Beware Delhiites! Vegetables in markets contain high doses of an extremely poisonous substance; Know how it can harm you

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have set a safe limit for Lead in vegetables at 2.5mg/kg. However, in vegetable samples collected from the floodplain, the level of the metal ranges from 2.8mg/kg to 13.8mg/kg.

In all vegetables collected from vendors, Lead levels were found to be above the standard in all vegetables, except for Cabbage.

Delhiites, be careful of what you eat! A new study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) found that vegetables grown on the Yamuna floodplain contain high doses of Lead. On prolonged consumption of this toxic metal, a range of diseases could be triggered including Cancer and it can also damage organs. According to an HT report, these vegetables are supplied to large wholesale mandis across Delhi such as the ones in Azadpur, Okhla, Ghazipur. These vegetables are also distributed further to be sold at weekly markets as well as by local vendors across the city. The highest concentration of such vegetables has been found in east Delhi.

According to the report, the heaviest Lead contamination was found in Coriander collected from Geeta Colony in east Delhi. In all vegetables collected from vendors, Lead levels were found to be above the standard in all vegetables, except for Cabbage. The highest Lead level was found in spinach (14.1 mg/kg). The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have set a safe limit for Lead in vegetables at 2.5mg/kg. However, in vegetable samples collected from the floodplain, the level of the metal ranges from 2.8mg/kg to 13.8mg/kg.

SK Goyal, senior principal scientist and head of NEERI, was quoted in the report saying that samples of at least seven types of winter vegetables were collected from Usmanpur, Mayur Vihar and Geeta Colony. The samples were tested for Lead, Nickel, Mercury, and Cadmium and the lead level was found to be higher than Indian permissible limits. While the level of other metals was within the limits. According to Goyal, the source of lead could be industries dealing in paint, batteries, automobile parts and polythene. Also, other kinds of usage of Lead-based compounds may be potential sources, Goyal added.

According to the study, heavy-metal toxicity can cause various health problems like lower energy levels, damage the functioning of the lungs, brain, liver, and kidneys. It may also lead to damage of the blood composition as well as other important body organs. Moreover, exposure to these metals for a long period of time can even cause cancer.

Considering that only 2% of the Yamuna’s stretch passes through the national capital, it receives nearly 70% of the Capital’s polluted water. In the year 2015, the cultivation of edible crops and fodder on the floodplain was banned by the NGT, citing such vegetables were highly contaminated. Despite the ban, the practice still continues, the report said.

DINAKARAN NEWS

Serving it safe and clean

While raids are underway to nail unsafe eateries, many are apprehensive about how effective they are

Officials inspecting an eatery at Kakkanad recently

KOCHI: Operation Safe Food is in full swing. In a drive undertaken by the District Administration to ensure hygienic food for Kochiites, five eateries across the district have been shut down.

As many as 27 eateries in Thrikkakara Municipality, Aluva Municipality and Choornikkara Panchayat were raided by a team of Revenue, Food Safety, Civil Supplies, Health Department and Police officials.

Restaurants working under unhygienic conditions, storing stale food and reusing the oil were charged with a penalty of Rs 5,000.

Till now, the squad has collected an amount of Rs 25,000 as a penalty. However, there are apprehensions about how beneficial temporary shutdowns are. While a section of people seeks permanent ban for such hotels, there are also concerns about the effectiveness of the rules.

However, the District Health Officer says the restaurants, which have been asked to shut down, stick to norms when they reopen it. "They open only after rectifying the issues and with official approval. We also ensure they have a licence and health cards for the employees," says Sreenivas.

He asserts that routine raids will ensure only good quality food is served in all eateries. “Shutting them down is a blow to their business. Not just direct, but also the online business. So, the restaurants will be forced to function properly," added Sreenivas.

However, he agrees even these squads have limitations. "The moment we start raids, other restaurants come to know about it. This gives them the time to clean their surroundings and get rid of stale food. Nonetheless, the raids will continue," he said.

Hotel owners back raids

The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has ensured full support to the district administration. "We stand with the decision to shut down restaurants that work without a licence," says T J Manoharan, district secretary, Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association. According to him, the association has a cell which helps its members get the licence and health cards.

However, KHRA thinks the raid should be conducted properly.“The Health Department has the authority to check the cleanliness of a restaurant. However, the quality of food can only be asserted by the FSSAI officials. Food samples should be tested at a lab before tagging it stale. This gives the wrong information to the public. However, we support inspections," he said.

