value Enviornement (SAVE), animal rights NGO chairperson Rumpy Madaan.
Rumpy in a meeting with the MC commissioner had pointed out about unscientific slaughtering and butchering of animals at local shops in violation of the law. The raid on shops and slaughter houses was conducted on Friday morning.
The MC commissioner also visited the government-owned slaughter houses at Dogra Hall and Gujjar Nagar, where no standard procedures were followed.
SAVE chairperson said as the per the guidelines of the FSSAI the animals should be stunned (made unconscious) before slaughtering and should slaughtered in a scientific manner with proper equipments, lights.
The FSSAI also has guidelines for ritual slaughtering –Hallal and Jatka killings. She said but these are blatantly violated.
“The animals slaughtered in unscientific manner release toxins which are quite harmful on being consumed and can lead to serious health problems. But the general public is not made much aware about it,” she said.
She said it is mandatory to get the doctor’s certificate, issued by the municipal veterinary officer, a night before the slaughtering to check the health of the animals but during the raid it was observed that this was not done.
Rumpy said the waste of slaughter houses and butcher shops are being drained out without scientific treatment in the Tawi river.

27 mawa samples tested substandard

JAIPUR: Mawa miscreants, in a bid to cash in on the festive season, are producing unsafe mawa. So far, at least 4% mawa samples have tested unsafe and unhealthy, which are not fit for consumption. Also, 8% were found to be of substandard quality.
In the past 15 days, the food inspectors in the state collected over 538 samples of mawa and sent them for testing in six existing food testing laboratories. "Till date we have received report of 216 out of 538 collected samples. The report shows that while 18 of the samples were of substandard quality, nine out of the total samples were found unsafe," Dr Sunil Singh, additional director (rural health), health department, said.
However, as many as 188 samples out of 216 were found to be of standard quality, while 12.5% of the samples tested were either substandard or unsafe collectively.
He said that if a sample is tested unsafe, the cases are presented before the CJM court. "According to the Food Safety and Standard Act, there is a penalty of Rs1 lakh to Rs10 lakh. Besides that there are also provisions of imprisonment from six months to lifetime for selling unsafe food items," Dr Singh said.
Taking serious note of the influx of unsafe mawa, the health department has started a call centre for complaints on adulterated food. People can register their complaints on 0141-2220381 or 0141-2224831for complaints. The health department officials claimed that action would be taken against the complaints filed.
Moreover, the health department is taking care of the interest of the shopkeepers and mawa traders. Earlier, there have been instances when the chief medical health officers (CMHOs) did not provide the result of the test to the shopkeepers even when they were are found to be of standard quality. In such cases, the health department has directed all the CMHOs to provide the result of the test to the traders within seven days irrespective of whether they come out to be of standard or sub-standard quality.

Avoid using plastic, especially to store food, say doctors

October is observed as breast cancer awareness month
If you have been using plastic containers, disposable plates, bottles and other plastic products to store food, it is time you switch to glass or metal containers.

City-based oncologists say that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in plastic, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), can cause cancer in people, especially breast cancer. Concerned over the growing incidence of breast cancer in the State, specialists — who are focussing more on creating awareness about this second-most common cancer among women — say the government’s recent ban on plastic has come as a blessing in disguise.
According to the Population Based Cancer Registry, 36.6 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed every year per one lakh population in Bengaluru. Of the estimated 45,000 new cancer cases reported every year in Karnataka, over 8,000 are breast cancer cases.
The Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology sees nearly 22,000 new cases every year and of these over 850 are breast cancer cases. Although this has much to do with lifestyle, exposure to plastic products beyond certain levels is also a major risk factor, doctors say.
Nalini Rao, Consultant Radiation Oncologist at HCG Cancer Care Network, says BPA is a weak synthetic estrogen found in many rigid plastic products, food and beverage containers and other similar products.
“BPA’s estrogen-like activity makes it a hormone disruptor, like many other chemicals in plastics. Hormone disruptors can affect how estrogen and other hormones act in the body, by blocking them or mimicking them, which throws off the body’s hormonal balance. Because estrogen can make hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer develop and grow, it is better to avoid use of plastic products,” she explains.
Jayanthi Thumsi, Consultant, Breast Cancer Surgeon, BGS Global Hospitals, says there is increasing evidence from ecological research that indicates a strong connection between environmental factors and breast cancer. “There are over 75,000 synthetic chemicals used in day-to-day commodities like lipstick, water bottles, pesticide. As its use has increased, so has the incidence of breast cancer,” she says.
October is observed as breast cancer awareness month

