Jun 21, 2012
How hygienic is the TASMAC bar in your neighbourhood? - THE HINDU
The Hindu TASMAC runs 305 liquor retail outlets and has let on contract 278 bars in the district. File photo: A. Muralitharan
Food safety authority to make sure the premises are healthy and user-friendly
Cheers! There’s good news for tipplers from the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department.
The department has planned to ask owners of bars attached to the State-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) to clean the premises so that they are healthy and user-friendly.
According to R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Coimbatore, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the office will soon write to the authority concerned in TASMAC in Coimbatore in this regard.
The FSSAI’s clean-up operation is likely to begin soon after the TASMAC authorities float tenders and issue orders to contractors to run bars for the next licence period of one year. This is likely to happen in the next couple of months.
“The FSSAI is working in association with the TASMAC to ensure that the contractors abide by the hygiene norms just as they confirm to the contract conditions,” he says.
TASMAC runs 305 liquor retail outlets and has let on contract 278 bars in the district.
Registration
The bars are bound to come under the purview of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India as per the new Food Safety and Standards Regulation, 2011. Establishments that deal with food will have to register with the FSSAI if their annual turnover is less than Rs. 12 lakh, or obtain a licence if their turnover is above Rs. 12 lakh.
Dr. Kathiravan says that as per the Regulation the bars should have floors and walls that are easily washable, adequate ventilation and lighting, sufficient space for free movement, separate smoking area, spittoons, washbasins and toilets, pest control measures, safe storage space for raw materials and disinfected floors.
Further, the bars should serve food (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) that is free of colouring agents, provision for proper disposal of solid and liquid wastes, provide disposable plates and tumblers, supply safe drinking water, which if packed should bear ISI label, store prepared food in covered containers and serve packed foods that follow labelling rules as per FSSAI standards, Dr. Kathiravan said.
Regulation
The move by FSSAI to regulate bars are part of its strategy to bring into its fold government-run establishments that deal with food and these include fair price shops run by both the Cooperative and Civil Supplies Departments.
Dr. Kathiravan says that the FSSAI has also written to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to register temples that provide annadhanam.
‘Ban surrogate advertisements of tobacco products’
An anti-tobacco organisation has approached the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to ban advertisements promoting tobacco products. It alleged that tobacco products are being promoted indirectly in the country.
“In the name of advertising for pan masala, tobacco companies promote products like gutkha,” said Amit Yadav, manager (legal cell) of Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth.“If you look at the advertisements, you will find images of gutkha packet instead of pan masala. In fact, the pack of gutkha will be identical to the one advertised, while a pan masala pack will look different,” said Yadav in a letter to the authority.
The letter, addressed to the standards authority chairperson K Chandramouli, stated that the tobacco industry has been using indirect and surrogate means, such as sponsoring TV shows, cricket tournaments and award functions, to promote tobacco products through identical brand extensions.
“The use of identical or similar brand names creates confusion and incites consumers, particularly youth, to experiment with such products,” Yadav wrote.
The authority had passed a regulation banning sale of tobacco products a few months ago.
“Kerala and Maharashtra have banned tobacco products after a regulation,” said Yadav.
Yadav’s organisation has written to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, asking it to remove all indirect or surrogate advertisements of tobacco products from Metro stations and feeder bus service.
The DMRC responded that this issue should not be seen in isolation since such ads are found everywhere.
This prompted the organisation to approached the authority to ban advertisement of pan masala products as well. “We are planning to write to state governments to follow the examples of Kerala and Maharashtra,” said Yadav.
FSSA, 2006: FAFAI finds Aug 5 deadline too short for proper implementation
Although the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) set an August 5, 2012, deadline for getting the existing licences converted, it might not be long enough to convincingly answer all the petty food vendors' objections to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and certain regulations of the same Act, which came into effect last year.
This was the opinion of Ravi Mehra, chairman, flavours sub-committee, Fragrances and Flavours Association of India (FAFAI).
"Retail associations in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, have filed a number of petitions in the Madras High Court, and got all of them stayed. That is because the 2011 rules are not in consonance with the Act, and anything that is outside the purview of the Act is invalid," Mehra said, adding that different segments of the industry had their own scientific committees and the panels were not represented enough by the small, unorganised food business operators (FBOs), the section of the industry it was most likely to affect.
"There is no scientific basis for the implementation of the Act, its rules and regulations. Moreover, we are afraid of implementing it - that is where the problem lies. The regulatory approach is wrong, and from the stakeholders' point of view, it would not be incorrect to say that it isn't awareness or education, but sensitisation which is an absolute must. The law is draconian, and could promote more corruption than there is now," he said.
"Since the multinational players will obviously follow the rules prevalent overseas, the smaller stakeholders need to be taken into confidence. Only then can the Act be implemented," Mehra said.
This was the opinion of Ravi Mehra, chairman, flavours sub-committee, Fragrances and Flavours Association of India (FAFAI).
"Retail associations in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, have filed a number of petitions in the Madras High Court, and got all of them stayed. That is because the 2011 rules are not in consonance with the Act, and anything that is outside the purview of the Act is invalid," Mehra said, adding that different segments of the industry had their own scientific committees and the panels were not represented enough by the small, unorganised food business operators (FBOs), the section of the industry it was most likely to affect.
"There is no scientific basis for the implementation of the Act, its rules and regulations. Moreover, we are afraid of implementing it - that is where the problem lies. The regulatory approach is wrong, and from the stakeholders' point of view, it would not be incorrect to say that it isn't awareness or education, but sensitisation which is an absolute must. The law is draconian, and could promote more corruption than there is now," he said.
"Since the multinational players will obviously follow the rules prevalent overseas, the smaller stakeholders need to be taken into confidence. Only then can the Act be implemented," Mehra said.
Tamil Nadu Governor's call to BIS
Chennai, Jun 20 : With the mushrooming of food stalls and small food businesses, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) should be more vigilant to ensure food safety norms were adhered to strictly, Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah said today.
Inaugurating a National Seminar on 'Food Safety : Role of Standards,' organised by the BIS here, he commended the role of BIS in ensuring food hygiene, good manufacturing practices, safety managements and systems. "Today we see mushrooming of food stalls and small food businesses.
The BIS should ensure the food safety norms are adhered to. Ensuring hygiene practices, fresh and quality food and good manufacturing practices are imperative,' he added. Stressing on the need for creating awareness among consumers on food safety, Dr Rosaiah said the consumer should be made vigilant not only about the nutrients in food but also safety and hygiene.
Inaugurating a National Seminar on 'Food Safety : Role of Standards,' organised by the BIS here, he commended the role of BIS in ensuring food hygiene, good manufacturing practices, safety managements and systems. "Today we see mushrooming of food stalls and small food businesses.
The BIS should ensure the food safety norms are adhered to. Ensuring hygiene practices, fresh and quality food and good manufacturing practices are imperative,' he added. Stressing on the need for creating awareness among consumers on food safety, Dr Rosaiah said the consumer should be made vigilant not only about the nutrients in food but also safety and hygiene.
15,000 cases of substandard food products detected in China
BEIJING: As public concerns over food safety mounted following a spate of scandals, Chinese officials claimed to have detected 15,000 cases of substandard food in a crackdown and shut down 5,700 unlicensed businesses since the beginning of this year.
The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) told media here that the irregularities were discovered after authorities across the country launched 9.97 million inspections on food businesses, which included wholesalers and sellers at market fairs.
Dairy products, edible oils, seasonal foods and alcoholic beverages were among the major food categories targeted during the inspections.
Li Yujia, deputy head of the SAIC's food bureau, said that the SAIC will continue to step up checks on sectors, including dairy products, food additives and edible oils, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
The Chinese public has become increasingly concerned over food safety after a slew of scares - from melamine-tainted baby formula products to pork contaminated with clenbuterol - exposed the vulnerability of the country's food sector.
Recently, China's top baby formula food maker Yili Industrial Group recalled several of its products after quality regulators found an "unusual amount" of mercury in the some of the products.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said mercury, a metallic element that is toxic in high doses, was detected in several batches of Yili's dairy products.
Despite a well-developed dairy industry, Chinese parents continue to rely more on foreign baby food products after a series of scandals involving contaminated baby food products.
China was also shocked by a 'gutter oil' scandal in which some of the traders recycled oil discarded after usage.
The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) told media here that the irregularities were discovered after authorities across the country launched 9.97 million inspections on food businesses, which included wholesalers and sellers at market fairs.
Dairy products, edible oils, seasonal foods and alcoholic beverages were among the major food categories targeted during the inspections.
Li Yujia, deputy head of the SAIC's food bureau, said that the SAIC will continue to step up checks on sectors, including dairy products, food additives and edible oils, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
The Chinese public has become increasingly concerned over food safety after a slew of scares - from melamine-tainted baby formula products to pork contaminated with clenbuterol - exposed the vulnerability of the country's food sector.
Recently, China's top baby formula food maker Yili Industrial Group recalled several of its products after quality regulators found an "unusual amount" of mercury in the some of the products.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said mercury, a metallic element that is toxic in high doses, was detected in several batches of Yili's dairy products.
Despite a well-developed dairy industry, Chinese parents continue to rely more on foreign baby food products after a series of scandals involving contaminated baby food products.
