After HC order, UP to ban gutka from April 1 next year, 2013

LUCKNOW: UP government on Wednesday announced to ban gutka as per the order of the Allahabad High Court and the food security act passed by Parliament. However, the order will come into effect from April 1, 2013. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said that six months' time has been given to find out alternative employment for the people rendered jobless due to the ban.
In an official note issued by the state government, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said the decision was taken in keeping with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and was also being implemented in several other states of the country.
On September 18, the high court had questioned "the sincerity and commitment of the UP government to care for the health of its citizens" by restricting the use of 'gutka' and pan masala containing tobacco in the state.
Apart from ordering the state government to ban 'gutka', the court also asked the government to submit a compliance report, on October 10, giving details of the steps it had taken to implement the court's directives.Though the order was also applicable to other food products containing tobacco as an ingredient, the state government's order, on Wednesday, remains silent on all other products.
With as many as 13 states in the country having effected the gutka ban, the high court, in its order passed on a public interest litigation filed by Indian Dental Association, also said it might consider passing an order banning gutka, if the state government failed to act within the stipulated time.
Earlier, the standing counsel for the Central government had submitted before the court three letters sent by special secretary, Union ministry of health and family welfare, between May and August 2012, directing UP government to prohibit the sale and distribution of gutka, in keeping with the provisions of FSSA and putting restrictions on adding tobacco and nicotine to any food product. In response, the state government had, on September 10, filed an affidavit in the court saying it would take the necessary steps to ban the sale of gutka in UP within 14 days.
Though UP has been under pressure to impose a ban on the gutka, there are several reasons that have forced the state to delay the decision. One of the reasons of course is the massive revenue earnings through sales of gutka. In 2011-12 alone, the sale of gutka and tobacco-mixed paan masla in UP fetched the state government over Rs 230 crore as tax revenue.
The ban was also believed to be "under consideration'' for a long time as a populist measure - to protect the interests of several lakh labourers, traders and entrepreneurs involved in the gutka business in UP. In fact, in August, the state cabinet had lowered the entry tax on gutka.

Maggot-like insects found in Disney snack bars for toddlers produced by healthy food guru Annabel Karmel

Insects have been found in healthy snack bars for toddlers carrying Disney character names and produced by the British child food guru Annabel Karmel.
Thousands of the bars have been removed from sale following the discovery of insect larvae that look like maggots.

The products involved are Annabel Karmel chewy bars, which are sold as an alternative to junk food snacks and carry images of Mickey Mouse to appeal to youngsters.

Child food guru: Annabel Karmel's Baby and Toddler Meal Planner has sold three million copies worldwide

Mrs Karmel has built a multi-million pound food empire from her ability to tap into the difficulties that parents have in getting children to eat healthily.

Her success stems from her book the Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner, first published 17 years ago, which has sold more than three million copies around the world.

To date, she has written 17 books on food and child nutrition, while her business has expanded to include baby products and, more recently, ready meals.

Annabel Karmel Apple and Blackcurrant Oaty Chewy Bars and Annabel Karmel Apple and Raspberry Oaty Chewy Bars, both pictured, have been recalled because of food safety concerns

She has devised healthy menus in attractions such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Legoland, Chessington World of Adventure, Warwick Castle and Sea Life theme parks.

While in 2010, she signed a partnership deal with Disney to launch a series of healthy snacks featuring Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.

At the time, she heralded the deal saying: ‘I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to add fun to healthier foods. So I have teamed up with some all-time favourite Disney characters to create this yummy range of wholesome snacks.’

 

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The food safety recall involves Annabel Karmel Apple and Blackcurrant Oaty Chewy Bars and Annabel Karmel Apple and Raspberry Oaty Chewy Bars, which both use images of Mickey Mouse on the packs.

Details were revealed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which said the company ordered the recall following three complaints from customers.

An FSA spokesman said: ‘The insects are believed to be a maggot - a larvae of some sort. They have been sent for analysis to find out more.

Recall: Insect larvae have allegedly been found in Annabel Karmel's chewy bars, similar to those pictured

‘The company received three complaints, but decided to recall the whole range, not just specific batches.

‘The source is not known. This is being investigated by the company and local authorities.’

The range is produced by Lightbody Ventures, which has contracted an outside manufacturer to produce the bars under license.

Lightbody’s managing director, Neil Stewart, said: ‘We have been made aware of a potential foreign body contamination.

‘The health and well-being of the consumers of Annabel Karmel products is an absolute priority.

‘We demand of our licensees the very highest standards of product quality and require them to implement the necessary processes and procedures to ensure that all applicable food safety standards are met.

‘Lightbody is performing an internal investigation with its supplier to effect corrective action.’
No other Annabel Karmel or Disney products are affected by the recall.

After ban, gutkha makers expose 'more harmful' fag

Issue advertisements saying ban unfair when tobacco content is higher in cigarettes manufacturers in a few states have moved court against the ban 
Piqued by the number of states opting to ban the production, sale and marketing of gutkha, a group of manufacturers under the aegis of the Smokeless Tobacco Association have issued print ads saying it is unfair to ban their products when the tobacco content in these is lower than that in cigarettes.
The ads, which appeared prominently in newspapers, say that one pouch of gutkha contains 0.2 g of tobacco as against 0.63 g in a single cigarette. The ads also blame “the powerful lobby of cigarette companies” for the ban, which has compelled a number of small gutkha manufacturers to shut shop.
Joining the Smokeless Tobacco Association in the current drive are other bodies such as the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative Ltd and the All India Kattha Factories Association. Arecanut or betelnut and kattha are the ingredients in gutkha.
Gutkha manufacturers also argue that the ban has affected arecanut growers. Industry experts concede that the consumption of the red variety of arecanut has taken a hit due to the ban on gutkha and pan masala in 14 Indian states. They point out that arecanut prices are down by about 3 per cent to Rs 134 a kg in major markets such as Karnataka and Kerala.
The states that have banned gutkha and paan masala include Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Mizoram, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattis-garh, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Sikkim.
Konkodi Padmanabha, president, Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative (Campco) said the advertisements were part of the body's initiative to protect arecanut growers. “We are not batting for any tobacco product. All we are doing is highlighting which product is actually harmful. Our attempt is to improve awareness,” he said.
A spokesperson for ITC, the largest cigarette maker in the country, declined to comment. Udayan Lall, director of the Tobacco Institute of India, a New-Delhi-based body of cigarette manufacturers, also declined to comment on the issue.
However, cigarette makers questioned the rationale behind the ads. “How are we responsible for the ban? Gutkha is a food product, which is why it has been banned in 14 states,” said an executive from a cigarette company.
Manufacturers in a few states have also moved court following the ban. In Maharashtra, for instance, the Pune-based Dhariwal Group, which makes Manikchand gutka, challenged the ban recently. Company officials, while choosing not to come on record, say that pan masala and gutkha cannot be considered as food products. That way, they say, these products will not be governed by the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Maharashtra had issued the ban on gutkha and paan masala this July under the Food Safety & Standards Act of 2006, on the grounds that these products, when consumed, were injurious to health. The notification issued by the state had said that paan masala contained chemicals such as magnesium carbonate, while gutkha contained chemicals such as zinc, among others. These chemicals are said to cause cancer. Following the ban in Delhi and other states, brokerages such as Edelweiss and Anand Rathi had issued reports saying that the move was positive for cigarette makers since consumers of gutkha would shift to cigarettes.
“We expect low-end cigarette brands such as Bristol, Flake and Scissors from ITC and Charminar from VST to benefit. Also, we estimate the new cigarette of 64mm (from ITC) to command higher volumes, finding favour with former gutkha consumers,” said Anand Rathi.

