Jul 3, 2017
FSSAI rejects National Anti-Doping Agency’s request to frame food supplement standards
Concerned about the burgeoning range of off-the-shelf food supplements and the possibility of at least some of them containing banned performance enhancing substances, NADA had recently approached the FSSAI with a request to frame standards for these supplements.
Concerned about the burgeoning range of off-the-shelf food supplements and the possibility of at least some of them containing banned performance enhancing substances, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) had recently approached the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with a request to frame standards for these supplements.
But after several meetings between the two, FSSAI declined the request, maintaining that given the nature of expertise and sports medicine knowledge required to do so is beyond their mandate. NADA officials approached FSSAI over concerns that mushrooming gyms not only in urban but also in rural areas were pushing some of these supplements and there is no control or monitoring over what they contain. Hence, FSSAI should frame standards.
Though FSSAI agreed in principle with the concerns expressed by NADA and a section of the authority was keen to go ahead with the exercise, in the end the authority decided not to. A senior official told The Indian Express that though the NADA’s concerns were genuine, there were several other hurdles that eventually made them decide against helping NADA.
“The concerns they raised were genuine. Food supplements that are sold over the counter and often pushed by gym instructors may contain performance enhancing substances banned for athletes or substances that are just generally harmful for people if used indiscriminately. There may even be prescription drugs that ordinarily cannot be bought over the counter but have an anabolic (body-building) effect on the body,” he said.
After much deliberation and several meetings with the NADA, FSSAI concluded that they couldn’t frame standards from NADA’s perspectives and yardsticks. It was beyond their mandate.
“We deliberated over the matter, had two-three meetings with NADA and decided that we cannot frame standards from the perspective they want us to. It is beyond our mandate — there is a long list of banned substances, some that are not to be used during competitions but can be used otherwise, others that can never be used,” the official said, “Then there is also the matter of dosage. So we told them that it is beyond our mandate,” he added.
Incidentally, FSSAI had, last year notified standards for health supplements, nutraceuticals, foods for special dietary use, food for special medical purpose, functional food and novel foods. “The articles of food with standard nutrient or nutritionally complete formulation shall consist of a composition delivering the desired level of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, and other essential nutrients required for respective age group, gender and physiological stage in accordance with the guidelines made by the Indian Council of Medical Research,” reads the regulations stipulated by the FSSAI.
Ingredient purity is mandated to be in accordance with the FSSAI standards for those categories of food — in cases where standards are not specified, purity criteria generally accepted by the various pharmacopoeias — Indian Pharmacopoeia, Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of Indian Medicinal Plants, Indian Council of Medical Research, British Pharmacopoeia, US Pharmacopoeia etc are to be used.
Stale food seized from star hotels
Food items found stored in unhygienic conditions
An inspection team designated by the Director of Health Services seized stale food from five-star and three-star hotels in the city on Saturday.
Major discrepancies were found at Hotel Taj Gateway and Hotel Emerald, while minor offences were detected at Hotel Raviz, Big Bazaar, and MIMS Hospital canteen.
The Gateway and Emerald managements were issued summons, while fine was levied on the others under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA).
The team led by Kozhikode Municipal Corporation health officer R.S. Gopakumar and District Legal Services Authority secretary R.L. Baiju seized 5 kg of cake mixture, 6 kg of ghee rice, and masala mixtures from the kitchen of Hotel Taj Gateway on P.T. Usha Road. Dr. Gopakumar said the cake mixture had fungal coating on it, and that ghee rice and masala were days old. The food items were kept in the refrigerator.
According to the inspection team, the hotels that were surveyed did not follow the rule that dates should be marked on food items while refrigerating them.
“Moreover, food was found stored in unhygienic conditions at Hotel Emerald. Meat and fish were kept together. Some hotels were fined for not keeping the statutory warning against smoking,” it said.
The team also consisted of District Medical Officer Asha Devi, veterinary surgeon Linoop, technical assistant K.T. Mohan, and corporation health inspector Abdul Khader.
Inspections will be conducted at hospitals, government and private offices, schools, and apartment complexes in the city in the coming days.
Kohima Food Safety Officer asks people not to panic for fake eggs
Kohima, Jul 2 (UNI) After the detection of suspected artificial eggs in the state, the Food Safety Officer (FSO) of Kohima Mr Kezha has appealed
to public not to panic as there was no concrete evidence so far to suggest presence of artificial eggs.
According to a statement by the FSO that following the complaint, KMC and food safety officials collected the egg sample from the shop and
sent to a laboratory for test. He said the officials also collected samples from other egg dealers yesterday.
Kezha also said some eggs suspected to be artificial were broken for inspection, but they were found to be natural eggs. He added that only
laboratory tests results will determine whether the eggs are natural, artificial, deformed or partially rotten.
Read more at http://www.uniindia.com/kohima-food-safety-officer-asks-people-not-to-panic-for-fake-eggs/other/news/918132.html#3XcX5FPjxlC520yw.99
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