‘Milk in city, capital unadulterated’

All the 450 samples taken by the Gujarat government in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar using an instant kit have tested negative for milk adulteration. The tests were conducted by Gujarat Food and Drugs Controller Authority (GFDCA) on Thursday and Friday. More tests will be carried out on 2,500 samples sent from across the state at six laboratories.

However, what is startling is a central report published a couple of days ago that stated 89 per cent of samples collected from Gujarat were adulterated with harmful chemicals like detergent, fat and even urea, besides the age-old dilution with water. The survey was conducted by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) across 33 states.

Either the methods adopted by one of the agencies are suspect or one of the agencies involved is not above board. Otherwise, how do you explain the huge difference in the results by central and state agencies that tested milk for adulteration.

When asked about the huge disparity in results between the central and state agencies, Commissioner of Food Safety Dr H G Koshia said, “Standards were not maintained by the central agency. Every milch animal is different and their fat content is different, so their testing should also be different. This was not considered.”

Free kits for testing

However, Gujarat Laboratory CEO Hasmukh Amin begs to differ. Amin, the head of the only lab in the state with certification by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, said, “The sample survey carried out by the Centre is accurate in many respects. Because in milk, 16 to 18 per cent adulteration is seen in different ways. Especially when milk sold loose or through small dairies, the possibility of adulteration is maximum.”

Dr Koshia said in the past one year they had found 12 samples that contained synthetic milk, urea, vegetable fat, starch and sodium bicarbonate. “People who buy loose milk should be aware of the adulteration. The sellers add urea, that acts as a preservative, to the milk,” he said, adding that GFDCA provides free kits for testing.

Amin said that there are various tests to verify adulteration in milk that include, for pesticide, urea, heavy metal, bacterial test, besides commercial cheating where water, glucose, milk powder, chemicals and detergents are mixed. The test charges range from Rs 100 to 20,000.

Growing dairy industry

Agriculture Minister Dileep Sanghani revealed statistics of the growing dairy industry in the state. Sanghani said, “Dairy industry is well-established in the state and has been considered as a model for other states. There are 15 co-operative dairy plants in the state with handling capacity of 113 lakh litres of milk per day. Against this, the milk received in co-operative plants was 94.11 lakh litres per day in 2009-10. There are also 25 private dairy plants and 13,761 co-operative societies in the state.”

Panel asks Odisha to submit report on milk purity in 3 weeks

Bhubaneswar, Jan 13 (PTI) Taking suo moto cognisance from media reports, the Odisha State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) today sought a status report within three weeks from the state government on the purity of milk supplied by it. "The SHRC has sought a status report from the state's fisheries and animal resource development department which supplies packet milk to people though Odisha Milk Federation (Omfed)," said panel registrar C R Mohapatra. The human rights panel's report came two days after the fisheries and animal resource development (FARD) department seeking information from the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the source of milk collected by it from the state. FSSAI, in its report, had mentioned that 100 per cent of the milk distributed in the state was adulterated. FARD today refused to accept at least 1,000 litre of milk from farmers after testing quality of the milk being supplied by them, official sources said. The state government's public health department, meanwhile, collected milk samples from different places of the state and will put them for laboratory test. "We are testing colour, water percentage, salt, sugar and fat content in the milk," said public health analyst N R Das.

Maharashtra to launch mobile vans to check milk adulteration

Two days after the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found 65 per cent of milk in Maharashtra adulterated, the state government has decided to launch 15 mobile vans by April to check the adulteration. The Dairy Development Department has estimated a cost of Rs.100 crore for the mobile vans project.
"We have prepared a proposal in this regard for sanctioning of the state cabinet. We expect the provision of fund for this project will be made in the state's budget to be presented in second week of March," an official, requesting anonymity, from the department told India Today on Friday.
The FSSAI has made it mandatory for the milk manufacturers to test the milk for harmful bacteria such as E Coli, staphaureus and listeria mococytogenes before bringing it into the market. The agency has specified standards for 10 types of milk that include buffalo, cow, goat or sheep, mixed, standardised, re-combined, toned, skimmed and full cream milk.
However, the government official admitted that it is not possible to stop the adulteration as the system to check the wrong practices in this industry is not foolproof. "Even if we set up laboratories at the taluka levels it is not possible to take samples of each and every can of milk the producer deposits at the dairies. We can only book the adulterators and punish them severely," he said.
In Maharashtra, seven districts like Pune, Nashik, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ahmednagar are known as the milk hub. Around 2.5 lakh litre milk is procured in the state everyday through 30,714 primary cooperative milk societies, 77 Taluka milk unions and 29 district milk unions. The data with the department shows only 35 people were booked for adulteration till 2009-10 across the state. The state government wrote to the Centre in March last year seeking a new law to make milk adulteration a crime punishable with death penalty. The Centre has not given its nod yet.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maharashtra-to-launch-mobile-vans-for-checking-milk-adulteration/1/168718.html

Dairy majors claim rigorous quality check of their products

New Delhi, Jan 11 (PTI) Days after a government agency came with a study stating 69 per cent of milk distributed in Delhi do not subscribe to the fixed safety norms, dairy majors including Mother Dairy and Amul today asserted they supply milk and dairy products only after rigorous quality check.
Mother Dairy and Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which account for a major share of milk and dairy products supplied in Delhi and NCR, asserted they undertake harsh quality checks before despatching their products to market. GCMMF sells milk and dairy products under brand Amul.
The Delhi government had also yesterday claimed that the none of the milk samples checked were found containing any harmful adulterants like detergent or urea.
The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) study claimed that 70 per cent of milk samples picked up from the capital failed to conform to standards.
It had also claimed 50 per cent of the samples were found to be contaminated with glucose and skim milk powder.
According to the FSSAI study, in 33 states and UTs the milk was found adulterated with detergent, fat and even urea besides the age-old practice of diluting with water.
Reacting to the report, Mother Dairy, which has over 1,200 exclusive outlets in Delhi and NCR, said it maintains stringent measures to ensure the quality and purity of the milk provided by the company.
"Each batch of incoming and outgoing milk is subjected to 21 quality tests including presence of foreign matter and bacteriological tests," a Mother Dairy spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Mother Dairy products are process and packed in ISO certified plants and strict controls are exercised.
Mother Dairy also has a unique concept of having a team of qualified and trained personnel operating in field. "This team operating in field also assures that the products manufactured by Mother Dairy are handled properly after it leaves the factory to avoid any type of spoilage of the product," the spokesperson said.
Amul, which has a very large market share in Delhi, said it tests milk at four stages from procurement to despatch.
Its Managing Director R S Sodhi told PTI from Anand in Gujarat that it is not clear from the report whether the samples were taken from branded or unbranded milk.