FDA notice to radio channel for 'misleading' ad

NAGPUR: The city branch of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has sent a notice to a radio channel saying that an advertisement aired by them violated the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA). The advertisement for a brand of vegetable oil claimed that the product reduced the cholesterol levels of the consumer which the authorities say is a misleading statement.
The provisions of the Act enable the FDA to act against any manufacturer making tall claims about products. The said notice has asked the advertisers to provide copies of the agreement and communication between the channel and the manufacturer to establish who is at fault. "The advertisement is under Section 24 of the Act that prevents misleading information being relayed through media. This is not the first notice we have sent to a media house. At least six have been sent so far," said Sanjay Naragude, assistant commissioner (food).
 Though enacted in 2006, the Act has been implemented since 2011. This Act has been opposed by manufacturers and traders. Under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act 1955 that preceded it, surveillance was not very strong, say the authorities. Officials of the channel said the claims have not been made by them and they only relayed the information provided to them by the manufacturers.

Sumul dairy to take on local milk suppliers

SURAT: Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (SUMUL) has become the first dairy in the country to launch high fat pasteurized milk.
The dairy launched the milk under the brand name 'Sumulya' on October 2. Sumul aims to capture the market share of consumers buying loose milk in order to get more fat in the preparation of a range of homemade sweet dishes, ghee, buttermilk and butter.
Officials said the high fat pasteurized milk launched by Sumul is available for Rs 50 per litre and has a fat percentage of 7 per cent and the Solid Not Fat (SNF) of 9 per cent.
Marketing manager of Sumul Manish Bhatt told TOI, "This is the only high fat milk brand in the country. We have been selling about 10,000 liters of high fat milk per day in the city and it is expected to double in the next few days."
In a recent study conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Gujarat, about 89 per cent of the state's milk samples were not conforming to standards. The highest number of
non-conforming milk samples that were collected from urban areas in India as from Gujarat cities.
For instance in Gujarat, 75 of the 89 milk samples that were collected from cities were found lacking the desired Solid Not Fat (SNF) and fat content. This was due to the dilution of milk with water and other adulterants which could be neutralizers, hydrogen peroxide, sugar, starch, urea, salt, detergent, formalin and vegetable salt.
"The loose milk is not good for human health as it lacks SNF. SNF is one of the most essential components of milk that consists of vitamins, minerals and nutritional components. The price of the milk is based on its SNF and fat contents," Bhatt said.

Self regulation an effective measure to regulate misleading ads:CII report

"Constitution of legislation, in form of an Administrative Authority to curb misleading ads is not the solution," writes a white paper presented by Confederation of Indian Industries(CII) National Committee on Marketing.

Titled "Self regulation in advertising in India – a critical evaluation" suggest that the co-regulation between ASCI and regulators like Department of Consumers Affair(DCA), Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, etc, is an effective solution to control the misleading ads in India.

The paper embarks on partnering and strengthening, the current mechanism of self-regulation through ASCI which is a productive system for consumers, industry and the government.

The paper also recommends that in cases of non-compliance of the Consumer Complaints Council’s (CCC) decisions the matter should be referred to the parent regulatory body for further actions.

However the paper is a product after the DCA of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had made a proposal for the intervention of the government to control misleading ads. However CII has requested the DCZ to consider its proposal and the constitution of an administrative authority will only delay the process of consumer redress and be counter-productive.

While shops down shutters today, bakers to become more 'FIT'

As the traders in the state are downing shutters on Wednesday in protest against allowing FDI in the retail sector and the alleged excesses of the officials of the Food Safety Commissionerate against the backdrop of incidents of food poisoning and death, Bake, the Bakers Association Kerala, which is also participating in the agitation, is taking the opportunity to become more ‘FIT.’
‘FIT’ or ‘Friendly Inspection Team,’ formed under the aegis of Bake, is going to take up a vigorous, full-day cleanliness drive in the shops under it on the strike day.
The cleanliness day is aimed at ensuring quality products and counter the challenges posed by the FDI in the food sector, though everyone is pinning hope on the government promise that Kerala’s retail trade will not be opened up for foreign players.
 “We realise that the influx of multinational companies is going to be a reality in the state. Instead of blindly opposing it, the Association is keen to protect small and marginal bakeries,” P M Sankaran, state president, Bake, said.
Bake is taking a cue from the experience of countries such as Japan and China, where the small-scale sector is making products for multinational brands. “We are sure that our country, especially Kerala, will also become a favourite ground for multinational brands for outsourcing products for marketing, provided we can ensure cleanliness and quality of products. We want to gain strength from challenges and follow the guidelines of the Food Safety Act, 2006,” Sankaran said.
FIT is guided by a three-pronged district-wise initiative, with select owners of bakeries visiting their counterparts and giving guidance for improving facilities, followed by inspection of another team from their own fold and finally by a team comprising both owners and Food Safety Department officials.
The initiative also coincided with a concerted drive for ‘Nirangalodu Vida’ (bidding adieu to colours) and ‘Thanimayude Tharavattilekku’ (back to ethnic food), in vogue since two years, which had a big impact on the bakery sector in the state.
 “Even when eatery outlet owners were forced to be on the defensive after the unfortunate incidents over the shavarma-related death and other incidents, there was no let up in our drive.
Ernakulam district has been fully covered by the ‘FIT’ process,” Bake state general secretary K R Balan said.
“We are positive. We are thinking of ourselves as consumers. The mindset that there will be takers for anything and everything supplied to consumers has to change. Customers have become very much quality conscious. Let the foreign players come. What the government has to do is to help the local food sector to improve and compete, by providing incentives,” Sankaran told Express.

Instant kits to detect adulteration in 'khoya'

PUNE: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) will use an instant detection kit to check adulteration of any form in 'khoya' (also called khawa) and sweets. This will help save a lot of time and ensure stricter compliance since samples sent for laboratory tests take days to confirm adulteration, if any. The aim is to check malpractices during festive season and prevent sale of substandard food products in Pune and adjoining districts.
"Food safety officials can now use testing kits to find out adulteration in khoya and mithais on the spot. If the instant screening reveals that the product is adulterated, then a sample of it will be taken for record and the rest will be destroyed right away," said FDA joint commissioner (food) Shashikant Kekare, on Wednesday.
The on-the-spot food product testing kit uses solutions such as tincture of iodine and sulphuric acid. "A few drops of tincture of iodine can test the quality of khoya. If khoya turns bluish, then it is adulterated. Another kit makes use of sulphuric acid to rule out adulteration," Kekare said.
These tests are scientific, hence they are confirmatory. "The instant detection mechanism will enable our officials to work efficiently and initiate instant action. This will automatically preclude long waits for laboratory reports," said Kekare.
Adulteration is not only an unethical practice, but also a serious risk to human health. Presence of harmful starch, urea mixed milk, caustic soda, ararot, artificial sweetening chemicals, non-approved colored sweets (like heavy metals incorporated malachite green etc) and unhygienic conditions may lead to acute gastritis, serious diarrhoea, dysentery, dehydration, kidney inflammation, etc.
The FDA in the neighbouring state of Gujarat has been using on-the-spot food product testing kit for quite sometime with great success. Their kit can detect 21 types of adulteration, such as urea in milk, argemone in oil, traces of metals in food, aluminium in place of silver foils, etc.
During the last few days, FDA officials in Pune have collected 15 samples of khoya and 28 samples of mithai across Pune division and sent them for laboratory tests. "The report is awaited. From Friday, our officials will start using the new kits. This will facilitate early detection of adulteration and help prevent their consumption,'" said FDA assistant commissioner (food), S S Desai.

