Apr 26, 2018
Food safety needs a collaborative approach
While we are adopting global standards, it is important to keep in mind the local, cultural and geographical origin of food items while setting standards
With better understanding of nutritional qualities of food and their health implications, consumers increasingly are rejecting inferior quality and unsafe foods.
Our country, though agriculturally abundant, is still struggling to provide its large population with the right nutrition. In a few decades, as we continue to grow in numbers and economically, the situation can turn more challenging — if not alarming — if we don’t come up with innovative food safety and security solutions now.
A growing economy, higher incomes, rapid urbanization and rising consumer awareness are influencing the Indian palate like never before. While the average Indian consumer is increasingly demanding more variety in food choices and healthier alternatives, she is also equally concerned about where the food is coming from, its quality and safety.
Harmonize food standards globally
With increasing globalization of food, it is imperative to aid free movement from areas of surplus to areas of deficit. However, when it comes to food, there are several safety standards that each country follows and, in an ideal case, these should be a standardized set of science-based parameters that are common across geographies. In reality, however, we are far from such a unified state of affairs. Conflicting food standards and testing procedures make it extremely cumbersome to trade in commodities and food across countries.
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) supports the global food safety standards based on the Codex Alimentarius Commission, initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) along with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has harmonized standards for many food additives, in line with the Codex standards. Also, work is underway to implement these in other food categories. While we are adopting global standards where relevant, it is important to keep in mind the local, cultural and geographical origin of the food items while adopting or setting the standards. The objective of nutritious and safe food is common to all countries across the globe and, hence, as far as possible, we should have common parameters to ensure this. Harmonizing Indian food standards with global standards is critical to achieve this.
Monitor more efficiently
FSSAI, the apex food regulatory body, establishes food safety standards at a national level and implementation, including administration, licensing, and compliance, is a state subject. After some initial teething problems, FSSAI has come into its own and is actively working towards ensuring food safety for all through various initiatives, including citizen guidance and capacity building under the Safe and Nutritious Food (SNF) programme. With the regulator and states working in tandem, we will be able to deliver food safety seamlessly across internal borders.
It is imperative to add more certified food labs with access to better equipment/ technology and better testing capabilities to check compliance. Implementing authorities on the ground need to be regularly trained to enhance their knowledge and experience required to administer these laws. To speed up capability building at the implementation level, support can also be sought from global food safety organizations, a step that has been taken by some other emerging economies.
Responsible approach to food labelling
With better understanding of nutritional qualities of food and their health implications, consumers increasingly are rejecting inferior quality and unsafe foods. The discerning Indian consumer does not just want to know if his food is safe, but also details about the ingredients, certifications, energy content, nutritional benefits, and food additives. In light of this, it is important to educate consumers about the food they are consuming and its nutritional properties, so that they can make informed choices. As we move towards a more evolved food pattern and while it is ideal to reduce consumption of high fats, sugar and salt to promote healthy eating habits, we must not forget that India faces the unique double burden of malnutrition. On one hand, there is a growing urban population that is facing overnutrition challenges; at the other end of the spectrum, we still have a majority of the population that continues its daily battle with undernutrition.
Overall, what everyone needs is good quality food that provides better nutrition. Standards of nutrition also need to be viewed in the context of average Indian diets, which are still largely prepared at home and deficient in some essential micro nutrients. Hence, care needs to be exercised to ensure consumer education and labelling requirements done with the objective of consumer awareness do not cause consumer scare.
Banned gutka sale goes on unabated
Chennai: In a clear sign that tobacco lobbyists are unfazed by sporadic seizures of gutka and pan masala, the railway protection force (RPF) has yet again (second time in two months) seized the banned substance worth Rs 15 lakh from the Delhi-Kanyakumari Thirukkural bi-weekly express.
And there is a reason for this brazenness: two months after the railway intelligence was pushed to seize 200 cartons of gutka and pan masala from the train at Madurai railway station – after an investigation by an NGO revealed how they were being illegally transported by the express – an FIR is yet to be filed. On Monday, the seizure was made by an RPF inspector at Dindigul station.
Samples of the products seized in February had been sent to the food safety department for tests. “The report clearly states the products are unsafe and prohibited. It was handed over to the railways,” confirmed a senior food safety official. Sources say there has been pressure on RPF from various quarters to release the seized products on the grounds that the Madurai bench of the Madras high court had observed that tobacco is not a food product and hence no proceeding can be initiated against the manufacturers under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
A senior RPF officer said that Government Railway Police (GRP) is creating issues in taking control of the consignment and filing a case. “They have quoted some legal advice from a public prosecutor for not taking custody,” the officer said.