Reward hygenic eateries

While restaurants which fail to stick to the norms receive closure notices, many think not just brickbats, even bouquets should be part of the process."We welcome the raids by the district administration. People should feel safe to eat anywhere in the city. Staff hygiene should also be given the highest priority, especially when it comes to migrant workers who are sometimes not even given proper training,” says Karthik Murali, founder, Eat Kochi Eat, a Facebook group of foodies.

He adds it would be great if the government could initiate training programs for both restauranteurs and their staff on how to serve the people the right way. “Having said that, there are many restaurants that maintain high standards of hygiene. While raiding those who don’t keep up with the standards, rewarding hygienic places would also promote the concept of hygiene.”

Quality of food

The Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association thinks the raid should be conducted properly. “The Health Department has the authority to check the cleanliness of a restaurant. However, the quality of food can only be asserted by the FSSAI officials. Food samples should be tested at a lab before tagging it stale. This gives the wrong information to the public. However, we support inspections," he said.

Vegetables in Delhi markets contain toxic metals: Study

 

These vegetables are supplied to large wholesale mandis such as the ones in Azadpur, Ghazipur and Okhla and distributed further to be sold at weekly markets as well as by local vendors across the city, with the highest concentration being in east Delhi though a precise area-wise sales break-up is not available.

The study was conducted in February 2019 by the NEERI, a research institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Vegetables grown on the Yamuna floodplain have been found to contain high doses of lead, which, on prolonged consumption, could trigger a range of diseases, including cancer, and damage organs, according to a new study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).

These vegetables are supplied to large wholesale mandis such as the ones in Azadpur, Ghazipur and Okhla and distributed further to be sold at weekly markets as well as by local vendors across the city, with the highest concentration being in east Delhi though a precise area-wise sales break-up is not available.

The heaviest lead contamination was found in coriander collected from east Delhi’s Geeta Colony. Except for cabbage, lead levels were found to be above the standard in all vegetables collected from vendors, with the highest level found in spinach (14.1 mg/kg). While the safe limit for lead in vegetables has been set at 2.5mg/kg by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the level of the metal detected in vegetable samples collected from the floodplain ranges from 2.8mg/kg to 13.8mg/kg.

“Samples of at least seven types of winter vegetables were collected from three different locations — Usmanpur, Mayur Vihar and Geeta Colony. They were tested for lead, mercury, nickel and cadmium. The level of lead in all the samples was found to be higher than Indian permissible limits. The level of other metals in the vegetables was within the limits,” said SK Goyal, senior principal scientist and head of NEERI, Delhi.

The study was conducted in February 2019 by the NEERI, a research institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The findings were placed before the National Green Tribunal in May this year. An NGT-appointed committee had asked the NEERI to undertake the study following a Hindustan Times report on February 4.

“The source of lead could be industries dealing in automobile parts, batteries, paint and polythene. Various kinds of usage of lead-based compounds may also be potential sources,” said Goyal.

Heavy-metal toxicity can lower energy levels, damage the functioning of the brain, lungs, kidneys, and liver. They can also damage the blood composition and other important organs. Long-term exposure to these metals could even cause cancer, says the study.

“Vegetables are regularly tested by the IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute) in Pusa and we have grown up eating these vegetables. We would consult the IARI scientists to find a solution to this problem. Vegetables grown close to the river (within 100m) could be toxic. But we are not sure where the lead is coming from,” said Dalbir Singh, vice-president of the Delhi Peasants Multi-purpose Society.

Even though only 2% of the Yamuna’s stretch passes through Delhi, it receives around 70% of the Capital’s polluted water. In 2015, the NGT had banned the cultivation of edible crops and fodder on the floodplain saying that such vegetables were highly contaminated. Despite this, the practice continues.

“Lead poisoning can lead to mental retardation in children. This is a serious issue and the authorities should immediately take action,” said Manoj Misra of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.

Hotels, fast food centres raided in Nellore

HIGHLIGHTS 

Officials from the Food Safety wing and Nellore Municipal Corporation conducted surprise checks on hotels in Nellore city and collected food samples from them for lab investigations. 

Nellore: Officials from the Food Safety wing and Nellore Municipal Corporation conducted surprise checks on hotels in Nellore city and collected food samples from them for lab investigations. 

Officials led by Food Safety Designated officer Srinivas and Corporation Commissioner PVVS Murthy conducted a special drive in the city on Friday and inspected 10 hotels that have been serving stale food to the public. Officials found the uncooked food was stored in freezers and non-vegetarian dishes in the hotels. They found some kitchens were in an unhygienic condition. 

PVVS Murthy stated that officials including Food Safety, Public Health and Sanitation wings have conducted a special drive in the city on hotels. He said they had instructed the managements of the hotels and fast food centres to serve healthy meat directly from the slaughterhouses.

