Quality Control of Botanical Ingredients

Partnerships with dependable, quality-conscious suppliers are key to a manufacturer’s reputation and success.

As the nutrition science industry grows, so do the questions and concerns regarding quality. Most, if not all, quality-related questions can be answered by evaluating the cultivation and harvesting practices, the manufacturing practices and the quality control program adopted by the ingredient suppliers.

One of the challenges the industry faces today is the lack of standardized methods for product assessment. Using different methodologies produces different test results. Therefore, a product that may meet all the requirements using a certain method may not meet the requirements using a different method. Several industry organizations are currently working toward standardization of processing and testing methodologies.

Manufacturing Practices
Manufacturing processes affect the quality of herbal ingredients. Cross-contamination with other products, environmental contamination, mix-ups and mislabeling can lead to poor-quality material. These can be avoided by implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). Quality-conscious ingredient suppliers have adopted some form of GMPs, whether the product is a drug, a food, a proposed dietary supplement or a combination of the three. Manufacturers also must contend with the challenge that ingredients are sourced from diverse geographic locations. Although most of these locations have some form of GMPs, the standards and enforcement are not the same as those in the manufacturer’s home market. It is therefore important to check and evaluate the manufacturing practices of suppliers to ensure high-quality botanical products.

Ingredient Specifications
A quality botanical ingredient is one that uses the correct plant species and plant part, is unadulterated, safe for human consumption and has the potency (level of chemical constituents) it claims.

Different types of identification methods, such as macroscopic, microscopic, organoleptic, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-pressure (HP) TLC, HP liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, may be used to identify the genus, species and plant part. Each of these identity tests has advantages and limitations. At the very least, the type of identification method(s) used should be specific enough to differentiate between species and plant parts. In most cases, different methods must be combined to identify the plant species and plant part beyond a reasonable doubt.

Other than identity, botanicals should be tested for adulterants such as heavy metals, pesticides and ethylene oxide residues. Most countries have regulatory guidelines related to adulterants, and products must meet these guidelines.

Aflatoxin and microbiological testing are required to ensure the product is free of pathogenic bacteria and is safe for human consumption. Raw ingredients usually have a high microbial load and thus require some form of sanitization. Several sanitization options are available, but it is important to understand the regulatory and quality impact of such sanitization processes before choosing one that is appropriate for the specific product.

Chemical tests are required to confirm that the material meets the claimed potency of active or marker chemical constituents. Depending on the constituent, different instrumental methodologies, such as HPLC, gas chromatography or ultraviolet spectrophotometry, may be used to quantify these chemical constituents.

One of the very first things needed to ensure the quality of botanicals is to create an ingredient specification sheet detailing identity (genus, species, plant part), physical (appearance, particle size, density), chemical (chemical constituents, marker compounds), heavy metal, pesticide and microbiological requirements as well as the preferred sterilization process. Since using different methods could lead to different test results, it is important to identify the sterilization and test method on the specification sheet.

In the case of botanical extracts, the ingredient specification should also list the raw herb-to-extract ratio, extraction solvents used and any excipients and/or carriers that may have been used in the production of the herbal extracts.

Certificate of Analysis (COA)
The ingredient supplier should provide a COA with all shipments. The results of identity, physical, chemical, heavy metal and pesticide residues testing as well as microbiological testing results should be listed on the COA along with the specifications and methods of analysis. The COA should be a guarantee that the product is what it claims to be, is unadulterated and is safe for human consumption. However, the COA provided by the ingredient supplier should be verified and the test methods used should be evaluated. It is important for suppliers and customers to agree on test methodologies prior to accepting COA results.
Ingredient Supplier Selection

A key step in ensuring the quality of finished products is choosing an ingredient supplier that will provide material that meets all of the requirements. The vendor should be provided with the detailed ingredient specification—which should be part of the contract with the customer—so that they can fully understand the customer’s requirements. The supplier should review the specification thoroughly and provide feedback to the customer in the form of comments or ask for further clarification. The customer and supplier should agree on the ingredient specification before placing or accepting orders.

It is very important to review and evaluate the vendor’s capabilities and expertise. Some areas that need to be evaluated are the vendor’s quality unit, including but not limited to the education, training and experience of the quality unit staff. The vendor’s Standard Operating Procedure programs, testing capabilities (including certification of any third-party testing labs used), laboratory equipment, sanitation programs, process control and pest control programs are some of the areas that should be evaluated. It is necessary to assess whether the vendor follows some form of GMPs and Good Laboratory Practices in terms of product and document traceability. A site visit and audit of the vendor facility provide critical information regarding vendor quality.

Since the ingredient supplier receives material from diverse geographic regions, a vendor qualification program is essential to have in place to ensure the quality of raw botanicals received.

Conclusions
It is essential to partner with vendors that understand your quality requirements and are capable of meeting them. It is only through this partnership that we can provide high-quality finished products to consumers. 

உணவு பொருட்களில் கலப்படம் பற்றி மாணவர்களுக்கு விளக்கம்

Groceries’ deadline ending tomorrow - Dubai Food Safety News

5 March 2013: The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) announced on Monday that the grace period for registration for the ‘baqala’ (grocery) reform project in Abu Dhabi and the suburbs is coming to an end on March 6.

Grocery shop owners who want to remain in business will have to register before March 6 or close shop once and for all. Those who have registered within the grace period are granted a period of four months until the end of June to implement the new standards and specifications for their stores.
The government committee for regulating the retail (grocery) sector in Abu Dhabi called upon grocery owners to rush to register and avoid closing down their businesses. They can begin the process for registration at the technical support office for the project at ADFCA.
Earlier this week, ADFCA’s Dr Mohamed Al Farsi won the top prize of Shaikh Khalifa International Date Palm Award in the research and development category for his studies on strengthening dates paste.
Using the momentum, Rashid Mohamed Al Shariqi, director-general of ADFCA, said that research in food sciences and technology has become “crucial” for Abu Dhabi. He pointed out that it was in recognition of the strategic importance of research and studies that the authority had set up a separate division for research and development, focusing attention on various aspects of food safety, agriculture and animal wealth.
“We encourage our staff to take part with their studies and research in local, regional and international forums so they not only contribute their knowledge, but also bring back valuable knowledge and information that would contribute to the strengthening of the local knowledge base,” he stressed.
The research of Dr Al Farsi revolved around the manufacturing of dates’ paste, a key ingredient in various food products.

Shabir for proper check on food adulteration

Jammu, March 4 -Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan, has underscored the need for further intensifying market checking to keep a strict vigil over food adulteration in the markets.
The Minister was speaking at the inaugural function of a 5 day orientation programme for Food Safety Officers here on Monday.
Shabir said that the training programme is a pact of mandate of new Food Law aimed at sensitizing the statuary functionaries appointed by the government for effective implementation of the provisions of this new Law introduced in the State in 2011.
The Minister said that the new Act stresses upon self-regulation to achieve its objectives. He highlighted that the new law empowers the common man to get any food item tested from food testing laboratories. He said that the law further provides that the person who has lifted the sample for test shall not have to run from pillar to post to book the offenders as this would be the responsibility of functionaries who have been appointed for the purpose.
The programme has been organized by the State Drug and Food Safety Organization in collaboration with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, aimed at to sensitize the Food Safety Officers of the State about effective implementation of provisions of new Food Act.
As many as, 82 Food Safety Officers are participating in the workshop who would get an opportunity to learn from the eminent food experts of the country on various topics associated with food safety.
The Minister impressed upon the participants to avail maximum benefit from the programme and adopt a proactive approach to perform their legitimate duties. He also shared with the participants measures of the government for effective implementation of Food Laws. He said that Food Testing Laboratories would be strengthened through a capacity building programme and it shall be ensured that reliability of tests performed by these institutions is enhanced so that the same withstand the audit of appellate institutions.
The Minister said that government has already created 36 new posts in various categories to supplement food regulations. He, however said that the level of enforcement is required to be geared up to meet National index. He expressed satisfaction over the initiatives taken by the Drug and Food Safety Organization in recent times and hoped the good work shall continue with the renewed zeal. He impressed upon the field functionaries to work without any pressure and ensure tangible results in implementation of requisite drug and food Acts for welfare of the people.
The Minister stressed on lifting maximum samples of edibles from the markets for testing to ensure that no adulteration is made. He directed the officers to fine those manufacturers and shopkeepers who indulge in such malpractices and book them under the law without giving any concession. The Act also envisages seal of units and cancellation of their licenses.
The Minister assured the officials of the organization that all their genuine demands would be mitigated in time. He instructed Controller drug and Food Control to ensure that no attachment of the staff is made at any level which affects the working of the area.
Controller Drug and Food Organization, in his address, threw a detailed light on the functioning of the Organization.

