Nov 10, 2015
Over 29% food samples unfit for consumption in Jalandhar: Health dept
According to the health department, failed samples of different items have included sweets, bakery products, grocery items and milk products.
As many as 29 per cent samples of milk products and sweet items collected by the health department from separate areas of the district, had failed the purity test this year.
Out of 494 food samples collected in the district during this year, as many as 141 were found manufactured with sub-standard raw material, unsafe for human consumption under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
The health department has claimed to launch civil or criminal proceedings against defaulters as the cases of sub-standard have been filed in the court of the additional deputy commissioner and unsafe cases have been listed in the court of the chief judicial magistrate.
The health department had also collected around Rs 4.47 lakh as fine imposed on defaulters this year.
According to the health department, failed samples of different items have included sweets, bakery products, grocery items and milk products.
However, as per sources, mostly local milk and milk products, bakery products and other samples were being collected by the health department this year as per guidelines issued by higher officials.
As per the directions, authorities have fixed a minimum target of 100 every month. But due to the lackadaisical attitude of health officials, they usually fail to cover the target.
As Diwali is just after a day, sale of sweets has increased and sweet manufacturers prepare items in bulk with complete disregard of hygiene and food safety. They totally ignore the health of people in order to earn huge profit.
The apathy of the health department can be gauged from the fact that only 58 samples have been collected by the department this month in the district.
An official on condition of anonymity said that due to an interference of political leaders and officials, the drive against those found selling adulterated sweets is being affected.
When contacted, district health officer (DHO) Jasbir Singh said that during the month of October, 95 samples of various milk products, sweets and other products, respectively were taken and reports are still to reach in his office.
He said that the ADC can impose a fine of maximum up to Rs 5 lakh on the defaulter and court can sentence a defaulter to life imprisonment for the unsafe sample.
In another shocking revelation, the department is unable to find records of food samples lifted in 2013 and 2014. The department depends either on the headquarters in Chandigarh or online for the records related to Jalandhar.
Sale of adulterated sweets remains unchecked
Beware of the coloured sweets sold in open market in the city. They may contain harmful chemicals that will affect one’s health. Moreover, in the absence of a full-time food safety officer in East Singhbhum district for more than seven months, sale of adulterated sweets from shops across city remain unchecked and might affect the buyers.
With only a day left for the festival of lights which sees huge sale of sweets from more than 150 shops in city, there have been hardly any raids so far by the district health department to check adulteration.
According information, the last district food safety officer Mahesh Pandey had to opt for voluntary retirement due to eye problems in February 2015. East Singhbhum district civil surgeon, S. K Jha expressed his helpless over the issue.
“We have constituted a two-member team after complaints over adulteration in sweet products on Friday. But both the doctors were busy with their own jobs on Saturday. I have asked them to conduct at least few raids in the city today. We are trying to make the best out of the current situation,” said Dr Jha.
Use of harmful synthetic colours, including dyes is not permitted. But small manufacturers use the banned items just to give more colour to the sweets so as to make it attractive, officials said.
Most of the sweets manufactured in the district were from the unorganised sector — houses or group of people joining together to make a fast buck. Actions against the sweet manufacturer, after lab report would be initiated as per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012).
The two member team comprise Dr P. N Tiwary (who is in-charge of Jugsalai community health center) and Samir Kumar (in-charge of Patamda community health center). “I am busy at the Jugsalai community health center. However we are planning to conduct few raids today evening. Let’s see,” said Dr Tiwary. Incidentally, raids in earlier years at sweets manufacturing units and shops were conducted at least a week before the festivity.
Sources in the health department revealed that sweet-makers, in order to make mint profits, often use non-permitted colours, starch instead of sugar and aluminium-mixed varakh which can lead to severe digestive disorders. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012), sale of adulterated products that are detrimental to health can invite a hefty fine of anything between Rs25,000 and Rs2 lakh.
However, when contacted an owner of sweet shop refuted charges of adulteration. “We are in business from 18 years and have been selling products without any report of adulteration,” he noted.
With only a day left for the festival of lights which sees huge sale of sweets from more than 150 shops in city, there have been hardly any raids so far by the district health department to check adulteration.
According information, the last district food safety officer Mahesh Pandey had to opt for voluntary retirement due to eye problems in February 2015. East Singhbhum district civil surgeon, S. K Jha expressed his helpless over the issue.
“We have constituted a two-member team after complaints over adulteration in sweet products on Friday. But both the doctors were busy with their own jobs on Saturday. I have asked them to conduct at least few raids in the city today. We are trying to make the best out of the current situation,” said Dr Jha.
Use of harmful synthetic colours, including dyes is not permitted. But small manufacturers use the banned items just to give more colour to the sweets so as to make it attractive, officials said.
Most of the sweets manufactured in the district were from the unorganised sector — houses or group of people joining together to make a fast buck. Actions against the sweet manufacturer, after lab report would be initiated as per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012).
The two member team comprise Dr P. N Tiwary (who is in-charge of Jugsalai community health center) and Samir Kumar (in-charge of Patamda community health center). “I am busy at the Jugsalai community health center. However we are planning to conduct few raids today evening. Let’s see,” said Dr Tiwary. Incidentally, raids in earlier years at sweets manufacturing units and shops were conducted at least a week before the festivity.