China was also shocked by a 'gutter oil' scandal in which some of the traders recycled oil discarded after usage.
Jun 20, 2012
Check tobacco promotion, sales: Voluntary group to FSSAI
New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) An anti-tobacco voluntary group Wednesday sought intervention of India's food safety authority to check promotion and sales of tobacco products in the country as part of the public health policy.
HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth), in a letter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said tobacco products were being indirectly promoted in the country. "The tobacco industry has been using indirect and surrogate means like sponsoring TV shows, cricket tournaments and award functions to promote products such as pan masala through their identical brand extensions."
"The use of identical or similar brand names creates a confusion and incites consumers, particularly youth, to experiment with such products," the letter to FSSAI chairperson K. Chandramouli said.
FSSAI, under the ministry of health and family welfare, lays down scientific standards for food articles and their manufacturing, storage and distribution.
Citing advertisements of certain products at Delhi's Metro stations and the international airport, which claim to have "zero percent tobacco", the anti-tobacco group demanded that these be tested to ensure the safety of consumer.
"We urge FSSAI to initiate a process of testing all pan masala and mouth fresheners available in the market and, based on their cancer-causing and other hazardous properties, prohibit their direct and indirect advertisements," the letter said.
FOOD SAFETY: NEED OF THE HOUR
I. What is Food Safety?
Food safety is described as handling, preparation and storage of food in a safe way to prevent food borne illness. One of the most important aspects of practicing food safety involves preventing foods from becoming contaminated. Food safety has become an important buzz as it is creating severe health hazards. Unsafe food transmits diseases from one person to other as it serves as a media for bacterial growth resulting in food poisoning. Debates are going on to find out the impact of genetically modified food on health and on further generations and environment. In under developed countries the food preparation methods are less safe as compared to developed countries. The major issue in food safety is availability of safe water. Generally we can prevent food poisoning, if we maintain hygienic conditions. According to WHO, the five important principles of food hygiene are:
1. Prevent contamination of food with pathogens spreading from people, pets, and pests.
2. Separate raw and cooked foods to prevent the contamination of cooked foods.
3. Cook foods for the appropriate length of time and at the appropriate temperature to kill pathogens.
4. Store food at the proper temperature.
5. Basic food safety should start from the kitchen itself. Use safe water and hygienic cooking materials.
II. What are the causes of Food Contamination?
• Parasites stay as hosts to many diseases in human body. The most common food borne parasites in United States are protozoa, roundworms, and tapeworms.
• Mold, toxins and contaminants are the factors for all kinds of food contaminations. Some food poisoning cases may be occurred due to natural toxins or chemical toxins.
• Allergens cause abnormal response to a food triggered by your body’s immune system. Some foods like nuts, milk, eggs and seafood causes allergic reactions in people with food allergies.
The diseases caused by food contamination are as follows:
The list of diseases caused by pathogens or their toxins (poisons) that are transmitted through the intake of contaminated food and water is a long one. Most of these diseases affect the gastro-intestinal tract, but some affect other organs, too. Food-borne pathogens include viruses such as the hepatitis A virus; bacteria such as those that cause food poisoning and various forms of gastroenteritis, cholera, typhoid fever and botulism; protozoa such as E. histolytica, the causative agent of amoebiasis; and, other parasites such as ascaris, other roundworms and tapeworms.
People with a high risk of food borne diseases are:
• Infants
• Pregnant Women
• Young children
• Adults
• People with weakened immune systems
• Individuals with certain chronic diseases
The diseases caused by food contamination are as follows:
1. Campylobacter jejuni
• Sources: Raw poultry, unpasteurized milk
• Symptoms: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, may last 7 last 7-10 days
2. Listeria
• Sources: Raw milk, raw seafood, seafood, soft cheeses
• Symptoms: 7-30 day onset; miscarriage, sepsis, meningitis
3. Salmonella
• Sources: Raw or undercooked poultry, poultry, eggs
• Symptoms: 6-48 hr onset; fever, chills, vomiting, abdominal cramps diarrhea
4. Hepatitis A virus
• Sources: Undercooked or raw fish, human contact
• Symptoms: 15-2020 day onset; day onset; liver inflammation, tiredness, nausea and vomiting
5. Coli O157:H7
• Sources: Undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk products, person to person.
• Symptoms: 12-72 hr onset; bloody diarrhea, kidney failure,
6. Staphylococcus
• Sources: Humans are carriers; poor food handling procedures
• Symptoms: 8-24 hr. onset; mimics flu; lasts
III. What are the tips for Food Safety?
The food poisoning can be done by pathogens and toxins during production, processing, distribution, preparation or storage of food. The below tips can be useful in supporting food safety procedures:
• Buy and consume only food that is processed with safety standards.
• Cook the food completely to kill the disease causing pathogens.
• Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly to avoid toxins. This will not totally eliminate pathogens, but their number can be significantly reduced for the body’s other defenses to take care of.
• Wash food items for cooking before chopping or cutting.
• Wash with soap and water all utensils, chopping boards and kitchen areas before preparing meals.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing, eating and handling food.
• Eat cooked food within 1-2 hours after cooking.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 1-2 hours.
• Re-heat leftovers thoroughly before eating.
• Do not allow contact or mixing of raw and cooked foods.
• Protect food from rodents, cockroaches, flies and other insects.
• Consume milk only if it has been pasteurized.
• Ensure that your drinking water is safe.
IV. What aspects need to be checked before purchasing Food items?
1. Check for Cleanliness: Does your supermarket, grocery store or vegetable store look clean?
2. Separate Certain Foods: Whether the raw meat, poultry and seafood are packed in separate plastic bags or not.
3. Inspect Cans, Bottles, and Jars: Don’t buy foods in spoiled cans, bottles, packs and jars with broken seals or lids.
4. Examine Frozen Food Packaging: Avoid frozen food packages which are open, torn or crushed on the edges.
5. Pick Out Fresh Eggs Carefully: Buy refrigerated eggs only, making sure they’re clean and none are cracked.
V. What are the initiatives of Government of India towards Food Safety?
FSSAI has been authorized by the FSS Act, 2006 to perform below functions:
• Framing of regulations to lay down the standards and guidelines in relation to articles of food and specifying appropriate system on various notified standards.
• Laying down mechanisms and guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification of food safety management system for food businesses.
• Laying down procedure and guidelines for accreditation of laboratories and notification of the accredited laboratories.
• To provide scientific advice and technical support to central government and state governments in the matters of framing the policy and rules in areas which have a direct or indirect bearing of food safety and nutrition.
• Collect and collate data regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food and residues of various contaminants in foods products, identification of emerging risks and introduction of rapid alert system.
• Creating an information network across the country so that the public, consumers, panchayats etc receive rapid, reliable and objective information about food safety and issues of concern.
• Provide training programmes for persons who are involved or intended to get involved in food businesses.
• Contribute to the development of international technical standards for food, sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards.
• Promote general awareness about food safety and food standards.
VI. What are the initiatives taken by WHO towards Food Safety?
Recent WHO report on food safety reveals below interesting facts:
• Food safety
Unsafe food causes many acute and life-long diseases, ranging from diarrheal diseases to various forms of cancer. WHO estimates that food borne and waterborne diarrheal diseases taken together kill about 2.2 million people annually, 1.9 million of them are noted as children only. WHO’s mission is to provide assistance to the member states to strengthen their programmes on food safety from the initial stages to final consumption.
• Zoonoses
Zoonotic diseases are caused due to the infections which are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans. The greatest risk for zoonotic disease transmission occurs at the human-animal interface through direct or indirect human exposure to animals, their products and/or their environments. More than 60% of the newly identified infectious insects affect the people by originating the pathogens from animals.
• Microbiological risks in food
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are formulating policies for the development of risk based approaches towards the management of food safety procedures.
• Chemical risks in food
The factor which affects the food safety is the chemical contamination which is a worldwide public health concern. Contamination may occur through environmental pollution of the air, water and soil, such as the case with toxic metals, PCBs and dioxins, or through the intentional use of various chemicals, such as pesticides, animal drugs and other agrochemicals.
Since the year 1976, WHO has formulated the Global Environment Monitoring System and Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment Programme (GEMS/Food) with regard to public health and trade. Food additives and procedures in food manufacturing system also causes adverse health effects on a person.
• Biotechnology (GM foods) and nanotechnology
Recent developments in food science and technology have made massive contribution to the field of food safety. WHO has been addressing a wide range of issues in the field of biotechnology and human health, including safety evaluation of vaccines produced using biotechnology, human cloning and gene therapy.
• Food borne diseases
The changing polluted environment causes food borne diseases in infants, young, children and elders.
BIS to set new standards for food retail in hygiene and processing soon
In order to ensure quality and best practices at par with global standards in the food retail sector, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will soon be launching three new standards.
According to sources, the three new standards to be launched would be in terms of management, hygiene practices and processing of food.
"FICCI appreciates BIS initiative of formulating three new standards in the areas of food safety management, hygiene practices and processing of food,"Shilpa Gupta, deputy director, head, retail and FMCG Committee.
Gupta said that it would have direct implications on the food retail sector and would lead to improvement in the quality and safety of entire food retail chain.