Dinakaran

Akshaya Patra Foundation to focus on safety & hygiene in mid-day meals

In a major effort to ensure safety and hygiene in mid-day meals, the Akshaya Patra Foundation and the Department of Public Education, government of Karnataka teamed-up to organise a seminar titled Suraksha, highlighting the importance of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006. Experts deliberated on the implications of the mid-day meal scheme and the challenges in its implementation at the seminar, in which 170 mid-day meals from all over the state participated.

"The seminar has been organised to educate officials at the taluk and district levels about hygiene and other factors they should take into consideration, when it comes to mid-day meals. We are also educating them about the implications of ignorance under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA)," said Vinay N Kumar, general manager (operations), Akshaya Patra Foundation.

"Although the Act has been in place since 2006, there is not much awareness among the stakeholders. There is no clarity on how can it be used, from the consumer's point of view. But it strictly talks about implications that one might have to face as a food establishment in case of any injury," said Mamatha Mishra, chief executive officer, Health First, a service providing organisation looking into the mid-day meal process to make it time, health and cost-effective through automation.

The mid-day meal quality manual, which was launched at the seminar, will be distributed to all government schools which receive mid-day meals from the foundation. The quality manual has guidelines for teachers and other implementing authorities on precautionary methods to be adopted, safety procedures to be followed while handling a mid-day meal and necessary action to be taken during an emergency.

Alcohol manufacturers may move court over unacceptable licensing rules

The standards set for licensing and registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country's apex food regulator, are not acceptable to alcoholic beverage manufacturers.

The head of an Indian trade body representing multinational alcohol brands has termed the licensing and registration norms proposed by FSSAI and the proposal to set nationwide alcohol limits in beverages a waste of time, adding that it would create good governance issues.

State excise departments will not have a problem with the new licensing and registration procedure and there will be no clash of interest between them and FSSAI, in which the powers to pull alcohol manufacturers and those in the beverage industry up have been vested.

Apart from licensing and registration from alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers and traders, FSSAI has set draft standards for the whole spectrum of alcohol beverages (defined by the Act as food) to set the maximum permissible alcohol limits on the grounds of public safety.

One of the opponents of FSSAI's licensing and registration standards for the alcohol industry is Pramod Krishna, president, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), which represents Diageo, Bacardi, Martini and Beam Global.

He said, “We will take legal action to stop FSSAI from regulating alcoholic drinks. In relation to FSSAI's regulations, we have filed a writ in the Bombay High Court, because the Constitution mandates that alcoholic beverages are a state subject.”

“And for all practical purposes, they are governed by the excise laws of the states. If FSSAI comes into the picture, all the players in the alcohol industry would be harassed and would face a lot of problems,” Krishna added.

He added, “The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, was implemented by the health ministry, and our concern was that if our industry had two regulatory authorities, it would create problems of good governance.”

Rushabh Bhayani, partner, Nagindas Hiralal Bhayani, informed, “We are not at all aware about FSSAI's licensing and registration for the alcoholic beverage industry. But we are already under the state excise department's regulations. Regulations by other bodies will create chaos for the alcohol industry.”

Although FSSAI is ready to bring all FBOs selling alcoholic beverages under the purview of licensing and registration, most FBOs have not obtained licences or registered, and are vehemently opposing the standards laid down by the apex food regulator.

Food safety champions

Chennaites should have tasted cookies, hot cakes or at least loaf of bread from Adyar Bakery, but the student members of Citizen Consumer Club, D.G. Vaishnav College, had the opportunity to visit their manufacturing unit to see how things work from the initial baking of bread to the final product of a rich creamy cake. We could see the raw material used, storage, types of utensils used, ventilation and hygienic practices followed in the unit. This was part of a four-day residential training organised by Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Consumer Association of India (CAI). This training-cum-workshop was aimed at creating an awareness on Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
FSSAI, in association with CAI, has partnered with Consumer Club of D.G. Vaishnav College to train 20 students into Food Safety Champions (FSC). They will in turn conduct a mass awareness campaign in Chennai in February, 2013.
This residential training gave students an all-round exposure about the Act. This major responsibility of sensitising the masses about this new Act is now shouldered upon FSC, and the training is the first of its kind initiated by Government of India. As part of the training programme, we also visited Food Business Operators at the Elliot Beach and conveyed the importance of the Act.
The writer is a second-year M.Com D.G. Vaishnav College

Food safety workshop held

IMPHAL, Mar 3: A one-day workshop on 'Food Safety and Regulations: Are We Prepared for a Safe Food', organised by Society for Agriculture, Food and Innovation (SAFI) in association with the North Eastern Finance Development Corporation (Nedfi) was held today at the Food Processing Training Hall, Porompat.
Keirao AC MLA Thamarjit Karam and Principal Secretary (Commerce & Industries) Oinam Nabakishore attended the inauguration programme as the chief guest and president respectively while state Nodal Officer (Food Safety) Ch Sanajaoba, Nedfi branch manager (Imphal) Rajiv Khaidem and Managing Director of Food Safety Training & Research Centre, Maharashtra Durga Prasad Panda were the guests of honour. Regretting that a number of Central sponsored schemes continue to fail miserably in the State rather than benefit the common people as the welfare programmes intent to, MLA thamarjit opined that judicious implementation of the schemes and sincerity of implementing agencies/officials are two essential components for a scheme to be successful.
Highlighting that misuse of scheme funds and materials by corrupt officials has been one of chief factors for the people unable to reap the benefits, he suggested that the scheme implementing departments ensure assistance to self help groups and industrious individuals/entrepreneurs.
In his presidential address, Nabakishore said that along with increasing awareness of the consumers regarding food safety, there should be equal responsibility by the manufacturers to maintain standard food safety norms.
While conveying that a State Mission Authority would be set up very soon for judicious implementation of projects allotted to Manipur under the Ministry of Food Processing, the Principal Secretary also called upon the targeted beneficiaries to utilise the fund and material provision in a sincere and productive manner.
Rajiv Khaidem in his comment exuded confidence that there would certainly be development in Manipur as there has been increase in the number of educated and industrious entrepreneurs.
Informing that Nedfi had already provided Rs 50 crore loan to set up various industries in the State, the branch Manager assured to sustain the financial institution's endeavour to spur industrial development in Manipur.
According to State Nodal officer Ch Sanajaoba, it is mandatory for food manufacturing units to register as per provisions of the Food safety Act, passed by the Parliament in 2006.
He also asked food unregistered manufacturing units to comply with licensing regulations within 2014 to avoid shut-down of their respective units.

Orientation prog for food safety officers from March 4

Jammu Tawi: A five days Orientation Programme for Food Safety Officers notified by the State under the Provisions of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006(FSSA) will be conducted from 4th to 8th March, 2013 in the Auditorium of Indian Institute of Integrative of Medicines, Canal Road, Jammu by this Department of Drugs & Food Control Organisation in collaboration with FSSAI.

The programme will be inaugurated by Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmed Khan at 12.30 pm on 4th March. The programme is a part of the ambitious capacity building undertaken by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) for implementation of the FSS (Food Safety and Standards) Act.

Chefs, food operators trained in hygiene, safety

The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department with support from non-governmental organisations, has intensified its efforts to ensure that residents have access to healthy food.