FSSAI to adopt scientific methods for food safety evaluation

• With the advent of global food supply chains, there is a growing list of novel ingredients and food additives that need safety assessment
• The food regulator says there is an urgent need to drive improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of overall food system

New Delhi: Country’s apex food regulator the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is deliberating new scientific developments and emerging approaches for food safety evaluations in order to address food security related challenges in the country.

Given the triple challenges of food safety, food security and nutritional security faced by India, there is an urgent need to drive improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of overall food system, the FSSAI said on Friday.

“India faces major challenges where 1.3 billion population is vulnerable to both under nutrition and over nutrition whilst facing several food safety concerns. Food security and food safety are very much interdependent," said Rita Teaotia, Chairperson, FSSAI.

“There is a critical need to aggressively adopt and integrate new next generation scientific methods and concepts and leapfrog country capabilities soon as these will contribute to the objective of reducing crop losses and food waste and increasing access to safe food are achieved," she said.

With the advent of global food supply chains, there is a growing list of novel ingredients and food additives that need safety assessment.

As an endeavour to promote latest advances in food safety and food security, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Hindustan Unilever (HUL) Initiative on Food Safety Sciences (CHIFSS) in partnership with FSSAI organised its 6th Stakeholder Forum on “Scientific Advances in Food Safety and Food Security" on Friday.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)- Indian Institute of Toxicology Research Director Alok Dhawan highlighted the critical importance of timely adoption of next generation science based, risk based, objective safety evaluation approaches, application of sensors and diagnostic techniques into regulatory frameworks to keep pace with developed world.

He also emphasized the need to focus on the origin of food supply chain, which will help deliver safe foods to the consumers.

FSSAI for tie up with stakeholders to tackle safety concerns

Among others, Teotia emphasized the need for partnerships and collaborations with all stakeholders to successfully address the complexities and challenges

Regulator Food Safety And Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday pitched for partnerships with all stakeholders to address the challenges of quality and safety concerns.

There is an urgent need to drive improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of the overall food system, given the triple challenges of food safety, food security and nutritional security faced by the country, it said.

Addressing the sixth stakeholder forum on scientific advances in food safety and food security, the FSSAI Chairperson Rita Teotia elaborated on the scale of challenges faced by India, where 1.3 billion population is vulnerable to both under and over nutrition.

Among others, Teotia emphasized the need for partnerships and collaborations with all stakeholders to successfully address the complexities and challenges.

The stakeholders meet was organised by CII-HUL Initiative on Food Safety Sciences (CHIFSS) in partnership with FSSAI.

CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research Director Alok Dhawan highlighted the critical importance of timely adoption of next generation science based, risk based, objective safety evaluation approaches, application of sensors and diagnostic techniques into regulatory frameworks to keep pace with developed world.

He also emphasized the need to focus on the origin of food supply chain, which will help deliver safe foods to the consumers.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) Regulatory Affairs Director A Sivakumar stressed on the need to institutionalise food safety and build capacity and capability.

Food security an issue as population grows: FSSAI head Rita Teotia

She stressed on the need for equitable distribution of food resources.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Chairperson Rita Teotia on July 26 said that the country is grappling with the twin challenges of food safety and population growth.

Speaking at the 'CII-HUL Initiative on Food Safety Issues', she said that there is a need to ensure quality, safety and sustainability of limited resources.

Teotia said that apart from using technology to bolster production, it should also be used to ensure safety in the entire supply chain.

She also stressed on the need for equitable distribution of food resources.

"We produce enough to feed the entire country but there are problems in distribution," she said.

While wasteful weddings and functions contribute to food wastage, more important is the concern of improper storage and processing.Teotia also warned against misinformation on social media. She said there is a need to educate consumers on the risks associated with newer products and avoid misinformation through these channels.

J&K ranked third in food adulteration in north India

One of every 5 samples found contaminated, Rs 57L fine in 1 yr

JAMMU: With one out of every five processed foods found contaminated, Jammu and Kashmir stands at third rank among the northern States in food adulteration with 19.4 percent samples of processed foods failing to meet the norms of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act.

“As many as 701 samples of processed food samples found adulterated in state during last fiscal year 2018-19. With these numbers the Jammu and Kashmir stands at third rank among northern states,” an official source said. 

He said that commissioners of Food Safety were regularly conducting inspections, surveillance and enforcement drives in food processing units across the State to ensure compliance with laid down standards.

“In cases where samples were found to be non-conforming to the provisions of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, and Rules and regulations made there under, penal action has been initiated against the defaulting food business operators (FBOs) as per the provisions of FSS Act, 2006, and rules and regulations made there under,” he said. 