She further said that upgrading of standards according to current requirements was a move in the positive direction.
In this regard, Gupta mentioned that this would further promote public health by reducing the risk of food, protect consumers from adulterated food and would also enhance the competitiveness of Indian food retail sector.
"The BIS initiative of finalising Indian standards on basic requirements for street food vendors is also a notable move," she said, adding that with growing popularity of street foods in India and increasing importance of nutritional security it was critical to ensure safety in the entire street food chain.
However, another step which was vital was to increase awareness and sensitise the food retail companies and street vendors on the importance of maintaining quality and safety in the entire food value chain by adhering to good hygiene and manufacturing practices, she trailed off.
The new standards to be launched would include IS 16019:2012 for basic requirements in food retail, IS 16020:2012 for good hygiene and food safety management, and IS 16021:2012 for good manufacturing practices in food processing.
According to sources, the three new standards to be launched would be in terms of management, hygiene practices and processing of food.
"FICCI appreciates BIS initiative of formulating three new standards in the areas of food safety management, hygiene practices and processing of food,"Shilpa Gupta, deputy director, head, retail and FMCG Committee.
Gupta said that it would have direct implications on the food retail sector and would lead to improvement in the quality and safety of entire food retail chain.
She further said that upgrading of standards according to current requirements was a move in the positive direction.
In this regard, Gupta mentioned that this would further promote public health by reducing the risk of food, protect consumers from adulterated food and would also enhance the competitiveness of Indian food retail sector.
"The BIS initiative of finalising Indian standards on basic requirements for street food vendors is also a notable move," she said, adding that with growing popularity of street foods in India and increasing importance of nutritional security it was critical to ensure safety in the entire street food chain.
However, another step which was vital was to increase awareness and sensitise the food retail companies and street vendors on the importance of maintaining quality and safety in the entire food value chain by adhering to good hygiene and manufacturing practices, she trailed off.
The new standards to be launched would include IS 16019:2012 for basic requirements in food retail, IS 16020:2012 for good hygiene and food safety management, and IS 16021:2012 for good manufacturing practices in food processing.
Jun 18, 2012
Greenpeace urges Central government not to settle for half hearted efforts on GM labeling
Greenpeace India welcomes the formal recognition by the Government of India of the need to label Genetically Modified foods so as to give the consumer a choice. This single line decision by the Central Government was published in a Gazette Notification dated June 5, 2012 by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs. 1
Responding to the Notification, Shivani Shah, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace said that "While labeling does give consumer a chance for the avoiding genetically modified food in the market, what our Government seems to forget is that it is almost impractical in India where more than 90 per cent of our food is unprocessed and non-packaged and forms a chunk of the unorganised sector.”
Given their potentially serious and long-term adverse implications on health and the environment, she further opined that “India is already experimenting with the lives of its citizens by permitting GMOs into the environment through field trials. It is impossible to stop contamination from open field trials of GM crops that are being permitted in our country. The best way to ensure consumer sovereignty is to take a precautionary measure and stop any environmental release of potentially risky GM crops.”
Further, the gazette notification also lacks clarity on the details such as the threshold for the presence of GM ingredients. It mentions no mechanisms on how this will this be monitored, and whether this is applicable to both primary and processed foods.
In a recent RTI response the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India[FSSAI] under the Ministry of Health and family welfare, who is the nodal agency for labeling of GM food, had said that it is not looking after the labeling of GM food. In its response letter it was said that Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, who is the nodal agency for any environmental release of GM crops, is the responsible one. Interestingly GEAC in a RTI response at the same period said the opposite, putting FSSAI as the agency in charge of labeling rules.
Given that there is serious concerns on the potential impacts of GM crops to our food, farming and environment it is important that the government comes up with infallible plans on safeguarding the health of the citizens and that of the environment from GM crops instead of coming up with such half hearted efforts on GM labeling.
Responding to the Notification, Shivani Shah, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace said that "While labeling does give consumer a chance for the avoiding genetically modified food in the market, what our Government seems to forget is that it is almost impractical in India where more than 90 per cent of our food is unprocessed and non-packaged and forms a chunk of the unorganised sector.”
Given their potentially serious and long-term adverse implications on health and the environment, she further opined that “India is already experimenting with the lives of its citizens by permitting GMOs into the environment through field trials. It is impossible to stop contamination from open field trials of GM crops that are being permitted in our country. The best way to ensure consumer sovereignty is to take a precautionary measure and stop any environmental release of potentially risky GM crops.”
Further, the gazette notification also lacks clarity on the details such as the threshold for the presence of GM ingredients. It mentions no mechanisms on how this will this be monitored, and whether this is applicable to both primary and processed foods.
In a recent RTI response the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India[FSSAI] under the Ministry of Health and family welfare, who is the nodal agency for labeling of GM food, had said that it is not looking after the labeling of GM food. In its response letter it was said that Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, who is the nodal agency for any environmental release of GM crops, is the responsible one. Interestingly GEAC in a RTI response at the same period said the opposite, putting FSSAI as the agency in charge of labeling rules.
Given that there is serious concerns on the potential impacts of GM crops to our food, farming and environment it is important that the government comes up with infallible plans on safeguarding the health of the citizens and that of the environment from GM crops instead of coming up with such half hearted efforts on GM labeling.
Whistleblower scheme: Food authority mulls wait & watch
The country’s top food regulator, Food Safety and Standard Authority (FSSAI) seems to be in no hurry to finalise the draft of the whistleblower scheme aimed to reward informants exposing food adulteration. This despite, its surveys reporting that contamination of food items including milk is common across the country.
In fact, the FSSAI has put on hold the draft guidelines stating that it is waiting for the Parliament to enact the “Whistleblower Bill,” which is yet to be discussed in the Rajya Sabha.
“For, it wants its scheme to be on the line of the proposed legislation whenever it is passed,” said a senior official in the Union Health Ministry which oversees the working of the autonomous body.
The draft guidelines prepared by the FSSAI follows the announcement of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in February in 2011 to frame a whistleblower scheme to reward those who provide information against those indulging in adulteration of food. Azad had promised zero tolerance against the food adulterators.
The draft aims to encourage general public and employees to furnish information regarding unsafe food and malpractices within or outside the system. The whistleblowers and informants have been proposed to reward from the funds being made available to the State Governments under a Centrally-sponsored scheme.
However, after seeking public comments, the FSSAI has buried the draft under the carpet till the proposed national Bill is finalised.
The Whistleblower Bill aims at establishing a mechanism to receive complaints relating to disclosure of any allegation of corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants. But as it seems so as in the case of the national bill, the fate of the draft of the scheme will not see light of the day till then.
“The scheme would have at least served as some deterrent to the unscrupulous elements who have been using harmful chemicals in food items for commercial gains particularly during the period of major festivals,” said the official citing a similar scheme already implemented in the drug sector.
An analysis of the FSSAI surveys has revealed that food adulteration rates over the last three years 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.
A recent survey on milk had found that majority of the milk samples were of poor quality and also contaminated with toxic chemicals such as detergent and fats.
In fact, the FSSAI has put on hold the draft guidelines stating that it is waiting for the Parliament to enact the “Whistleblower Bill,” which is yet to be discussed in the Rajya Sabha.
“For, it wants its scheme to be on the line of the proposed legislation whenever it is passed,” said a senior official in the Union Health Ministry which oversees the working of the autonomous body.
The draft guidelines prepared by the FSSAI follows the announcement of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in February in 2011 to frame a whistleblower scheme to reward those who provide information against those indulging in adulteration of food. Azad had promised zero tolerance against the food adulterators.
The draft aims to encourage general public and employees to furnish information regarding unsafe food and malpractices within or outside the system. The whistleblowers and informants have been proposed to reward from the funds being made available to the State Governments under a Centrally-sponsored scheme.
However, after seeking public comments, the FSSAI has buried the draft under the carpet till the proposed national Bill is finalised.
The Whistleblower Bill aims at establishing a mechanism to receive complaints relating to disclosure of any allegation of corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants. But as it seems so as in the case of the national bill, the fate of the draft of the scheme will not see light of the day till then.
“The scheme would have at least served as some deterrent to the unscrupulous elements who have been using harmful chemicals in food items for commercial gains particularly during the period of major festivals,” said the official citing a similar scheme already implemented in the drug sector.
An analysis of the FSSAI surveys has revealed that food adulteration rates over the last three years 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.
A recent survey on milk had found that majority of the milk samples were of poor quality and also contaminated with toxic chemicals such as detergent and fats.
Jun 17, 2012
Fast food centres serving non-Halaal chicken?
Location:
Hyderabad
Fast food business is on the rise in twin cities but we forget that inspite of chicken price hike, fast food centre owners are serving various chicken dishes at the same prices. Is it because they buy dead chicken on low prices?
Few days ago an English daily had published a report which exposed a shocking revelation that 80 percent dead chicken is sold on fast food centres and roadside vendors serving chicken dishes. After this revelation, it was also come to the fore, through an investigation, that the deaths of chickens have immensely increased during the past few months.
