Dinakaran

Now, food products need to seek approval from government-promoted FSSAI

Probiotic ice-cream, digestive biscuits or low-sugar jams may be flying off retail shelves, but food companies are no longer being allowed to sell new products without taking approvals from the government-promoted Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
According to a new and modified FSSAI advisory issued to all food companies last month, any new or existing product which is ‘proprietary’ – in other words not classified in the food act – will need to follow a regulatory ‘new product approval’ guideline, as laid down by the FSSAI. Even if food companies announce the ingredients on packs and in advertising, they will still need approvals.
According to guidelines, makers of all proprietary products will now have to submit applications to the central government for approval and can launch only after all the necessary approvals have been obtained.
For example, while cheese and butter are standard products, a low-fat ice-cream or dessert would be classified as proprietary. Another example — if the existing food law states that fruit-based jam can be made only with a specific amount of sugar, and if a company chooses to add more or less sugar than what is specified, the product becomes proprietary. Food companies say the move will delay new product development and product innovation, though it will help in filtering out incorrect product claims.
Piruz Khambatta, chairman of beverage concentrate and powder maker Rasna, called it a step backwards. “Such guidelines did not exist in the past… We welcome regulations but they should be conducive to growth instead of delaying both new product development and innovation – which is so important when the market is so competitive,” Khambatta said. Till now, proprietary food products could be approved at the state level, but with the new guidelines in place, companies need to seek approval from the central food authority.
RS Sodhi, MD of dairy giant Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, which makes the Amul brand of milk, cheese, butter and ice-cream, said: “It’s a good move from the consumer’s point of view… when you deal with food products, you have to be very sure of the claims you are making. But it’s also true that this may delay new launches.”
The move comes at a time when functional foods are growing at a rapid pace. While categories like muesli are growing at 40% a year and are estimated at 100 crore, the 200-crore-plus oats market is growing at about 30%.
“We are applying for fresh approvals even for existing products which are not listed in the existing food act,” said a top official of a leading multinational food company, requesting not to be named.
FSSAI declined comment on the matter, and an official from the authority said all relevant information had been posted on their website.
The FSSAI has also set up an exhaustive set of guidelines for self regulation in all advertising of foods and beverages, along with advertising monitoring agency Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). The guidelines state that ads of foods and beverages making claims like making children taller, helping people lose weight or curing hair-loss will need to prove their declarations scientifically.

FSSAI to conduct survey to study consumer apprehensions

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in its effort to spread awareness on the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has commissioned a survey in five districts of Tamil Nadu to study consumer apprehensions.

In order to understand the problems of the consumers, the FSSAI has asked the Consumer Association of India (CAI) to conduct a study amongst the people in five districts of Tamil Nadu to understand what their main concerns or apprehensions on food safety were, Director (Enforcement) of the FSSAI S.S. Ghonkrokta told The-Hindu , on the sidelines of the Workshop on the Food Safety and Standards Act here on Friday.

By understanding the needs of the consumer, it was possible to devise strategies to tackle these issues and make the implementation of food safety stronger.

The idea was for the people in the villages to have a say in food safety, since there were a number of concerns in terms of food standards and security in rural India, he said.

When contacted over the phone, founder trustee of CAI R. Desikan said they were currently working in Chennai, Vellore, Trichy, Madurai and Coimbatore and surrounding villages. Although they had not yet started work on the study, planning was underway, he said.

They had, in the meanwhile, launched a drive to check various shops if they were retailing expired foods.

The CAI was also training 546 food safety officers so that they understood the importance of their job and how to conduct proper checks, Mr. Desikan added.

Speaking on the auditing that was specified under the Act, Dr. Ghonkrokta said that one of the components of the food audit was the self audit, which would be conducted by all food handlers. To help with the food audit, there were 12 agencies appointed, with 500 people working on the food safety auditing.

FSSAI had approved 70 labs in the private sector with NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accreditation, to conduct the food safety tests for the audits.

These laboratories were in addition to the 72 State laboratories that were present across the country, he said.

Consumer Association of India will conduct a study in Chennai, Vellore, Trichy, Madurai and Coimbatore

Claims in child food supplements should be scientifically proven

Claims to boost food supplement sales such as Complan improves memory or Boost provides three times more stamina or Horlicks helps your children grow taller will have to come with sound scientific proof before going public or else they would have to pay penalty of upto Rs. 10 lakh.

The government’s Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has asked the advertisers' self-regulating body, the Advertisement Standard Council of India (ASCI), to ask its members to refrain from making tall claims on television without “adequate scientific justification”.

Getting scientific justification would not be easy as per authority's prescription.

The companies would be required to test the product at the authority’s listed laboratories across India for the claim and get it peer reviewed by known scientific names in the field of food and nutrition. Only after that they can air the advertisement making the claim.

The authority in an advisory has also asked the supplement manufacturers to ensure that the product label provides right information to consumers about the scientific validity of the claim.

“All food business operators are advised to strictly follow provisions contained in Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 eschewing misleading claims which are not established by scientific evidence as proof beyond reasonable doubts,” the advisory issued on basis of number of complaints said.

The advisory covers all food and health supplements, nutraceutical (combination of nutrition and pharmaceutical) and risk reduction claims and has asked companies to be clean on this count.

Consumer Affairs secretary Pankaj Aggarwala said the consumers using these supplement can also approach Consumer Courts if they find that the product has failed to provide desired benefit. “There is a provision for claims and fact in the Consumer Protection Act,” he said, adding that the court can direct the manufacturer to correct the misleading advertisements.

Consumer right groups in India have made representations to the ministry and the authority stating that commercials exploit anxiety of parents for their children to do well in examinations and lead healthy life.

Food supplement companies, however, say that their claims have been scientifically validated but they failed to prove the same before the authority, which has initiated prosecution against 19 popular brands for making misleading claims in advertisements. The food safety law provides for penalty of up to Rs. 10 lakh for each misleading claim in any form.

Enforcement of food safety standards to be intensified in Odisha

Report by Pratap Pradhan; Bhubaneswar: Implementation of Food Safety Standards will be intensified in the State. The legal and executive issues  relating to the matter was discussed in a high level meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik in Secretariat conference hall today wherein Pr. Secretary Health & Family Welfare P.K.Mohapatra outlined different issues for discussion.

Deliberations made in the meeting reveal that implementation of Food Safety Standards will be governed as per the Food Safety and Standard Act,2006 which envisages developing an effective enforcement machinery to ensure safety in sale and consumption of food. The New Act has integrated 8 different Acts and Orders like Prevention of Food Adulation Act, 1954,  Fruit Products Order, 1958, Meat Food Products, 1973 ,Vegetable Oil Products (control) order, 1947, Edible Oil Packaging (regulation) Order 1988, Solvent Extracted Oil Deoilded Maal, and Edible Flour (control) order, 1967,  Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992 and Other Orders relating to food under Essential Commodities Act, 1955. In the meanwhile Food Safety & Standards Authority of India has also started functioning as a regulatory body under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Previously the food standards were being enforced by several authorities. Now it will be enforced under single authority. The act will be enforced in the State under Food Safety Commissioner who will be assisted by designated officers and food safety officers. It has been proposed to have one food safety Appellate Tribunal, accredited laboratories and referral laboratories in the State. Chief Secretary Sri Patnaik has directed the department to develop proactive self compliance machinery which will check the standards through application of science & technology.

Presently Director of Public Health has been designated as Commissioner of Food Safety. The existing Food Inspectors have been designated as Food Safety Officers. 12 new posts have been created.  It has been decided in the meeting that there will be 38 Food Safety Officers in the state out of whom  30 will be posted at district level each district with one and  8  Officers will be posted in Urban Local Bodies. It has been proposed to declare the Additional District Magistrates of all districts as Adjudicating Officers.

