DINAMALAR NEWS

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை இடமாறுதல் கலந்தாய்வு

தமிழகத்தில், சுகாதார துறையின் கீழ், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணயத் துறை செயல்படுகிறது. உணவு கலப்படத்தை தடுத்தல், 

தரமான உணவுப் பொருட்கள் கிடைக்க வழி செய்தல், உணவு வணிகர்களை முறைப்படுத்துதல் போன்ற பணிகளை, இத்துறையினர் மேற்கொள்வர். 

இதற்காக, மாவட்டம் தோறும், மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். இதுதவிர, 584 அலுவலர் பணி இடங்கள் உள்ளன. இதில், 483 பேர் பணியில் உள்ளனர்; 101 இடங்கள் காலியாக உள்ளன.

உள்ளாட்சிகளில் இருந்து, இப்பணிக்கு வந்த இவர்கள், ஐந்து ஆண்டுகளாக, ஒரே இடத்தில் பணியாற்றி வருகின்றனர். இடமாறுதல் கலந்தாய்வு நடத்தக் கோரினர்; அரசு கண்டு 

கொள்ளவில்லை. இதனால், அதிருப்தி அடைந்த இத்துறையினர், போராட்டம் நடத்தினர். இதையடுத்து, 'வரும், 24, 25ம் தேதிகளில், சென்னை, மருத்துவ பணி இயக்குனரகமான டி.எம்.எஸ்., வளாகத்தில், இடமாறுதல் கலந்தாய்வு நடத்தப்படும்' என, அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது.

Alert issued over unsafe food in 'smart city' Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: Many food stores in the much projected smart city are selling food items that are either unsafe, sub-standard or misbranded against the Rules and Regulations of Food Safety and Standards Act -2011.

This was revealed by officials from the food safety department, which works under the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC).

During random voluntary inspections conducted by the department in this financial year, nearly 60 samples of food items were collected following complaints. The samples were sent to the State Food Laboratory at Nacharam in Hyderabad. The officials are waiting for the results that will come on June 23. Last fiscal, they collected samples of nearly 200 food items after which action was taken against 60 food sellers. 

The collected samples were of various food items like non-veg biryani, mangoes, bananas, ice creams, pulses, dairy products, soft drinks, water sachets and bottles, edible oils, curd, dry fruits, breakfast food items like idli, dosa, poori, and spices. 

According to food safety officers, many food stores including shopping malls, multiplex theatres, supermarkets and even drinking water traders indulge in selling items that do not adhere to the promised standards.

Most of the samples were collected from areas like Gopalapatnam, Gajuwaka, Madhurawada, Maddilapalem, Resapuvanipalem, Dwarakanagar, Siripuram Junction, Pedawaltair, Isukathota, Madhavadhara, NAD Junction, Gnanapuram, Suryabagh, 104 Area, Chinawaltair, RK Beach, Poorna Market, Seethammadhara, Jagadamba Centre, MVP Colony, Dabagardens, Kancharapalem, and Dondaparthy.

Speaking to TOI, food safety officer S Janardhana Rao said the laboratory tests of nearly 35% to 40% of the samples in general confirm that the foods are either sub-standard, unsafe or misbranded every year. The tests are made to check the presence of hazardous elements such as pesticides and chemicals against the norms, Rao said, adding that the department will issue notices to the shopkeepers as well as collect a compounding fee ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 2 lakh, depending on the seriousness of the case.

Elaborating on the various unauthorized methods practised by the food traders, Rao said fruit sellers use 'paraffin' for waxing imported fruits. Wax developed from bees is allowed as it is a natural wax, he suggested.

Some traders use artificial colours in food items such as Veg Manchuria, Chicken Pakoda and Biryani against the norms. Only 0.2 gram of permitted colours per kg of food is accepted. This part, SO2 (sulphur dioxide) is being vastly used by food traders to preserve food for more days. This is also very hazardous, Janardhana Rao said.

"Shockingly, many branded food items available at super markets are also being found 'unsafe'. People should keep a watch on those products and alert the GVMC on phone numbers 9912199283, 284 or 285," Janardhana Rao said.

GVMC commissioner Pravin Kumar said the corporation has already issued instructions to all the food stores, hotels and restaurants in the city not to sell hazardous food to people. Stringent action will be taken by GVMC if anybody is found. Task force teams were also set up in the city to keep a vigil on the selling of unsafe food to the citizens, Pravin Kumar said.

