Dec 27, 2016
100 students, staff in hosp, food poisoningsuspected
Malappuram: More than hundred students and five faculty members of the Aligarh Muslim University's (AMU) Malappuram centre at Perinthalmanna here have been hospitalized following suspected food poisoning.
According to the centre authorities, all those who had dinner from the north Indian mess of the canteen on Saturday night, started showing symptoms of food poisoning—including stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea— two hours after having food and were taken to a private hospital in Perithalamanna early morning on Sunday. More students were taken to the hospital later.
Director of the centre, Dr A Nujum said that none of them was in a serious condition and most of the students, who were kept under observation, left the hospital by Monday evening.
Following the incident, food safety and health officials visited the campus and issued a notice asking the centre authorities to take steps to ensure hygiene in the mess.
Food safety officer of Malappuram, C A Janardhanan, said that the inspection team collected samples of baking soda, rock salt and roti from the mess. They have been sent to the regional food analysis laboratory at Kozhikode, he said.
It is also suspected that the vegetables used for preparing some north Indian dishes have resulted in food poisoning.
The centre has already formed a team of teachers to conduct a detailed internal inquiry into the incident.
The director said that the centre has decided to renovate the two messes on the campus in the backdrop of the incident.
Anakapalle jaggery market raided amid protest by farmers, traders
Food safety officials collecting samples from a jaggery shop at NTR Agricultural Market Yard at Anakapalle on Monday
VISAKHAPATNAM: Officials of Food Safety Department on Monday conducted raids on the jaggery shops at NTR Agricultural Market Yard at Anakapalle, following allegations over indiscriminate use of sodium hydrosulphite (hydrose) by farmers and traders in preparation of the preferred sweetener at every household. However, the shop owners protested against the move.
Food safety authorities from Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Guntur, West Godavari, East Godavari formed several teams and raided the shops following instructions from the Food Safety Commissioner Samuel Anand Kumar.
“The teams raided 37 shops at the market and collected 12 samples of jaggery being produced and sold there. The raids were conducted in the wake of allegations of adulterating jaggery with sodium hydrosulphite (hydrose), which can lead to severe health issues among the consumers,” said Hanumanthu Rao, assistant food controller of food safety department, Visakhapatnam
As per the norms, he said, hydrose should not be added more than 100 ppm during the preparation of jaggery. But, several complaints were received that the farmers and traders had been adding more quantity of the chemical to ensure good colour of jaggery.
“We have collected the samples which will be sent to the State Food Laboratory, Hyderabad for testing,” said Hanumanthu Rao.
When the officials started raiding the shops, the shop keepers staged a protest. Sources said that the officials had to stop the raids on other shops due to the resistance and have planned to resume the crackdown in the coming days again.
Meanwhile Food safety officials say that similar raids would be conducted in jaggery markets at Tanuku, Tadepallegudem, Chittoor and a few more places in the state.
The excessive intake of hydrose can lead to severe health complications.
“The jaggery with high hydrose content can lead to intestinal problems and even cancer in long term,” said Hanumanthu Rao.
Food safety officials raid jaggery market
Jaggery producers interacting with Food Safety officials and police at the market yard in Anakapalle on Monday.
Mild tension prevailed at the NTR Market Yard in Anakapalle when teams from the Food Safety Department tried to collect samples from the jaggery producers and dealers, on Monday.
Based on information that the jaggery producers and dealers were allegedly indulging in adulteration, about 12 teams under the direction of Food Safety Commissioner Samuel Anand Kumar swooped down on the market in the pre-noon session.
The jaggery farmers and dealers tried to prevent the officers from collecting the samples and even staged a dharna.
Police had to be called to defuse the tension.
According P. Hanumantha Rao, Assistant Food Safety Officer, the jaggery producers were reportedly using sulphur dioxide as bleach to make the jaggery lumps look whiter.
“Sulphur dioxide can be used as bleach, but the prescribed norm is 70 ppm. As per the reports that we have, the producers were using sulphur dioxide ranging from 250 to 500 ppm, which is abnormal and harmful for human consumption,” said N. Poornachandra Rao, Assistant Food Safety Officer.
Hub
Anakapalle is the hub for jaggery production in the State and the export to other States exceeds Rs. 120 crore. In NTR Market Yard alone there are about 37 major producers and dealers and according to the Food Safety officers about 12 samples have been collected and sent to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) laboratory in Hyderabad, in the Monday’s raid.
Based on the laboratory report, further action will be initiated, said Mr. Hanumantha Rao.
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