Discussions in the meeting reveal that all food dealing business units having annual turnover of more than 12 lakhs will have to avail license; and, the shops having less than 12 lakh turn over will have to be registered.  Food Safety Commissioner –cum-Director Public Health Dr B.K.Panda has told that the business units who have license under Food Adulteration Act will have to renew their license under FSS Act within 4th February, 2012. This renewal will be done at district level. The  ADMO, Public Health of the respective districts have been designated for the purpose. No shop can carry on food business without valid license or registration.  Chief Secretary has advised to facilitate the process of the registration by making provisions for registrations in Common Service Centers.

It has been decided that the steering committee at the State level will be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary and the District Committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of respective Collectors. At the District level the District Medical Officer will function as the member Conveyer. It has also been decided that 5 Cluster Food Testing Laboratories will be set up in the State.  Each cluster will cover 4 to 5 districts. Mobile Food testing laboratory will be set up to cover remote area, large public congregations and disease outbreak areas. Chief Secretary has advised to develop the clusters in urban areas like Berhampur, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Rourkela. Chief Secretary Sri Patnaik has also advised to involve PRI Institutions in implementation of the Act with technical support from primary health centers. It has been decided in the meeting that collected license and registration fees will be used for awareness generation and grievance redressesal activities.

Multimedia campaigns will be under taken to generate awareness among common masses and stakeholders about the new food law, institutions created for implementation, provisions relating to licensing and registration etc. Chief Secretary Sri Patnaik has advised to specify and prescribe the safety standards to be followed by the food dealing business units. Chief Secretary has also advised to train and engage accredited activists at field level to inspect the food dealing shops on incentive basis. The Director, Public Health, Dr. B.K. Panda along with other senior officers participated in discussions.

Only 50,000 out of 6 lakh traders have food safety licence

Of the six lakh food traders in the City, only 50,000 have procured food safety licences. It is a stupendous task to ensure safety standards in food processing industry in a city teeming with 10 million people, said BBMP Special Commissioner K R Niranjan at National Food Safety Forum (NFSF) — 2013, here on Monday.

Another major problem the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is trying hard to tackle is waste disposal especially by bulk waste generators such as hotels, malls, shopping complexes. “We are trying to have a dialogue with all hotel associations on effective use of waste generated by them. The response has been affirmative till date,” he added. He said although the Centre has introduced food safety act and rules, there is no effective implementation as yet.

NDRI (National Dairy Research Institute) Principal Scientist & Head Dairy Technology Division Dr Satish Kulkarni stressing the need to set up Food Safety Management Cell in City to curb ill-food practices followed by few food vendors and hotels, said suggestions from government representatives from food safety sector, civic body and other experts for the proposed plan would be solicited.  The NFSF 2013, organised by Centre for Sustainable Development in association with Food Safety Commissioner, IIM Bangalore, NDRI and CFTRI Mysore, is aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of implementation of Food Safety & Standards Act - 2006.

‘Change needed’

According to Bangalore Hoteliers’ Association President Vasudeva Adiga, certain clauses of existing Food Safety & Standards Act needs to be changed as it doesn’t apply to small hotels.

“Till date only 500 licences have been issued by BBMP to hotels coming under my association. BBMP just cannot issue licence to everyone, they have to check food sampling and take adequate steps. The civic body is just an implementation authority, the final decision to change the existing act lies in the hands of central government,” he said.

Need to create awareness on Food Safety Act stressed

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has roped in 12 agencies in which 500 people would work on the food safety auditing. Seventy private sector laboratories with  National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accreditation would carry out the safety tests for the audits and these laboratories were in addition to the 72 State laboratories.
FSSAI director Dr S S Ghonkrokta said there was growing need for creating awareness of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, among the retailers, wholesalers, small vendors and transporters, who now exceed over five crore after the act was implemented.
Addressing the inaugural function of the five-day workshop on Food Safety Standards Act 2006, here on Monday, Dr Ghonkrokta said all these sections need to be registered and licensed following the implementation of the act and it was important for them to understand their liabilities and how they contributed to the safety of food.
Citing an example of transporters, who should know how to handle goods so that they are properly stored and that they reach their destination safely, he said this was not done to create panic but to make everyone accountable as per the provisions of the act.
He said the FSSAI had started a campaign to organise registration melas for vendors to handle food.
Later talking on the sidelines of the inaugural function, Dr Ghonkrokta said one of the important aspects of the  food audit sepcified in the act, was self-audit, which is expected to be done by all those who handle food.
Dr Ghonkrokta said the FSSAI has entrusted Consumer Association of India to conduct a survey in five districts of Tamil Nadu to study consumer apprehensions in the wake of the  implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
The FSSAI director said the this was undertaken to identify the needs of the consumers and concerns of the rural people about the Act.
Dr Prathap Kumar Shetty, head of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Pondicherry University, and vice-chancellor J A K Tareen addressed the gathering at inaugural session of the workshop.

Traders find new food safety norms hard to digest

CHEW ON THIS: The stakeholders complained that adherence to all provisions would entail additional financial burden. File photo: S. Mahinsha

They want government to postpone deadline for licence renewal

Food vendors and traders in the State have opposed renewing of their licence from the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act to Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 in the face of State government’s revised February 5, 2013 deadline.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has directed the State governments to order those dealing food products to adhere to the provisions of the FSSA 2006, which has stringent provisions against food adulteration and quality among others. The government, which wanted the licence renewal six months ago, had set the fresh deadline.

Interactive meet

On Monday, traders and food vendors yet again expressed their discontent over the deadline at an interactive meet with the Jai Kumar, Joint Director, Public Health Institute, and Srinivasan, the Union government’s Designated Officer of the Central Licensing Agency, organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI).

Not only that, they sought an extension of deadline by citing some of the provisions could not be adhered to by small vendors, and pointed out it would entail additional financial burden.

“There is a need for the State government to educate all the stakeholders of the Act before pressing for the renewal of the licences. If there are no awareness programmes, it may lead to harassment of traders particularly the less educated and those from rural backgrounds,” said FKCCI president K. Shiva Shanmugam.

Practical difficult

K.L. Ramanatha Bhat, ex-president, Karnataka Pradesh Hotels and Restaurants’ Association, said that the government had not addressed practical difficulties. “Implementing the Act will increase our expenditure. We will have to measure the food ingredients and small enterprises cannot follow all these protocols,” he said.

Bharat Kumar R. Shah, chairperson, Internal Trade Committee, FKCCI, pointed out that the Act provides discretionary powers to food inspectors, which may lead to harassment to traders. In that case, he said, there is a need to bring in international standard safety practices to pesticides and insecticides manufactured by MNCs.

Responding to their concerns, Mr. Srinivasan was confident proper implementation of the Act. “There will be initial difficulties but traders should renew their licence to implement the Act.”

