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How safe are our kids: Tall order to keep them away from junk food

When schools ban sale of unhealthy food on campus, vendors make their own makeshift shops and start selling meals-on-bicycles outside the institute.

Parents can monitor what their children eat at home, but once they step out, healthy options dry up. Instead, children’s palate is assaulted with unhealthy food high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) and low on essential nutrients they need to grow mentally and physically.

Chips, sweetened beverages, instant noodles, fries, samosas, bread pakoras and patties are the standard fare in most school cafeterias. When schools ban them, enterprising vendors set up makeshift kiosks and sell meals-on-bicycles outside schools. With no running water or quality control for cooking and storing, most children end up with empty calories and very often, gut-destroying germs.

“All refined, fried and processed foods are just empty calories because most of the essential sugar and fat the body needs is present naturally in food, such as sugar in fruits and fat in dairy, seeds, nuts, meats and cooking oil,” says Rahul Verma, founder of the Delhi-based non-profit Uday Foundation, which filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court in December 2010 asking for a ban on the sale of junk food in schools. “Though traditional snacks are freshly made and do not have additives such as colour and preservatives added to them, they are usually high in low quality oils, salts and sugars,” Verma underlines.

In March 2015, the Delhi High Court asked the administrator of Delhi to issue healthy eating guidelines under Rule 43 of the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973, and directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to formulate guidelines, which have since been circulated but are not binding.

While many private schools in Delhi and Mumbai have not waited for government guidelines and moved towards healthier snacks years ago, Punjab, where the state’s child rights commission banned junk food in schools in January 2016, unhealthy foods are still widely available.

Delhi’s Springdales School, Pusa Road, removed fried snacks and aerated drinks from their canteen menu a decade ago. The shift in the attitude occurred after a survey showed 70% of the students were overweight and were either suffering from associated conditions or would grow up to be unhealthy adults.

“Children have only one meal in school during recess. To make the child healthy over-all, we have to involve the parents. Too many children were getting two-minute noodles, fried potato taters or foods high on sugar and fats,” says Ameeta Wattal, principal, Springdales, where poha, idli sambar and wholewheat sandwiches are sold along with drinks like lassi, chaach and lime juice.

These foods are also part of the cafeteria menu at Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, where the menu is changed periodically to include seasonal vegetables. The school also has a committee – consisting of teachers, students and some parents who work in the field of nutrition -- that monitor the nutrition value of the food, the taste and the oil it is cooked in. “Our canteen is outsourced, but we strictly monitor it to make sure that the quality of the food is maintained,” says Manohar Lal, principal of the school.

In Lucknow’s La Martiniere Girls College, children are encouraged to eat more fruit and vegetables from kindergarten. “The practice was introduced by our former principal Late Farida Abraham and it is still continuing,” vice-principal Aashrita Dass told HT.

In Mumbai, parents associations are sore at the lack of guidelines in Maharashtra. “Schools receive cutbacks from vendors, and canteen contractors also prefer such items because it boosts their sales,” says Jayant Jain, president, Forum for Fairness in Education, a parent-teacher body.

Even education officials admit they do not check whether schools serve junk food as there is no regulation against it so far. “We cannot stop a school from serving junk food, as there is no official ban in place. We can at best advise them to opt for healthier choices,” concedes BB Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai division.

While many schools said it is difficult to restrict junk food in its vicinity, some have come up with innovative ways to restrict fast food in the campus: Rajhans Vidyalaya in Andheri serves fresh, hot and hygienic food breakfast and lunch on campus and doesn’t allow home food to ensure parents don’t send unhealthy food. Aerated drinks are banned.

At Ryan International, Kandivali, teachers patrol the streets after school to ensure children walking out don’t stop at the nearby McDonalds or other junk food joints.

In government-run schools, the hot meals provided under the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (Mid Day Meal Scheme) are nutritive and safe but remain a challenge in many districts. The scheme was launched to increase enrolment, retention and attendance while improving the nutrition levels of children by giving them 300 calories of energy, 8-12 gm of protein and adequate micronutrients.