Alwar leads in supply of spurious milk

ALWAR: Alwar district, one of the leading suppliers of milk to the National Capital Region (NCR), is notorious for rampant adulteration.
With ever-increasing demand for milk in Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida, the adulteration business has intensified in various parts of Alwar district. Admitting that synthetic milk business is thriving in the area, Sushil Kumar, a milkman from the region, claimed, "In Alwar and other neighbouring districts of UP, adulteration is quite common. I, too, am engaged in this business and supply 300 litres of spurious milk daily to sweet makers and households."
Barodamev, Ramgarh, Tijara and Kishangarhbas and Laxmangarh are the hub of synthetic milk in Alwar. "Administration is largely responsible for such a kind of situation. Till date, the health department takes action against culprits under the Food Adulteration Act 1954 despite the introduction of the new Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSAI) 2006," Rajesh Krishna Sidh said.
In 2011, the health department collected 900 milk samples in the district in which 147 samples tested positive for adulteration. However, the department has issued challans in only 131 cases while no action has been taken against remaining16 adulators.
"From August 2011, the new law has been implemented but the old law is being adhered to in taking action. But from now onwards, the proceedings will happen as per the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006," Murarilal Sharma, food inspector, said.
"After the survey of FSSAI we will again run a campaign against adulterated milk as 35% of the milk goes to Delhi and NCR".

Mandatory bacteria test for milk for sale from February

NEW DELHI: Come February, milk sold in India will have to be tested for harmful bacteria like E Coli.

According to the new food safety rules that come into effect six months from August, 2011, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has made it mandatory for milk manufacturers to test it for organisms such as E Coli, staphaureus and listeria monocytogenes before bringing it into the market.

FSSAI CEO V N Gaur said, "We have introduced for the first time microbiological standards for milk. It was decided on August 5. The regulation will come into force in February since we gave the manufacturers and the industry six months' timeframe to put in place processes to test for deadly micro-organisms like E Coli."

Gaur said, FSSAI officials would also see whether manufacturers have complied with the microbiological standards.

"They will have to conform to prescribed coliform and plate counts. The milk has to be certified E Coli, staphaureus and listeria monocytogenes free," he added.

Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told TOI on Thursday that states will have to increase their surveillance of food items. "States must take the menace of food adulteration seriously. At present, the fight is being hampered due to lack of trained human resources. Inspections must be increased to look for adulteration and use of harmful chemicals, especially in milk, vegetables and fruits commonly consumed by Indians," Azad said.

TOI recently reported how the national milk survey of the FSSAI had found that nearly 70% of the 1, 791 samples picked up from 33 states failed to conform to FSSAI's standards.

Around 89% of the samples tested from Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir (83%), Punjab (81%), Rajasthan (76%), Delhi and Haryana ((70%) and Maharashtra (65%) had failed to pass the muster.

FSSAI said the milk of Mother Dairy and Amul did not conform to the national standards.

Gaur said, "FSSAI has published the results of a nation-wide surveillance survey of milk sold in the market both in packed and loose form, marketed by organized as well as unorganized sector. At the national level, 68.4% of the samples were not found to be conforming to the FSS regulations."

Standards have been specified for 10 types of milk that include buffalo, cow, goat or sheep, mixed, standardized, re-combined, toned, double-toned, skimmed and full cream milk.

FSSAI's milk adulteration report confusing: Delhi govt.

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Wednesday called Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reports as hasty and confusing. In reports FSSAI claimed that capital's 70 percent milk is adulterated. Government said that it will carry its own tests on the samples.

"The FSSAI report on Delhi is confusing and it seems they hastened to draw a conclusion, calling Delhi's milk unsafe," Delhi Health Minister A.K. Walia told reporters.

"We need to confirm that whether milk samples taken for survey are actually harmful. We will check those samples of the milk and take stringent action, if something is found wrong," he said.

According to FSSAI, which tested 71 samples from Delhi, 50 contained contaminants varying from glucose to skimmed milk powder which is generally added to milk to enhance volume.

In the wake of report, Walia called a meeting with the capital's milk producers and and the health officials of the government.

Asked whether he warned the milk producers to keep check on the food quality, Walia said: "Out of 70 lakh litres of milk supplied in Delhi per day, producers like Mother Dairy, DMS, and Parag account for 60 percent. We will test the samples taken by FSSAI. If anything is found wrong, we will take action."

Milk shortage ends, flush season dawns

PONDA: With the 'flush season' in milk production commencing on Monday, milk supply to Goa has been restored giving a respite to local consumers.
"As the recent report by Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has clarified that Goa Dairy's milk has no adulteration, the demand for the dairy's milk has increased," said Sadanand Kulkarni, managing director (MD), Goa Dairy.
In the past month, Goa had faced an acute shortage of milk due to a prolonged lean season of milk.
Normally, April to November is a lean season for milk production, while December to March is called flush season. Last year, the lean season continued up to December. It resulted in a shortage of about 6,000 litres of milk on an average per day.
Goa's milk consumption per day is 1.25 lakh litres. But, the dairy was able to procure only 70-75,000 litres per day during the lean season, stated Kulkarni. As the flush season began on Monday, the dairy has been getting a daily supply of 74,000 litres from Maharashtra and 51,000 litres from Goan dairy farmers.
Goa Dairy is the only dairy supplying milk in a large quantity in the state. The dairy strictly follows standards.
"If any adulteration is found, the dairy returns the entire tanker. As a result, the central organization did not find any adulteration in the milk produced in Goa," the managing director said.