Food safety officials raid anganwadis & toddy shops

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Food safety officials on Friday carried out raids at anganwadis and toddy shops across the state and collected food and toddy samples for detailed examination.

Raids were conducted at 160 anganwadis and 105 toddy shops. As many as 15 food samples were collected from anganwadis for scientific examinations.

The food safety officials seized and disposed of large quantity of stale rice and pulses kept at anganwadis. Instructions were given to take urgent steps to improve the quality of food items supplied to anganwadis.

Most toddy shops were found to be lacking cleanliness and in food quality and were asked to improve the conditions on a war footing. As many as 118 hotels and bakeries in places declared as hotspots were also examined by the officials.

Of these, two shops were served closure notice and 58 shops would be served notices.

Penalties worth Rs 27,000 would be levied on these shops, a statement from the office of Food Safety Commissioner said here.

Similarly, the commissionorate has given permission for the reopening of the production unit and outlet of Ambrosia bakery, subject to certain conditions.

A provision store at East Fort was given closure notice. Sources said it will be allowed to operate only after until the grave flaws detected in the shop are addressed satisfactorily.

Traditional Oil Best Bet, shows Study

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டம்: இடைக்கால தடை நீக்கம்

Traders, bakers differ on food safety

As members of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi are bracing up for a strike on October 3 against the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, their counterparts in the bakery industry will close down outlets for a one-day clean-up programme.

While the samithi is demanding withdrawal of stringent punishment envisaged in the law, the latter will be focussing on ways to ensure better hygiene.

Strategic move

The bakers, while maintaining the camaraderie among the trade groups, want to explore the opportunity for a worthwhile cause. It is a strategic move aimed at keeping the traders united, simultaneously giving a clear message on the purpose of a strike.

The Bakers Association Kerala (Bake) has been spearheading several initiatives to improve hygiene in the kitchen. Several classes have been organised by the association across the State for the members to get familiarised with the clauses of the new Act.

The organisation had brought out a Malayalam version of the Act. It is of the view that the Act is progressive and compliance with the provisions will be beneficial to the bakers’ community.

“The path to progress is clearly visible in the food supply scenario. Only those who adopt modern methodologies in production and packaging will be able to survive,” says P.M. Sankaran, president of Bake.

The food products available at large supermarkets and malls are mostly procured from local manufacturers, he points out. Quality and packaging matter a lot in the procurement process. Those who fail to meet the required standards will be wiped out of the scene, he says.

Many of the neighbourhood shops in Malabar have vanished in recent years as they remained in the old mould and could not cater to the demands of the transformed customer. Bakeries are being modernised and latest technologies being incorporated to increase competency levels. Many among the food product manufacturers have benefited from the ongoing process, he avers.

One of the prominent associations in the hotel industry will also support the implementation of the Act, according to him. M.Krishnan Nair, vice-president of the KVVES, says the new Act is being implemented in a haphazard way. The penalty under the new regime is exorbitant and the mechanism for reconciliation is hostile. One of the demands of the samithi is to remove the top official of the food safety and standards authority in the State. Significantly, the date for implementing the Act has been postponed several times in view of the demand from various organisations for more time. It has now been slated for implementation from February 5 next year.

However, market sources point out that implementation of a new law in Kerala is generally marked by stiff opposition. Much of the powers hitherto exercised by local bodies in respect of inspection of food, are being assigned to the new authority.

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Traders plan strike on October 3

Bakers to go on a clean-up drive

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Members of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Sa

FDI in multi-brand retail: shop shutdown tomorrow

Call to rectify anomalies in Food Safety Act of 2006

Shops across the State will down the shutters on October 3 in protest against the Centre’s recent decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and the anomalies in the implementation of the Food Safety Act of 2006. The strike is being jointly called by the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi and the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA). Hotels and medical shops will remain closed.

Samithi president T. Nasseruddin said in a press conference here on Monday that FDI would result in monopolisation that could wipe away small retail shops.

“Even though the Chief Minister has said that the State would not allow FDI, it is to be seen how effective this promise will be. Our demand is to stop the implementation of FDI all over the country. Once 51 per cent FDI is allowed, the rest 49 per cent share of that particular company will be held by an Indian monopoly. This arrangement will allow them to start business in any State that they want to,” Mr. Nasseruddin said.

The samithi, he said, was dissatisfied with the implementation of the Food Safety Act. He alleged that food safety officers had been harassing hotel and eatery owners even though the licensing and implementation date had been extended to February 2013.

“The duty of the food safety officers now is to create awareness among shop owners of the Act. But they are now resorting to unwanted raids and harassing the hoteliers. The committees to decide the food standards and fine amounts are yet to come into place. So such raids cannot be condoned,” Mr. Nasseruddin said. The KHRA said the Act itself had many clauses that were unfairly loaded against small-time shop owners. “We are not against the Food Safety Act. But certain conditions laid down regarding packaging of foods could negatively affect the small hotels which cook traditional food items. This could lead to a kind of standardisation by which most of our traditional food will disappear, leading to the proliferation of packaged food items from multinationals,” said M. Abdul Nazeer, Kozhikode district president of the KHRA.

Another issue raised by the Samithi is that of shop rents. The periodic increase in shop rents has affected the profits of the shop owners, about 90 per cent of whom in Kerala conduct business out of rented shops. The landlord-tenant Act needs to be reformed to stabilise shop rents, it said.

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Hotels and medical shops will also remain closed

‘Food safety officers harassing hotel owners’

Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi-Father of the Nation, Administration imposes complete ban on ‘gutka’

Port Blair, Oct. 1: In a befitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi-Father of the Nation who was strongly against consumption of tobacco, the A&N Administration has imposed complete ban on manufacture, sale, storage and display of all gutka products in the Islands. The formal decision to enforce the ban was taken by the Lt. Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) Bhopinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM. The decision has been taken due to increasing cases of oral cancer caused by chewing gutka and pan masala, particularly by the younger generation in the Islands. The complete ban on the product (sale, stocking, production and distribution) shall come into effect from 1st November 2012. The ban will be implemented by the Commissioner of Food Safety, Directorate of Health Services as per Regulation 2,3,4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulation 2011, made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Sub-Section (2) of Section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Acts, 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006) read with section 26 thereof, which prohibits articles of food in which tobacco and nicotine are used as ingredients, as they are injurious to health. Gutka and pan masala are articles of food in which tobacco and nicotine are widely used as ingredient. As per the ban order manufacturing, storage, distribution and the sale of Gutka and Panmasala containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients by whatsoever name available in the market is prohibited in the interest of public health.