Dinamalar

Ban on tobacco products, an utter failure in state capital

• GHMC officials inspecting gutka packets during a raid on a general store in Hyderabad. | Express Photo

Though the state government has banned the sale of gutka, pan masala and other chewing tobacco products which are hazardous to health, the sale of these products is still rampant in most parts of Greater Hyderabad.
With authorities failing to strictly enforce the new rule, customers are getting their daily fix and are able to consume it in public places without any trouble.
The ban of gutka seems to be meeting the same fate as the prohibition on smoking cigarettes in public places. Though law forbids smokers to take a puff in public, it is a common sight to find many smokers violating the rule.
One can easily purchase these banned products in any paan shops and small vendors as shopowners are least bothered about the impending raids by officials.
They believe the authorities cannot take any stringent action them except to impose a fine of `50.
Unfortunately, tobacco control cell functioning under the directorate of public health and family welfare located in Koti, supposed to be enforcing the ban, lacks supporting staff.
State nodal officer T Geetha Prasadini, technical officer S Nagaraju, state consultant Heena, heading the TCC does not support staff and are the mercy of GHMC and police for enforcing the ban.
On few occasions, TCC staff had to face the wrath of vendors and make a hasty retreat in some areas while enforcing the ban. Vendors in huge numbers reportedly opposed the raids.
The state government on Jan 9 this year banned gutka and paan masala products and instructed authorities to strictly implement the prohibition and enforce a blanket ban on manufacture, stock, sale and use of all tobacco products in the state.
An investigation by Express revealed that it was very easy to get gutka sachets anywhere in the city just by shelling out additional bucks. The cost of each pouch has almost doubled but this is no deterrent to paan masala lovers.
In Ameerpet, a paan shop owner said a sachet of ‘Goa 1000’ brand with a printed price of `3 would cost `6 but he is willing to sell at the rate of `4 to `5 in case of bulk purchase.
The ‘Vimal’ brand, with an MRP of `5, are available at `8 in Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar while another vendor in Punjagutta said that he could arrange for a larger quantity of packets and promised regular supply in future as well.
Shop owners say they were able to sell the banned items as there is no strict enforcement of the rule.
Speaking to Express the TCC state nodal officer, T.Geetha Prasadini admitted to lack of enforcement in implementing the gutka ban.
“We would like to first create awareness about the ban before we start imposing it in full force. We will initially penalise violators and if they still continue to sell them, GHMC will be asked to cancel trade licenses of the shops and cases will be booked under COTP Act 2003. We have so far seized 5 lakh sachets from various shops in the city,” she said.
She further explained that the tobacco business in the state is to the tune of `10,000 crore per annum, while people consuming these products spend around `40,000 towards medical treatment for various ailments per year.
Though enforcement of the rule is currently slow in Hyderabad, it is expected to pick up pace soon after chief secretary Minnie Mathew holds a meeting with Health, Medical and Family Welfare (HM&FW), Vigilance and Enforcement, Commercial Taxes, Police, Transport, Labour, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) and Panchayat Raj Departments.
As per notification, the above eight departments should work in coordination and enforce the rule prescribed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Section 2,3,4 that any food product which contains tobacco or nicotine is banned.
She said the TCC is implementing COTP Act 2003 in all districts with the coordination of various departments and is preparing an action plan.
“A monitoring system will be designed with the support of IPM the nodal agency for the ban on smokeless tobaccos products,” said the officer.
The officials also request the paan vendors to understand the health risks involved in consuming tobacco products. The advertisements displaying the tobacco products on the boards at pan shops are also banned under section 5 of COTP act 2003.
The TCC has reportedly listed out over a dozen firms involved in manufacture and supply of chewing tobacco, flavoured tobacco, royal, synthetic, aromatic spiced flavoured tobacco products etc.
“We will soon take action against them. The officials are also in the process of identifying those firms dealing with the sale of banned products,” said T Geetha Prasadini.

HRAWI to host FSSAI awareness workshop in Goa on Feb 7, 2013

The Hotels and Restaurants Association, Western India (HRAWI) will be hosting a workshop to educate the industry on the Food Safety and Standards Act of India 2006 (FSSAI) at the International Centre in Goa on February 7, 2013.

The seminar, which will be conducted by Dr V Pasupathy, a renowned Food Scientist & Consultant to FHRAI in FSSAI matters, is the last of a series of successful workshops held across Western India to create awareness for the industry of the new Food Safety & Standards Act. The seminar will also provide an overview of new licencing requirements such as the ‘Food Business Operator’ licence, as establishments have to now acquire this licence by February 2013.

Dr Pasupathy will delve into topics that include food safety management system, corrective and preventive action, sampling procedures, legal overview of the FSSAI as well as highlight matters relating to adjudication and prosecution under the act.

Mr Pradeep Shetty, Chairman, Legal Sub-Committee, HRAWI, said, “FSSAI was primarily created to lay down scientific standards to ensure the safe and healthy consumption of food in the country. HRAWI has welcomed the said new law which has subsumed all existing Food related laws, albeit with certain caveats that have represented to the Union Government. The implementation of FSSAI affects our members including millions of small businesses connected with food. As the industry body, HRAWI endeavours to enable member establishments to make the transition smoothly and meet the criteria laid down by the act. We are immensely pleased with the success of our seminars that have been attended by thousands of participants across Western India.”

The workshop is open to owners, general managers, operational heads, chefs, f&b managers, hygiene managers, engineers, quality control executives, materials managers, and housekeepers from hotels and restaurants.

Pasta to curtail heart disease risk? Foods with 'outrageous' health claims could soon flood the market

Biscuits with diabetes-lowering properties, pasta that can cut your heart disease risk, potato chips capable of reducing chances of stroke, fruit jam that can keep cancers at bay, cookies that tackle osteoporosis and a tea for pregnant women to ensure birth defect-free child.

Products with such wild health claims may flood Indian markets when labelling guidelines notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Food Safety Standards Act 2006 come into effect.

Instead of cracking down on companies making tall health claims, the new framework will not only legalise such assertions but will also let companies make even bolder "disease risk reduction" claims, which, experts say, is a step towards medicalisation of food.
Pseudo nutrition supplements which don't qualify to be called fully-fledged drugs hit markets as new-age foods. The list of diseases for which food companies will be allowed to make claims include coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, neural tube defects and dental caries.

The difference between "risk reduction" and "prevention" is too technical for consumers to be interpreted in the right way, say experts.

"Risk reduction, even if it is one per cent, can't be considered a false claim. People may not understand the true meaning because of widespread illiteracy," pointed out Dr Chandra M. Gulhati, editor of Monthly Index of Medical Specialties.

"Ideally, claims should not be disease-oriented since people will blindly go for them. Claims regarding heart disease could be contentious but may still be allowed. But those for cancers should not be permitted since a linear relationship between dietary fat intake and cancers has still not been conclusively proven," pointed out Dr Anoop Misra, director, centre of internal medicine at Fortis Hospital.

The criteria for making disease-related claims have been left vague and confusing. For instance, products making a disease related claim should not contain more than 6.8 grams of total fat per 'serving' for consumers in the age group of four-six years, 11g for seven-17 years and 11.6g for those above 18.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/foods-with-health-claims-to-flood-the-indian-market/1/247933.html

 If a pack of chips is consumed by a family, then portions will have to be distributed as per age group, just as we do with a cough syrup or antibiotic.

All that food companies will have to do is produce "appropriate scientific research and clinical studies published in scientific journals".

But if such studies can't be produced, they can just cite "generally accepted authoritative statements" by expert bodies or even text book references.

Consumer rights activist Bejon Misra said the objective of food labels should be to clearly communicate the contents and not confuse consumers.