JHC issues notice on adulterated milk supply

After the Delhi High Court issued notices to the Government of Delhi on the issue of adulterated milk supply in the National Capital Region, the Jharkhand High Court on Thursday took suo motu  action following reports of adulterated milk being supplied in the State.
The action came in the wake of the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) report on milk adulteration across the country.
Taking suo motu action a division bench of Chief Justice PC Tatia and Justice PP Bhatt issued notice to the chief secretary, principal secretary of Animal Husbandry department, secretary of Health department and the manager of Sudha Dairy. The Court has directed to convert the matter into a Public Interest Litigation.
The division bench observed that the adulterated milk being supplied in the State was very harmful for the health of the common man as it is being used for various purposes.
The Jharkhand Government has so far remained silent on the issue of the sale of adulterated milk in the State and is yet to take a serious note on the crucial matter of public health and hygiene.
A National survey of Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) found that all 25 samples collected from Jharkhand failed to meet the standards of milk. Adulterants include fat, solid not fat (SNF), neutralisers, acids, hydrogen peroxide, sugar, starch, glucose, urea, salt detergent and formalin, which prove to be fatal for health.
The State Government is still apathetic to the problem of open sale of adulterated milk in the State. Despite sudden increase in the sale of milk due to the advent of Makarsankrantri festival the Government is not taking any step to stop the sale of adulterated milk .
When asked about the adulteration of milk in the State, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Hemlal Murmu told The Pioneer, "There are no labs for conducting tests for purity of milk and food in the State and we are planning to set up labs to test food and milk for adulteration. Whoever is found guilty will be punished and severe action would be taken against that shopkeeper or milk supplier."
"This is a serious problem and measures are being taken to tackle it. Directions have been given to the officials to look into the matter," he said.
The national survey on milk adulteration in 2011 found almost 69 per cent samples failing the quality test and have found adulteration by water, skimmed milk powder, besides detergents.
The survey conducted by FSSAI to ascertain the quality of milk and find adulteration types, found that all the milk samples taken from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Daman and Diu, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal and Mizoram failed the quality test. Testing of milk samples from Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal also found presence of detergents.

Public views sought on food safety Act

The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) will soon be publishing all the standards stipulated in the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, for public knowledge, and suggestions can be forwarded to the Authority for consideration.

Eight scientific panels, one scientific committee and 120 scientists would process them, said Mr V. Gaur, Chief Executive Officer, FSSA, here recently.

Addressing an awareness meeting on ‘Food Safety and Standards Act', organised by the Madurai District Tiny and Small-Scale Industries Association (Maditssia), Mr Gaur said that the philosophy of the authority is to take stakeholders along. . Tracing the genesis of the Act, culminating ina single uniform Act for the country for the first time, he said that the journey has just started as the law is yet to be implemented and only the structural edifice is being built up. The training programme is on for officials in charge of implementation. . As suggestions are considered, changes would be effected but the course is a time-bound process and amendments to the law haveto be through Parliament, he added.

Earlier, Mr S.P. Jeyaprakasam, President, Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association and Mr K.R. Gnanasambandan, Vice-President, Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association, expressed their apprehensions about the law under implementation.

FSSAI - MILK PRESS RELEASE

FSSAI has published the results of a nation-wide surveillance survey of milk sold in the market both in packed and loose form, marketed by organised sector as well as un-organised sector.

1. At the national level, 68.4.% of the samples were not found to be conforming to the FSS Regulations. In this context, it is important to appreciate the difference between „non-conformance‟ and „unsafe food‟. Under the regulations, standards have been specified for 10 types of milk that include Buffalo milk, Cow milk, Goat or sheep milk, mixed milk, standardised milk, re-combined milk, toned milk, double-toned milk, skimmed milk and full cream milk. Out of these, the first 04 categories of milk are by definition “normal mammary secretion derived from complete milking of healthy milch animal without either addition thereto or extraction therefrom” unless otherwise provided in these Regulations as to conform to laid down standards. For milk of other categories, regulations permit standardisation of SNF and fat content by addition or removal of fat/SMP. (Skimmed Milk Powder).

2. In the survey, large numbers of samples have been found “non-conforming” for not meeting the percentage of SNF and fat implying thereby sub-standards quality of milk but not necessarily being unsafe for human consumption with proper precautions. Similar is the case for those samples that are purported to be milk (assumption being fresh milk) but found to be added with skimmed milk powder. These types of milk can pose hazards to the health if the water which has possibly been added is contaminated

3. Definition of „adulterant‟, „sub-standards food‟, „unsafe food‟, „mis-branded food‟ and „extraneous matter‟ as given in the FSS Act is annexed.

4. The detailed findings of the survey state wise has already been given in the report which is available on the website. It may be noted that 14% of the samples were found to be non-conforming because of the presence of traces of detergent. These samples were confined to Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal. This study indicates that there is a large scale practice of intentionally adding water to the milk and thereafter camouflaging it by addition of skimmed milk powder, glucose and fat. Such milk is considered as „sub-standard‟ and can pose health hazards depending upon the quality of water added by vendor. Any microbial contamination due to addition of contaminated water can, however, be overcome by thoroughly boiling the milk before consumption.

FSSAI Delhi

Now, food samples found adulterated after milk!

New Delhi: In a shocking revelation, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has found that around 13% of food stuff is contaminated across the country. The results of the study came a day after another survey found that milk, an important nutritional component, was found to be adulterated across almost all major cities.

As per the data released by the FSSAI, the high percentage of adulteration in food samples puts a question mark on the safety measures taken by the health ministry.

The testing showed adulteration rates as high as 40% in Chhattisgarh, 34% in Uttarakhand, 29% in Uttar Pradesh, 23% in Rajasthan and 20% in West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh. Besides, nearly 17% of the food samples tested in Bihar and Chandigarh, 16% in Nagaland, 15% in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, 14% in Haryana, 12% in Tamil Nadu and 10% in Maharashtra were found to be adulterated. Interestingly, adulteration rates in Delhi were low at 4%, while in Karnataka it was just 5%.

FSSAI examined over 1.17 lakh samples of food articles and tested them in 2010. The result was shocking that around 13% of the samples were found to be contaminated.

If we take a look at studies on food adulteration in the previous three years, the rates have shown a steady increase. In 2008, 94,000 samples were examined of which over 8,300 were found to be adulterated (8.79%). In 2009, 1.13 lakh samples were examined of which 11.14% were adulterated. In 2010, 1.17 lakh samples were examined of which over 14,000 samples (12.65%) were adulterated.

Future steps

Now that the reality behind what we eat has come out, the indirect poison that we intake unknowingly, has to be corrected with immediate steps. As part of this initiative, the health ministry has launched the National Food Science and Risk Assessment Centre (NFSRAC) during the 12th Five-Year Plan which will cost around Rs 155 crore.


NFSRAC will be the storehouse of all food standards and will carry out analysis of food surveillance data received from laboratories.

This observation is expected to generate data regarding food hazards and possible outbreaks of food borne diseases which will help establish public health priorities for prevention, intervention and control.

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Delhi High Court notice to government on milk contaminated issue

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the stands of the Union and City governments on a news report claiming that 70 percent of milk samples lifted from the national Capital were found to be contaminated.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought the two governments' stands after taking suo motu cognisance of the news report published in a national daily on January 10.

The bench issued notices to the Delhi government's Department of Prevention of Food Adulteration and the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and sought their replies by January 25.