The meals were not good enough to keep children in school. A 2015 audit of the action taken on the Comptroller and Auditor General’s 2008 Report on Mid Day Meal Scheme showed that the enrolment of children in the midday meals-covered schools dropped from 14.69 crore in 2009-10 to 13.87 crore in 2013-14, while enrolment in private schools shot up by 38% in the same period.

The audit also found children were given less than the prescribed quantity of 100/150 gms of foodgrains and prescribed inspections were not carried out to ensure quality. Most schools sample checked in the audit were lacking in infrastructural facilities like kitchen sheds, proper utensils, availability of drinking water facility etc. There were several instances of food being cooked in the open in unhygienic conditions, the report found.

Few lessons seem to have been learnt from the shocking case of negligence that left 23 children dead and dozens others seriously ill after they ate a pesticide-laced midday-meal at a primary school in the village of Dharmashati Gandaman in the Saran district in Bihar in July 2013. A month later, 30 children fell ill in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh; and in November 2014, 25 children fell ill after eating their mid-day meal at a government school in Gaya district in Bihar.

In July 2016,40 students fell ill in Chincholi village of Adilabad district of Telangana after eating food prepared in the school kitchen for a farewell party for seniors. In September that year, 25 students were hospitalised in Kolar district in Karnataka

In September 2015, about 150 students in Chandoor town and Ilapuram village in Telangana started vomiting after their mid-day meal.

“Such cases of food poisoning are very rare and take place in remote areas due to lack of proper supervision and maintenance of kitchen. Otherwise, there is a periodical check on the quality of food by officials, parents’ committees and teachers. Even we eat the same food regularly to ensure the quality,” said L Ravinder Rao, a senior headmaster in a government school in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana.

Food Safety dept. launches ‘Operation Sagar Rani’

The objective is to ensure safety and hygiene at markets

KOCHI: To ensure safety and hygiene at fish handling and distribution centres, Food Safety officials in the district have launched an initiative named ‘Operation Sagar Rani’.

The inspections conducted under programme followed complaints about lack of food safety measures at fish handling centres, said a statement issued by Food Safety Department, Ernakulam Circle.

The team led by Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety (Intelligence) Reji C. George, following the inspections, decided to organise awareness sessions on food safety during handling and distribution at various harbours and markets.

Inspections were conducted at Aluva, Paravur, Kalady, Muvattupuzha, Varappuzha, Chambakkara, and Ernakulam markets as well as Thoppumpady and Munambam harbours, and instructions were issued to workers to abide by food safety norms. The sessions will be organised at Munambam (February 10, Friday), Thoppumpady (February 14) and Champakkara market (February 16).

The team of officials from Food Safety and Fisheries departments comprised Food Safety Officers P.B. Dileep, Jose Lawrence, Zakeer Husain, Fisheries sub-inspectors Devi Chandran, and Leena.

Artificial fruit ripening: Two fruit vendors arrested

RAIPUR: Two fruit vendors were arrested for selling artificially ripened fruits after the adulteration was confirmed by police based on laboratory report of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the capital on Friday. Ashok Kumar Baghel and Vijay Shankar Choubey were arrested by Golebazar police and a case is registered under section 269, 273 of IPC.

This is first time that action has been taken based on FDA reports against fruit sellers. According to FDA's assistant commissioner Dr Ashwini Dewangan the lab report confirms the sample fruits were ripened with liquid chemicals and carbide stone, which are prohibited under food safety and standard regulation."

The raids on fruit markets at Lalpur and Jawahar were carried out by Revenue Department, police and FDA on January 18 during which 8 tonne of fruits were seized and destroyed. Samples of fruits were sent to FDA's lab and based on which the fruits sellers have been arrested and their go-down have been sealed.

Food Safety Department to examine fish brought from other States

According to the Food Safety Department, fish samples collected from the Central fish market in the city contained sodium benzoate. 

