Food safety officials seize products of leading store in Gobichettipalayam

ERODE: A leading departmental store in Gobichettipalyam was inspected and its warehouse sealed on Friday morning after health department officials found products which had expired and lacked manufacturing labels and addresses. Products worth Rs10lakhs were seized from the warehouse and samples sent for inspection.
The issue came to light after Gobichettipalyam sub-collector Chandrasekaran received a complaint that Kannan Departmental Store on Erode Main road in Gobichettipalyam was selling food products which had expired. He inspected the shop on Thursday night. Finding products without labels he informed health officials who visited the shop and later held a detailed inspection over 12 hours ending on Friday morning. "The inspection was carried out after receiving a written complaint that products sold were past the expiry date. After finding some expired products, officials from the department of health and food safety were informed," he said. Seven officials inspected the shop and found items which were expired and lacked manufacturing labels. While the outdated items were destroyed the others were seized and samples sent for inspection to laboratories. Based on the results further action will be taken.
S Kannan, Food Safety Officer of Gobichettipalayam area said that they seized products worth more than Rs 10 lakh which were later destroyed. Food products ranging from chocolates to grocery items were found without the mandatory labels and details. The inspection which started at 8.30 pm lasted till 9am the following day. Many products including chocolates were found to be without labels.
Officials said that samples of the products including chocolates and dates and other food products were sent for inspection to the government run laboratory. If the results indicated to be positive, legal action would be taken.

Department store raided

The Food Safety Department officials raided a department store at Gobichettipalayam and confiscated rice and grocery items worth Rs. 10 lakh kept for sale beyond the expiration date. The raid was carried out at Kannan Departmental Stores following complaints from the public to the district administration, official sources said.

The scrutiny of expiry date labels on the products was carried out for several hours from Thursday night.

The godown of the department store was sealed on Friday morning.

FESTIVE SEASON INSPECTION

Principal Director and Additional Food Safety Commissioner, Dr. Neiphi Kire has directed designated Chief Medical Officers and Food Safety Officer of the districts, to conduct inspection of hotels, restaurants, bakeries, canteens, tea stalls and other public eating places includingstreet food vendors under its respective jurisdiction to ensure safety of food at all levels. 

In a release, Dr. Kire said that the inspection should be conducted in consultation with the district administration and town council and that the exercise should be completed by November 15 and action taken report to be submitted on or before November 20. 

The order has been issued in view of the festive seasons, the forth coming Hornbill festival and the 50th celebration of state hood, to ensure safety.

Gutkha worth Rs 72,000 seized

THANE: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Thane seized gutkha worth Rs 72,000 along Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway on Friday.
The officials also conducted a raid on sweet shops in Kalyan and seized huge stocks of adulterated sweets.
A special team of officials from Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Thane, cracked on banned guthka handler in the wee hours of Friday along Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway near Ghodbundar area. FDA squad confiscated guthka worth Rs 72, 000 from a transporter while the tempo loaded with sachets of Goa rocket guthka meant for distribution in Thane city and adjoining areas. Based on the first information report lodged by FDA officers, local police from Valiv outpost arrested the accused Altaf Navaj Pathan.
The team was led by FDA assistant commissioner Pradip Raut which had food safety officers Prashant Deshmukh and Venkatesh Vedpatha. "Acting on a tip off we took position along the highway where the tempo was to be halted to deal with the distributor. We spent all the night from 10pm to 5am to nab the accused, waiting at the designated spot. It was the usual modus operandi by the handler to enter the city in the early hours. These banned products come from neighbouring Gujarat," Raut told ToI.
Thane FDA also conducted another raid on sweet marts in Kalyan area and seized huge stock of unsafe sweets. In the festive move to keep tab on adulteration of sweets, food safety officer B S Vasave conducted raid in Kalyan area and confiscated suspected special barfi worth Rs 60, 000 from two traders after finding it unsafe for consumption. "We took 22 samples from these two shops which found to be mixed, leading to health hazard. We seized the special barfi amounting to the tune of Rs 60, 000," said S K Shere, joint commissioner of FDA, Thane.

Post food adulteration complaint on FB

Chennai: Welcoming the young and tech-savvy to rep­ort on food ad­u­l­te­ra­tion, food safety officials have asked them to post their com­pl­a­ints on Facebook. City food safety officials wi­ll take complaints fr­om consumers on adulterated sweets and snacks sold duri­ng the Deepavali festival in this manner.
Customers can also take a photo of the it­em and post it on Fa­ce­book. Speaking to DC, S. Lak­shmi Naraya­n­an, designated officer, Food Safety and Stan­d­ards Authority of In­dia (FSSAI), said, “We conducted raids and lifted samples of food items and sweets from various hotels and sweet meat shops in the last few weeks to ensure safe consumption for Chen­n­a­iites during Deepavali.
In case of food adulteration and substandard quality of food items being sold during the festival, people can let us know through our Facebook page.” He added that for many, Facebook would be an easy tool with which to reach officials.
It may be recalled that Anshul Mishra, former Madurai collector, opened a Face­book page and used it as a speedy grievance red­r­essal mechan­i­sm. He rec­e­ived more than 3,000 complaints on the page and solved 80 per cent of them as quickly as possible.
Similarly, the Food Sa­fety department is ho­ping receive responses from the public on unsafe and unhygienic food items through the Face­book page. “We would track the sale of unsafe food and bring the uns­cr­upulous traders to book with the help of consumers,” he said.
Fa­ce­book link of FS­SAI: ht­tps://www.facebook.com/fssai . Apart from online complaints, consumers can send the­ir petitions directly to: The Desi­gna­ted Officer, Food Safety and Stan­dards Authority of India, No.33, Jones Road, Sai­dapet, Chennai - 600 006. 044-23813095

Juice shops served closure notice

The mobile Vigilance squad of the Food Safety wing on Thursday issued closure notice to three fruit juice–ice cream parlours in Saphalyam complex at Palayam for serious violations of hygiene and food safety standards .
Three other juice-ice cream parlours in the same location were also issued notice to strictly maintain hygiene standards.
The inspection was carried out by Food Safety officials following a spate of complaints regarding the juice parlours in Saphalyam complex, on a directive from the Commissioner of Food Safety, a statement issued by the Food Safety wing said. Officials also collected samples of the ice being used in these shops and sent it for bacterial quality testing.

FSOs conducting nationwide raid on shops adulterating paneer and khoya

Diwali has always been a testing time for the food safety regulators in the country in view of the rampant adulteration of vital mithai ingredients in the country. This year it was no different, except the fact that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) took some proactive action by asking the state food safety commissioners to conduct a drive to check adulteration in cottage cheese (paneer) and khoya, which are used to make sweets and savouries such as kaju roll, kaju barfi, kalakand, paneer cutlet, paneer chilli and shahi paneer, without which the festivities are incomplete.