சமைத்தவுடன் உணவு மாதிரி வைக்க ேவண்டும் காலாவதியான பொருட்களை பயன்படுத்தக்கூடாது

பெரம் ப லூர்,ஜூன்19:

சத் து ணவு சமைத் த வு டன் உண வு மா தி ரியை பார் வைக்கு வைக் க வேண் டும். உண வுப் பொ ருள் எடுத்த விப ரங் களை பதி வே டு க ளில் பதி வு செய்ய வேண் டும். காலா வ தி யான பொருட் க ளைப் பயன் ப டுத் தவே கூடாது. சத் து ண வு மைய அமைப் பா ளர் க ளுக்கு கலெக் டர் நந் த கு மார் உத் த ர விட் டுள் ளார்.

தமி ழ க அ ர சின் சத் து ண வுத் திட் டத் தின் கீழ் பள்ளி மாணவ, மாண வி க ளுக்கு பள் ளிக ளில் வழங் கப் ப டும் சத் து ணவு செயல் மு றை கள் குறித் தும், சத் து ணவு அமைப்பா ளர் க ளின் பணி கள் குறித் தும் துணை வட் டா ர வ ளர்ச்சி அலு வ லர் கள்(சத் து ணவு) மற் றும் சத் து ணவு அமைப் பா ளர் க ளு டான ஆய் வுக் கூட் டம் பெரம் ப லூர் கலெக் டர் அலு வ ல கக் கூட் ட அ ரங் கில் நேற்று நடந் தது. கூட் டத் தில் கலெக் டர் நந் த கு மார் தலைமை வகித் துப் பேசி ய தா வது :

ஒவ் வொரு அமைப் பா ள ரும் மாண வர் க ளின் வரு கையை தலை மை யா சி ரி ய ரி டம் இருந்து காலை 10 மணிக் குள் பெற்று, குழந் தை கள் வரு கைப் பதி வேட்டை பதிவு செய்து உண வுப் பொருட் களை சமைக்க வேண் டும். வரு கைப் ப தி வேடு மற் றும் உண வுப் பொ ருட் கள் பதி வேடு காலை 10.30மணிக் குள் முடித் தி ருக்க வேண் டும். பதி வே டு க ளில் எடுக் கப் பட்ட உண வுப் பொ ருட் கள் விப ரத்தை முறை யா கப் பதிவு செய்து இருப் பு களை சரி பார்க்க வேண் டும்.

மேலும் மதி ய உ ணவு தயார் செய் யப் பட் ட வு டன் உண வின் மாதி ரியை எடுத்து பார் வைக்கு வைக்க வேண் டும். சுத் த மான தண் ணீ ரைக் கொண்டு மட் டுமே உணவு களை சமைக்க வேண் டும். காலை 9மணி மு தல் மதி யம் 2மணி வரை சத் து ண வுப் பணி யா ளர் கள் சத் து ணவு மையத் தில் இருக் க வேண் டும். சத் து ணவு மையங் க ளில் தோட் டங் கள் அ மைத்து காய் க றி களை சாகு படி செய் தும் பயன் ப டுத்த வேண் டும். மையத்தை சுற்றி தண் ணீர் தேங் கா மல் பார்த் துக் கொள்ள வேண் டும்.

உணவு அட் ட வ ணை யின் படி தினந் தோ றும் மாணவ, மாண வி க ளுக்கு முட்டை வழங் கப் பட வேண் டும்.மேலும் அன் றைய தினம் உணவு உண் ணும் மாணவ மாண வி ய ருக்கே முட்டை வாங்க வேண் டும். எண் ணெய் பாக் கெட் டு கள் மற் றும் உப் பு க ளைப் பயன் ப டுத் தும் முன் னர் அந் தப் பொ ருட் க ளின் காலா வதி நாட் களை முறை யாக கண் காணிக்க வேண் டும். காலா வ தி யான பொருட் களை பயன் ப டுத் தக் கூ டாது. ஈரத் தன்மை பாதிக் கா த ப டிக்கு உண வு பொ ருட் க ளுக்கு இடை யில் கல்,கட் டை களை வைத்து அடுக்க வேண் டும்.