According to FSSAI, 70 percent of the milk samples, lifted for testing in the national capital, were found to be contaminated with glucose and skimmed milk powder.

The report further claimed that almost 69 percent of the samples tested by the government agency across the country were found to be adulterated with detergent, fat and even urea, besides water.

According to the report, the samples taken for testing by FSSAI from urban areas included both packed as well as loose milk.

Around 13% of food samples found contaminated nationwide

NEW DELHI: After milk, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has found contamination to be quite common among food items across the country.

A comparative analysis has shown adulteration rates as high as 40% in Chhattisgarh, 34% in Uttarakhand, 29% in Uttar Pradesh, 23% in Rajasthan and 20% in West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh. Besides, nearly 17% of the food samples tested in Bihar and Chandigarh, 16% in Nagaland, 15% in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, 14% in Haryana, 12% in Tamil Nadu and 10% in Maharashtra were adulterated.

In 2010, FSSAI picked up over 1.17 lakh samples of food articles and tested them. Around 13% of the samples overall were found to be adulterated. Interestingly, adulteration rates in Delhi was low - 4% while in Karnataka it was just 5%.

A comparative analysis of food adulteration rates over the last three years has shown a steady increase. In 2008, 94,000 samples were examined of which over 8,300 were found to be adulterated (8.79%). In 2009, 1.13 lakh samples were examined of which 11.14% were adulterated. In 2010, 1.17 lakh samples were examined of which over 14,000 samples (12.65%) were adulterated.

This has now made the health ministry's working group propose setting up a National Food Science and Risk Assessment Centre (NFSRAC) during the 12th Five-Year Plan. To cost around Rs 155 crore, the centre has been envisaged on the lines of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Centre for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in the US.

NFSRAC will be the repository of all food standards and will carry out all risk assessment-related work and analyse food surveillance data received from labs.

"It is proposed to set up a dedicated institution under the direct control of FSSAI for regulatory research and risk assessment. The institute will also carry out a food safety risk analysis training programmes and will become functional within one year of sanction of the project," the working group report said.

The group has also proposed upgradation of Central Food Laboratories (CFL) at a cost of Rs 40 crore. The group said in its latest report to the health ministry, "It is proposed to upgrade and develop the existing Central Food Laboratories at Kolkata and Mumbai as control laboratories for development of testing methods and standardise practices."

The group has called for a nationwide food safety surveillance network and data collection on regular basis at the cost of Rs 50 crore. "It is proposed to carry out periodic surveys for surveillance purposes with built in mechanism for emergency warning and linked with rapid action machinery. This will publish annual state of food safety reports," the report said.

This surveillance is expected to generate data regarding food hazards and possible outbreaks of food borne diseases which will help establish public health priorities for prevention, intervention and control.

The group has also asked for Rs 525 crore for strengthening FSSAI including expanding its scientific wing, imported food testing/screening and additional regional offices. There are plans to also upgrade existing 62 public food labs to accredited standards for comprehensive testing facilities as zonal labs -- one laboratory for every 10 districts costing Rs 5 crore a lab.

"A network of efficient laboratories is the backbone of any credible food safety initiative. Most existing laboratories lack facilities for testing of microbiological parameters, heavy metals and residues. Further, adequate number of food testing laboratories is essential for effective enforcement with greater rate of conviction of violators, citizen empowerment and voluntary testing by food establishments to comply with the law. The hierarchy of laboratories proposed is: Cluster Food Testing Laboratories (1 in 5 districts) doing basic tests, Zonal Food Laboratories (1 in 10 districts) performing all tests including residues and heavy metals, 10 Referral Laboratories and two control labs under FSSAI," the report said.

In addition, the committee has also suggested putting in place mobile laboratory facilities to cater to festivals, natural calamities and inaccessible areas.

"It is proposed to allot Rs7.5 crore to each state for setting up mobile food laboratories. These will carry out screening and analysis of samples to provide rapid results, provide additional sampling and testing capacity and also reduce time period between sample collection, analysis and reporting. Such mobile laboratories will be highly useful during festivals and large public gatherings," the report added.

Health standards for jalebees, samosas and burgers coming

The government cannot ban junk food but will soon prescribe health standards for ingredients of samosas, jalebees, pakoras, burgers and pizzas considered bad for your heart. The Health Ministry has informed the Delhi high court that the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India will come out with standards for trans-fatty acid for food items sold off the shelf. Most of the junk foods have high quantity of trans-fatty acids and is low in minerals, vitamins and other essential food nutrients. And, said to be a major reason for obesity among children in schools in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai. 
The ministry told the court that the authority has constituted a scientific panel to prescribe standards for fatty acid residues, poisonous metals and microbiological parameters in food items including those considered junk food. 
Once the new standards are prescribed, the ministry has said that its enforcement will be responsibility of the respective state governments. Such (state government) authorities are required to collect samples of food and take action on the findings of the tests reports based on safety parameters and standards prescribed by the authority, the ministry reply to the court said.
The food safety law provides the power to the state governments to impose a fine on those selling sub-standard food not adhering to the standards. Despite that action against adulterated or sub-standard has not been of desirable levels.  
On the bigger question raised in the Public Interest Litigation of Rahul Verma regarding imposing a ban on junk food in schools and educational institutions, the ministry said it was an administrative decision to be taken by respective educational institutions. “The ban cannot be imposed under the food safety and standard act of 2006,” the ministry said.
The HRD ministry has already instructed Navodaya Vidalayas to provide healthy food to its residential students. The Navodaya Vidalaya committee has prescribed a daily menu for the hostels. Another school wing in the ministry, Kendriya Vidalaya Sangthan has issued circulars regarding ill-effect of junk food and highlighted the problems of obesity linked with it.
The Health Ministry also informed the court that the authority was preparing guidelines on making quality and safe food available in school canteens.

Delhi High court takes note of milk adulteration reports

NEW DELHI,(GGS NEWS) 11 Jan 2012 :- News of 70% milk samples from the city failing quality tests also rocked Delhi Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday. The BJP-led Opposition demanded an explanation from the government soon after the House assembled for business on the second day of the winter session. Speaker Yoganand Shastri asked health minister AK Walia to investigate and crackdown on adulterators.

Making a statement to quell the panic, the minister said milk sold in Delhi was safe and the samples had failed the quality survey as the packaging did not state that skimmed milk powder had been added. Walia said harmful substances such as detergents and urea were not found in the Delhi samples.

