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Ban on import of milk and milk products from China

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.