Jan 5, 2018
Madurai has least licenced food establishments in TN
Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration data shows that only 29% of Madurai’s 27,357 food businesses are certified as being safe and hygienic. In Chennai, with 32,002 such establishments – the highest in the state – 54% are either licensed or registered.
The Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, mandate a licence for any food business with an annual turnover of more than ₹2 lakh. Those with a lower turnover must register with the state food safety department. After eight extensions, the last deadline for acquiring licence expired in August 2016.
Last month, commissioner of food safety P Amudha gave the go-ahead to crack down on establishments that don’t apply for licences on or before December 31. In her latest communication, she has directed food safety officers across the state to step up awareness campaigns over the next two weeks before taking punitive measures. “Our officials have fanned out to distribute pamphlets to unlicenced businesses. We are also maintaining a record of the exercise. This way, the owners can’t claim they were unaware of the law when we take action,” said R Kathiravan, designated food safety officer, Chennai.
In March 2016, the food safety department found 5.43 lakh food establishments in the state, including pushcart vendors, retailers, provisional stores, bakeries, hostels, restaurants, fruits and vegetable shops and units that engage in making sweets and savouries. Less than 50% have been certified. Madurai fared the worst. A food safety official in the district blamed it on “corruption” among inspectors. “Quite a few staff were abruptly moved out after they had swindled money meant for awareness programmes,” said a senior official. Another said hotel owners in the district were politically backed.
Here's why you should buy organic food
NEW DELHI: The demand for organic foods began with fruits and vegetables when there were reports of pesticide residues in them. However, the popularity of organic foods has now extended to food grains, pulses, tea, spices and even oilseeds.
"Organic foods have gained popularity because people have become aware of their benefits. They contain no chemical pesticides and fertilizers and are grown naturally with manure or compost and only natural pesticides and insecticides are used," said Dr. Saurabh Arora, MD (Auriga research and Director at Arbro Pharmaceuticals) and Founder of Food Safety Helpline.
"Children are more susceptible than adults to diseases caused by chemical pesticide residues in food and so parents prefer to give them organic foods. Another advantage is that organic foods do not contain growth hormones or antibiotic residues. Animals are often given growth hormones and antibiotics in animal feeds which are directly passed into animal foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products and from foods to the consumers. In organic farming these practices are banned and animals feed outside in natural surroundings. Antibiotic containing foods consumed frequently makes these antibiotics ineffective in humans," he added.
Organic food products are either grown under a natural system of agriculture, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or they are processed products made from organically produced raw materials.
"Therefore, any food offered for sale as 'organic food' in India, needs to comply with the provisions laid down under either the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) administered by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) or the Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India) operated by the ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. There are a number of organic brandsthat use the term 'organic" on labels but if these products are not certified then their authenticity is suspect," said Arora.
According to the Delhi-based Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) such foods that are labelled organic but not certified cannot be considered safe. The ICRIER also mentioned the need for a uniform standard for organic foods in its last report.
Now, the Food Safety Standards and Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations 2017 along with the unified logo for organic food products, supported with the tagline "Jaivik Bharat."
All organic foods certified under this logo also need to convey the full and accurate information on labels about the organic status of the food. The 'Jaivik Bharat' logo will henceforth be recognised as a mark of quality assurance given by the above mentioned certification bodies in India or any other bodies recognised by FSSAI.
Rising popularity of organic foods: What you should know
NEW DELHI: The demand for organic foods began with fruits and vegetables when there were reports of pesticide residues in them. However, the popularity of organic foods has now extended to food grains, pulses, tea, spices and even oilseeds.
“Organic foods have gained popularity because people have become aware of their benefits. They contain no chemical pesticides and fertilizers and are grown naturally with manure or compost and only natural pesticides and insecticides are used,” said Dr. Saurabh Arora, MD (Auriga research and Director at Arbro Pharmaceuticals) and Founder of Food Safety Helpline.
“Children are more susceptible than adults to diseases caused by chemical pesticide residues in food and so parents prefer to give them organic foods. Another advantage is that organic foods do not contain growth hormones or antibiotic residues. Animals are often given growth hormones and antibiotics in animal feeds which are directly passed into animal foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products and from foods to the consumers. In organic farming these practices are banned and animals feed outside in natural surroundings. Antibiotic containing foods consumed frequently makes these antibiotics ineffective in humans,” he added.
Organic food products are either grown under a natural system of agriculture, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or they are processed products made from organically produced raw materials.
“Therefore, any food offered for sale as 'organic food' in India, needs to comply with the provisions laid down under either the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) administered by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) or the Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India) operated by the ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. There are a number of organic brands that use the term ‘organic” on labels but if these products are not certified then their authenticity is suspect,” said Arora.
According to the Delhi-based Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) such foods that are labelled organic but not certified cannot be considered safe. The ICRIER also mentioned the need for a uniform standard for organic foods in its last report.
Now, the Food Safety Standards and Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations 2017 along with the unified logo for organic food products, supported with the tagline “Jaivik Bharat.”
All organic foods certified under this logo also need to convey the full and accurate information on labels about the organic status of the food. The ‘Jaivik Bharat’ logo will henceforth be recognised as a mark of the quality assurance given by the above-mentioned certification bodies in India or any other bodies recognised by FSSAI.
Man found guilty for mixing colour in jalebi after 22 years
SHAHJAHANPUR: A shopkeeper was sentenced to one-year imprisonment on Tuesday after he was found guilty of mixing synthetic colour in jalebi 22 years ago.
Food security team had taken samples of jalebi from his shop in Lakhimpur Kheri on December 26, 1995. He was found him guilty of mixing synthetic colour in the sweet which were not suitable for human consumption. The court of additional judicial magistrate in Mohammadi also imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 on the shopkeeper. His imprisonment will be extended by another 15 days, if he failed to pay the fine.
District food safety officer, Amar Singh Verma, said, "The samples of jalebi were taken in 1995 from the shop of Ram Gopal in Mohammdi. After the samples had failed in lab test in Lucknow, a case was registered against him in June 1996 in the court of judicial magistrate of Mohammdi. He was booked under section 16 of Prevention of Food Adulteration Act."
The court has directed Mohammdi police to arrest the accused and send him to district jail. However, Mohammadi police station is yet to receive a copy of the court order.
Station officer of Mohammdi police station, D K Singh, said, "I have heard about the judgment but I am yet to receive a copy of the court order, directing us to arrest the accused.
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