“During the inspections and enforcement drives, the authorities analyzed 3600 sample of processed food in Jammu and Kashmir from April 2018 to March 2019. Out of the total sample analyzed 19.4 percent (701) were found adulterated,” an official source told The News Now.

In northern states, Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 11807 food samples found contaminated followed by Punjab with 3403 samples. In Haryana, 569 samples were found adulterated, 485 in Delhi and 43 in Himachal. Only 30 samples were found adulterated in Chandigarh, which is lowest in the northern states. 

“In this regard 698 civil cases were initiated across Jammu and Kashmir, which is again third highest in northern states. However, no criminal cases have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir while other northern states have witnessed significant number of such cases,” he added.

The News Now learnt that a total of 57.18 lakh rupees were raised from 466 penalties last year in Jammu and Kashmir. In northern states Uttar Pradesh has penalized 55226 people, which is highest and generated Rs 15.89 crore and Punjab has generated 1.47 crore without any penalties.

81% Indian consumers order food through delivery apps due to convenience, says survey

NEW DELHI: Nearly 81% of consumers who order food via delivery apps say they do it for convenience, according to a survey by social engagement platform LocalCircles. Another 14% said it was due to discounts provided by these apps, while 5% for better selection.

While food delivery apps have expanded in cities across India and brought thousands of restaurants online, their rapid growth has also raised concerns over food quality, hygiene and packaging. “Over the last several months, the food, consumer and standards communities on LocalCircles have been seeing a steady flow of complaints about quality of food delivered by the food apps,” LocalCircles said in a statement. The survey had over 27,000 respondents from over 218 districts of India.

Yet, quality was the top concern for as many as 66% consumers ordering food through delivery, with another 22% saying it was timeliness of delivery and 12% voting for overcharging. When questioned on food quality, 70% respondents said that the quality of food deteriorated due to packaging and transportation, while 30% felt that it was the same as eating at the restaurant.

Consumers also reported problems with billing and missing food items. Around 27% consumers found the packaging of the food to be unsatisfactory. Nearly a third (34%) of respondents also said that there were cases of a few items missing when their food was delivery. When it came to billing, 22% said they found it to be inaccurate, while 68% said they were accurate.

Regarding the timeliness of food delivery, 83% said their food was delivered within an hour, and just 17% said it gets delayed. When asked about delivery persons, nearly 85% said that delivery personnel were well-behaved and service-oriented.

Last year, food delivery companies Zomato, Swiggy, UberEats and Foodpanda started delisting restaurants that did not have a license from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and had reportedly delisted over 10,500 restaurants by December.

“Overall, the consumer survey does point to the fact that consumers are happy with the service provided by these food apps and sites, but want food quality and food packaging to be addressed,” LocalCircles said in its statement. “The food regulator of India, FSSAI can play an important role by ensuring only FSSAI approved and audited restaurants are allowed to be listed on the food delivery apps.”

CS seeks ‘toughest action possible’ against adulterators

Bhopal: In a meeting of top officials of the state, chief secretary SR Mohanty on Friday asked public secretaries of departments, district collectors and SPs to provide all necessary help to officials of food & drug administration department so that they could carry out campaign against adulterators without fear.

Additional chief secretaries (ACS) and principal secretaries of animal husbandry, home, transport, urban administration and dairy departments participated in the meeting. Minister for food & civil supplies Tulsi Silawat also attended the meeting.

Talking about proceedings of the meeting, Mohanty said “It’s going to be a major crackdown on adulterators. Related departments like food, health, cooperative, animal husbandry, transport and police would work in tandem to ensure that adulterators are not spared and strictest action prescribed under law is ensued against them”.

He added, “It’s not a campaign for a week or 10 days. It would be a continuous exercise and I would personally monitor it every month through video-conferencing”.

Meanwhile, a team of food and drug administration (FDA) department unearthed a factory manufacturing synthetic milk at Kolaras town and seized spurious milk and adulterants.

The chief secretary said that adulteration of food stuff was a crime against humanity and those indulging in it should not be spared at any cost. Mohanty added that while focus is currently on milk and milk products, other edibles will also be covered under the campaign soon.

Mohanty said that vigil should be maintained at state borders. He added that public awareness campaigns should also be undertaken so that people could identify adulterated goods themselves.

Chief secretary also instructed that police should provide security to food safety officers (FSOs) when they go for raids or to collect samples.

He asked district collectors and principal secretaries of departments concerned to hold review meetings at regular intervals to ensure there was no gap in drive against adulteration of edible goods.

Arvind Kumar Pathrol, a senior food safety officer, informed that teams of his department collected 71 samples from across the state including 33 samples of milk, eight of mawa and 26 of other milk products.