Aug 5, 2018
Banned gutka products worth Rs 3.5 lakh seized, two detained
Salem: Banned gutka products worth Rs 3.5 lakh have been seized from two different places in the city in as many operations separately lead by food safety officials and police.
According to an official source, district designated food safety officer S Mariappan got a tip that banned gutka items were being sold in a grocery shop at Suramangalam area in the city and conducted a raid at the shop.
During the search, officials came across a small wooden door affixed to a wall. “Shop owner Thallsharam, 42, had hidden the door by stocking soft drink bottles in front it,” Mariappan said.
When the officials opened the door, they found banned gutka items worth Rs 1 lakh in the secret room. The officials seized all the banned gutka products and sent samples for lab test.
“We will initiate stern action against the grocery shop owner after getting the lab test report,” Mariappan said. The officials also sealed the grocery shop.
In another instance, the Suramangalam police, who were on a vehicle check at the toll plaza near Omalur on Salem-Bengaluru National Highway, seized banned gutka products worth Rs 2.5 lakh from two omni buses.
“We got a tip that banned gutka items were being smuggled to Salem from Bengaluru in private omni buses,” said P K Senthil Kumar, inspector of police, Suramangalam police station.
Cops searched two omni buses at the toll plaza and found 18 bundles of gutka products from the vehicles. Police seized the contraband and detained the omni bus drivers for smuggling banned gutka items in their buses.
“We have registered a case and inquiries are on,” an investigation official said.
Kashmir has no microbiology lab to check food quality
Official announcements confined to papers
SRINAGAR, Aug 4: Despite multiple announcements by the government, Kashmir valley has no microbiological laboratory to check quality of food items.
There has been an increased flow of poor and substandard food products in the Valley. To stop this, the government announced several times that microbiological lab will be made operational shortly. Despite these announcements, the much needed facility is yet to be made available to ensure hygienic and good quality food to the people.
The microbiological laboratory according to an official of Food Safety Department would ensure that meat and poultry products are manufactured to "their standards, stored and shipped under proper conditions, and comply with the regulations of their destination market". He said there has been an increase in the sale and intake of misbranded food items in the Valley. "Out of the samples collected from the market in the last one year, 50% were either substandard or unsafe for consumption," the official said. In 10 months till May, official figures of the Food Safety Department reveal that out of 1351 samples of different food items collected by food inspectors from the Kashmir division, 330 were found unsafe, 106 substandard, and 204 were misbranded. In Srinagar district, the Food Safety Department had collected 445 samples for testing, while 135 food items were found to be "misbranded and substandard". An official said there is no analytical laboratory to ensure superior hygiene, quality, and meat safety. "Retailers sometimes sell dead animals, and there is no way for us to know the state of meat," the official said.
The High Court has stressed the need for prohibitory measures for the strict implementation of Food Safety and Security Act, which essentially prevents food adulteration in the state.
In an article last year, Dr. Fayyaz Ganie - the veterinarian and founder of Truevet Biosciences - a Srinagar based biotechnological company had said that all over the world a comprehensive approach to meat safety is applied from the farm to the customer. This includes "inspection of meat before and after slaughter, testing for germs, and detection of organic traces".
Meanwhile, a senior official of Food Safety Department, said that government has taken several measures to ensure people get hygienic and good quality food.
Asked about the absence of microbiological laboratory in the Valley despite multiple announcements by the government, he said, "The microbiological lab will be made operational soon in Dalgate."
Food items seized in Kohima, Jalukie
Kohima District Food Safety Team seized 37 packets of local chilli powder, found to contain colour additives, and 850 gms of salted dry fish which tested positive for formalin during its inspection drive carried out at P.R. Hill T. Khel market and Super Market Kohima on Saturday.
The team seized 15 packets of local chilli powder at P.R. hill, 22 packets of local chilli powder sold by local mothers and 850gms of salted dry fish which were reportedly brought from Moreh (Manipur) at Super Market Kohima. At P.R. hill T. Khel market, the team tested apples, tomatoes and fresh fish brought from Imphal for preservatives with negative results. The team also tried to test the presence of carbide in fruits at Super Market, however the team said that the fruit dealers/distributors had gone to their villages two weeks ago and so the tests could not be conducted.
The inspection drive team consisted of an analytic enforcement team and a food technician team along with the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India mobile van tested the food items on the spot.
The food safety team expressed gratitude to Angami Youth Organization for their presence during the drive and assisting the team. The department informed this correspondent that such inspection drives would continue to be conducted in the coming days for other food items also.
Food Safety inspection conducted at Jalukie town
Food Safety Wing under CMO Peren inspected shops selling food items on August 3 led by the District Food Safety Officer, Samlamgwamlie Michui with the help of district administration led by Dobashis and police personnel at Jalukie town.
A press release issued by Food Safety Wing under CMO Peren stated that the Food Safety officials inspected various shops and informed the food business operators about the importance of selling safe and wholesome food to its buyers which is, the release said, not only their duty according to the FSSA but also an ethical responsibility. They were told to make sure that the team does not find expired items in their shops. They were also directed to properly label products that had no labels. The food business operators were asked to duly check their own shops, dispose off expired items to avoid seizure and penalties in the future.
Large quantities of goods were seized during the inspection, especially cold drinks and cooking oil, which were being sold beyond the “best before” dates. Others items such as masalas and biscuits were also seized but in a lesser quantity. The release stated that the public should also remain aware and check the best before date when they purchase any item from shops.
After the inspection, the team took all the seized items and destroyed them in the presence of Food Safety officials.
Chilli powder with added colour seized in Kohima
Vendor selling chilli powder at Super market in Kohima.
Kohima, August 4 (MExN): The District Food Safety Team carried out an inspection drive at T. Khel Market, PR hill and Super Market at Kohima on August 4.
Dr. Ritu Thurr, Chief Medical Officer, Kohima in a press release informed that during the course of inspection drive, the team tested fruits, fresh fish, salted dry fish and chilli powder.
The chilli powder sample collected from local vendor at T. Khel and Super Market were found added with colours. The remaining stock of 15 packets from T. Khel market and 22 packets from super market were seized.
The team even took sample of salted dry fish from Super market which tested formalin in them, remaining stock of 850 gms were seized.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)