Food safety officers (FSOs) in various states, including Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala, were deployed to collect samples of foods containing the aforementioned ingredients from various shops – both big and small – suspected to be involved in adulteration. Bihar collected 50 samples, Maharashtra collected 30, Gujarat collected 25 and Kerala collected 20.
Bihar
Aashish Kumar Singh, designated officer, headquarters, food and safety wing, Bihar, informed, “About a month ago, we started collecting samples of khoya and paneer from top hotels and sweetmeat shops which were involved in adulteration. The cottage cheese used by these hotels were found to contain corn starch in place of milk extract.”
“Till date, we have collected 50 samples. These have been sent to the laboratory for testing. Fines would be imposed on them under Section 51 of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, upon the receipt of the results of the tests. Tests are being conducted across the country to ensure that consumers do not purchase adulterated sweets, as the consumption of these could lead to food poisoning,” he said.
Singh added, “The culprits would be fined as per the offence. The fines would range between Rs 2 lakh and 10 lakh, depending upon the extent of adulteration in samples. Curbing adulteration in paneer and khoya is very easy, and can, in fact, be done by the consumer itself. In order to check whether the paneer is adulterated, all one has to do is put a drop or two of iodine solution on the raw paneer. If its colour changes to blue-black, it is adulterated and contains starch.”
“When we start collecting samples, the shop-owners become wary and stop selling adulterated items immediately, because they know that if they are caught selling the same, a first information report (FIR) would be lodged against them and they would be imprisoned. Many were booked last year after lab tests revealed that the eatables they were selling were adulterated,” informed Singh.
Maharashtra
Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner, food, Greater Mumbai division, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said, “In order to check adulteration across Maharashtra, and particularly in Mumbai, we have deployed many FSOs and also four assistant commissioners so that checks can be conducted in big and small establishments that selling adulterated food items during the festive season. During the drive, which commenced a couple of months ago, we collected around 30 samples and sent them for testing. We are sure that this year there will be very few shop-owners involved in adulteration, because the preventive actions are very strict.”
Gujarat
H G Koshia, food commissioner, Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), Gujarat, said, “This year, it will be very difficult for the shopkeepers to indulge in adulteration because of the stringent rules laid by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Since the commencement of the drive in Gujarat a month-a-half ago, we have been conducting regular checks on the food business operators (FBOs) in the state, and we will try to ensure that no one is involved in adulteration. We have collected around 25 samples so far. Strict action will be taken against those found to be indulging in this malpractice.”
Kerala
“Our food safety officers have collected around 20 samples and have sent them for testing. We started the drive about a month ago, because it takes the lab 15 days to declare the test results. Moreover, we wanted to ensure that not many shops – big or small – are involved in adulteration,” said K Anil Kumar, joint commissioner, food, Kerala Food and Drug Administration.

தீபாவளியை யொட்டி பலகாரம் விற்பனை செய்பவர்கள் உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும்-கலெக்டர் எச்சரிக்கை

தூத்துக்குடி, நவ.1:
தீபாவளி யை யொட்டி பலகாரங்கள் விற்பனை செய்பவர்கள் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை யில் பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும் என்று கலெக்டர் ரவிகுமார் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.
இது குறித்து அவர் வெளியிட்டுள்ள செய்திக் குறிப்பு:
தீபாவளி பண்டிகையையொட்டி இனிப்பு மற்றும் கார பண்டங்களுக்கு சீட்டு நடத்துபவர்கள் உள்பட அனைத்து தயாரிப்பாளர் கள் மற்றும் விற்பனையாளர்களும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையில் பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற்று பொதுமக்களுக்கு வினியோகம் செய்வது கட்டாயமாக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.
இனிப்பு மற்றும் பேக்கரி பொருட்கள் தயாரிப்பவர் கள் தரமான மூலப்பொருட் களை கொண்டு சுகாதார மான முறையில் தயாரித்து பாதுகாப்பான உணவு பொருட்களை மக்களுக்கு வழங்க வேண்டும். உணவு தயாரிப்பில் கலப்படமான பொருட்களையோ, அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட அளவுக்கு அதிகமான நிறமிகளையோ உபயோகிக்கக் கூடாது. பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட உணவு பொருட்களுக்கு விவரச்சீட்டு அச்சிடும் போது, அதில் தயாரிப்பாளரின் முழு முகவரி, உணவு பொருளின் பெயர், தயாரிப்பு அல்லது பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட தேதி, காலாவதியாகும் காலம், சைவ மற்றும் அசைவ குறியீடு ஆகியவை அவசியம் குறிப்பிட வேண்டும். உணவு பொருட்களை ஈக்கள், பூச்சிகள் மற்றும் கிருமி தொற்று இல்லாத சுகாதாரமான சூழலில் பொதுமக்களுக்கு விற்பனை செய்ய வேண்டும்.
பண்டிகை காலத்தில் மட்டும் பலகாரங்கள் தயாரிப்பவர்கள் உள்பட அனைத்து தயாரிப்பாளர்கள் மற்றும் விற்பனையாளர்களும் உடனடியாக உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலத்தை தொடர்பு கொண்டு இந்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரங்கள் சட்டம் 2006ன் கீழ் தங்கள் வணிகத்தை பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற்றுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
பொதுமக்கள் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையில் பதிவு பெற்ற நிறுவனங்களில் இருந்து மட்டும் பலகாரங்கள் வாங்குமாறும், பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட பொருட்களில் விவரச்சீட்டு இருந்தால் மட்டுமே வாங்கி உபயோகிக்கலாம். இது தொடர்பான புகார்கள் ஏதும் இருந்தால் தூத்துக்குடி மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத்துறை நியமன அலுவலருக்கு தகவல் தெரிவிக்கலாம்.  இவ்வாறு குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

New Zealand, China sign food safety agreement

Wellington, Nov 1 (IANS) The food safety regulatory agencies of China and New Zealand Friday signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in food safety and quality.

The Food Safety Cooperation Arrangement between New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) was signed in Wellington by CFDA vice minister Liu Peizhi and MPI deputy director general Carol Barnao, reported Xinhua.

The agreement will see the establishment of a Joint Food Safety Commission, which would allow MPI and the CFDA to meet annually to help build a better understanding of how each other's food safety systems worked.

New Zealand Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye said the agreement would encourage cooperation and the sharing of knowledge in the fields of food safety, risk management, food standards and regulations.

"The agreement shows commitment and a willingness between New Zealand and China to work together on food safety programs," Kaye said in a statement.

The agreement would further build on the strong relationship between the two countries, particularly in the agricultural and food sectors.

The agreement comes in a year which has seen New Zealand food exports to China hammered by MPI export certification bungles and dairy contamination scares, including the false alarm over Fonterra's botulis.

