FSSAI targets supplements, looks to curb doping in sports

Food regulator FSSAI will bring in rules on the presence of doping substances in food and nutritional supplements that are usually sold off the shelf

‘We have formed a working committee consisting of experts from relevant industries for technical assistance,’ FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal has said. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint

New Delhi: The country’s food regulator now wants to curb the use of prohibited performance-enhancing substances by sports professionals through nutritional supplements.

Over the next few months, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will bring in regulations on the presence of doping substances in food and nutritional supplements that are usually sold off the shelf. Companies will have to follow specific labelling norms for selling food and nutritional supplements. Both domestically produced products and imported supplements will come under the FSSAI regime.

FSSAI, which signed a five-year agreement with National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on Thursday, will develop capacities at its laboratories to test for the presence of restricted or prohibited substances in food and nutritional supplements.

At present, FSSAI laboratories do not have either the expertise or the capacity for this. NADA, however, does.

“We have formed a working committee consisting of experts from relevant industries for technical assistance. A draft regulation will be discussed in the next meeting on 21 September,” said Pawan Kumar Agarwal, chief executive officer, FSSAI.

Besides FSSAI’s own team, the committee will have representatives from NADA, Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Narcotics Control Bureau, among others. FSSAI is also in the process of constituting a team for surveillance and enforcement of regulations. “As part of awareness development among consumers, we’ll also bring a special usage guide. Most of the doping is done without knowledge and they have ill-effects in the long term,” Agarwal added.

FSSAI and NADA held a series of meetings on the subject of doping in the last few months after the latter requested the food regulator to frame standards and regulations. “Doping is a menace we need to stop. With FSSAI, we’ll try to ensure availability of safe supplements for competing athletes, among others. There are about 300 substances that are prohibited globally. Of these, about 10 such as steroids, are commonly used,” said Navin Aggarwal, CEO and director general, NADA.

Last year, FSSAI notified standards for health supplements, nutraceuticals, foods for special dietary use, foods for special medical purposes, functional foods and novel foods. According to the notification, these foods should “consist of a composition delivering the desired level of energy, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and other essential nutrients required for the respective age group, gender and physiological stage in accordance with the guidelines made by the Indian Council of Medical Research”.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in its doping violation report for 2015, ranked India third after the Russian Federation and Italy. In 2015, 117 athletes failed to clear dope tests.

The Indian government had, in 2013, drafted the National Sports Development Bill that highlighted elimination of doping practices. As per a 27 April report in the Indian Express, the government has been working on a new legislation to make doping by athletes a criminal offence and the proposed law could include coaches, manufacturers and suppliers of these products.

FSSAI, NADA ink pact to ensure dope-free nutrition supplements

Concerned over doping cases in sportspersons, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) today signed an agreement to put in place a system to ensure dope- free sports nutrition supplements are sold in the market.

At present, the NADA conducts test on human beings for doping, but there is no mechanism in place to test 'doping substance' in nutrition supplements that are consumed both by sportspersons and fitness enthusiasts. "Doping has been a major concern with us.

When we analysed the cases, we found many of the athletes involved in doping were on account of nutrition supplements. We took up with the FSSAI to address the issue," NADA Director General and CEO Navin Agarwal told reporters after the signing of the agreement.

The NADA chief added: "This holistic effort aims to provide an ecosystem of safe food for sports professionals across the country. It is one of the significant steps for NADA to ensure healthy and safe supplements for competing athletes." Sportspersons are in a dilemma as to which dietary supplement to use. 

"Many of them, instead of developing their stamina and physique, end up in doping violation," he said. It is a major public health issue for citizens as well because many of the supplements available in the open market near gyms contain some of the dope substances that are harmful for long-term health of an individual, he said.

The need of the hour is to put in place "some sort of facility" to ensure sportspersons do not inadvertently end up doping through supplements. Highlighting the key work areas to be undertaken as per the memorandum of agreement (MoU), FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal said a working group of scientific committee will be set up that will give guidance for setting standards for manufacturers and importers of these products and method of testing doping substance in nutrition supplements.