தக வல் ப லகை, சமைக் கும் மற் றும் சேமிக் கும் பாத் தி ரங் கள், எடைக் க ருவி, பதி வேடு கள் மற் றும் ஆவ ணங் கள் போன் ற வை களை மையத் தில் பாது காப் பாக வைத்தி ருக்க வேண் டும். மேலும் தொடக் கப் பள் ளி க ளில் எக் கா ர ணம் கொண் டும் வெளி யில் வைத்து சமை யல் செய் யக் கூ டாது. மேலும் சத் து ணவு மையக் கட் டி டங் களை முறையா கப் பரா ம ரிக்க வேண் டும் என் றார். நிகழ்ச் சி யில் கலெக் ட ரின் நேர் முக உத வியா ளர்(சத் து ணவு) அருண் மொழி, வட் டா ர வ ளர்ச்சி அலு வ லர் கள் (சத் து ணவு), சத் து ணவு அமைப் பா ளர் கள் கலந்து கொண் ட னர்.

Herbal products Playing with people's health with tall claims

Manufactures of herbal products should be subjected to strong regulation to ensure they evaluate safety of their products before marketing them, says the writer Dinesh C Sharma

The market of herbal medicines, food supplements, tonics and personal care products has grown tremendously in the past few years. It is a well known that the herbal product market in India is poorly regulated. Guidelines for quality control and good manufacturing practices have been developed but they are hardly enforced and manufacturers – many of the in small scale sector – conveniently ignore them.

No clear regulatory system for evaluation or clinical trials of herbal medicines is in force in India. The Drugs and Cosmetics 4th Amendment Rules 2008 provide for guidelines on evaluation of herbal drugs, classifying them into four broad categories for clinical study requirement. However, ground realities show that such rules exist on paper.

A survey conducted among manufacturers published in 2013 showed that nearly half of the total companies were carrying out general safety studies for medicines and only 12% were conducting formal clinical trials at various medical colleges.

Since most traditional medicinal and food supplement products are sold ‘over the counter’, they are heavily advertised. Mass promotion and customer preference are the major factors that drive the herbal market, as opposed to prescription medicines where the choice of physician matters. That’s why print media and television channels are full of advertisements and sponsored programmes on herbal products. Most such ads make tall claims about curing pr preventing diseases, and improving health. Some of these products make absurd claims like increasing height of children and curing cancers.

Recent complaint6s heard by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) show that large herbal manufacturers too are making unfounded and unscientific claims about their products. The companies which have been pulled up for misleading advertisements include Patanjali Ayurveda and Sri Sri Ayurveda Nature Foods. For instance, the claim of Patanjali that its mustard oil was safer than others was found exaggerated and unsubstantiated. The company had claimed that refined oil of other brands used a cancer-causing substance. The advertising council also found that claims made in advertisements of other Patanjali products like hair oil, tooth paste, washing powder and hair cleanser were also without any basis.

Now the advertising regulator has upheld a complaint against advertisements of Ojasvita, a product of Sri Sri Ayurveda. The complaint was filed by the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) which argued that the advertisement gave misleading information to consumers putting the lives of children at risk. The product also has high amount of sugar (41.9 gram per 100 gram) and is actually a processed food. All this information was not provided in advertisement and no specification instruction was given of age group for which the product is meant. The complaint was considered by the Consumer Complaints Council and the company was offered an opportunity of hearing but it did not do so but sent a written explanation.

The company claimed that the food supplement was ‘enriched’ with herbs like ashwagandha, brahmi , bringaraj etc. The council noted that the manufacturer did not give any evidence to show that contents of the product or any technical rationale or clinical evidence to substantiate the claim that the ingredients support ‘daily mental fitness needs’ of people. In view of this, the council has held that the claim of Ojasvita meeting ‘daily mental fitness needs’ is not substantiated and is misleading. The advertisement contravened rules laid in the ASCI Code. The company has agreed to comply with the order.

While complaints regarding misleading claims of herbal products are being upheld and ads suitably modified, such misbranded products continue to be in the market. India needs stronger food safety law that cover food supplements too, because at present harmful food supplement are being sold by direct marketing companies. The US food and drug regulator regulates both finished dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients, under its Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Under these rules, companies and distributors of dietary supplements and ingredients are prevented from marketing products which are adulterated or misbranded.

