Fear psychosis in the industry has been curbed: FSSAI

New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI) With industry fearing excessive regulation in the wake of Maggi controversy, food regulator FSSAI has said it has taken a number of steps to check any "fear psychosis" among companies.

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has relaxed the product approval process for proprietary food products and nutraceuticals. It had also last week issued clarification about the standards of monosodium glutamate (MSG).

After the ban on Maggi in June last year, the food industry had complained about inspector raj. Even Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had said that the regulator has created an environment of fear in the industry.

When asked about whether there is any fear psychosis after the Maggi ban incident, FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal said that it has taken number of steps to ease approval process without compromising on the quality norms of the products in order to address any fear among the industry.

"... the fear psychosis has been curbed up to a large extent with various landmark initiatives taken by the FSSAI in easing the approval of food products and nutraceuticals,? Agarwal told PTI.

"But at the same time, utmost importance has also been given to ensuring quality of the food items," Agarwal said.

Maggi noodles was banned by FSSAI in June last year for allegedly containing lead beyond the permissible limit. It came back into the market in November 2015.

Elaborating on steps taken by the FSSAI, Agarwal said the food products for which standards were not laid down in the Food Safety and Standards Act but have approved ingredients, now may not require any approval.

He also mentioned that the restricted enforcement activity against nutraceuticals and health supplement companies to only testing of products till new standards are notified

To empower the consumers, Agarwal said FSSAI has launched an app through which general public can get information about the standards.

The authority has also started awareness and training programmes for the food business operators about how to implement the food safety standards.

As FSSAI has been streamlining its regulations to ease product approval process, Union Minister Harsimrat Badal had also said that there will more investment and innovation in the food sector. She has been raising industry and quality issues with the food regulator.

Welcoming the latest initiatives by the FSSAI, CII last week had said that the recent notifications by the regulator on proprietary food, and notice on harmonisation of Food Additives with Codex, mark the beginning of a new chapter in developing and promoting India as the global hub for food industry.

Think twice before eating your next Maggi

The FSSAI that banned Maggi noodles has now said that there is no analytical method to determine whether the Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is naturally present in a product or is added.

The food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that banned Maggi noodles last year owing to high content of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) has now said that there is no analytical method to determine whether the 'flavour enhancer' is naturally present in a product or is added. The FSSAI, the apex Indian food regulator, has also said that consumers should be facilitated to exercise informed choices in respect of what they eat. Paving the way for MSG in food stuffs, the FSSAI, in an order has said, "Under regulation of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives), Regulations, 2011, MSG, a flavour enhancer may be added to specific foods subject to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) level and under proper declaration of the of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011."

At present, there are no specified limits fixed by FSSAI or by global standards for MSG. "It is widely known that glutamate is naturally found in several common foods such as milk spices, wheat, vegetables etc, MSG is the sodium salt of Glutamic Acid and one of the many forms of glutamate. Presently, there is no analytical method to determine whether MSG was added to a product during its manufacture or was naturally present in the product. This can however be checked through inspection of the manufacturing premises," the FSSAI order said. The food regulator under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has, however, said that in order to ensure that consumers are facilitated to exercise informed choices in respect of what they eat, proceedings may be launched against FBOs only when the labels states 'No MSG' or 'No added MSG' and MSG is actually found in the impugned foodstuff.

FSSAI has issued instructions to the Commissioners of Food Safety that specific enforcement and prosecution may not be launched against the manufacturers of noodles or pasta on account of presence of MSG/Glutamic Acid unless it is ascertained by the department that MSG flavour enhancer (INS E-621) was deliberately added during the course of manufacture without required declaration on the label as indicated. MSG is found naturally in tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables and fruits. MSG is used in the food industry as a flavour enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavour of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups. MSG as a flavour enhancer balances, blends and rounds the perception of other tastes. It is particularly popular in Korean, Japanese and Chinese cuisine. The US Food and Drug Administration has given MSG a "Generally Recognised As Safe (GRAS)" designation.

Experts say that large doses of MSG can cause headaches, nausea and other feelings of discomfort collectively known as "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome", although controlled studies have failed to identify such symptoms. MSG, available under the trade name Ajinomoto is used in dishes such as chilly chicken, chilly paneer, fried rice, chow Mein, chicken soup, chicken Manchurian etc. Amidst controversies and court cases, in June 2015, Nestle had to withdraw its one of the most popular instant noodles brand Maggi off the shelves from the market over allegations of having high lead content and presence of MSG. FSSAI had earlier ordered recall of all nine approved variants of Maggi instant noodles from the market, terming them unsafe and hazardous for human consumption.