"There should be no room for misuse of labelling rules to masquerade drugs or supplements as food," he added.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/foods-with-health-claims-to-flood-the-indian-market/1/247933.html

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/foods-with-health-claims-to-flood-the-indian-market/1/247933.html

Workshop on Food Safety Standards Act 2006 today

Puducherry, Jan 28 : The Department of Food Sciences and Technology, School of Life Science of the Pondicherry University, will be organising a five day workshop on 'Food Safety Standards Act 2006' from today.
According to a university release here today, Dr Surendra Ghonkrokta, Director, Enforcement, FSSAI, New Delhi will inaugurate the workshop. Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 which come to effect from August 2011 is a science based futuristic policy, making it at par with the international standards and is aimed at ensuring safe food to consumers.
This act subsumes various central Acts like Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954, Fruit Products Order of 1955, Meat Food Products Order of 1973 etc and also any order issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 relating to food. It will ensure prevention of fraudulent, deceptive or unfair trade practices which may mislead or harm the consumer, and unsafe, contaminated or sub-standard foods.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), established under the overarching legislation, have laid down science based standards for food items and regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. Most of the States and Union Territories now have Food Commissioners in place as required under the Act.
During the five days of deliberations, the act is covered in detail by the experts in the field drawn from all over the country. The sessions covered are, Licensing and Registration Rules; Sampling and analysis,; Pesticide residues, contaminants, toxins; Food Safety Management Systems; Products and Standards; Labeling and claims; Key shifts in FSSA; Panel discussion and wrap up.

UN food safety consultant terms FSSAI's new rule a benchmark for India

The Distance Industries Centre, Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, organised a two-day Technology Clinic for Agro-Food Processing Enterprises. It took place in the town's Hotel Elite Continental and was inaugurated by Mathew T Thomas, member of the legislative assembly, Thiruvalla.

The event had various sessions with experts speaking on a number of topics, including food safety, packaging, processing, etc. N Anandavally, the United Nations' food safety consultant shared her critical views on food safety rules and regulations in India.

Speaking on the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, she said, “The new rule given by FSSAI is a benchmark Act till date for India. The set of regulations is partly inspired by the international ones. The Indian set of safety standards is a very systematic, practical approach set by the experts.”

Commenting on the new rules set by FSSAI, she said, "Though the earlier regulations were good, it majorly focussed on the end product. The current set of regulations has taken care of food safety at every step, including the manufacturing and processing aspects”.

Anandvally, also a member of World Health Organisation (WHO), said the Indian regulations are in compliance with international standards. To make it work is now in the hands of manufacturer and consumers. The manufacturers need to implement it on their own on a daily basis, and the consumers should be aware of it.

As far as government education and training is concerned, she said, "It's not always the government's duty to educate and train. There are a lot of small-time manufacturers and producers. Training and educating them won't be possible always.”

“It is the producers and manufacturers who should take initiative for their own development. The only thing government should focus on is auditing, verifying the commodities as per the safety regulation enforcement and implementation standards,” Anandvally said.

She, however, said the government could appoint a core team in every state or area to train and educate them and ask them to share the techniques to small producers, manufacturers and traders. Through this, they can educate people in their local languages and even uneducated farmers will benefit from it, adding that the improved support system and infrastructure is a must for strong food safety mechanism in the country.

Flour manufacturer fined for misleading advertisement

In the first instance in the country, a Delhi-based leading manufacturer of flour has been slapped with a hefty penalty of `7 lakh for issuing misleading adverts for its brand product Rajdhani Besan. The maximum fine for such violation is `10 lakh.
Sources in the Union Health Ministry said that the adjudicating officer SS Parihar (Additional District Magistrate of Northwest Delhi) agreed with the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India’s (FSSAI) allegations that Rajdhani Flour Mills Ltd, had violated rules governing food advertising as per Section 24 of FSS Act, 2006 in its advertisement for its brand Rajdhani Besan.
The Section pertains to misleading advertisements and the Food Safety and Standards (Packing and Labelling) Regulations (FSSR), 2011.
The errant company reportedly couldn’t substantiate its health claim made in newspaper advertisements which had a heart logo with slogan kar lo dil se dosti.
“The imposition of fine is a major victory for the food regulator in the sense that it would send a message among many companies to not to make false claims about their products in their ads and packs at the cost of the health of the consumers. They must give scientific evidence to substantiate their claims,” a senior FSSAI official said.
“The FSSAI since last year after scrutinising the advertisements placed in the newspaper, television and other media has initiated proceedings in 38 brands spanning health drinks, biscuits, cereal and oil for violating rules governing food advertising.”
The FSSAI had in November started initiating prosecution proceedings against 19 brands such as Rajdhani Besan, Complan, Pediasure, Bournvita Little Champs, Maggie Noodles, Top Ramen, Nutrichoice biscuits, Horlicks Juniors and Heart Care among others. “We had given the promoters of the brands a fortnight’s deadline to respond to the allegations regarding various violations of code of advertisement for food items, supplements and propriety foods. But many have failed to do so,” the official added.
Chandra Bhushan, deputy director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, misbranding is a huge problem in the country. “The companies target especially children and the health conscious, which is a very emotive issue.”
He said the Advertising Standards Council of India is ineffective in putting curbs on such misleading ads. He said that a fine of `10 lakh is very small and penalty should be proportionate to the turnover.

Paanwallas hire women to sell gutkha

Food and Drug Administration officials say paan shop owners are now employing female aides, who conceal packets of the prohibited product in the folds of their saris, producing them for customers only on getting the vendors' nod.

A bottleneck on the road towards effective implementation of the ban on gutkha that had so far remained under wraps — literally — has now been uncovered. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials say paan shop owners are now using female aides to sell the prohibited product.

Illustration / Amit Bandre. Hide and seek: When a customer approaches a vendor for gutkha, the latter collects the money and diverts the client towards the woman concealing the product

When a customer approaches a vendor for gutkha, the latter collects the money and diverts the client towards the woman concealing the product

In a singular modus operandi, the women hide the gutkha packets in the folds of their saris, producing one — like a rabbit out of a hat — for a customer on getting the vendors’ nod.

“I witnessed this a couple of times some months ago. The lady would supply gutkha to a purchaser after getting a signal from the paan stall owner. Since there is no direct exchange of money between the woman and the patron, it is difficult to take any action,” said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.

Chew on that! Gutkha of various brands seized by FDA officials in the city. File Pic

How it works
According to officials, when a new customer approaches a vendor for gutkha, the latter collects the money and diverts the client towards the woman concealing the product.
“The lady stands some distance away from the stall. Meanwhile, the vendor gesticulates to her about the number of packets to be supplied to the customer,” Kekare added.
FDA did try to deploy female inspectors to overcome the sari roadblock. “It was difficult to take action against the women as no money was handed to them by the customers. We did set out the lady inspectors from our team, but as soon as the culprits get a tip-off they stop the practice for a while.”
Rs 1.52 cr Value of gutkha confiscated in Pune by FDA since July 19, 2012
Licence please!
In a bid towards effective implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, a committee has been set up under the chairmanship of district collector Vikas Deshmukh. The Act became effective in the district in August 2011, according to which it is mandatory for each stallholder who sells consumable items to have a licence or to get the shop registered.
While briefing the media, Deshmukh said 7,997 licences have been granted to stall owners so far, while 12,021 stands have been registered.

Making food a safe bet, from eateries on roadsides to five-star hotels

Food Safety Commissioner Biju Prabhakar

Street food vendors, toddy shops, canteens and five-star hotels will now have to get licences of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), with the deadline set on February 4.

The new authority will exercise control over almost all food-related businesses. It has the mandate to examine any foodstuff including the fish sold in the market and spices traded on the futures market. Bar hotels and hostels serving food will also be under its scanner. The outlets selling contaminated food could face penal action including cancellation of licences and closure.

Shared responsibility

The new Act on food safety is a comprehensive one and will usher in a sense of shared responsibility among the operators, says Biju Prabhakar, the IAS officer who heads the new entity in Kerala, as its Food Safety Commissioner. A challenging task is at hand, he told The Hindu here on Tuesday, adding that there will be a human face at the implementation stage.

