DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAKARAN NEWS

DINAKARAN NEWS

Relief for FMCG brand in ‘plastic’ allegation case

HYDERABAD: Packaged atta brand Aashirvaad Atta has recently been the subject of some videos on internet platforms alleging that the atta contains plastic. The said videos claim that if the dough made from ‘Aashirvaad Atta’ was washed several times, it results in a gum-like substance, which was alleged to be plastic. The said videos are being made and circulated with the intent to cause confusion and false alarm among the general public regarding the use and consumption of Aashirvaad Atta, and to damage the reputation of ‘Aashirvaad’ brand.

What is being alleged as ‘plastic’ in these videos is reportedly a wheat protein (also known as gluten), which binds the atta together and gives elasticity to the dough when kneaded. Even the FSSAI regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, require that all atta must contain a minimum of 6 percent wheat protein.

In this regard, ITC had filed a suit in a Bengaluru City court, seeking an injunction against these videos and damages for loss of reputation.A restraint order was passed by the court recently, restraining the publishing, broadcasting, communicating or in any manner making such videos available or causing or continuing to make such videos available for public viewing on internet/social media platform providers, viz. Google, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

An NABL accredited laboratory in Mumbai, on testing Aashirvaad Atta as well as other popular atta brands recently, has allegedly confirmed the presence of gluten in the samples of all these atta in the range of 7 to 12 percent of atta. The report of the laboratory also reportedly said that when atta dough is washed with water, starch and fibre gets removed and a residue is obtained which is gluten and not plastic.

HC seeks govt response on murga mandi plea

Plea claims violation of veterinary screening of poultry birds

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response from the city government and other agencies on a plea claiming violation of mandatory healthy checks and veterinary screening of poultry birds at Ghazipur Murga Mandi.

Animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi claimed in her plea that this could potentially lead to spread of contagious diseases such as bird flu as infected poultry birds could get admitted into the local market. She said the mandi also illegally slaughter poultry birds in a “gruesome and sadistic manner” which is in complete violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rules, 2017, and other statutory regulations.

No licence

Senior advocate Raj Panjwani, appearing for Ms. Maulekhi, claimed that poultry birds are openly slaughtered in the mandi without obtaining any licence or compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Licence and Registration Regulation.

The senior advocate further said the mandi lacked proper waste disposal or treatment process due to which the waste it generates is not properly disposed. Rather it is flushed in open drains, which finally subsume in rivers, or dumped in open grounds, which pollute the vicinity.

A Bench sought a response by April 24, the next date of hearing.

9.50 lakh rupees fine imposed on Domino’s as its cheese failed lab test

The Court of an additional district magistrate (ADM) levied a fine of Rs 9.50 lakh on a outlet of Domino’s in Shahjahanpur and its supplier in Pune after a sample of cheese used in a pizza failed to pass a lab test. The milk fat content in the ‘diced super stretch Mozarella cheese’ was found to be below the prescribed minimum limit of 35 per cent. So the court of ADM imposed a fine.

A fine of Rs 4 lakhs has been imposed on the Shahjahanpur district manager of Jubilant Food Work, Rs 5 Lakh on Schreiber Dynamics Dairies, the supplier, and Rs 50,000 on the seller.

On July 4, 2015 the sample of cheese was taken by food security officer (FSO) Yugul Kishore and sent for lab test at government regional public analysis laboratory in Varanasi. UC Gangwar the food analyst completed the study of the sample and found insufficient fat percentage. The lab test was completed between July 22 and 28, 2015. The report was sent to FSO on August 5, 2015.

Upon the receiving the report, notices were issued to Jubilant Food, Schreiber Dynamics Dairies and the seller Suresh Upadhyaya in the court of ADM.

The trial lasted nearly two years, court imposed fine in this case. The defendant had filled a counter case in this matter, that the cheese was not kept under prescribed conditions due to which the sample couldn’t pass the lab test.

However the spokesperson of Jubilant food said, “Jubilant Food Works has been informed about the court's ruling. However, we would like to state that the test conducted by us for the same batch of cheese at an NABL-certified lab confirms that the fat content in the cheese is as per the limits prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India."

HIGHLIGHTS

• Domino’s cheese fails lab test, Rs 9.5 lakh fine imposed.
• A fine of Rs 4 lakhs has been imposed on the Shahjahanpur district manager of Jubilant Food Work, Rs 5 Lakh on Schreiber Dynamics Dairies, the supplier, and Rs 50,000 on the seller.
• The trial lasted nearly two years, court imposed fine in this case.

Aerated drinks, junk food to be banned in school canteens

In a decision that may have far reaching benefits for health of children in J&K, the state Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) is all set to ban sale of junk foods and aerated drinks in school canteens following a directive from the union health ministry.

Controller DFCO Lotika Khajuria told speaking to Greater Kashmir that a notification to ban sale of junk foods and aerated drinks from all schools of J&K would be issued soon.