Dinamalar News

FDA chief says scarce funding hobbles sweeping food safety regulations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it is having difficulty implementing expansive new rules to improve food safety, nearly two years after President Barack Obama signed the standards into law, because of a lack of funding.

FDA chief Margaret Hamburg predicted on Monday that her agency "very soon" will issue new regulations needed to enforce the Food Safety Modernization Act, a sweeping piece of legislation enacted to upgrade the security of the U.S. food supply after a deadly salmonella outbreak in 2009.

Hamburg said the implementation process has been slow because Congress has not provided sufficient funds to meet the law's ambitious demands.

The legislation imposes the biggest changes in food safety since the 1930s and requires the FDA to undertake a major shift from a longstanding reactive role to a system designed to prevent food-borne outbreaks. It also calls for the agency to create new science-based safety standards for fruits and vegetables, packaged foods and food imports.

"Implementing that broadly expansive mandate with limited resources has been a challenge," Hamburg told a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank.

Her comments come at a time when the FDA is working to meet a host of new priorities, including improved international drug regulation, while analysts and industry officials say the agency's resources could fall prey to deficit reduction talks that are due to resume in Congress after the November 6 election.

The Food Safety Modernization Act, which Obama signed into law in January 2011, represents an effort to step up the federal government's battle with food-borne illnesses that afflict nearly 50 million Americans each year, killing thousands.

The United States, by most measures, has some of the safest food in the world. Still, roughly one in six people get sick from eating tainted products each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Deadlines under the law for major regulations intended to safeguard produce, packaged foods and food imports have passed without the issuance of even preliminary guidelines.

"It has been frustrating," Hamburg said. "We are moving forward. But it has been harder and slower than any of us would have wanted."

She called on private industry to help finance the law's provisions, which give the agency the power to mandate recalls when outbreaks strike. The FDA regulates about 80 percent of the U.S. food supply. Among the exceptions are meat and poultry, which are overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"What we have is a really nice car without any gas in the tank," said Erik Olson, food program director for the Pew Charitable Trusts.

He says the FDA's $866 million food safety budget could need hundreds of millions of dollars more to pay for the field the inspectors and scientists required to meet the new duties.

The legislation became law two years after a massive salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter killed nine people and sickened nearly 700, half of them children.

There have been about three-dozen major food-borne outbreaks since then, according to the CDC. There have been about dozen so far in 2012, including a recent salmonella outbreak involving peanut butter.

FDA to destroy seized gutka worth Rs10cr

After the Bombay high court verdict that the ban on gutka and paan masala in the state be continued, the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorities will begin systematic destruction of the seized consignments, officials said.
Since July, gutka and paan masala packets worth more than Rs10 crore have been seized across the state by food inspectors after a state-wide ban on the manufacture and sale of these products was imposed. "Every lot that has been seized across districts in the state will be disposed of as per the rules under the Food Standards and Safety Act (FSSA), 2006. The destruction process has to be supervised by the district officers along with the civic bodies in each district. Before the disposal is initiated, due procedures have to be followed," said state FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade.
Zagade pointed out that products like scented supari sold separately, which can be mixed with tobacco to be constituted as gutka, is also being seized but authorities are not seizing pure chewing tobacco being sold by the vendors.
After the HC refused to stay the gutka ban, FDA authorities have swung into action to crackdown on the smuggling and peddling of tobacco-based products. "Of the 16,800 premises scrutinised across the state, 622 found hauling up gutka and paan masala were sealed," said Zagade.
FDA officials have swooped down on wholesalers and warehouses in seven districts - Thane, Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Amravati, Nagpur and Aurangabad. A majority of the stock, worth Rs4 crore, was seized from Thane. Pune and Mumbai follow closely, with seized consignments in each district believed to be worth more than Rs1.5 crore.
To curb the smuggling of gutka, the FDA has begun to rope in police and transport officials to monitor buses and trains entering the state from neighbouring states such as Gujarat and Karnataka. "Based on a tip-off received from the police, we seized a consignment worth Rs22 lakh from a train coming in from Gujarat when it pulled in at the Mumbai Central station last month," Zagade said.
Of the 15 writ petitions filed by gutka and paan masala manufacturers against the state, the court rejected the plea of eight of them to stay the ban in case. Decision on the remaining seven are still pending.

Bakers to mark ‘Hygiene Day’ on Oct 3

KOCHI: With people becoming more aware of the unhygienic conditions in hotels and restaurants following the recent raids conducted by health officials, the bakeries have decided to give more impetus to hygiene in their production units. As part of the campaign Bake Fit, the Bakers Association Kerala (Bake) will observe October 3 as Hygiene Day. On this day, around 8,000 bakeries in the district will shut shop and take up cleaning works. The initiative is part of the forum's effort to meet the high quality standards set under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Bake president P M Sankaran said the association has the responsibility to ensure that quality products are served to customers. He said the campaign, launched by the association to reduce use of artificial colours, was successful.

"We have been following ethical practices in our industry and have launched various campaigns to set high standards in the bakeries in the state. Through the Hygiene Day campaign, we expect all the bakeries to follow best hygiene practices," he said. On the government decision to open the retail sector to multinational companies, he said it was not possible to oppose their entry blindly.

"The products of multinational companies can be used to the benefit of the baking units and bakeries. In countries such as Japan and China, corporate firms have outsourced bakery products to small-scale and cottage industries. While the small industries make products, the corporates market it under their brand names," he said.

Detergent detector - New test to identify synthetic milk

New test to identify synthetic milk

ADULTERATION of milk is common. In January this year a survey by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found that about 70 per cent of the milk in the country does not conform to the standards set by it. The milk samples were found to have glucose, urea, hydrogen peroxide, vegetable fat, neutralisers, skim milk powder and even detergent in the samples tested.
Among these, detergents, though relatively new, are being widely used as an adulterant. “Their use has increased over the past five years due to absence of tests,” points out Y S Rajput, senior scientist at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal. He, along with other researchers at the institute, has now devised a way to detect the adulterant. The test is an improved version of an earlier method they designed, and can give results in less than two minutes. It is highly sensitive, too, and can detect even minute traces of detergent. Detergents are not natural components of milk. “Other chemicals like salt and glucose are naturally present.
Since these compounds are part of milk’s make-up it is difficult to detect the extra quantities milkmen add,” explains Rajput.
Detergents are used for a different purpose. “Milkmen remove milk fat and replace it with vegetable oil. However, vegetable oil is not miscible with milk, so they put detergent in it to make it miscible,” says Rajan Sharma, senior scientist with the dairy chemistry division of NDRI. The milk thus prepared is called synthetic milk. “This is done to increase the quantity of milk,” Sharma adds.
The test developed earlier in 2006 used a dye which gave a light blue colour when the milk was pure and turned dark blue when it was contaminated. But the industry pointed out that the test might be confusing for lay users.
To circumvent this problem, the team changed the chemistry of the test and used another dye, which they refused to name, so that pure milk gives violet colour and contaminated, blue. (see ‘NDRI innovation to tackle milk contamination [1]’).

