Apr 30, 2019
Clean street food hub in capital unpalatable
An official of the food safety said that Alappuzha beach is more feasible for the project.
The rehabilitation block constructed by DTPC for foods vendors at Shangumugham beach in Thiruvananthapuram.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Commissionerate of Food Safety (KCFS) has landed in a fix as the initiative of FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) to launch 'Clean Street Food Hub', which aims at raising hygiene standards and preserve the culinary heritage of each state, at Shangumugham beach, hits a roadblock.
Shangumugham was one of the three destinations identified by the food safety authorities for the project. A team from the FSSAI has recently visited these spots to carry out an audit to check the feasibility of the initiative.
An official of the food safety said that Alappuzha beach is more feasible for the project. "The audit team visited all three spots but as per their condition, we should implement the project within six months. We would be able to pilot the project at Alappuzha as everything is going smooth and we will be able to meet all the pre-requisite mooted by FSSAI," said the official. While at Shangumugham, the authorities are yet to submit the beneficiary list. The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) has constructed rehabilitation block for street vendors at the beach area. "A well-coordinated effort is required to execute the project. Because of the election, we were unable to have a discussion with various departments. A collector-level meeting should be called to finalise the beneficiary list," said the official.
It is learnt that there are around 164 vendors at Shangumugham beach area and the rehabilitation block would be able to accommodate only 14 vendors. An official of the DTPC said that the beneficiary list is yet to be finalised. "There are issues as the vendors have backing from trade unions. The local body is responsible for finalising the list as they are the authority for implementing the street vendor policy," said the official.
Subramanian N, who is running a thattukada at Shangumugham for the past 30 years, said that the DTPC is yet to handover the shops to the vendors. "We are hopefully waiting. They said the handing over would happen after the election," said Mr Shanmugan. According to the authorities only eligible vendors with seniority would be given rehabilitation.
The first Clean Street Food Hub was set up around the Kankaria Lake at Ahmedabad and FSSAI awarded a certificate recognizing it as India's first Hub.
FDA Pune shuts down Modern Dairy over violating FSSAI standards
The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) Pune seized adulterated paneer (cottage cheese), curd and cream from Modern Dairy shop located in Camp area in a surprise raid.
FDA Pune shuts down Modern Dairy over violating FSSAI standards
During the FDA officials found out that the products were being manufactured in unhygienic conditions and unfit for consumption. The FDA administrative officials have seized a total of 561 kilogrammes of spurious curd, malai, paneer, and fresh cream collectively worth Rs 1,23,691.
This raid was performed as the FDA department has received a tip-off regarding adulterated food items being dispatched into the market from Modern Dairy. Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner, FDA, Pune, mentioned this when he commented on the reason to have this raid on Mordern dairy.
The products that were found not fit for the consumption were destroyed and the process to shut down the dairy was underway.
FDA had conducted several surprise checks at 100 eateries, earlier this month at creameries, milk establishments across the city. Most of the cases were attributed to unhygienic preparations, usage of acids and other colouring methods. The FDA officials said that all these things were violating the norms prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The products prepared like this are a serious threat to the public.
Restaurants found violating food safety norms in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam: In yet another raid carried out by the Regional Vigilance and Enforcement Department and Food Safety Department, about eight restaurants in urban and rural areas of the district were found violating food safety norms.
During surprise checks made by the officials, they found out that stale and leftover cooked chicken joints, mutton pieces, prawns and fish, among other stuff were stored in refrigerators and freezers waiting to be served to customers on Monday.
In another restaurant, the officials found worms in cauliflower curry and noticed that the restaurateurs continue to use domestic gas cylinders for commercial purpose. In a take-away counter at Alluri Seetharama Raju statue, Seethammadhara, non-permitted food colours were used to prepare items and chicken legs were stuck inside the freezers at the centralised kitchen for a long time.