In India, adulteration of raw materials is a major problem. About 600 medicinal plants, 52 minerals and 50 animal products are commonly used in traditional herbal preparations, according to the government. Medicinal plants can get contaminated during growth, collection, and processing. Unless this is checked, one can’t assure quality of the end product. Product manufactures should be made responsible for evaluating safety of their products and proper labeling before marketing products. That’s the only way misbranded and unsafe products can be prevented from reaching consumers. Misleading ads are just one part of the problem.

Bread: A baked toxin???

Imagine a world where diabetes, heart diseases, asthma, autoimmunity and other modern diseases are rare or don't exist at all; we are physically lean and fit; we are fertile throughout our childbearing years; we sleep peacefully and deeply; we age gracefully without degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and osteoporosis. Although this might sound like pure fantasy today, anthropological evidence suggests that this is exactly how human beings lived for the vast majority of our evolutionary history.

These days, most people accept diseases like hypertension, obesity, diabetes, infertility and Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, dementia, asthma as 'normal'. But while these diseases may now be common, they're anything but normal. Humans evolved roughly 2.5 million years ago, and for roughly 84,000 generations we were naturally free of the modern diseases which kill millions of people each year and make countless others miserable. In fact, the world I asked you to imagine above which may seem unbelievable, absurd and impossible today was the natural human state for our entire history on this planet until a couple of hundred years ago.

Now the question is what was responsible for this change? What transformed us from naturally healthy, vigorous and vital people free of degenerative disease into a world of sick, fat, ailing and unhappy people?

I explain this in a word? The modern lifestyle. And while there are a number of aspects of our present lifestyle that contribute to disease, the widespread consumption of food toxins is by far the greatest offender. Specifically, the following four dietary toxins are to blame, viz., Cereal grains (especially refined flour), Omega-6 industrial seed oils (corn, cottonseed, Sunflower, soybean, etc.), Sugar (especially high-fructose corn syrup) and Processed soy (soy milk, soy protein, soy flour, etc.).

Now, what is a toxin? At the simplest level, a toxin is something capable of causing disease or damaging tissue when it enters the body. When most people hear the word 'toxin', they think of chemicals like pesticides, heavy metals or other industrial pollutants. But even beneficial nutrients like water, which are necessary to sustain life, are toxic at high doses.

In their book, 'The Perfect Health Diet', Paul & Shou-Ching Jaminet apply the economic principle of declining marginal benefits to toxins. This is important to understand as we discuss the role of dietary toxins in contributing to modern disease. Most of us won't get sick from eating a small amount of sugar, cereal grain, soy and industrial seed oil. But if we eat those nutrients (or rather anti-nutrients) in excessive quantities, our risk of developing modern diseases rises significantly. Bread, pastries, muffins, crackers, cookies, soda, fruit juice, fast food and other convenience foods are all loaded with these toxins. And when the majority of what most people eat on a daily basis is toxic, it's not hard to understand why our health is failing.

As we talk of bread, at the onset I would say too much yeast contained in processed breads generally upset the bacterial balance in your gut and cause infections. Very recently, the study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), that has identified two chemicals with potential health hazards potassium bromate and potassium iodate in packaged bread samples from prominent companies, has set off shock waves among consumers and the industry. The CSE said 32 of the 38 samples or 84 per cent of the tested samples had potassium bromate and iodate in the range of 1.15-22.54 parts per million. To date, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) permits them up to 50 parts per million. The two chemicals can be used as treating agents in flour under the category of food additives. They are used to give the final product a soft, fluffy finish.

However, its use had been permitted earlier because it was believed that the chemical was filtered out of the final product. However, once evidence to the contrary emerged in the 1990s many countries banned it, including the EU (1990) and the UK. Subsequently, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Nigeria, Peru and Columbia have stopped its use. CODEX Alimentarius, an international body which sets safety standards for food commodities, formally withdrew specifications of potassium bromate in 2012. Now with the CSE study, India may finally prohibit its use.

Potassium Bromate can cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, kidney failure, oligonuria (low output of urine), anuria (failure of kidneys to produce urine), deafness, vertigo, hypotension, depression of the central nervous system, thrombocytopenia with other related health problems. It also affects the nutritional quality of bread by degrading the vitamins and essential fatty acid contents of flour. Iodate is associated with thyroid problems.