The minister has called a meeting between cooperatives like Mother Dairy and Delhi Milk Scheme, and senior officials from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India – the organization that carried out the national survey – to discuss packaging standards, on Wednesday. “We will go into the depth of the matter to prevent any kind of violation,” Walia said, adding that sampling by government agencies will be intensified. Further, the government’s laboratory will be modernized for quicker testing.

Quoting the FSSAI study, the health minister told the House that 71 samples from Delhi were analysed, of which 50 were found fit “though non-conforming to standards due to the fact that the labels on pouches had no declaration in respect of presence of skimmed milk powder”.
“As per the report, none of the samples was found containing any harmful adulterant like neutralizers, hydrogen peroxide, sugar, starch, glucose, urea, salt, detergent, formalin and vegetable fat,” a statement issued by the state government later in the day emphasised.

Walia said the government was taking all necessary steps to check adulteration in milk. “Samples of milk are regularly taken and analysed for all possible adulterants. In the last three years, 458 samples were analyzed, of which 70 were found adulterated or sub-standard because of deficiency of fat and solids-not-fat. But none of the samples was found containing any harmful adulterant,” he said.

As per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, double toned, toned, standardized and full cream milk cannot be standardized for fat and solids by mixing skimmed milk powder.

Amul Welcomes FSSAI's Survey on Milk Adulteration

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the owner of Amul brand, today welcomed the nation-wide survey on milk adulteration by FSSAI, but opposed the findings on skimmed milk powder (SMP).

"It's good for the industry because rampant adulteration in milk shall get reduced with such surveys," GCMMF Managing Director R S Sodhi told PTI.

However, GCMMF is opposed to the findings on SMP. It's of the view that unless quality of the reconstituent milk made from SMP is not of specified standards, it cannot termed as adulterated.

"We don't sell powdered milk. The reconstituent milk made out of powder (SMP) cannot be called adulterated as long as it meets the specified standards," he said.

"There is little chance of mixing powder (SMP) with the loose milk," Sodhi said.

According to the survey conducted by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), "the second highest parameter of non-conformity was the SMP in 548 samples (44.69 per cent) which includes presence of glucose in 477 samples....The presence of SMP indicates reconstitution of milk powder".

As per the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, double toned, toned, standardised and full cream milk cannot be standardised for fat and solids by mixing SMP.

"During winters, the milk supply is 50 per cent in excess. So it is scientifically and hygienically converted into SMP by evaporating the water, with a view to conserve it," Sodhi said.

"The powder is made to conserve the milk in winters. It is sold later to meet the demand in summers, when supply is short. In some parts of the country people prefer to reconstitute powder into milk for consumption," he said.

The four-tier quality control check mechanism adopted at GCMMF ensures that quality milk is supplied to consumers, Sodhi said.

The National Survey on Milk Adulteration, 2011 was conducted by the regional offices of FSSAI in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, and Kolkata. A total of 1,791 samples were collected from 33 states.

The survey found that of the 1,791, only 565 -- 31.5 per cent -- samples conformed to FSSAI standards.

CENTRAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF FSSAI

URGENT Email /SPEED POST

No. Dir (F&VP)/43/CAC/FSSAI/09 – Vol - II Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India 3rd & 4th Floor, FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road,
New Delhi-110002

Dated: 2nd January, 2012

MEETING NOTICE

Subject: Sixth Meeting of Central Advisory Committee of FSSAI on 18th January, 2012 (Wednesday) – reg.

The undersigned is directed to refer the subject cited above and to say that sixth meeting of the Central Advisory Committee (CAC) is scheduled to be held on 18th January, 2012 (Wednesday) under the chairmanship of Shri V.N.Gaur, Chief Executive Officer, FSSAI and Additional Secretary to Government of India. Agenda for the meeting is enclosed herewith. Detailed programme schedule and venue for the meeting will be communicated separately. You are requested to kindly make it convenient to attend the meeting. A line in confirmation to your availability for the meeting to the undersigned or Dr. S. S. Ghonkrokta, Director (Enforcement) (Telefax: 011- 23220994, Email: sghonkrokta@fssai.gov.in) will be highly appreciated.

Sd/- (Dr. D.S. Yadav) Deputy Director (Tech.) Tele: 011-23231681 Fax: 011-23220994 E-mail: dsyadav@fssai.gov.in

To: As per list attached

Troubled by FSSA licensing procedure hurdles, FBOs seek early redressal

The new Food Safety and Standards Act has come into effect on August 5, 2011, but the concerns of the food business operators about the new licensing system have not yet been addressed.

An unwieldy set of documents and untamed inspector-raj are just some of the concerns hounding the FBOs as the time for migrating to or obtaining the new licences is less and areas needing clarifications are aplenty.

Nevertheless, bodies like the Indian Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR) seem to have managed to successfully put their point across to the authorities.

During a candid chat via e-mail, Vasant Karkal of AHAR enumerated the challenges faced by hoteliers while migrating to the provision of the new Act and a host of other topics.

“First, the number of documents hoteliers have to submit to the licensing authorities while migrating from the old Maharashtra Prevention of Food Adulteration (MPFA) to the new FSSA licenses are nearly 18. That includes the water test certificate despite the fact that the municipal corporation supplies the water,” said Karkal.

Every hotelier has to give an undertaking in writing that he will abide by the new law (which is rather stringent), in spite of not having sufficient time to understand it, according to Karkal.

Further, a hotelier has to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the municipal corporation of the city in the event of loss of the MPFA, however, the BMC is not issuing any such certificate. "If the MPFA licence is lost, an undertaking has to be written on a sheet of stamp paper indicating the same," he explained.

“The complicated procedure does not end here. In fact, it is worse as the FDA officers are not accepting change of name of an establishment, though the same has been accepted by bodies like the BMC under other regulations like the Shops and Establishment Act, also the additional health licence being sought under the new FSSA and not to mention pay the annual fee of Rs 2,000,” he added.

Hence, "The Association has requested the FDA authorities to simplify the documents and convert the existing MPFA licence to the FSSAI licence by accepting the available documents, which they have acceded only for AHAR members," said Karkal.

However, the hoteliers are wary about the implementation of the new FSSAI, and with good reason. "We are worried because of the misuse of the power by the FDA officials like charging heavy penalty, charging without knowing the ground realities of the hoteliers and hotel premises of Mumbai, complaints and extortion by the NGOs and anti-social elements,” Karkal said.

“Requirements like plan copies, water test certificates of municipal water, changes in the names on the licences without valid reason, etc. will not be accepted,” he added. Although he did not comment on how the authorities reacted to the suggestions the body put forth, he spoke briefly about the suggestions.