Maggi effect: F&B firms line up for ‘contamination’ cover

Most insurers are seeing a big jump in enquiries for such policies
Mumbai, October 30: 

As domestic food safety regulations get stringent on the back of Nestle’s Maggi fiasco, general insurers are seeing increasing enquiries for niche covers such as for contaminated products and product-recall.
Nestle India saw its consolidated net profit drop 60 per cent for the quarter ended September after a food-safety scare prompted a nationwide recall of its instant noodles brand Maggi in June.
The incident caused a big scare among companies operating in the food and beverages (F&B) sector, too, as many came under the scanner of the regulator FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India).
Nestle recently resumed production of Maggi noodles in India after fresh tests found them safe for consumption.
Sushant Sarin, Senior Vice President — Commercial Lines — Tata AIG General Insurance, said that his company is now getting five-six enquiries a week on ‘product contaminated’ insurance; earlier, a whole quarter would average that many queries.
“At times, despite best efforts and quality standards undertaken by companies operating in the F&B and personal-care space, contamination can occur, due to which they can face severe consequences,” he said.
Contaminated product insurance covers, among other things, business interruption and recall costs, rehabilitation expenses, and related consultancy spend.
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has also seen a jump in queries for ‘product recall’ cover, said Sasikumar Adidamu, Chief Technical Officer.
According to Sanjay Kedia, Country Head and CEO, Marsh India Insurance Brokers, apart from basic cover, most domestic F&B companies are now looking for more comprehensive covers such as contaminated product insurance, as they fear incurring huge costs not just on a product recall but also in the form of penalties, legal expenses, and outflows for protecting the brand image, and crisis management.
Tata AIG’s Sarin said the contamination cover starts at ₹5 crore and goes up to ₹130 crore. The company, he said, has paid out a few large claims, exceeding $1 million to a single company.
Marsh India CEO Kedia said that the premium for such policies depend on various parameters such as turnover of the company, the quality standards adopted, and the type of product. The premium, therefore, can range from 0.5 per cent to 3 per cent of the size of the insurance cover, he added.
Considering the massive claims that insurers can face, these covers are backed by global/domestic re-insurers.