The kit was launched in December last year. It can detect all detergents that are being used to adulterate milk. “The USP of this test is that it will not show any false positive or negative results. Most of the other tests give five to six per cent false positive results,” says Rajput. He adds that it does not even throw up false positives in cases where there is residual detergent in the sample. This residual detergent can enter the sample through the utensils used to store milk.
The researchers add that their synthetic milk test has been field tested by Mother Dairy as well and they are now in talks with the company to commercialise it. Mother Diary is likely to outsource manufacturing to Benny Impex Private Limited, a company that supplies milk testing kits to it and to the National Dairy Development Board. “Most of the adulteration happens at the level of middlemen—the individuals who function as a link between the farmer and industry,” explains Sharma. Using the kit, companies can easily test the milk provided to them by middlemen, he adds. NDRI has also applied for a patent for the test.
Though there are no studies to show how chemicals in milk affect human health, experts warn that they are hazardous even in small quantities. Mukul Das, senior toxicologist at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research in Lucknow, says, “Low doses of detergents over a period of time can dissolve membranes in the cells and interfere with their function.”
Naresh Kumar, a senior scientist in the microbiology division of the institute, adds that antibiotics in the milk can cause allergic reactions. The drug can also affect beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Aflatoxin M1—metabolites produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus paraciticus that enter milk through cattle feed—can impair the liver in large doses, he adds. Listeria monocytogenes—a bacterium found in milk if animals not kept under hygienic conditions—can lead to diarrhoea, fever and nausea. Chemicals like hydrogen peroxide added to the milk to preserve it can reduce the nutritive value of milk, says Rajput.
NDRI also has a testing kit for these chemicals. It can detect 11 other contaminants like starch, sugar, glucose, maltodextrin, urea, ammonium compounds, pond water/nitrate, common salt, neutralisers, hydrogen peroxide, formalin, and vegetable oil. The test kit, which costs Rs 5,000 and provides 100 tests, has sold 180 units in the past 10 years. Customers include dairy farms and small-scale dairy companies.
But similar kits are made by other manufacturers and are cheaper and easily available in the market.
The NDRI scientists are going to pitch the test kit to FSSAI in a few months. Speaking to Down To Earth, FSSAI chairperson K Chandramouli welcomed the innovation. “Our panel would be very willing to have a look at it.” he adds.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Focus on anganwadis, school canteens: Prabhakar - THE HINDU

Government’s focus will be on Anganwadis, school canteens and toddy shops to promote a healthy food regime, Commissioner of Food Safety, Biju Prabhakar, has said.He was speaking at a food safety seminar organised by the Federation of Residents’ Association, Thiruvananthapuram (FRAT) at the Press Club on Friday.
Attacking the skewed structure of governance itself, he said undue importance was still being proffered to the Survey Department.
He said it was essential to keep in mind that there lacked a civic culture in the State.
Mr. Prabhakar said the Food Safety and Standards Act was “scientific and pragmatic”. Commenting on some of the recent shut-down cases, he said, “Some of the cases were isolated incidents of negligence.”
He also stressed that a number of factors needed to be kept in mind, including false complaints. According to him, over 90 per cent of the complaints made were merely intended to incriminate a business that posed a viable competition. He also responded to a complaint regarding transportation of fish in freezers containing ammonium sulphate, and promised action.
Mr. Prabhakar also said certain habits needed to be inculcated at the home level itself, such as not constantly freezing and re-heating the same food and to veer away from food colouring, known to contain carcinogenic compounds.

DINAKARAN NEWS

It is time we reclaim our right to safe food and usher in a revolution

We are what we eat. This adage had been long established by our traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda.

Since modern science has also verified it through a series of experiments, we are much more willing to accept that whatever we consume from our environment, decides our physical well being, social behaviour and thinking.

Chemical fertilizers are a byproduct of World War II (Photo Courtesy: GOI Monitor)

However, despite being granted this wisdom, we have added poison to the food we eat in last 60 years.

Starting from chemical fertilisers in the soil, spraying of pesticides and insecticides on plants, unnatural processing methods and now the efforts to introduce genetic modifications, we are not moving but running towards destruction.

From World War to Green Revolution
We all are familiar with homeopathic and allopathic medicines. Even a small quantity of medicine (milligrams in allopathy and nanograms in the case of homeopathy) taken on a routine basis for 2-3 days, can treat a disease.

Just imagine how adverse the impact would be of heavy dosage of chemicals in the food we eat. Doctors will tell you that even a minor change in concentration of chemicals can turn a normal person insane.

However, the impact of agro chemicals on our mind, hormonal system, enzyme release et al has not been researched. Whatever work is done in this regard is systematically aborted under influence of vested interests.

Now, let's talk about how these chemicals ended up on our plate. The genesis of agro chemicals can be traced back to World War II, the biggest damage-causing exercise of modern world.

Besides the loss of human lives and destruction that occurred at that time, the far damaging impact of that war is visible today. At the end of the war, the industrial nations were staring at the huge stockpile of chemicals used to produce weapons.

To save the industries from getting bankrupt, it was proposed that the left-over chemicals should be used in controlled quantity to increase agriculture productivity.
It was claimed that that the usage will only kill the insects and there would not be any adverse impact on human body. So, what we term as green revolution was the result of this business model meant to promote corporate interest.

The laws we make
Food is very important to live which is why 'Right To Safe Food' is naturally linked to 'Right To Life'. And it's an inherent right of every living being, not just humans.

Article 21 of Indian Constitution grants us the 'Right to Life' which is an all encompassing law essential for survival of any nation.

The Article 47 of directive principles defines the duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health whereas Article 48A calls for protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wild life. Unfortunately, these laws are being tweaked on the pretext of economic liberalisation.

The international organisations working in the field of agriculture are making policies clearly favourable to the corporates of developed countries like US. This is why, the treaties being forced down on Indian government result in domestic laws which have little public interest element in them.

The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, which is the main law addressing contamination, only deals with those components added after food production which is why there is no law to regulate usage of pesticides and other chemicals in the farms.

Though the definition of “unsafe food” does include food items in which level of pesticide and other contaminants is in excess of quantities specified by regulations, there are no proper testing laboratories to check the amount of pesticide/insecticide usage. Also, none of the food items we consume are subjected to any such checks.

Besides the 'Right to Safe Food', we should have the 'Right to Choose our Food' so that if the government is not serious about giving us safe food, we are able to make our own decisions by looking at labels.

The labels should indicate whether the food item is organic, laced with chemicals or genetically modified. The list of chemicals (if any) used and their quantities should also be mentioned on the label so that people can make informed decision.

Ironically, India had this system of labelling till some time back before the US complained to the World Trade Organization calling it an unfair practice and our government accepted the contention, putting the lives of all its citizens at risk.

