Jun 23, 2018
FSSAI proposes strict action against adulteration
Invites State govts’ views on planned changes in FSS Act
NEW DELHI, JUNE 22
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposes to introduce stricter measures in the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act to deter adulteration with stringent punishments.
The food authority, which has sought State governments’ views, is finalising its recommendations for amendments to be made to the FSS Act, 2006.
In a consolidated proposal of amendments, it has recommended a new section in the FSS Act — as Section 59 — that would lead to punishment for seven years, which can be extended up to life imprisonment besides a fine of ₹10 lakh, if individuals or businesses intentionally add adulterants to food products.
The punishment will apply whether or not it causes actual injury to the consumer.
“It is also in the light of the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” it added.
Some of the other proposed amendments include introduction of definitions of referral laboratories and provisions for NABL accreditation besides new sections for definitions of proprietary food , novel food and traditional food among others in the Principle Act.
It has also proposed introduction of clauses that define the duties and responsibilities of State food authorities in a bid to make them more accountable.
Additionally, the FSSAI is proposing a “Food Safety and Nutrition Fund” to support its promotional and outreach activities among food businesses and consumers.
“The Authority shall establish a fund to be called the Food Safety and Nutrition Fund for the purpose of promoting food safety and healthy nutrition amongst food businesses and consumers through capacity building and outreach activities,” the proposal stated.
Hotel seized for serving biryani with lizard
Vijayawada: Food and safety department inspector Purnachander Rao seized the Hotel Silver Spoon at Teachers Colony here on Friday. The inspector, along with his team, reached the hotel based on a complaint lodged by one of the customers for serving chicken biryani with a lizard.
The inspector said that the customer ordered chicken biryani. After it was served, and while the customer was consuming it, he found the lizard in biryani. On noticing it, he immediately lodged a complaint with the food safety department against the management of the hotel for their negligence.
The inspector reached the spot and immediately sent the customer for medical examination and later he found that he was stable. The municipal corporation and health department officials rushed to the spot.
They inspected the hotel premises and found that the hotel was not maintaining hygiene and was serving non-vegetarian food which was stored in the freezer. The officials after inspecting the premises, kitchen and the storeroom seized the hotel.
Govt bans sale of fish treated with formalin
Food safety commissioner-cum-commissioner & secretary Himato Zhimomi has prohibited storage, distribution and sale of fresh fish products, including Crustaceans, treated with formalin or other forms of preservatives in Nagaland for a period of three months or till corrective measures are taken with immediate effect. A notification was issued in this regard on Friday.
And those found violating the order will be imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh with imprisonment under Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the notification warned.
According to the notification, fish vendors are selling fresh fish products, including Crustaceans, in the State treated with formalin, which is highly toxic and injurious to health.
Distribution, storage and sale of fresh fish products treated with formalin or other forms of preservatives is considered “unsafe” under Section 3(1)(zz)(v) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, it pointed out.
Zhimomi said the notification had been issued in the interest of public health.
Adulterated powdered spices: Food safety cell of the department of health and family welfare (H&FW) has also noted that certain food business operators (FBOs) were selling powdered spices adulterated with artificial non-edible colours and also using carbide gas for artificially repining of fruits, which are harmful for human consumption.
In this regard, the department has prohibited the powdered spices containing foreign substances, offer for sale, store for sale, distribution for sale and sale of powdered spices in loose form, except under packed conditions with proper labels with immediate effect in the State.
It has also prohibited use of carbide gas for artificially ripening of fruits with immediate effect in the state. Non- compliance would be an offence punishable under Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with imprisonment and fine.
The department has informed public not to purchase goods that are suspected to be adulterated, or check the quality of the food items and labeling before making purchases.
Uncertified packaged water: Taking note of certain FBOs selling 20 litre and 1 litre packaged drinking water without obtaining BIS certification of FSSAI, the food safety commissioner has cautioned that they were liable to be penalised, punishable with imprisonment and fine under Section 52 and 63 of the said Act.
Further, the commissioner stated that FBOs both whole and retail sellers, in violation of Sub-Sections (I) (II) (III) of Section 25 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations, were selling misbranded/sub-standards, imported food articles coming from neighboring countries harmful for human consumption.
Therefore, the food safety commissioner has prohibited the manufacture, expose for sale offer for sale, store for sale or distribution of above mentioned food articles in the State, with immediate effect.
Non-compliance would be an offence, punishable, imprisonment with fine under the said Act.
The commissioner has advised general public not to purchase such misbranded and sub standard food articles or check the quality of the food and labeling before making purchased.
Meanwhile, the department has requested the general public to report to the chief medical officers/food safety officers of the districts, or food safety commissioner, H&FW department, or additional food safety commissioner for any information on food adulteration.
