DINAKARAN NEWS

DINAKARAN NEWS

CSMT gets 5-star rating for hygiene, food safety

MUMBAI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Monday gave five-star rating to CSMT Railway station for compliance with food safety, hygiene and food waste management norms.

“This is a prestigious rating for the Central Railway station which is bustling with commuters round the clock,” said CR chief spokesperson, Shivaji Sutar. It is the first CR station to get a five-star rating.

He further stated the FSSAI, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, assessed them on parameters including food safety and hygiene, availability of healthy diets on the railway station complex, innovative practices in food waste management, promotion of local and seasonal food to passengers with minimal preservatives, and creating awareness about food safety and healthy diets.

Sources said an FSSAI team had conducted pre-audit checks and suggested improvements after which the food plaza, base kitchen and other vendors were asked to comply. After the final audit was conducted, the officials found satisfactory results in 88% of the parameters.

“The station has been declared ‘Eat Right Station’ with an exemplary certificate,” Sutar added.

12 challaned by Food Safety team for unhygienic conditions

JAMMU, Dec 24: On the eve of Christmas, Food Safety wing of Food & Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu conducted a special drive in Jammu city to check adulteration and challaned 12 food business operators for unhygienic conditions.

The drive was headed by Dr Parvesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety Jammu along with Food Safety Officers. During the drive, the Food Safety team inspected various food establishments, Wall Marts and Big Bazaars situated in Nanak Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Trikuta Nagar and Sanjay Nagar.

The team lifted 14 samples of bakery items, honey and spices for testing from India Cake House, Renukas Cake, Bakery shops and Khaana Khazana at Bus stand.

Besides, 12 establishments were challaned for unhygienic conditions at Trikuta Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and Trikuta Market at Bus Stand, Jammu. Amongst challaned were Indian Fast Food, Red Rose Restaurant, Amritsari Food Court, Vees Fast Food on Barnai road, Daily Need on main road Bantalab, Spicy Grill at main market Trikuta Nagar, Billu Di Hatti at Gandhi Nagar, Sharma Sweet Shop, Amritsari Kulcha at Gandhi Nagar, Chinese Fast Food and Nick Bakers at Gandhi Nagar, Jammu.

The Food Safety team also created awareness among the shopkeepers about the good hygiene and manufacturing practices and also instructed them to maintain proper sanitation and hygiene in the processing/storage areas of their bakery shops.

The team was comprised of Food Safety Officers Ajay Khajuria, Daleep Singh and Pervaiz Ahmed.

Chandigarh: Elante told to shut food court; directed to pay Rs 20 lakhs along with other involved stakholders

CHANDIGARH: Coming down heavily on Deluxe Dhaba and Akash Restaurant in Elante mall, Elante mall itself, Ayan foods that runs food court in Elante mall, Kandhari beverages and coca cola beverages, State consumer disputes redressal commission directed them to pay up Rs 10 lakh to PGIMER’s poor patient welfare fund and to deposit Rs 10 lakh in consumer legal aid account of State Commission for charging excess money for a water bottle, having dual price for water bottle and for running without license under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 (FSSA 2006). The restaurants had charged Rs 10 more than MRP for the water bottle on two different occasions by same complainant- Navneet Jindal.

The restaurants and others were also further directed to pay Rs 30,000 as compensation to the complainant in each complaint and refund the money charged by the complainant in each complaint.

Besides this, Elante Mall was directed to stop the food business with immediate effect as it had not license to run the food business on the premises and eateries too admitted that they had not obtained such a license to run the food business at Elante’s food court. “Thus, the food business is being run in an illegal and unauthorized manner. It amounts to undue enrichment through illegal and unauthorized means. Thus, the circumstances of the case require that the same be stopped with immediate effect,” Commission ordered.

A copy of the order was sent to Deputy commissioner Chandigarh, with a direction to ensure that no food business is being run without a license under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses), Regulations, 2011. It was stated that “in case it is found that there is violation of the FSSA 2006 and Regulations appropriate action be taken under intimation to this Commission.”

The case

Jindal had first filed two complaints against them in District Forum, one in 2016 and other in 2017, however the same were dismissed. He had then appealed against the order in state Commission which set aside the order of the district forum and penalized the restaurant in the recent order.

In both complaints complainant had stated that he was charged Rs 30 for a water bottle when the MRP (inclusive of all taxes) was RS 20. Jindal stated that the Dhaba along with Elante mall and others are deficient in providing service and also adopted unfair trade practice, by printing dual MRP as well as by charging the price above the basic MRP of the aforesaid products sold in their premises because similar products were available in the open market having less or basic MRP. Also, he stated that the food business run in the Elante mall is neither a restaurant nor a hotel nor the competent authority under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 (FSSA 2006) had issued any license to run the food business.

The restaurant and others (except Elante authorities) contended that that the eateries wherein the food business is run, be treated as a restaurant and the respondents are entitled to print dual prices on the bottles of soft drink and water respectively, and also to recover the price as printed on the bottles in question. Reliance was placed upon various judgements. It was pleaded that the amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 made effective from January 1, 2018, gave liberty to restaurants to charge dual prices of the commodities.

However, commission after going through the documents put on record held that both the appeals deserves acceptance based on the fact that the food business going on within the premises of Elante mall can’t be termed as a restaurant or a hotel. Commission held that “Neither any waiter has been provided to the complainant nor were any other services provided to him. Rather, the customers have to self-serve them. In this view of the matter, the eateries run by the respondents cannot be equated with restaurants or hotels.”