FSSAI limits enforcement activity against nutraceuticals companies to testing products Nutraceuticals

This will address the operational issues of the industry.

Food regulator FSSAI has restricted enforcement activity against nutraceuticals and health supplement companies to only testing of products till new standards are notified.

"It has been decided that till standards of nutraceuticals, food supplements and health supplements are finally notified, the enforcement activities against such food business operators may be restricted to testing... with respect to requirements given in the draft notification on such products," the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said in an order.

This means that the companies getting relief will be those whose products were launched before the Food Safety and Standards Act came into force in 2011 and whose product approvals are pending as on August 19, 2015.

Following a Supreme Court order on August 19 questioning the procedure followed for approvals by the food regulator, FSSAI had decided to discontinue the approval process.

Welcoming the FSSAI's latest order, CII Chairman on National Committee on Food Processing Industry Piruz Khambatta said this will address the operational issues of the industry.

After Maggi, Patanjali Atta Noodles found “substandard”

MEERUT: After alleged adulterants were found in Maggi noodles, leading to the brand being withdrawn by its maker, a team of Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) based in Meerut has now found a Patanjali Atta Noodles sample "sub-standard", with ash content in the tastemaker exceeding the prescribed limits by nearly three times, even higher than Maggi or Yippee samples.

The tests were carried out on samples of Patanjali Noodles, Maggi and Yippee collected from Vishal Mega Mart outlet in Meerut on February 5, 2016, the report of which reached came out on Saturday. In all the three samples, ash content found is invariably high. The samples were sent to the Lucknow-based testing laboratory.

The permissible limit for ash content according to law is 1%, but all the three samples failed the test and were found "substandard" for consumption.

Giving details about the report JP Singh, chief food safety officer said, "The ash content in the tastemaker of Patanjali Atta Noodles was found to be 2.69%, which is the highest among all three. The ash content in the tastemaker of Maggi Masala Noodles and Sunfeast Yippee Noodles Classic Masala was found to be 1.63% and 2.1% respectively. Going by the report, the most harmful for consumption is Patanjali, followed by Sunfeast Yippee and then Maggi."

Asked as to what will be the procedure adopted after the high levels of ash content found in the tastemakers, Singh said, "Now, these brands can challenge our report in a month's time, following which out of the four-part sample that we collect, the second sample of the noodles will be sent to the referral laboratory in Kolkata. But if they do not challenge our decision, we will file a case against each one of them."

When TOI contacted Ram Bharat, brother of Baba Ramdev and head of the food and herbal wing of Patanjali, he said, "I don't have any such report with me as of now. I will be able to comment on the mAtter only when I have the report in front of me."

Fruit juices sold at Salem bus stand raise health concerns

Quality of water and fruits used

A glass of fruit juice sold at less than Rs. 10 on the old bus stand premises may not be safe as the quality of water and the fruits used for preparation of the juice are questionable.

With intense heat prevailing across the district, the demand for fruit juices, sugarcane juice, watermelon and palmyra fruit (nungu) has picked up. But consumers are unmindful about the quality of readymade juices sold in bus stand areas and roadside shops. Their only concern is that those juices are available at fewer prices that are stored in stainless containers. A glass of lemon juice is sold at Rs. 7, orange, grape, mango and other readymade juices are sold at Rs. 10 per glass.

Commuters from villages throng the old bus stand premises in large numbers as they consume these juices without caring about the quality. During the summer season last year, officials of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department raided these shops and found rotten fruits and artificial flavorings used in these readymade juices. Also, unprotected drinking water was used. Shopkeepers were let off after warning.

Officials warn against consuming these unsafe juices as it may cause health problems.

Four held for selling tobacco products

Four persons who stocked and sold banned tobacco products were arrested by the police here on Saturday.

On Friday, the police informed the officials of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration that banned tobacco products were stocked in a godown in Five Road area. Officials found tobacco products and gunny bags of fake tea powder of a reputed brand in the godown. The Alagapuram police registered a case and arrested Harish (30), Pavaram (25), Dinesh (38) and Moonsingh (23). They were produced in the court and lodged at Salem Central Prison.