In Narsipatnam, officials noticed eggs with stamp meant for Anganwadi centres. ICDS officials were roped in to investigate the violation further. In some restaurants, food safety licences were expired and notices were issued in this regard to the respective restaurant owners. About eight food samples were collected and sent for analysis. Cases were booked by the Food Safety Department under appropriate sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
Deputy Superintendent of Police and In-Charge Regional Vigilance and Enforcement Officer K Sravani, Vigilance Department officials, including Inspectors of Police R Mallikarjuna Rao and N Srinivasa Rao, among others were part of the team that conducted surprise checks at various restaurants.
Coimbatore shopkeepers asked not to sell spoilt fruits, vegetables
COIMBATORE: Days after the food safety department found a shop on Karuppa Gounder Street here selling more than 300 kg of overripened and spoilt fruits, officials have again warned shopkeepers to store their stocks at the right temperature and not have spoilt fruits in the shop for any reason.
The food safety department has formed teams to inspect and instruct fruit and vegetable sellers to ensure that their produce is fit for consumption and not artificially ripened.
“We had actually called many fruit and vegetable dealers for a meeting and issued notices to all firms on March 16 to ensure that they stock their goods at the right temperature and sell it only during its shelf life. We also instructed them not to artificially ripen their products using carbide stones or other chemicals,” said designated food safety officer A Vijayalalithambigai.
“However, since we are finding shops selling spoilt and damaged fruits, we have formed teams to inspect and instruct sellers again over the next few days,” she added.
Sellers and shopkeepers have been instructed to not have spoilt or damaged goods anywhere on their premises. “Last week, shopkeepers gave us excuses that the damaged and spoilt fruits were being kept behind the shops for them to be returned to the wholesaler or picked up for disposal. They also claimed that the fruits came damaged and were not spoilt,” said Vijayalalithambigai.
“But we can’t know and keep checking if the shopkeeper actually returns it or just mixes it with new stock and keeps it again for sale,” she added. “We have instructed them to not spoilt goods even in their godowns for more than a day,” she added.
This move comes after food safety officials, who were on a raid in Big Bazaar Street and Karuppa Gounder Street to check for fruits artificially ripened with carbide stones, ended up coming across 300 kg of spoilt fruits on shelves meant for sale. It included mangoes, oranges, sweet lime and pomegranate.
Apr 29, 2019
Apr 28, 2019
JC warns dairy units against adulteration
JC warns dairy units against adulteration
HIGHLIGHTS
Joint Collector Dr Krithika Shukla warned the milk product companies of severe consequences if they use chemicals and colours which are harmful for consumption.
Vijayawada: Joint Collector Dr Krithika Shukla warned the milk product companies of severe consequences if they use chemicals and colours which are harmful for consumption. The joint collector along with food safety officials held surprise checks on milk product companies at Gollapudi.
Samples were taken and were sent for testing. The stock at Maruti Milk Products company was seized as they were not following the prescribed norms of food safety. Notices were served to the owner of the company.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shukla said that a few ice cream companies were using chemicals, colours, poor quality and polluted water to manufacture food products which are harmful for consumption which was brought to her notice.
She further said that stern action will be taken on the companies which does not maintain hygienic conditions, keeping the stocks in rusted vessels, selling the food products after the expired date and not following food safety norms she said and added that surprise checks will continue. Asst food controller N Poornachandra Rao, food safety officials T Sekhar Reddy, N Mahesh Babu were present.
80 fall ill in Dahod after eating food at a wedding
Vadodara: At least 80 persons took ill in Jhalod taluka of Dahod district after consuming food at a wedding in the Kadwal village. Those who fell sick had consumed the food on Friday night and started taking ill from Saturday morning.
The wedding was held at the residence of one Shantu Parmar in the Mali Falia of Kadwal village. Parmar had served pani-puri, vegetables, mango juice, ‘batata vada’ and other food items at the wedding.
On Saturday morning patients complaining of stomach discomfort, vomiting and diarrhoea started trickling in at the Jhalod primary health centre. With an increasing number of patients turning up at the hospital, some had to be referred to nearby health centres too for treatment.
Sources said that the symptoms of food poisoning were severe in around 30 persons and they had to be admitted. Teams from the health department as well as the food safety department were rushed to the village and nearby areas to conduct surveys. They checked all who had gone to the wedding to ensure that there were no more cases.