Sources in the health department revealed that sweet-makers, in order to make mint profits, often use non-permitted colours, starch instead of sugar and aluminium-mixed varakh which can lead to severe digestive disorders. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012), sale of adulterated products that are detrimental to health can invite a hefty fine of anything between Rs25,000 and Rs2 lakh.
However, when contacted an owner of sweet shop refuted charges of adulteration. “We are in business from 18 years and have been selling products without any report of adulteration,” he noted.
Haryana approves state committee for food safety standards
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has approved constitution of state- and district-level Steering Committees under Food Safety and Standard Act to ensure smooth operationalisation of regulatory provisions of the legislation in the state.
The state-level Steering Committee would be headed by Chief Secretary as Commissioner while Food and Drug Administration would serve as Convener of the committee, a spokesperson of Food and Drug Administration said here today.
Deputy Commissioner in the district would be Chairman of district-level Steering Committee and a designated officer would serve on the committee as Convener, they added.
The spokesperson said Additional Chief Secretary Health, Additional Chief Secretaries or Principal Secretaries of Urban Local Bodies and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Regional head of FSSAI, representatives from local chapters of FICCI/CII, representatives from Hotel Association, Grain Merchant Association, Oil Merchant Association and from Consumer Association would act as members of the Committee.
Other members of the district-level Steering Committee would be Civil Surgeon, Executive Officer, Municipal Committee or Corporation, District Project Officer ICDS and representative from District Hotel Association.
The state-level Steering Committee would be headed by Chief Secretary as Commissioner while Food and Drug Administration would serve as Convener of the committee, a spokesperson of Food and Drug Administration said here today.
Deputy Commissioner in the district would be Chairman of district-level Steering Committee and a designated officer would serve on the committee as Convener, they added.
The spokesperson said Additional Chief Secretary Health, Additional Chief Secretaries or Principal Secretaries of Urban Local Bodies and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Regional head of FSSAI, representatives from local chapters of FICCI/CII, representatives from Hotel Association, Grain Merchant Association, Oil Merchant Association and from Consumer Association would act as members of the Committee.
Other members of the district-level Steering Committee would be Civil Surgeon, Executive Officer, Municipal Committee or Corporation, District Project Officer ICDS and representative from District Hotel Association.
Maggi lovers in State may have to wait
The company has made a representation to Food Safety Commissioner but a few clarifications have been sought
Nestle India re-launched its popular instant noodles brand Maggi and commenced sales on Monday, but the same is yet to available in Tamil Nadu, the State food safety department has said.
According to a senior food safety department official, “the company has made a representation to us but the Commissioner has asked for a few clarifications. Once they reply, it will be taken into consideration.”
However, with news about the re-launch of Maggi spreading, eager customers kept asking if the packets were back on the shelves in Tamil Nadu. A departmental store keeper in Vellore said customers continued to ask if the sale of Maggi noodles had resumed. “Though we saw the advertisement that sale of Maggi noodles had commenced, we have not received any new stock. Customers inquire if the noodles are available and many purchase other brands of noodles,” he said.
Retailers’ compunctions
However, for retailers, it is necessary to keep in view clearances from the food safety officials and co-ordinate stocks with the wholesaler. Representatives of a few supermarkets in Chennai said though they had not received Maggi stock as yet, Nestle had intimated that the ban had been lifted and they expected the arrival of packs anytime.
A manager at one of the leading chain of supermarkets at Kilpauk said the packs might arrive by Wednesday. “But we may not get all the flavours immediately; only the regular ‘masala’ flavour of Maggi may come at first,” he said.
Another staff of a leading supermarket in Anna Nagar said they would start accepting the Maggi products after seeing the reviewed license and certificate of Nestle. “We have received communication from Nestle. But it is going to take time before it reaches our outlet,” he said.
In Tiruchi and Coimbatore, Food Safety department officials had the same story to tell. “We are yet to receive any directive from our higher authorities till now to lift the ban,” a senior department official in Tiruchi said.
Over five tonnes of Maggi noodles were taken back by the distributors from the retail outlets across the district after the ban was imposed, in the district, he added, and since then, a team of 18 Food Safety Officers were nominated for different parts of Tiruchi district to ensure that there was no sale of Maggi noodles. In Coimbatore, officials said that a second round of tests might be done in the State before the packets hit the shelves here.
On June 4, the Tamil Nadu government had banned the manufacture, stocking and sales of Maggi noodles and three other brands — Wai Wai Express Noodles, Reliance Select Instant Noodles and Smith and Jones Chicken Masala Noodles — for a period of three months, on the grounds that the products contained unacceptable levels of lead.
On the other three brands, the official said that the makers had been told to submit their products for re-testing. “Reliance noodles have already been sent for testing and results are awaited. Wai Wai Express has not come forward, while Smith and Jones have said they do not want to be tested as of now and will not market in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Nestle’s statement
In a statement released on Monday, Nestle House said most States did not have a ban on the sale of Maggi noodles. “For States where specific directions are required, we are engaging with them,” the statement said. It added that the company was committed to collaborate and work proactively with FSSAI and FDA authorities in States and other stakeholders.
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