On Saturday, master chefs from hotel kitchens and workers of food business operators participated in a training session that focussed on the preparation and sale of hygienic, healthy food. Data collected through legal sampling has revealed the urgent need to focus on hygiene, when it comes to making food in the city.

As a number of complaints have been received about the quality of packaged drinking water in the city, the department has also collected samples from over 45 drinking water bottling plants in the district. The results will be ready in a few days. Most of the bottling plants are in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, officials said.

Complaints about unhygienic food and drinking water in a number of hotels have also been bothering the food safety department. However, since most consumers fail to register their complaints to the authorities concerned, the department has decided to intensify its education and awareness drive.

The education and awareness programme by the food safety department will continue for one more year. Over 22,000 food business operators are in the district, and a chunk of them are yet to get their licences from the department and complete registration procedures.

Licenses issued to traders under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954 have already expired, but the deadline to get new ones has now been extended.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to lay down scientific standards for food products and to regulate their manufacture, sale and import.

Meet the hidden nasties in your Food

MEET THE HIDDEN NASTIES IN YOUR FOOD

Forsaking chicken tandoori for a ham sandwich in the name of a healthy diet may actually be doing the opposite. Read on...

Saadia S Dhailey

    In recent years, most of us have begun making healthier choices. But are these choices, often based on general understanding, really as healthy as we think they are? Well, yes, and no. While we may have been successful in shunning foods high salt content and bad fats, there is still a lot more of unhealthy content sneaking in. Most of us don’t realise how much salt, sugar and saturated fat is present in our every day food.
    The Department of Health in Britain found that despite most people wanting to improve their health, a majority had no idea about the level of hidden nasties in their meals. A study of 2,000 adults found 77 percent got more basic questions about their diet wrong than right.
    With lifestyle diseases on the rise, it’s important to be aware of what hidden nasties may be in your food, and to know what you are putting in your and your family’s bodies. Some of our favourite meals, takeaways and snacks contain high amounts of salt, sugar and saturated fats. For instance the majority did not realise a pre-packed ham and cheese sandwich had more salt than a chicken tikka masala ready meal.
SIMPLE CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE Prepare food from fresh ingredients Read labels to check for saturated fat content and cut down on such foods Swap high sugar options for lower ones Watch out for hidden salt and sodium content in packaged and frozen foods
LABEL ALERT Biscuits, khaari, khakra, matri, chips, margarine, frozen foods, all these contain hydrogenated fats. While it gives food its structure, and makes it crispy, these trans-fatty acids clog arteries and impede hormone production, and replace good, necessary fats like Omega 3 and 6.
Certain foods may be marked as zero cholesterol. But check for the saturated fat content in the nutrition information table. It’s unlikely to be zero. When our liver processes saturated fat, it releases cholesterol. So don’t be guided by marketing gimmicks.
Canned fruits and vegetables, and chips contain high levels of sugar and salt, which is bad for health. Using fresh ingredients may take 10 extra minutes, but you can be assured that you and your family’s health are not at high risk.
Many foods sold as ‘low fat’ are loaded with hydrogenated fat, and extra sugar. Check the nutrition information table, and you’ll know that what you are eating will only make you put on more weight and is bad for your system.
Dairy products like cheese slices and cheese spread and sauces also contain high amounts of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, similar to most processed foods. While you may indulge yourself with layers of cheese in sandwiches, the good old homemade paneer, chutneys and sauces are much good for your health.
    With inputs from nutritionist Dr Nupur Krishnan MAKE RIGHT CHOICES

TANDOORI AND ROTI VS NAAN AND PARATHA
>> Go for a tandoori or a plain roti or chapati made from wheat flour instead of refined flour options like naan. Hollywood’s holistic health coach Alex Jamieson compares it with the paste used in papier-mâché projects. ‘Made of white flour and water, the sticky, gooey paste worked like glue that hardened in no time. That’s what refined flour, moistened with your saliva, is like: a gummy, nutrient-poor glob of starch.’ Also avoid parathas in a restaurant. The ghee used is unlikely to be of a good quality and you may ingest high levels of bad fats.

DARK CHOCOLATE VS MILK CHOCOLATE
>> Dark chocolate contains more antioxidants and less fat while milk chocolates high levels of saturated milk fat. Dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or higher contain resveratrol, which has been found to lower blood sugar. Truffles, soufflés and even hot chocolate can be a good source of resveratrol and cocoa phenols (flavonoids) as long as dark chocolate with a high content of cocoa is used.

Check the nutrition information table before buying packaged and frozen foods

New Device to Eliminate Food Wastage

New device developed by researchers tests whether the food is safe for consumption, this could greatly reduce food waste worldwide, say researchers.

Millions of tons of food are thrown away each year because the 'best before' date has passed.

But the listed date is always a cautious estimate, which means a lot of edible food is thrown away.

Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology, Universita di Catania, CEA-Liten and STMicroelectronics have developed a plastic analog-digital converter circuit that could make in-package food testing possible.

Such circuits could cost less than a penny each, they said, making them economically viable as a food testing aid.

To fight food waste, producers could include an electronic sensor circuit in their packaging to monitor the acidity level of the food, for example.

The sensor circuit could be read with a scanner or with your mobile phone to show the freshness of your steak, or whether your frozen food was defrosted.

"In principle that's all already possible, using standard silicon ICs. The only problem is they're too expensive. They easily cost ten cents. And that cost is too much for a one euro bag of crisps. We're now developing electronic devices that are made from plastic rather than silicon. The advantage is you can easily include these plastic sensors in plastic packaging," researcher Eugenio Cantatore of Eindhoven University of Technology, said.

The plastic semiconductor can even be printed on all kinds of flexible surfaces, which makes it cheaper to use. And it makes sensor circuits costing less than one eurocent achievable.

Mom’s snacking makes baby a fast food addict

Moms-to-be, please note! Munching on junk food during pregnancy may raise the risk of your babies becoming addicted to fast food, a new study has claimed.

Pregnant mothers who consume junk food actually cause changes in the development of the opioid signalling pathway in the brains of their unborn children.

This change results in the babies being less sensitive to opioids, which are released upon consumption of foods that are high in fat and sugar.

In turn, these children, born with a higher “tolerance” to junk food need to eat more of it to achieve a “feel good” response, the study published in FASEB journal reported.

“The results of this research will ultimately allow us to better inform pregnant women about the lasting effect their diet has on the development of their child’s lifelong good preferences and risk of metabolic disease,” said Beverly Muhlhausler, a researcher involved in the work from the FOODplus Research Centre at the School of Agriculture Food and Wine at The University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia.

“Hopefully, this will encourage mothers to make healthier diet choices which will lead to healthier children,” Muhlhausler said.

Muhlausler and colleagues studied the pups of two groups of rats, one of which had been fed a normal rat food and the other which had been fed a range of human “junk foods” during pregnancy and lactation.

After weaning, the pups were given daily injections of an opioid receptor blocker, which blocks opioid signalling.

Blocking opioid signalling lowers the intake of fat and sugar by preventing the release of dopamine.
Results showed that the opioid receptor blocker was less effective at reducing fat and sugar intake in the pups of the junk food fed mothers, suggesting that the opioid signalling pathway in these offspring is less sensitive than for pups whose mothers are eating a standard rat feed.