Samples of food and water served at the wedding were also collected by the officials. These will now be tested to ascertain if there was any contamination.
Apr 27, 2019
FSSAI sleuths bust adulterated ice-cream racket
Vijayawada: Food safety officials along with legal metrology sleuths conducted a simultaneous raid at a private food company and caught them in possession of adulterated ice-cream stocks at Bhavanipuram area in the city, on Friday.
The raids were led by Krishna district joint collector Kritika Shukla at Sri Sai Maruthi Milk Products, in Gollapudi and Sri Guru Venkateswara Food Products, in Bhavanipuram. Officials said that they acted upon several complaints by consumers against these two companies.
Assistant food controller N Purnachandra Rao said that the ice creams contained high dose of synthetic colours and other electrolysis chemical powders. Officials also added that the products were manufactured under unhygienic conditions. They were packed without the requisite manufacturing date labels which is a violation of the Legal Metrology Act. Around eight samples of different ice cream varieties were collected and sent for testing to a FSSAI lab.
While addressing the media, Kritika Shukla said that stringent action would be taken against manufacturers, if they fail to meet the requisite FSSAI norms and also cautioned consumers to check the labels and be wary before providing ice-creams to their children.
Spurious ice cream making units raided in Mumbai
The FDA officials have seized the goods and sent them for analysis.
Sanjay Dabhade, a health activist at Jan Abhiyan said there is a greater probability that milk and milk products sold in Mumbai are adulterated or are of poor quality.
Mumbai: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has conducted surprise raids on various ice cream manufacturing units in Mumbai. The FDA realised that manufacturers have been using edible oil to make the so-called ‘ice-cream’ desserts.
A frozen dessert is a mixture of milk powder, vegetable oil and artificial sweeteners. While, as per the norms of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ice cream is made of milk and cream free of artificial sweeteners. The FDA officials have seized the goods and sent them for analysis.
An FDA official said, “We suspect that the manufacturers have been using low-quality edible oil to make the so-called ‘ice-cream’ dessert. Ahead of summer, we have started a special drive against the sale of frozen dessert being served as ice cream. Several companies are selling ‘ice creams’ that are actually frozen desserts but not ice creams. The FDA was also tracking manufacturers using edible oil to prepare desserts and ice creams.”
Shailesh Adhav, joint commissioner, FDA, said, “Based on a tip-off and complaints of frozen desserts being sold as ice cream, we held surprise raids on the manufacturers, which were using edible oil and have violated food safety norms. We are also checking if the edible oils are of poor quality, which could risk lives.”
Dr Sanjay Dabhade, a health activist at Jan Abhiyan said there is a greater probability that milk and milk products sold in Mumbai are adulterated or are of poor quality.
FSSAI partners with a US firm to improve food testing
Is the milk you drink adulterated? Are fruits available in market spiked with colourants and sweeteners? A new food testing facility coming up in Ghazibad can make the process of finding adulterants and contaminants in food easier and more accurate. The Food Safety and Standards Association of India (FSSAI) has partnered with Thermo Fischer Scientific, a US based biotechnology firm, to address food safety and food quality concerns in India.
The objective of the partnership is to facilitate and build world class food testing capabilities in India. Thermo Fisher Scientific will offer skilled analysts to conduct high quality food testing and to also train food scientists.
The CSC is equipped with latest innovations in liquid, gas and ion chromatography, mass spectrometry, and trace element analysis. “The upcoming Customer Solution Center (CSC) at Ghaziabad is equipped with advanced analytical solutions that will overcome a wide range of challenges presently faced by food safety scientists. For example, detecting organic pollutants like brominated flame retardants and chlorinated paraffin in food. The CSC will be equipped to find these pollutants within a routine food safety analysis laboratory environment,” says Amit Chopra, managing director, India and Middle East Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Similarly, finding and accurately measuring trace pesticides on apple skins and micro concentrations of lead and nickel in foods will also be possible at this new food testing facility.
I&C deptt cancels registration of SK Foods
Deptt has zero tolerance for malpractices, production and sale of unhygienic foods: Dir
General Manager District Industries Centre Srinagar Syed Sajjad Qadri Friday ordered cancellation of Registration of M/S ‘SK Foods’ set up at Industrial Estate, Khanmoh, Srinagar for violation of the J&K Industrial Policy 2016 and Food Safety Standards Act, 2006.