Concern over wide use of sodium benzoate to preserve stock

After Operation Sagar Rani that mainly targeted the local fish vendors who sprinkled harmful chemical preservatives on fish, the enforcement wing of the Food Safety Department is all set to routinely examine the fish stock that arrives in Kerala from other States.

The are reports that sodium benzoate is widely used in fish coming from Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The drive will zero in on non-Kerala suppliers as the samples collected from local fishermen contained only minimal preservatives.

Food Safety Department officials say intensive vehicle checking with the support of the police and other related departments will be planned to check the stock and collect samples on the spot.

“We had collected fish items and ice samples from 47 locations in the district, but only samples collected from the Central fish market in the city contained sodium benzoate. The main issue in Kozhikode is that vendors do not use required quantity of ice for preserving fish,” said O. Sankaranunni, Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety Department. The improper use of ice by local vendors was mainly noticed along the wayside.

Awareness programmes

The department will go ahead with field-level awareness programmes for fishers on the impact of cancerous preservatives on human body. One such awareness programme will take place in the city on February 13. A separate session for the fish vendors in Central market, where the misuse of sodium benzoate was confirmed, will be organised on February 15.

Merchants’ stand

Local fish vendors say they never opt for unlawful preservation of their stock. “No fisherman will do it deliberately because they will lose their regular clients and it will affect their business,” says Faijaz, a local fish merchant at Nadakkavu. He also adds that fishers are very receptive towards the ongoing quality-checking mechanism to address safety concerns.

Food safety officials also clarify that there has been no confirmed incidents in the district in which fishers used formalin, a toxic and carcinogenic chemical commonly used to preserve dead bodies, to keep fish items. The main issue in the district is the poor quantity of ice used to preserve the stock that naturally leads to bacterial infection and further health complications, they add.

FSSAI considering adding calories on restaurant menus

Explores ways to get restaurants to list nutritional information on menu cards

As per a report in The Hindu Business Line, in a bid to promote food safety and nutrition at hotels and restaurants, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is exploring ways to get hotels and restaurants to list nutritional information such as calories, salt and sugar content in food products, on menu cards. The regulator is also working on norms for organic food. Pawan Agarwal, CEO, said, “We have been discussing this idea with the stakeholders. In several countries, this practice is already applicable, and in some of these places, it is voluntary. To enable restaurants that want to voluntarily list nutritional information on their menu cards, we may provide for a provision in the labeling regulations, which are being finalised.” 

Agarwal said the regulator will need to work with restaurant associations and State governments for this initiative. “We will need to do some field experiments to figure out the best way to do this. If we find that it serves a purpose, we may look at making it mandatory,” he added. Garish Oberoi, VP, Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), and Managing Committee member of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI), told that the associations will run a pilot on these lines. “In a bid to take forward FSSAI’s Serve Safe initiative, we will be running a pilot with about 200 members in major metros. We will work with chefs on a model to specify estimated number of calories and other nutritional information on dishes being served, on menu cards,” he said. 

Under the Serve Safe initiative, FSSAI has now made it mandatory for every restaurant to have at least one trained and certified food safety supervisor. In collaboration with partners such as HRANI, it has started running training sessions for master trainers who will train these food safety supervisors. Meanwhile, the regulator is also working on norms for organic food in consultations with farmers and other stakeholders, and a draft regulation may be released this month. Organic food Agarwal said the regulator aims to create an umbrella rule to ensure certification of organic food. He said a committee is also being formulated to look into issues such traceability and organic-food retailing practices. 

Grahak Sathi exposes shocking truth behind organic rice

Ref.: E&R/PR/AR/Organic rice/2017

Press Release

Grahak Sathi exposes shocking truth behind organic rice

Our tests find pesticide residues in 6 out of 7 brands and toxic heavy metals in all

Grahak Sathi (February-March 2017), the National Consumer Magazine in Hindi published by Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad released findings of its in-house comparative product testing laboratory on seven brands of organic rice. Shockingly, the findings revealed that 6 out of 7 brands had pesticide residues and all 7 brands contained toxic heavy metals! Ironic, isn’t it? The very rationale for buying an organic product is to buy a pesticide-free product.

