Nov 20, 2017
Food officials suspect GM mustard in oil
According to sources in the food department, there is no proper labelling on these products.
India imports 15 million tonne edible oil. Food inspectors, who check random samples, said that whether it is GM crops or non-GM crops is difficult to identify.
Hyderabad: Food inspectors find it difficult to identify the GM mustard oil with the commercialisation of GM mustard. They said that it is illegally imported into the Indian market.
India imports 15 million tonne edible oil. Food inspectors, who check random samples, said that whether it is GM crops or non-GM crops is difficult to identify.
According to sources in the food department, there is no proper labelling on these products. The GM protein is not in the refined oil and it can’t be traced easily which makes it easy for importers to put it across as non-GM crop.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, GM products cannot be sold in the country without approval. But the draft bill on labelling these products has not been approved by the government.
From 2005 to 2016, the FSSAI has been actively working to identify the products in the category of GM and non-GM. But it is facing challenges at the ground level. For this reason, the food body wants all importers to bring in the products into the country with proper labels.
A senior food inspector in TS explained, “We had meetings as these products are making the way into the market in the form of non-labelled products. Hence, the importer has to strictly bring in those products which are labelled. This will act as deterrent till we can work out the testing methods.”
With a boost in the food production and also the increasing demand for processed and ready-to-eat foods, it is becoming important to check the ingredients which are being used at the commercial level to ensure that the health of the people is not at risk.
GM foods have been in the market since 1994 and the risk factors which have been found during the clinical testing in laboratory on animals are altered metabolism, inflammation, kidney and liver malfunction. But there has not been any conclusive research on the human health.
Telangana to recruit 291 food safety officers
Hyderabad has only three food inspectors to monitor more than 20,000 eateries.
Hyderabad: Waking up to the demand for food safety staff in the State to curb food adulteration, the Health Department is planning to recruit 291 food inspectors and food safety officers.
Proposals were sent to the officials concerned and soon after the approval, the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) would take up recruitments.
Food adulteration has been a major cause of concern as there were only 20 sanctioned posts of food inspectors in Telangana region before the State bifurcation. Soon after Telangana State was formed, the State government sanctioned new posts of 10 food inspectors and 13 additional posts at Food Analysis Lab.
However, there are only seven food inspectors and six gazetted food inspectors at present against the sanctioned strength of 30 food inspectors and 10 gazetted food inspectors, respectively, in the State. The TSPSC has already initiated recruitment for vacant posts of food inspectors and additional posts at Food Analysis Lab.
However, a study into requirements by the Health Department revealed that it requires 291 food inspectors and food safety officers. The officials concerned have sent proposals to their higher authorities in this regard and awaiting an approval.
In Hyderabad city alone, there are only three food inspectors to monitor more than 20,000 eateries besides numerous food processing and manufacturing units. Food inspectors working in the districts are also burdened with monitoring two-three districts each, due to staff crunch and putting lives of people at risk even as adulteration industry is thriving.
Adding to the woes, there is only one Food Testing Laboratory located at Nacharam in the city serving the needs of both Telugu States with a capacity to analyse about 12,600 food samples per annum. The officials said unless division of assets between the two States is completed, they might not be able to expand the lab as per requirements.
The issue came up for discussion during the recently adjourned session of the Assembly and the Council, following which the Health Department initiated measures to plug loopholes. In addition to recruitments in Food Safety Department, the State government formed 14 special task force teams comprising the Police and Food Safety Department officials for checking food adulteration in the State.
Observing the urgency to tackle the issue, Health Minister C Laxma Reddy admitted in the Assembly that food adulteration was a serious issue and awareness programmes were being conducted to educate people in this regard. He said the Centre was planning to bring amendments to the Food Safety and Standards Act based on which the State government would strengthen the department further.
29 food samples in district fail quality test
Ludhiana: A total of 116 food samples were collected from the entire district of Ludhiana in October, out of which 29 have failed the quality test, including milk, coffee, cake, edilble salt, curd, chutney, and desi ghee. Some of the failed samples were found 'miserable', while others were of 'sub-standard' quality. Notices for resampling of the failed items will be sent soon. Food samples are also being taken this month, the results of which will be available by mid-December.
District health officer Dr Andesh Kang said: "Twentynine samples have failed. The shops from where the samples have failed will be sent notices for rechecking. They have to apply for resampling within a month as a response to that letter. If they don't reply, we will file a court case. Depending upon the report, the case will be filed either in the court of ADC or CJM. Surprise checking will be done in future at those places from where samples fail on a regular basis. Residents should write to us if they feel any shop is serving old stale food, or the food is of poor quality, and action will be taken immediately."
Food safety officer Yogesh Goel added: "30-35% is the failure rate of food of samples from Ludhiana district. Recently from Jamalpur, samples of junk food failed, which included manchurian, dosa, chutney, and curd. The case has now been taken to court. Food samples totalling 116 were collected from different confectionery and sweet shops from Ludhiana district. Samples of milk, streetfood, water, and curd, were taken specially from areas like Dehlon, Jamalpur, Haibowal, Dugri, Model Town, and Pakhowal Road. The entire district is being covered, and if we get a complaint about a particular shop, that shop will be specially checked."
Hostel Canteen Closed By Food Safety Dept Due To Unhygienic Conditions
The hostel canteen of St. Teresa’s College has got a notice from the Food Safety Department ordering to shut down on the basis of lack of a licence and unhygienic preparation of food. The Hindu reported that an inspection was conducted last month that found several glitches in the functioning of the canteen.
The inspection of the canteen by the Food Safety Department showed that the canteen did not have a licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and had been functional so far without it. There also wasn’t any medical fitness certificate of the staff that worked there nor the documents ensuring good quality drinking water.
A complaint was made to the FSSAI that there were three incidents of food poisoning in the last three months in this canteen. This complaint that also mentioned that the food was being cooked under unhygienic conditions brought the whole issue into light after which the inspection was conducted.
Licence mandatory for sale of food items
Kochi: A decision has been taken to make Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) license mandatory for sale of food items. The FSSAI will soon take legal action against individuals and units who engage in the manufacture and sale of food items without the mandatory food licence. The step has been considered for the safety and wellbeing of the common man. Though as per rules, only food items with a valid licence are eligible to be sold, it is not being followed. Hence the authority has decided to take steps against illegal sale of food items.
Most of the restaurants, hotels and bakery units in the state function with FSSAI licence. But those who distribute the ingredients to prepare the food items do not hold a licence. Meat products, fish and vegetables are being bought from local traders. Most of the traders in markets operate without licence. Most of the food items prepared in hotels and restaurants and being distributed do not have a legal licence. According to rules, those who sell food items and those who engage in their distribution need a licence to undertake this.
Kerala is the state which strictly adheres to the authority laws. Hotels have been instructed to purchase the necessary ingredients only from licenced merchants and they need to keep the bills along with them for verification. The authority will be conducting searches to check if the rules are followed by all.
The joint commissioner of Food Safety Authority K Anilkumar stated that more than 90 percent of hotels in the state function legally. The food items purchased from traders must also be done only from a licence holder and this must be made mandatory. The government must enforce this strictly, he said.
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