Labelling of food items is linked to our right to safe food which is why we need to reclaim it. If the medicines have counter indications mentioned on them, why should not the food grown with use of agro chemicals be subjected to this condition?

We should also remember that as a consumer, our demand affects the supply side. If we seek safe food, it will make the farmers grow organic and we can return to the good old days of completely nutritional food.

Now, vendors to get hygiene lessons

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to meet food vendors on the city streets and five other district in the state to instruct them on hygiene and check that they comply with these requirements.
A pilot project will be launched next month in select food places in the city as well as Pune, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Nashik, FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade said.
The department has been considering registering food business operators (FBOs), particularly the roadside food stalls, across the state under the Food Standards and Safety Act (FSSA) for some time now.
"These vendors will be tracked over a period of time to ensure that they have been registered under the FSSA and are complying with the hygiene standards," Zagade said.
Under revised rules in force since August last year, FBOs are required to register with the FDA to convert their licences under the 1954 Prevention of Food Adulteration Act to the 2006 FSSA.
Zagade said that workshops will be conducted for vendors and hawkers will be instructed in the use of plastic gloves and caps when preparing food, checking the quality of materials like vegetables, and proper washing of utensils.
"The state has an estimated 15 lakh FBOs, which include hawkers, vendors, shopkeepers, wholesale suppliers, grocers and restaurateurs. So far, 2.6 lakh licences have been issued and we are reaching out to roadside stall owners in the pilot project to ensure due compliance under the FSSA," Zagade said.

DINAMALAR NEWS

State safety seal on edibles in sight

Ranchi, Sept. 28: After several hiccups, the Rs 2-crore state food and drugs laboratory is expected to start operations next week on the Namkum health directorate campus, paving the way for authentic tests of food and medicine that Jharkhand consumes.

A selection panel set up by the health department has finally recruited 14 technical personnel, seven for each of the twin facilities, including a food analyst and drug specialist.

Though the recruitment process began in January and advertisements were floated in March, the final list became ready only yesterday.

Of the duo, the food lab had started in 2008 with World Bank aid during former chief minister Madhu Koda's tenure, but shut shop within a year, succumbing to staff crunch and power bills to the tune of Rs 29 lakh. Its counterpart for drugs will make its debut.

The state government passed its Food Safety Act in January, leading to an urgency to open laboratories for regular food and drugs testing and audits. The need became imperative with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India sounding an alarm over adulterated milk sold in the state.

"Our teams are in place," state food controller T.P. Burnwal told The Telegraph. "The food lab has seven personnel, including analyst J.K. Singh, who headed the facility after inception and then went to Bihar when it shut down. We have brought him back now," said Burnwal.

Heading the drug control team will be Satendra Singh. Six persons, including lab assistants and technicians, will report to him.

National Rural Health Mission (Jharkhand) will fund the salaries of the 14 experts.
On why the hiring process trundled slowly, Burnwal said they were raring to start, but the health department took a "little extra time" as it wanted to launch both the food and drug testing facilities together.
Director-in-chief (drug) S.K. Mukhopadhyay, Burnwal's counterpart, couldn't be contacted for comments, but an official, who did not want to come on record, said it was only proper that facilities on the same campus started together.

A panel member said there were a number of formalities to reckon with. "Even now, a compulsory formal notification on the recruitment of lab chiefs J.K. Singh and Satendra Singh, is awaited from the health department," he said.

Cooking a controversy

The delicacies at several swanky city restaurants are not as healthy as their ambience. The eateries' employees cook and serve delicious dishes flouting the norms set by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Bypassing the rules, cooks prepare food without sporting caps and gloves with brazen support from the restaurant owners or the managements. Serving with hands is more of a rule in the city eateries than an exception. (See graphic)
According to the norms of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, cooking food without wearing caps and gloves is a strict no-no. Wearing gloves while serving is mandatory. Packaged drinking water should be used for cooking and drinking purposes. The penalty for flouting the norms is Rs 2 lakh, life imprisonment or both.
The state eateries came under the purview of the norms on October 1, 2011. The officials of State Food Safety Authority collected 1,230 samples of food in the city. Of them, almost a third ' 380 samples to be precise ' were substandard. None of the eateries serving unhygienic food has been taken to task yet.
Ashish Kumar, the designated officer of the State Food Safety Authority, said: "Around 3 months ago the judicial panel was set up. Checking the status of trials is not a part of my duty."
Taking advantage of the callousness of the authorities concerned, most the eateries are minting money at the cost of the citizens' health. The Telegraph spotted unhygienic practices in the kitchens of some leading food joints. But their managers and owners brazenly claimed that only the footfall matters to them, not the health of the clientele.
Bipin Kumar, the manager of Banjara Fast Food at Mauryalok Complex, said: "Using gloves doesn't signify hygiene. If the government officers come, we will pay the fine."
Indradev Kumar, the owner of Blue Moon, echoed Bipin. He said: "Taste matters to customers, not the use of gloves or caps. If we use gloves, will there be a rise in the number of customers?"
Caps and gloves are still "strangers" at Banjara Fast Food and Blue Moon. A peek into the kitchen of Kaveri Restaurant at Mauryalok Complex gave The Telegraph a shock. A youth was spotted dressing a chicken placing it under his foot with hands.
When the incident was brought to the notice of the restaurant's manager, he refused to speak.
The ignorance of the customers has made the job of the food joint owners easier. Hardly anybody challenges them.
A teacher, requesting anonymity, said: "I didn't know that cooks of food joints should wear caps and gloves while making food. Nor did I know, gloves are mandatory while serving."
Rakesh Kumar, an engineer, said: "People should be made aware of the standard norms."

Need to prescribe limit for iron filings in tea: UPASI

Coonoor, Sept 28:  United Planters’ Association of Southern India said on Friday said there is an urgent need in prescribing the limit for iron filings in tea to avoid unwanted harassment faced by the trade and industry.
As per the Food Safety and Standard Act of India (FSSAI) regulations, there is no permissible limits prescribed for iron filings in tea, which has resulted in considerable hardship to the members, UPASI President D Hegde said at the 119th Annual Conference of Association.
Stating that the iron filings in tea is not an adulteration but an inevitable manufacturing problem, he said the Centre had earlier issued a circular prescribing the maximum limit of 250 parts per million (ppm) or iron particles in tea, which was subsequently withdrawn.
Hegde also felt the need for revamping some of the legislations, which were archaic to suit the current situation, including amendments made to the Employees Provident Fund Scheme which makes it mandatory to deduct PF for an employee employed even for a day.
He also requested the Centre that Chairmen of UPASI’s coffee, rubber and spices committees be nominated to the respective boards, like in Tea.

Survey finds substandard food items

NEW DELHI: Next time you decide to buy your favourite sweets like boondi ka laddoo or ras bari be sure that they are safely prepared. A recent survey by the food safety department of the Delhi government has found that many of these food items contain sub-standard, extraneous matter or are mis-branded. They pose serious health risks too.

"Eight out of 48 samples lifted by the department were found to unsafe — one sample each was sub-standard and misbranded whereas two samples contained extraneous matter," said a senior official.