No standards

Since there are no specific standards for organic rice at present, why is the product being allowed to be sold in the country?

Why a variety of logos?

The brands carried a variety of logos and certifications from different national and international agencies. This is confusing for consumers. Why should a product meant for the domestic market carry so many international logos?

Alarming findings

The 3 heavy metals tested were – lead, copper and arsenic. We tested the products for 16 pesticides. The four detected belonged to the Organophosphate group.

Pesticide residues: Six of the 7 brands of organic rice contained pesticide residues. Fabindia Organics did not have pesticide residues. Two brands had Chlorpyrifos levels above the prescribed limit – Organic on Call and Sanjeevani Organics. Two of the four non-organic rice brands had pesticide residues.

Over a long duration even microscopic quantities of pesticides can harm. The pesticides detected by our tests are not in the US list of pesticides permitted in organic products.

Heavy metals: All the organic rice brands showed presence of all three heavy metals though they were within the limits. None of the non-organic rice brands had arsenic. Copper levels were higher than in organic rice brands, though within limits. Lead levels were within limits and slightly lower than that in the organic rice brands. (See Annexure for detailed results)

Highly priced

Organic rice brands were much costlier. Comparing the extremes, you would be paying more than five times the price for the costliest organic rice brand –Fabindia Organics – than you would pay for the cheapest non-organic rice brand – Hypercity. Why should the organic version of a staple product like rice be so expensive? It is unaffordable for the common man.

False label claims

Most organic rice brands claimed to be free of pesticides. Illustratively, Morarka Organic Down to Earth, which contained both pesticide residues and toxic heavy metals, claimed to be: “…free from chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, toxic substances, synthetic hormones…”Two organic rice brands –Vikalp Organic Product and Organic on Call – did not have any organic certification.

Manufacturers’ response

As a policy, we convey the test results to all the manufacturers and await their response. We received the following responses:

Sanjeevani Organics said that organic certification was done for the practices and processes and not for the products. Our response: “Consumers are concerned not with processes and practices but with the end product. Certification for processes must reflect in quality of final product.”

24 Mantra Organic said that the pesticide detected by our tests – Chlorfenvinphos – was not used even in conventional paddy cultivation and not available in their project area. Our response: “The presence of Chlorfenvinphos could be due to cross contamination during harvesting. Also, some pesticides can persist in the environment even after use is discontinued.”

Organic Tattva said that as per APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) guidelines there is no requirement for testing of heavy metals for organic products. Our response: “True. However, we have tested for them as consumers should be concerned about their presence in foods. Heavy metals accumulate in the human body over a period of time and cause harm.”

Urgent action needed 

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) should set specific mandatory standards for organic foods. In response to our appeal over a year ago, we received a letter from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) saying that BIS has constituted a committee to formulate standards for organic foods. However, no concrete action has been taken as yet.

Too many logos confuse consumers. NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) certification should be made mandatory. NPOP, which currently certifies organic process standards, should also certify the final product. Also, India needs to follow labelling norms as per global best practices.

Regular monitoring of organic food quality, including that sold online, is necessary.

Advertising claims made by organic product manufacturers should be closely monitored.

Grahak Sathi’s conclusion

Our tests proved that organic brands of rice are not safer than non-organic ones. There is no concrete evidence that organic food has higher nutritional value than regular food. Also, organic rice brands are much more expensive. Our advice is not to buy organic rice.

People want to make healthier choices and the Government must support them in this matter. It should ensure that consumers do not get exploited in the name of organic foods. It is vital that the regulatory authorities set standards and closely monitor the quality of organic food products.