The State FSSAI has a strength of over 500 employees, out of which 92 are food safety officers, with 16 positions of FSOs remaining vacant.

Only three laboratories are under its control, but it will be utilising labs of various agricultural and veterinary universities as well as those of public and private enterprises. Getting a quick report of the chemical analysis will be crucial in tackling food safety issues.

About 8,000 tonnes of pepper was seized from the futures market operators by the authorities recently. The commodity was contaminated with mineral oil. Had it been permitted for export, it would have seriously eroded India’s image in the foreign market, he said.

Grading by hygiene

Under the new regime, hotels and restaurants could be graded according to hygienic standards. In fact, Bakers Association Kerala has launched voluntary measures to improve hygienic standards.

On the FSSAI’s immediate agenda is the examination of drinking water being supplied by tanker lorries. With the summer set to begin, there will be scarcity of drinking water and unscrupulous elements could distribute water from unsafe sources, Mr. Prabhakar said.

Hotels face action over reused oil

Chennai: Restaurants in the city will face punitive action if they are caught using second-hand oil — a commodity with a massive underground market and a cooking medium that health authorities have found can cause cancer.
    The Food Safety Commissionerate will from March issue notices or close down eateries found cooking with resued oil.
    Food inspectors will make surprise inspections of all restaurants, from hole-in the-wall eateries to cafés in star hotels, and invoke the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, against establishments that fail to comply with the rule.
    “Reused oil is one of the biggest food safety scandals,” said food safety commissioner Kumar Jayant. “It is a matter of serious concern because it is a public health issue. Eating food cooked with second-hand oil can cause various problems and lead to cancer.”
    “We want to ensure that food fried in reused oil does not find its way to a customer’s plate at any eatery. Under the Food Safety Act, it is illegal to sell products fried in reused oil.”
    The Food Safety Commissionerate will over the next two months organize awareness programmes for its staff and restaurant owners. The commissionerate wants to ensure hoteliers get the message that the rule is “non negotiable”.
    “If people cannot afford to use fresh oil, they will not be allowed to sell food,” Jayant said.
    Food inspectors will also be trained to suggest other uses for used oil. For instance, they will ask restaurants to use oil that has been used for frying once to sauté vegetables or make dosas or omelettes.
    However, industry experts say it may not be that easy to enforce the rule. Big hotels and restaurants may find a way to avoid reuse, but it will be hard to prevent smaller vendors from breaking the rule because it will not be economically viable for them to use only fresh oil.
SAFE WAYS TO USE OIL
Filter out food particles if you have to reuse oil once
Don’t mix different types of cooking oil
Keep the oil in a cool, dark place, preferably in a nonmetal container
Some oils, like olive oil, can’t be used for frying
When the oil is stale, it appears darker and thicker Dirty hotels in hot water Food Safety Dept To Check Hygiene, Bring Unclean Eateries To Book Despite HC Stay On Taking Samples
    For several months, the food safety commissionerate in the state hasn’t carried out one of its primary duties – taking samples for testing. The Madras high court has issued a stay on sampling after a few hoteliers and vendors moved it against the stringent rules.
    Now, the commissionerate has decided to crack the whip, even without taking samples. The commissionerate is training food inspectors to look for five main violations when they inspect hotels, restaurants, street food shops and eateries: personal hygiene of food handlers, hygiene of the place and utensils used for cooking, storage methods for perishables, source of ingredients, and water used for cooking and cleaning.
    “If these aren’t good, the food they serve can never be hygienic. We will be able to initiate action even without picking up samples,” said food safety commissioner Kumar Jayant.
    The Food Safety and Standards Act replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act in August 2011. A separate cadre of inspectors was established to ensure food safety. Under the new act, the penalty for the maker of adulterated food items was in the range of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. The case will be adjudicated by an officer of the rank of sub-divisional magistrate. Under the new rule, the commissionerate did not have to wait for years for courts to pronounce judgments in the cases they file. If there is enough evidence, it can impose fines or cancel trade licenses.
    Several hoteliers moved the court as they found the rules too stringent. The court ordered status quo until it gives the judgment. The state has 1,45,754 registered (with less than Rs 1 lakh turnover) eateries and 18,869 licensed eateries (medium and big).
    In 2012, a study by the Indian Public Health Association found E coli bacteria on the hands of 11.2% of the people who handled food in five star hotels. In smaller restaurants, 47% of cooks and waiters had the bacterium, which can cause serious food poisoning, on their hands. The figure rises to 84.7% at roadside eateries. *Researchers found amoebic cysts on the hands of 11.2% of waiters at roadside eateries.
    Former director of public health Dr S Elango said food handlers’ hygiene and water used for cooking and cleaning are vital. “Lack of hygiene can lead to an outbreak of acute gastritis,” he said. HOT POT 1 When oil is overheated, it deteriorates chemically, creating hydroperoxides and increasing toxic compounds such as aldehydes. When oil is heated it releases free radicals, which can cause cancer 2 Smoke point,
at which oil begins to smoke, is the breakup point after which toxins are released. Vegetable oils have higher smoke points than butter or ghee. Smoke point drops every time oil is reheated 3 Nutritionists advise people
not use any oil more than twice for frying. Oil that has been used for frying can be used to sauté or season without preserving it for long
Times View
    For the average Chennaite, eating out is no longer a weekend event. Working spouses and double incomes have meant families eat out for leisure and convenience. Studies have found that several of the city’s eateries – high-end restaurants as well as roadside stalls – dish out food contaminated by the diseasecausing E coli bacteria. The corporation’s health department and the food safety department are not equipped to handle the more than 1.5 lakh commercially-run kitchens, 85% of which are small businesses. The departments should be empowered with more resources and a free hand to conduct regular checks and impose stringent punishment on those dishing out substandard food. 

Reheating oil lets out toxic chemicals

 RMurugesan, who runs a small snack stall in Nandanam, said he reuses oil to keep his overheads low. “At least half a litre of oil is left in the pan at the end of the day. I can’t throw it away because a litre of oil costs Rs 100,” he said.
    Studies have shown that when oil is reheated, it produces cancer-causing ch e m i c a l s. Nutritionist Bhuvaneshwari Shankar of Apollo Hospitals said oil has a temperature at which it begins to smoke. “When the smoke point drops, oil releases toxic chemicals,” she said. Some oils are better for high-heat cooking than others. Vegetable oils have higher smoke points than butter or ghee. Refined oil has fewer impurities and hence higher smoke point. Government General Hospital doctors say use of reheated oil could explain the increase in stomach cancer. In a pilot study, they found 70% of cancer patients used reheated oil.
Most said they ate dried fish or meat fried in reused oil every day. “Dried fish has high salt content and is fried in reused oil. In the initial stages in leads to gastritis and later, cancer,” said gastroenterologist Dr S M Chandramohan, who was part of the study.
More than half the patients snacked on bajjis fried in reused oil. The research has won acclaim from Indian Association of Surgical Gastroenterology and International Gastric Cancer Association. The department is doing a detailed study on the links between stomach cancer and reused oil. 