He said that four samples of 'boondi ki laddoo' were found to have synthetic colour beyond the permissible limit."One sample of red chilli powder contained more colouring matter than allowed. A sample of sweetened carbonated water contained microbial contamination. A sample of kebab roll also had more synthetic colour. A sample each of kaju roll and ras bari was found to have extraneous matter," the official added.

Sources said challans have been issued to all food operators. Delhi health minister A K Walia, who held a review meeting with top officials of the food safety department, has asked officials to step-up strict prosecution action against the violators in view of the recent findings.

FDA to offer tips on healthy cooking to street food sellers

MUMBAI: Street food will soon don the "healthy" tag with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planning to hold training sessions for vendors and give them lessons on how to cook and serve hygienic fare. The pilot project will include vendors at Nariman Point, Girgaum chowpatty, Juhu chowpatty and Khau Galli at Marine Lines.

FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade said the plan was aimed at sensitizing street food hawkers about the health hazards that unhygienic cooking might cause. The department will start with registering eating joints and then holding workshops and seminars for the sellers. "They will be taught to use fresh raw material, wear caps while preparing food and put on gloves while serving food," Zagade said. The project will also be held in Pune, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Nashik.

The FDA on Thursday announced how it has cracked down on food and drug adulteration a year after the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, came into effect. Zagade attributed their "triumph" to increased raids and checks. Food inspectors across the state have been carrying test kids and conducting on-the-spot checks to see if the food and medicine samples complied with the safety standards. In the festive season, Zagade said, the checks would be intensified.

Since the beginning of September, the FDA collected 62 samples of mawa and 47 of sweets to check their quality; following a test, the officials seized both the items, collectively worth Rs 3.28 lakh, for poor quality.

Zagade said efforts to curb milk adulteration, too, seemed to have yielded results. Of the 944 milk samples tested in the state, 690 conformed to set standards. "While 226 samples were substandard, meaning they had less fat content, only 1.8% was found to be unfit for consumption," he said. Unsafe milk powder, worth Rs 49 lakh, was seized and destroyed immediately.

Adulteration has been found to be less in medicines manufactured in the state. This was revealed by 20,833 samples of drugs brought from other states in three years; of them 1,488 or 7.14% tested below standard. Among the 9,148 samples of state-manufactured drugs tested, only 2.67% was of poor quality.

FDA to check sale of impure food products

Sirsa, September 27
With the festival season drawing closer, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has drawn a strategy to check the sale of substandard and adulterated food products in Haryana.
GL Singal, joint director, FDA, was in Sirsa and Fatehabad recently to interact with officials of the Health Department in this regard. “After the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, in Haryana earlier this year, the enforcement measures in the food items have witnessed a number of changes,” said Singal while talking to The Tribune. “Earlier, only the government food inspector (GFI), now rechristened as food safety officer (FSA), was authorised to take samples of food product. Now, medical officers working at primary health centres, senior medical officers, working at community health centres and general hospitals and deputy civil surgeons (health) working at the district level have been notified as FDAs by the government,” he said.
While earlier one FSA worked for two to three districts due to several vacancies in their cadre, now the FDA has 20 to 25 FSAs in each district, depending upon the numbers of PHCs, CHCs and GHs there, he added. As an earlier practice, under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, all cases where samples taken by the GFI failed to comply with the standards, complaint cases were filed in the courts where these dragged for years due to heavy rush of work on an average 400 to 500 cases went to courts every year in Haryana.
Later, these cases went to the district courts and the high court. Now, with the implementation of the new Act, the cases are filed before the Additional Deputy Commissioners, who have been notified as adjudicating officers under the FSSA-2006 and the cases are disposed of in a few months by imposing fine as prescribed under the law. ADC Rajiv Rattan in Fatehabad has become the first adjudicating officer to decide a first lot of five cases, filed before him in April this year, in a period less than five months.
Only those cases in which the food item is found injurious to health are filed in special courts notified under the new Act.

FSSAI CEO Mohanty emphasises on risk-based approach to food regulation

Food regulation is not a one-sided affair, and it is imperative to migrate from a hazard-based system to a risk-based system, according to S N Mohanty, chief executive officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Mohanty was delivering the keynote address on Thursday at the two-day Federation of Indian Chambers of Chambers and Industry (FICCI) Food World India 2012, the sixth global convention for food business and industry.

"When a risk-based approach is adopted, inspection will become prioritised. To put it simply, the regulatory authorities across India urge food business operators (FBOs) all over the country - estimated to be about 5 crore now and likely to double in the next two or three years - to up their guard. There is no dichotomy between the regulators and the FBOs. Co-production will be the keyword. Both will have to be on the same page. The onus of self-regulation and compliance will now be on the FBO," he said.

He further said, "It wouldn't be possible to migrate seamlessly to the risk-based approach without making sure that the FBOs have noted that it applies to both products seeking import clearance and those which will be sold in the domestic market, and risks are of two types, namely inherent risks and controllable risks."

Uniformity in licensing is another aspect the chief of the country's apex food regulator dwelled upon. He said, "Bundled licensing software, which enables the process and the product to be along the same lines, is being rolled out for each state, because it would be impossible to streamline the process without computerising it. The data available online is inadequate, and that has held the sector back for a long time. Moreover, the ability to create standards is also limited. With the passage of time, all the provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954, will be repealed, so the inadequacies will be ironed out, and import control will also become smooth."

Product approval has not been clearly defined under Section 22 of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006 and Regulations, 2011, which came into effect on August 5 last year. Genetically-modified foods await notification. The onus for food safety is not on the FSSAI but on the FBO, according to Mohanty.

"Obtaining a no-objection certificate may take some time because the product available in the market is not necessarily safe and may have to undergo preliminary scrutiny. Certain minimum checks are mandatory," Mohanty said, adding that the nutritional matrices will be taken into consideration while determining the type of scrutiny. Some foods may just have a quick pass-through, while closer scrutiny will become mandatory for others.

He spoke about proprietary foods, a term rapidly gaining currency now, but from the perspective of the apparent ambiguities. It encompasses novel food, food additives, and functional foods. As for traditional foods, he said, "In India, the main issue hindering their approval is inadequate resources, including manpower."

Since it is a science-based process, an obvious drawback is the fact that there isn't enough laboratory infrastructure. "There are 60 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited labs, and another 55 are being set up currently. By the end of the Twelfth Plan, there will be about 200 labs. In addition, there will be 70 intermediate labs, and 30 referral labs."

Among the proposed scientific panels, according to Mohanty, are panels dedicated to fisheries and spices (the latter being a category in which there is immense potential for export growth). There is a proposal to set up a national food science body, whose primary objective is risk analysis. "The licensing regime, the food safety management system (FSMS) plan and safety audit are interlinked," he said.

"There is a huge communication gap. The modernisation and strengthening of laboratories is the need of the hour, and the Centre has earmarked funds for this purpose. There should be an orientation programme for the industry by the industry," Mohanty concluded.