Dinamalar

FDA launches series of meetings on food-safety proposals

Feb 28 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration kicked off a series of public meetings on Thursday to explain its proposed new rules for improving the safety of the nation's food supply - and gain feedback on the potential regulations.
The rules offer a framework for implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. The law represents the most sweeping reform of food safety laws in more than 70 years.
More than 3,000 people in the United States die each year from food-borne illnesses, according to federal data. One in six are sickened and 100,000 hospitalized from illness tied to such pathogens as salmonella, E. Coli and listeria.
The new law is designed to move the FDA into preventive mode from the reactive mode in which it has operated historically, swooping in only after an outbreak has occurred. It gives the agency increased powers to inspect facilities and enforce compliance with safety standards.
Yet it remains an open question whether the FDA will be able to invest in the staff, training or technology it needs to implement the rules it has spent two years crafting.
President Barack Obama's 2013 budget included an increase in the FDA's funding of $225 million to implement the new law, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, Michael Taylor, said in an interview.
The funds were to come from fees charged to food facilities, importers and exporters. That budget has not been authorized by Congress.
Even if the funds were to be authorized, they would not be enough to fully implement the regulations, Taylor said.
He declined to give an exact cost estimate, saying that would be presented in an upcoming report to Congress, but he said it would likely be less than the $583 million figure projected by the Congressional Budget Office.
"We think we can implement the law, with caveats, for less than that," he said, "but $225 million wouldn't cover it."
Under the new law, the FDA for the first time will be allowed to penalize U.S. companies that fail to monitor produce they import from abroad, an extra layer of food safety protection for inspectors whose resources are stretched thin.
"Right now at the border, we're limited in the percentage of food and medical devices we can inspect," said Michael Roberts, a consumer safety officer at the FDA, who spoke in an interview at a conference for the National Treasury Employees Union.
The FDA's budget will be even tighter if the automatic budget cuts known as "sequestration" begin on March 1. Those cuts would cut into the travel budget needed for investigators to carry out inspections around the country and the world.
"It's already created a slowdown in operations because you can't predict what will happen," Roberts said.
In January, the FDA released two of five proposed new rules. It discussed the first of those rules, governing agricultural produce, on Thursday. The FDA is set to discuss its proposal for ensuring safety at human food facilities on Friday. Later this year, it will release three additional proposals.
The new regulations lay out a myriad of standards, some less stringent than others, depending on the assessed risk of a particular product or facility. For example, products that are eaten raw are considered to carry a greater risk of contamination than those destined for a food processor.
Recent outbreaks of food-borne illness have been linked to lettuce, spinach, cantaloupe and peanuts, among other foods.

Food Safety Focus on India: A Growing Market

Open to foreign direct investment and with growing food and agriculture sectors, India offers a wealth of opportunity to the food industry. However, as a developing nation, its food safety regulation is only now coming into focus and undergoing extensive improvement.
Consumers, regulatory bodies and the government are all driving food safety improvement. Historically, food safety in India has been regulated by a wide variety of legislative orders and acts, but this ad hoc approach is becoming more streamlined and effective. Nevertheless, logistical challenges remain.
Active Food Safety Standard Enforcement The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is responsible for active enforcement of the national laws and regulations that govern the retail supply chain and its food processors. It has replaced a fragmented structure that relied on multi-level, multi-departmental control, and now delivers a single line of command, as well as a more visible and recognizable oversight organization.
In an effort to improve food safety standards and open the country for international business India's Food Safety & Standards Act 2006 (FSSA) consolidates the country's existing laws into one cohesive Act and is the building block upon which the FSSAI is based.
To ensure the availability of safe, wholesome food for human consumption, the FSSA sets down scientific standards for food articles, to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import. It integrates the licensing provisions in the following food product related Orders:

• Fruit Products Order, 1955.
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
• Milk and Milk Product Order, 1992.
• Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947.
• Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order, 1998.
• The Solvent Extracted Oil, De Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967.
• Meat Food Products Order, 1973.
• Any Order under the Essential Commodities Act, 1995, relating to food.

Improved Opportunity The FSSAI's role as the single point of reference for all matters relating to food safety and standards, regulations and enforcement means not only better service to all stages of the food value chain, but also an improved response to strategic issues such as health foods, nutraceuticals, GM foods and facilitating international trade.
Enforcement of the FSSA is the responsibility of state governments and union territories (UT). However, the FSSAI is also working to shift the emphasis from enforcement to self-compliance, through adoption of food safety management systems.
Introducing consistency between domestic and international food policy measures will help to raise standards without reducing the safeguards to public health and consumer protection.
Consumers will benefit too, as better regulation increases confidence in the quality and safety of food.
As India seeks to increase its export market and deals increasingly with traders already conversant with the stringent regulatory conditions of the USA, Europe and Japan, so the implementation of international standards will become commonplace. Food processors and exporters will have to embrace regulation to ensure continuity of trade.
Retail Responsibility Retailers can ensure compliance with food safety standards by ensuring that their suppliers, manufacturers, packers and growers maintain proper systems that meet the requirements of the FSSA. This can be achieved either by in-house verifiers, or as may be more practical for India's independent business model, by an experienced third party testing and inspection company like SGS.
Chapter IV, paragraph 23 of the FSSA states that no person shall manufacture, distribute, sell, or expose for sale, nor dispatch or deliver to any agent or broker for the purpose of sale, any packaged food product that is not marked and labelled in the manner specified by regulation. It is therefore the retailer's responsibility to ensure compliance of all products. Imported goods intended for retail sale are subject to all provisions of the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977, at the point of import.
Introducing a consistent, effective management system coupled with a supplier inspection and verification program will demonstrate compliance and improve standards.
New Market, New Challenges Agriculture is India's third largest industry employing almost half the country's working population and accounting for 18.1% of GDP. On the whole, it is not widely organised and relies heavily on small growers, transporters and traders to supply both domestic and export markets. As one of the world's biggest producers of tea, fresh produce, grains and oilseeds, its producers and transporters are rising to the challenge set by export standards. With a traditionally local focus, the supply chain is both long and low-tech, raising issues that have already been overcome in other markets, such as risk of contamination and damage during delivery.
Contamination Risks To meet growing demand for food production, farmers in India use a range of fertilisers and pesticides. As a result, the agro-chemicals used to grow produce, as well as the veterinary drugs/antibiotics commonly used in animal farming are often found in trace quantities in the final product, and thus enter the food chain.
International traders need to be aware of these risks and work with growers and processors to introduce, implement and verify production processes and policies. A testing program from SGS can verify the presence of these substances and help to ensure the quality and safety of products. Ignorance is no defense; ensure products meet the quality
standards of their destination market.

Additionally, as a developing nation with vast differences in geography and geology, contaminants and impurities can also be picked up from the environment. When transporting or storing commodities, it is essential to prevent insect related risks and damage.
We perform fumigation services in ports and logistics centres worldwide; our skilled and mobile teams deliver effective and reliable interventions. Accordingly, our services comply with stringent legislation, quality and safety standards.
Cleanliness - Cause for Concern At over 3 million km2 India is the seventh largest country in the world. This scale, combined with the road, rail and air infrastructure of a developing country, means that the physical supply chain that moves products to warehouses, processors and on to retail premises is longer than usual.
Travelling great distances and through numerous facilities creates an unusually high risk of contamination, adulteration or infection by pathogens. The monitoring and upkeep of hygiene and other safety measures become difficult.
India's agriculture sector relies heavily on small farmers, local transport companies and distribution chains. There is relatively little co-ordination across the whole country. Many operators, each needing to make a profit and serve local markets, often lack the facilities and other resources to maintain the food safety, hygiene and handling conditions that are expected of an organised, efficient transportation operation.
Without appropriate intervention, the food chain suffers from high rates of wastage and lost market value as food is mishandled, contaminated and/or damaged before it reaches its destination. Globally, it is estimated that during transportation some 10% of grain and 40% of fresh produce is lost and does not reach end consumers.
In response to the country's changing food safety landscape and the pressing need for temperature controlled supply chain facilities, SGS has opened its first integrated food safety and cold chain facility in Mumbai. The first facility of its kind in the area, it is strategically located close to markets, port and city. Precooling, sorting & grading and ripening can all be catered for. Additionally, our FSSAI approved laboratory is nearby. This means faster turn around times and reduced risk of contamination.

Action by Nashik division of FDA against unlicensed FBOs legal: Zagade

The action taken by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra against 81 unlicensed or unregistered food business operators (FBOs) in Nashik district is legal as stated by Mahesh Zagade, the state FDA commissioner, who added that the agency will not give into the FBOs' illegal demands.