FDA takes steps to strengthen spice safety

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- In response to recent outbreaks from Salmonella-contaminated spices, U.S. health officials completed a draft risk profile on pathogens and filth in spices.
"The study's findings suggest the presence of pathogens, such as Salmonella, and filth in spices is a systemic challenge. Failures identified in the farm-to-table food safety system potentially leading to adulteration of consumed spice generally arose from poor/inconsistent application of appropriate preventive controls," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.
"The study identified 14 spice/seasoning-associated outbreaks worldwide that occurred from 1973 to 2010, resulting in less than 2,000 reported human illnesses and 128 hospitalizations worldwide."
The relatively small number of outbreaks identified may be attributable in part to the application of preventive controls by the spice and food manufacturing industries, including pathogen reduction treatments, and cooking during food preparation, the FDA said.
People's tendency to eat small amounts of spices with meals generally lowers the probability of illness from contaminated spices relative to similarly contaminated foods consumed in larger amounts.
It is also possible that illnesses caused by contaminated spices are underreported, particularly because of challenges related to attribution for minor ingredients in multi-ingredient foods.
The risk profile identifies the most commonly occurring microbial hazards and filth in spices and quantifies, where possible, the prevalence and levels of these adulterants at different points along the supply chain. It also identifies potential sources of contamination throughout the farm-to-table food safety continuum and evaluates the efficacy of current mitigation and control options designed to reduce the public health risk posed by consumption of contaminated spices in the United States.
The FDA has a number of regulatory standards and programs in place that help prevent contaminated spice from reaching consumers and these are described in the risk profile, the statement said.
In addition, the agency is taking steps to further strengthen spice safety. The FDA has increased inspections of spice manufacturing facilities in recent years and has begun to implement some of the options presented in the risk profile.
For example, the agency's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is working with several partners to develop a training center focused on supply chain management for spices and botanical ingredients. As part of this program, FDA experts have provided food safety training in India, a leading country of origin for U.S. spice importation, the statement said.
The report concluded with a list of knowledge gaps and the research needed to fill them. The FDA seeks comments on this draft document, which can be submitted via the Federal Register.
More information on the proposed rules can be obtained at: www.fda.gov/fsma.

Commoners continue to serve as guinea pigs for VIP food testing

While other countries have adopted advanced and practical techniques for on-the-spot testing of food to be served to the VIPs, in India, the age-old practice of 'lesser mortals' sampling the food continues and it is expected to remain in vogue for years to come as the revised food safety legislation is silent on the issue. Same tradition is followed even if the VIP is country's President or Prime Minister.

Whenever a VIP comes calling, government officers, be it executive magistrates or doctors, are made guinea pigs to sample the catered food. They are required to certify that the food is fit for consumption. If the food has been prepared in a house, the owner has to sign the list of items he or she plans to serve. An hour or so ahead of the VIP visit, a team of the health department arrives at the venue to complete these formalities and to collect samples, which are hardly sent to the state testing laboratory. A layman can also test the food but for more reliability, the officials are chosen as food tasters.

The whole exercise serves little purpose. Even if the food is unhealthy, it is difficult to make it out in the short time that falls between testing and consumption. The samples are preserved for 72 hours and if it does not create any health problem to consumers, it is destroyed, else the samples are sent to the laboratory, the need for which hardly arises.

"It is an old tradition, which we cannot change on our own. Whenever the tour programme of a VIP is intimated to us, it is obligatory for us to make arrangements for food testing," said a senior medical officer.

"Since no VIP has ever fallen ill after consuming food, our government has never given the matter a thought," remarked another senior officer. Senior medical officer Dr Sardul Singh said the government must provide testing kits for instant examination of food.

Director, ESI, HPS Bali, who is in-charge of the food administration, said the directorate had recently written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to intimate the state about the latest norms as regards sampling of food for the VIPs. "The current practice of food sampling is fair enough. We take care of the kitchen environment also make sure that the cook concerned maintains personal hygiene and is in good health. This is what matters the most," he said.

He confirmed that there had not been an instance when the food meant for VIPs had to be examined at the laboratory.

2 quintals sweetmeats destroyed, teams get cracking on adulteration

About 2 quintals of adulterated bakery products and sweetmeats were destroyed on Thursday in Chandigarh.

The teams constituted by the UT Administration to check adulteration in food items continued its drive against the sale of adulterated and unhygienic food items in Khajeri and Burail on Thursday. An official of the UT Health Department said that during raids at Khajeri and Burail, nearly 2 quintal of bakery products and sweetmeats which were found to be prepared under unhygienic conditions and exposed to dust and flies were destroyed under the supervision of designated officer by the Food Safety officers.

Also, samples of food items were taken from Sector 30 shops for testing against adulteration. Earlier, the teams had destroyed 600 kg of sweetmeats and have seized 33 number of samples on suspicion of adulteration till now in Chandigarh. The UT Administration had initiated an intensive drive on October 14 to check adulteration in food items in Chandigarh.

The higher authorities have already issued warning to shopkeepers and vendors to refrain from such activities. If any shopkeeper or vendor is found selling adulterated food, strict action will be taken against them under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and under Section 2 of  the epidemic diseases Act  1897 (Central Act No.III of 1897).

Dr Sunil Kumar Bhalla, UT Director Health Services again on Thursday issued advisory to all manufacturers to prepare sweetmeats in hygienic conditions and with quality material as per the standards laid down in the Food Act.

JMC launches drive against food adulteration, 7 outlets sealed

Jammu: In a crackdown on sale of adulterated food items in Jammu city during the festive season, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) today sealed seven sweet shops in the city.
JMC sealed three sweet shops- Jai Vaishno Paitha Fruit Products & Sweets, Jai Vaishno Shakti Paitha House and New Jai Maa Shakti Paitha Food Products at Maheshi Gate for selling adulterated sweets in the city, a spokesperson said.
Two outlets in Tallab Tilloo and Mohinder Nagar were also sealed for not maintaining minimum food standard and quality parameters, he said.
The team also checked the quality of sweets being prepared at Pradhan outlet at New Plot and seized 12 tins of material, spokesperson said, adding that Patisa manufacturing unit of Bhola Singh at New Plot was also sealed and materials prepared in 175 boxes were confiscated.
The special drive was conducted by the team led by Kiran Wattal, Municipal Commissioner in the city today. Shopkeepers dealing with food items are strictly warned and directed to ensure supply of good quality of food to the general public, especially sweets and milk products as per the Food Safety & Standards Act 2006, the JMC spokesperson said.

Are campaigns against food adulteration pure eyewash?

Despite crackdowns — be it during festivals or otherwise — adulteration business continues to be ‘healthy’.

Like every year, tonnes of sweets, bakery, dairy products, and processed foods are being sold in the state capital this Diwali too. But how much of this is actually of good quality and safe for consumption is anybody’s guess.

Though the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) department carried out its routine sample collection exercise jointly with the district administration, many feel that these drives are mere formalities, so it appears from past records.

Food samples are collected and sent for quality check in the Public Analyst Lab (PAL) in Varanasi.

Strange it may seem, the laboratory reports come only after the adulterated items are already consumed during festivals. While few fail the purity test, cases are registered in even fewer incidents.

The FDA’s role does not end with sample reports.

In case the lab report finds any violation, a notice is sent to the shopkeeper or the manufacturer who can apply for fresh test of the sample by a referral lab, which is in Kolkata.

It is this report, which is considered final.

“After we issue a notice, the manufacturer takes his time to apply for a fresh test in the referral lab, which further takes months to furnish a final report. By the time the report comes, it is almost next year and we start a fresh drive,” an FDA official said, terming the raids a mere “eyewash”.