A businessman having vast experience of chicken business told that if 1000 birds come out of the farm nearly 50 to 100 of them die. Retail business where majority are Muslim businessmen, they avoid selling dead birds but in wholesale business a particular section do not hesitate selling deadstock. These wholesale companies cut the birds and sell them as frozen chicken. Owner of a famous hotel confirmed that news, saying that in present scenario the fast food centres cannot serve chicken dishes on the cost on which they are serving.
Jun 16, 2012
Personnel Hygiene Monitoring / Swab Testing
Researches in the domain of Food Contamination show that over 80% of the contamination of regular daily food is attributed to the poor Personal Hygiene levels of the Kitchen Staff and the Food handlers. In such a scenario, majority of the microbial contaminants enter the Food Chain through the Food Handling Staff.
Prime reasons behind such problems are as follows:
1) Lack of knowledge of Importance of Personal Hygiene in Food Safety.
2) Ignorance and Negligence of the Food Manufacturers and their staff.
3) Improper and Irregular Hand Washing and Hand Sanitization Practices.
4) Lack of knowledge of the appropriate procedures of Hand Washing and Hand Sanitization.
5) Improper kitchen layout, leading to touching unhygienic parts of the kitchen during Food Processing.
6) Low levels of Personal Hygiene Monitoring, Certification and Documentation.
7) Contamination through Food Handlers who are carrying diseases and micro organisms.
Regular monitoring of Personal Hygiene of the Food Handlers with Hand Hygiene Swabs is required to verify effective hand washing techniques and thus reduce the risk of cross contamination in the kitchen.
As a general measure of containing Cross Contamination of Food by the hands of the Food Handlers, in many Food Manufacturing Units the Food Handlers are made to wear gloves. Gloves spread the contamination the same way the hands do. In this case, it is important to take swabs from the gloves to verify that the staff are not working with contaminated gloves and are changing frequently or whenever contaminated.
Food safety mess
Traders say Food Safety and Standards Act rolls out red carpet for multinationals
Photos: Sayantan Bera The Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) of 2006 has not gone down well with food business operators. They say sections of the Act dealing with licensing, registration, hygiene standards, penalty provisions and powers of food safety inspectors are “draconian”.
FSSA, which came into force in August last year, replaces the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) of 1954. It has set one-year deadline for those engaged in food business to obtain a new licence.
In early May, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) held a conference to launch a nationwide signature campaign to address the problems pertaining to the Act. The conditions laid down in the Act are impossible to achieve by the domestic trade and commerce sectors, says Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general of CAIT. “It would endanger the local players and lay the red carpet for multinationals,” he adds.
The Act says vendors should wash utensils under running tap waterUnder the Act, all food business operators with an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh need to obtain a licence, while the others have to get registered. According to S Rethinavelu, senior president, Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industries, much has been left to the discretionary powers of the designated officers. “Traders have to rely on them to get their licences, which is tantamount to inviting corruption,” he says. D V Malhan, executive secretary, All India Food Processors’ Association, however, is optimistic. “FSSA has a few problems but that happens with most of the new Acts. We are in touch with the authorities and hope they will take corrective action.”
The uninformed
While the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) has welcomed the Act, it has some reservations. “Registration of street vendors and small traders under the Act will help them run their businesses legally and this should be done at the earliest,” says Vinod Simon, programme manager, NASVI. The worry is that this could become a tool to harass the vendors, he says.
The process of registration has been slow in most parts of the country. This is of concern, especially, to the small traders and street vendors. If they fail to get registered before the August 5 deadline, they will be forced to shut shops till they get registered. There are about 10 million street vendors in the country. What’s more worrying is that many street vendors are not aware of the deadline at all. A survey of 50 street vendors close to Batra Hospital in south Delhi by Down To Earth found that none of them knew they had to get registered.
The deadline may not be sufficient for the big operators as well. Though CAIT could not put a number to those who will be affected by the deadline, they are demanding an extension.
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Where it hurts more
There are many in the unorganised sector who will be caught in a tight spot. FSSA has made it mandatory for all types of edible oil to be sold packed, labelled and marked as per the specifications in the Act. It says no licence will be issued to a manufacturer of vegetable or edible oil unless he has his own laboratory for testing samples. The Act does not explain how big the laboratory should be or what instruments it should have. FSSA thus seals the chances of survival of the unorganised edible oil industry. As per the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, about 90 per cent of the total mustard oil produced comes from the unorganised sector in the country.
The other bone of contention is the hygiene criteria. “Shops and food stalls can be kept clean just like we keep our homes clean,” says H G Koshia, food safety commissioner, Gujarat. Though it makes perfect sense for such a provision to be introduced what is hurting the small traders and street vendors are some of the illogical and impractical demands in FSSA. For instance, the site where food is manufactured, processed or handled should be in “a sanitary place, free from filthy surroundings and shall maintain overall hygienic environment. All new units shall be set up away from environmentally polluted area”. The condition does not define “environmentally polluted area”, but if left to interpretation it could mean a bus station, railway platform or on the roadside which almost covers all the places where the street vendor could set his shop. Then, in order to get registered, the vendors have to ensure that their utensils are cleaned and washed under “running tap water”. “We want to provide hygienic food but water supply is not in our hands and it is unlikely that we will get any support from the administration,” says Simon.
Unlike PFA, the new Act clubs misbranded, adulterated and sub-standard food under the category of adulterated. The traders say misbranding and adulteration are two different issues and should be dealt separately.
For example, a juice seller uses fruits and vegetables as his raw material. These could get contaminated by pesticides and affect the final product. “The manufacturers and traders alone cannot be held responsible for it,” says Khandelwal. Similarly, if a biscuit packet has been misbranded, the manufacturers should be held accountable and not the traders. “Adulteration is a heinous crime and it cannot be treated on a par with misbranding,” adds Khandelwal. The maximum penalty for manufacturing, storing, selling or importing misbranded and sub-standard food is Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively. “No distinction has been made between the seller and the manufacturer. It is unlikely for a trader to be aware of the quality of a packaged product he is selling,” points out Khandelwal.
FSSA states that a penalty of Rs 5 lakh would be imposed if the article sold is not of the quality demanded by the purchaser and is to his prejudice. The vendors, including temporary stall owners, will be fined up to Rs 25,000 for the same act. The vendors say the penalty is too harsh and depends on the whim of food safety inspectors.
FSSA allows manufacturers to purchase raw material from only licenced or registered vendors. This will favour middlemen and eliminate the possibility of buying directly from the farmers. “The cost of getting raw material and finished goods tested by accredited laboratories will make products costly for manufacturers vis-à-vis big industrial houses,” says Khandelwal.
Zagade has denied getting any complaint on the provisions on hygiene or punishment in Maharashtra.
Adjudicating Officer Udh imposes fine of Rs.10,000
UDHAMPUR, June 15: To keep a strict vigil on the quality of eatables, a team of Food Safety Officers under the personal supervision of Designated Officer of Food Safety Act of district Udhampur conducted surprise check of different establishments dealing with food articles and destroyed adulterated milk at different locations enroute Tikri to Udhampur here on Thursday.
Designated Officer, Kavinder Choudhary accompanied by Food safety officers Bharat Bushan and ZulfiKar Ali Malik conducted surprise checks at different milk vending points like Garhi, Rahmbal and Chopra Shop of the district and checked the quality of milk, samples of food items were also lifted from different shops and were dispatched to the concerned quarters for testing purpose.
During their visit, the officers also educated the people about the Food Safety and Standard Act and asked them to cooperate with the department by providing necessary information about the violators so that defaulters can be dealt under the provision Act.
Earlier, Adjudicating Officer, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Rajinder Singh has imposed a fine to the tune of Rs.10,000 on a supplier namely Kulbushan Gupta for supplying substandard biscuits to the ICDS Centers of Udhampur under the Act.
Designated Officer, Kavinder Choudhary accompanied by Food safety officers Bharat Bushan and ZulfiKar Ali Malik conducted surprise checks at different milk vending points like Garhi, Rahmbal and Chopra Shop of the district and checked the quality of milk, samples of food items were also lifted from different shops and were dispatched to the concerned quarters for testing purpose.
During their visit, the officers also educated the people about the Food Safety and Standard Act and asked them to cooperate with the department by providing necessary information about the violators so that defaulters can be dealt under the provision Act.
Earlier, Adjudicating Officer, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Rajinder Singh has imposed a fine to the tune of Rs.10,000 on a supplier namely Kulbushan Gupta for supplying substandard biscuits to the ICDS Centers of Udhampur under the Act.
Maharashtra to ban gutka, paan masala soon
A week after senior NCP leader and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said so, the state government is all set to ban gutka and paan masala across Maharashtra. It has been observed that consumption of such tobacco products is the main cause of oral cancer.
According to a senior public health bureaucrat, the government will invoke the provisions of the landmark Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to ban the products. "Under the act, the food safety commissioner has all powers to ban gutka and paan masala. But since this will be a major policy decision, it will be brought to the notice of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and also Pawar. We are sure we will be able to enforce the ban as early as possible," he said.
Elaborating on the provisions of the act, the bureaucrat said that under section 30, the food safety commissioner has the powers to prohibit--in the interest of public health--the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of any article of food either in the whole of the state or a part for a period not exceeding one year. But the act has a provision, called rule 2.3.4, according to which tobacco and nicotine should not be used as ingredients in any food products. This essentially means that tobacco products can be banned.
