Yewale tea adulterated with dye, says lab report

The findings of central government-run food laboratory are based on samples sent by FDA

Yewale Food Products — which has multiple tea shops in Pune — has now come under the scanner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after it found that samples collected from them were adulterated.

The organisation received a lab report on Tuesday which said that the samples contained synthetic colour used to dye tea powder.

The FDA had sent the tea samples a month ago to the central government-run food laboratory in Mysuru, Karnataka.

The report said that a synthetic dye called tartrazine was used to dye the tea powder. This is not allowed as per the food safety rules and can be harmful to health, said FDA officials.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), 2011, regulation 2.10.1 (1) on tea says, “The product shall be free from extraneous matter, added colouring matter and harmful substances.”

Earlier in September 2019, an inspection was conducted by the FDA at a Yewale Food Products facility in Katraj and it issued a stop-work notice after finding violations of the food safety rules. FDA officials, during the raid, found tea powder, tea masala and sugar manufactured and packaged by Yewale under its brand name.

Mandatory details like content, manufacturing date, expiry date and others were missing from the packaging. There was also no quality check from an FSSAI-approved laboratory. Samples from these products were sent for testing.

“The reports were found which approved the standard of preparatory food but I was suspicious about the findings. I decided to send it to the referral food laboratory in Mysuru, run by the central government,” said Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner, FDA, Pune region.

“There are no provisions for use of colour in tea in the FSSAI guidelines, as it would lead to food safety and health problems. The colour has been used to make the tea look more attractive. There are some colours which are non-toxic and permitted by FSSAI to be used in products like sweets and fruit juices. FSSAI permits use of eight synthetic colours in specific food items and tea is not included in that list,” he added. Tea (finished product/made tea) occasionally contains extraneous colouring materials which are not allowed. It is called adulterant tea said the officials.

Apla Kandgule, a spokesperson from Yewale Food products, refuted the finding and claimed that this is not possible. “We follow the food safety standards and rules, and samples are sent by us to laboratories routinely to get a quality check. The FDA has earlier conducted an inspection at our centre, during which the samples were sent to the lab. The reports of these labs are clear and we are unaware about the lab reports form Mysuru,” she said.

Mirror reported on the matter on September 25, 2019

The report said that a synthetic dye called tartrazine was used to dye the tea powder

Food samples picked from 3 city shops unfit for consumption: FDA

Dehradun: The officials of Food and Drug department, who raided three city food outlets in September last year and procured ghee, cottage cheese, and other edibles, claimed that both state and central food labs have found out that those samples are unfit for consumption and substandard. The FDA officials have now sought permission to lodge case against a local bakery and ghee manufacturer for selling substandard food items.

The raids were made after locals complained that food products from these outlets taste sour and get bad very soon. 

FDA inspector Yogendra Pandey told TOI, “As per Food Safety Standard Act of 2006, the factory owner can be booked under section 52 of the Act. Under this section, a fine of Rs 3 lakh can be imposed on the offender and under section 51 of the Act, a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh can be levied. As the food samples of all the three food outlets and factories failed the quality test, we have written to the food commissioner to initiate case against the owners of the food outlets under Food Security Act at ADM’s court.” The official added that the offenders can be imprisoned for up to 7 years for selling substandard food products. Notably, Pandey was also a member of the team which raided these outlets.

According to the FDA officials, the report of the central lab was received by the department earlier this month.

Street food vendors unaware of training by FSSAI

The residents of Ranchi will now get hygienic and nutritious food served by hotels and street food vendors. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has made food safety training and certification mandatory for all food traders in the City.

As per a directive issued by Sub Divisional Officer Lokesh Mishra, street food vendors caught selling any food items without undergoing the training programme will have their license cancelled. The training programme started on December 24 and is being imparted at IACT near Guru Nanak School.

However, street vendors in popular market areas are not aware of any such programme. While some are keen to receive training others don’t want to lose out on business because of it.

Santosh, a food truck owner in Morabadi was unaware of any such notice being issued. “I don’t have any information about the training programme and no notice has been given by the authorities till now. However, there is a lot of competition so if I do go for the training, I will lose out on the day’s business.”

Savan, a momo stall owner is not too keen to be a part of the training. “I have not heard of any such training programme. I am already trained in my work and have worked in a hotel earlier before opening this stall, so I don’t need any more training whatever it is.

The progamme will be of around four hours with about 40 food vendors in one batch. Under the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) there are about 500 food vans and more than 10,000 food carts set up. The food department has set of target of training about 9,000 such vendors in the first phase.

“The main objective of this project is to ensure that healthy and hygienic food is what reaches the customers. The FOSTAC- Food Safety Training Certification trainers will impart training to manufacturers, whole sellers, retailers, meat shop owners and street food vendors.

Under this an annual health check up is also included to ensure that they do not have any communicable diseases,” said Food Safety Officer (FSO) Dr SS Kullu.

