Jul 13, 2017
Food adulteration units thrive at Begum Bazaar
Hyderabad: Not far away from Begum Bazaar, the biggest wholesale market, food adulteration units flourish. From adulterated ginger to garlic paste to Chocolate manufacturing company, adulterated milk, coconut powder, poor quality raisins and other products are being made.
The activity is going on under the nose of four police stations of Goshamahal Division. Over a dozen units has so far been raided beginning from June and it was revealed that the products are finding their way into the market. These adulterated products pose health hazard to consumers.
In spite of regular raids by the authorities on food adulteration units across the city, the activity has continued unabated. In fact, it has spread its tentacles to new area around Begum Bazar. The proximity to the market has helped rogue elements overcome all hindrances in ensuring the delivery of adulterated products into the market.
The wholesalers in the market have disavowed the knowledge of the illegal activity. Most of these units have flourished under the very nose of four police stations, Mangalhat, Shahinayat Gunj, Habeeb Nagar and Kulsumpura. Interestingly some of those who were arrested were allegedly well-known rowdy-sheeters.
According to police records, the Shahinayatgunj police station, which covers market area comprising Begum Bazar and neighbouring markets has unearthed all kinds of adulterated food products, ranging from sweets to coconut powder, spices, rotten raisins and artificial fruit ripening chemical like Ethylene Ripener.
According to Task Force, one of the sweet makers was preparing ‘Agra Petha’ in his sweet shop at Jummerat Bazaar without any valid certificate from FSSAI the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India). The product was found made with using white cement, alum, sodium hydrosulphide and other artificial food colours. “He was selling adulterated Agra Petha without any brand label,” said B Limba Reddy, DCP, Task Force.
In the case of ‘adulterated milk,’ one of the accused was injecting Oxytocin, a banned ‘hormonal injection,’ that boosts milk production in milch animal, while others making milk by using synthetic materials. The police said the drug which does not get diluted continues to stay in the milk and could lead to serious ailments like breast cancer, prostate cancer and impotency in men.
According to police officials who raided these units as part of special drive beginning from June, ginger and garlic paste was prepared by using ‘chemical powders’ also used colours for manufacturing poor quality product, named after different brands.
They held that these gangs were found adulterating the paste by mixing synthetic food colours like IDACOL food colour powder, mashed potatoes, onions, banana pulp and unbranded acid to give texture and colour of ginger and garlic paste. “We are focusing on completely eradicating the adulteration of food items. We are yet to ascertain from where these people are getting raw material,” said A Venkateswar Rao, DCP, West Zone.
FSSAI operationalizes Regulations relating to standards for Non-carbonated Water Based Beverages
FSSAI operationalizes Regulations relating to standards for Non-carbonated Water Based Beverages
New Delhi, July 12 (KNN) The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has operationalized the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2017 relating to standards for Non-carbonated Water Based Beverages (Non-Alcoholic) with effect from July 6, 2017.
The draft regulations regarding the same were notified in October 2016 for inviting comments of the stakeholders.
FSSAI said, “The food business operators shall follow the standards for non-carbonated water based beverages {non-alcoholic) as specified..The enforcement of these regulations shall commence only after the final regulations are notified in the Gazette of India.”
According to the new Regulation, the Non-carbonated Water Based Beverages {Non-Alcoholic) means beverages containing water conforming to the standards prescribed for packaged drinkiing water under these regulations without added carbon dioxide and may contain ingredients as per sub-clause (i), singly or in combination.
Ingredients such as Sugar, liquid glucose, dextrose monohydrate, invert sugar, fructose, honey, salt and salt substitutes, fruits/ flowers/ vegetables and their products including extractive s, herbs, spices and their derivatives and permitted flavoring, singly or in combination. Non-carbonated water may contain caffeine not exceeding 145 parts per million from whatever sources it may be derived in the formulation of the product:
“Provided that added herbs shall comply with safety requirements as specified in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the regulations made thereunder and shall also be declared on the label,” the Regulation mentions.
For products covered under this standard, specific food additives permitted in Appendix 'A' of these regulations may be used and only within the limits specified.
The products shall conform to the microbiological requirements given in Appendix B of these regulations and the products shall comply with the packaging and labelling requirements as laid down under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011
30 quintals of milk destroyed, 4 restaurants fined in Srinagar
About 30 quinatlas of adulterated milk was destroyed and four restaurants were fined today in Srinagar, an official spokesperson said here this evening. He said in order to curb the menace of milk adulteration, the department of Food Safety Srinagar today put in service the mobile Food testing van to check the quality parameters of milk.
A team of Food Safety Officers headed by Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Srinagar laid Naka at Parimpora Srinagar. He said on the spot testing of milk and milk products was carried and around 30 quintals of milk not confirming to the legal standards were destroyed on spot. Some bakery products, Juices were also tested at Bemina and Qamarwari where some bakery products failed in testing were destroyed on spot.
He said the Department of Legal Metrology received complaints against four restaurants operating in the City for overcharging on packaged drinking water and soft drinks. Under Legal Metrology laws, no restaurant and hotel can charge more than MRP on the bottle water and soft drinks or other packaged products. The Legal Metrology officer booked all the four restaurants for overcharging. A penal sum of Rs 6500 was collected from the offenders for violation.
Test on 20 eggs to find ‘plastic eggs’ yields negative result
IMPHAL | July 12
In light of the recent report in this paper regarding fake eggs entering the market, the state public health food testing laboratory conducted tests on egg samples procured from whole-sellers.
The report given by the state food analyst, Ch. Sanajaoba Meitei deemed that all necessary tests have been conducted on the samples and it has been deemed safe for human consumption. The lab tested 20 eggs only.
According to the report, the samples were received on July 6 and the physical, chemical and structural tests were conducted. As per the National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC) recommendation, the shelf life of a normal egg is 17 days in winter and 7 days in summer.
During transportation, the ideal temperature of transporting eggs is at 20 degree celsius but the temperature during transportation is at 32 to 34 degrees. It said that higher temperature is observed during transportation and may cause a structural change in the albumin from liquid to slightly rubbery but doesn’t mean that it is a ‘fake’ egg.
The analyst recommended that a manufacturing date/packaging/collection of the egg should be given for public awareness and a storage temperature should be maintained. It may be mentioned that the Kolkota Municipal Council in May last had seized 97,000 eggs for testing of artificial eggs.
Analyst speaks
Regarding the tests of plastic eggs and plastic rice and other adulteration reports , the state food testing lab is currently conducting tests and there is no sign of any plastic rice or eggs found as of yet, Dr S Bimalkumari, food safety consultant of the Food Safety Administration told Imphal Free Press.
She, however, did not rule out the possibility of plastic eggs and rice entering the market. She said that the easiest way to test an egg is to feel the surface of the egg, it is slightly rough and this cannot be replicated in an artificial egg.
For testing rice, a small amount can be put in a transparent glass with water and plastic rice will float up.
“If there is doubt, don’t eat it,” Bimalkumari stated, adding that there is serious adulteration going on in various edible food products. She said that if the public eat adulterated foodstuff for a long time, it becomes a form of slow poisoning.
She warned that most of the processed food coming from Myanmar is unsafe as it has no Food Safety and Standard Authority of India licensing.
She mentioned further that there may be adulteration and preservatives may be added in meat and fish items. The use of pesticides in vegetables, using carbide to ripen bananas is a major health hazard. Spoiled bananas are sometimes used in making banana cake, rotten eggs used to make cake etc.
Formaldehyde in fish
On May 5 last, samples of sareng, pengba, rohu, ngahei, ahila and mackerel from seventeen different retailers were collected for testing to check if any preservative has been added. The samples have been handed over to the state public health laboratory located at Lamphelpat, MACS complex.
The fish are being brought mainly from Andhra Pradesh. The report from the lab is still pending whereas under section 46 of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, the results should be given within 14 days.
The problem of the state food lab not being able to conduct the test is due to lack of a particular scientific apparatus (a condenser) which costs approximately Rs. 5000. The matter of the unavailability of the lab equipment was put up to the chief minister during a press meet held recently.
Designated officer of Imphal West, Y. Satyajeet said that there is high suspicion that preservatives like formaldehyde may be present but the test results are yet to arrive. He added that all samples of rice, noodles, salt and sugar are being tested for adulteration presently.
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