“We had requested the authorities to be lenient in the beginning, as it would take us a while to fully understand the Act,” he said, adding that the body had suggested a couple of things. “First, we asked them to consider the option of a dual authority or dual licence, and second, we asked them not charge hotels heavy fines, as this would encourage social workers and the likes, who could resort to blackmail.”

Fungus’ on PSI’s sweets gives city shop headache!

Ahmedabad: On the day when Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) declared that 89% of milk distributed in Gujarat is below standard, a reputed sweet shop in Ahmedabad was caught selling sweets having fungus.
J K Dangar, a sub-inspector at Gujarat University police station, was allegedly sold one kg of stale sweets by Rasranjan sweet shop near Vijay crossroads. When he went back to the police station to distribute it among colleagues, they detected fungus on top of the sweets.
"I wanted to celebrate the birth of my child today. So I went to Rasranjan and purchased one kg of white pedha worth Rs314. When I offered these to my colleagues, they complained about fungus on the same," said Dangar on Tuesday.
Dangar went back to the shop along with two of his colleagues and asked for an explanation. According to him, the person at the counter denied the fact that the sweets are stale. "He didn't give a satisfactory answer, and was not ready to give me refund as well," said Dangar. Unhappy with the answer, Dangar revealed his identity of PSI, and vented his anger. "I was very upset with the answer and took back the packet," said Dangar, who immediately called VD Patel, an AMC health inspector.
After primary investigation, Patel did find some fungus on the sweets. He asked his men to seal the samples and sent them to the laboratory for further analysis. "We have learned that they make sweets at their Naroda-based facility. We will collect samples from there as well," said Patel. However, Rasranjan authorities denied reports of fungus. "Since we put sweets inside glass counter having light bulb, some do get such fungus-like shape on the top, otherwise sweets are fine," said the shop manager.
When asked about the action to be taken, Dr Suhas Kulkarni, medical health officer of AMC said, "The adulterated food was immediately destroyed by health officials and samples available at the shop have been collected for testing. Notice has been served to the shop and further action will be taken depending upon the test reports." He further said that if results find food to be sub-standard or unsafe for human consumption, then a case will be lodged in the court. "Also, penalty will be charged and the amount of penalty can go up to lakhs of rupees depending on the level of sub-standard food for sale in the shop," he added.

Most milk in India contaminated or diluted

(Reuters) - Indians may think twice before gulping down a glass of milk after the country's food safety regulator found most samples collected in a survey were either diluted or adulterated with products including fertilizer, bleach and detergent.
The study, conducted this month by the food safety and standards authority of India, found milk was adulterated with skimmed milk powder and glucose, or more shockingly hydrogen peroxide, urea and detergent.
Hydrogen peroxide is used in bleach, while urea is commonly used in fertilizer.
"Consumption of milk with detergent may cause health hazards and indicates lack of hygiene and sanitation in the milk handling," the regulator said in a report.
"Addition of water not only reduces the nutritional value of milk but contaminated water may also pose health risks."
A health ministry official declined to comment on the report.
India has long struggled with adulteration of food and milk by unscrupulous traders. Almost 70 percent of the 1,791 samples taken nationwide were contaminated or watered down, according to the report.
Out of 33 Indian states, non-fat adulterants were found in all the milk samples from West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand. This adds to concern about West Bengal's faltering health and safety standards. In December, an adulterated batch of bootleg liquor killed at least 125 drinkers in the eastern state.
The deaths came a few days after a hospital fire killed 93 people in the state's capital Kolkata.
New Delhi fared worse than most states, with as many as 70 percent of the samples tainted. The western state of Goa and eastern state of Puducherry conformed to the standards, with no indication of adulteration in their milk

Branded milk is safe, claim companies

NEW DELHI: While TOI's report about milk adulteration became a hot topic of discussion on Tuesday, major brands were at pains to clarify that the milk they supply is rigorously tested and completely safe. However, consumers, especially parents of young children, remained sceptical and said the report had put a question mark on an important nutritional component.

"I buy only branded milk and we need to know whether it is safe. My two sons, aged seven and three, drink milk twice a day. If they skip a meal, milk also fills the gap. But now I am not sure whether giving them milk is a good idea. How will I fulfil their protein requirements?" said Aditi Sharma, a homemaker.

TOI's report had cited Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that found 70% of the milk sampled in Delhi adulterated. Glucose and skimmed milk powder were reported as the main adulterants.

Throughout Tuesday, important dairy brands tried to dispel consumers' doubts. Amul, which has a very large market share in Delhi, claimed it tests milk at four stages from procurement to distribution.

"It's not clear from the study whether the samples were taken from branded or unbranded milk," said RS Sodhi, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation that sells under the Amul name. He said milk is tested before procurement from farmers, on delivery at the factory, after processing and, lastly, before dispatch. "There is a reference to skimmed milk, too, but it is nothing but milk solids minus the water and moisture," added Sodhi.

Nestle India general manager Nowuram Kumaran said, "The quality of milk available in India is inconsistent and most of us cannot tell the difference. The reasons why milk could be adulterated vary and therefore we track milk across the supply chain".

While Mother Dairy and Britannia did not comment on the controversy, Devendra Shah, chairman of Gowardhan India, blamed middle men in the unorganized sector. "The report is absolutely true for milk available loose. Norms for checking milk quality are not stringent, which causes extensive addition of detergent and water."

Acknowledging rampant adulteration in loose milk, a family dairy owner, Jagdish Chandra, said, "I sell milk for Rs 42 a litre but retailers who buy from me sell it for Rs 32. They clearly dilute it with water. But I doubt they use detergent or urea". Chandra's dairy in Vasant Kunj supplies to households in Green Park, Safdarjung Enclave and nearby areas.

Shopkeepers who sell loose milk, paneer and khoya said demand for packaged milk had increased after adulteration rackets were unearthed in the last few years. "A few years ago, adulterators were caught mixing urea in milk at Humayunpur. People rarely buy loose milk these days," said Rajesh, a worker at a kirana and dairy store.

The change in buying pattern among educated people is understandable as the risks of drinking adulterated milk range from an upset stomach to cancer. Babies or children regularly given adulterated milk can develop a variety of health conditions. Paediatrician Dr Shekhar Vashisht told TOI an infant weaned on cattle milk may remain malnourished if the milk is diluted with water.

"Milk adulterated with urea will lead to vomiting, nausea and loose motions; detergents, vegetable fat and caustic soda can even lead to cancer in the long run. It can cause liver damage, heart problems and damage of the mucous membrane of the food pipe," said Vashisht.