Qadri while taking cognizance of the social media reports and the tweet of District Magistrate Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary has in his cancellation order quoted that the said unit had been provisionally registered for ‘Packaged Drinking Water’.
The provisional registration of the unit had lost its validity already but was still found operating illegally and in an unapproved line of activity.
The provisional registration of the unit has been permanently cancelled.
Director Industries and Commerce Kashmir Mahmood Ahmad Shah appreciated the action taken by the GM DIC Srinagar.
He had also reported that the aforementioned unit had been indulging in the unauthorized manufacturing of pickles and other food products in the premises of the unit for which the provisional registration for drinking water had been sought.
“Food Safety Officers sealed the unit after the department found it mandatory to cancel the registration of the Industrial Unit which was found to be engaging in malpractices by filling old stock of pickle in fresh bottles and relabeling relabeling it with fresh manufacturing dates. Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chaudary also echoed the similar views.”
Department has ordered unit holds to do fair trade practices and it holds zero tolerance for production and supply of unhygienic and unhealthy food products in the market for public consumption.
Food Safety officers conduct inspection of food establishments
JAMMU: A team of food safety officers of Municipal Limit Jammu led by Dr. Parvesh Kumar Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety conducted inspections of various food establishments at Shiv Market, Rail Head Complex Jammu.
In all, 16 food establishments including Dhabas, dry fruit outlets, Hotels, restaurants etc out of which eight food business operators were Challaned under section 56 and 58 of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 , Rules and regulations 2011 as they were manufacturing and storing food under insanitary and unhygienic conditions. Among those Challaned were Lakshmi Vaishno Dhaba, New Gupta dry fruit, New Kashmir dry fruit, Jai Durga Dry Fruit, Shubam General Store, Sharma Vaishno Dhaba, New Rimzim Vaishno Bhojanalya and New Jagdambay Vaishno Dhaba located at Shiv market, Jammu. Moreover, one awareness programme for food handlers of hoteliers was organised wherein large number of food handlers were participated and were made aware regarding Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. The team comprised of Food Safety Officers Ajay Khajuria, Hans Raj Andotra, Daleep Singh and Sabha Rasool.
Apr 26, 2019
Kozhikode: 14 coconut oil brands banned
Tests found these products were adulterated.
FSSAI assistant commissioner Eliyamma said that tests had proved that these products were adulterated.
KOZHIKODE: The district officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India have banned the production, procurement and distribution of 14 brands of coconut oil as these have been found to be adulterated. They include Surabhi and Soubaghya oils produced by Balakumaran Oil Mills, Tiruppur, and Velluvanadu oils produced by Logu Traders, Pollachi.
FSSAI assistant commissioner Eliyamma said that tests had proved that these products were adulterated. The brands will face strict action for making them and selling them in the market. The state health ministry has asked the officials to prevent the sale of adulterated food items. Earlier, 70 brands of coconut oils were banned in the state. In May last year, the FSSAI had banned 45 brands and in June, 51.
"We have been keeping a close watch on the oil and other food brands in the district," she added.
440 kg mangoes ripened using banned chemical seized
Madurai: Food safety officials from the district seized 440 kgs of mangoes ripened using the chemical ethephon from shops in North Masi Street and Simmakkal in the city on Thursday. The fruits were destroyed at Vellaikkal solid waste management centre after getting permission from Madurai corporation authorities.
With the mango season starting, the fruit is sold at various places including Yaanaikkal, Simmakkal, North Masi Street and Smart Fruit Market at Mattuthavani. Food safety officials have started conducting inspections at godowns and fruit shops to ensure that fruits ripened using banned methods are not sold to customers. According to the officials, although the usage of calcium carbide stones and ethephon acid are banned, traders continue to use them. Ethephon acid is sprinkled on fruits to uniformly ripen them.