“We have received directions to ban sale of all such food items that are known to cause health issues in children at school canteens. Very soon, a formal ban order will be issued,” she said.

Earlier this week, Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW), said in Lok Sabha, that states, including J&K have been directed to ensure that no aerated drinks and foods high in saturated fats are available in school and college canteens.

“Excessive and regular use of aerated and energy drinks may lead to hypokalemia, hallucinations, stroke, paralysis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.,” it said.

Last year, an 11-member expert committee of Food Safety and Standards Association of India (FSSAI) had recommended restricting sale or availability of foods high in fat, salt or sugar content in or around 50 meter radius of schools. However, this is for the first time that such a ban will be enforced in J&K.

Controller DFCO said that action, as mandated against FSSAI rules, would be taken against the violators.

“Our ground staff is empowered to take action if any of the provisions of FSSAI or directions from the state DFCO is violated by any food business operator,” she said.

“Schools will be mandated to sell, wholesome, nutritious foods and this will have a positive effect on the health of our children,” Khajuria said.

Officials in DFCO said that after the ban, schools will not be allowed to sell aerated drinks (cola), high sugar drinks, potato and other chips, wafers, samosas, pakodas, sweets, burgers, etc.

The FSSAI is also in the process of drafting a regulation titled Food Safety and Standards (Safe and Wholesome Food for School Children) Regulations, 2018, in a bid to make children develop healthier food habits.

As per this regulation, if a school authority, without reasonable grounds, fails to comply with the provisions under these regulations, the State Food Authority shall take up the matter with the concerned education department and/or affiliation body to take appropriate action.

J&K has been grappling with growing incidence of obesity and lifestyle diseases. As per a survey by the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), one out of three school going children was either over-weight or obese in Kashmir.

“Our Kashmir studies have shown that among school going children, 24.7 percent were over-weight and 11.5 percent were obese. That makes 36.2 percent of our children either over-weight or obese,” said Dr Shariq Rashid Masoodi, senior endocrinologist at the SKIMS.

Special campaign for settlement of cases under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act-FDA Minister

Mumbai: The Food and Drugs Administration Minister Mr Girish Bapat today directed that all the pending cases under the food safe under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act should be settled and disposed off at the earliest. He said for this hearing should be taken and Maharashtra state legal authority should also be followed up in the settlement process.

Mr Bapat said that the meeting of the administrators of the respective departments should be taken and the officers of food safety and Standards authority should also be called in the campaign. He said that the citations of High Court (Nemichand versus Rajasthan government) should be cited and the action can be taken as early as possible. He urged the administrative officer to concentrate on these pending cases and give a relief to the Businessman and traders who are in the field of food business.

He said that the cases that are pending since long should be settled and disposed off so that administration and the businessman accused in cases get a sigh of relief. He said under the special campaign, the Businessman against whom the cases are registered, should be present in person before the court and try to settle the matters. He also said that the responsibility of supplying safe and quality food products can be discharge in this manner. The first hearing in this regard was just conducted in Jalgaon under the special camp. 38 cases under the food adulteration Act by disposed of and a penalty of 7 lakhs 20 thousand was recovered as penalty from the erring businessman.

Until 5th August 2011, the food and drug administration was working under the law of prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954. After that in 2006 food safety standards law 2006 and similarly some rules and regulations came into force in the year 2011.

Under the section 16 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, for every violation of the law, (substandard food or adulterating it by mixing something, by misbranding or by Falls labels or other deeds that are prohibited under any provision of this act or any rules made there under by an order of the foot health authority) thousands of cases are pending in various courts. Even after 5th of August 2011 this act of 1954 was used to file cases against many people engage in food business. Due to this, the workload on the courts of law, the mismatching of the presence of witnesses and accused made it further complicated. More than 5265 cases are pending before various courts in the state including that of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM),Judicial Magistrate First class (JMFC)and the Metropolitan Magistrate.

As per the provision of food safety and Standards Act 2006, cases are registered on the basis of seriousness of the violation of the law. Under this, the criminal cases were registered against the food stuff that is unsafe for consumption and it has the provision of imprisonment .Other cases were filed in the Civil Court and penalty was to be levied against the erring and accused. In this way, the classification of all the pending cases is essential and the hearing should be taken as soon as possible for settling them and disposing them off.

The proposal to this effect should be followed up with Maharashtra state legal services authority. It should be discussed by meeting with the member secretary and Registrar General of the High Court so that information regarding the cases pending under the Adulteration Act can be disposed off and settled as early as possible. This can reduce the load of courts of law and the time can be saved. Similarly the human resources of the administration can also be helped. Hence for the settlement of the cases under the Prevention of food Adulteration Act 94, special campaign has been started and all the District Courts, Session Courts are directed by the High Court in this regard.