The bureaucrat said that in the wake of a protest lodged by anti-tobacco activists and also Ajit Pawar's commitment, a comprehensive proposal to ban gutka and pan masala had been submitted to the government. "It is the responsibility of the food safety commissioner to enforce the ban in letter and spirit. Once the proposal is approved, all measures will be taken to prevent the sale of gutka and pan masala across the state."
On the financial implications of the decision, the bureaucrat said that the state garnered well over Rs 100 crore by way of sales tax on gutka and pan masala.
A decade ago, the government had invoked provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, to ban the two products on similar grounds. Subsequently, more than a dozen manufacturers of the products had shifted their units to neighbouring states. A section of manufacturers had even challenged the ban in the Bombay high court and the Supreme Court.
Now that this act has been repealed, and a new law has come into force (on August 5, 2011) it has been proposed to invoke it to ban gutka. "We have carefully studied the ban order promulgated by Madhya Pradesh and Kerala. We will ensure that there are no loopholes in our proposal," the bureaucrat said. "Simultaneously, we will study the observation of the apex court, which has made it clear that tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food products. Our information is that the court has stated that gukta and pan masala are food products."
According to a senior public health bureaucrat, the government will invoke the provisions of the landmark Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to ban the products. "Under the act, the food safety commissioner has all powers to ban gutka and paan masala. But since this will be a major policy decision, it will be brought to the notice of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and also Pawar. We are sure we will be able to enforce the ban as early as possible," he said.
Elaborating on the provisions of the act, the bureaucrat said that under section 30, the food safety commissioner has the powers to prohibit--in the interest of public health--the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of any article of food either in the whole of the state or a part for a period not exceeding one year. But the act has a provision, called rule 2.3.4, according to which tobacco and nicotine should not be used as ingredients in any food products. This essentially means that tobacco products can be banned.
The bureaucrat said that in the wake of a protest lodged by anti-tobacco activists and also Ajit Pawar's commitment, a comprehensive proposal to ban gutka and pan masala had been submitted to the government. "It is the responsibility of the food safety commissioner to enforce the ban in letter and spirit. Once the proposal is approved, all measures will be taken to prevent the sale of gutka and pan masala across the state."
On the financial implications of the decision, the bureaucrat said that the state garnered well over Rs 100 crore by way of sales tax on gutka and pan masala.
A decade ago, the government had invoked provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, to ban the two products on similar grounds. Subsequently, more than a dozen manufacturers of the products had shifted their units to neighbouring states. A section of manufacturers had even challenged the ban in the Bombay high court and the Supreme Court.
Now that this act has been repealed, and a new law has come into force (on August 5, 2011) it has been proposed to invoke it to ban gutka. "We have carefully studied the ban order promulgated by Madhya Pradesh and Kerala. We will ensure that there are no loopholes in our proposal," the bureaucrat said. "Simultaneously, we will study the observation of the apex court, which has made it clear that tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food products. Our information is that the court has stated that gukta and pan masala are food products."
Unpotable water at govt-run institutions
GUWAHATI, June 15 – A research conducted by voluntary association Jeevan Initiative has found that drinking water supplied in various government-run institutions in Guwahati are not at all safe for consumption. Of the 10 water samples collected from vital institutions, including two hospitals and three educational institutions, all the samples were found far below the prescribed standards.
The samples collected from Guwahati Railway Station, Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) canteen at Paltan Bazar, Inter-state Bus Terminus (ISBT) canteen, Gauhati Medical College Hospital, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital, Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Latasil Primary School, Guwahati Blind High School, Gauhati University Arts canteen and the court premises of District and Session Judge, Kamrup failed the bacteriological tests conducted by State Public Health Laboratory, Guwahati.
Addressing media persons here, Suresh Ranjan Goduka, editor of the Jeevan magazine said that the water sample tests clearly point out that the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 are not being followed in the State. “It is more disturbing that even the patients and students, including the visually challenged students, are being served polluted water,” he added.
In all the water samples tested, high presence of E Coli and Coliform bacteria have been detected which in enough to declare the water unfit for consumption. According to World Health Organization both the bacteria should be totally absent in drinking water.
In drinking water samples collected from ASTC, presence of E Coli was 2,400 MPN/100 ml, which was 1,100 in Railway Station and Blind High School, 240 in University, 150 in ISBT, 44 in District and Sessions Court premises, 43 in GMC Hospital, 21 in Latasil Primary School, 17 in MMCH and 4 in Kalakshetra. The presence of Coliform was very high in the water samples.
Asking the authorities to take the responsibility of serving non-polluted water to the people, the organization members said that a copy of the lab reports would be soon submitted to the State government.
The video footage of the sources from where the water samples were collected were also shown in the press conference.
Samples collected from drinking water facilities of ASTC canteen, Railway Station, MMCH, and court premises were found to be chemically unsatisfactory. The turbidity in water level was also very high.
“The people have already lost faith on the drinking water supplied by the government. Even in the government meetings and functions, packaged drinking water is served to the guests, which indicates that even the government representatives do not trust their drinking water facility. But, it is an injustice to those who cannot afford packaged drinking water,” he added.
Educationist Dr Anil Kr Goswami released the 19-page report prepared by the organization on the lab tests of water samples.
The samples collected from Guwahati Railway Station, Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) canteen at Paltan Bazar, Inter-state Bus Terminus (ISBT) canteen, Gauhati Medical College Hospital, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital, Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Latasil Primary School, Guwahati Blind High School, Gauhati University Arts canteen and the court premises of District and Session Judge, Kamrup failed the bacteriological tests conducted by State Public Health Laboratory, Guwahati.
Addressing media persons here, Suresh Ranjan Goduka, editor of the Jeevan magazine said that the water sample tests clearly point out that the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 are not being followed in the State. “It is more disturbing that even the patients and students, including the visually challenged students, are being served polluted water,” he added.
In all the water samples tested, high presence of E Coli and Coliform bacteria have been detected which in enough to declare the water unfit for consumption. According to World Health Organization both the bacteria should be totally absent in drinking water.
In drinking water samples collected from ASTC, presence of E Coli was 2,400 MPN/100 ml, which was 1,100 in Railway Station and Blind High School, 240 in University, 150 in ISBT, 44 in District and Sessions Court premises, 43 in GMC Hospital, 21 in Latasil Primary School, 17 in MMCH and 4 in Kalakshetra. The presence of Coliform was very high in the water samples.
Asking the authorities to take the responsibility of serving non-polluted water to the people, the organization members said that a copy of the lab reports would be soon submitted to the State government.
The video footage of the sources from where the water samples were collected were also shown in the press conference.
Samples collected from drinking water facilities of ASTC canteen, Railway Station, MMCH, and court premises were found to be chemically unsatisfactory. The turbidity in water level was also very high.
“The people have already lost faith on the drinking water supplied by the government. Even in the government meetings and functions, packaged drinking water is served to the guests, which indicates that even the government representatives do not trust their drinking water facility. But, it is an injustice to those who cannot afford packaged drinking water,” he added.
Educationist Dr Anil Kr Goswami released the 19-page report prepared by the organization on the lab tests of water samples.
Chinese dairy maker Yili recalls baby formula tainted with mercury
BEIJING: Chinese dairy maker Yili said it had started recalling batches of baby formula after authorities found they contained high levels of mercury, in the latest food safety scare to hit the country.
The company began the recall on Wednesday after a national food safety monitoring system detected "abnormal" levels of mercury in the products, state-owned Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group said in a statement.
The recall covers baby formula produced from November 2011 to May 2012, according to the statement posted Thursday.
The firm did not state how much baby formula was affected or how mercury - which is extremely toxic and can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system at high exposure - made its way into the products.
China's quality watchdog said Thursday it had carried out an "urgent monitoring" of 715 samples of baby formula by various producers following the Yili case, but so far no other products were found to be unsafe.
However, authorities were unable to collect samples from 20 firms because they had suspended production of baby formula, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in a statement.
It was unclear when they stopped production and whether this was linked to the mercury scare.
Currently, 119 companies in China manufacture baby formula, state media cited Ma Chunliang, an official with AQSIQ, as saying last month.
China's dairy industry is prone to safety scares.
In 2008, milk was at the centre of one of China's biggest food safety scandals when the industrial chemical melamine was found to have been illegally added to dairy products to give the appearance of higher protein content.
Since then, many Chinese people remain suspicious of domestically produced milk after six children died and 300,000 others fell ill in the scandal, which also involved Yili products.
Critics say the hygiene standards that China's dairy farms must adhere to are among the world's lowest, with the levels of bacteria permissible in milk four times as high as in most Western countries.
There have been accusations that the government, keen to ensure China's growing demand for milk is catered to, is giving in to an increasingly powerful dairy industry dominated by Yili and another dairy giant Mengniu.
Yili shares were down by the maximum 10 per cent daily limit at 21.85 yuan ($3.4) in Shanghai on midday Thursday, bucking the rising trend in the broader market.
The company began the recall on Wednesday after a national food safety monitoring system detected "abnormal" levels of mercury in the products, state-owned Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group said in a statement.
The recall covers baby formula produced from November 2011 to May 2012, according to the statement posted Thursday.