The usage of ethephon, which is a growth hormone, can disrupt the endocrine system. Stomach trouble, ulcer and vomiting are the common problems seen if mangoes ripened using the chemical are consumed. Those who are allergic to the chemical may also suffer skin problems like rashes and itching, officials said. Though ethylene gas is allowed to ripen fruits, it requires infrastructure worth at least Rs 20 lakh. However, ethephon can be used after reducing its concentration to 10 ml in one-and-a-half litres of water though the solution cannot be applied directly on the fruit. The fruits are first spread across a surface and covered with paddy straw and then covered with cloth. The solution can be applied only on the cloth without contacting the fruit.
The designated officer for food safety, Madurai district, Dr M Somasundaram, has formed four teams, each containing four food safety officials, to continuously check for the usage of banned chemicals.
Fish laced with chemicals in Kerala markets: State food department issues warning to consumers
Intensifying its search, the state food department warned consumers to be aware of the import of ammonia-laced fish from different states as the fish supply in Kerala has been reduced.
There has been an increase in chemical-laced fish in Kerala’s Kozhikode market. Express Photo by Karma Sonam Bhutia.
Ammonia-laced fish in Kerala’s Kozhikode fish market has triggered panic among customers, prompting the Kerala Department of Food Safety to issue a warning against the increasing import of chemicalised fish. “Due to lack of fish supply within the state, ammonia and formalin laced fish has been imported into the state,” the department said.
The state food safety department has been inspecting trucks entering the Kozhikode fish market. Many of them carrying chemical-laced fish have been seized, it said. Read in Malayalam
Formalin, a toxic chemical, is used to preserve bodies and prevents its decay in mortuaries.
Intensifying its search, the state food department warned consumers to be aware of the import of ammonia-laced fish from different states as the fish supply in Kerala has reduced.
A total of 28,000 kg of fish laced with formalin was seized after the launch of ‘Operation Sagar Rani’, a drive to ensure safety and hygiene at fish handling and distribution centres. Operation Sagar Rani will be conducted this year as well, the state food safety department notified.
Apr 25, 2019
Food safety dept to crack whip on illegal ripening of fruits
Madurai: With mangoes started to arrive in the market, officials from food safety and drugs administration have increased vigilance to make sure that banned chemicals are not used to ripen the fruit. The continued use of chemicals such as calcium carbide and ethephon will have adverse effects on the health of humans.
Only ethylene gas is allowed for ripening the fruit, but it requires a chamber. According to the food safety officials, it will cost Rs 20 lakh to construct a chamber, which no trader in Madurai has. The 100-odd mango traders in the city have not even registered with the food safety department.
Designated officer for food safety, Madurai district, M Somasundaram said that he has instructed the officials to keep a close watch on the godowns where mangoes are stored. He expressed concern about traders not coming forward to register with the department. "We have issued notices to the traders under Section 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act. They have to registere with the department in 15 days. Otherwise they will face action including jail term up to six months and fine up to Rs 5 lakh," Somasundaram said.
Doctors say that traders have been widely using ethephon, which is a growth hormone that can disrupt the endocrine system in humans. It can also cause stomach upset, ulcer and vomiting besides skin problems like rashes and itching.
The food safety officials said that the naturally ripened mangoes start ripening from the interior part, whereas artificially ripened mangoes ripe in the opposite direction. Naturally ripened mangoes will have green patches on the outer surface, where artificially ripened fruits will be attractive.
Food adulteration cases on the rise in Trichy
Trichy: “Wash Thoroughly and Cook Thoroughly’ could be the mantra for all to stay healthy as the amount of adulterated food laced with harmful chemicals making its way to the market is on the rise in Trichy.
The food items range from everyday items such as vegetables, edible oil, milk, sugar and grains to ready-to-eat packed foods available in grocery shops. A team comprising a designated officer and 14 food safety officers recently found 84 samples taken from an outlet unsafe. The department filed 65 criminal cases against adulteration in 2018-19.
Among the samples found unsafe, peas remain on top of the chart. The dark green colour coated on peas will make it look like garden-fresh. "The normal peas will not be as dark as the chemically-soaked ones. Since many people think that it is fresh from its appearance, the traders have no inhibition to lace it with chemicals which can have carcinogens," designated officer of food safety and drug administration department Dr R Chithra told TOI.