The second half of the session was a panel discussion on the industry's expectations of the Act. The panelists were M M Chitale, vice-president, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) [AFST(I)]; Raji P Srivastava, food safety commissioner, Punjab, who spoke about the implementation of the Act and the industry's expectations; A S Upadhyay, joint director, export inspection agency, ministry of commerce and industry, Government of India, whose topic was quality control and food safety audits under FSSAI for domestic and international trade; J Padmaja, member, scientific panel for methods of analysis and sampling and assistant director, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, who spoke about how FSSA encourages safety and innovation; and S N Bhat, food regulatory affairs manager, Nestle Pvt. Ltd, who spoke about the approval of additives (drawing pointers from the Food Code).

'Even Farmers have to register under Food Safety Act'

NAGPUR: The CEO of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), S N Mohanty while replying to a question posed by a delegation of Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA) said that under the new Food Safety Act even farmers are required to obtain a registration before selling their produce in the market.

The statement came after the VTA delegation asked as to why farmers and milk societies are excluded from the purview of this law. On this Mohanty replied that FSSAI was formed after the Food Safety Act came into existence and hence only the Parliament can answer this question. However he categorically said that farmers are also required to obtain registration under the act before selling their produce claimed a press release issued by VTA.

VTA claims the new Food Safety Act in force since August this year, is threatening the very existence of several operators in the eatery and other food related businesses. They termed several provisions of the law to practically impossible to comply claiming that it may also lead to Inspector Raj as tremendous powers have been vested with the officials.

Secretary of VTA Tejindersingh Renu, questioned the CEO as to why the law failed in creating a logical balance and gradation between different types of businesses to be covered under the act. The act practically covers all the kinds of businesses including those even slightly related too food or food material. ""Under the new law there will be similar norms for a dhabha (highway eatery) to a seven star hotel,"" said Renu.

Baba Ramdev’s unit given another chance to get products tested

Baba Ramdev may be famous for starting the yoga revolution, but he is also quite well known to be skilled at dodging accusations thrown at him. Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Department department has given Baba Ramdev yet another chance to prove his stand and get his Kankhal-based unit’s food samples re-tested in the central laboratory in Pune within a month. Reacting on reports about his ‘misbranded’ food products, the yoga guru on Wednesday had termed the shocking findings as ‘misleading’ and ‘politically motivated’. He accused the State and Central investigating agencies of trying to defame him and threatened to take legal actions against the Food Safety and Standards Department also.
While addressing the local media, Ramdev said “It is a conspiracy to defame our trust and also sabotage our movement against corruption and black money”.
According to senior officials of the Food Safety and Standards Department, failure to get products re-tested within the given time will instigate adjudication of the case against Baba Ramdev’s unit. The department had collected samples of six food products after conducting a surprise raid at the unit in August this year. The samples were sent to Rudrapur for testing and the laboratory findings that the food products had failed the tests were made public on Tuesday.
District food safety officer RS Rawat admitted that there is no problem with the quality of the products being manufactured by the unit. “However, many products are manufactured elsewhere and their marketing is done here. Like the Patanjali salt is procured from Kutch in Gujarat and mustard oil from Rajasthan and both are sold as Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd products,” Rawat added.
According to sources, the yoga guru could possibly be fined to the tune of Rs 90 lakh for misbranding  six products. The misbranded products include Patanjali salt, Patanjali mustard oil, Patanjali lychee honey, Patanjali gram flour and Patanjali pine-apple jam.

5 penalised for selling substandard food

Fatehabad, September 26
The additional deputy commissioner-cum-adjudicating officer, Rajiv Rattan, has imposed penalties on five persons and firms for keeping substandard food items with them for sale to the public under the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006.
Hearing complaints filed in his court by the Food Safety Officer, Fatehabad, the adjudicating officer imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Manish Kumar from Dangra road Tohana, proprietor of Gem Ice Candy.
Samples of ice candy taken from his factory in April this year were found substandard.
In another case, Om Parkash, a resident of Naya Bazaar Tohana, was ordered to pay a penalty of Rs 10,000 as the sample of ghee taken from his grocery shop was found below the prescribed standards.
Ajit Kumar, a milkman whose sample of milk taken in April this year was found substandard in laboratory tests, has been imposed a penalty of Rs 3,000 by the ADC, while Surinder Kumar from Hansi, whose barfi was found below the prescribed standards, will have to pay Rs 2,000 as penalty.
Gulshan Kumar Grover, who runs Gulshan Hotel opposite the Panchayat Bhawan in Fatehabad, has been penalised by the adjudicating officer for keeping substandard dahi for serving his customers.

750kg of adulterated tea seized

COIMBATORE: A team of officials from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India along with revenue officials and police raided a residence at Gandhipuram third street extension on Wednesday and seized 750kg of low quality tea dust and 100kgs of chemical dye which was ready to be packed and distributed in the open market. The dye according to the officials was to be mixed with the tea dust so that it would have a deep brown tinge when served for consumption. "All these chemicals are carcinogens and prolonged use could lead to serious health complications. We will send the seized samples for detailed lab analysis. The owner of the establishment is absconding at the moment," said R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Officials raided the spot on the basis of adulterated tea samples seized from a tea stall near Somanur early Wednesday morning. They traced the location of the tea distributors to Gandhipuram 5th street and later traced the warehouse and packing centre to a rented portion of a residential building on third street extension.
"We have also recovered the packing and blending materials inside. He has been running this business for the past couple of years," said K Chandran, Food Safety Inspector who was part of the operation.
The tea dust packed under the label of 'Three Star' tea was packed in polythene packets and the address of the manufacturers mentioned on it was found to be fake claimed officials. The house owner also claimed that he was unaware that something illegal was being carried out in the rented portion of the building. Officials have sealed the building after collecting samples for examination. The operation was carried out on the orders of district collector M Karunagaran.

FDA to crack down on sale of loose edible oil

PUNE: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) will ensure strict implementation of the ban on the sale of edible oil in loose form across the city and adjoining districts from Thursday.
Almost 45% of the city's population purchases oil in loose form, sale of which is banned as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
"The ban on selling edible oil in loose form will henceforth be enforced in letter and spirit. Our officials will start inspecting shops and firms selling edible oil in loose form," Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune, told TOI on Wednesday.
The officials will fine shops registered with the FDA Rs 25,000 if found selling oil in loose form. If shops/firms having an FDA licence are found indulging in such sale, they will have to pay a penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh.
The oil should not only be sold in packets, but must also have proper labelling and information about its package date, type of oil, price, etc, according to the act.
Most shops in and around slums sell oil in loose form. "So we are going to focus on those pockets in city where this practice is rampant. The aim is to enforce the ban across the division," Kekare said.
Currently, 80% of edible oil is sold in loose form in the country, which, according to trade sources, is in the blended form. For example, refined sunflower oil or soybean oil in loose form is a blend of the respective oil and palm oil in the proportion of 65:35.
According to experts, such impurities are difficult to for a layman to identify, as the blending of palm oil does not change the physical property or taste of the product. But it changes the chemical property, which affects the consumers' health in the long run. Selling of loose edible oil is not permitted in developed countries.
What the Act says
No person shall sell or distribute or offer for sale or dispatch to any person for the purpose of sale any edible/vegetable oil
a) which does not conform to the standards of quality as provided in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and rules/regulations made under, and
b) which is not packed in a container, marked and labelled in the manner as specified in the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) regulations