The training will include information about packaging, serving clean food, and storing perishables in a proper way. Trainers will also impart information about the proper use of organic food colour, ways to reuse and recycle cooking oil.

The district administration and the department in an attempt to reach out to food vendors and suppliers is conducting a mobilization drive and localities covered include Chutiya, Kanke and Hinoo.

The programme is divided in three categories.

The basic and advanced courses are charged at Rs 600 and Rs 800 respectively while for the street food vendors it is for free.

Dr Kullu further added that registrations for the course can be done online and offline. Those with a turnover of 12 lakh and above need a license while for others registration is mandatory.

FDA proposes prohibition on OFSAs and FBOs sans hygiene rating

Exercising the powers under section 30(2)(a) of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, Commissioner, Food & Drug Administration Punjab, KS. Pannu has issued a show cause notice to the Online Food Supply Aggregators (OFSAs) as well as the Food Business Operators ( FBOs) in Punjab as to why not prohibit the distribution/supply/sale of food through OFSAs related to those FBOs who have not got their hygiene rating done.

It has also been proposed to prohibit Online Food Supply Aggregators from sourcing the food from FBÖS sans proper hygiene rating , informed the Commissioner and added that the objections to the said proposal, if any, have been invited to the FDA office by January 30, 2020.

Pannu said that information technology driven Online Food Supply Aggregators such as M/s Uber Eats, M/s Swiggy, M/s Zomato, M/s Food Panda etc have been distributing/selling/supplying food to the consumers after sourcing the same from Food Business Operators. This is a very recent phenomenon in which the direct and primary contact between the consumer of food articles and the manufacturers of food articles, especially the hot cooked food articles has snapped, opined Pannu. This mechanism of distribution/sale/supply of food by OFSA has obliterated the system of responsibility of maintaining the quality of food, which till now was being directly verified by the consumers from the food business operators at his counter.

Commissioner, Food & Drug Administration said that with the introduction of mechanism of OFSAs, it has become important to ensure that these aggregators supply only the good quality and properly hygienic food articles to the consumers. He said that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India( FSSAI) has issued instructions vide which the system of hygiene rating of the food business operators has been introduced and the FSSAI has empanelled various agencies to conduct the hygiene rating of the FBOs. He said that FDA, Punjab had advised all the OFSA in May 2019 to ensure that the FBOs from where they were sourcing the food for distribution to consumers should be asked to get the hygiene rating of their business done and the OFSA should source and supply the food from only those FBOs who secure at least three smilies out of a range of five smilies in the matter of hygiene rating.

He informed that in September 2019 the date of getting the hygiene rating of the FBOs was extended till 31st of October, 2019. But, in December 2019, the representatives of OFSAs namely M/s Uber Eats informed that 132 FBOs out of 521 FBOs enlisted with them have got the hygiene rating done. Similarly, M/s Zomato intimated that only 72 FBOs registered with them out of total 6108 have got the hygiene rating done.

He said that the progress of ensuring hygiene rating by these agencies was found to be woefully inadequate. Since, the issue involved is related to public health, therefore, in the public Interest it has been proposed to prohibit those FBOs who have not got the hygiene rating of their premises done from supplying their food to the OFSA. It is also proposed to prohibit the OFSA to source and purchase the food for supply to public from those FBOs which are not hygienically rated and where such rating is less than 3 marks/smilies out of 5, informed Pannu.

80% shops in city not registered with FSSAI

Officials of the Health Department during a checking in Sirki Bazaar in Bathinda on Monday.

Bathinda, January 20

Food Safety Officer Tarun Bansal on Monday conducted checking at 10 shops in various markets of the city and found none of them possessing Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence or registration. The owners of these shops were served notices and were asked to get a licence made within a week. Notably, as per the FSSAI norms, the FBOs with annual turnover below Rs12 lakh must get registered while those with annual turnover more than Rs12 lakh must possess a licence.

In a crackdown against food business operators (FBOs) operating without registration or possessing FSSAI licence, the District Health Department has launched a campaign in the district. The teams constituted, by the District Health Officer (DHO), for the purpose have started checking at markets.

The department has launched a campaign to spread awareness to exhort owners of large scale FBOs, kiosks and roadside vendors regarding the importance and significance of licence and registration. Out of the two, one team would conduct awareness and checking in the city and the other would cover all blocks in the district.

As per the Health Department records, only 20 per cent of food business operators in the district have got themselves registered or possess licence which is mandatory under the FSSAI Act 2006. Even as 12 years have elapsed since the Act was introduced only a minuscule part of FBOs are operating with required licence or registration. The Act was introduced with the motive to improve the quality of food, prevent adulteration and bring the food business in the ambit of organised sector.

Talking to Bathinda Tribune, District Health Officer Dr Ramesh Maheswari, said, “We will sensitise FBOs regarding the FSSAI norms and conduct random checking. Those who will be found operating without licence will be penalised. ”