No online food order in Punjab without hygiene rating

Setting three months deadline, the Punjab Government on Thursday directed all the online food order and supply companies to display the hygiene ratings of all the Food Business Operators registered or affiliated with them.

Moving ahead on the quality food assurance agenda of Tandrust Punjab Mission, the directions were issued by the state Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra giving them three months for compliance. The Minister said that after 90 days of issuance of formal communiqué in this regard, “no online food order is to be delivered in the State without hygiene rating”.

Giving details, the state Food and Drug Administration Commissioner-cum-Tandrust Punjab Mission director KS Pannu said that Online Food Order and Supply Companies take online orders from the consumers for the supply of food and deliver the same after procuring it from the food business operators (FBO's) associated with them.

“Under the normal circumstances, the consumer directly approaches the FBOs and therefore, through primary contact, the consumer is aware about the quality of food and the hygienic condition under which food is prepared or served,” he said adding that the online order and delivery mechanism of food supply has created a physical disconnect between the consumer and the food maker.

“Hence, the onus of ensuring the quality of food and the hygienic condition under which food is prepared, has shifted to the intermediate food delivery mechanism. It is in this context that it has been decided on the directions of Health Minister that all the online food orders or delivery companies shall ensure that FBOs registered or affiliated with them have their hygiene rating done from the FSSAI empanelled companies,” he said.

Pannu, divulging into the details of the rating mechanism, said that hygiene rating on a scale of five smilies is undertaken as per the guidelines of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The National Food authority has empanelled 23 companies to conduct the audit and hygiene rating of FBOs.

A meeting has been held with the representatives of major Online Food Order and Supply Companies operational in Punjab like Zomato, Swiggy, Uber Eats and Food Panda and they have been sensitized on the issue.

“Commissionerate has issued a formal letter to them wherein they have been directed to get the hygiene rating done of all the FBOs registered with them and only those operators who are at higher level of hygiene rating (bearing three or more smilies), should be allowed to supply food under the online food orders or delivery mechanism,” he said.

Pannu added that they have also been told that the website of their companies should contain the details regarding hygiene rating of the food establishments registered with them so that consumer is empowered to take informed decision before placing the online order for food delivery.

Date of rating or inspection is also to be mentioned in the page containing details about the food making unit on the company’s website or portal or App. Besides, the periodical inspection of their registered or affiliated FBOs is to be ensured so that they continue to follow hygiene standards in food preparation and service practices.

It has been mandated that the packaging, in which delivery of food is done to the consumer by the Online Food Order and Supply Companies, should bear prominent information with regard to the status of hygiene rating of the unit supplying the food for delivery to the consumer, said Pannu.

Food Safety Department keeps an eye

At a meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Commissioner of Food Safety by Beela Rajesh, Designated Officers of Food Safety and Drug Administration Department were instructed to conduct inspections at packaged drinking water units across the State.

S Chithra, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Tiruchi, said that the inspections would begin on Friday and would go on for a week. “There are around 5 units within the city and over 30 across the district. The inspections are meant to ensure supply of clean drinking water,” she said.

All water packaging units supplying bubble top water cans must have four certificates. An Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) certificate, a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) number, a Food Safety and Drug Administration Department certificate and in case they are sourcing their water from groundwater resources, a certificate was needed for that too. “All certificates must be in order for the unit to function. Without them, the unit will be forced to shut down,” said Ms. Chithra.

There have been violations in the past, Ms. Chithra added.

Samples which will be collected at all units will be sent for quality testing. The samples fall into four categories — unsafe, sub-standard and complied to standards and, genuine. “There are some units, especially near Cauvery river who have dug up borewells and are supplying tankers and drinking water. These will have to be checked,” she said.

Mumbai: Food chains get 83-point hygiene checklist, two months to comply

MUMBAI: Some of the city's top food chains have been handed over a checklist of 83 points related to hygiene, food safety, transportation of food and personal hygiene. They are expected to comply within the next two months. 

On Tuesday, the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials met representatives from Burger King, KFC, McDonalds, Faasos, Mainland China, Wok Express, Barbeque Nation, among many others, and gave them a checklist comprising norms laid down under schedule 4 of the Food Safety Act.

"All these chains are popular and see massive footfall. While most have hygiene practices of their own, we wanted uniformity and compliance under the Act," said Pallavi Darade, FDA commissioner. Most of these chains have 350-400 outlets across the state. "Targeting them for hygiene would mean we are reaching out to a big number," she said.

Among the requirements are updated Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence, prominently displayed in the restaurant premises. The internal structures and fittings have to be made of non-toxic and impermeable material. Walls, ceilings and floors should be free from flaking paint. The checklist also calls for proper segregation of raw material and cooked food as well as vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. An official said that failure to comply with the norms could also mean suspension or cancellation of licence for that outlet.

"We have given the chains two months, following which we will conduct surprise checks," said Darade. When asked if the action was prompted by complaints of unhygienic food, she said, "We get sporadic complaints which we investigate from time to time. But this initiative is to ensure maximum reach"

5,700kg of spurious ghee recovered in Shahdara, Khanpur

The raid was conducted following complaints from dairy brand Milkfood, which led to the seizure of 330 cartons of 15kg each filled with fake brand labels.