Chandrakant Pawar, joint commissioner, food, Nashik FDA, said, “After the February 4, 2013 deadline for licensing and registration (which has now been extended by a year), we started a drive to crackdown on all the unlicensed and unregistered eateries in the district, and have collected fines amounting to Rs 2.10 lakh so far.”

When quizzed about the pulling up of FBOs despite the extension to the deadline to February 4, 2014, Pawar said, “We have given them sufficient time to the food business operators to register or obtain licenses, but they continue to be disobedient. Therefore, we will continue to take stringent action against them.

Dinamalar

No more Moreh sunflower seeds

It is strange that a government notification on certain food items entering into the state from Myanmar being banned from being sold has not been publicized enough. It’s been some time since there have been stringent moves to contain manufacturers and sellers from withholding information about the quantity, quality of ingredients including their nutrient value in the country since consumers have every right to be informed of what they are consuming. The strict watch over the information of food products is such in the country that even advertisements that are seen as misleading consumers into believing that certain food items are healthier or tastier have had action taken against advertisement agencies while the advertisements are themselves pulled off from air or print. The movement to regulate food ingredients and their nutritive values has come after a long process and efforts put in by health experts and advocates and other civil society group members who have been concerned over how the larger public are ‘co-erced’ by beautiful packaging, glossy advertisements and certain projections that may not be entirely true.
As mentioned in an IFP report, Section 23 of the Food Safety and standards Act, 2006 stipulates that no person can manufacture, distribute, sell or expose for sale or dispatch or deliver to any agent or broker for the purpose of sale, any packaged food products which are not marked and labeled in the manner as may be specified by regulations. Regulation No. 22 lays down norms for labelling of food products and packages: the label would have to include detailed information, the name of food including the trade name or description of food contained in the package and the list of ingredients, names of ingredients used in the product in descending order of their composition by weight or volume, as the case may be, at the time of manufacture etc. Section 25 of the food safety and standards Act, 2006,  is binding on people who sell or facilitate the sale of food items. Under this, no person can import into India any unsafe or misbranded or sub-standard food or food containing extraneous matter, any article of food for the import of which a license is required under any Act or Rules or regulations, except in accordance with the conditions of the license. In the light of these rules and stipulations, the ban on food products from Myanmar was in fact over due. It is common knowledge that food items being brought in from Myanmar ranging from the popular sunflower seeds to a host of bakery and milk products and preserved food matter including fruit pickles and tined fish do not mention anything about what ingredients are used, what preservatives are put in much less include information about the time frame in which the product needs to be consumed. Now that the Government has woken up to take a stand against not allowing such products to be available to the public, it ought to have ensured too that the public are sensitized and made aware of why it is necessary for such items to have its constituent information in display. It ought to have first of all, informed the public about the ban and why it is being put into place. Till the time, the public is convinced about the ban and the harmful effects of what unknown food ingredient constituents can do to one’s physiology and health, there will be no real meaning of the ban.
The next logical step would also be to ensure that there are strict measures to put the ban into effect. But more than anything, it could help if the authorities reach out to its neighbour to ensure that their food products display all information and details are required. If Myanmar were to follow suit and display product information, all that the authorities would have to do this side of the border would be to take up quality checks from time to time to assess the truth of the information being given. On the other hand, if an official notification is all that the Government is interested in, there would be no real term change in the nature of consumption. Rather, it would be much like just another ban that will lead to more value being added to the products and creating more demand, given the intrinsic nature of our society to hanker for what is not allowed.

Edibles banned

IMPHAL, Feb 27: Commissioner Food Safety of Health Department, Manipur on Wednesday issued an order under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011 to ban four packaged food items importing from neighbouring Myanmar into India with immediate effect.
The four packaged food items namely Mikko Nutritious Cereal (High Calcium)-25 g, Mikko (3 in 1 instant Coffeemix), Snacks (Bakery items) and Milk and Milk Product and Pickles/Achar items (fruits &fishes), etc have been banned with immediate effect, an order issued by Ram Muivah, Principal Secretary (Health &Family Welfare) and Commissioner of Food Safety, Manipur, said.
It said the above packaged food items are reportedly imported from Myanmar for selling in Manipur without labelling and import license and without indicating the name of the manufacturer, batch number, date of expiry.
Such imported food items are selling in the state in violation of Section 23 & 25 of the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Regulation No-22 of the Food and Standards (packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011, the order said.
It also said violation of this order will be liable for punishment and fine as per the provisions of the Act.

Meals withdrawn after horsemeat test

 

Welsh Bros said a sample had ‘potentially’ tested positive

Cardiff council has followed Pembrokeshire in withdrawing some meat products from schools and care homes amid fears of horsemeat contamination.

Meat supplied by Welsh Bros Ltd to a consortium of 16 authorities including the two councils is suspected to have horsemeat present after tests.
Welsh Bros said it was shocked but believed it was an isolated incident.
Pembrokeshire council said it had received assurances from its other suppliers that meats were traceable.
Pembrokeshire withdrew all mince products from schools, care homes and day centres.
Cardiff council said it had decided to withdraw all beef food products sourced from Welsh Bros from all its schools, leisure centres, care homes and other council catering outlets.
Alan Heycock, managing director of the company based in Newport, south Wales, said: “We do our best to promote quality British products”.
He said they had been let down by a non-Welsh company, adding: “We received an e-mail about this last night. A test came back positive. We haven’t seen the certificate yet.
“This is all under investigation with trading standards now and we are waiting for further information”.
The meat involved was distributed in December 2012.
“We’re very busy contacting our customers now and letting them know,” added Mr Heycock.

Jordan Davies reports on the latest developments

The company later issued a formal statement saying a sample of meat had “potentially” tested positive for horsemeat but the company had taken the decision to inform customers and withdraw the product immediately.
The statement said: “The batch affected was produced nearly three months ago. Welsh Bros Foods did have a clear test result for frozen free flow minced beef on 17.01.13. We submitted these samples when the horse meat scandal first broke in January.
“We have since submitted further samples which we are still awaiting test results for.
“Welsh Bros has been provided with test results from other authorities who have tested more recent batches of our free flow minced beef and these have been reported as being clear.
“We therefore believe at this stage that this is an isolated incident.
“We have today issued a withdraw notice with the Food Standards Agency for frozen free flow minced beef produced between 13.12.12 which was the pack date of the suspect test and 17.01.13 which is the date we achieved our clear test result.”
Food safety visits
Pembrokeshire council said the mince in question may have been supplied to schools and council-run residential homes and day centres within the county.
In a separate development, the council said it had also been made aware that frozen beef products supplied to Sodexho, which provides catering services to a private finance initiative school in Pembroke Dock, had also tested positive for horsemeat.
Sodexho has had a private catering contract with the school since it opened. Its meat was not bought through the Welsh Purchasing Consortium (WPC) which comprises the 16 local authorities in south, mid and west Wales, including Pembrokeshire.

“Start Quote

It is absolutely vital that the government responds to this swiftly and works closely with council officials and the FSA”

End Quote
Antoinette Sandbach AM
Conservative rural affairs spokeswoman
Sodexho has withdrawn all frozen beef products from its UK catering operations.
Meanwhile the council said officers from Pembrokeshire’s food safety and standards team were prioritising visits to all cold stores, approved meat products and meat processing premises which had not been inspected in the last 12 months to check relevant documentation, labelling and traceability in line with Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice.
Caerphilly council, which manages purchasing for the WPC, said it was contacting the other councils to see if they were affected by the horsemeat discovery.
Ceredigion council, although a member of the consortium, said it had never purchased any meat products from Welsh Bros of Newport. The authority said Castell Howell Ltd supplied all council establishments with fresh meat.
Conservative rural affairs spokeswoman Antoinette Sandbach AM called for quicker action by ministers to reassure the public.
“It is absolutely vital that the government responds to this swiftly and works closely with council officials and the FSA,” she said.
“Labour’s minister for food has been slow to react to the horsemeat scandal and now is the time to put that right.
“With consumer confidence taking another knock, it is more important than ever for the government to ensure promotion of the local supply chain and local butchers.”