 

FEELING THE HEAT

Rotten veggies, old oil, seized from retail chain

Chennai: Acting on a complaint about food adulteration , food safety department officials on Tuesday raided a popular retail chain and seized substandard food products. District food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said the team carried out the raid in Reliance Fresh in Royapuram. “We had received several complaints about the shop selling substandard food products,” he said.
Food safety officials urged consumers to check packaged products for the batch number and expiry date. “They should also check products that come free with others. We found that they were giving substandard products free along with other products. We have seized 18 food products and 271kg of food grains from the shop,” said Narayan.
    He said refined oil, biscuits, fruit and vegetables, and butter were seized. Officials said they would send samples of the items to King Institute
Of Preventive Medicine in Guindy for tests. “We have issued a notice to the retailer for selling substandard products,” the officer said.
    Officials said they had decided to intensify raids on shops across the city. “Necessary action will be taken against the violators under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,” he said. Consumers can make complaints by calling 23813095 or e-mailing commrfssa@gmail.com.

    WHEN
    THE SMOKE POINT OF OIL DROPS WITH EACH REUSE, THE OIL SMOKES FASTER AND RELEASES TOXIC CHEMICALS
Bhuvaneshwari Shankar
| Nutritionist

    FOOD WITH
    HIGH SALT CONTENT FRIED IN OIL REUSED SEVERAL TIMES LEADS TO GASTRITIS INITIALLY. IN THE LONG TERM, IT CAUSES CANCER
Dr S M Chandramohan |
Gastroenterologist

    IF BASIC
    HYGIENE IS LACKING, THE FOOD SERVED IN EATERIES CANNOT BE HYGIENIC. WE WILL INITIATE ACTION EVEN WITHOUT PICKING UP SAMPLES
Kumar Jayant |Food
Safety Commissioner

 

Dinathanthi

சுகாதாரமற்ற குடிநீர் கேன்கள் விற்பனை நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க யாருக்கு அதிகாரம்?

சென்னை : "சுகாதாரமற்ற குடிநீர் கேன்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும் அதிகாரம், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலருக்கே உள்ளது. புகார்களை மாநகராட்சி, அவர்களுக்கு பரிந்துரை செய்யும்' என, மேயர் தெரிவித்தார். சென்னை மாநகராட்சி கூட்டத்தில், ""சுகாதாரமற்ற குடிநீர் கேன்கள், பாதுகாக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர் என, விற்கப்படுவதுபனை செய்வது புற்றீசல் போல் பெருகிவிட்டது. இதில், மாநகராட்சி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்குமா,'' என, மண்டலக்குழு தலைவர் தனரமேஷ் கேள்வி எழுப்பினார். மேயர் சைதை துரைசாமி பதில் அளித்து பேசியதாவது:

கோட்ட அளவில், சுகாதார ஆய்வாளர்கள் கள ஆய்வின்போது, குடிநீர் பாக்கெட், குடிநீர் பாட்டில், குடிநீர் கேன்களை பரிசோதிக்கின்றனர். ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., சான்று, தயாரிப்பு தேதி, காலாவதி தேதி, குளோரின் அளவை கண்காணித்து, சரியாக இல்லாத பட்சத்தில், அவற்றை பறிமுதல் செய்து அழித்து, அபராதம் விதிக்கின்றனர். தற்போது, மத்திய அரசின் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரக்கட்டுப்பாடு சட்டம் நடைமுறையில் உள்ளது. இதன்படி, தரமற்ற குடிநீர் விற்போர் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும் அதிகாரம், மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் மற்றும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலருக்கே தரப்பட்டுள்ளது.

பொதுமக்களிடமிருந்து தரமற்ற குடிநீர் பற்றிய புகார்கள் பெறப்படும்போது, மேற்சொன்ன அலுவலர்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க, மாநகராட்சி சுகாதார துறை பரிந்துரை செய்கிறது. இதுபற்றிய புகார்களை கவுன்சிலர்கள், பொதுமக்கள் சம்பந்தபட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரிகளுக்கு நேரடியாகவும் தெரிவிக்கலாம். இவ்வாறு மேயர் கூறினார்.

Govt to set up panels to resolve pepper futures imbroglio

The Centre will set up two expert panels to look into the problems of the futures market in pepper and cardamom and put in place an effective mechanism to ensure the quality of products traded, said K.V. Thomas, Union minister of state for consumer affairs, food and public distribution.

Issues in the pepper market have aggravated in the recent past following actions by the Kochi office of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The expert panels will look into the problem of production of pepper and cardamom, and also recommend solutions to address concerns of various stakeholders in the trading of these spices, said the minister at a meeting organised by the Forward Markets Commission at Kochi.

Around 8,000 tonnes of pepper stored in six NCDEX registered warehouses in Kochi were sealed by FSSAI on December 18 with traces of mineral oils — a banned chemical for use in the commodity. Traders use mineral oil for polishing to hide the commodity’s poor quality.

According to Biju Prabhakar, FSSAI Commissioner, based in Thiruvananthapuram, the Spices Board has agreed to get the sample tested for Rs 500 each, provided the samples are delivered to its office with an accumulative cost of Rs 12 lakh.

“We do not have the facility to test bulk samples and hence, we have written to NCDEX to bear the cost. Since the Spices Board has also agreed to request NCDEX for bearing this expenditure, the exchange must come forward to help early resolution of this issue,” Prabhakar said.

In case NCDEX does not agree to such investment, “we would go at government speed which may take longer time for solving it,” he added.

However, Thomas assured market participants that this particular issue would also be settled amicably.

How to Deduct adulteration - FSSAI VIDEO

Nagai FSO Press Release

Tamil Murasu

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வேலூர், ஜன. 22:

வேலூர் மாவட்டம் முழுவதும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் நடத்திய அதிரடி சோதனையில் 750 லிட்டர் கலப்பட பால் கைப்பற்றி அழிக்கப்பட்டது.

வேலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் பாலில் நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட அளவான 26 சதவீதத்துக் கும் குறைவான கொழுப்புச்சத்து உள்ளதாக புகார்கள் வந்தன. பாலில் தண்ணீர் அளவை அதிகரித்தும், பால் பவுடர், ஜவ்வரிசி மாவு போன்ற பொருட் களை கலந்தும் விற்பதாக தகவல்வந்தது.

இதையடுத்து கலெக் டர் சங்கர் உத்தரவின்பேரில் நேற்று அதிகாலை திருப்பத்தூர், வேலூர், ஆற்காடு, ராணிப்பேட்டை பகுதிகளில் ஒரே நேரத்தில் மா வட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர் சம்பத்குமார் தலைமையிலான குழுவினர் கேன்கள் மூலம் கிராமங்களில் இருந்து வந்த பாலை ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர்.

வேலூருக்கு அணைக் கட்டு, சதுப்பேரி, ரங்காபுரம், அலமேலுரங்காபுரம், பெருமுகை, காட்பாடி பகுதிகளில் இருந்து கேன்கள் மூலம் கொண்டு வரப்படுகிற பால் முஸ்லிம் மேல்நிலைப்பள்ளி பஸ் நிறுத்தம், பழைய பஸ் நிலை யம், தலைமை தபால் நிலையம் பஸ் நிறுத்தம், கோட்டை சுற்றுச்சாலை பெரியார் பூங்கா சந்திப்பு போன்ற பகுதிகளில் இறக்கப்படுகின்றன.

இந்த பகுதிகளில் நேற்று அதிகாலை மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் கேன்களில் இருந்த பாலை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அப்போது நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட கொழுப்பு சத்து அளவான 26 சதவீதத்துக்கும் குறை வாக 19 அல்லது 20 சதவீத அளவில் பால் இருந்தது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது.

இதையடுத்து மேற்கண்ட பகுதிகளில் மொத்தமாக 650 லிட்டர் பால் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டு அழிக்கப்பட்டது. மேலும், சம்பந்தப்பட்ட பால் விற்பனையாளர்கள் கடுமையாக எச்சரிக்கப்பட்டனர்.