"NADA labs do testing on humans for doping not on substances. As far as doping substances is concerned, the capacity of our labs has to be built to do the testing," he said, adding that the NADA will help in capacity building of FSSAI-accredited testing labs as well as the regulatory staff.

According to the FSSAI chief, the move will ensure food safety ecosystem in sports nutrition becomes more robust over time. The two bodies will also work together to come out with guidance on labelling with instructions on using supplements and printing 'dope-free', he said. "We are also looking at international experiences. We do not find provisions for labelling requirement for doping substances. 

There are some voluntary efforts around the world, but we are going to study them," the FSSAI chief said. The issues related to surveillance and enforcement as also creating awareness about safe and judicious use of nutrition supplements will also be studied, he added. 

The MoU signed with the FSSAI is valid for five years. The NADA has recently inked similar agreement with a drug regulator. Despite 300 doped substances banned globally, nearly 10 of them like Diuretics and Hormones are most widely used.

Food safety body, NADA join hands to check doping substances, adulterants in sports nutrition products

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 14: 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has signed a MoU with National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to focus on collaborative efforts to address the issues of doping substances and other adulterants in food supplements and nutritional products used by sports professionals.

Under this agreement, the two government agencies have identified various areas which can be addressed through joint efforts by the two government agencies. A working group has been set up for more focused work in this direction, as part of this MoU.Working group

“The Working Group will comprise members of the FSSAI’s scientific panel on functional foods, nutraceuticals, dietetic products and other similar products along with representatives of NADA. Representatives of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Narcotics Control Bureau and others, as and when required, may be co-opted in the Working Group,” an official statement added. Guidance on the use of labelling/claims for supplements and special dietary products meant for sports professionals and building capacity of the regulatory staff for effective surveillance and enforcements activities, are some of the areas which have been identified for collaboration.Five labs

FSSAI will also identify five labs, in a bid to build testing capacities in FSSAI-notified primary and referral laboratories for detection of doping substances and adulterants in sports-nutrition supplements and products.

In a statement, Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI, said that this MoU will help in developing and strengthening co-operation in the field of Sports Nutrition between the two government agencies. “This would also ensure that the food safety ecosystem in the field of sports nutrition becomes more robust over the time,” he added.

Navin Aggarwal, DG & CEO, NADA, said, “This holistic effort aims to provide an eco-system of safe food for sport professionals across the country. It is one of the significant steps for NADA to ensure healthy and safe supplements for competing athletes.”

FDA steps up to raise the food safety standards in temples

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken the batten to raise the hygiene and food standards in temples of the state. FDA will be conducting several workshops and training session around 254 temple trusts across the state and will impart technical skills to the participants which will help them in maintaining the quality of food.

The initiative will be flagged off in Mumbai on Wednesday, September 13, at Iskcon Temple, Juhu.

The initiative called the Blissful Hygienic Offering to God (BHOG) was launched by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Prabhadevi-based Siddhivinayak Temple. Training will be conducted in various districts across the state throughout September.

Dr Pallavi Darade, Commissioner, FDA said “53 temple trusts and vendors who prepare various kinds of Prasad will be attending the first session. The topics to be covered include food safety, ingredients, packaging, and hygiene.

The session will help temple trusts maintain proper standards of food hygiene. Participants would be introduced to a scientific approach to safety concerns and learn about the rules and regulation of food safety,” Darade said.

“More training sessions will be planned depending upon the number of temple trusts that come forward. We will be training 3,000 people and 254 temples,” said CD Salunke, Joint Commissioner, FDA. In October, restaurant and hotel staff in Mumbai will also receive training by the FDA.

Chicken on your plate led short, but a life full of brutalities

As per the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food businesses) Regulation, 2011, chicken must be reared, transported and slaughtered in humane conditions. 

The next time you order a chicken meal, consider this. A study of chicken farms in Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana revealed that birds reared for meat spend short and brutal lives.

A survey by a Pune-based animal rights organisation, Animal Equality, which looked studied the production cycle — from birth to processing of meat — at five farms and three markets between December 2016 and June 2017, found that chicken production violates basic animal welfare and food safety standards.