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act of India, raw vegetables should not be coated with chemicals. However, the rules are not a deterrent to the traders from indulging in adulteration. The punishment for such offences as per the Act is also not stringent unless or until it leads to loss of life.
Out of the 65 cases filed by the department in Trichy, the court convicted those accused in 23 cases only. The total fine imposed was Rs 4,33,000.
The officials said that consumers’ tendency to prefer fresh vegetables and colourful groceries forces the traders to use artificial colours on the food items to make it ‘garden-fresh’.
A Suresh Alwar from Puthur in Trichy was of the view that both the consumers and the traders should take the blame equally. "Since people want the vegetables to glow, the traders are forced to satisfy the customers. Also, the traders make the consumers attracted to the products irrespective of the quality," he said. The food safety department has no powers to act against farmers on the presence of pesticides in the vegetables because of the immunity they enjoy in the Act.
The department has also filed civil cases for failing to provide the details of the manufacturer, expiry date and other information on the food packets and collected Rs 7,43,800 as fines.
Do you buy tea, vada during train journeys; Then you must read this
Tea container near toilet, ‘vada’ kept uncovered under train seat; Read the shocking truth
Kannur: The food from unhygienic conditions served in trains is once again making headlines. Few pics of food suppliers in train revealed that the tea container is placed near toilet and trays of snacks like vada is kept under the seat uncovered.
Train passengers are forced to purchase this unhygienic food by making payments. These disgusting scenes were captured from Train No: 16860 Mangalore-Chennai Egmore express.
The train departed from Mangalore at 6.50 in the morning. When the train reached Kannur, the catering supplier was seen sleeping on a berth in S1 coach. The tray of vada was kept under the seat without covering it. It contained over 200 vadas.
“The supplier who was speaking in Hindi said that the Vada was not for sale. But later he shifted all Vada to another supplier’s tray without wearing gloves. He took the tea container kept near the toilet," said a passenger named Sathyapalan from Cheruvathoor.
Some angry passengers questioned them but they managed to flee from the coach. When passengers who travel with season ticket followed them, these suppliers were found selling vada and tea in AC coach.
The passengers complained that though they informed the matter to railway officials, no action was taken against the suppliers.
No health officials to examine food safety in trains
Railway has decided to appoint 300 health inspectors to check safety of food served in trains and railway station platforms. With this decision, the authority planned to prepare a data bank by collecting food sample and details of catering owner and suppliers.
Food safety department official in each division will be in charge of this mission. The decision was taken in the meeting of food safety officials headed by Railway board chairman Ashwani Lohani.
But none of the officials intervened in the issue even after passengers came forward with a complaint.
Supplyco soon to roll out fortified rice
The direction by the Centre is to introduce fortified rice in at least one district in the state by December.
Thiruvananthapuram: To combat nutrition deficiency among children, the SupplyCo is all set to roll out micronutrient-fortified rice in the state for the first time.
The initiative is being launched on a pilot basis with the technical support of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Kerala Commissionerate of Food Safety. Iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12 would be used for fortifying rice in the state.
According to officials fortifying rice, which is the staple food of Kerala population, would help combat nutrition deficiency among children and adults alike.
The initiative is being launched in the wake of an order issued by the Government of India directing every state in the country to introduce fortified rice at Anganwadis.
In Kerala, there are around 33,115 Anganwadis. The direction by the Centre is to introduce fortified rice in at least one district in the state by December. Sources say that the project will take off by June.
According to a survey, in Kerala, around 19.7 per cent children under five years of age are stunted, while 15.7 per cent do not have the weight for their height, and 35.6 per cent children are anaemic.
A top official of the Commissionerate of Civil Supplies told DC that the Supplyco is planning to introduce fortified rice, oil and salt in the state very soon.
“We have initiated steps and talks are on to take the proposals to the next level. As a first step, we will be supplying fortified rice for Anganwadis under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). A micronutrient rice blender has been installed at our Taliparamba Depot, which would be supplied to Anganwadis for the midday meal,” said the official.