On a reassuring note, companies claimed adulteration is not very common in winter as milk is available in plenty. "In winter, procurement of milk is very good, so chances of adulteration are reduced," said Sodhi. His company, GCMMF, procured 19% more milk in 2011.

Hygiene for kitchens: Canteen staff at St Xavier’s vow to implement food safety rules

Canteen and mess hygiene has turned out to be the most talked about issue last year after The Food Safety & Standards Rules, 2011 was introduced from August 6, 2011. The move drove city campuses to start practising food safety and hygiene norms.

Following this trend, St Xavier’s college recently organised a training session for its 39 canteen staff.
A professor told DNA, “The responsibility to ensure food safety now falls on the entire food supply chain — production, processing, distribution and marketing, and not just the food inspector who nabs the food vendor. As this becomes mandatory for college canteens, we organised a training programme on December 21 for the whole canteen staff.”
Asha Shridhar, head, food safety, at TUV India was invited as guest lecturer. She provided tips in both Hindi and English. One of the SYBSc students also presented a lecture titled “How safe is our food”.
The staff was told about the physical, chemical and biological hazards commonly present in unsafe foods, the common source of contamination and hygienic practices. Some of the canteen staff said that they were following many of these measures but agreed that now they would implement these safety standards immediately.
The staff were also told about HACCP (hazard analysis critical control points) principles which were conceived five decades ago when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States asked a company to prepare safe food for astronauts. Since then, HACCP has been recognised internationally as a scientific food safety system.
Dr Frazer Mascarenhas, principal, St Xavier’s College, said, “We are committed to using science to ensure food safety on campus and creating a culture of cleanliness.”

Health Min, DMS to meet over milk adulteration

 

 

New Delhi: Alarmed by the shocking revelation that around 70% milk supplied across the country is adulterated, the Health Ministry has called for an urgent meeting over the issue. Officials from the Health Ministry, Delhi Milk Scheme (DMS) and milk producer Mother Dairy will participate in the meeting scheduled tomorrow (January 11).

Earlier, a test conducted by a government agency revealed that nearly 70% of the milk supplied in the national capital Delhi and across the country is adulterated.

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) randomly carried out tests in 33 states and Union Territories only to discover that milk is being spiked with detergents, fat and even urea besides the traditional dilution with water.

Out of 71 samples lifted from Delhi, 50 carried contaminants varying from glucose to skimmed milk powder which is generally added to milk to enhance volume. Across the country 68.4% samples were found to be contaminated.

Pune and Goa made into the list as the exceptions with 100 % samples conforming to the required standards. On the opposite poles were West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Mizoram where not a single sample met the norms.

Fssai Building healthy India with safe food

Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 has established Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under administrative control of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. It is a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command. FSSAI has been established for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate theirmanufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

 

எது சிறந்த சமையல் எண்ணெய்?

          இன்று ஷாப்பிங் என்பதே ஒரு கலாசாரமாக மாறிவிட்டது. ஆயிரக்கணக்கில் பணம் செலவழித்து பல பொருட்களை வாங்குகிறோம். ஆனால், செலவழித்த காசுக்கு அந்த பொருட்கள் தரமானதா எனில் கேள்விக்குறிதான்!  

இதற்கொரு தீர்வாக, கான்சர்ட் என்கிற அமைப்பு மக்கள் அதிகம் வாங்கி பயன்படுத்தும் பொருட்களின் தரத்தை அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்ட, தரமான லேப்களில் சோதித்து, விழிப்புணர்வை ஏற்படுத்த முடிவு செய்தது.

ஏழு முக்கிய பொருட்களையும் மூன்று முக்கிய சேவைகளின் தரத்தையும் அக்குவேறு ஆணிவேறாக அலசி ஆராய்ந்து கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்ட அந்த முடிவுகள் அடுத்தடுத்து வரும் நாணயம் விகடனில் வெளியாகும். இந்த ஆய்வில் முதல் ரிப்போர்ட், மக்கள் அதிகம் பயன்படுத்தும் சமையல் எண்ணெய் பற்றியது. தென் இந்தியாவில் விற்பனையாகும் பெரிய நிறுவனங்களின் சமையல் எண்ணெய் பிராண்டுகள் தேர்வுக்கு எடுத்துக் கொள்ளப்பட்டன.

அந்த முடிவுகளை தெரிந்துகொள்ளும் முன், ஒரு பொருளை மக்கள் எப்படி தேர்வு செய்கிறார்கள் என்பதை அறிய ஒரு சிறிய சர்வே நடத்தப்பட்டது. அந்த சர்வேயின்படி, பொருட்களை வாங்குகிறவர்கள் விளம்பரத்தைப் பார்த்தும், டாக்டர் சொன்னதாலும் வாங்கியதாக சொன்னார்கள். இன்னும் சிலர் விலையைப் பார்த்தும், இலவசப் பொருட்களுக்காக வாங்கியதாகவும் சொன்னார்கள். தரத்தைப் பார்த்து யாரும் பொருளை வாங்குவதாக சொல்லவில்லை.  

இனி ரிப்போர்ட்டுக்குள் செல்வோம். கீழே இருக்கும் அளவுகோல்களின் அடிப்படையில் சமையல் எண்ணெய்களை சோதனை செய்தோம்.

1. பேக்கேஜிங் (லேபிளுடன்) 2. ஆரோக்கிய மானதா? 3. தரமானதா? 4. விலை? 5. நிறம், மணம், பார்வை எப்படி இருக்கிறது போன்ற அளவு கோல்களை வைத்து சோதனை செய்யப்பட்டது. அதன் முடிவுகள் இதோ!

* பி.எஃப்.ஏ. விதிமுறைகள் 1955 மற்றும் எஃப்.எஸ். அண்ட் எஸ் விதிமுறைகள் 2011- விதிமுறைபடி, எண்ணெய்யின் லேபிளில் Free From argemone oil என்ற எச்சரிக்கை வாசகத்தைக் கட்டாயம் எழுதி இருக்க வேண்டும்.

அதாவது, இந்த எண்ணெய்யில் நச்சுப் பொருட்கள் அல்லது சாப்பிடக்கூடாத எண்ணெய் எதுவும் இல்லை என்ற உத்தரவாதம் அந்த லேபிளில் இருக்க வேண்டும்.

ஆனால், பின்வரும் சில நிறுவனங்கள் தயாரிக்கும் எண்ணெய் பாக்கெட்டுகளில் இது மாதிரியான எச்சரிக்கை வாக்கியங்கள் எதுவும் இல்லை.