தீபாவளிக்காக ஒட்டல்களில் தரமற்ற உணவு

மதுரை, அக். 31:
தீபா வ ளியை முன் னிட்டு ஒட்டல் களில் தரம் இல் லாத உணவு மற் றும் பல கா ரங் கள் தயா ரித் தால் கடு மை யான நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி காரி சுகுணா எச் ச ரித் துள் ளார்.
மதுரை நக ரில் உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி காரி சுகுணா தலை மை யில் அதி கா ரி கள் பெரி யார் பஸ்ஸ் டாண்ட் துவங்கி ரயில்வே ஸ்டே ஷன் முன் ப குதி வரை உள்ள 27 ஒட்டல் கள் மற் றும் சாலை யின் இரு புறங் களில் உள்ள கடை களை திடீ ரென சோதனை செய் த னர். இதில் ஓட்டல் களில் உணவு வகைள், குழம்பு வகை கள், சமை யல் பொருட் கள் மற் றும் இடத் தின் தூய்மை என பல் வேறு சோத னை களை நடத் தப் பட்டன.
இதில் 3 ஓட்டல் களின் தயா ரிப் பில் தூய்மை இல் லா தது கண் ட றி யப் பட்டு, அவர் களுக்கு நோட்டீஸ் வழங் கப் பட்டது. மேலும் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட புகை யிலை, பான் பா ரக் என 5 ஆயி ரம் மதிப் புள்ள பொருட் கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட்டன.
இது கு றித்து உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் சுகுணா கூறு கை யில், ‘‘மதுரை நக ரில் ஒட்டல் கள் மற் றும் கடை களை அவ் வப் போது சோத னை யிட்டு வரு கி றோம். பாது காப்பு இல் லாத முறை யி லும், தூய் மை யில் லாத ஒட்டல் க ளை யும் கண்ா ணித்து நோட்டீஸ் கொடுத்து வரு கி றோம். அதன் பின் ன ரும் சீர் செய் ய வில்லை எனில் சீல் வைக் க வும் கலெக் ட ருக்கு பரிந் து ரைக் கப் ப டும்.
தீபா வ ளிக்கு இன் னும் 10 நாட் கள் உள்ள நிலை யில் பல கா ரங் கள் கடை யில் பழைய எண் ணெய் வகை களை வைத்து தயார் செய்து வரு வ தாக புகார் கள் எழுந் துள் ளன. அந்த கடை களை சோத னை யிட்டு நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. மேலும் சில கடை களுக்கு எச் ச ரிக்கை விடப் பட்டுள் ளது. கலர் கல ராக பொடி களை தூவி பல க ரங் களை தயார் செய் யக் கூ டாது.
இதே போல், முறை யின்றி உண வு கள் தயார் செய் தலோ, பழைய பொருட் களை வைத்து விற் பனை செய் தாலோ ‘98423-03625’ என்ற எண் ணில் பொது மக் கள் புகார் தெரி விக் க லாம் ’’ என் றார். மதுரை ரயில்வே ஸ்டே ஷன் பகு தி யில் உள்ள ஓட்டலில் உணவு பது காப்பு அலு வ லர் சுகுணா ஆய்வு செய் தார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

அயோடின் கலந்தது என ஏமாற்றம் கருத்தரங்கில் வலியுறுத்தல் பதப்படுத்துதல் உப்பு விற்பனையை தடை செய்ய வேண்டும்