TN coconut oil under lens in Kerala over adulteration charges

Kochi, Feb 26:  

Kerala Food Safety authorities have commenced inspection of coconut oil arriving from Tamil Nadu following the reports of adulteration with palm kernel oil.

Thalath Mahamood, former President, Cochin Oil Merchants Association (COMA), told Business Line that the officials had started collecting coconut oil samples for a random inspection from traders in Ernakulam on Tuesday in the backdrop of complaints that spurious coconut oil mixed with palm kernel are landing in various parts of the State.

However, he said that this is happening notwithstanding the fact that Kerala was also receiving good quality oil from Tamil Nadu and only a few players were involved in the adulteration.

He said that around 30-40 tankers each are coming to the State from Tamil Nadu every day and traders are complaining on the inferior quality of oil.When contacted, a senior official in the Food Safety Authority said that they have set up separate teams in Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram based on a complaints from Kerafed on coconut oil adulteration.

The team, he said, has collected samples from traders and they will be sent for further inspection. Since the labs in Kerala are not equipped to test the level of adulteration, the samples will be sent to labs accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

Meanwhile, the coconut oil market in Kerala and Tamil Nadu is witnessing a weak trend with the commencement of copra season. Prices in Kerala declined to Rs 63 a kg (Rs 65), while rates quoted in Tamil Nadu were Rs 60 against last week’s Rs 63.

Simultaneously, copra prices dropped to Rs 4,500 a quintal in Kerala (Rs 4,700) and Rs 4,350 in Tamil Nadu (Rs 4,600).

Prakash B.Rao, Vice-President, COMA, said that the market is witnessing a selling trend and this coupled with lack of industrial demand is affecting the market badly.

Prices are expected to drop in the coming weeks due to heavy arrivals of copra, especially from Kannur, Kasargod and Malappuram districts.

Other edible oils such as palm oil and palm kernel oil remained at the same level quoted last week at Rs 52 and Rs 53 a kg respectively, he added.

Meat and poultry sectors urged to adopt SOP for hygiene and sanitation

The meat and poultry industry has been urged to adopt standard operating procedures (SOP) regarding hygiene, sanitation, slaughtering and processing of meat and poultry products. It was suggested that the SOPs would help the industry in terms of quality, health and value addition for both domestic and overseas markets. The meat and poultry sector lacks standard procedures across the country and is largely an unorganised sector.

The department is also coming up with a production manual for goat meat. Sanjay Bhoosreddy, joint secretary, department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries, ministry of agriculture, said it would soon be released for the industry to follow, adding that goat meat production in India has gone up 800 times. He also stated that several organisations are currently working in isolation and they need to come together to help the sector grow.

“The industry approaches me with individual cases with mere suggestions. There should be more involvement in terms of analysis, details in proposals and clarity, so that I can discuss them with other decision-making bodies,” Bhoosreddy said. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – which organised the recently-concluded meat and poultry summit – stated that it would form an expert group to facilitate the sector.

At the concluding session of the meet, Ravi Mathur, chairperson, CII Expert Group on Food Safety, said the group would provide a platform for the industry to deliberate on such issues as food safety, animal health, feed and fodder availability, lack of skills, research, technology transfer and export opportunities, and suggest recommendations, which would be sent to the concerned ministry.

Trader fined for selling misbranded salt

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Kishtwar Feb 26: Tightening its noose against the adulterators in Kishtwar, the food safety officers have lifted another sample of “Sugar Gold premium iodized salt” which has been declared misbranded by the food analyst laboratory Jammu.
The sample was lifted from the shop of Ajaiz Hussain son of Atta Mohammad resident of Piyakal Saroor and accordingly sent for testing at NABL accredited laboratory Jammu.
The food analysts found it misbranded and accordingly the challan was produce before the court of Additional District Magistrate Kishtwar (Adjudicating Officer)  under Food Safety and Standard Act 2006, an official spokesman said.
He added that the adjudicating officer Rajesh Kumar Shavan after hearing both the parties found the seller guilty and imposed a fine of Rs 2100 which was deposited by the offender on the spot Adjudicating Officer also directed that the seller will return whole lot of the salt to the distributor.

Sweet shops fined under Food Safety Regulations

Kud (Udhampur), Feb 26: The Designated Officer District Udhampur, Khaminder Choudhary along with Food Safety Officers conducted inspections of Food Business Operator especially dealing with sweets at Kud.
During the drive 15 establishments were checked and sweets worth Rs 7500 were destroyed on spot.
Two statutory samples of Khoya and Gajrella were lifted under the provisions of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations, 2011. The samples have been sent to the Food Analyst, Food Testing Laboratory, Jammu for analysis.
The team also sensitized the food vendors regarding the provisions of enhanced penalties and imprisonment under the new food law and impressed upon them to carry out

9% kids below 14 morbidly obese

New Delhi, Feb. 26 -- More and more children are falling prey to obesity and other illnesses because of increasing consumption of junk food, experts at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) have said.

They have called for a regulatory framework to monitor the sale and advertisements of junk food as well as a ban on "pizzas, colas and burgers" in schools.

At a two-day conference held by the CSE in the Capital on food safety, the experts expressed concern over more and more obese children going under the knife.

Experts said surgery, though successful on some kids, cannot be a treatment option for millions. "Emphasis really needs to be on societal changes and prevention," they said. High in transfats, salt and sugar, junk food also makes people vulnerable to hypertension, heart diseases and diabetes.

Making a presentation at the conference, obesity surgeon Ramen Goel said, "9% of children below the age of 14 are morbidly obese, while only 2% of overall population is morbidly obese." "As many as 85% of parents with children less than 5 years of age are serving fast food more than 7-10 times a month. As many as 86% households in metros prefer food on the go. No wonder the processed food industry is growing annually by 40% - 60%," he said. CSE director general Sunita Narain called for a ban on junk food in schools.

Experts said food safety regulatory structures in India were either too weak or simply ignored and a paradigm shift in its health policy was needed. They said the role of the ministry of health and family welfare should be recast and greater involvement of civil society ensured to enable this shift. The conference stressed on strengthening labelling norms specifically related to nutritional information.
CSE's experts said that in 2010, Delhi-based NGO Uday Foundation filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court to get junk food banned in schools. "In January 2012, the court ordered Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to fix guidelines within six months. Junk food in schools has not been banned yet," said an expert. Sharad Vadehra, an expert, said, "The quantum of junk food advertising targeted at children is increasing.

Govt gets 2 weeks to implement Gutka ban

Srinagar, Feb 25:  The High Court Monday granted further two weeks time to the government to comply with the orders passed by it regarding the Public Interest Litigation seeking ban on manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of Gutkha and other smokeless forms of tobacco products containing nicotine and tobacco as ingredient in the State.
A division bench of Justices Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Hasnain Masoodi granted time to the government following an application by Under Secretary Health and Medical Education department seeking eight weeks time to comply with the direction passed by the court on February 4.
In earlier directions, the court directed the government to take steps to ban use and sale of Gutkha in the State.
Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health and Development Association through the PIL filed by it is seeking ban on the Gutkha, smokeless tobacco products in line with the Food Safety and Standards (prohibition and restriction on sales) regulation 2011.
“The smokeless form of tobacco contains deadly chemicals, which are major causes of mouth as well as throat cancer. The products contain nicotine, as delineated under new regulations notified by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” the PIL reads.
Earlier, the counsel representing Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health Organization pleaded that the use of Gutkha in the State was detrimental to health and the products should be banned immediately.
The petitioners are seeking that regulations 2, 3 and 4 of Food Safety and Standards (FSSAI), which states that “product not to contain any substance which may be injurious to health: tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food product” be implemented.
The petitioners are also demanding banning of the manufacturing, storage, sale and distribution of Gutkha, pan masala and all other forms of chewing tobacco containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients.
The PIL said that including Delhi, 14 states banned Gutkha under provisions of FSSAI.