As per the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food businesses) Regulation, 2011, chicken must be reared, transported and slaughtered in humane conditions. But the rules are not followed, the study says. One-day-old chickens were stuffed and transported in boxes, fed with drug-laden food to gain weight and killed in cruel and unhygienic conditions.

“After being fed antibiotic-laden feed, which causes extreme weight gain, those who survive are brutally pulled out in groups and weighed by hanging them upside down,” says the study.

It also states that the sudden weight gain due to antibiotics leaves the chicken crippled. The cramped conditions in the cages can cause stress, heart attacks or respiratory infections. Once they reach their maximum weight, they are stuffed into transport truck.

“They are sent on rigorous journeys which last for hours, sometimes days without food or water,” said Amruta Ubale, executive director, Animal Equality.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001 states that animals have to be stunned before slaughter. “We found that this is never practiced at all locations surveyed by us,” said Amruta Ubale, executive director, Animal Equality.

The study says that once the birds reach meat markets, they are crammed into small cages. “Many birds develop infections and diseases. There is no health inspection conducted on the birds. Their throats are slit and they are thrown into drain bins where they languish in pain for several minutes before they die. Carcasses are defeathered, hot torched or boiled in water in the filthiest of conditions, the study concluded. The unhygienic conditions of meat markets are also a public health hazard, the study adds.

The Poultry Federation of India (PFI) confirmed unhygienic meat shops violate both food safety laws and laws protecting animals. “The mindset in India still exists where the consumer approaches a meat shop, choose his chicken and asks the butcher to slice it the way he wants. In such circumstances, the consumer mindset needs to change the enhance these laws that are being violated, which is not the case abroad,” said Ramesh Khatri, president, PFI. “However, there are large industries that are following the stunning procedure before killing chickens and also practice the profession in clean and hygienic surroundings.”

HT had reported in February that an investigation into 20 poultry farms across the country by Animal Equality revealed that confining hens in battery cages - small wired cages used by farmers to keep the birds for their entire life, primarily for laying eggs – not only led to a number of deaths, but also deformed and injured the birds feet.

Animal Equality submitted findings of both studies to the Law Commission of India (LCI) along with a list of recommendations for the welfare of chickens. “Our reports also pointed out to the existing animal welfare, food safety and transport laws which are violated,” said Ubale.

A senior official from LCI said that the recommendations were included as a part of proposed guidelines under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Egg Laying Hens) Rules, 2017 and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Broiler Chicken) Rules, 2017. “After consulting the union environment ministry, we will be releasing draft regulations for inviting suggestions and objections for the rules, later this year,” the official said.

The PFI said it has written to the state government about the use of antibiotics. “We are awaiting guidelines to make laws stricter in the country but it will take at least a few years to sensitise the poultry industry,” said Khatri.

There are also concerns of the issue turning into a dangerous debate like the beef ban controversy. “We are taking several steps to ensure that this industry functions with appropriate standards but to sensitise everyone about correct practices might make it a political issue in a secular country like India,” said AK Sharma, coordinator, PFI.

1,200 food outlets have no licence, registration in dist: FSDA

Meerut: In an ongoing two-month survey conducted by the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) authorities, as many as 1,200 food outlets in Meerut district were found to be running without licences or registrations that are mandatory for their functioning. The survey is being carried out to ensure that no food outlet is run illegally in the district.

Giving details, Archana Dheeran, designated officer, FSDA, said, “According to the instructions that have come from the state government authorities, we have been told to conduct a survey in the entire district to identify the food outlets which have not registered or taken a licence from us. Once identified, they will be given 20 days to comply with the rules or a case will be registered against them.”

It should be noted that a food outlet with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh needs to have a “registration” which can be obtained for a fee of Rs 100 every year. Similarly, a food outlet with an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh has to get a licence for Rs 2,000 a year.

Dheeran said, “The survey is being done so as to make people aware about registrations and licences as these are necessary as per norms. Also it is necessary to ensure that no person selling food, even on a push cart, does not operate without a food licence. Until now, we have identified 1,200 food outlets in Meerut which do not have any registrations or licences from the department and have been issued notices. We expect to identify more such outlets by the time we end the survey.”