A joint raid by the Delhi food safety department and Delhi Police on Wednesday led to the seizure of at least 5,700kg of counterfeit ghee from two wholesale shop in Shahdara and Khanpur. 

A joint raid by the Delhi food safety department and Delhi Police on Wednesday led to the seizure of at least 5,700kg of counterfeit ghee from two wholesale shop in Shahdara and Khanpur. The seized ghee were spuriously packaged under labels of popular ghee brands.

The raid was conducted following complaints from dairy brand Milkfood, which led to the seizure of 330 cartons of 15kg each filled with fake brand labels. During the raid, food safety officers also found fake ghee labelled under the ‘Gowardhan’ brand.

“The police had one complaint from Milkfood, but when our inspectors took a look at the other products in the store, they also found the fake Gowardhan ghee. We had seized at least 1,000kg fake ghee with the same batch number two weeks ago. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the previous samples were unsafe and hence the officers decided to confiscate the 44 cartons, each with 18 jars of ghee of one kilogram each,” a senior official from the food safety department said.

“We collected samples for lab analysis, and saw that the ghee was solid even though the temperatures are high. Ghee is semi-solid at room temperature in summer. Additionally, the colour was also paler than ghee. The smell was consistent, but that could be from essence. The samples that we had picked up earlier were rancid,” Ranjit Singh, designated officer, Delhi’s food safety department, said.

The food safety department on Thursday started a four-day campaign to test ghee samples in Delhi after huge quantities of fake ghee had been unearthed.

The earlier batch of counterfeit Gowardhan ghee, upon laboratory analysis, was found to be unsafe. “The accused had been arrested under the copyright violations case and are currently on bail. Another case under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has been filed in court,” said an official from the food safety department, on the condition of anonymity.

“We received complaints that counterfeit ghee under our brand name was being sold in Delhi, so we registered a complaint with the police. The Agmark serial number of the products seized during the raid did not match our ongoing series of numbers, and was from the 2017 series,” said Dhanraj Singh Negi, assistant vice-president of Milkfood Limited.

“We realised there was a problem when we came to know that our ghee was being sold at ₹100 less than our market price. We also received complaints from some customers that the quality of the ghee was bad,” said Dinesh Bhatnagar, head, corporate affairs at Parag Milk Food, the company that manufactures Gowardhan ghee had said.

Commissioner FSO fines bakery unit in Srinagar

Commissioner, Food Safety Organisation for J&K Vinod Sharma Thursday inspected food establishments in Srinagar City.

The team inspected various Bakery and Confectionary Units within Srinagar City to check the quality of bakery and confectionary items available for the consumption of general public.

During inspection a bakery Unit namely JeeEnn Sons, Polo View, Srinagar, was fined an amount of Rs 20,000 on spot for not maintaining sanitary and hygienic conditions in the processing unit.

Various Dhabas including M/S Krishna Dhaba, M/S New Krishna DhabaDalgate were also inspected and the in-charges of the establishments were impressed upon to strictly follow the sanitary and hygienic requirements of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 Rules & regulations made there under.

Meanwhile, after taking cognizance of a video circulated on social media regarding quality of ‘Dairyland’ Dahi manufacture at Lasipora, Pulwama, the team of Food Safety Officers from Pulwama swung into action and sealed the manufacturing unit in the interest of public health. Team also seized 434 Dahi cups and lifted samples of same for analytical purpose.

Mokokachung relaxes ban on sale, import of fish

Dimapur, May 30 (EMN): The Mokokchung administration has relaxed the ban on the sale and import of fish in the district. The authorities have listed a number of conditions for fish businesses to comply with, or face action.

The government’s publicity agency, the department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) issued a press release to the media on Thursday informing about an order from the authorities informing about the change. 

Mokokchung’s Additional Deputy Commissioner W Manpai Phom informed that the sale and import of fish and fish products into the district ‘will’ be partially relaxed, the IPR stated. The decision to relax the ban partially was made during on May 1. The new order comes with a number of conditions.

The district administration has ordered that no sale or distribution of fish shall be allowed unless a sample of the consignment has been tested for presence of formalin or other harmful chemical preservatives that have been prohibited under relevant sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 (FSSA).

Testing shall be done through the ‘formal route’ of the Food & Safety officer’s establishment.

Again, samples may be obtained from a particular consignment regularly or at random, ‘subject to reasonable suspicion.’ If needed, the already tested consignment may be put to test again on case-to-case basis, the IPR stated of the administration’s order.

“It shall be the duty of the wholesalers to inform the district administration and Food & Safety officer about arrival of fresh consignment, failing which shall be considered a wilful criminal intent to eclipse (sic) the information,” the updates stated.

“Unless the consignment does not get a clearance from the administration or Food & Safety officer, the fish products shall be considered deemed to be prohibited for sale and distribution.”

The administration has warned that failing to comply with the order and its terms shall be an offence under section-59 of the FSSA of 2006.

Traders are advised to maintain proper invoices and receipts so that in case of sample being tested positive of formalin and other harmful chemical preservatives the case may traced.

The administration and all line departments are directed to strengthen surveillance activities and carry out inspection, checking and testing from time to time, the IPR added.