1,800kg adulterated besan seized

Jaipur: Health department’s food safety wing seized 1,800 kg of adulterated besan (gram flour) from Manu Vihar of Vishwakarma Industrial (VKI) area on Wednesday. 

It is not for the first time that they have found such adulteration. On February 26, the food safety wing had seized flour mills owned by a businessman for allegedly selling gram flour, which was actually a mixture of semolina, corn flour and gram flour. They had seized 4,500 kg of flour.

Health department officials claimed that since they have found such adulteration in gram flour in two different raids, they have become alert on it and taking all possible measures to prevent such activities in the city. 

Chief medical health officer Dr Narrottam Sharma said that they have collected three samples of adulterated besan and seized 1,800kgs of besan. “They were using semolina as an adulterant, which comes in much lesser prices than gram pulse. Besan should have flour of gram pulse. But adding semolina is an act of fooling the consumers for charging money for gram flour but actually selling semolina,” he said.

The food safety wing officials said that when they entered a room, where they found that workers were preparing besan. “Semolina is sold at Rs25 per kg but the accused preparing adulterated besan using semolina was selling it at Rs58,” he said. 

“We have seized 300kgs of semolina,” the health department officials said.

Besides, a health department team collected sample of black salt at Automobile Nagar. They put the black salt in water, which gave pink colour, but if black salt is genuine, it should give green colour when it is dipped in water, the officials said.

Company selling ‘diabetic care’ products busted

Jaipur: Health department’s food safety wing unearthed a unit, which was producing juices and supplements and selling it with the label of ‘diabetic care’ on it.

Centre team of food safety wing of health department claimed that it is prohibited in the provisions of Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSA). “One cannot sell food with such labels. It is an offence under FSSA as it is misleading,” said Dr Sunil Singh, state nodal officer, food safety, health department. 

Besides, the centre team of food safety wing also found that the unit, which is situated in Muhana Mandi area, was using expired flavours in juices. “They were preparing juices and supplements for a Noida-based firm. They were selling it at Rs 72 to the Noida-based firm but had an MRP of Rs 1,200,” said Dr Singh.

Officials said that people suffering from diabetes are being fooled and cheated by such companies producing supplements and juices and attracting consumers with labels like ‘diabetic care’ or other such misleading words. After being attracted towards such food items, the customers fall in trap of such companies and get ready to shell out any amount.

Food safety dept to crack whip on unlicensed food biz operators

Madurai: It seems that the year-long awareness programmes conducted by the food safety department on the importance of getting a licence have not brought about the desired effect among the food business operators (FBOs). Irked over the denying attitude of a section of FBOs, the officials have started cracking the whip against the offenders.

FBOs are those involved in manufacturing, processing, packing, storing, transporting and distributing food materials. The licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandatory for the FBOs whose sales are Rs 3,000 or more a day. While it has been estimated that there are around 75,000 FBOs across Madurai district, only 4,156 of them, which is less than 6%, have taken the license so far.

Instead of getting licence, FBOs have obtained registration certificates from the food safety department by paying Rs100, which is meant for hawkers and roadside vendors only.

The licence is important in ensuring the quality of products that reach customers. In the absence of such a licence, it is difficult for the department to close in on the erring FBOs when a complaint is raised, food safety officials said.

Designated officer for food safety, Madurai district, Dr M Somasundaram said, “We have started action. No one can claim that they are unaware of the rule, since we have extensively conducted awareness camps,” he said. It has started issuing notice under Section 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act. FBOs served with the notice would have 15 days to get the licence, failing which they will face jail term up to six months and a fine amount up to Rs 5 lakh, he said. Officials said that there are three kinds of licences available at the fee slabs of Rs2,000, Rs3,000 and Rs5,000 per year. One can also opt for a five-year licence by paying the required amount.

Traders from the city said that the food safety officers assigned for each area have earned bad reputation in the past for bribery. Owing to this, the traders are skeptical of approaching the FSOs. Although the scenario has changed in the last one year, the information is yet to reach the traders and stakeholders.