The firm did not state how much baby formula was affected or how mercury - which is extremely toxic and can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system at high exposure - made its way into the products.
China's quality watchdog said Thursday it had carried out an "urgent monitoring" of 715 samples of baby formula by various producers following the Yili case, but so far no other products were found to be unsafe.
However, authorities were unable to collect samples from 20 firms because they had suspended production of baby formula, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in a statement.
It was unclear when they stopped production and whether this was linked to the mercury scare.
Currently, 119 companies in China manufacture baby formula, state media cited Ma Chunliang, an official with AQSIQ, as saying last month.
China's dairy industry is prone to safety scares.
In 2008, milk was at the centre of one of China's biggest food safety scandals when the industrial chemical melamine was found to have been illegally added to dairy products to give the appearance of higher protein content.
Since then, many Chinese people remain suspicious of domestically produced milk after six children died and 300,000 others fell ill in the scandal, which also involved Yili products.
Critics say the hygiene standards that China's dairy farms must adhere to are among the world's lowest, with the levels of bacteria permissible in milk four times as high as in most Western countries.
There have been accusations that the government, keen to ensure China's growing demand for milk is catered to, is giving in to an increasingly powerful dairy industry dominated by Yili and another dairy giant Mengniu.
Yili shares were down by the maximum 10 per cent daily limit at 21.85 yuan ($3.4) in Shanghai on midday Thursday, bucking the rising trend in the broader market.
Jun 15, 2012
Check sale, stocking of pan masala, gutka
Police should see to it that such items are not available
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the State government to take steps to seize and destroy pan masala and gutkha containing tobacco and nicotine after June 15 in terms of a government order banning manufacture, sale, and distribution of these items in the State.
The Bench comprising Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair and Justice C.K. Abdul Rehim issued the directive while disposing of a public interest writ petition in this regard.
The court directed the State government to take steps to check the clandestine stocking and sale of the banned pan masala and gutkha after June 15. Government agencies, including the police, should ensure that such prohibited items would no longer be available in the State.
Meanwhile, Justice T.R. Ramachandran Nair referred to a Division Bench a writ petition filed by the manufacturers challenging the ban order in view of the public interest involved in the case.
The government in an affidavit said the ban order had been issued in the interest of public safety and health. It said the question of giving the manufacturers an opportunity of hearing did not arise as the order had been issued under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
Needs to enforce Food Safety and Standard Act
JAMMU: All J and K Movement for Peace and Justice criticised the ongoing campaign of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) i.e to impress the authorities against the implementation of Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and also termed it total illogical in view of bulk sale of eatable sub standards in the country.
While addressing the press conference here on Thursday, movement member, Deep Singh said that in view of large scale unchecked adulteration and the deteriorating conditions of eatables, such an Act was need to be enforced fifteen years back. It is quite surprising that our business community which is also a part of system and while ignoring its duties towards the nation seems self forced always, Singh further added. Before opposing the entry of multi-national companies into retail business of India, business organisations like Confederation of All India Tenders (CAIT) and Jammu Chamber of Commerce should stress up on their members against the unfair practice and support the government for reforms as improvement in the internal system can only create a cordial atmosphere and will help in restraining the foreign investment, he further expressed.
Talking to reporters here today Deep Singh a prominent member of the Movement said that any more delay towards the Act will prove suicidal. The issue is of great concern and the illogical demand of some organizations to keep the much delayed Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 for five years is anti people.
He said in view of large scale unchecked adulteration and the deteriorating condition of eatables such an Act should have been enforced over 15 years back and the people including the members of business fraternity should have openly supported the Act as adulteration has led to many fatal diseases and is going to spell a doom. He sought cooperation of all in demanding the implementation of the Act.
He said that some people are demanding that Act be kept in abeyance for their own interests ignoring the cause of general public. He said earlier the effective campaign of CAPD was also sabotaged which has decided to fix the day today rates of fruits and vegetables in Jammu over three years back.
Singh said the weak laws on adulteration, black marketing and hoarding are posing a threat to human survival and need to be replaced by strong laws immediately.
While addressing the press conference here on Thursday, movement member, Deep Singh said that in view of large scale unchecked adulteration and the deteriorating conditions of eatables, such an Act was need to be enforced fifteen years back. It is quite surprising that our business community which is also a part of system and while ignoring its duties towards the nation seems self forced always, Singh further added. Before opposing the entry of multi-national companies into retail business of India, business organisations like Confederation of All India Tenders (CAIT) and Jammu Chamber of Commerce should stress up on their members against the unfair practice and support the government for reforms as improvement in the internal system can only create a cordial atmosphere and will help in restraining the foreign investment, he further expressed.
Implement Food Safety, Standard Act 2006: Singh
JAMMU, June 14: All J&K Movement for Peace and Justice today opposed the demand of some organizations that much delayed Food Safety & Standards Act 2006 be kept in abeyance for five years.Talking to reporters here today Deep Singh a prominent member of the Movement said that any more delay towards the Act will prove suicidal. The issue is of great concern and the illogical demand of some organizations to keep the much delayed Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 for five years is anti people.
He said in view of large scale unchecked adulteration and the deteriorating condition of eatables such an Act should have been enforced over 15 years back and the people including the members of business fraternity should have openly supported the Act as adulteration has led to many fatal diseases and is going to spell a doom. He sought cooperation of all in demanding the implementation of the Act.
He said that some people are demanding that Act be kept in abeyance for their own interests ignoring the cause of general public. He said earlier the effective campaign of CAPD was also sabotaged which has decided to fix the day today rates of fruits and vegetables in Jammu over three years back.
Singh said the weak laws on adulteration, black marketing and hoarding are posing a threat to human survival and need to be replaced by strong laws immediately.
Jun 14, 2012
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Govt to seize, destroy banned gutka products after June 15
Kerala High Court today directed the state government to seize and destroy banned gutka and pan masala products after June 15.
Clandestine stocking and sales should be checked by police and concerned authorities to ensure that the prohibited items are no longer available in the state, a division bench comprising Justice C N Ramachandran Nair and Justice C K Abdul Rahim said.
The court gave the directive while considering a statement filed by the state government that stringent action would be taken against those who continue the sale and distribution of pan masala products.
Kerala Government ordered the ban last month under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Regulation Act, 2011, becoming the second state after Madhya Pradesh to do so. It had cited increasing incidence of gutka-induced diseases like oral cancer as the reason for the ban.
Meanwhile, a batch of petitions by manufacturers of tobacco products challenging the legality of prohibition has been referred to a division bench headed by the acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur.
The arguments on these petitions was going on before a single judge since the last few days.
A PIL was filed seeking to enforce the prohibition, which was allowed today prompting manufacturers to allege that this was state-sponsored and an abuse of process of court.
The government, without disclosing the pendency of petitions before the single judge filed a statement hastily and obtained a favourable order, they also alleged.
Following this controversy, the petitions of the manufacturers were referred to the division bench.
Clandestine stocking and sales should be checked by police and concerned authorities to ensure that the prohibited items are no longer available in the state, a division bench comprising Justice C N Ramachandran Nair and Justice C K Abdul Rahim said.
The court gave the directive while considering a statement filed by the state government that stringent action would be taken against those who continue the sale and distribution of pan masala products.
Kerala Government ordered the ban last month under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Regulation Act, 2011, becoming the second state after Madhya Pradesh to do so. It had cited increasing incidence of gutka-induced diseases like oral cancer as the reason for the ban.
Meanwhile, a batch of petitions by manufacturers of tobacco products challenging the legality of prohibition has been referred to a division bench headed by the acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur.
The arguments on these petitions was going on before a single judge since the last few days.
A PIL was filed seeking to enforce the prohibition, which was allowed today prompting manufacturers to allege that this was state-sponsored and an abuse of process of court.
The government, without disclosing the pendency of petitions before the single judge filed a statement hastily and obtained a favourable order, they also alleged.
Following this controversy, the petitions of the manufacturers were referred to the division bench.
Curb sale of unlicensed packaged water: HC
The High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to take immediate steps to curb the manufacture and sale of packaged drinking water without valid licences.
Hearing a petition by Lochamesh Hugar, a resident of Hubli, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna directed the State to take necessary action as per Food Adulteration Act and Rules, 1954. It has ordered notice to the State and Central governments.
The petitioner had stated that most of these firms were manufacturing and selling packaged drinking water without valid licence. He said that under Rule 49 of Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 2000, no person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit packaged water without licence. The petitioner submitted that the authorities had failed to perform their duties.
He said that though ISI certification is mandatory, the manufacturers do not go for it so that they can avoid VAT. The petitioner submitted that there are at least a hundred such companies operating across the State.
Directing the respondents to take necessary steps to prevent manufacture and sale of drinking water without ISI certification, the division bench ordered notice to the State Food and Civil Supplies Department, deputy commissioners of all districts and the Centre.
Groundwater
The High Court has directed the State and the Union governments to apprise it of the steps taken to implement norms for curbing overexploitation of groundwater.
H N M Prasad of a Bangalore-based Power Water and Energy Audit had filed a petition challenging the commercial use of groundwaters by some of the water suppliers in the State.
He contended that water being a natural resources no individual has rights or title to exploit resources for commercial purpose. He said nothing has been done to implement the existing rules to check exploitation of water and sought the court to direct the authorities to notify Bangalore and peripheral areas within 50-km radius.