More than the eyewash theory, it seems that the procedure of implementing the food safety guidelines is too prolonged to be effective.

JP Singh, chief food safety inspector, however, has a different take on the matter.

“The drives at least create fear among the offenders. They would think twice before adulterating food stuff,” he said. But what ultimately matters is how much aware is a consumer, he added.

Stick to rules, sweet makers told

The district administration has issued a set of guidelines to manufacturers and retailers of sweets and snacks in view of the festival season.
According to an administration release, all manufacturers and retailers of edibles for the festival season have to register with the Department of Food Safety. They have to ensure that all edibles are made with standardised ingredients. Manufacturers have been warned against excess colouration or adulteration in any form, and ensure hygienic preparation of the food item. All packaged food items shall bear the address of the manufacturer, name of the food item, date of manufacture/packaging, type of food (vegetarian or non-vegetarian), and period of best use. According to the release, manufacturers are advised to contact the Department of Food Safety and get licence under the Food Safety and Standards rules 2006.
Consumers can convey any grievance or complaint to the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Food Safety division, Government Hospital premises, Nagapattinam (ph: 04365-247060).

FSSAI NOTIFICATION

ஒரு வாரத்தில் உடல் எடையை குறைக்கும் மருந்துக்கு ரூ. 1120; தூத்துக்குடி உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை சோதனையில் அம்பலம் மருந்துகள் அறைக்கு சீல் வைத்து அதிரடி, சேம்பிள் எடுத்து சோதனை எடையை குறைக்க விஐபிக்கள் சென்ற அதிர்ச்சி தகவலால் பரபரப்பு

தூத்துக்குடி: ஒரு வாரம் சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளை  சாப்பிட்டால் உடல் எடை குறைந்து விடும் என்று கூறி எந்தவித லைசென்ஸ் இல்லாமல் வீட்டில் கிளினிக் நடத்தி வந்ததை உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் கண்டு பிடித்து அதனை சீல் வைத்தனர். இந்த கிளினிக்கிற்கு அதிகாரிகள், வி.ஐ.பிக்கள் வந்து அதனை குடித்து சென்றுள்ள விபரம் தெரியவந்துள்ளது அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியிருக்கிறது.
தூத்துக்குடி சிவன் கோயில் அருகில், அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் உள்ள வீட்டில் ஹெர்பா லைப் என்கிற பவுடருடன் சில மருந்துகளை சேர்த்து சர்பத் போன்று தயாரித்து உடல் எடையை குறைப்பதற்காகவும், ஆரோக்கியமாக இருப்பதற்காகவும் வழங்கி வருவதாக உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகளுக்கு தகவல் வந்தது. இது சம்பந்தமாக டாக்டர் மற்றும் பொதுமக்கள்  சார்பிலும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகளுக்கு புகார் சென்றதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இந்நிலையில் நேற்று முன்தினம் சிவன் கோயில் தெரு அருகே உள்ள இதுபோன்ற இடத்திற்கு உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் சென்ற போது இந்த தகவலை முன் கூட்டியே தெரிந்து கொண்டே அந்த நபர் கடையை பூட்டி விட்டு சென்று விட்டதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இந் நிலையில் நேற்று உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அதிகாரி டாக்டர் ஜெகதீஸ் சந்திரபோஸ் தலைமையில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் சிவபாலன், சந்திரமோகன், ராமகிருஷ்ணன், சண்முகசுந்தரம், டைட்டஸ் பெர்ணாண்டோ, நீதிமோகன் ஆகியோர் கொண்ட குழுவினர்  சாதாரணமாக புகாருக்குரிய வீட்டிற்கு உடல் எடையை குறைக்க டிரீட்மென்டிற்கு செல்வது போல் சென்றனர். நியமன அதிகாரி ஜெகதீஸ்சந்திரபோஸ் மற்றும் இரண்டு அலுவலர்கள் மட்டும் முதலில் வீட்டிற்குள் சென்றனர். மற்றவர்கள் வெளியில் நின்றுள்ளனர்.
உடல் எடையை குறைக்க வேண்டும் என்று ஜெகதீஸ் சந்திரபோஸ் அங்கிருந்த நபரிடம் கூற அவர்கள் ஒரு டம்ளரில் இருந்த சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளை குடிக்க  வேண்டும். ஒரு வாரத்திற்கு தொடர்ந்து குடிக்க வேண்டும். மூன்றாவது நாளிலே ரிசல்ட் தெரியும். ஒரு வாரத்திற்கு மொத்தம் 1120 ரூபாய் கட்டணம் செலுத்த வேண்டும் என்று கூறியுள்ளனர்.
இதனை தொடர்ந்து ஜெகதீஸ்சந்திரபோஸ் சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளில் என்ன சேர்க்கிறீர்கள். இது என்ன வகையான மருந்து என்று கேட்கவும் ஹெர்பா லைப் என்னும் பவுடரில் சில மருந்துகளை
சேர்த்து தயாரித்துள்ளது. ஹெர்பா லைப்பில் என்ன மருந்துகள் சேர்ந்துள்ளது என்கிற விபரம் அதில் எழுதப்பட்டுள்ளது என்று காண்பித்துள்ளார்.
நீங்களே சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளை தயாரித்து உடல் ஆரோக்கியம், எப்போதும் சோர்வு இல்லாமல் இருக்கவும், எடையை குறைக்கவும், தொப்பையை அகற்றவும் இதனை குடித்தால் குணமாகிவிடும் என்று கூறுகிறீர்கள். இதனை எப்படி நம்ப முடியும். இதுபோன்று விற்பனை செய்வதற்கு லைசென்ஸ் எதுவும் பெற்றுள்ளீர்களா, அரசின் அனுமதி எதுவும் இருக்கிறதா, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தின் கீழ் உரிமம் எதுவும் பெற்றுள்ளீர்களா என்று கேட்கவும் சம்பந்தப்பட்டவருக்கு சந்தேகம் ஏற்பட்டதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இது போன்று நீங்கள் கொடுக்க கூடிய சர்பத் போன்ற பொருள் என்ன  வேலை செய்யும் என்பதை சொல்லுங்கள் என்று கூறவும் குமாரால் சொல்ல முடியாமல் திருதிருவென விழித்தார்.
அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் இந்த கிளினிக் போன்று நடத்தி வரும் ஜான் ஜேக்கப், மெர்சிராணி ஆகியோரிடமும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் துருவி, துருவி விசாரணை மேற்கொண்டனர். அவர்கள் இதனை நாங்கள் நடத்துவதற்கு எங்களுக்கு கம்பெனி அனுமதி கொடுத்திருப்பதாக ஆங்கிலத்தில் பிரேம் செய்யப்பட்ட போட்டோவை காண்பித்தனர். அதனை பார்த்த உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையினர் அதில் உள்ள முதல் பாராவை படித்து அதில் என்ன எழுதியுள்ளது என்று சொல்லுங்கள் என்று கூறினர். ஆனால் அதற்கு அவர்கள் சொல்ல முடியாமல் விழித்ததாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இந்த கிளினிக்கிற்கு போலீஸ் இன்ஸ்பெக்டர்கள், அரசு அதிகாரிகள், வி.ஐ.பிக்கள் என்று மக்கள் மிக அதிகமாக வந்து சென்றுள்ளது தெரியவந்தது. அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் கடந்த சுமார் 6 மாதமாக இவை செயல்பட்டு வருவதாக கூறப்படுகிறது. எந்தவித லைசென்ஸ் இல்லாமல் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தை மீறி மக்களுக்கு பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தும் வகையில் செயல்பட்டதாக கூறி அந்த கிளிளின்கை சீல் வைக்க முதலில் அதிகாரிகள் முடிவு செய்ததாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
ஆனால் வீடோடு சேர்ந்து இருந்ததால் அந்த மருந்துகளை சேம்பிள் எடுத்த அதிகாரிகள் மருந்துகள் முழுவதையும் வீட்டின் ஒரு அறையில் போட்டு சீல் வைத்தனர். சுமார் ஒன்றரை மணி நேரத்திற்கு மேலாக நடந்த இந்த ஆய்வு, வாக்குவாதம் போன்ற பிரச்னையால் அந்த பகுதியில் கடும் பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.
மருந்து மாதிரி நெல்லையில் உள்ள உணவு பகுப்பாய்வு மையத்திற்கு ஆய்வுக்கு அனுப்பப்பட்டன. ஆய்வு அறிக்கை வந்தவுடன் அந்த அறிக்கையின் பேரில் இதில் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவித்தன. ஆய்வு அறிக்கை ஒரு வாரத்தில் வந்துவிடும் என்றும் அந்த வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவித்தன.
இது சம்பந்தமாக உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அதிகாரி டாக்டர் ஜெகதீஸ்சந்திரபோஸ் கூறியதாவது;
தூத்துக்குடி அண்ணாநகரில் உடல் எடையை குறைப்பதாக கூறி போலியாக மருந்து வழங்கி வருவதாக டாக்டர் மற்றும் சிலரிடம் இருந்து புகார் வந்ததை தொடர்ந்து அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் உள்ள கிளினிக் போன்று நடத்தி வரும் வீட்டில் சோதனை செய்தோம். ஹெர்பா லைப் என்னும் பவுடருடன் சிலவற்றை  சேர்த்து மிக்சியில் அரைத்து சர்பத் போன்றவற்றை மக்களுக்கு கொடுத்து வந்தனர்.
அவர்கள் என்னென்ன பொருட்கள் போட்டுள்ளனர் என்று தெரியவில்லை. அது சம்பந்தமாக விசாரணை செய்ததில் அவர்களால் ஒன்றும் சொல்ல முடியவில்லை. இதனால் இது போலியான சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளாகத்தான் இருக்கும். வாங்கிங் செல்வதும், அளவுக்கு சாப்பிடுதல், உடற்பயிற்சி போன்றவற்றின் மூலம் தான் உடல் எடையை குறைக்க முடியும். இதுபோன்ற சர்பத் போன்ற போலி பொருட்கள் மூலம் எந்த காலத்திலும் உடல் எடை குறையாது. சாப்பிடும் போது ஆரோக்கியமாக இருப்பது போன்ற தோற்றம் ஏற்படும். ஆனால் உடலில் பல்வேறு நோய்களை இதனை சாப்பிடும் போது உண்டாக்கி விடும். இதன் மூலம் உயிர் இழப்பு கூட ஏற்படும். இதுபோன்ற சில இடங்களில் மக்களை ஏமாற்றி உடல் எடையை குறைப்பதாக கூறி கொடுக்கப்பட்ட மருந்துகள் மூலம் சில ஆண்டுகளில் உயிர்இழப்பு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.
இதனால் மக்கள் மத்தியில் விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்பட வேண்டும். யார் எதனை சொன்னாலும் நம்பி வீணாக பணத்தை கொடுத்து நோயை உருவாக்கும் பொருட்களை வாங்கி சாப்பிட கூடாது. தூத்துக்குடியில் பிடிபட்டவற்றை சோதனைக்கு அனுப்பியுள்ளோம். ஆய்வு அறிக்கை வந்தவுடன் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும். அதுவரை கிளினிக் போன்று நடத்த கூடாது. அவர்கள் வைத்திருந்த மருந்துகள் அனைத்தும் ஒரு அறையில் வைக்கப்பட்டு சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவ்வாறு மாவட்ட நியமன அதிகாரி தெரிவித்தார்.