Ban on Gutka: HC grants 2-weeks to Govt to file compliance report

Srinagar, Feb 25: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Monday granted two more weeks to the state government to comply with the order it passed on February 4 regarding the ban on manufacture, sale, storage and distribution of gutka, panmasala and other forms of chewing tobacco containing nicotine.
 Turning down the request of the government seeking eight weeks to file compliance report with regard to the February 4 direction, a division bench comprising justices Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Hasnain Massodi however allowed the application granting it only two weeks to comply with the court directions.
 Health and Medical Education department had moved the application through senior Additional Advocate General A M Magray. 
 The High Court had on February 4 this year directed the government to take immediate necessary steps to impose ban on  manufacture, sale, storage and distribution of gutka, panmasala and other forms of chewing tobacco.
 The court had granted one week to the government to file a compliance report.
 Seeing no justification in the government’s response that it was waiting for the Finance Department’s nod to ban the manufacturing and use of the items, the Court had directed the Chief Secretary to take necessary steps to impose ban on use of said items.
 Expressing its displeasure, the Court had held that when the government was satisfied that the use of the items was damaging the health of users, there was no reason to say that it was waiting for the Finance Department’s nod. The respondents had said that before approaching the competent authority to put a ban on these products, views of the Finance Department were required to be obtained in the matter in keeping with the financial implications, saying the matter was referred to the Department in October 2012 which was under its examination.
 A Public Interest Litigation filed by Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health and Development Association through its counsel Sajad Geelani is seeking ban on the tobacco products in keeping with the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation 2011 in the interest of public health. According to the PIL, the smokeless form of tobacco contains deadly chemicals which are major causes of mouth as well as throat cancer.
 The products contain nicotine, as delineated under new regulations notified by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), says the PIL.
 The PIL states that in keeping with the health hazards of the smokeless chewable tobacco products, 14 states in India including Delhi have banned gutka under provisions of FSSAI.
 Sajjad Geelani represented the petitioners and the State was represented by Additional Advocate General M A Chashoo.

Dinamalar

Costs keep people away from checking food quality

Of 800 cases handled by BBMP lab, only 15 came from citizens

Though the menace of food adulteration appears to have increased in the recent past, lack of awareness and prohibitive costs for testing seems to be keeping Bangaloreans away from getting their suspicious food products analysed in laboratories.
Sample this. If the food testing laboratory in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) handled around 800 cases last year, only about 15 cases were brought to it directly by the citizens while the rest came through its officials. Further, enquiries with some leading private laboratories revealed that they received fewer cases in a whole of last year.
This comes even as food products such as chilli powder, spices, ghee, butter, honey, flour, coffee and tea powder, beverages and chocolates among many others, being adulterated by unscrupulous traders and companies.
“Consumers are not even aware of what tests should be conducted since a range of chemical tests are on the offer and each of the tests are expensive. In fact, they do not even know what to look for in food products when they are suspecting that they have got an adulterated product,” said Deepa Vishwanathan, chief executive officer of Pristine Laboratories, a certified AGMARK Lab in the City. According to her, they receive about 4 or 5 cases in a year.
“Most of those tests conducted are prescriptive analysis that the companies come forward to before the product is made available in the market. However, investigative analysis that can come afterwards are very few,” she said.
If nutritional analysis is cumbersome and has a wide range of tests, pesticidal analysis is expensive while microbial and water analysis are for cooked food. The cost of these tests range from Rs. 80 to Rs. 10,000, and some times even more.
“The process at BBMP is a little cumbersome. Either you have to pay Rs. 300 along with the sample for testing or give a written complaint to the Chief Health Officer following which food inspectors would be sent and samples collected,” a source in BBMP said and added that generally people do not come voluntarily with a complaint. “Things could change when the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 will be implemented.”
Acknowledging that the awareness about food safety is poor, K.J. Balasubramani, assistant director of Shriram Institute for Industrial Reseach, a NABL accredited laboratory, said that there is an urgent need to create awareness on food safety. “On an average we get about 2 cases a month. Government should take the lead in creating the awareness.”

FSSAI frames strategy for harmonising Indian food standards with Codex

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country's apex food regulator, has formulated a strategy – comprising four annexures – to take up the task of harmonising India's food standards with those laid down by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, established by the United Nations' World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Sanjay Dave, chairman, Codex Alimentarius Commission – who is also the advisor to FSSAI – said, “The objective of the FSSAI, which aims at food safety as a nationwide movement, is to lay down science-based standards for food articles and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.”

“To meet this objective, FSSAI must follow an inclusive approach by utilising the wisdom of all stakeholders in the country and discuss all relevant issues through a transparent process of consultation and iron out all conflicting opinions on the basis of scientific evidence. One of the immediate tasks in hand is to review the food safety standards situation in the country,” he stated.

Many standards in the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, have been drawn from the provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. However, there is a demand for the review of these standards, taking into account the latest developments in food science across the globe, food consumption pattern, new specifications, the presence of new contaminants and toxins and the use of new food additives and ingredients required by food producers.

“We also need to consider the development of new standards and texts wherever necessary while taking cognisance of the developments in an environment of open market in India. Needless to say that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) encourages harmonisation of the national standards, guidelines and best practices with those of the Codex and provide an equal opportunity to all stakeholders in the food business,” Dave said.

Annexure-I is the strategy paper for harmonisation. Being a huge task, it requires the participation of all experts in the fields of food regulatory affairs, scientific research, food and nutrition, food technology, policy or academia. They must be identified on the basis of their interest in contributing and experience in the subject matter as they would utilise the available scientific and regulatory information for the expected outcome.

To facilitate the process, it is necessary to identify the current areas and volumes of work involved and explain the strategy, scope of work, guidelines for working groups, timelines, format and procedure for forwarding nominations, selection criteria, etc. Detailed documents have been prepared and shown as icons in Annexure-II, titled Guidance Document on Vertical Standards. These icons are numbered as Attachments 1-12.

FSSAI recommends that those who wish to participate in the process of harmonisation study Annexure-III (Guidance to the Nominees), which explains their contribution to the process. This would enable them to decide what role they would like to play in the country's food standards development process. They should fill the nomination form (Annexure-IV) and forward the same to FSSAI via e-mail (fssaiharmonisation@gmail.com) by March 20, 2013.

Delhiites love street food over health, reveals study

A majority of people surveyed said they consume street food despite being aware of its ill effects.

Few can tide over love to see the flaws. That explains Delhi's bond with its street food . It's not easy to hold back when your taste buds crave for some chatpate chhole bhathure, crispy kachouris or steamy momos. The burnt oil or adulterated spices that go into in their making are hardly a put off or so has a research team at Institute of Home Economics (IHE) found.

As part of a study - Ensuring Access to Safe Street Food - the research team, including faculty and students of the institute, surveyed 500 consumers and 250 street food vendors across the city.

The consumers were mostly university students aged between 18 and 23, for whom street food meant a yummy meal with friends at low costs. Around 74 per cent of them gorged on street food simply for its unmatched taste. A little over half of them admitted to have fallen ill after consuming street food and around 43 per cent of the students who were surveyed said they had to take medication to get better, but despite that they did not lose their appetite for roadside delights.

Matter of choice

A majority of respondents (62.8 per cent) reported that they were aware of adulterated ingredients and food-borne diseases, though 56 per cent consumers said they did not know about the source of contamination. A majority of them agreed that they ate street food for its taste while 42 per cent were simply floored with the variety on offer by the road.

"We found a lot of adulteration when we tested the food samples collected from vendors from different parts of the city. Even the oil samples tested were rancid," said Dr Parveen Pannu, principal investigator of the project and associate professor, department of communication and extension at IHE. She further said, "At many locations we found that vendors kept a bucket of water as the only source for preparing food.""And they also washed their hands with that water many times during the day," said.

Pannu, who started surveying the street foodies and vendors last June along with Dr Sunita Aggarwal, associate professor from department of microbiology and Deepshikha Kataria, who is an assistant professor from the department of food and nutrition.