கும் ப கோ ணம், அக்.31:
கும் ப கோ ணத் தில் திரு வா ரூர் மாவட்ட தமிழ் நாடு நுகர் வோர் பாது காப்பு மையம் மற் றும் இதயா மகளிர் கல் லூ ரி யில் உள்ள நுகர் வோர் மன்ற உறுப் பி னர் கள் இணைந்து உலக அயோ டின் பற் றாக் குறை தடுப்பு தினத்தை முன் னிட்டு கருத் த ரங் கினை நடத் தி னர்.
கல் லூரி முதல் வர் ஜோதி மேரி தலைமை வகித் தார். நுகர் வோர் அமைப் பின் பொது செய லா ளர் ரமேஷ் வர வேற்று பேசி னார். ஒருங் கி ணைப் பா ளர் திரு நா வுக் க ரசு, நல வாழ்வு இயக் கு னர் சுபாஷ் காந்தி, அமைப்பு செயா ல ளர் காளி முத்து ஆகி யோர் முன் னிலை வகித் த னர். சிறப்பு விருந் தி ன ராக உணவு பாது காப்பு நல அலு வ லர் மகேஷ் சிறப் பு ரை யா ற றி னார். நிர் வா க வி யல் துறை தலைவி சுகன்யா, அகி லன் ஆகி யோர் கருத் து ரை யாற் றி னர். நுகர் வோர் பாது காப்பு குழு தலைவி நர் மதா நன்றி கூறி னார். கருத் த ரங் கில் கல் லூரி மாண வி களுக்கு அயோ டின் உப்பை உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் மகேஷ் வழங்கி, அனை வ ரை யும் அயோ டின் உப்பை மட்டும் உப யோ கிப் போம் என்று உறு தி மொழி எடுத் துக் கொண் ட னர்.
உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் மகேஷ் பேசி ய தா வது: அக் டோ பர் மாதம் 21ம்தேதி உலக அயோ டின் பற் றாக் குறை குறை பா டு கள் தடுப்பு தின மா கும். இந்த நாளில் அயோ டின் அவ சி யத்தை பற்றி பல் வேறு விழிப் பு ணர்வு ஏற் ப டுத் தும் வகை யில் விழிப் பு ணர்வு நிக ழச் சி கள் நடை பெற்று வரு கி றது.
அயோ டின் சத்து குறைந் தால் மூளை வளர்ச்சி இல் லாமை, அறி வுத் தி றன் குறை பாடு, கரு கலை தல், ஊன முற்ற குழந்தை பிறத் தல், மன வ ளர்ச்சி குன் று தல், முன் கழுத் துக் க ழலை போன்ற குறை பா டு கள் ஏற் ப டுத் து கின் றன. குறை பாடு வந்த பின் சரி செய் வது கடி னம். ஆனால் அயோ டின் கலந்த உப்பை சாப் பிட்டு வந் தால் வரா மல் தடுக் க லாம். அத னால் உப் பில் கட்டா யம் அயோ டின் கலக்க வேண் டும் என்று உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தரங் கள் சட்டத் தில் சட்ட மாக் க கப் பட்டுள் ளது.
இந் திய சுகா தா ரத் துறை அமைச் ச கம் சமீ பத் தில் வீடு களில் எடுக் கப் பட்ட உப் பில் அயோ டின் அளவு குறித்த அறிக் கையை வெளி யிட்டுள் ளது. அதில் தஞ்சை மாவட்டத்தை பொறுத் த வ ரை யில் 32.66 சத வீ தம் மக் கள் போது மான அளவு அயோ டின் உப்பை பயன் ப டுத் து கி றார் கள், இதில் 23 சத வீ தம் குடும் பங் களில் அயோ டின் கலக் காத உப் பினை பயன் ப டுத் து கின் ற னர் என்று தெரி விக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. மேலும் ஆய் வில், சில வியா பா ரி கள் அயோ டின் கலக் கா மல் கலந் த தாக ஏமாற்றி வியா பா ரம் செய் கின் ற னர். சட்டத் தி லி ருந்து தப் பிக்க பதப் ப டுத் து தல் உப்பு என பாக் கெட்டில் குறிப் பிட்டு விற் பனை செய் வது தொடர்ந்து வரு கி றது. அதனை உட ன டி யாக தடை செய்து அயோ டின் கலந்து உப்பை கண் டிப் பாக பயன் ப டுத்த வேண் டும் என்று பேசி னார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAKARAN NEWS

You won't believe what some Iranians have found in their bottled water

Food items are placed in shopping carts as customers stand in line to pay for their goods at a shopping mall

TEHRAN, Iran — The latest in a string of questionable food quality calls by the government is bringing to light issues such as the mass supply of unsanitary food products, the violations of consumer rights and the lack of substantive legal recourse to deal with them. 