எச்சரிக்கையை மீறிய தனியார் குடிநீர் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனத்திற்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல்

கிருஷ்ணகிரி, அக்.31:
கிருஷ்ணகிரியில் தனியார் குடிநீர் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனத்திற்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல் வைத்தனர்.
கிருஷ்ணகிரி சார்பதிவாளர் அலுவலகம் அருகில் தனியார் மினரல் குடிநீர் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனம் செயல்பட்டு வந்தது. இந் நிறுவனம் ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ புதுப்பித்தலுக்காக விண்ணப்பித்ததன் காரணத்தினால், கட்டட பணி மற்றும் பகுப்பாய்வு கூடம் ஏற்படுத்தும் பொருட்டும், இயந்திரங்கள் பழுது அடையாமல் இருக்க அரை மணி நேரம் முதல் ஒரு மணி நேரம் வரை இயந்திரங்களை இயக்கி கொள்ள அனுமதி வழங்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இதனால் பெறப்படும் தண்ணீரை விற்பனை செய்யக்கூடாது என்று எச்சரிக்கை விடப்பட்டிருந்தது.
இந்நிலையில் அந்த நிறுவனத்தில் கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட்ட தமிழ்நாடு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து கட்டுப்பாட்டுத்துறை மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் கலைவாணி தலைமையில் வட்டார உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் ராஜசேகர், சேகர் ஆகியோர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர். இந்த ஆய்வின் போது, அங்கு பெறப்படும் தண்ணீரை விற்பனை செய்யப்பட்டது கண்டறியப்பட்டது. மேலும் விற்பனைக்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த 20 லிட்டர் கேன் மற்றும் தண்ணீர் பாக்கெட் மூட்டைகள் இருந்ததையும் கண்டுபிடித்தனர். இதையடுத்து அந்த நிறுவனத்திற்கு சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டது. இந்த சம்பவம் அப்பகுதியில் பெரும் பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது. 