The Division Bench directed the petitioners to implead BBMP in the matter and ordered notices to Central Ground Water Board, Chief Secretary and others.
Hearing a petition by Lochamesh Hugar, a resident of Hubli, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna directed the State to take necessary action as per Food Adulteration Act and Rules, 1954. It has ordered notice to the State and Central governments.
The petitioner had stated that most of these firms were manufacturing and selling packaged drinking water without valid licence. He said that under Rule 49 of Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 2000, no person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit packaged water without licence. The petitioner submitted that the authorities had failed to perform their duties.
He said that though ISI certification is mandatory, the manufacturers do not go for it so that they can avoid VAT. The petitioner submitted that there are at least a hundred such companies operating across the State.
Directing the respondents to take necessary steps to prevent manufacture and sale of drinking water without ISI certification, the division bench ordered notice to the State Food and Civil Supplies Department, deputy commissioners of all districts and the Centre.
Groundwater
The High Court has directed the State and the Union governments to apprise it of the steps taken to implement norms for curbing overexploitation of groundwater.
H N M Prasad of a Bangalore-based Power Water and Energy Audit had filed a petition challenging the commercial use of groundwaters by some of the water suppliers in the State.
He contended that water being a natural resources no individual has rights or title to exploit resources for commercial purpose. He said nothing has been done to implement the existing rules to check exploitation of water and sought the court to direct the authorities to notify Bangalore and peripheral areas within 50-km radius.
The Division Bench directed the petitioners to implead BBMP in the matter and ordered notices to Central Ground Water Board, Chief Secretary and others.
Jun 13, 2012
Sh. Ghulam Nabi Azad Visits US FDA Head Quarters - PTI
Sh. Azad Stresses on Importance of Collaboration with US in Food and Drug Regulation The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Sh. Ghulam Nabi Azad has stressed on the importance of collaboration with the USA in food and drug regulation as this will provide exposure to the Indian regulators to international best practices in this area. Sh. Azad was speaking at the headquarters of the US Food and Drug Regulatory Administration (FDA) at Maryland. Sh. Azad is member of the high level Indian delegation visiting the USA.
Sh. Azad, while interacting with the high officials at the US FDA, highlighted the importance of drug and food regulation in the lives of common people and presented an overview of the Indian food and drug industry. He stated that the Indian food industry is estimated to be worth about US $ 135 billion. There has been rapid growth in the sector, especially the processed food industry, he added. Sh. Azad also said that the Indian pharmaceutical industry, estimated to be worth about US $ 20 billion, is ranked third globally in terms of its volume and 13th in terms of its worth. The Union Minister noted that India is regarded as the ‘pharmacy of the developing world’ due to the focus on accessibility and affordability.
Sh. Azad also spoke on the drug and food regulatory framework in India. He explained the roles of the Union and State governments in the regulatory framework of food safety, as it is a concurrent subject within the Constitution of India. The role of the Central government includes making regulations on food standards and other quality parameters; playing advisory role in implementation of the Act by States and Union Territories; amending rules and standards; ensuring that the import of food articles is safe, wholesome and comply with the provisions of Indian Food Laws; and notifying referral food laboratories to test the samples, while the State governments enforce the regulatory standards by lifting samples for testing and carrying out other regulatory functions, Sh. Azad stated. The Union Minister also stressed on the need to make the regulatory mechanisms within the country more effective.
Sh. Azad, while interacting with the high officials at the US FDA, highlighted the importance of drug and food regulation in the lives of common people and presented an overview of the Indian food and drug industry. He stated that the Indian food industry is estimated to be worth about US $ 135 billion. There has been rapid growth in the sector, especially the processed food industry, he added. Sh. Azad also said that the Indian pharmaceutical industry, estimated to be worth about US $ 20 billion, is ranked third globally in terms of its volume and 13th in terms of its worth. The Union Minister noted that India is regarded as the ‘pharmacy of the developing world’ due to the focus on accessibility and affordability.
Sh. Azad also spoke on the drug and food regulatory framework in India. He explained the roles of the Union and State governments in the regulatory framework of food safety, as it is a concurrent subject within the Constitution of India. The role of the Central government includes making regulations on food standards and other quality parameters; playing advisory role in implementation of the Act by States and Union Territories; amending rules and standards; ensuring that the import of food articles is safe, wholesome and comply with the provisions of Indian Food Laws; and notifying referral food laboratories to test the samples, while the State governments enforce the regulatory standards by lifting samples for testing and carrying out other regulatory functions, Sh. Azad stated. The Union Minister also stressed on the need to make the regulatory mechanisms within the country more effective.
Jun 12, 2012
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FDA Maharashtra commences special drive to ensure zero milk adulteration
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has commenced a state-wide campaign against milk adulteration. This was informed by Mahesh Zagade, commissioner (food), Maharashtra.
“Milk adulteration is happening on a daily basis and we are forced to take up a special drive across the state against the illegal producers, packers and distributors of milk,” explained Zagade.
The motive behind the campaign is to obtain zero milk adulteration in Maharashtra by June 30, 2012, so that the consumers could also procure pure milk in return. In this regard, the food safety officers (FSOs) in every region would now look into the aspect closely to look at the rootcause of the problem and work on it at the earliest.
“Our officers had raided around 20,000 litres of adulterated milk in Sangli district and recently in Mumbai (Khar region) of about 450-500 litres of milk,” he said, adding that the findings had been discussed with the FSOs in a meeting.
It has been found that the milk was adulterated with water and caustic soda (a preservative), it was repacked and resold to small dairy spots, and the truck drivers or owners concerned did not possess a licence or registration. Not only this, but also the places where the milk was distributed did not ensure hygienic condition and many a times they were located near drainage.
Further, it was also found that the milk was sold in packets without proper labelling and printing or even sold with no clarity in mentioning the “best before.”
The ones which were meant to be “not to be sold” were also distributed illegally to the sellers and that the rejected milk packets by one of the dairy spots would be purchased by the other in the scenario.
Therefore, the FSO would inspect all the check-nakas of the city and the tankers would now need to produce valid documents for the same. Further, all the distributors of milk should possess the list of those milk suppliers and other details.
Soon a meeting would be called in order to alert the dairy industry with the Rule 26 of the new law. All those spots, which would be identified by the FSOs as places of adulteration, hereafter would destroy the repacked milk. And the manufacturers shall now possess the list of all the details of the FSOs of their respective regions in case of emergency.
Further, the FSOs would now take up routine inspection of milk in every region, twice a month.
“Milk adulteration is happening on a daily basis and we are forced to take up a special drive across the state against the illegal producers, packers and distributors of milk,” explained Zagade.
The motive behind the campaign is to obtain zero milk adulteration in Maharashtra by June 30, 2012, so that the consumers could also procure pure milk in return. In this regard, the food safety officers (FSOs) in every region would now look into the aspect closely to look at the rootcause of the problem and work on it at the earliest.
“Our officers had raided around 20,000 litres of adulterated milk in Sangli district and recently in Mumbai (Khar region) of about 450-500 litres of milk,” he said, adding that the findings had been discussed with the FSOs in a meeting.
It has been found that the milk was adulterated with water and caustic soda (a preservative), it was repacked and resold to small dairy spots, and the truck drivers or owners concerned did not possess a licence or registration. Not only this, but also the places where the milk was distributed did not ensure hygienic condition and many a times they were located near drainage.
Further, it was also found that the milk was sold in packets without proper labelling and printing or even sold with no clarity in mentioning the “best before.”
The ones which were meant to be “not to be sold” were also distributed illegally to the sellers and that the rejected milk packets by one of the dairy spots would be purchased by the other in the scenario.
Therefore, the FSO would inspect all the check-nakas of the city and the tankers would now need to produce valid documents for the same. Further, all the distributors of milk should possess the list of those milk suppliers and other details.
Soon a meeting would be called in order to alert the dairy industry with the Rule 26 of the new law. All those spots, which would be identified by the FSOs as places of adulteration, hereafter would destroy the repacked milk. And the manufacturers shall now possess the list of all the details of the FSOs of their respective regions in case of emergency.
Further, the FSOs would now take up routine inspection of milk in every region, twice a month.
Commissioner of Food Safety interacts with manufacturers
JAMMU, JUNE 11:Commissioner of Food Safety today organised a one Day Workshop-cum-interaction Session for the awareness of the Manufacturers of Bakery, Snacks, Confessionary and Sweetmeat regarding various provisions laid down under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations, 2011.
The Commissioner, during a detailed interaction, made the participants aware about the set quality standard norms and rules for running food processing units.
He clarified that the licence holders, for any change in documents or information provided during grant of previous licence have to meet certain conditions as provided under the Act.
He said Certificate or Plan of Food Safety Management System or affidavit to that effect was compulsory for all such units.
During the Workshop, power point presentation on the Food Safety & Standards (Registration and Licenses of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, Food Safety & Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulation, 2011 and food safety parameters to be followed by food manufacturers was presented by Assistant Controller Food (HQ) / Food Analyst, Jammu.
During the interaction session, various queries were raised by the Manufactures which were clarified on spot by the Commissioner of Food Safety.