A DSP-level officer in the Madurai GRP denied the allegations. “We have not received any report from the RPF regarding the seizure. Even the seizure at Madurai in February, we came to know only from the news,” the officer said. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), enforcing a Supreme Court order, last year issued a directive banning the manufacture, sale and distribution of gutka and pan masala. The directive was issued to commissioners/officers in-charge of food safety of all states and Union territories in the country. The Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sales) Regulations, 2.3.4 prohibits the use of tobacco and nicotine as an ingredient in any food product and also bans the sale of food products where tobacco has been used as ingredient in things like gutka and pan masala.
However, these banned substances continue to be brought into Tamil Nadu by rail and road. In March, food safety commissioner P Amudha wrote to FSSAI stating that railway officials in the state appeared to be unaware of the 2016 Supreme Court order banning the manufacture, sale and distribution of gutka. Taking note of this, FSSAI wrote to Indian Railways on March 14 seeking an action taken report on the seizure in Madurai.
Cyril Alexander, state convener of Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control, said officials can’t use the local courts’ directives to stop officials from taking action. “Whatever the local courts say, the Supreme Court’s word is final,” he said.
In the meanwhile, Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam, who exposed the illegal transportation of gutka in Madurai, has sought a CBI investigation. “The DSP of state railways Madurai division is Mannar Mannan who has been directly implicated in the gutka scam in the state. How then can we expect a fair probe?” he asked. Mannan’s name is among those mentioned by former commissioner of police S George, who allegedly handed over a list of those who received kickbacks from gutka companies to allow sale of the products in the state. Health minister C Vijayabaskar’s name was also in the list.
Kochi: Distributor held for supply of stale food
A case under IPC sections 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) were registered against him.
Kochi: The distributor who used to supply expired children’s food products in the city after tampering the product labels was finally arrested by a special squad three weeks after a distribution centre at Maradu was raided and the cheating case was brought out.
A special squad of the Trikkakkara Assistant Commissioner held Shivasubhramanian (42), a native of Vattavila in Thiruvan-anthapuram, from his hideout in Chennai.
“The distribution company owned by him used to supply expired baby and children’s food products of other companies. It was at a storage unit of the distributor where the tampering was done. We’re investigating whether the tampering was done in connivance with the product manufacturers,” said an officer.
A case under IPC sections 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) were registered against him.
Earlier this month, the Food Safety Authority imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh, sealed the godown at Netoor and suspended the license of the distributor. The godown was functioning as a distribution hub of more than 50 well-known food manufacturing companies.
Mobile food laboratory detects hazardous substances in spices
Mobile food testing team from State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL), Kohima and food safety officer (FSO), Dimapur, carried out food analysis on loose spices sold in Super Market area here on Wednesday and reportedly found that the items were dyed with cancer-causing synthetic colours.
According to SPHL assistant chemist I Ayangba, non-permitted colours like Rhodamine B, Metanil Yellow and Sudhan dye, which are carcinogenic, and lead salt were found in turmeric, chilli and coriander powders. Due to their hazardous effects on health, these artificial colorants are not permitted for use, he said.
Warning that consumption of such colours could have adverse health effects, especially on pregnant women, Ayangba said Metanil Yellow causes degenerative changes in the linings of stomach, kidney and liver. It also affects ovaries and testes and could be dangerous for reproductive organs, he added.
The SPHL official further claimed that Rhodamine B, which breaks down red blood cells, causes growth retardation and damages the liver and kidney, while Sudan dye is highly toxic to liver.
Meanwhile, the team also detected kesari dal being sold as food item, which is prohibited under Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules.
Ayangba said consumption of kesari dal, which comes in square shape, causes paralysis and can even lead to liver failure. He said the collected samples will be forwarded to directorate of health & family welfare for necessary action.
The tests were carried out by the team inside a mobile laboratory vehicle “Food Safety on Wheels”, which is fitted with equipments to carry out on-the-spot testing of food samples free of cost.
Funded by Government of India and Food Safety & Standards Authority of India, the Food Safety on Wheels will be travelling across the State to check food samples on the spot.
Food testing in all districts
Department of health & family welfare (H&FW) has directed the food testing team, state public health laboratory to conduct food testing activity on the spot, under central sector scheme “Food Safety on Wheels”- Mobile Food Testing Laboratory, in all the districts in a phase wise manner.
In a directive, principal director & addl. food safety commissioner, H&FW, Dr. Meguosielie Kire, has informed all the responsible authorities to cooperate and assist the food testing team under their jurisdiction for proper implementation of the food testing activities in checking adulterants in food items in the interest of public health.
The action plan would be carried out in coordination with the district administration, police, designated officer (CMOs), food safety officers and food business operators, it stated.
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