பெண் அதிகாரியிடம் தகராறு ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று இல்லாத வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு "சீல்'

கிருஷ்ணகிரி: கிருஷ்ணகிரியில், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறாமல் இயங்கி வந்த மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைக்க சென்ற உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலரிடம், உரிமையாளர் தகராறில் ஈடுபட்டார்.
கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள பல மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிகள், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறாமல் செயல்பட்டு வருவதாக வந்த புகாரை தொடர்ந்து மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையினர் அதிரடியாக வாட்டர் கம்பெனிகளில் ஆய்வு செய்து வருகின்றனர்.
பர்கூர் மற்றும் கிருஷ்ணகிரி சுற்றுவட்டார பகுதிகளில், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறாமல் இயங்கி வந்த ஒன்பது மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிகளுக்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல் வைத்தனர்.
ஒரு மாதத்துக்கு முன், கிருஷ்ணகிரி, சேலம் சாலையில் இயங்கி வந்த பாலாஜி மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனியில் ஆய்வு செய்த போது, ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று இல்லாமல் இயங்கியது தெரிந்தது.
ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெற விண்ணப்பித்துள்ளதாக கம்பெனியின் உரிமையாளர் தெரிவித்தார். இதையடுத்து, தரச்சான்று பெறும் வரை மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பை நிறுத்தி வைக்க அதிகாரிகள் அறிவுரை வழங்கி சென்றனர்.
இந்நிலையில், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறமால், பாலாஜி மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனியில் தொடர்ந்து வாட்டர் உற்பத்தி செய்து, விற்பனை செய்வதாக உணவு பாகதுகாப்பு துறைக்கு புகார் வந்தது.
நேற்று மதியம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் டாக்டர் கலைவாணி தலைமையில், அதிகாரிகள் பாலாஜி மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனியில் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.
அப்போது, அதிகாரிகளின் அறிவுரையை மீறி அங்கு வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பது தெரிந்தது கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைக்கும் முயற்சியில் அதிகாரிகள் ஈடுபட்டனர். அங்கு வந்த கம்பெனி உரிமையாளர் செந்தில்குமார், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் கலைமணியை ஒருமையில் பேசி, சீல் வைக்க எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்து, தகராறில் ஈடுபட்டார்.
அதிர்ச்சியடைந்த உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அலுவலர்கள், டாக்டர் கலைமணியை அங்கிருந்து பத்திரமாக மீட்டு, அழைத்து சென்றனர். பின் அதிகாரிகள் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைத்தனர்.

இனிப்பு, காரம் தயாரிப்பாளர்கள் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலகத்தில் பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும் கலெக்டர் வேண்டுகோள்

நாகை, அக்.31:
நாகை கலெக்டர் முனுசாமி விடுத்துள்ள செய்திக்குறிப்பில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:
தற்போது பண்டிகை காலம் தொடங்கி உள்ள நம் நாட்டில் அனைத்து விதமான விற்பனைகளும் சூடு பிடிக்கத் தொடங்கி உள்ளது. முக்கியமாக தீபாவளி போன்ற பண்டி கை காலங்களில் விதவிதமான இனிப்பு பலகாரங் கள், காரங்கள் மற்றும் கேக் போன்ற பேக்கரி உணவு பொருட்களை மக்கள் விரும்பி வாங்கி உண்பது வழக்கம். தீபாவளி பண்டிகையில் இனிப்பு மற்றும் கார பண்டங்களுக்கு சீட்டு நடத்துபவர்கள் உள்பட அனைத்து தயாரிப்பாளர்கள், விற்பனையாளர்களும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையில் பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற்று பொதுமக்களுக்கு விநியோகம் செய்வது கட்டாயமாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஸ்வீட், பேக்கரி பொருட்கள் தயாரிப்பவர்கள் தரமான மூலப்பொருட்களை கொண்டு சுகாதாரமான முறையில் தயாரித்து பாதுகாப்பான உணவு பொருட்களை பொதுமக்களுக்கு வழங்க வேண்டும். உணவு தயாரிப்பில் கலப்படமான பொருட்களையோ, அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட அளவிற்கு அதிமான நிறமிகளையோ பயன்படுத்த கூடாது. பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட உணவு பொருட்களுக்கு விவரச்சீட்டு வைக்கும் போது அதில் தயாரிப்பாளரின் முழு முகவரி, உணவு பொருட்களின் பெயர், தயாரிப்பு மற்றும் பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட தேதி, காலாவதியாகும் காலம், சைவ மற்றும் அசைவ குறியீடு ஆகியவற்றை அவசியம் குறிப்பிட வேண்டும்.
உணவு பொருட்களை ஈக்கள், பூச்சிகள், கிருமி தோற்று இல்லாத சுகாதாரமான சூழலில் பொதுமக்களுக்கு விற்பனை செய்ய வேண்டும். பண்டிகை காலத்தில் மட்டும் பலகாரங்கள் தயாரிப்பவர்கள் உட்பட அனைத்து தயாரிப்பாளர்கள், விற்பனையாளர்களும் உடனடியாக உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலகத்தை தொடர்பு கொண்டு இந்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரச்சட்டம் 2006ன்கீழ் தங்களது வணிகத்தை பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற்று கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
பொதுமக்களும் பண்டிகை காலங்களில் பலகாரங்கள் வாங்கும் போது உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையில் பதிவு பெற்ற நிறுவனங்களில் மட்டும் வாங்க வேண்டும். பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட பொருட்களை விவரச்சீட்டு இருந்தால் மட்டுமே வாங்கி பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும். மேலும் இது தொடர்பான புகார்கள் ஏதாவது இருந்தால் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத் துறையின் நியமன அலுவலரை, நாகை மாவட்ட அரசு தலைமை மருத்துவமனையில் உள்ள உணவு பாதுகாப்பு பிரிவு நியமன அலுவலர் அலுவலகத்தை நேரிடையாக தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம். அல்லது 04365 247060 என்ற தொலைபேசி எண்ணை தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம்.
இவ்வாறு கலெக்டர் முனுசாமி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

Health drink centre raided

Food safety officers conducted a raid at a health-food drink centre at Anna Nagar here on Wednesday following complaints from consumers of health problems.

A team led by M. Jagadis Chandrabose, District Designated Officer, enquired those involved in promoting the product on the pretext of herbal medicine.

Dr. Chandrabose said that obese men and women were hoodwinked into buying the product, which had no documentary evidence to market. Moreover, the centre was being manned by persons with no knowledge of health and medicine, Dr. Chandrabose said after the investigation.

The team said it never seemed to have maintained standards for consumption. Hence, the officers had collected samples and sent to testing laboratory in Tirunelveli.

Health department raids sweets shops, seizes adulterated food items

Jamshedpur : Beware of the coloured sweets sold in open market. They may contain harmful chemicals that will affect one’s health.
With Diwali round the corner, the district health department has embarked on a special drive to check the quality of sweets sold at various stalls across the city.
Led by district civil surgeon Jagat Bhusan Prasad accompanied by district food safety officer Mahesh Pandey, raid was carried out at two outlets.The team seized four samples sweets manufactured using milk products like khoa at popular sweet brand ‘Misti’ at Kumharpara in Kasidih.
“We have been receiving complaints of food adulteration from these unit and have collected samples which would be sent to food testing laboratory at Ranchi to- day evening,” said Jagat Bhusan Prasad.
He added that samples were being collected mainly to check adulteration and use of non-permitted colours. “Samples will be sent to the laboratory and based on its report action will be taken,” they added.
Use of harmful synthetic colours, including dyes were not permitted. But small manufacturers use the banned items just to give more colour to the sweets so as to make it attractive, offi- cials said.
Most of the sweets manufactured in the district were from the unorganised sector – houses or group of people joining together to make a fast buck.
Actions against the sweet manufacturer, after lab report would be initiated as per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012) and offenders found indulging in sale of adulterated products found unsafe for health would be liable for hefty fine of anything between Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh.
When contacted Misti partner Achintam Kumar refuted charges of adulteration. “We are in business from 18 years and have been selling products without any report of adulteration.
We have faith that the lab report would come out in our favour,” said Achintam. The team after about an hour-long raid at the manufacturing unit of Misti then moved on to a newly opened outlet ‘Puja Misthan and Rasoi’ at Bhalubhasa. Raids would continue till Diwali (November 3) at other sweet outlets in the city.