It was added that eateries have no license under the provisions of FSSA 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses), Regulations, 2011 and that “there is no law authorizing the respondents to depict dual pricing and charging above the MRP on the products sold within the premises of Elante mall.”

Commission concluded by saying that, “The respondents by charging excess amount, towards the products, referred to above, against each bottle, from the complainant, have adopted unfair trade practice and are also deficient in providing service.”

It was held that the District Forum failed to appreciate various rules and sections of the FSSA 2006, and also failed to take notice that the respondents were not equipped with licence issued by the competent authorities. “The District Forum also failed to apply its mind that the food court/eateries, where no service is provided, and the customers have to self-serve them cannot be considered as restaurants or hotels. Therefore, in this view of the matter, the order passed by the Forum is liable to be set aside and reversed.”

They were all directed to pay up.

FSSAI comes up with Hygiene Rating Scheme for food service sector

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently introduced a new scheme namely Hygiene Rating Scheme for food service sector such as hotels and restaurants, cafeterias, etc. FSSAI’s Hygiene Rating Scheme is a user driven, technology-enabled scheme applicable to food businesses supplying food directly to consumers either on or off the premise. As per the scheme, food businesses are rated on the basis of food hygiene and safety conditions found at the time of inspection, and given a score between 1 and 5 as per their hygiene and food safety compliance. The core intention behind this scheme is to allow consumers to make an informed food choice about where to eat and inculcate right eating habits, while encouraging food businesses to adopt high hygiene standards and to sustain them so as to showcase the same to their consumers. In addition, there are already Regulations viz. the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses), Regulations, 2011, to check the reuse of cooking oil by the caterers. In the said regulation, the following guidelines are provided: 

• Re-use of cooking oil should be avoided; In case of reheating of oil, use maximum three times to avoid the formation of trans-fat. It is ideal to use once, if possible.
• Re-heating and reuse of oil should be avoided as far as possible.
• Avoid using left over oil wherever possible. However, vegetable oil having developed Total Polar Compound more than 25% shall not be used.

On 10 August 2018, the FSSAI launched a new initiative ‘Repurpose Used Cooking Oil’ which is an ecosystem that will enable the collection and conversion of used cooking oil to bio-diesel. FSSAI has issued directions on 30 January 2019 requiring Food Business Operators (FBOs), whose consumption of edible oils for frying is more than 50 liters per day, to maintain usage records and dispose the used cooking oil to authorized aggregators for being delivered to bio-diesel manufacturers. Detailed guidelines have also been issued for handling & disposal of used cooking oil by FBOs to ensure safe handling and disposal of used cooking oil.

FDA conducts special drive to check adulteration

Pune: Officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday launched a special drive to curb cases of food adulteration during the Christmas and New Year period by drawing food samples from restaurants and hotels.

“The FDA has constituted teams to conduct surprise checks by visiting hotels, restaurants and roadside eateries across the city and rural areas between December 24 and 31. Our focus is to ensure that food quality is not compromised during the festive period when miscreants try out different methods to make quick money,” said S M Deshmukh, assistant commissioner (food), FDA, Pune. 

Deshmukh said the food safety inspectors will be checking milk products, edible oils and other ingredients required for making cakes during the upcoming festive season. After the inspection, samples will be taken for laboratory tests. 

“The officers would collect food samples only if they suspect adulteration. Strict action would be taken against those found involved in adulteration,” he said.

There are over 10,000 food business operators across the Pune district who have either sought licence or registration from the FDA. However, a sizeable number of food operators run their businesses without seeking mandatory licence or registration, Deshmukh said. 

“Citizens should be cautious and only buy food items from licensed shops and take due receipts,” Deshmukh added.

The official also said the citizens can complain of suspected adulteration by calling the FDA’s toll-free helpline number 1800222365.

FSDA to check quality of Christmas treats

Meerut: The Food Safety and Drugs Authority (FSDA) in Meerut has started a drive to ensure that Christmas and New Year’s treats are safe for consumption and that no adulterated items are sold in the city during the festive time.

The anti-adulteration drive is set to start from Christmas and continue till New Year. “A five-member team of the food department will conduct regular checks by sending samples of food items to the Lucknow laboratory for testing. While action will be taken only after the lab results are sent here, if the team finds any substandard or unsafe food item – which looks so prima facie, action can be taken accordingly,” said Archana Dheeran, designated food officer.

Though samples of food items suspected to be substandard or adulterated will be sent to the Lucknow food testing lab to avert any manipulation at the city-based lab, if the food items look way too suspicious they will be sent to the latter and immediate report will be sought. The sample reports from the city-based lab can be procured in 48 hours and action can be taken soon after, officials said.

The FSDA officials will keep a close eye on milk, milk products, cakes, Christmas treats, sweets and ingredients used for making bakery products. These, they say, are the main food items that are found adulterated during this time.

“The food items are preserved and sent to Lucknow by courier. The result will reach us within 20 days. We are focusing mainly on sweets, milk products and cooking oils to keep adulteration under control,” said Dheeran.

Adulteration in food items can lead to cancellation of licence and sentence ranging between six months to life. Besides, the criminal offence attracts a fine up to Rs 10 lakh.