Apart from the above facts mentioning the use of toxins in bread baking there are myriad other negative aspects associated with bread that forbid its use. It is said that wheat bread, especially made of white flour, is one of the worst foods on planet earth. The scientists around the world present the following reasons to avoid it altogether. 

First is that it is a wheat product. Unfortunately, wheat is no longer a healthy food for anyone. Even organic, whole wheat is greatly hybridized and is not wholesome, nourishing and healthy. Wheat tends to inflame the intestines due to its high glutamine content today, and it is also much lower in protein and in many essential minerals than it was in the past, say 100 years ago. 

Also, if it is white bread, the best part of the wheat flour is removed while processing and fed to the farm animals. Whole wheat is not beneficial even, but at least it is rich in various vitamins, minerals and fiber. To make white bread, however, the germ and the bran of the wheat are stripped away. This leaves a product that has almost no fiber, almost no vitamins and minerals, and is mostly just starch. It is sometimes called 'empty calories' for this reason. It is basically just calories that put on weight, without providing any micronutrients such as minerals at all. It is truly an empty food.

Chlorine toxicity. Almost all white flour is usually bleached with highly toxic chlorine bleach. This is another horrible insult to the basic wheat grain. The same agent is used to bleach the wheat flour as is used to bleach clothing. It is then baked and the concoction creates extremely toxic chemicals in the bread that irritate the intestines. The bleaching of wheat flour is purely cosmetic and never needed for any other reason.

Food chemicals and additives. Almost all bread contains a number of additional food additives. The most common is refined sugar or some other sweetener, as it not only gives the bread a sweet taste, but acts as food for the yeast as well. It is well known that sugar is not helpful for one's health in any form.

Other common chemicals include dough conditioners, yeast food, preservatives, flavors, coloring and many others that may or may not be listed on the label. Bromine, used to enhance the rising of the dough, is one of the worst and is not required to be listed on the label.

Cooked at high temperature. In general, the higher the temperature a food is cooked at, the more damage is done to certain nutrients. Bread is baked at 300 degree F. or higher, and this is more damaging than steaming or stir-frying your food.

Now, this is nothing short of a public health catastrophe in a nation where the number one source of calories is refined flour. But, while most of us are at least aware of the dangers of sugar, trans-fat and other unhealthy foods, we do not seem to be doing anything but moving casually in the modern rat race. The facts are shocking by any reckoning. Shocking! though probably not surprising. But we've been complacent about the effects, as if increasing crop yields and pushing down food prices are the only things that matter. Well, sure they matter but poisoning ourselves and our environment matters too. Let's comprehend!

ONE STUDY THAT SHOOK ALL BREAD EATERS IN INDIA

Three weeks ago CSE(Centre for Science and Environment) came up with a study that shook all Indians who were fond of eating bread in their daily life. CSE in a study found that bread in Delhi had Potassium Bromate which causes cancer in our body and the news and the debate after that hit all news channels head on. There was a decrease in the consumption of the bread almost immediately and companies like Harvest Gold, Perfect Bread and Britannia ducked for cover. English Oven was the only company that was considered safe as 86% of the bread makers were found to use potassium bromate.

What all it actually was?

The study which was done by CSE’s Pollution Monitoring Laboratory ( PML ) found that Indian bread has Potassium Bromate and Potassium Iodate which are carcinogenic (cancer causing to humans) and also causes thyroid disorders. Despite being banned in many countries Indian manufactures still used it in the processing of floor while making bread. 

PML found after testing 38 commonly available branded breads and related stuffs available in Delhi that 84% samples contain Potassium Bromate/Iodate and that was also reconfirmed from other different laboratories.

The most important thing was that International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has declared Potassium Bromate as cancerous for humans as it causes tumors of kidney, thyroid .Prior to it WHO and FAO (Food Agriculture Organisation) in a joint committee report have already banned the use of Potassiom Bromate/Iodate as a flour treatment . EU in 1990 and subsequently New Zealand , China , Sri Lanka , Brazil and many other countries have also banned its use

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Then Why India still used Potassium Bromate/Iodate

Before the study came out the food safety regulation of India had no restriction on the use of Potassium Bromate/Iodate in baking Product . As it’s a powerful oxidizing agent (in terms of chemistry) so it makes bread spongy and gives the product the desired shape. In the end of the process bromate has to convert into bromide as a side product which is harmless but this never happens completely leaving some traces of potassium bromate.