Health dept raids sweet shops ahead of Diwali

Beware of the coloured sweets sold in open market. They may contain harmful chemicals that will affect one’s health.
With Diwali round the corner, the district health department has embarked on a special drive to check the quality of sweets sold at various stalls across the city. Led by district civil surgeon Jagat Bhusan Prasad accompanied by district food safety officer Mahesh Pandey, raid was carried out at two outlets.
The team seized four samples of sweets manufactured using milk products like khoya at popular sweet brand ‘Misti’ at Kumharpara in Kasidih. He added that samples were being collected mainly to check adulteration and use of non-permitted colours. “Samples will be sent to the laboratory and based on its report action will be taken,” they added.
Use of harmful synthetic colours, including dyes were not permitted. But small manufacturers use the banned items just to give more colour to the sweets so as to make it attractive, officials said. Most of the sweets manufactured in the district were from the unorganised sector - houses or group of people joining together to make a fast buck. Actions against the sweet manufacturer, after lab report would be initiated as per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012).
The team after about an hour-long raid at the manufacturing unit of Misti, moved on to a newly opened outlet ‘Puja Misthan and Rasoi’ at Bhalubhasa. Raids would continue till Diwali (November 3) at other sweet outlets in the city.

Ensure food safety

Dimapur, October 30 (MExN): The Directorate of Health & Family Welfare today issued a directive to the CMO and Food Safety Officers of the district “to conduct inspections of Hotels, Restaurants, Bakeries, Canteens- (Office/ College/ School/ Institutions) Tea stalls and other public eating places including Street food vendors under its respective jurisdictions to ensure safety of food at all levels.” 

In a statement by the Principal Director &Addl. Food Safety Commissioner, he informed that this directive was made “in view of festive seasons round the corner and the forth coming Hornbill festival and 50th year of celebration of the Statehood.” Furthermore, it was stated that the inspection be conducted in consultation with district administration and Town council and that the exercise should be completed by November 15, 2013 and to submit the “action taken report” on or before November 20, 2013. 

This directive was issued “in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 30 (3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules 2011, the directive stated.

Ill-equipped health staff struggles to check adulteration Not a single case of adulterated khoya seized reported so far

Jalandhar, October 30
Ill-equipped and toothless, Health Department, has swung into action with skeleton staff to curb the supply of sweets made of adulterated dairy products and synthetic colours on the festival of lights across the district. Though the department has collected 89 samples of adulterated sweets and other raw material since last one month, not even a single seizure of adulterated “khoya” has been made so far.
City is a hub of sweetmeat and used to smuggle adulterated “khoya” from Saharanpur, Gurdaspur and neighbouring states before festive season.
The department has filed four cases under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, in the court against defaulters as of now, claimed District Health Officer (DHO), Dr Balwinder Singh.
The DHO said the smuggling of adulterated, synthetic and substandard raw and finished commodities had nearly stopped with the Punjab Health Department coming down heavily on such traders, some years ago.
He, however, did rule out the possibility if any one smuggles it by using their personal cars and storing it in domestic refrigerators.
The DHO revealed that out of the sample collected, 25 were of milk and dairy products, 15 of sweets while rest of other eatables.
The violators, if found guilty, has to undergo imprison from three to seven years besides a penalty upto Rs 1 lakh, as per provisions of the Act.
The department is cracking down on the violators with skeleton staff of just six employees, including a District Health Officer, two Food Safety Officers, and three class IV employees.
Moreover, the report of samples, collected and sent by the department to a Chandigarh based government laboratory, takes over one month to reach Jalandhar and by then a number of violators got scot-free by mounting pressure on the health authorities, a senior officer revealed.

தரமற்ற எண்ணெய்யால் தயாராகும் இனிப்பு வகைகள் சுகாதாரத்துறை நடவடிக்கை எடுக்குமா?

தேனி, அக். 30:
தீபாவளி பண்டிகை என்றதுமே பெண்கள் மத்தியில் பரபரப்பு தொற்றிக் கொள்வது வாடிக்கை. பெண்கள் வீட்டில் பச்சரிசியை இடித்து மாவு தயாரிப்பதும், கடலை மாவு, உளுந்தம் மாவு தயாரிப்பதுமாக பரபரப்பாக இருப்பர். பெண்கள் வீட்டிலேயே எள்ளுருண்டை, எள்ளுச்சீடை, உளுந்த வடை, பருப்பு வடை, பச்சரிசி மாவினாலான அதிரசம், முறுக்கு வகைகள் உள்ளிட்ட பலகாரங்களை சுத்தமான கடலை எண்ணெய்யில் தயாரிப்பர். இப்பலகாரங்களை அக்கம்பக்கம் உள்ளோருக்கும், உறவினர்களுக்கும், வீட்டிற்கு வரும் நண்பர்களுக்கும் வழங்கி மகிழ்வர். இப்பலகாரங்கள் சுமார் ஒரு மாத காலம் வரைகூட கெட்டுப்போகாமலும், உடலுக்கு ஆபத்தை விளைவிக்காமலும் இருக்கும்.
தற்போது நிலை தலைகீழாக மாறியுள்ளது. பெரும்பாலான வீடுகளில் கடலை எண்ணெய்க்கு பதி லாக சூரியகாந்தி எண் ணெய், பாமாயில் உபயோ கம் அதிகரித்துள்ளது. தீபாவளிக்காக பொறுமையாக மாவு அரைத்து, எண்ணை சட்டி முன்பு அமர்ந்து பலகாரம் தயாரிப்பது வேகமான யுகத்தில் சாத்தியமற்றதாக மாறிவிட்டது.தீபாவளி பண்டிகைக்கு ஏற்படும் கிராக்கியை பயன்படுத்தி பலர் விலை குறை வான பாமாயில், தரமற்ற சூரியகாந்தி எண்ணெய் மூலம் இனிப்புகளை தயார் செய்கின்றனர். இதில் பண்டிகைக் காலத்திற்காக சந்தா நடத்துபவர்கள், உறுப்பினர்களுக்கு இனிப்பு வழங்குவதற்காக தனியார் சிலரிடம் விலைகுறைவாக இனிப்பு ஆர்டர் கொடுக்கின்றனர். ஆர்டர் பிடிப்பவர்களும் தரமற்ற எண்ணெய் மூலம் இனிப்புகளை தயாரித்து வழங்கும் நிலை உள்ளது. தற்போது மழைகாலமாக உள்ளதால், தரமற்ற எண்ணெய்யால் தயாரிக்கப்படும் பலகாரங்களை உண்பதால் சுகாதாரக்கேடு ஏற்பட்டு நோய் பாதிப்பு ஏற்படுகிறது.
சுகாதாரத்துறை தீபாவளி பண்டிகைக்கு தயாரிக்கப்படும் திண்பண்டங்கள் மற்றும் அதனை தயாரிக்க பயன்படுத்தும் மூலப்பொருள்கள் குறித்து ஆய்வு செய்து சுகாதாரமற்ற பொருட்களை தடுக்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என பொதுமக்கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