All the Food Business Operators were asked to get their business registered/licensed on or before 4th of August, 2012 to avoid any legal proceeding as laid down in the Act.
The Commissioner, during a detailed interaction, made the participants aware about the set quality standard norms and rules for running food processing units.
He clarified that the licence holders, for any change in documents or information provided during grant of previous licence have to meet certain conditions as provided under the Act.
He said Certificate or Plan of Food Safety Management System or affidavit to that effect was compulsory for all such units.
During the Workshop, power point presentation on the Food Safety & Standards (Registration and Licenses of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, Food Safety & Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulation, 2011 and food safety parameters to be followed by food manufacturers was presented by Assistant Controller Food (HQ) / Food Analyst, Jammu.
During the interaction session, various queries were raised by the Manufactures which were clarified on spot by the Commissioner of Food Safety.
All the Food Business Operators were asked to get their business registered/licensed on or before 4th of August, 2012 to avoid any legal proceeding as laid down in the Act.
ஈரோட்டில் நடந்த ஆய்வில் கலப்பட பாலே இல்லை : தமிழக பால் விற்பனையை தடுக்க கர்நாடகா சதி
ஈரோடு : பெங்களூரில் கலப்பட பால் லாரி பிடிபட்ட நிலையில், "ஈரோடு மாவட்ட பண்ணைகளில் இதுவரை நடந்த ஆய்வில், கலப்பட பாலே பிடிபடவில்லை' என, தமிழக உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரி கூறியுள்ளார்.
ஏன் இந்த முயற்சி? : தமிழகத்திலிருந்து பெங்களூருக்கு, பால் சப்ளை செய்யப்படுகிறது. ஈரோடு மாவட்டத்தின் பல்வேறு பகுதியிலுள்ள, தனியார் பால் பண்ணைகள் மூலம், பெங்களூருக்கு, ரெகுலராக பால் வினியோகமாகிறது. தமிழகத்திலிருந்து செல்லும் பால் வண்டிகளை, கர்நாடக அதிகாரிகள் பிடித்து, "கலப்பட பால்' எனக் கூறி, பாலை கீழே கொட்டி அழிப்பது வாடிக்கையாக நடக்கிறது. ஜூன் 9ம் தேதி இரவு, பெங்களூரு வில்சன் கார்டன் பகுதியில் நடந்த சோதனையில், ஈரோடு மாவட்டத்திலிருந்து சென்ற லாரி ஒன்று பிடிபட்டது. கர்நாடக மாநில பால்வளத் துறை அதிகாரிகள், அந்த லாரியிலிருந்த பாலை சோதனையிட்டு, அது கலப்பட பால் என கண்டறிந்தனர்.
வண்டியிலிருந்த, 5,000 லிட்டர் கலப்பட பால், பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது. பாலை எடுத்துச் சென்ற ஈரோடு மாவட்டம், பெருந்துறை தாலுகா, தயிர்பாளையம் தியாகராஜ், மணிகண்டன் நகர் சண்முகம் என்ற முத்துசாமி, திடியூர் பாஸ்கர் ஆகிய மூவரும், கைது செய்யப்பட்டனர். தலைமறைவான பால் பண்ணை உரிமையாளர், தனசேகரை தேடி வருகின்றனர். ஈரோடு மாவட்டத்திலிருந்து, கலப்பட பால் எடுத்து வந்ததாக, பெங்களூரில் மூவர் கைது செய்யப்பட்டதையடுத்து, ஈரோட்டில் கலப்பட பால் குறித்த ஆய்வை, தீவிரப்படுத்தும் நடவடிக்கையில், தமிழக அதிகாரிகள் இறங்கியுள்ளனர்.
30 மாதிரிகள் ஆய்வு : பெங்களூரில், மூன்று மாதத்துக்கு முன் இதேபோல், ஈரோடு மாவட்டத்திலிருந்து கலப்பட பால் சப்ளை செய்ததாக சிலர் பிடிபட்டனர். அப்போது, ஈரோடு பண்ணைகளில், தீவிர ஆய்வு நடத்தப்பட்டது. 30 இடங்களில் பால் மாதிரிகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டு, சோதனைக்கு அனுப்பப்பட்டது. இதில், இரண்டு மாதிரிகள் தரம் குறைவாகவும், இரண்டில் லேபிள் தவறு என, நான்கு மாதிரிகளில் மட்டுமே, குறை கண்டறியப்பட்டது. மற்ற நிறுவனங்களின் பால், தரமானதாக இருந்தது. கலப்பட பால் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டதாக, இதுவரை எந்த மாதிரியும் பிடிபடவில்லை. தற்போது மீண்டும், "கலப்பட பால்' எனக் கூறி, பெங்களூரில் பால் பிடிபட்டுள்ளது, அதிர்ச்சி ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது. முறையான லாரி அனுமதி, உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு சட்ட அனுமதி போன்றவற்றை பெறாமல், சிலர் தமிழகத்திலிருந்து பால் சப்ளை செய்கின்றனர். அனுமதியின்றி சென்று, பிடிபடும் லாரிகள் மீது, சம்பந்தப்பட்ட குற்றத்துக்கு தான் வழக்குப்பதிவு செய்ய வேண்டும். ஆனால், அதை, "கலப்பட பால்' என்று முத்திரை குத்துவதற்கே அதிகாரிகளும், போலீசாரும் ஆர்வம் காட்டுகின்றனர் என, தமிழக பால் பண்ணையாளர்கள் குற்றம்சாட்டுகின்றனர்.
Jun 11, 2012
Tribunal to keep watch on street food
The city for this purpose will have the state's first food safety tribunal which will not only provide teeth to food safety inspectors to keep quality checks on food sold in the city but also nail defaulters who make false claims about nutritional value of their products. The tribunal will be set up within the next two months.
The tribunal will look into cases where defaulters are caught selling food not of the nature or substance or quality as was demanded. It will also hear cases of substandard and misbranded food and misleading advertisements. "Food containing adulterants, unsanitary processing or manufacturing of food, offences by companies and compensation in case of injury or death of consumer among others are few of the cases that the tribunal will look into. We are integrating the municipal health machinery into the system," said the food & drugs control administration commissioner H G Koshia.
The state government has already approved the post of a presiding officer, chaired by a retired district judge and six other posts. The tribunal has become mandatory with the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 being implemented. Food safety inspectors are being trained by Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officers with short-term chemical tests that can reveal adulterants in food instantaneously. Food inspectors of municipal corporations and the food and drugs department are part of this exercise.
"Working of the tribunal will not clash with consumer courts as they deal with special issues. The tribunal is purely for enforcement purposes and an appellate body for those who have been penalized by our officers," Koshia added.
Respondent to petition cannot act on impugned FSSA provisions: Madras HC
It has been yet another eventful week for the Madurai-based Tamil Nadu Food Grains Merchants' Association (represented by S V S S Velsankar, its honorary secretary), who filed a petition against the Union of India (represented by the ministry of health and family welfare's secretary to the government) before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.
In an e-mail sent by R Kaleeswaran, honorary secretary, Karaikudi Bakery Owners' Association (KBOA), it is seen that the Madras High Court has passed an order of an ad-interim injunction constraining the respondent (Union of India), its men and agents from giving effect to the impugned provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006; Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, and the respective Regulations, 2011. "They cannot act on Sections 3 (1) (u); (za); (zf); 5 (1) (a); 13; 14; 23; 31; 40; 50 to 65 and 77 of the FSSA, 2006," he said.
Of late, this battle for justice for small food business operators in the south Indian state has taken other interesting turns too. "Assem Chaudhary, director, administration, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), arrived in Madurai this week and we had a fruitful discussion. In fact, he said the FSSAI would like to be a co-respondent to the petition we filed," Velsankar told over the telephone.
He added, "We have invited Chaudhary to visit Madurai again, accompanied by K Chandramouli, the chairman of the authority. He has agreed to come here and engage in talks with different trade bodies from across the state." Before signing off, Velsankar stated that he and a trade delegation from Tamil Nadu, accompanied by the members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, are headed to New Delhi next month to meet FSSAI officials.
In an e-mail sent by R Kaleeswaran, honorary secretary, Karaikudi Bakery Owners' Association (KBOA), it is seen that the Madras High Court has passed an order of an ad-interim injunction constraining the respondent (Union of India), its men and agents from giving effect to the impugned provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006; Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, and the respective Regulations, 2011. "They cannot act on Sections 3 (1) (u); (za); (zf); 5 (1) (a); 13; 14; 23; 31; 40; 50 to 65 and 77 of the FSSA, 2006," he said.
Of late, this battle for justice for small food business operators in the south Indian state has taken other interesting turns too. "Assem Chaudhary, director, administration, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), arrived in Madurai this week and we had a fruitful discussion. In fact, he said the FSSAI would like to be a co-respondent to the petition we filed," Velsankar told over the telephone.
He added, "We have invited Chaudhary to visit Madurai again, accompanied by K Chandramouli, the chairman of the authority. He has agreed to come here and engage in talks with different trade bodies from across the state." Before signing off, Velsankar stated that he and a trade delegation from Tamil Nadu, accompanied by the members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, are headed to New Delhi next month to meet FSSAI officials.
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