இதேபோல் மீண்டும் பால் விற்பனைக்காக கொண்டு வரப்பட்டால் அவர்கள் மீது வழக்குபதிவு செய்யவும், ரூ.2 லட்சம் அபராதம் விதிக்கவும் நேரிடும் என்றும் அதிகாரிகள் எச்சரித்தனர்.

அதேபோல் திருப்பத்தூர், கந்திலி, நாட்றம்பள்ளி பகுதிகளில் இருந்து கேன்களில் பால் வந்து இறங்கும் இடங்களான வீட்டு வசதி வாரிய குடியிருப்பு சந்திப்பு, கிருஷ்ணகிரி சாலை சந்திப்பு, சேலம் சாலை சந்திப்பு ஆகிய இடங்களில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் கந்தவேல் நடத்திய ரெய்டில் 100 லிட்டர் கலப்பட பால் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டு அழிக்கப்பட்டது.

Focus on food business operators - The Hindu

At a workshop and licensing conference for the food business operators, a few members revealed their apprehensions regarding the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.

They felt that this would promote “license raj” in the country and ultimately would lead to a situation where only top branded goods could be made available in the market which would put the customer in trouble in terms of curbing his choice.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) along with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Sunday had held a workshop to create awareness about producing quality food products and obtaining the mandatory food licenses before February 4.

FSSAI decides to implement Gujarat's food safety model in other states

Street food in India - chaat items like pani puri to elaborate preparations such as dosas - is very popular. But when it comes to food safety then street food is perhaps the most unsafe in the country in the absence of proper vigil and regulations.

However, the state of Gujarat seems to be an exception as it has been following a street food safety model since 1979 and has been very successful at keeping a watchful eye as well as ensuring that regulations are followed by all concerned when it comes to street food.

It is in wake of this success that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to take the Gujarat model to other states of the country by implementing it in a similar fashion.

The Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) since 1979 when Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954, was in force had been following the street food safety model in 25 districts of the state. The state already has standard norms in place which in the near future are likely to be taken to other states of the country.

H G Koshia, commissioner, FDCA, Gujarat, informed, “We have the model to ensure street food safety since 1979 when PFA Act was in force. FDCA commissioner, joint commissioner (food), deputy commissioner (food), 25 deputy officers and 25 senior food safety officers along with municipal corporation officials are deployed in 25 districts of Gujarat to keep a check on street food.”

He added that after the implementation of FSS Act, 2006, “In one-and-a-half years we have organised more than 50 awareness programmes for street food vendors to ensure food safety. We have explained to them the standard pertaining to food safety in terms of the location of vending spots and hygienic food preparation practices to be followed.”

Recently S S Ghonkrokta, director, enforcement, FSSAI, talking on the sidelines of a seminar on enforcement of food safety organised as a precursor to the Vibrant Gujarat Summit said, “Gujarat has shown leadership in developing a collaborative model to ensure enforcement of quality amongst street food vendors. We are thinking of replicating the model in other major cities as well,"

Koshia added, “According to industry estimates, nearly 80 per cent of consumers in India access street food. To ensure the safety of these consumers all the states should follow the street food safety model. We are proud that Gujarat is setting an example for other states.”

FSSAI is planning to replicate the Gujarat model to ensure street food safety in eight cities including Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, and Kolkata among others.