To read the complete story CLICK HERE

For further information please contact

Ms Pritee Shah (O) 079-27489945/46 (M) +91 99048 63838

Despite directions against it, serving food in newspapers continues in Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 10: The vendors, butchers and other roadside food out lets continue to use newspapers for wrapping and packing food items despite directions from authorities not to use it given the harmful effects.

Recently, the statement was issued by the Assistant Commissioner Food safety and standards, Srinagar Hilal Ahmad in which it was said that strict action will be taken against those violating the directions.

The statement further said that as per the relevant provisions of food safety and standards act, the guilty will be punished.

In contrast, nothing has changed on the ground, the violations are taking place at random and still newspapers continue to be the preferred choice of vendors and butchers to wrap the food articles.

At Maharaja Bazar, which is in the heart of the Srinagar city, the butchers were seen selling meat wrapped with the newspaper to the customers.

The road side vendors, selling snacks were also seen selling them to the customers wrapped with the newspapers at many places in and around the Srinagar city.

Even fried fishes were sold to the customers wrapped with the newspapers at Munawarabad, Baghat and Hyderpora.

When this reporter talked to some of the vendors and butchers about the directions issued by the food and safety standards department, Srinagar, they said that they are not aware of the directions.

“We have not heard that government has banned the use of newspaper. We are as usual selling the meat wrapped with the newspapers. If at all the directions would have reached to us. We would have at once started obeying them,” said Ali Mohammad a butcher from Nowpora.

Pertinently, the food contaminated by newspaper ink raise serious health concerns with known negative health effects.

Besides chemical contaminations, presence of pathogenic microorganisms in used newspapers also possesses risk to human life.

The Food, Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has already warned that such unhealthy practice can be injurious to health even if the food is prepared in a safe and hygienic manner.

Since the ink used in newspapers has multiple bioactive materials with known negative health effects can easily leached into foods wrapped or served in them, it poses a potential risk to human health when consumed. Also, the solvent used to dissolve ink on the paper can be potentially carcinogenic.

"Wrapping food in newspapers is an unhealthy practice and the consumption of such food is injurious to health, even if the food has been cooked hygienically," the Food, Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) said in an advisory.

"Printing inks may also contain harmful colours, pigments, binders, additives, and preservatives. Besides chemical contaminants, presence of pathogenic microorganisms in used newspapers also poses potential risk to human health," the advisory said.

Assistant Commissioner of food safety and standards, Srinagar Hilal Ahmad said that “we are on the job”.

He further said that “we have destroyed the newspaper stock of vendors at many places in the Srinagar city”.

“Where ever the violation is still taking place, that will be looked in, guilty will be taken to task in accordance with the law,” he said.

Food regulator wants restaurants to declare details of calorie intake, nutrition

The food services market in India is projected to grow from Rs 3.09 trillion in 2016 to Rs 4.98 trillion by 2021, expanding at an annual average rate of 10%, according to a NRAI-Technopak report.

India’s food regulator wants restaurants to declare the calorific and nutritive value of the food they serve in order to make consumers aware of what they eat.

At present, some fine-dining restaurants, especially those in five-star hotels, have separate menus for low-calorie food and also offer sugar-free options on demand. But they do not declare details of calories and nutrition.

“Declaring details of calorie intake and nutrition information ensures that consumers are informed. These things are already part of labelling norms for packaged food,” said Pawan Kumar Agarwal, chief executive officer of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

But Agarwal doesn’t want to make this mandatory — at least, not yet.

“To start with, let the big ones come forward and do this voluntarily.”

The Indian food regulator’s move is probably inspired by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), which notified rules in December 2014 for the so-called Nutrition Labelling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments. By May 5 this year, some categories of restaurants in the US will have to comply with these.

FSSAI is likely to follow the USFDA standards when it decides to notify rules, although there is no plan to do this immediately.

“We are working with FSSAI and disclosing information on nutrition and calorie intake will not be an issue,” said a spokesperson for the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India that has 1,700 members across nine states. National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) president Riyaaz Amlani is not as enthusiastic about the idea.