The Supplyco is also planning to expand the production of fortified wheat flour, which is supplied through ration shops and Maveli stores across the state.
“We are currently producing around 6,500 tonnes of fortified Atta every month. The demand is more, and we are planning to expand production,” the official said.
The initiative is being launched as part of the Poshan Abhiyan – the Centre scheme which aims at bringing down stunting of children in the 0-6 age group.
Apr 24, 2019
FSSAI for continuing ban on milk products imports from China
The ban on import of milk and milk products from the neighbouring country was imposed in 2008
India is the world's largest milk producer but imports milk-based products in small quantities
NEW DELHI: Food regulator FSSAI on Tuesday recommended that the ban on import of milk and milk products from China should be extended further till laboratories at ports are upgraded to test chemical content 'melamine'.
The ban on import of milk and milk products from the neighbouring country was imposed in 2008. The ban has been extended regularly and the latest one ends Tuesday (April 23, 2019).
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reviewed the matter recently and decided to recommend a further extension of the ban on milk and its products shipped from China.
"Accordingly, the ban on import of milk and milk products, including chocolates and chocolate products and candies/confectionary/food preparations with milk and milk solids as ingredients from China may be extended until the capacity of all laboratories at ports of entry have been suitably upgraded for testing melamine," the FSSAI said in a statement.
The import of chocolates and chocolate products and candies/confectionary/food preparations with milk and milk solids as an ingredient are also barred.
India is the world's largest milk producer but imports milk-based products in small quantities.
Home-made chocolates can be unsavoury too
Udhagamandalam: Chocolate is a sweet temptation that transcends barriers of age and language, delighting the taste buds of one and all. The term 'melts in your mouth' may be a cliché, but nothing else describes 'Ooty homemade chocolates' better, as the taste lingers in your mouth long after the chocolates are gone.
Of late, chocolates have become a part of the products on sale in every petty shop in Ooty. Chocolates are made in bulk and supplied to retail shops. However, doubts have been raised about their quality, as mostly it is sold in loose. The dates of manufacture and expiry are not available. Food safety officials appear to be turning a blind eye to the issue.
“Home-made chocolate is available everywhere in the town. But it never carries an expiry date. And most of the shops sell chocolates in loose,” said L Lakshmikanth, a tourist from Hyderabad. “Unlike sweets, it’s not easy to find out if the chocolates are stale.”
A petty shop owner near Ooty market who sells home-made chocolates refused to disclose where he procured his produce.
It is claimed that King Star, started in 1942, was the only shop in the Nilgiris that made home-made chocolates after the British left the country. It was started by one J Thambusamy who worked with M/s Carter Confectionery in the 1930s. His cozy little shop in Commercial Street used to be a landmark.
Jai Jeyaraj, who belongs to the third generation running Jai's King Star says, “It is an age-old British formula rather than a legacy. Tools used for the trade are old roles and scutters made in England. Though I am a post-graduate, it is by choice that I have chosen the job of confectioner, which is in my blood. I follow the formulae of my grandfather Thambusamy.”
One can find a plethora of chocolates in his quaint little shop, be it the heart healthy bitter chocolate or the lightly laced mint chocolate, or his very own ‘chocolate fudge’ infused with almonds, pistas and various other nuts.
Jai takes no help during mixing and emulsifying the cocoa product, which is his trade secret. Fudges are derived from condensed milk and cocoa. The main ingredients used for the tasteful dark brown ‘shapeless’ sweet moulds are cocoa powder, powdered sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, and vanilla. The magic behind its sinful taste is the ‘unrevealed complicated procedure’ it involves, says Jai.
Jai said quality will differ from shop to shop depending on the ingredients used. But the expiry of the commodity should be checked by the officials concerned.
Nandakumar, food security officer, said, “Chocolate, when it is sold loose, falls under the category of ‘prepacked- condition’ like sweets and savouries. When it is packed, packing regulations are to be followed. So, details of date of manufacture and 'best before' should be furnished on the packing.”
According to him, home-made chocolates are being prepared in a small level in houses. It has become a cottage industry rather than confectionery. "We insist the shopkeepers sell packed chocolates and we monitor the expiry if it is sold loose.
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