Dina Thanthi

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Madurai License Meala

சாலையோரக் கடைகளால் சுகாதாரக்கேடு: கவனிக்குமாஅரசு?காணொளி

சாலையோரக் கடைகளில் உணவுப் பொருட்கள் போதிய சுகாதாரப் பாதுகாப்புடன் தயாரிக்கப்படுவதில்லை என்பது பரவலாக கூறப்படும் குற்றச்சாட்டு. இத்தகைய சுகாதாரமற்ற உணவுகளை உட்கொள்வதால் 250 க்கும் மேற்பட்ட நோய்கள் ஏற்படுவதாக மருத்துவர்கள் கூறுகின்றனர். பாக்டீரியாக்கள் மற்றும் வைரஸ் கிருமிகளால் இத்தகைய நோய்கள் ஏற்படுவதாக அவர்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றனர்.
சமையல் செய்யும் முன்னர் கைகளைக் கழுவத் தவறுவது, கைகளைக் கழுவாமல் உணவு உட்கொள்வது, முறையாகச் சமைக்கப்படாத உணவுகள், முறையாகப் பதப்படுத்தாத பால் மற்றும் தண்ணீர் போன்ற காரணங்களால் இத்தகைய நோய்கள் ஏற்படுகின்றன என்பது மருத்துவர்களின் கருத்து.
கிருமிகள் உடலுக்குள் புகுந்து, சில மணி நேரங்கள் முதல், சில நாட்கள்வரை கடந்த பின்னர்தான் நோய்க்கான அறிகுறி தென்படத் தொடங்குகிறது. இந்த இடைப்பட்ட காலத்தில், உள்ளே செல்லும் நுண்கிருமிகள் உணவுக்குழாய்ச் சுவர்களில் தங்கி, பல்கிப் பெருகுகத் தொடங்குகின்றன. இவற்றில் சில கிருமிகள் ரத்த ஓட்டத்தில் கலந்து விடும். மற்ற சில கிருமிகளில் இருந்து வெளியேறும் விஷமானது குடலில் தங்கியிருக்கும் உணவில் கலந்து அதனை நச்சுத்தன்மை உள்ளதாக மாற்றி விடும். வாந்தி, வயிற்றுப்போக்கு, கடுமையான வயிற்று வலி போன்ற அறிகுறிகள் மூலம் நோய்த் தொற்று இருப்பதை தெரிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.
வயிற்றுப் போக்கு மற்றும் வாந்தியால் உடலில் நீர்வறட்சி ஏற்படும். இதற்கு கால் லிட்டர் தண்ணீரில் இரண்டு டேபிள் ஸ்பூன் சர்க்கரை மற்றும் அரை டேபிள் ஸ்பூன் உப்பு ஆகியவற்றைக் கலந்து குடிக்கத் தருவதன் மூலம் குணப்படுத்தலாம் என மருத்துவர்கள் ஆலோசனை தெரிவிக்கின்றனர்.
சமைக்கு முன்னரும், உணவு உட்கொள்ளும் முன்னரும் கைகளைக் கழுவுவதன் மூலம் சுகாதாரக் கேட்டினால் ஏற்படும் பெரும்பான்மையான நோய்களைத் தடுக்க முடியும்.
உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டம்
தமிழக அரசின் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டம் நடைமுறையில் இருந்தாலும்கூட உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு என்பது பல்வேறு தளங்களில் உறுதி செய்யப்படவேண்டியது அவசியமானதாகும்.
ஆரோக்கியமான உணவு, தூய்மையான சுற்றுப்புறம், பராமரிப்பு முதல் பறிமாறுதல் வரை சுகாதாரம் இதுதான் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டத்தின் முக்கிய அம்சங்கள். இந்த சட்டத்தை முழுமையாக ஆதரிப்பதாக கூறும் உணவக உரிமையாளர்கள், பல்வேறு நோய்களை பரப்புவதில் முக்கிய பங்கு வகிக்கும் சுற்றுப்புறச் சுகாதார கேட்டிற்கு யார் பொறுப்பு என்று கேள்வி எழுப்புகின்றனர்.
உணவு சமைக்க பயன்படுத்தப்படும் குடிநீரில் கூட குறிப்பிட்ட அளவிற்கு மேல் குளோரின் இருப்பதற்கு யார் பொறுப்பு என்று கேள்வி எழுப்புவதோடு அதில் சில திருத்தங்கள் செய்து நடைமுறைக்கு கொண்டுவர வேண்டும் என ஓட்டல் அதிபர்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றனர்.
உணவு பாதுகாப்பு என்பது உடல் நலன் மற்றும் உயிர் சார்ந்த விஷயமாக உள்ளதால் அதற்கான சட்ட சரத்துக்களை பின்பற்ற வேண்டியது சிறு, குறு மற்றும் பெரும் உணவகங்களின் கடமை. அதேபோல, அவர்கள் பின்பற்றுகிறார்களா என்பதைக் கண்காணிப்பது அரசு அதிகாரிகளின் கடமை. எனினும், பொதுவான சூற்றுச்சூழலையும், சுகாதாரத்தையும் பேணிக்காப்பது ஒவ்வொருவரின் கடமை என்கின்றனர் சுகாதார வல்லுனர்கள்.
பாதுகாப்பான உணவை வலியுறுத்தி பிரசாரம்
வீட்டில் நாம் உண்ணும் உணவாக இருந்தாலும் சரி, உணவகங்களில் உண்ணும் உணவாக இருந்தாலும் சரி, அது நோயை உருவாக்காத அளவுக்கு சுத்தமானதாகவும் பாதுகாப்பானதாகவும் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை வலியுறுத்தும் தேசிய பிரச்சாரம் தமிழகத்தில் தொடங்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.
நாம் வீட்டிலோ, உணவகங்களிலோ உட்கொள்ளும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பானதாக இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை உறுதி செய்வதற்காக 2006 ஆம் ஆண்டில் பாதுகாப்பான உணவுக்கான சட்டம் இயற்றப்பட்டது.
விளைநிலத்திலிருந்து நம் கைக்கு உணவு வரும் வரைக்கும் பல்வேறு நிலைகளில் அதனை உறுதி செய்வதற்கான அமைப்புகளும் மத்திய, மாநில அளவில் இந்தச் சட்டத்தின் கீழ் உருவாக்கப்பட்டன. நாம் வாங்கும் உணவுப் பொருள் பாதுகாப்பாக இருக்கிறதா என்பதை மளிகைக் கடைகளிலும் உணவகங்களிலும் நாமே கேட்பது குறித்த விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்தும். தேசிய அளவிலான பிரச்சாரம் தமிழகத்தில் இந்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர ஆணையத்தால் வியாழக்கிழமையன்று தொடங்கி வைக்கப்பட்டது.
இந்தப் பிரச்சாரம் தமிழகத்தின் சென்னையிலும் வேறு நான்கு மாவட்டங்களிலும் தற்போது தொடங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இது பிற மாநிலங்களுக்கும் விரிவுபடுத்தப்படும் என்று தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
சுத்தமான உணவைத் தயார் செய்வதும் அதனை நியாயமான விலையில் வழங்குவதும் சாத்தியம் என்பதில் யாருக்கும் மாற்றுக் கருத்து இல்லை. ஆனால் லாபத்தை மட்டுமே கருத்தில் கொண்டு தரக்குறைவான உணவுப் பொருள்களைப் பயன்படுத்துவதும் உணவுப் பொருள்களில் கலப்படம் செய்வதும் பெரும் சவால்களாக உள்ளன. இதனைக் கேள்விக்கு உட்படுத்துவதுதான் பிரச்சாரத்தின் முக்கிய நோக்கமாகும்.
சென்னை, மதுரை, கோயம்புத்தூர், திருச்சி, வேலூர் ஆகிய இடங்களில் மே மாதம் வரை ஊர்தி மூலமாகவும் விளம்பர சுவரொட்டிகள், பல்வகை ஊடகங்கள் மூலமும் இந்தப் பிரச்சாரம் நடைபெற உள்ளது. நடிகர்கள் ரேவதி, நாசர், சரண்யா ஆகிய்யோர் இதற்கான குறும்படங்களில் நடித்துள்ளனர். இதற்கான பயிற்சி பெற்ற 60 மாணவ தூதுவர்கள் தயாராகியுள்ளனர்.
பாதுகாப்பற்ற உணவு விற்றால் தண்டனை
பாதுகாப்பான உணவை உறுதி செய்ய நுகர்வோர் தரப்பிலும் விழிப்புணர்வு அவசியம். உணவுக் கலப்படத்தை எதிர்த்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க அனைத்து நுகர்வோருக்கும் அதிகாரம் அளித்திருக்கிறது, நுகர்வோர் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டம். உணவுப் பொருள்கள் வாங்கும் அனைவருக்கும் அவற்றைச் சோதித்துக் கொள்ளும் உரிமை உண்டு.
தமிழ்நாட்டில் சென்னை கிங் ஆய்வு நிலையம், கோயம்புத்தூர், மதுரை, தஞ்சாவூர், சேலம், திருநெல்வேலி ஆகிய இடங்களிலுள்ள உணவுப் பகுப்பாய்வாளர்கள் ஆகியோரிடம் கட்டணம் செலுத்தி உணவைப் பகுப்பாய்வு செய்து கொள்ளலாம்.
உணவு பாதுகாப்பில்லாதது என்று உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டால், ஆய்வுக் கட்டணம் திருப்பி அளிக்கப்படும். உணவுப் பொருளின் லேபிள்களில் தயாரிப்பு தேதி, பயன்படுத்துவதற்கு உகந்த காலகட்டம், உள்ளிருக்கும் பொருள்கள் பற்றிய விவரம், அதிகபட்ச விலை, மொத்த எடை, ஊட்டச்சத்து விவரம், உணவுத் தயாரிப்பாளரின் முகவரி ஆகியவை சரிவர இடம்பெறவில்லையெனில், இந்திய உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர ஆணையத்திற்கு தகவல் தெரிவித்து 500 ரூபாய் பரிசு பெறலாம்.
உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர சட்டம் 2006ன் படி பாதுகாப்பற்ற உணவை விற்றால் ஒரு லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரை அபராதமும் ஆறு மாத கால கடுங்காவல் தண்டனையும் வழங்கலாம்.
பாதுகாப்பற்ற உணவினால் இறப்பு நிகழ்ந்தால் பத்து லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்கு குறையாத அபராதம், ஏழு ஆண்டு கடுங்காவல் தண்டனை அல்லது ஆயுட்கால சிறை வழங்கப்பட இந்தச் சட்டத்தில் இடம் இருக்கிறது. தரக் குறைவான உணவுக்கு ஐந்து லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரை அபராதமும் உணவு பற்றிய திசைதிருப்பும் விளம்பரத்திற்கு பத்து லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரை அபராதமும் விதிக்க சட்டம் வழிவகை செய்கிறது.
பாதுகாப்பற்ற உணவை உற்பத்தி செய்பவரே தண்டனைக்கு இலக்காவார் என்று உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர சட்டம் 2006 கூறுகிறது. காலாவதியான தேதிக்கு பிறகு உணவுப்பொருளை விற்பனை செய்தால் மொத்த விற்பனையாளர், வினியோகஸ்தர் தண்டனைக்கு ஆளாவார். சுகாதாரமற்ற சூழலில் உணவுப் பொருளை வைத்திருந்தாலும் மொத்த விற்பனையாளர், வினியோகஸ்தர் தண்டனைக்குரியவராவார்.
காணொளி:http://puthiyathalaimurai.tv/video-gallery?video=905

Shawarma - Food poisoning from Sindoor Palace Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram