32 food inspectors from civic bodies to join FDA

PUNE: As many as 32 of the 59 food inspectors working with municipal corporations and municipal councils have consented to join the state food and drugs department.

The move will add to the current strength of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and is expected to help consolidate efforts to conduct raids and seizures to check adulteration, prevent illegal sale of gutka and grant/renew registration/licences to food business operators on a continuous basis. Staff crunch has been one of the prominent issues plaguing the department for quite some time now.

"Of the 32 food inspectors who have consented to switch over to the FDA, five are from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and four from the Pune Municipal Corporation. These officials will be absorbed into the FDA, Pune," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.

Replacing the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954 and other seven rules/orders, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Rules and Regulations 2011 came into force across the country from August 5, 2011. In view of the staff crunch vis-a-vis implementation of the new act, the state's urban development department recently extended in-principle sanction to shift food officials with civic bodies who are ready to join the FDA.

"The process to get the 32 officials merged with the respective FDA offices is currently on. Most have started carrying out the responsibilities assigned to them by their department heads from the FDA," said Shivaji Desai, assistant commissioner (food), FDA.

The 32 officials will be upgraded as grade B officials from their current grade C service rank. "But like all state officials, they will have to be ready for transfers," Kekare said.

The FDA Pune currently has 14 food safety officials (FSO) to oversee the food safety and standards related work in the district. The strength now will go up to 23. "Absorption of nine officials will strengthen our force and help us carry out routine work like taking food samples and carrying out inspections, granting or renewing licences of food business operators and keeping watch on sale of gutka," Desai said.

The implementation of food safety norms are set to get tougher in the district from this month onwards. A district level advisory committee has been formed under the district collector to assist the FDA officials in effective implementation of the norms.

The committee will meet once every month to evaluate glitches and churn out solution to ensure 100% implementation of the food safety norms as envisioned in the act.

Food Safety

Some bigwigs at the Srinagar Municipal Corporation obviously deem themselves beholden to powerful politicians representing lobbies and mafias rather than responsible for citizens and the interests of their well-being. In at least a couple of incidents in recent months, food inspection teams have been upbraided for imposing fines on commercial establishments with political connections. A prominent and high-profile hotel, found stocking large quantities of stale and mouldy food items, got off the hook, perhaps by a single telephone call to some minister, and the inspection team did not know what hit it, its members left ruing the day they decided to do their duty conscientiously. These were matters which made it to the public ken, inevitably through the media. There is no guessing what other nefarious goings-on characterise the working of the SMC which had been turned into a money-minting machine - in addition to selectively overlooking massive food adulteration in lieu of monetary gratification at the highest levels - due to its authority to permit and sanction constructions big and small. Though it is not relevant to the subject at hand, the massive violations of the so-called Srinagar Master Plan, serve as an indicator of how deeply some top figures in the Municipality are in league and nexus with the politician-and-ill-gotten-big-money syndicates. Such lucrative enterprises and postings cannot sustain unless their murky proceeds are channelized to the very top of the political and the bureaucratic spectrum.

In the most recent case indicating how food safety offenders have protection from the highest levels of the government, special inspection teams set up in distress by the SMC health officer have been grounded by the joint commissioner of the municipality on the pretext that the health officer had stepped beyond jurisdiction. That the health officer in question had felt compelled to set up another squad within one month of a previous one being shut down speaks, on the one hand, of the magnitude of the food safety crisis in the city, and on the other, of the ineffectualness of the SMCs conventional mechanisms and their compromised nature. The same health officer had to go through a harrowing time at the hands of an individual at the very top of the state’s political executive for initiating action against a dairy producer marketing sub-standard milk. Earlier this year, a damning central report revealed that over seventy per cent of Kashmir’s milk supply was heavily adulterated. After weeks of foaming at the mouth about ”taking serious note” of the issue and “taking strict action” against those found responsible, the government finally came out with the big news that it would approach the central agency for the identities of the adulterating dairy companies. (This was precisely timed with arguments appearing in these columns that instead of its mendacious hemming-and-hawing, the government should take such a step, and rather, should have taken it just when the report surfaced.) Since then nothing has been heard, either from the government, or from the section of the media it used to peddle its lies, about the identities of the adulterating companies or action taken against them. Need one say more?

Dinamalar

Dinakaran

Provisions of Food Safety Act not being adhered

NL Correspondent Jammu, Dec. 21: Though the High Court had directed the state government and civil authorities to submit regular about the quality of food being served to the people by restaurants and eating joints, but it is not being adhered properly. It has already been decided to put ban on the issuance or renewal of the licence without production of the fitness certificate to ensure that the these food sellers, regardless of the safety precautions they take at work, undergo a mandatory medical examination for ratifying their physical fitness in order to pursue their trade. Government of India's Food Act 2006 stipulates that hygiene should be given priority when food is served to the people. Numbers of applications were presently pending with the authorities due to lack of the required certificate. Samples has to be collected from small retailer, road side food vendors, hawkers, stall holders, cottage industries relating to food business, meat/mutton/poultry business operators with the slaughtering capacity of two larger animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day. Now the Drug and Food Control Organisation has directed all the agencies to submit the reports before it within two days so that the same could be submitted to the High Court. Court had passed the direction after a PIL filed by social activists. It is pertinent to mention here that people who come under direct contact with food have to demonstrate "fitness for work" certificate following concern shown by the many NGOs and government agencies that people are getting low quality and unhygienic food in the city. When contacted Commissioner of Food Safety (Jammu), Satish Gupta said that they have directed all the concerned agencies to submit their details and reports prepared immediately. "We have directed all civic agencies not to delay submission of reports further and they should adhere to the norms", Gupta said. As per Commissioner Food Safety, all food business operators were directed to renew their existing licenses, registration granted under the repealed Food Act/Order under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Regulation of Food Business) Regulations, 2011.

Dinamalar

License Mela @ Coimbatore on 23.12.2012 - FSSAI AD

Tea Board asks NIN to analyze iron filings in tea

India’s National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) is conducting toxicology studies to determine to what extent iron filings present in tea powder are harmful to human health, according to an industry body.

The country’s food safety and standards regulator, after consultations with the Health Ministry and the Tea Board, has capped the maximum limit for iron particles in tea powder at 150mg per kilogram, for now.
Worldover, permissible levels for iron filings in tea ranges between 120mg/kg and 500mg/kg, a recent Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) media release stated.
The NIN report, expected a year from now, will help the industry in better determining the permissible level of iron filings in tea powder, said Mohan Kumar, director, Tea Research Institute, The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI).
CTC tea powder is bound to have some iron filings in it because of the “nature of the manufacturing process,” Kumar said.
“Tea leaves are withered in a sieve fitted with a mesh and leaves are cut using rollers. Facotries use magnets to remove iron filings from tea powder, but some iron particles will remain,” Kumar said.
The Tea Board has sanctioned around Rs.25 lakh to the NIN for the toxicology studies, Kumar said.
Tea makers operating within the ‘prescribed limit’ of 150 mg of iron filings per kilogram of tea cannot be prosecuted till November 23, 2013, the FSSAI media release stated.
The National Institute of Nutrition is located in Hyderabad. India is the second largest producer of tea, after China.

Quality issue in warehoused pepper

The Kerala unit of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has sealed the entire quantity of pepper stored in six warehouses at Kochi, Kerala, about 5,000 tonnes worth Rs 18 crore, after saying it found traces of mineral oil in the stock. The warehouses were accredited by the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX).
FSSAI acted on complaints by a couple of participants in the exchanges. Said an FSSAI official from Kochi, “We have sent the sample of pepper to the laboratory and the report is awaited. We have asked the warehouse keepers not to engage in any trading without our permission.” Chillies and other spices stocked in these godowns have also been blocked for delivery.
Used to improve pepper’s appearance, mineral oil’s use here is prohibited globally. Tasteless and odourless, it is used in baby lotions, cold creams, ointments and cosmetics. Following the global norm, the Indian government has prohibited its use in food articles.
 

PEPPER TROUBLE

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India seals six NCDEX-accredited warehouses Finds traces of ‘mineral oil’ - a prohibited substance — in pepper deposited in various godowns No mention of mineral oil in contract specification FMC to look into such statutory issues now

However, a clause prohibiting use of mineral oil was not mentioned in the contract specification designed by the exchange and approved by the commodity derivatives market regulator, the Forward Markets Commission (FMC). It was assumed the global norm would be obeyed. Though most export specifications specifically mention ‘free from oil wash’, the local specifications usually do not.
“The exchange has sent its officials to look into the matter. We are in touch with FSSAI for further course of action,” said an NCDEX official.
Late last month, FMC investigated the issue on complaints by a Mumbai–based commodity manufacturer and trader. Its officials inspected and found the pepper stored in these warehouses conforming to the quality specified in the contract specification. Hence, the regulator gave a clean chit.
An FMC official said, “The complaint lodged with us was primarily with regard to high moisture content and light berries in the product. We found no truth in this complaint. Apparently, the complainant is sitting with high stocks, which it bought at very high prices. Since, the price has crashed since then, the complainant is furious.”
Pepper prices have fallen around 15 per cent in the past three months, to trade at Rs 35,450 a quintal today for delivery in February 2013 on the NCDEX, from Rs 41,500 a qtl on September 20.
Ramesh Abhishek, the chairman of FMC, said, “The mineral oil issue has been raised for the first time. We would look into all standards set by various agencies, including FSSAI and other statutory bodies, and take a view soon.”
Traders fear no delivery of pepper on the NCDEX platform, as the exchange does not have any in any other warehouse.

Centre-state divided over grub trade permit

The (kitchen) knives are out between the Centre and the state government over issuing licence/registration to food businesses in Jharkhand.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Act (2006), any company/vendor/hawker/transporter involved in the grub trade has to seek mandatory licence or registration (as applicable) latest by February 4, 2013.
The Centre's nodal agency for quality control and monitoring ' the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ' has decided to host a daylong camp on FJCCI premises in Ranchi on Saturday (December 22) for spot submission of forms.
The FSSAI even published an advertisement in this regard on Thursday.
However, the state food control department ' authorised to issue licence/registration in Jharkhand ' claims it has no knowledge of any such camp and will not entertain requests for permits on the said occasion.
"We don't have any intimation from the Centre. We should have been informed officially. I came to know through newspapers as you did. Since we were not, we are not technically involved with the camp," state food controller T.P. Burnwal said.
Admitting that licensing and registration was necessary for quality control of food being sold in the market, Burnwal claimed his department had already started doing so over a month ago. "Till November 21, we approximately registered 2,035 firms and issued around 803 licences. We will continue with our business and are not concerned with the camp," he added.
Manoj Naredi ' the former FJCCI president who has been made nodal officer by FSSAI to facilitate the licensing process ' said he was not sure what the state's gripe was.
"The camp is happening and it has been divided into two parts. The first half will generate awareness, while the latter will invite requests for spot registration/licence. The authority for final issuance, however, lies with the state if the business is small and with the Centre if it is big. The jobs are defined and we fail to understand why the state department should have a problem," he added.
Those in the know claim the sole reason why the department is unhappy is that the FSSAI roping in FJCCI blocks the commission bounty.
"Hefty sums are involved as officials extort food vendors in the name of issuing licence/registration. That is where the itch is. With the FJCCI involved, food inspectors and other officials may not get a chance to interact with independent vendors directly," said a trader, requesting anonymity.
The normal rate of acquiring licence/registration depends on the turnover.
For vendors, cart owners, food manufacturer, retail outlet owners, transporters, et al, whose annual turnover is less than Rs 12 lakh, the registration fee is a paltry Rs 100.
The cost of licence for small traders (turnover between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 25 lakh) is Rs 2,000. Big traders pay Rs 3,000, while manufacturers (Rs 25 lakh and above) cough up Rs 5,000. Giant firms, which manufacture and also maintain depot/stocks under the same brand name, are required to fork out Rs 7,500.

VTA delegation apprise FDA Minister Naik on FSS Act threatening closure of existing establishments

 

Nagpur News : A delegation of Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA) led by its Vice President Shrawan Kumar Malu met Minister for Food & Drug Administration Manohar Naik and submitted memorandum highlighting various provisions of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) being implemented in State through Food and Drug Department (FDA), which is severely threatening closure of existing Food Businesses and also resulting in drastic rise of corruption.

Shrawan Kumar Malu submitted before FDA Minister that this Act is literally threatening of closing down practically all old Food Business Operators (FBO) in the State as many provisions in the Regulations are practically impossible to comply with and has also given unprecedented powers to the Food Inspectors leading to Inspector Raj.
Tejinder Singh Renu, secretary of VTA requested FDA Minister that time extended by FSSAI as prescribed in 2.1.2 – License for food business of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation 2011 by 6 months would drastically prove insufficient and as such State Government should demand further extension.
Renu also submitted that the said Act is being enforced retrospectively, as FDA is demanding affidavit from existing FBOs along with application for registration under the Act, to comply with all provisions of Schedule IV within one year of taking registration under FSS Act, wherein many provisions are impossible to comply as such leading to litigation.
VTA in its memorandum specifically mentioned that they are not against the laws or provisions for safety of people, who may be get affected by unsafe food or adulteration, but the system adopted to cover one & all, small to big, that too overnight may surely boost corruption. Such implementation of Act should have been imposed slowly and gradually in a developing country like ours.
Agreeing to the various issue raised, FDA Minister specifically mentioned that State Government shall surely write to FSSAI as well as Union Government for appropriate amendments so that such ambiguity is resolved without harming livelihood of the people engaged in food business.
Others present in the VTA delegation were Pawan Chopra – Treasurer, Joint Secretaries Hemant Trivedi and Praveen M. Agrawal, executive body members Amarjeet Singh Chawla and Yogi Singh.

DINDIGUL BLOCK FSO ACTIVITIES

70 food outlets face prosecution for adulteration

Food safety commissioner Sanjay Kumar has granted sanction to prosecute owners of 70 food and sweets outlets who allegedly used adulterated ingredients in violation of various provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which came into force in the state last year. The list includes seven prominent sweets outlets at New Dak Bungalow Road, Boring Road and Mithapur in the state capital. The rest belong to Bhagalpur, Gaya, Munger and Banka.
In most of the cases, the owners have been been charged with using non-edible synthetic colouring agents like lead chromate to enhance the colour of food items. If their offences are established, the violators could be imprisoned for a maximum period of six years besides paying a fine of Rs. 5 lakh each.
Notably, it has been scientifically proved that most of nonedible colouring agents are carcinogenic and their use may prove lethal.
Some of the alleged violators have also been charged with selling insect-infested food items. The offence invites a punishment for up to one year imprisonment and also a fine of Rs. 3 lakh.
Following the approval for prosecution, the cases will be tried in the designated courts, especially set up at all district headquarters for the purpose.

68 p.c. of milk sample adulterated: Ministry

A ‘snap shot survey’ conducted across country reveals it

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has admitted that 68.40 per cent of the milk samples collected during a ‘snap shot survey’ conducted across the country last year did not conform to the Food Safety and Standards Regulation 2011.
This shocking information came to light through a written reply given on December 11 to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP S. Thangavelu, who is from Sankarankovil in the district.
The reply given by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that the National Survey on Milk Adulteration 2011 conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to ascertain the quality of milk and identify different types of adulteration has shown that 68.40 percent samples did not conform to the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.
As per the gazette notification issued by the FSSAI, functioning under Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, milk is a mammary secretion derived from milking of healthy milch animal without either addition thereto or extraction unless otherwise provided in these Regulations.
It shall be free from colostrum.
The notification also prohibits the sale of certain admixtures. No person shall either by himself or by any servant or agent sell cream which has not been prepared exclusively from milk or which contains less than 25 per cent of milk fat; milk which contains any added water; ghee which contains any added matter not exclusively derived from milk fat; skimmed milk (fat abstracted) as milk; curd not prepared from boiled, pasteurised or sterilized milk.
Condensed milk sweetened, condensed skimmed milk sweetened, milk powder, skimmed milk powder, partly skimmed milk powder and partly skimmed sweetened condensed milk shall not be sold except under Indian Standards Institution Certification Mark.
Against this backdrop, the appalling admission by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the serious issue of milk adulteration has triggered shock waves.
Control mechanism
As a measure to control this menace, Commissioners of Food Safety in States and Union Territories have been empowered and mandated to take remedial measures under Food Safety and Standard Act and Rules and Regulations. FSSAI has already issued advisory to Food Safety Commissioners across the country to maintain the stipulated standards of milk. They have also been advised to take appropriate measures under the Food Safety and Standard Act and Rules and Regulations, the reply has said.

Dinakaran

Food safety enforcement in State to be strengthened: V.S. Sivakumar

Minister for Health V.S. Sivakumar has said the government machinery under the Commissioner of Food Safety to ensure strict enforcement of food safety norms in the food market is being further strengthened.

Replying to a calling-attention motion from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) member M. Ummer in the Assembly on Tuesday, the Minister said 57 new posts would be created immediately in the department to strengthen the inspection wing to detect violations of food safety standards by merchants, hoteliers, and food vendors.

Mr. Ummer had pointed out that the department now had only 83 employees to cover the whole of the State and the staff strength was grossly inadequate.

The Minister said the department’s three regional laboratories in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kozhikode were being fully utilised to test food samples collected during surprise raids on hotels and eateries and also from merchants dealing in essential commodities.

In addition, the facilities of other recognised testing centres too were being utilized. He said the stipulations in the act governing food safety standards were being enforced in a phased manner.

The entire machinery required strengthening. That was being done step by step in a focused manner.

Kerala was essentially a consumer State depending on large import of all articles of day to day use such as vegetables, poultry, eggs, milk, and meat.

Therefore, the State’s food safety enforcement wing was drawing help from its counterparts in the neighbouring States to ensure the efficient enforcement of safety norms with respect to the articles brought here across the inter-State borders.

Mr. Sivakumar said the department had received 1,107 complaints on this subject during the last six months.

The department conducted raids on 3,245 hotels and eateries during the last six months and had given ‘improvement notice’ to 1,900 of them, besides taking action against several others found lacking in attention on the basic norms in ensuring that the food they served was safe.

The department had also conducted over 3,000 awareness programmes among roadside food vendors and others to ensure the supply of hygienic and safe food to customers.

Virudunagar Food Safety Dept. News

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தேநீர் கடை, செங்கல் சூளை உட்பட 99 தொழில்களுக்கு புதிய வரி விதிப்பு

ஊராட்சிகளில் அபாயகரமானது மற்றும் அருவருக்கதக்க தொழில் பட்டியலில் உள்ள, 99 தொழில்களுக்கு விதிக்கப்பட்டு வரும் வரியை, தமிழக அரசு உயர்த்தியுள்ளது. இது தொடர்பாக, ஊராட்சிகளில், அடுத்தடுத்து தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டு அமலாகும்.

தமிழகத்தில் அபாயகரமானது மற்றும் அருவருக்கத்தக்க தொழில்கள் என அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு, அவற்றுக்கு, வரி வசூலிக்க 1972ம் ஆண்டு, சட்டம் கொண்டு வரப்பட்டது. இச்சட்டத்தை, அரசு ஊராட்சிகள் மூலம் அமல்படுத்தியது. இச்சட்டத்தின் கீழ் ஊராட்சிகளில் உள்ள கடைகள் கணக்கெடுக்கப்பட்டு, வரி வசூல் செய்யப்படுகிறது. இவற்றில் தேநீர்கடைகள், பீடி சுருட்டுதல் உட்பட, பல்வேறு தொழில்கள் அடங்கியுள்ளன.ஊராட்சிகளின் வளர்ச்சிக்காக, பல்வேறு வரிகள் வசூலிக்கப் படுகின்றன. அதன் மூலம், கிராமங்களில், பல்வேறு வளர்ச்சிப் பணிகள் மேற்கொள்ளப் படுகின்றன. தற்போது ஊராட்சிகளில் செயல்படுத்தப்படும், அபாயகரமானது மற்றும் அருவருக்கதக்க தொழில்களுக்கு, புதிய கட்டணத்தை அரசு விதித்துள்ளது.

கடந்த, 2007ம் ஆண்டிற்கு பிறகு, இம்மாத இறுதியில், புதிய கட்டணம் நிர்ணயம் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இது தொடர்பாக, ஊராட்சிகளில் தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றும்படி, வட்டார வளர்ச்சி அலுவலர்களுக்கு, உத்தரவிடப் பட்டுள்ளது.அந்த உத்தரவில், 99 தொழில்களுக்கு புதிதாக வரி விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. தொழில்களுக்கேற்ப இரண்டு முதல் மூன்று மடங்கு வரி உயர்த்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.அந்தந்த ஊராட்சிகளில் தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டதும், புதிய வரி அமலுக்கு வரும்.

Statutory advisory for stearic acid in confectionery omitted from FSSR

The statutory advisory for the use of stearic acid as a lubricant in sugar-based/sugar-free confectionery, lozenges and chewing gum/bubblegum, issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), was inadvertently missed in Appendix A, Table 13 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.

According to an FSSAI official, “As per Order 03/02/2012/QAS/ FSSAI dated July 27, 2012, if there is any variance in standards of sugar-based/sugar-free confectionery, lozenges and chewing gum/ bubblegum between the Food Safety and Standards Regulations and its predecessor, the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Rules, 1954, the PFA rules will apply.

This is one such case. It is also requested that specific enforcement/prosecution may not be launched against the use of stearic acid in the aforesaid products within the prescribed limit till the necessary notification/amendment is issued under the FSS regulations.”

The official added, “The enforcement departments should not take action against the companies involved in the use of stearic acid. The instructions have been already given to the enforcement department.”

H G Koshia, commissioner, Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA), Gujarat, said, “If FSSAI brings the amendments, they have to be followed by the companies. The companies which use stearic acid in the products should now follow the amendments of 2012, which are included in the Act. Excess use of stearic acid is very dangerous. If chewing gum/bubblegum is taken in adequate quantities is healthy, but in excess it is very dangerous.”

Misleading Labelling by Junk Food Companies

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) monitors labels on various food items by different companies in media as well as on the product labels. Such complaints received from the public are analysed in FSSAI and show-cause notices issued to the manufactures. Their replies are examined at FSSAI by a 3 member committee constituted for this purpose. As per recommendations of this Committee, actions including prosecution are initiated by Designated Officers at their regional levels. So far, 38 food items have been identified with misleading claims. Prosecutions have been launched in case of 19 such cases by Designated Officers at their regional levels.

Although the term “Junk Food” has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules / Regulations made thereunder, foods which have high fat, salt and sugar, with little or no protein, minerals and vitamins are considered as “unhealthy foods” and belong to the category of fast foods. Consumption of unhealthy foods is one of the risk factors but not a sole factor for development of obesity and diabetes. Consumption of food having trans fat is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

This information was given by Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Adulterated ghee seized from Indore 'factory'

Indore, December 17:

Adulterated ghee (clarified butter) weighing 75 kg was seized from an illegal factory today in a joint raid conducted by the Food and Safety sleuths and police at Gohar Nagar here.

Ingredients like vegetable fat, edible oil, colour, essence etc used in preparation of adulterated ghee were also seized from the factory which had no license," Food Safety Officer Maneesh Swami told reporters here.

Labels of different reputed brands were also found at the place, he said, adding the owner of the unit, identified as Sandeep Dhidoria, fled from the spot while his kin Khemchand was arrested by Pardesipura police.

A case under section 31 and 26 of Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 was lodged against the owner, Swami said.

No employee was seen in the factory during the joint raid, he said, adding the samples of adulterated ghee were sent for analysis at a laboratory in Bhopal.

College hostels in Chennai come under food safety scanner

CHENNAI: A special state food safety department team will soon conduct inspections in college and private hostels in the city following complaints about the sub-standard food served there. On October 22, Chennai Corporation officials had sealed a men's hostel on Langs Garden Road in Pudupet after seven people were hospitalised with diarrhoea.

District food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said severe action would be taken as "we have received several complaints about the poor quality of food served in these hostels."

Many working men and women and students from different parts of the state and from other states stay in hostels as they provide cheap accommodation, but most of them are not impressed by the quality of food.

"It's difficult to eat at my hostel, so I always eat outside," said a student of a city college. "The warden hasn't taken any action against the mess manager for the poor quality food despite repeated complaints," he said.

Officials said all private and college hostels and canteens should mandatorily register themselves under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) 2006. There are also complaints about these hostels charging high fees despite providing poor quality food.

Sources said private contractors run canteens and mess in most colleges. Some private hostels have been getting food from outside, they said.

"Many private contractors buy low quality food items from the market to get more profit," said an official. There have been complaints of poor quality food from even deemed universities: "There has been no change in the quality of food served even after repeated complaints. The water used for cooking is not purified and cooking is done under unhygienic conditions," said a third year student of a deemed university.

There are many hostels for working people as well and those who stay there also speak of the sub-standard food. Ramani Govind, who stays in a private hostel in T Nagar, said: "The condition of the kitchen is pathetic, the quality of pulses and rice is substandard and we have also found worms in the rice served. But the charge remains high."

Anyone with complaints about poor quality food served in college and private hostels can call 23813095 or email to commrfssa@gmail.com, officials said.

Salem Food Safety Dept. News

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உணவு தரக்கட்டுப்பாடு அதிகாரிகள்ஆய்வு: காலாவதி பொருள் பறிமுதல்

சேலம்: சேலம், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் தலைமையிலான அதிகாரிகள், ஜங்ஷன் பகுதியில் மேற்கொண்ட திடீர் ஆய்வில், 50 கடைகளில் காலாவதியான, சுகாதாரமற்ற உணவு பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது.

சேலம், ஜங்ஷன் பகுதியில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் டாக்டர் அனுராதா, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் திருமூர்த்தி, ராஜமாணிக்கம், பாலு ஆகியோர், நேற்று மாலை, திடீர் ஆய்வுப் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டனர்.அலுவலர்கள் மேற்கொண்ட ஆய்வில், ஜங்ஷன் பகுதியில் செயல்பட்டு வந்த ஹோட்டல், டீ கடை, டாஸ்மாக் பார், பேக்கரி உள்பட, 50 கடைகளில் தரமற்ற பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுவதை, அலுவலர்கள் கண்டு பிடித்தனர். காலாவதியான பிஸ்கட் பாக்கெட்டுகள், கெட்டுப்போன சிக்கன், பூஞ்சை படர்ந்த பிரட், முகவரி இல்லாத பேக்கிங் தின்பண்டங்களை பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.உணவு தரக்கட்டுப்பாடு விதிகளுக்கு உட்பட்டே அனைத்து பொருட்களையும் விற்பனை செய்ய வேண்டும். விதி மீறி உணவு பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்பவர்கள் மீது, கடுமையான நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொண்டு, அங்கீகாரம் ரத்து செய்யப்படும் என, கடைக்காரர்களுக்கு எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டது.

மேலும், 2013 ஃபிப்ரவரி, 4ம் தேதிக்குள் அனைத்து உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்யும் கடைக்காரர்களும், தடையின்மை சான்று பெற வேண்டும் என அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டது.

Festivals: food safety to be ensured

The Food Safety wing of the Health Department has decided to draw up guidelines for supplying water in tanker lorries to hotels and apartments and to make licences compulsory for individuals or agencies engaged in water supply. A decision in this regard was taken at a review meeting of district food safety officials convened by Health Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan here on Saturday.

It was decided to form squads of food safety officers to conduct inspections at eateries and other food-related businesses to ensure food safety and hygiene during the Christmas-New Year season when food businesses soar.

Food safety officials have been asked to conduct necessary inspections to make sure that only licensed catering services are serving food in all mass Christmas and New Year celebrations conducted in auditoriums, where large number of people are likely to consume food.

The officials were told to ensure that all employees in hotels and food businesses had health cards and that hotels were keeping a register of the details of the raw materials they were purchasing, including the agencies supplying them. Hotel owners who failed to comply with these conditions would have to face action. The Food Safety Commissioner, Biju Prabhakar, directed officials to conduct inspections at eateries and hotels which had been served notices earlier to ensure that these units were functioning in accordance with the safety and hygiene standards.

'No adulteration in spices & condiments; Chillies the exception': Rana

Spices and condiments are seldom adulterated, because sellers like the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) – which operates a large wholesale market in Vashi, Navi Mumbai – take complete precautions to supply and sell goods as per the regulations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, according to Kirti Rana, director, APMC's spice market.

He added, “To safeguard the spices, we add preservatives suitable to the type of spice, the climatic conditions at the place of production and the climatic conditions at the places where they would be consumed. But at times, the consumer mistake the preservatives for ingredients used for adulteration. This could also be because of rumours that do the rounds.”

Oil and salt are used as preservatives for chillies, which are imported from various states of the country. The quantity the 180 wholesalers in Vashi add is essential and is as per the climatic conditions of Maharashtra. As far as chillies are concerned, they are faint red in colour, so artificial red colour is used to give the impression that they are fresh.

In some cases, artificial flavour or aroma is added and unscrupulous sellers pass it off as a Grade I spice to lure customers and earn an extra profit. “Although there have been cases of adulteration in spices in various parts of the world, we at the APMC market (which employs about 100 people for grading, powder-making, storage, etc.) ensures that there is no such malpractice,” Rana said.

He said, “Now the APMC market distributes and trades about 3,500-4,000 trucks of agricultural produce, and feeds a population of approximately 2.5 crore. But cases of adulteration are not rampant; there may be just one or two cases here and there. So blaming the traders is not justified.” In fact, Indian spices – renowned the world over for their nutritional value – are in demand.

Now Japan is one of the largest importers of cardamom, coriander and cumin from India. The US imports about 90 per cent of the world's total psyllium husk, a herb and soluble fibre known to affect metabolism significantly and be an effective cure for both diarrhoea and constipation. By providing a feeling of fullness, it helps in weight control.

Government policies
Commenting on the policies framed by the government, Rana said, “Our government keeps coming up with rules and regulations, but they need to be more practical while drafting the rules and taking the wholesalers into consideration, as the rules are made for them. Although the rules pertain to food safety and not to adulteration, the infrastructure to implement and adhere to them is inadequate.”

“Spices and condiments are imported and exported at the international level, but there are no laboratories in India to test spices as per the international safety standards before exporting them. However, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has approved 37 mobile labs, but this number would not be sufficient, as there are approximately 3,500 traders in the APMC market,” he said.

Rana said, “There are other important things that FSSAI should take note of. For instance, Indian farmers use a number of pesticides which are banned in America and other European countries, so why is India allowing the usage of these harmful pesticides?”

“Also for the safety of the product, several parameters must be kept in mind conducting lab tests. For instance, if chillies are brought from Andhra Pradesh, people should know what pesticides are used, how much is the percentage of pesticides used, when did it come to the market, will the consumption of these pesticides grown product safe consumption, etc.,” he added.

“Research and development is always welcome and essential for the success. But adopting a genetic way for the production is not good, as original taste and nutrition is lost in the process. Government officials should instead see that people do not produce genetic foods and also ensure that the urea used for the crops is from America and not from India”, Rana said.

'We're specialists'
Responding to Kapil Sibal's comment that wholesalers are middlemen, Rana said, “We are not middlemen, we are specialists. We know every aspect of our product, be it trading, storage, consumers' demand, grading, output or input. Calling us middlemen doesn’t do any justice to our profession as wholesale traders.”

“Today there is a trend of organic food. But has anyone ever noted that in the name of organic food, there is so much money looted from customers whereas middle-class people can’t even afford it. Instead I would say Kapil Sibal is a middleman who don’t have know about the wholesale business or farmers' plight and wants to bring Walmart, which has already proven itself unsuccessful in foreign countries, to India. We may get little profit on the arrival of Walmart, but we are not fine with the discriminatory treatment that we are getting,” Rana, who is into trading of spices and condiment for the past 40 years and has travelled all over the world to learn new techniques and apply and teach new acquired knowledge to India, said.

He said, “We have been paying heavy taxes to the government from the profits or loss we make, but what is the government doing in return for us? Even if the government sets aside a small amount from our paid taxes for to educate small wholesale traders, train them and introduce them to new technology, its operation will be more beneficial to government in return. Then there would be no need of FDI in India. Provided with the same infrastructure that other countries have, we Indians can come up with our own Indiamart. Given a chance and the support of the government we can become a world-class agricultural market.”

Violation of Food Safety Act goes unabated

Srinagar, Dec 16: In blatant violation of the Food Safety Act, sale of expired, substandard products and adulteration of milk is going on unabated in the summer capital in absence of regular monitoring by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation
 Expired and adulterated products are being sold openly in various markets of the City while the SMC’s Food Monitoring wing entrusted to check adulteration and sale of substandard goods is acting as mute spectator.
 The Food Safety Act 2006 makes it mandatory for even small manufacturers or shopkeepers to follow the basic hygiene and safety requirements. 
 “It is mandatory for SMC department to collect samples of milk products on weekly basis from the markets and check its standards. But very rarely market checks are being conducted thereby putting the lives of common people at risk,” sources said 
 It has been learnt that expired products particularly dates, candies and noodles are being used in packaged small baskets. “These products are mainly consumed during marriage functions and festive occasions,” they said. 
 Pertinently, death of a five year old girl by allegedly by consuming expired noodles at Kulgam in south Kashmir has sent alarm bell ringing with civil society castigating the monitoring agencies including SMC for failing to maintain the set food quality standards. 
 “If any small vendor sells any article of food which is not in compliance with the provisions of the act or regulations made there under shall he liable to a penalty not less then three lakhs rupees with imprisonment,” reads a clause of the Food Safety Act. 
 According to the Food Safety Act it is not permissible for any mutton dealer to slaughter animals at his workplace or home.  They have to bring animals to assigned abattoir to slaughter them. But in Srinagar, animals are slaughtered near drains and at unhygienic places. 
 “There is no quality check of mutton. Besides the concerned SMC officials overlook unhygienic condition in mutton shops. In violation of norms they stamp the slaughtered animals in shops in lieu of money,” a group of concerned citizens said.  
  They said most of mutton dealers also sell low grade meat at higher rates. “Meat sold in City is of low-grade. Most of the dealers purchase C or D-grade sheep from other states. Ironically the SMC authorities are acting as mute spectators,” they said.
 Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Shafqat Iqbal passed the buck on the SMC. “Our department looks after the rates of essential commodities and food quality checks are to be conducted by the SMC,” he said.
 When contacted Health Officer SMC, Dr Rubeena claimed that SMC conducts market checking regularly. 
 “Our teams are regularly monitoring the markets and taking food samples” she said.
 Dr Rubeena however said that there is a need to create awareness among consumers. “People should verify expiry date of the food items before consuming them,” she added.

Dinamalar

KFC's outlet in city toremain shut, for now

PATNA: Patnaites would now have to wait for an indefinite period to once again enjoy the taste of KFC food as its local outlet was sealed by food and safety department officials on Thursday evening when, during a routine inspection, the outlet failed to produce its food licence. Kentucky Fried Chicken aka KFC is a leading brand of US-based Yum Brands Inc.

Surendra Kumar, designated officer, Patna division, food and safety department, informed TOI, "During a routine inspection on Thursday night, when we asked for licence from the KFC outlet, which opened in the Regent Cinema premises near Gandhi maidan in October, the outlet failed to produce it. After inquiry we found out that they have not even cared to apply for the licence before setting up and starting the restaurant. Thus, after collecting the samples of food and spices from the outlet, we sealed it."

Kumar said, "There are only two ways to deal with such cases - file an FIR against the restaurant or the company applies to the department for licence with all necessary documents. After checking the documents, we can issue the licence."

This whole process usually takes around 15 days. But keeping in mind that KFC is a reputed firm, the officials are open to considering its application for licence on a priority basis, but only if KFC submitted its documents to the department without delay. Else, the matter may linger for an indefinite period, said a source in the department.

The samples of food and spices collected from the KFC outlet have been sent for examination to a government-owned laboratory as the officers concerned have doubts about their quality. "This restaurant uses frozen chicken brought from Kolkata, which is quite far away. We suspect them to be stale and not good for health," said an official on the condition of anonymity. Report of the test would come in about two weeks.

A KFC source said, "The responsibility for completing all document work was given to a Kolkata-based company. But its official took the matter lightly and misled both his company and the KFC." Now, Devyani International Limited, a Delhi-based company who has the franchise for KFC across north India, is looking after the issue itself. One of its officials would come to Patna in a day or two with all the original official documents required for the licence, the source said.

The source added, "KFC has its high quality standards. It brings frozen chicken in an insulated van from a farm in Kolkata, where a special variety of chicken is bred."

73 tonnes of unsafe food products seized

CHENNAI: Substandard food seems to be the bane of the city. Chennai Corporation's food safety department officials on Friday seized 73 tonnes of food products from a manufacturing unit in Kodungaiyur for not having proper labels and safety marks. Officials said that most of these food products did not have a batch number, which means that they could not be tracked or their purity and safety ascertained.

The seized products are worth Rs 12.34 lakh. Officials said they seized 1,450 litres of unsafe oil, 27.2 tonnes of wafers, 34 tonnes of raw materials, and 9.62 tonnes of expired masala powder from the manufacturing unit. Officials said they have taken action against the manufacturing unit as per the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.

District food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said the team carried out the raid in Muthamil Nagar in Kodungaiyur based on a tip-off. "It was found that they have been selling these substandard products in various shops. There was nothing in the packaged products including batch number, expiry date or the address of the manufacture and date of manufacture," he said.

Officials said that they have sent 14 samples of items to King Institute Of Preventive Medicine in Guindy for laboratory tests. "Many children have been buying these food items because they were cheap. We have also issued a notice to the manufacturer for producing mislabeled products," the officer said.

FDA texts reminders to eateries, hotels to renew licence and registration

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pune division has taken a step forward in its mode of communication, and has begun sending SMSes to owners of hotels and restaurants reminding them to get their licence and registration renewed before the due date.

According to the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, licence and registration renewal should be done one month before the due date. Before the act was implemented, owners of food stalls, hotels and restaurants were allowed to complete the renewal process even on the final due. The messages are proving to be a boon for the owners, as it prompts them to think about saving on the late fee, which is Rs 100 per day.
“As per the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, licence and registration renewal should have done one month before the due date. Licence holders and person who have registered with FDA have to pay Rs 100 per day as a fine till renewal is done,” said Shivaji Desai, assistant commissioner FDA, Pune division. FDA Pune division is running a special initiative as numerous registrations and licences are pending renewal before December 31, 2012.
“Considering the number of renewals pending and the stipulations as per the new act, we decided to send SMSes to remind owners about renewals, and inform them of the fine for not getting the process done before the due date. We have received calls from many of the owners after the reminders were sent,” said Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner FDA (Food), Pune.
Vishal Gawade, owner of Maharashtrian Darbar, Vimannagar, who got an SMS, is happy with FDA’s approach. “I had registered my hotel a year ago and was unaware of this new rule as I was quite busy throughout the year. I received message on November 25 and I am happy I paid the renewal fee and only Rs 400 extra, because I was four days late. FDA’s initiative is laudable,” Gawade said.
FDA official Desai added that the rules regarding the renewal details and fine in case of non-payment before due date is mentioned on the license/registration certificate in possession of restaurant and hotel owners, but the FDA’s SMS initiative is an extra service, as it will also create awareness.
Renewal/licence details
Licence/registration renewal pending for around 1,500 establishments with last date being 31 Dec2012 Around 1,000 SMSs sent to owners of hotels, restaurant and food stall so far Licences issued: 23,966 (since August 5, 2011) Registrations done: 44,502 (since August 5, 2011)  Total revenue generated in Pune region: Rs 70,63,650 (since August 5, 2011)

FSSAI to hold licensing melas, workshops to educate FBOs of all states

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will be organising licensing melas and workshops to educate food business operators (FBOs) in various states of India in the months of December 2012 and Janaury 2013.

The deadline for getting licensing and registration is February 4, 2013 (which would lapse three months hence). But some states have not started the process of licensing and registration yet.

In order to solve this problem, FSSAI has come up with this initiative so that they can highlight the importance of obtaining licenses and registering their establishments to the FBOs in various parts of the country.

The states participating in this licensing melas and workshops are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. More than 5,000 FBOs are expected to participate in the licensing melas and workshops.

Manoj Naredi, former president, Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI), informed, “FSSAI is taking the initaitive to educate the food business operators so that they can easily obtain their licenses and also know the importance of food safety.”

“In Jharkhand, the licensing mela and workshop was slated to take place in Ranchi on December 22, 2012, but it has been postponed to January 7 or 8, 2013 due to some date issues,” he said.

Naredi added, “This licensing mela and workshop will be very informative for all the FBOs. The FBOs will be getting to know in details about the process of obtaining the license and thy will be getting a knowledge about how to take care of safety of food which will be a good for both human and animal consumption.”

“There are some hidden things in the licensing and registration process which the FBOs don't know. These will be discussed in the workshop. We will also be highlighting the packaging, storing and other aspects at the workshop. They can get themselves licensed and registered on the spot during the licensing mela and workshops. Around 100 to 150 FBOs from Jharkhand will be participating in this workshop,” he informed.

Lakshmi Kaushal, a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) official, said, “The licensing mela and workshop in West Bengal, which commenced on December 13, 2012, and concluded the following day, was very informative.”

“The workshops and seminars took place on December 13 at Bhanu Bhawan, Darjeeling and on December 14 at Siliguri Merchant Conference Hall, Siliguri. They were very informative for the FBOs. More than 500 FBOs participated and some of them who brought their documentation got themselves licensed and registered,” she informed.

The licensing mela and workshops are slated to take place in Surat, Gujarat on December 19, 2012; December 20 and 21, 2012 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; December 21, 2012 in Pune, Maharashtra and Balasore, Orissa; December 22, 2012 in Ranchi, Jharkhand; December 23, 2012 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; December 27, 2012 in Nagpur, Maharashtra; December 28, 2012 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and December 30 in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

Facilities for participants & FBOs

 On-the-spot submission for all the papers needed for licensing

 Assistance in case of difficulty in filling up the documents and forms

 Solution to queries pertaining to the licensing of a food business operator

FSSAI Act discussed at India Food Service Forum 2012

A knowledge-based session organised by NRAI on the Food Safety and Standards Act issued by the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the first day of the India Food Service Forum 2012, held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, discussed the impact of the Act on the food industry. Titled "NRAI Knowledge Session: Food Safety and Standards Act – Everything You Need to Know and How to Deal with it" was chaired by Samir Kuckreja, President, NRAI. Others on the panel included Ujjwal Kumar, Country Head Business-Development, CQM; Ais Kumar, Designated Officer Western Zone, Food Safety Standards Authority of India; Anand Krishnan, Deputy Counsellor- Agriculture, Consulate General, The Netherlands; Dr. Shatadru Sengupta, Director-Legal and Company Secretary, McDonald’s (West & South); and Rajiv Malik, Deputy General Manager, Jubilant Foodworks.

Since the industry is still not aware about the new Act, the panel took the task to discuss briefly the various provisions that affect the industry directly and specially the independent restaurateurs and the areas where they need to prepare themselves to avoid pitfalls.

Krishnan delivered the key note address on the new food safety regulation describing the entire process of registration, role of the food safety officer, and the act in a nutshell.

When asked about the challenges the new FSSAI act brings, Malik said, “We work with around 250 suppliers. The challenge lies in making all the suppliers compliant to the new rule. In last six months we also warned our suppliers to get themselves aligned according to the needs of the new rule and then only we will work with them.”

The discourse then centered around the challenges and the consequences for both the operators and the FSSAI in the timely implementation of the new Act. The speakers also shared the various cost effective solutions to improve the hygiene and sanitation process.

Talking on the licensing issue, Kumar clarified that if the annual turnover of a food service outlet is less than Rs 12 lakh then it must get the registration of that place and no licence is required. If the turnover exceeds Rs 12 lakh, then the outlet license is required.

The session was concluded with the suggestion that industry bodies should conduct more sessions on the Act to create awareness.

SC reserves order on plea against soft drinks

The Supreme Court today reserved its order on a plea for setting up a committee to evaluate the alleged harmful effects of soft drinks on human health and to properly label the beverages, detailing their ingredients.

The Supreme Court today reserved its order on a plea for setting up a committee to evaluate the alleged harmful effects of soft drinks on human health and to properly label the beverages, detailing their ingredients.
A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra reserved its order after a detailed hearing on the Public Interest Litigation petition, filed in 2004.

The plea alleged the ingredients of carbonated drinks have "serious deleterious effects on human health" and no action has been taken to test and assess the risk posed by such beverages.

Soft drink major Pepsi, however, opposed the PIL with its counsel senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi arguing that the Food Safety and Standards Act aimed at regulating the standards of beverages was "sufficient" and all the regulations were in place.

The Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), in its petition filed in 2004, had also sought directions to the cola firms to disclose the contents/ ingredients on the label of their bottles and to regulate "misleading" advertisements targeting children.

Earlier on November 23 the apex court had asked the the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to file "records" relating to proceedings of its panels, formed following a judicial order on the PIL filed by the NGO.

The court's direction came after Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO CPIL, alleged that instead of an expert panel, another FSSAI panel on labelling and claims/ advertisement should consider the grievance of additives in carbonated drinks.

The apex court, on February 8, 2011, had asked FSSAI to reconstitute independent scientific panels to look into the harmful effects of chemicals in carbonated beverages.

APMC sends licensing & registration circulars to traders, transporters

The Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) have sent circulars urging all those who are directly or indirectly associated with the APMC market to obtain licenses and register under the new Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) 2006.

The last date for getting registration and licenses under the new act is February 4, 2013. It is mandatory for all traders, transporters, labourers, mathadi and maphadi workers who are associated with the APMC market will have to get themselves registered or obtain licenses.

Sudhir Tungar, additional commissioner and secretary, APMC market, said, “I have sent the circulars to everyone associated with the market. All those who are directly or indirectly involved in the market would have to obtain licenses.”

“Those whose turnover is below Rs 12 lakh would have to register themselves. The process have already started but the number of registered operators and that of the licensees cannot be revealed because we are yet to count it,” he said.

Tungar added, “Those who touch the fruit, vegetables and other agricultural products in the market would have to take licenses or register at any cost. The process of registration and license is going on at it own pace, but I am sure that most of the traders, transporters, mathadi and maphadi workers would be able to get it done before the deadline.”

New safety standards for street food vendors important step: President

New Delhi, Dec 12: 

President Pranab Mukherjee today said while new safety standards for street food is an important step, small vendors should not find these guidelines “intimidating” as food businesses are mainly run by small and cottage scale units.

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K.V Thomas today released safety standards to ensure hygienic conditions for street food vendors. He presented the first copy of these standards to the President.

Addressing a conference on food safety issues, Mukherjee said, “The Indian standard on basic requirements for street food vendors is an important step – especially in the context of the significant growth in the street food sector.”

“It has important economic and nutritional implications for our urban populations as street foods are an accessible and affordable option for a sizable percentage of our working population,” he said.

Mukherjee, however, cautioned that since substantial majority of food businesses are small and cottage scale units, “they should not be intimidated by the standards that are set for them or find their implementation to be too complex.”

Instead, he suggested, awareness should be created among these street food vendors that improving safety would increase their profitability. Apart from that, there must also be a channel for addressing their genuine problems.

Stressing that food safety standards are essential both for manufacturers and consumers, he said the importance of consumer education in the prevention of food-borne illness is another universal imperative.

On new risks due to globalisation in food trade, Mukherjee said faster transboundary transfer of micro- biological and chemical hazards present a new set of challenges to food safety.

“These potential risks require robust preventive and curative capacities to be put in place to safeguard health of our population,” he observed.

‘Globalisation is a major boost to food trade’

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugrated the national seminar on Food Safety. He elaborated on how a global economy has caused a paradigm shift in consumption patterns
The challenge of meeting the ever growing food requirement of our population calls for major investments and innovation in our agriculture, agri-business and food processing sectors,” said the President of India at the inaugral function of  the . While upgradation of suitable technology is essential, safe farming practices, modern breeding techniques should go hand in hand with food related research, duly concentrating on how food safety should be regulated under Indian climatic and other relevant physical and cultural conditions. The Bureau of Indian Standards has an increasingly important role in this effort, he said.
The, President of India, Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the national seminar on Food Safety — Role of Standard organised by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) at the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that globalisation of the world economy has given a significant boost to food trade and resulted in a paradigm shift in food consumption patterns, production methods and processing technologies. But at the same time, there is a new risk of faster trans-boundary transfer of microbiological and chemical hazards, he said. He stated that this presents a new set of challenges to food safety and these potential risks require robust preventive and curative capacities to be put in place to safeguard the health of our population.
The President also received the first copy of book Indian Standard Street Food Vendors — Food Safety Requirements on the occasion from Prof KV Thomas, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
Prof KV Thomas in his presidential address said Food Safety remains a serious concern, particularly since consumer interest in ‘fresh’ food that is food without preservatives is growing. Also, there is a craze among children and young generation towards fast food and food from roadside eateries, where there is every possibility of contamination and less attention on hygienic aspect. Food Safety is not an alternative; it is non-negotiable as it may endanger life. Standards promote public health by reducing the risk of food borne illness. They protect consumers from unsanitary, unwholesome, mislabelled or adulterated food; and provide a sound regulatory foundation for domestic and international trade in food. These standards should be sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of changing technology. At the same time, they should assure real and meaningful safety benefits rather than merely perceived benefits.
Pankaj Agrawala, Secretary (Consumer Affairs), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in his welcome address said that foodborne diseases are increasingly being perceived as a widespread and growing threat to health, both in developed and developing countries. Since, every person eats food, every person is at risk of foodborne diseases. However, infants, young children and elderly are particularly at risk. As such, food safety is an issue concerned directly with the human health and human survival and food safety standards can lead the country forward in our efforts to tackle this issue.

Govt releases guidelines for street vendors
The government on Wednesday released guidelines of the Bureau of Standards (BIS) for street food vendors that seek to provide minimal check points for ensuring safety in terms of hygiene and quality of food offered by them.

“These standards will focus on providing minimal check points for ensuring safety of street foods by assuring food security for a large number of rural, urban and migrant populations,” Food Minister K V Thomas said, after releasing the BIS recommendations at a national seminar on food safety.

Addressing the seminar, President Pranab Mukherjee said food safety ensuring clean and nutrition food should be a “key priority” of the government policies as it was vital for physical and mental health of people. Noting that these businesses were mainly run by small and cottage scale units in the country, the President, however, cautioned that small vendors should not find the BIS guidelines “intimidating” and “complex” for their implementation. He suggested awareness should be created among street food vendors about the fact that improvement in food safety will increase their profitability.

Mukherjee noted that the country has made significant strides over the past decades in food production and globalisation of the world economy has given a significant boost to the food trade. “But at the same time, it has created a new set of challenges to food safety,” he said.

National Seminar on Food Safety Inaugurated BIS Standards on Food Safety Released

President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has said that food safety ensuring clean and nutrition food should be a key priority of the government policies as it is vital for physical and mental health of people .He said that India has made significant strides over the past decades in food production and globalization of the world economy has given a significant boost to food trade. But at the same time, it has created a new set of challenges to food safety. The Indian Standards on basic requirements for street food vendors is an important step- especially in the context of the significant growth in the street food sector. It has important economic and nutritional implications for our urban populations as street foods are an accessible and affordable option for a sizeable percentage of our working population, he asserted. Shri Pranab Mukherjee further said that but we should be conscious that a substantial majority of our food businesses are small and cottage scale units hence implementation should not be too complex.

. Releasing BIS Indian Standard on Food Safety requirements for street food vendors during the occasion, Prof Thomas Minister Of Consumer Affairs, Food And Public Distribution said that these standards will focus on providing minimal check points for ensuring safety of street foods by assuring food security for a large number of rural, urban and migrant populations in terms of hygiene and quality. These will also act as a bridge between the street food vendors and the consumer of street food, and assure that the street food conforms to specified standards and hence are safe.

The Minister said that with the expectations of the people regarding safety of food rising by the day, Indian standardization system must, at all costs, step in to safeguard public health, and thus promote consumer confidence. It is in this direction that the BIS has already released “Indian standards on Good Hygienic Practices, Good Manufacturing Practices and Food Retail Management.”

Underling the importance of awareness among all stake holders regarding these food safety standards, the Minister said that BIS had recently organized a series of seminars at major State capitals. Now, this National Seminar being organised today is mainly to discuss the recommendations arrived in the past, and to draw up a road map for future course of action in this important area.

Prof. Thomas said that the Government is fully conscious that the food industry, being a good earner of foreign exchange, , deserves all our support, and must not be tied down of its potential to grow by perceived limitations as viewed from safety angle. “We only want that standards should be contributory to a sound regulatory foundation for domestic and international trade in food, taking into account the interests of consumers, the industry and a very strict regime of international quality norms” he said.

.Addressing the Seminar Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, the renowned Agriculture scientist said that food safety literacy movement should be taken up in a big way through information and communication technology, community food managers from local elected bodies should also be involved in this campaign. Expressing concern over pesticides residue in food products he said that strict safety standards should be adopted to safeguard common man from this.

‘Indian standards on street food vendors- food safety requirements’ released on the occasion provide detailed guidelines regarding quality of inputs and ingredients, transport, reception and storage of inputs, utensils and cutting tools: material of construction, cleaning and storage, hygienic practices, personal hygiene and habits, food preparation cooking and handling.

புகையிலை பொருட்களுக்கு தடைமத்திய அரசுக்கு சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் "நோட்டீஸ்'

புதுடில்லி:புகையிலைப் பொருட்களை தடை செய்வது தொடர்பாக, மத்திய அரசுக்கு, சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் "நோட்டீஸ்' அனுப்பியுள்ளது.புகையிலைப்பொரு

ட்களுக்கு தடை விதிக்க வேண்டும் என, டில்லியை சேர்ந்த, தன்னார்வ தொண்டு நிறுவனம் ஒன்று, சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட்டில் பொதுநல மனு ஒன்றை தாக்கல் செய்தது. இந்த வழக்கில், மனுதாரர் தரப்பில், பிரபல வழக்கறிஞர், பிரசாந்த் பூஷன் ஆஜர் ஆனார்.இந்நிலையில், இந்த வழக்கு, நேற்று, சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட்டில், நீதிபதி சிங்வி முன், விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது.
அப்போது, பிரசாந்த் பூஷன் கூறியதாவது:புகையிலை பொருட்களை, பிளாஸ்டிக் பைகளில் வைத்து விற்பதை தடை செய்ய வேண்டும் என்ற கோர்ட் உத்தரவை, மத்திய அரசு நடைமுறைபடுத்தவில்லை. அதுபோல், புகையிலை பொருட்களின் உற்பத்தி, வினியோகம், விற்பனை, ஏற்றுமதி மற்றும் இறக்குமதி போன்றவற்றிற்கு தடைவிதிக்க வேண்டும். புகையிலையை மென்று தின்பதற்கும், குட்கா மற்றும் பான்மசாலா போன்ற, இதர போதைப் பொருட்களுக்கும் தடை விதிக்க வேண்டும்.
இதனை மீறுவோர் மீது சுற்றுச்சூழல் பாதுகாப்பு சட்டம் மற்றும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு தர சட்டப்பிரிவுகளின் கீழ், நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். விதிமுறைகளை மீறி, புகையிலைப் பொருட்களின் உற்பத்தி, விற்பனை போன்றவற்றில் ஈடுபடும் நிறுவனங்கள் மீது, கோர்ட் அவமதிப்பு வழக்கு தொடர வேண்டும்.
அரசின் ஆதரவு இல்லாமல், இதுபோன்ற கொடுமைகள் நடைபெறாது. குட்கா, பான்மசாலா மற்றும் பிளாஸ்டிக் பைகளில் புகையிலை பொருட்களை வைத்து விற்பவர்கள் மிகப்பெரிய அளவில், "லாபிகளாக' செயல்பட்டு வருகிறார்கள். இவர்கள்தான் அரசின் கொள்கைகள் மற்றும் நடவடிக்கைகளை நிர்ணயிப்பவர்களாக உள்ளனர். எனவே, இவர்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, மனுதாரர் தரப்பில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது.இதையடுத்து, புகையிலைப் பொருட்களுக்கு, முழுமையான தடை விதிப்பது தொடர்பாக விளக்கம் அளிக்கும்படி, மத்திய அரசுக்கு, சுப்ரீம்கோர்ட் "நோட்டீஸ்' அனுப்ப உத்தரவிட்டது.

SC notice to Centre on PIL seeking ban on gutka

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre on a plea seeking prohibition of production, consumption and trade of gutka, pan masala and chewing tobacco in all forms.
A bench of Justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya sought response from the Union  government on an interlocutory application filed by NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), requesting the court to issue direction for strict enforcement of ban on all such products.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, submitted that as many as 14 states had already banned gutka and a mixture of pan masala and tobacco but the production of pure tobacco and pan masala without tobacco was still n practice.

He contended that even the ban imposed by 14 states was not effective as manufacture was yet to be curbed.

“If gutka and chewing tobacco is banned, leaving pan masala alone, then the implementation of such a ban is rendered impossible as manufacturers will pass on their tobacco-laden pan masala as ‘sada’ pan masala or tobacco-free pan masala. Pan masala consumption too is linked to high rates of oral cancer,” he noted.

Violation of orders

The counsel alleged that the order passed by the apex court on December 7, 2010 for prohibition of such products were “wilfully and brazenly” violated by some manufacturers who sold them under other “misleading” nomenclature and some others dumped their products under the “for export” tag.

The application said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, a statutory body set-up under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 had on August 5 last year banned gutka and other chewing tobacco products.

It sought direction from the bench that disobeying their order would make the manufacturer liable under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, Food Safety And Standards Act, 2006, and for contempt of court.