The designated officer (CMO)/food safety officers of the districts have been directed to carry out inspection and checking of food business establishment under its jurisdiction and submit action taken report to the food safety commissioner.
Coimbatore oil wholesaler found using misleading label
Officers showing a misleading label used by a oil wholesaler in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: An oil wholesaler and distributor in Annur is suspected of misbranding his product. He was found having packets of a Tirupur-based popular oil brand and having oil tins of another popular brand name. The officers sealed the godown with more than 25,000 litres of oil, worth around Rs 25 lakh, on Thursday night.
On Thursday evening, a group of food safety officers went to a house in Raju Street in Annur to inspect and check an oil distributor. Based on a tip off from food safety officers in Tirupur, who caught a vehicle transporting oil tins, which sported labels reading “Karthik’s Gold” sunflower refined oil as its brand name, the officers found the address and conducted a raid.
In the address they had been given, the officers found an independent house. There was a small godown in the same compound. Heavy drama ensued because the locked godown had to be broken open with police protection.
“We did not find anyone in the house and attempts to reach the owner, Muthukumar, also failed,” said designated food safety officer Dr Vijayalalithambigai. “So we had to call police and request protection to break open the lock and search the godown,” she said. After nearly three hours of waiting, the officers managed to break open the lock around 8pm.
Inside the godown, they found crates of oil packets labelled “Rukki Gold” Refined Palmolein oil stacks of refined sunflower oil tins, sporting popular oil brand name “Gold”. Above the “Gold” was a small bold print reading “Karthik’s”. “Rukki Gold is a brand name owned by Tirupur-based oil manufacturing company Ganapathy Oil Mills and the packaging contains no proper addresses of the place the oil is manufactured or packaged,” said the officer. “ The branding of the tins is also misleading because “Karthik’s” is in a small font above the prominent “Gold” she said.
“This man was printing a label using the Gold brand name, knowing it was already popular and established and hoping customers may just buy it without noticing the difference,” she said. “This is tantamount to ‘misleading the customer,’ under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Act of 2006,” she added. The godown owner also did not have a food safety license.
They seized 25,200 litres overall. The owner was allegedly buying oil from suppliers in Chennai and Kangeyam and just labelling it and selling it in Coimbatore.
FSSAI officials seal oil godown at Annur
B. Vijayalalithambigai, Designated Officer for FSSAI, inspecting a godown at Annur on Friday.
Officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sealed a godown with 25,200 litres of edible oil suspected to be adulterated at Annur, in Coimbatore, on Thursday night.
On the basis of a tip-off, officials rushed to the godown around noon on Thursday and found it locked.
Enquiry with the neighbours revealed that the workers from the godown went away just half-an-hour before the officials reached the premises.
As the mobile number of the godown owner continued to be switched off, officials approached the Mettupalayam Magistrate and obtained a search warrant to inspect the godown in the evening.
Later on, the lock of the godown was broke open in the presence of the Village Administrative Officer and police officials.
It was found that the godown had a metal tanker with a capacity of nearly 15,000 litres connected with a hose from the compound wall and oil packed in tins and plastic barrels. Packaging machinery and printed films with the names of leading local brands and oil-filled tins suspected to be adulterated were found inside the godown.
Oil samples from the godown were taken and sent to the FSSAI laboratory in Madurai. Action would be initiated against the godown owner after getting the laboratory report in about two weeks, B. Vijayalalithambigai, FSSAI Designated Officer said.
FSSAI’s ‘food’ van at your doorsteps
From February this year, FSSAI has been running a mobile service that visits neighbourhoods across Chennai and meets residents’ groups to train them on how to spot adulteration in food items
Don't be surprised if a team from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) calls on you. In a van equipped with a laboratory, the team is heading to neighbourhoods to teach them how to spot food adulteration. They will demonstrate these methods, which together constitute “Deduct Adulteration With Rapid Test” (DART).
DART consists 40 simple and quick tests that can be performed on food samples that include dairy products, spices and condiments, edible oils, salt and food grains.
FSSAI does this service for residents three days a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Residents can bring their food samples and get them tested on-the-spot for adulteration.
An official attached to the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department in Saidapet says, “The objective of the exercise is to create awareness among consumers about various forms of food adulteration. Residents can conduct some of these tests themselves, as they don’t require sophisticated equipment. A few of them may however require reagents. The initiative response has evoked a good response from the public.”
Localities where this exercise has been carried out include K.K. Nagar, Nungambakkam, Kodambakkam, Virugambakkam, Egmore, T. Nagar, Chetpet, Royapettah, Kasimedu, Broadway, Anna Nagar, Adambakkam and Taramani.
Residents welfare associations that may want the exercise carried out for their members, may call 044-2381 3095/ 99400 67099.
Consumers who may have a complaint to send to Food Safety and Drug Administration Department may send it to the WhatsApp number: 94440 42322.
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