Feb 3, 2018
Officials donate two vehicles to NGO for collecting excess food in Chennai
The vehicles were donated to No Food Waste, a Coimbatore-based non-government organisation, which has expanded
CHENNAI: In an effort to check wastage of food, state foodsafety officials have contributed a part of their salaries towards buying two vehicles that will collect excess food and contribute to the needy in Chennai. The vehicles were donated to No Food Waste, a Coimbatore-based non-government organisation, which has expanded its service to Chennai.
Tamil Nadu food safety commissioner P Amudha, who also contributed to the cause, donated the vehicles on Friday.
No Food Waste was started by three youngsters in Coimbatore who run a volunteer-staffed hotline for wedding, banquet and school organisers who wish to donate their excess food to those in need in slums, government hospitals and the homeless. Till date, the organistion has catered to 45,1039 people and saved 1.34 lakh kg of food.
Food safety officials said although the service would be run fully by the NGO, the state would provide technical support. "We will provide guidance in storing and testing the quality of food," said a food safety official.
Mobile lab to check quality of food
State health minister C Vijaya Baskar on Friday launched a mobile food lab which will visit various localities on call and test food for adulteration and quality.
Teachers in 50 corporation schools to be trained in food safety
The food safety department will train teachers in 50 corporation schools in Chennai on safe food practices and simple ways to check for adulteration at home
Banners for food business operators
The food safety department has come up with three banners - for restaurants, retailers, and fruit and vegetable vendors --- on ways to prepare and cook food hygienically.
Call and get food tested at doorstep
CHENNAI: Chicken 65 with too much colour, carbonated drinks that are high on sugar, milk adulterated with water—residents can clear doubts about the quality of their food at their door step now.
The food safety department on Friday launched a mobile food lab which will go to various localities in the city and the outskirts to test the quality of food. The van, equipped with various testing facilities, was flagged off by health minister C Vijayabaskar on Friday.
Food safety officials said the department had tied up with various associations working for residents' welfare, traders and pushcart vendors. "The purpose of the van will be dual: The quality of the food will be tested and food business operators will be educated on how to maintain safe standards," said a food safety official. The van's schedule will be published in the department's website in the beginning of each month.
"If there are blank dates, associations can call or email us," said the official, adding that they had already got requests from around 10 associations, including traders in the wholesale market in Koyambedu. The van will shuttle between Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur. The department will be adding one more vehicle to its fleet in March.
The service will also help the department keep track on facilities that follow unsafe practices. In Chennai, since 2011, of the 969 food samples lifted, 209 were found to be substandard, and 120 unsafe — those found containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances.
Those who want to avail the facility can write to commrfssaitn@gmail.com or WhatsApp or call 9444042322.
Campaign on food safety in schools soon
Teachers will be trained this month
The ‘Safe and Nutritious Food at School’ campaign is set to be launched in the State at 50 Corporation schools, a press release from the State Health Department said.
This month, teachers will be given training on inculcating safe eating habits in students.
Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar inaugurated mobile food testing labs that will inspect food stalls.
A display board with dos and don’ts on food safety for stalls was put up and and an awareness CD was released.
An NGO based in Coimbatore, No Food Waste, that picks up excess food from weddings, school canteens and other events, was given two vehicles to help in its work.
Food Safety Commissioner P. Amudha participated in the event.
Soon, a mobile app to feed the hungry in city
Chennai: After Amma canteens, the state will soon roll out one more initiative to feed the poor – a mobile app that will bridge the gap between wastage and necessity of food.
The state food safety department, along with Coimbatorebased organisation No Food Waste, is undertaking trial runs of the app which will geo-tag hunger spots in cities based on crowdsourced information. Food business operators, including caterers, retailers and pushcart and vegetable vendors, can use their food safety registration or licence numbers to be a part of the initiative.
State food safety commissioner P Amudha said the department would tie up with No Food Waste, which, since its launch in 2014, has helped save nearly 1.34 lakh kilograms of food that would have otherwise been wasted. “They have the technical knowhow and we maintain a record of licenced food providers – both necessary for the app,” said Amudha.
The Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, mandates a licence for any food business with an annual turnover of more than 2 lakh. Those with a lower turnover register with the state food safety department. According to ennumeration carried out by the government in 2017, there are 5.43 lakh food business operators in the state, with Chennai having the highest at 32,002. Of these, nearly 50% are licensed.
Padmanaban Gopalan, a cofounder of No Food Waste, said although the organisation runs an app, the new one will help them overcome a few shortcomings. “Authentication has been a problem for us,” said Padmanaban. “We test if the procured food is stale, but we don’t know if the kitchens are following safe food practices. This is where the government’s network will help us,” he said. Every business operator will have a personal dashboard to check how much food they have saved.
Padmanaban said the new app, will enable the public to alert the state if they come across hungry families. “People can also pre-register their wedding feasts. Our volunteers will collect the excess food,” said Padmanaban.
No Food Waste made its foray into Chennai on Friday. State food safety officials took a salary cut to contribute towards buying two vehicles for the organisation. The vans will operate in Kodambakkam, Vadapalani, T-Nagar and Saidapet.