எஃப்.எஸ்.எஸ்.ஏ. விதிமுறைகள் 2011-படி எண்ணெய்யில் இருக்கும் சத்துகளை (Nutritional Information) லேபிளில் குறிப்பிட வேண்டும். ஆனால், காதி கிராமத்யோக், நந்தினி, இதயம் உள்ளிட்ட சில எண்ணெய்களில் இந்த தகவல்கள் இல்லை.  

பொருளின் பெயர், உற்பத்தியாளர் பெயர், அவரது முகவரி, பேட்ச் கோட் எண், உற்பத்தி செய்த தேதி, எவ்வளவு நாள் பயன்படுத்தலாம் என்ற தகவல், சத்துப்பொருட்களை பற்றிய தகவல், வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் புகார் செய்வதற்கான எண்கள் மற்றும் நச்சு பொருட்கள் இல்லை என்பது போன்ற தகவல்கள் கட்டாயம் அதன் லேபிளிலில் இருக்க வேண்டும்.

எனினும், இதை சரிபார்த்து வாங்குவது வாடிக்கையாளரின் கடமையே!

Technical errors delay online licensing, registration process for new FBOs

The procedure for application of local license/registration for starting or renewing a food business operation in Mumbai and Thane was supposed to go online on Saturday. However, due to technical difficulties with the software it has been postponed to the next week.

This was informed by Suresh Annapure, assistant commissioner, food, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Thane division.

“Food and drugs commissioner Mahesh Zagade would be inaugurating the software,” Annapure informed.

Currently, the provision for making an online application is only present for central licenses, and Maharashtra will be the first state to have local licenses and registration procedure placed online.

However, there are a number of technical errors, which have to be corrected before that. One, HSAN (Harmonisation system number) codes adapted from international standards used for classification of commodities is not applicable for Indian food items.

“It is very difficult to classify traditional Indian products using this code, for example products like dosa mix, frozen wada, and frozen idli have not been allotted any category. So we have to skip that and go to the next question, else software throws a problem,” said M M Chitale, FBO consulting and technical services, who has currently applied for around 25 licenses on behalf of the food business operators. He said that the categorisation codes should be adapted to the Indian food market.

Further, Chitale mentioned that even the transporters need to obtain a license or get themselves registered. “We hardly have any dedicated transport for the food businesses except for commodities like milk and oil. The rest of the products are transported by the food business operators as per convenience. So, sometimes a lorry carrying cement is also used for transporting food, so who is responsible for quality then,” he asked.

“Also, will the transporter travelling from one state to another need two different licenses,” Chitale asked, further.

There are several other problems that licensing authorities and FBOs are facing related to licenses, albeit the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has sent an advisory to the state enforcement wings to stop imposing penalty in the case of delay of application for renewal of licenses. This relaxation on penalty will be applicable till August 5, 2012.

Prior to the new food law, any delay in making an application for renewal was treated with a penalty of Rs 100 per day.

“Meanwhile, what is the action that licensing authorities should take if the renewal date expires? Since there is no penalty, should we consider the license cancelled or let go the delay and renew the licenses,” asked Annapure.

“We have asked the FSSAI for a guideline which is expected next week,” Annapure said. Chitale suggested that an NOC (No Objection Certificate) can be issued in the interim period to allow food business operators function normally.

The industry opines that the Authority has started the enforcement work in haste without proper homework done. “There is absolutely no awareness about the licensing procedure of the Food Safety and Standards Act among the FBOs particularly in the rural areas. A massive awareness campaign with inclusion of students and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) can help,” Chitale suggested.

“Interestingly, Maharashtra has collected around Rs 35 crore up till now as licensing fee paid by the FBO from the time the new food law has come into force. The target is Rs 510 crore. Is there a way to divert these funds to create awareness? The authority can easily reach the FBO and even help him fill the requisite form by going to the location of his business. The collected revenue can be utilised this way,” said another source.

FSSAI ADVERTISEMENT IN DINAMANI

Hunt on for a new chairperson

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is likely to get a new chairperson soon. Sources in the health ministry disclosed that among the dozen contenders in the fray, the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) is all set to approve the name of former health secretary K. Chandramouli for the post.
Those considered for the post included K. Sujatha Rao, former health secretary and Dr R.K. Srivastava, former Director General of Health Secrvices (DGHS).
Chandramouli is a Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer of 1975 batch. He retired this October as Union health secretary. Prior to this, he worked as secretary, National AIDS control Organisation (NACO).

India drinks milk & detergent!

It is official now. Indians are consuming adulterated milk containing detergent which not only has a very less nutritious value but is also health hazardous, a recent Government survey has revealed.
In its first-ever national survey on milk adulteration 2011, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found that of the total 1,791 samples tested throughout the country, at least over 68 per cent i.e. 1,226 samples were either diluted with water or mixed with harmful detergent.
Adulteration was widely prevalent - in rural as well as urban areas - in packed and loose milk both, samples of which were tested in the Government's laboratories.
The situation was worst in States like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Daman and Diu, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Mizoram where all the samples collected were found to be contaminated or not conforming to the standards.
Except Goa and Puducherry, where all the samples picked conformed to the standards, all other States including Delhi failed to meet the standards for milk.
For instance, in Manipur 96 per cent samples were not conforming the standards, in Meghalaya it was 96 per cent, followed by Tripura (92 per cent), Gujarat (89%), Sikkim (89%), Uttrakhand (88%), Uttar Pradesh (88%), Nagaland (86%), Jammu & Kashmir (83%), Punjab (81%).
In Rajasthan it was 76% followed by Delhi (70%), Haryana (70%), Arunachal Pradesh (68%), Maharashtra (65%), Himachal (59%), Chandigarh (48%) among others.
The deviations were found highest for fat (%) and SNF (%) in 574 samples (46.8%) of the total non -conformity. Skim Milk Powder (SMP) was found in 548 samples (44.69%) which included presence of glucose in 477 samples.
"The snap shot survey was conducted with an aim to identify the common adulterants in milk in rural and urban areas in different states besides finding out the non-conforming samples in loose and packed milk throughout the country," said a senior official from the FSSAI.
He explained that reagents like salt and glucose are added to alter the thickness and viscosity. Adding starch prevents curdling of milk. Salt and detergents are added to adjust the lactometre reading to add thickness to the milk.
The survey has only proved how authorities concerned have failed to check this blatant violation of the standards for milk which is otherwise meant for strengthening bones, cardiovascular improvements and oral health.