What happened after the report came out

For four years the matter had been under consideration of the FSSAI without any decision. After the CSE came up with this shocking findings, and media pressure built up the Food Safety and Standard Authority ( FSSAI) of India reacted quickly to ban the use of these products immediately as they were dangerous to public health safety. After the appeal by media the FSSAI finally banned one of the two toxic chemicals that is Potassium Bromate to be used in bread processing .Though the FSSAI has never agreed that they banned this due to CSE report.

Permissible limit of potassium bromide 

After the report came out CSE published the standard for the use of Potassium Bromate in bread and other food stuff that should have been followed. According to them there were two things that had to be taken care off .First thing was the maximum limit for the use of chemical in floor and that was 50 ppm . Whereas the second thing to be taken care was maximum limit of residue of chemical in the product. Currently there is no limit set as there should be no amount of residue left in the product .We are hoping that FSSAI will also ban the use of second chemical that is Potassium Iodate in coming days . 

Now what to do

But this is not the end. We are having lots of fast food in which lots of chemical are used in the manufacturing of the food product. It’s the combined responsibility of FSSAI and the Government to check the limits of added chemicals on regular basis in those food stuffs so that the health of people is not at stake. It is also the need of time to follow the guidelines issued by international food safety agencies so that we don’t have to suffer in future like the way have suffered in past.

HC warns sago manufacturers of contempt action

 

Chennai:

The Madras high court threatened to initiate contempt of court actions against Sago Serve, a cooperative society of sago manufacturers in Salem, if they obstruct any food safety officials from inspecting industries and godowns storing sago.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan issued the stern warning, after it was submitted to the bench by PIL-petitioner Kallakurichi Vellalapatti Vivasayigal Munnetra Sangam of Namakkal district and officials that they were unable to access the godowns to verify whether rejected sago materials were being stored there.The bench also directed the district food safety officer to give his views in four weeks.

The matter relates to a PIL filed by the Sangam stating Tamil Nadu Tapioca Natural Sago Manufacturers Association of Salem, who are predominant manufacturers and suppliers of sago in India, added acid and other chemicals to make it look attractive. Noting that it is harmful for health, they said consumers in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat had even stopped consumption because of high presence of chemicals. It indirectly affected the interests of tapioca farmers, the Sangam said.

The judges said, “Since the matter relates to the purity of an edible product which is widely available and consumed, it is necessary that the authorities bestow urgent consideration on the matter, taking the nine-test parameter, so that we have the benefit of a final view as to what should be the necessary test to be followed.“

Government told to sort out tests to check sago purity

The Madras High Court has warned the Managing Director of Sago Serve of contempt proceedings if the Designated Officer, District Food Safety Office, is denied access to godowns to verify the status of rejected sago products.

Chennai: 

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, while hearing a PIL moved by Kallakurichi Vellalapatti Vivasayigal Munnetra Sangam against adding acid and other chemicals in sago, recorded the statement of the District Food Safety Officer on access denial and said: “We are not able to appreciate this obstructionism and thus must put the MD, Sago Serve, on notice that if any obstruction is pointed out to us in future, we will have no option but to initiate contempt proceedings.” 

Earlier, when the case was taken up for hearing, Additional Advocate General P H Arvind Pandian, clarified that while Sago Serve continues to have nine tests, a central government notification had brought down the number of tests from three to two and hence the sago allowed for sale in Tamil Nadu remained free of chemicals and was pure. 

However, the bench on observing that since the issue related to the purity of an edible product which was widely available and consumed, said: “It is necessary that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MH & FW) and the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSAI) bestow urgent consideration on the matter, taking into consideration the nine-test parameter, so that we have the benefit of a final view as to what should be the necessary test to be followed.”

The bench noted that the stand of the Central Government had not been placed before it and impleaded the MH & FW and FSAI as respondents and directed the Assistant Solicitor General to take notice. The bench also granted four weeks’ time to file their affidavits. 

The farmers’ association in its PIL had alleged that the Tamil Nadu Tapioca Natural Sago Manufacturers Association of Salem, which supplies sago to many parts of the country, had started adding acid and other chemicals in order to make the sago look attractive “which is highly harmful to the public.” 

Owing to this, consumption in states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, UP and Gujarat has dropped considerably adversely affecting tapioca farmers in the state, the petitioner said.