At issue now is the Iranian Health Ministry’s decision to halt a production line at the country’s biggest bottler of mineral water — and the ministry's quick reversal of that decision.
On Sept. 21, Behrouz Jannat, director general of inspection and supervision at the Food and Drug Organization, announced that Damavand Mineral Water Company's production line in northern Tehran would be shut down because the company was not complying with regulations. Damavand, which holds 40% of Iran's mineral water market, is a joint venture with food and beverage giant Danone SA of Paris. Known as Dannon in the United States, the company's numerous brands include Evian water and Oikos yogurt.
Reports emerged that Damavand was continuing to distribute its products, which prompted Health Minister Seyed Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi to personally intervene. He announced that in recent months, 12 mineral water production companies had received warnings. Of them, 11 promised to correct their errors, but Damavand had resisted. Hashemi said, “This company … does not have the right to distribute bottled water in the market.”
Less than one month later, Damavand was back in full swing. Rasoul Dinavard, head of Iran’s Food and Drug Organization, told reporters, “They were allowed to resume work under certain conditions, and they guaranteed [they would] follow through with their commitments.”
Hashemi said Damavand's water was contaminated with Pseudomonas bacteria. According to the World Health Organization website, the bacteria does not usually cause symptoms in healthy people; however, its presence in large numbers in bottled water can affect taste, odor and clarity.
A senior official at the Food and Drug Organization who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity said, “Unfortunately, our organization has been under a great deal of pressure to announce that Damavand’s mineral water is once again suitable for distribution. Damavand is a colossal company and it’s not possible to guarantee that this bacteria has been eliminated in its bottled water in only two weeks. This is not to mention that the company never truly accepted that its products were contaminated with Pseudomonas. Therefore, how can it have corrected the situation?”
Damavand’s executive manager gave a press conference Oct. 18. Without accepting any responsibility for earlier contamination in the company’s products or explaining how its bottled water would become free of contaminants in the future, he said, “Cultural differences are one of the main elements that has become a headache for Damavand Mineral Water Company," referring to his dissatisfaction with how authorities handled the situation.
When it comes to reporting on consumer rights violations, there are no independent media outlets in Iran, only ones that voice the opinions of government officials. There are also no powerful nongovernmental organizations to ensure that consumer rights are respected by food producers. The most influential government organizations in this field are The Organization for the Protection of Consumers and Producers and the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights, whose databases have provided no reports, analysis or even news about the contamination of Damavand’s mineral water during the past month.
Consumer rights violations have become a huge concern among ordinary Iranians since last summer, after Iran’s health minister announced that the country’s main milk producers were using palm oil in their products. This oil, and not the natural fat of the milk itself, made up most of the fat found in their dairy products. The head of the Health Ministry’s Office for Nutrition, Zahra Abdollahi, said palm oil has a saturated fatty acid content of at least 50%. Some authorities say the product is a suspected factor in high cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, and could eventually result in clogged arteries.
Other reports about food quality problems have surfaced recently. On Oct. 4, Alireza Jamshidi, head of Tazirat-e-Hokoumati, an organization within Iran’s judiciary, spoke about fake lemon juice being supplied to the market. “Seventeen factories were reviewed, and not one drop of natural lemon juice was found in any of them. What is interesting is that all of them had the seal of quality,” Jamshidi said. On Oct. 17, the Health Ministry reported that since the beginning of the current Iranian year, which started March 21, violations had been found in 53 lemon juice factories.
Iran’s Standards Organization — linked to the Ministry of Industry and Mines — is the country’s main body for quality control and regulates products in terms of health and hygienic requirements, granting them a seal of quality. However, the recent disclosures have brought this entity’s credibility into question. AsrIran — a news agency with ties to the Reformists — has accused the Standards Organization of lying and inconsistency in connection with Damavand.
In the past few months, there have also been reports about the mass processing of chicken containing lead in Tehran’s slaughterhouses, the unsanitary use of chicken paste in the production of sausages and salami, as well as contaminated sugar cubes.
Yet it seems that these producers face no major legal repercussions. In an Oct. 13 news conference, the health minister complained about the low fines set for “food fraud,” somewhere between 5 and 20,000 toman ($1.60-$6.60). “These fines are truly sad. And it’s been 30 years since these laws were put in place, and still they have never been reviewed,” Hashemi said.
Majid Haghani, a health and food safety analyst in Tehran, told Al-Monitor that complicated bureaucracy has prevented true offenders from being punished. However, he is still hopeful for the future and said, “We should realize that it’s been only in the past one or two years that social groups and independent media have become aware of the vital issue of consumer rights and are seriously following up on it. And even that is thanks to the disclosures made by the health minister and the media, and this is good news.”
In the absence of strict rules, he suggested, “One of the important things in the current situation is to form completely independent and people-oriented NGOs to monitor the quality of products. Then, social campaigns can be launched to sanction the violating producers and their products. In a situation where there is a legal vacuum, it is popular pressure that can strongly punish such producers.”