President of Tamil Nadu Food Grains Merchants’s Association S P Jeyaprakasam said that many do not come forward due to the tedious process involved in getting the licence. There is no one-time licence and the traders have to renew it every year. A trader or manufacturer who has multiple outlets in the state or the country has to take multiple licenses. “We have taken the grievances to the ministry concerned. They have acknowledged the issues, but they have not made any changes so far,” he said.

Dr Somasundaram said that people can finish the work and payment online. There are several designated centres in and around the city to get the work done.

President of Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industries N Jagadeesan said, “We too have conducted five rounds of sensitization meetings and have sent circulars to our members asking them to take the licences, but for some reasons they are not forthcoming,” he said.

India to adopt WHO standards for food safety; trans fats on its way out!

The FSSAI has proposed an amendment to 'Food Products Standards and Food Addictive Regulations, 2011' in order to limit trans-fatty acids in all oils.

The regulation is necessary for Punjab as it is one of three states with the highest prevelance of cardiovascular diseases.

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed an amendment to 'Food Products Standards and Food Addictive Regulations, 2011' in order to limit trans-fatty acids in all oils and fats to not more than 3 percent by January 2021 and to not more than 2 percent by January 2022. 

According to a report in the Indian Express (IE), the civil society representatives and consumer activists have favoured the proposed amendment as a notable milestone to keep up with the World's Health Organisation call for global elimination of industrially-produced trans fat by 2023. 

The president of Generation Saviour Association- an NGO which works for better health of the youth in Punjab, Opinder Preet Kaur told IE, they are planning to work on verticals, one being policy and other is its implementation. The people of Punjab need to change their cooking habits and the bigger challenge is to reach out to the rural people and educate them about the side-effects of consumption of trans fat. 

She further added that the regulation is necessary for Punjab as it is one of three states with the highest prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. 

Meanwhile, Anjali Borhade director of Disha Foundation told IE that the reduction in the limit of trans-fatty acids in all oils will have a significant impact on the health of people living in Punjab. She also emphasised that now that the government has done its bit, it is now their turn to educate people about the repercussions of consuming trans-fat.

Molasses ban faces hurdle in Assam

Chief minister Sonowal had on Monday directed the chief secretary to ban molasses

The State Public Health Laboratory has punched holes in Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s order to ban molasses (laligur) as it is not listed in the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006.

Sonowal had on Monday directed the chief secretary to ban molasses after investigations into the hooch tragedy, which killed 165 tea plantation workers and left several others blind and ill in three tea gardens of Upper Assam’s Jorhat and Golaghat districts, revealed the main ingredient in Sulai, a locally made liquor, to be molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining,

Though a gazette notification on the ban has not been issued, sources in the laboratory said enforcing the same might be a challenge as molasses is an illegal food item.

“Molasses is not listed in Section 3(1)(j) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which includes consumable food items. So, its sale, purchase, storage or consumption as a food item, directly or indirectly, is an illegal activity. There is no question of banning something that is already illegal,” an official at the laboratory told The Telegraph on condition of anonymity.

The act consolidates laws relating to food. Under it, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

Anupam Gogoi, a food analyst in FSSAI, said molasses and liquid jaggery, both called laligur in Assam, are different.

“While liquid jaggery is the initial extract from sugarcane or dates (the two primary sources of jaggery in India), molasses is a byproduct, a waste left after the refined solid jaggery is extracted. The first is fit for human consumption but the other is mostly used for veterinary or industrial purposes,” Anupam said.

Molasses is distilled to produce ethanol, which is used in medical wipes and antibacterial hand sanitisers.

Akhil Gogoi, adviser to Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), said molasses used to enter Assam from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as veterinary supplies but the state government had recently allowed its procurement for industrial purposes with magisterial permission.

“In north India, cows are fed molasses during pregnancy but Assamese farmers generally use jaggery instead of the cheap substitute. After the government granted the magisterial permission, a few warehouses stored it as industrialingredient but sold it illegally to small shops and those who made Sulai (hooch) from it,” Akhil said.

Jorhat-based trader Mahesh Beria was arrested from Jonai in Upper Assam’s Dhemaji district on Monday and two godown owners in Golaghat were detained on February 23 on charges of selling molasses.