Prominent restaurants challaned for unhygienic conditions
JAMMU, Feb 2: A Food Safety team led by Dr Parvesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Jammu challaned various restaurants for unhygienic conditions.
The Food Safety team inspected many eating points and challaned them for unhygienic conditions of cooking, processing and washing area of food at Rameshwar Chowk Jammu. During inspection, two eating points were found using residential area for commercial use and later were briefed about the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA). They were advised to keep the cooking area neat and clean and maintain personal hygiene so that people who eat food and eatables get well nourished and hygienic food.
Dr Parvesh Kumar apprised them that their area is just near to hospital and most of the customers are those who are attendants of the patients and they should get hygienic food.
The team also inspected 360 Restaurant at KC Theatre and was challaned for unhygienic conditions. The team found expired raw material and seized it. The restaurant staff has been advised to maintain all the norms as per FSSA and two weeks time was served to them to maintain the norms.
The team also inspected kitchens and food handlers of Ashoka Hotel and Hari Niwas and advised them to maintain personal hygiene.
“Medical certificates especially test for screening of typhoid, Hepatitis-A and urine should be conducted on routine basis and keep record for water testing and pesticide control to minimize infectious”, Dr Parvesh Kumar asked the food handlers of Ashoka Hotel and Hari Niwas.
Meanwhile, a team comprising of Food Safety Officers under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Dr Parvesh Kumar inspected the prominent food establishments and restaurants including Choudhary Canteen, Fitness Cook, Jammu Eatery, Moti Mahal Deluxe, BK Foods and Hospitality, Shree Ji Foods, Imperial Foods, Bombay Special Pav Bhaji, 11 Burger Lab, Dominos Pizza, etc at Bhau Plaza. During inspection, three food establishments and restaurants were challaned and improvement notices were served to others.
With no food testing laboratories common masses exposed to poisonous food in JK
Jammu, Feb 2: The state government has blatantly admitted about the non-existence of the food testing laboratories exposing the common masses to the fatal dangers of the sub-standard food items.
The authorities are being castigated time and again that the absence of food testing laboratories in Jammu and Kashmir is putting peoples' health in danger at large. Snall measures are taken by the government to put lid over the crises. The government exhibited its non-serious approach over the non- existence of the food testing laboratories when it was recently asked in the state legislature's upper house about whether there are any food testing labs existent in the state. In its answer, the government blatantly said a big No. The icing on the cake was that it didn't divulge any further details over the reasons thereof.
Official sources divulged to Early Times that the two labs that were earlier established in Jammu and Srinagar have no qualified food microbiologist. And furthermore, no measures have been taken for the recruitment against these posts.
The High Court in July last year took serious note of pathetic conditions of the laboratories and had directed the Commissioner Secretary Health to be present before the court along with his compliance report. He is presently officiating as Food Commissioner in absence of full-fledged Food Commissioner.
The division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey made FSSAI as party respondent to the PIL and its visiting report has been taken on record. "Various deficiencies need to be addressed immediately. One of the major concerns is that there is no FSC. We direct Commissioner/ Secretary health to file his compliance report indicating as to what steps have been taken for appointment of FSC on next date", HC directed.
Court on previous hearing had directed Food Safety Standards Authority of India to send a qualified person here to visit the laboratories to find out the functioning of these laboratories.
The direction to FSSAI came after the court was informed by Controller Food Safety, that the charge of Food Safety Commissioner (FSC) is with the Commissioner Secretary Health Department and the proposal for appointment of FSC was sent to government but no response till date.
It is in compliance of court directions CEO FSSAI deputed a two member team to visit both the laboratories at Jammu and one at Srinagar and submit the report as to whether the laboratories fulfill the requirement for testing of samples as required under the FSA, 2006.
However, there has still been no action taken to establish the food testing labs by the Department of Consumer Distribution.
Distribution of nutritional and Hygienic food to people
Distribution of nutritional and Hygienic food to people
The Government is implementing the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), which provides for coverage of 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population to receive foodgrains at highly subsidized prices of Rs.1/2/3 per kg for coarse grains/wheat/rice respectively. The Act is being implemented in all the States/UTs and 80.72 crore persons are covered for receiving highly subsidized foodgrains. The Act also has provision for nutritional support to pregnant women and lactating mothers and children upto 14 years of age.
Further, for safe and healthy food, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has developed science-based standards for various categories of food products under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 in order to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food in the country.
FSSAI has also operationalized draft regulations on fortification of food articles that include standards for fortification of food staples - oil, milk, double fortified salt, wheat flour and rice, and also introduced +F Logo for fortified foods. To ensure that the most vulnerable sections of the society receive appropriate and timely nutrition, the use of fortified wheat flour, oil and double fortified salt have been mandated under Mid-Day-Meal and Integrated Child Development Schemes.
To promote awareness among consumers on Nutrition, mandatory labeling requirements for pre-packaged foods, including list of ingredients, nutritional information, energy value in Kilo calorie etc. is prescribed under Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011.
FSSAI has also undertaken Safe and Nutritious Food (SNF) initiative to promote awareness towards consumption of safe and nutritious food.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri C.R. Chaudhary today in Rajya Sabha.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)