Jul 25, 2017
Gutka seized
Gutka seized from a godown in Indra Nagar in Erode on Monday.
Food safety officials carried out raids at various parts of Erode
Officials of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department raided a godown in the city and seized banned gutka items worth Rs. 7 lakh here on Monday.
A 15-member team led by Designated Officer T. Kalaivani along with food safety inspectors and officials, divided into three teams, carried out inspection at tea shops and petty shops in the city.
The drive is to mainly focus on seizing the banned gutka items that were being sold. The team found Rs. 6,000 worth gutka items at shops in bus stand area and Rs. 10,000 worth gutka items at shops near market area. Inquiries revealed that they were supplied the banned items from godown in Indira Nagar.
Officials raided the godown belonging to Yogesh (32) and found 83 bundles of gutka items worth Rs. 7 lakh. Inquiries revealed that the banned item was distributed to retail shops from the godown. Officials seized the items and sealed the godown. A complaint was lodged with Karungalpalayam police who are conducting inquiry.
India’s food regulator should learn from middle-income countries: Report
India needs to look beyond food regulations in the US and learn from the middle income countries, such as Vietnam, New Zealand, China, and the UK, a report on FSSAI
FSSAI, which came in the limelight in June 2015 for cracking down on Nestle India, mainly follows the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to set standards and rules regarding food safety.
New Delhi: To ensure safe food across the country, India needs to look beyond food regulations in the United States and learn from the middle income countries, like Vietnam, New Zealand, China, Netherlands and the UK, Donald Macrae, senior consultant on regulatory reform, World Bank Group, said in a report on the country’s food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Macrae’s report was based on FSSAI’s request to the Global Food Safety Partnership (GFSP), a public-private initiative of the World Bank Group, to advise it on international engagements.
“Most of its (FSSAI’s) partnerships have been with developed countries but it has much to learn from other middle income countries that are facing similar issues at present or have faced them recently and moved through them,” Macrae said in the report.
With an engagement with Vietnam, FSSAI can learn impact of slow urbanisation and how to deal with rural population (close to 70% India’s population still live in rural areas), and how to establish surveillance plans for sampling nationwide among others, the report noted.
From China, it could learn how to deal with scaling up operations that covers 1.3 billion people, risk assessment, adaptation of modern systems and seamless co-ordination between the centre, states and the municipalities, Macrae said.
According to Macrae, FSSAI should follow the United Kingdom for regulatory delivery, regulating the ‘meta-market’, third party certification, risk-based inspection and planning, consumer focus and trust. The Indian food regulator should learn risk communication and compliance support from Netherlands and New Zealand respectively, he added.
FSSAI, which came in the limelight in June 2015 for cracking down on Nestle India Ltd after the Swiss food-maker’s popular snack Maggi instant noodles were suspected to contain fragrance enhancer monosodium glutamate and excess lead, mainly follows the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to set standards and rules regarding food safety.
“For FSSAI, the regulatory objective is to ensure a supply of safe and wholesome food, not to ensure a revenue stream of fines for violations. Punishing those who do not comply because of capacity issues does not solve their capacity issues or deliver safe and wholesome food,” Macrae said in an emailed response to Mint queries.
According to Macrae, under Pawan Kumar Agarwal, the current chief executive officer of FSSAI, the regulator is focusing on the new approach of “supporting those willing to comply, in order that their challenges in complying are overcome and they then deliver safe and wholesome food”. “This focus is in line with what is happening across the world and FSSAI is being truly innovative in tackling this new approach,” added Macrae.
Agarwal could not be reached for comments
FSSAI bans stapler pins in tea bags from January 2018
NEW DELHI, JULY 24:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Monday said it is banning the use of stapler pins in tea bags effective January 1, 2018.
The move is expected to affect the fast growing packaged tea business in the country, as FSSAI has deemed the use of stapler pins in tea bag a serious health hazard.
It said in an order: “The use of stapler pins in tea bags poses potential hazard to consumers since any loose staple pin consumed inadvertently with tea may cause a serious health hazard.”
Currently, tea bags are either stapled or knotted.
“The Food Authority, in exercise of the power conferred under Section (15) FSS Act, 2006, hereby directs the concerned food business operators to discontinue the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of stapled tea bags by January 1, 2018.”
It has also directed all food safety commissioners to take action to prevent the use of unsafe packaging materials by companies and take up measures for enforcement of its order.
According to industry estimates, the tea bag segment contributes 3-4 per cent by value of total tea sales but it is one of the fastest growing segments at 50-60 per cent year-on-year.