“Making it voluntary may make sense. But if it is mandatory, compliance may be an issue. Declaration of nutrition information and calorie details will be a huge task. Even in the western countries, it is not a practice,” said Amlani, who owns Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd that runs popular restaurant and bar and cafe chains such as Smoke House Deli and Social.

FSSAI drafting organic food norms

Size of organic food market is around Rs 3,350 cr, industry estimates suggest its growing 30% a year.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is drawing up guidelines to regulate organic food.

The regulator will put up draft guidelines for organic packaged food and commodities in the public domain for suggestions next month.

The size of the organic food (grains and pulses) market in the country is around Rs 3,350 crore and industry estimates suggest the market is growing 30 per cent a year.

Organic food exporters are now required to obtain approval from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. There are no guidelines for domestic players.

"The initial draft, prepared after consultations with stakeholders, is ready," said Pawan Kumar Agarwal, chief executive officer, FSSAI.

The draft will propose setting up of a committee to suggest changes in the certification method being followed now.

The FSSAI is also planning to ensure more disclosures about food. "Contents and calorie counts are now mentioned on packets. We are trying to figure out how more details can be incorporated in bar codes printed on packs," Agarwal said. "We are also consulting with the Indian Dietetics Association and the Nutrition Society of India," he added.

The regulator is also trying to rope in restaurants to offer healthier food choices to patrons. Restaurants may be required to list ingredients used and calorie counts. "It is voluntary now, but is increasingly becoming a global practice," said Agarwal. The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India is working with the FSSAI on this initiative.

The FSSAI is sending a team to train staff at 20 temples in Tamil Nadu that offer food and drinks to devotees. The regulator will pursue such training programmes across the country.

FBOs can’t be punished if values of fats are lower than those on labels

Enforcement agencies cannot initiate punitive action against food business operators (FBOs) if the values of saturated and trans-fat are found below the values specified on the labels of the products. This was stated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The direction issued by the apex food regulator stated, “Several representations have been received regarding practical difficulties faced by the edible oil and fat industry with reference to declaration of exact quantity of saturated fat and trans fat content due to the variations in different batches, multiple sourcing of crude oils, seasonal availability of oils and variations in fatty acid profiles in different climatic conditions.”
Considering the fact that the purpose of this regulation was to restrict the quality of saturated fat and trans fat, enforcement officials were advised to not to take punitive action, if the values of saturated fat and trans fat were found to be lesser than the declared value on the labels.
B V Mehta, executive director, Solvent Extractors’ Association of India, said, “FSSAI has streamlined this regulations following concerns about the higher quantities of trans fats and saturated fats in food products. The edible oil industry, under preview of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, will follow the new regulations.”
“The edible oil manufacturers had been asked by the regulator to keep total fats below five per cent. This came after recommendations given by National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, which suggested that to keep it below 10 per cent which was welcomed by the industry too,” he added.
“Later, under policy amendments, it was decided by the regulator to keep it to five per cent. Manufacturers like us asked the regulator to give us some time to make the following changes in our products,” Mehta said.
“Also, in the meantime, the regulator came out with a new amendment to disclose trans and saturated fats on the labels, which again will invite changes in packaging,” he added.
Further, speaking on the representation filed by the oil industry, Mehta said, “Both amendments came one after the other. So we asked FSSAI whether changing the packaging after reformulating products will incur losses to the industry.”
“The regulator gave a deadline of February 27, 2017 to comply with the regulation of disclosing details of the trans and saturated fats in the products,” he added.
Mehta said, “There are major issues in the transportation of the product after the stage of refining. While in some cases, the temperature of the location where the refineries are set up is much cooler than that of the location of sale and distribution which can lead to generation of different results.”
Keeping this in mind, FSSAI has advised its officers to only take actions of trans and saturated fats that cross the values mentioned on the label.
The FSSAI has asked NIN to study it again and bring in some better insights which can address the situation with ease. This notification is being worked on since the year 2009, and has not yet finalised.