The collection and testing of samples continued till this January for the project sponsored by Delhi University. The team laid its hands on all possible snacks popular among college students, including samosa, tikki, bread pakora, kachori, moong dal laddoo, chowmein, momos, fried rice, bhallepapri, bhelpuri, chhole bhature, pao bhaji, chhole kulche, rajma chawal and beverages such as lemonade.

Out of 10 fat samples tested, eight were found to have high acid value. All 10 oil samples had high peroxide value. Pannu said peroxides and free fatty acids can form free radicals in the body causing ill effects on health.

"The aim of our project was not to suggest that people should stop eating street food. Many of these vendors are illiterate and do not understand the concept of hygiene and food safety. They need to be made aware," said Pannu. For the purpose of the survey, the city was divided into five zones - north, south, east, west, central - and consumers and vendors were asked if they followed any hygiene standards.

The regulation

To make sure foodies do not end up sick, the government enforced the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006 on August 5, 2011 across the country. According to the new rules, every food business with an annual turnover below Rs.12 lakh will have to register with the state health department. Those earning more will need a licence to operate.

A penalty of up to Rs.10 lakh can be imposed for sale of unhygienic and adulterated food. The penalty earlier was anything between Rs.500 and Rs.5,000.

There are nearly 60,000 to 80,000 street food vendors in the city, according to the National Association of Street Food Vendors of India (NASVI).

However, the process of their registration hasn't yet begun.

"We need proper infrastructure to initiate such a huge task. Our only office at Lawrence Road is not adequate for the purpose. We are planning to open offices in different zones to carry out the registration process area-wise. It will take at least two more months," said a senior government official.

Questions About Meat Content in Ireland Causing International Scare

From coast to coast in the United States, questions are beginning to rise from both the meat and non-meat eating communities in light of recent events in Ireland. And whether a person is vegetarian, vegan or a meat eater, the recent Irish horsemeat scandal has raised questions abroad about the content of the beef people consume these days. A recent article posted on BeWellBuzz.com addresses this international meat crisis and discovers several startling truths about the actual meat being consumed by millions of unsuspecting consumers.
A January 2013 probe launched by the Food Authority of Ireland analyzed 27 hamburgers and the meat content which each contained. What they found was distressing – 10 out of the 27 hamburgers had the presence of horse DNA. To make matters worse, 23 were found to have traces of pig DNA as well. This alarming discovery proved that the concerns of many meat consumers across the planet have questioned for years – what exactly is in the meat they eat each day?
The scandal in Ireland spread to its neighbor in the United Kingdom Britain; when the largest grocery chain in the United Kingdom conducted similar testing for their ‘beef’ products. They discovered that nearly 29% of all the ground ‘beef’ in the test sample contained large traces of Horse meat instead of the certified beef which providers had claimed it has contained for year.
The ripples of the horse meat scandal have spread to other European countries as well including Sweden; where the Food Standards Agency in Britain declared that Swedish food company Findus’ contained nearly 60% horse meat in their meat lasagna products. Included in testing were the countries of France, Germany and the Netherlands. This raises the question about potential horse meat concerns in the United States; especially in light of recent discovery of horse meat being found in several Nestlé food products.
“Nestlé U.S.A. does not use meat sourced from Europe,” a company statement said in a press release. “Additionally, U.S.D.A. meat inspectors are in all processing plants and also have responsibility to oversee any imported meat. We have also requested and received confirmation from all our meat suppliers that they do not provide Nestlé U.S.A. with any meat from the affected countries and companies.”
According to Nestlé U.S.A. the company uses beef from the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, the company spokesperson stated. As the debate lingers and consumers question the actual content of alleged ‘beef’ consumed across the globe, more questions remained asked with limited answers being provided. To learn more about this growing story, and to read more cases of horse meat discoveries as found and printed by Health and Wellness portal BeWellBuzz.com, please click the link to the article posted below.

Sub-standard sugar and packaged water impounded

IMPHAL, February 23: A team of the officials of the Directorate of Food Safety led by the Food Safety Deputy Commissioner, T Brojendro Khaba Meitei have seized several bags of substandard sugar from Kamal grocery at Dharmashala, Thangal Bazar today.
This was informed by the Deputy Commissioner, during a press conference held at the directorate office today.
He said, during the inspection which was conducted since this morning, the team had also found several packaged water without the mandatory ISI mark. The bottles were impounded from shops located at Palace Gate, Thangmeiband and Khuyathong.
Elaborating further on the impounding of the sugar bags, the official said that sugar is a crystallised substance and it should be clear and non-sticky. "However the sugar in the impounded bags were found to be sticky and foreign particles like rice, stones, flour, woods etc. were present," he said while adding that the sale of sub-standard food items is against the law and is a punishable act under The Food Safety Standard Act, 2006.
Brojendro  further elaborated that there are certain sellers who add iron dust to weigh it down before selling it to the customers which creates risk for the customers and is punishable if caught in the act.
He said the first step that the authorities can take up is to nab all such owners and make checking of the godowns used in storing commodities by the concerned department compulsory.
He continued that the sugar bags should have the code numbers, date of packaging, expiry date etc properly labelled on the outside.
Elaborating further on the impounded packaged water bottles, he said the bottles were labelled ‘Yes’ and manufactured by M/S Lairikyengbam Enterprises, opposite Yairipok PS.
He continued that the water bottle without the ISI mark could mean that it is using unhygienic and un preserved water without the approval or checking by the Food Safety Department.

Dinakaran

Energy drinks can have more caffeine

PUNE: The country's food safety and standards regulator has allowed use of higher levels of caffeine in energy drinks. The set standard of 145 parts per million (ppm) of caffeine has been relaxed up to 320 ppm for energy drinks, said Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials on Thursday.

The regulator, however, has stipulated that manufacturers infusing energy drinks with higher amounts of caffeine will have to print warnings such as-'caffeinated beverage', 'use not more than two cans a day', 'ingredients of this product consumed through other sources may also be kept in view', 'not recommended for children, pregnant and lactating women', 'not for persons sensitive to caffeine,' and 'caffeine consumed through this and other sources not to exceed 160 mg per day'-prominently on the label of the energy drink products. Energy drinks are usually targeted at youth and health enthusiasts.

"Food Safety and Standards Authority of India i.e. FSSAI has given no-objection certificates to manufacturers for use of caffeine up to 320 PPM in energy drinks, which was earlier restricted to not more than 145 ppm. The permission is meant only for energy drinks and not for other carbonated stuff drinks

like cold drinks and similar other beverages where caffeine is used but is below 145 ppm only," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA.

The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act had a ceiling of 145 parts per million (ppm) of caffeine in carbonated beverages. But energy drink manufacturers wanted a 320 ppm cap, Kekare added.

Manufacturers of energy drinks claim that these drinks help increase alertness of the mind and improve concentration, stamina and athletic performance. But in reality, the caffeine in them can impact health severely when consumed in excess.

Caffeine is present in many foods and drugs - in coffee, tea, energy and soft drinks, candy bars, and over-the-counter cold remedies and analgesics. It is consumed daily by approximately 80% of the world's population. Small doses of caffeine increase alertness, but there are serious health risks from consuming large quantities and from long term use of caffeine.

Commenting on the ill effects of excessive caffeine consumption, internal medicine expert Abhijeet Joshi said, "Caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant drug

in the world. When caffeine is ingested chronically in excessive amounts, it produces a specific toxidrome (caffeinism), affecting primarily the central nervous system (CNS) and causing cardiovascular and gastrointestinal hyper stimulation."

The symptoms include headache, lightheadedness, anxiety and agitation, tremulousness, tingling in extremities, confusion and seizures. Heart related ill effects include palpitations and chest pain. Stomach related ill effects include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and anorexia, Joshi said.

The health risks from consuming large quantities and from long term use of caffeine are serious. The increased alertness and energy derived from caffeine are not worth the negative health risks. A safe, natural way to increase alertness and energy needs to be substituted for ingesting caffeine.

Caffeine is an additive drug and must be treated as such, say doctors.