FSSAI to decide over introducing pictorial warning on liquor bottles, alcoholic beverages
Delhi High court, which heard the plea on May 18, refused to give a direction to increase the size of statutory warning on liquor bottles and packaging, saying it was in the realm of policy making.
Pictorial messages will serve as an alert or reminder to road users about the hazards of drunk driving and help in reducing the risk of road accidents tragedies.
Liquor bottles in the country may soon carry pictorial messages cautioning people against ill effects of alcohol and warning them about drunk driving. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is in the process of finalising standards for alcoholic beverage, is studying global practices regarding pictorial warnings and messages around drunk driving, an official said.
“We are examining international practices regarding pictorial warnings and messages around drunk driving and alcohol consumption. After this we will finalise our recomendations for inclusion of such warnings in regulations for alcoholic beverages that are being finalised,” the FSSAI official, who did not wish to be named, said. NGO Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD) had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Delhi High Court seeking pictorial warning on drunk driving on all alcohol bottles, Indian or Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).
The court, which heard the plea on May 18, refused to give a direction to increase the size of statutory warning on liquor bottles and packaging, saying it was in the realm of policy making.
However, it had directed the FSSAI, under the ministry of health, to consider the plea as a suggestion and take a firm view in this regard. “I have met officials at FSSAI and given them four designs along with messages to be used as part of the bottle label. Pictorial warnings are critical as they are understood, easily without any language barrier and also comprehensible by persons who cannot read or write,” said Prince Singhal, activist and founder of CADD.
He said pictorial messages will serve as an alert or reminder to road users about the hazards of drunk driving and help in reducing the risk of road accidents tragedies.
India loses over 1,46,000 lives every year out of which 1,00,000 are due to drunk driving, Singhal claimed, adding drunk driving is also responsible for over 72 per cent of fatal road accidents.
THE RICE AND FALL OF ‘PLASTIC’
After rigorous testing, Centre dismisses reports of plastic rice and egg; calls it a case of adulteration
In an attempt to put an end to the long-drawn debate on “fake” eggs and rice, the Centre has stepped in. Now, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, after testing samples from across the country, has concluded that there is no such thing as 'plastic' rice. It all boils down to adulteration.
The department of food and public distribution had collected samples from 29 states and 7 Union territories in the country and a total of 39,284 samples were analysed. The conclusion was that there was no plastic rice and the department stated that it was actually just poor quality rice.
CR Chaudhury, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public distribution, said: "While plastic rice rumours were doing the rounds on social media, the matter was taken up with the Kerala and Gujarat governments on the basis of an International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) alert. The governments concerned have confirmed that there has been no such reports in their respective states. "
Random sampling was done and from Karnataka, 2,837 samples were received for testing and analysis. It was found that 341 samples were adulterated and the remaining proved that it was low quality rice. The department has launched 26 criminal cases and 112 civil cases on manufacturers and penalized them too. 112 manufacturers have been penalized and penalties totalling Rs. 21,95,900 were received. The sampling and testing was done by officials of the Food safety departments of the respective states to check compliance of standards laid down under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations.
Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, YG Shadakshari, Director of Research, University of Agricultural Sciences, said, "It is very expensive to manufacture plastic rice. It is so expensive that it is not possible at all. I really wonder how these rumours came up. As per our testing based on samples received by Bangalore Mirror, we found it was only low quality rice. The government needs to probe whether adulteration is the main cause of all these plastic rumours." While the testing was headed by Prof KV Jamuna, UAS, she said, "When we did detailed research and testing, it was found out that this is totally a case of low quality rice. What residents of the city found was rice that had expired was being sold. Otherwise, something like 'plastic' is a bizarre thing to make."
No fake eggs either
Another grave issue that was making rounds on social media was 'plastic' eggs. Dr Murthy, Dean of the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Science University, who did a complete test on eggs and said they were 'rotten' and 'spoiled'.
Focus on food safety, health officers told
Pointing out the loopholes in maintaining food safety measures, Deputy Commissioner H.R. Mahadev has directed health officers to pay adequate attention to the issue. He was presiding over a meeting of District Coordination Committee on Food Safety at his office here on Monday.
Shivashankar, Food Safety Officer, told the meeting that 314 of the 1,473 food outlets in Bidar taluk and 68 of the 825 outlets in Bhalki were registered.
Mr. Mahadev directed the officers to complete registration in all taluks. He asked the officers to speed up registrations in Humnabad, Basavakalyan and Aurad taluks that were far behind in the task.
The officers told the meeting that they had obtained nine unsafe food samples and imposed a fine of Rs. 92,000 on the outlets that had violated norms. They also said that taluk level squads were formed to monitor the implementation of food safety norms.
Tahsildars from different taluks, District Health and Family Welfare officer M.M. Jabbar, officers Anil Chinthamani, Indumathi Patil, Mallikarjun and D.S. Hawaldar and others were present.
30 students fall ill after eating hostel food
M. Lokesh, Deputy Commissioner, speaking to a student admitted to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga on Monday. Abhinav Khare, Superintendent of Police, looks on.
Looks like a case of food poisoning: Medical Superintendent
As many as 30 students at Morarji Desai Government Residential School in Gajanur village near here who fell ill owing to suspected food poisoning have been admitted to McGann Hospital, a government hospital attached to Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences, in the city on Sunday night.
Of the 321 students who had dinner at the hostel on Sunday night, 30 complained of stomach ache and vomiting. The wardens immediately admitted them at McGann Hospital where they were administered fluids and medicines intravenously.
On Monday, Deputy Commissioner M. Lokesh visited the hospital and spoke to the children. Mr. Lokesh said the samples of food served to the students and drinking water at the hostel have been sent to the laboratory for testing.
T.B. Satyanarayan, Medical Superintendent of McGann Hospital, said that the health condition of all the students was stable. “Prima facie is appears to be a case of food poisoning. However, though the same food was served for all 321 students that includes 160 boys and 161 girls, only 30 girls have fallen ill. The exact reason for the problem will be ascertained after the results of the tests conducted on food and drinking water samples are made available. The condition of the students is being closely monitored and they are likely to be discharged on Tuesday evening,” he said.
Street food vendors keep health squads on toes
One of the unhygienic eateries which was removed by a special squad in Thripunithura recently.
Need to create hygienic space for business stressed
The street food vendors continue to keep the health squads on their toes as they appear again at the same place from where they were removed for allegedly vending unhygienic food.
The district administration’s squads, with the support of local bodies, are active in the city and the surrounding municipalities. It is the local body concerned that should take a call on the street vending on government land. However, no local body is ready to give space for the street vendors in the time of communicable diseases that is keeping the health authorities on the look out for anything that could be a public health hazard.
District Food Safety Officer, Ernakulam, K.V. Shibu told The Hindu that food safety laws promote hygienic street food vending and any person who promises to vend food in safe and hygienic manner cannot be denied licence.
However, the municipal rules do not allow the civic authorities to permit people to use roadsides or other government land to set up even temporary stalls.
According to food safety rules, street food vending is permitted with certain conditions.
The local bodies need to accommodate the street food vendors by creating hygienic space and give them licence to do business. There had never been a serious effort in settling the issues of the street vendors.
Street food vending is popular on the highways where there is more truck movement and at places where people are working night shifts.
Kalamassery, Seaport-Airport Road, and Thripunithura are some of the places where street food vending has become more popular.
Lizard in idli, 65 girls fall sick in government women’s college
Chennai: A lizard in an idli served at a government women's college hostel landed 65 students in the hospital late on Sunday night.
Students of Quaid-e-Millath Government College for Women were rushed to two hospitals around midnight. They complained of uneasiness and nausea after having dinner in their hostel mess.
While 48 of the students were taken to Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH), 17 were admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.Dr Anand Pratap, GRH resident medical officer (RMO), saidfour of them had diarrhoea. "The rest had just anxiety-induced nausea," he said. All the students were sent back after being observed overnight. Doctors said shortly after a student found a lizard in an idli, many of the students consumed salt water with tamarind to fight off nausea. "This made some of them throw up and feel even more ill," said Dr A Elango, RMO of Government General Hospital. On Monday morning, two teams from the state food safety department and the health department of Greater Chennai Corporation inspected the hostel mess and collected samples for testing. "We have collected samples of the idli batter, water and sambhar," said R Kathiravan, designated food safety officer for Chennai.
Geetha Rajan, principal of the college, said the students were sent back to their families on Monday. "The doctors advised them a week's rest. We will also use the time to renovate the hostel mess," she said.
This isn't the first time students in the college hostel have fallen ill after having food served to them. In October, 2015, 27 students from the institution sought medical help with complains of stomach ache and vomiting after having stale coconut rice from the mess.
"Even at the time of inspection, the sanitary conditions in the kitchen were poor. It was infested with cockroaches," said a member of the investigation team. This was vouched by a student, who did not wish to be named. "Students here keep falling ill on and off, but authorities notice only when a lot of us are sick," said a second-year student.
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