Did you know? 4,000 packaged water cos sell without licence

The food regulator has observed that 80 percent of food business operators dealing with packaged water have no licence, and as per Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, they can't operate in India, reports Shweta Kothari of CNBC-TV18, quoting sources.

First, instant noodles, then talcum powder, and now bottled water is under the government scanner, after having found out that 4,000 packaged water companies are operating in India without any licence, reports Shweta Kothari of CNBC-TV18, quoting sources. 

The food regulator has observed that 80 percent food business operators (FBO) dealing with packaged water have no licence. 

These companies need to have Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and BIS certification to operate in India as per Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. 

There happen to be only 1,500 operators to have both licences.

Meghalaya sends bread samples to laboratory

Food Safety Officers in Meghalaya have collected samples of bread from various bakery units across the state to check if they contain carcinogenic compounds.

"We have already sent the bread samples to the Assam Public Health Laboratory on Wednesday to check if they contain any hazardous chemicals like potassium bromate and iodate," Health and Family Welfare Minister Alexander Hek said on Thursday.

However, he said the government was yet to receive the reports from the laboratory.

"In case the samples fail to comply with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, and it is reported they contain such additives, necessary action as per the provisions of the act shall be initiated," Hek said.

On Monday, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) banned the use of potassium bromate as an additive in food products.

Potassium bromate is known to be a category 2B carcinogen and is already banned in Britain, the European Union, Australia, Canada and Sri Lanka, among other countries.

Food safety raid on flour, curry powder units

Food safety officials inspected 21 large-scale manufacturing units making curry, masala powders and flour on Wednesday. Six of the units were issued improvement notices while a fine of Rs.75,000 was imposed on five others.

Officials collected 20 statutory samples of curry powders and 36 surveillance samples for quality checks.

Food safety officials closed down a Nirapara roller flour mill at Attingal where raw materials like wheat were found to be stored in unhygienic and unclean conditions.

In Palakkad district, food safety officials seized and sealed stocks of cumin, coriander and turmeric from the Aanakkara Food Processing and Export Pvt. Ltd., as these were found to be sub-standard.

Two days after ban, FSDA to raid bread-making units for potassium bromate

MEERUT: Two days after the government banned use of potassium bromate as a food additive, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) said that items that use bread will be tested for the prohibited additive.

Speaking to TOI, JP Singh, chief food safety officer, said, "I have instructed all 18 food safety officers to start checking in their areas and take samples of breads, pavs, pizza bases and other edible items which use bread. Regular sampling checks were going on in the city but now we can take samples of the bread too after the recent ban. This ban will definitely intensify our raids."

Meerut has three big bread-making units and many other small units. Authorities say unless samples are taken from each manufacturing unit, it can not be confirmed whether the producers use the banned product.

"We will intensify our raids not just in terms of taking samples from bread making units. We will also test the bread used in food outlets like Pizza Hut and Dominos. Any food outlet selling bread with the banned additive will have to face consequences," said Singh.

The government on Monday banned the use of potassium bromate as a food additive following a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study that found its presence in bread caused cancer. A CSE study had found that 84 per cent of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads, including pav and buns, tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate. The two food additives are banned in many countries and are listed as "hazardous" to public health. According to the CSE, potassium bromate typically increases dough strength, leads to higher rising and gives uniform finish to baked products. Potassium iodate is a flour treatment agent.

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also referred potassium iodate — also claimed to be carcinogenic — to a scientific panel.