குடோன்களில் அதிரடி ரெய்டு மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைப்பு ரூ.10 லட்சம் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல்

ஈரோடு, அக். 30:
ஈரோட்டில் நேற்று அனுமதியின்றி மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பு ஆலை செயல்பட்டு வந்தது கண்டு பிடிக்கப்பட்டு அந்த ஆலைக்கு சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டது. மேலும் இதே பகுதியில் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை குடோனையும் அதிகாரிகள் கண்டுபிடித்து 10 லட்ச ரூபாய் மதிப்பிலான புகையிலை பொருட்களை பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.
ஈரோடு கிருஷ்ணா தியேட்டர் இந்திராநகர் பகுதியில் அனுமதியின்றி ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ. முத்திரையிடாமல் மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரித்து விற்பதாகவும், இதே பகுதியில் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலைகளை பதுக்கி வைத்து மூட்டை, மூட்டையாக விற்பனை செய்வதாகவும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர்களுக்கு தகவல் கிடைத்துதது.
இதையடுத்து உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் கருணாநிதி தலைமையில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் முத்துகிருஷ்ணன், பூபாலன், முருகன் ஆகியோர் கொண்ட குழுவினர் அந்த பகுதியில் அதிரடி சோதனை மேற்கொண்டனர்.
அப்போது சுப்பிரமணியன் என்பவருக்கு சொந்தமான ஒரு மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பு கம்பெனியில் சோதனை மேற்கொண்டனர். அப்போது ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ. முத்திரையிடாமலும் அனுமதியின்றியும் மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரித்து விற்பனை செய்தது தெரிய வந்தது. இதையடுத்து அந்த ஆலைக்கு சீல் வைத்தனர்.பின்னர் இதே பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த லோகேஷ் என்பவருக்கு சொந்தமான குடோனில் அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர். அப்போது தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்களை ஹான்ஸ், குட்கா, பான்மசாலா போன்ற பொருட்களை பதுக்கி வைத்து விற்பனை செய்தது தெரிய வந்தது. இதையடுத்து அங்கிருந்து ரூ.10 லட்சம் மதிப்பிலான 23 மூட்டைகள் கொண்ட புகையிலை பொருட்களை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

Training of food safety officers concludes

JAMMU: The five days orientation programme for food safety officers notified by the State under the Provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA) concluded at Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM), Canal Road, Jammu in which 88 Food Safety Officers from different parts of the State participated.
The said programme was organised by Department of Drugs and Food Control Organisation in collaboration with FSSAI, Government of India. It is expected that by means of this programme the modern methods of food safety regulation would percolate to the grass root level enabling officials involved in the food safety work to upgrade their skills in tune with the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety, Lotika Khajuria said that this orientation programme will serve as a key component in coordinating strategies among participants i.e Food Safety Officers of the State to perform their legitimate duties as envisaged under FSSAI Act.
The vote of thanks was presented by Assistant Controller Food, J and K, Sanjeev Gupta, who was the Chief Coordinator.

Training with a stipend for rly food vendors

Kochi: How about getting Rs 200 a day to get some tips on cooking?  Faced with the recent barrage of food safety complaints, the railways are wooing vendors to attend its week-long training classes on safe food procedures by providing them stipend.

The classes being held at a three-star hotel in Kovalam since the past one month are open to vendors running railway stalls and pantry cars on a priority basis and for outside parties on availability basis.

“The response for the week-long classes is great as already over 200 vendors attended the programme. Recently, some food poisoning cases in running trains were reported. The training class is part of the vigorous action being taken to control such instances in the future,” a senior railway health official said.

The classes mainly deal with improving the quality of food served, the minimum personal hygiene and that to be followed in stalls and pantry cars besides the best practices to preserve food articles.
Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram division has sought permission of the Railway Board to start more awareness classes among the over 200 staff in 50 pantry cars in trains from the state.

“We plan to allocate more food stalls in the division but there won’t be any compromise in quality. Strict enforcement will be done to raise the standard of foods served as was there in olden days,” DRM Rajesh Agarwal said. 

Railways won't compromise on the quality of food: DRM

DRM Rajesh Agarwal at a seminar on ‘Food Safety and Nutrition’, at Ernakulam Junction Railway Station on Tuesday
Taking into account the insufficient number of vending outlets in the Thiruvananthapuram division, the Railways will set up more food stalls with immediate effect, Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Agarwal has said.
In order to make up for the lack of hygiene and proper standards of the vendors, the division has joined hands with the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Kovalam, to impart one-week training to the vendors who are appointed on contract basis. The initiative started by the Railways two months ago, has already handed over certificates to many vendors at a stipend of `200.
Rajesh Agarwal was inaugurating the seminar on ‘Food safety and Nutrition’ held at Kochi on Tuesday. He said that it was the first such initiative by the Southern Railway to impart an awareness seminar by joining the caterers, food handlers, licensees, vendors of stalls and health inspectors of the Railways. He said that the division would not be lenient on vendors who are slack on serving hygienic and quality food. “We won’t compromise on the orders by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSA) and will punish all those who are found violating the rules and regulations,” he said.
Joint Food Safety Commissioner of the Southern Railway Dr Anil Thomas said that the food safety wing formed by the Zonal Railways in 2012 have started dealing with cases related to inadequate food supply and low quality of the food served on trains and platforms.
So far, the Southern Railway has found 17 non-branded food items and six unsafe food products. A total of four cases have been prosecuted so far. The Railways had recently fined `3 lakh from the contractors, licensees, and vendors who sold unhealthy mango juice on a train, said Designated Officer of Southern Railway Mohan Razan.
According to Anil Thomas, three departments, including the commercial, mechanical and health wings are responsible for proper maintenance of the pantry cars and the quality of food.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager A Sundar emphasised on the need of the vendors to maintain cleanliness and hygienity while food is prepared.
“Gloves and headgear is mandatory while preparing as well as serving food. Menu details of the food products which are being sold on trains should be displayed,” he said.
He expressed dissatisfaction on the qualification of cooks and vendors who are assigned under contract.

Junk food near schools: HC dismisses eatery owners’ plea

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea filed by restaurant owners' associations against a Central advisory committee set up to look into the issue of sale of junk food in and around schools in the capital.
The committee was constituted on the order of the High Court, to assist the government in finalising guidelines to control junk food consumption and unhealthy eating habits among children.
The restaurants' associations had challenged the order stating that such a committee violated the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Dismissing the plea, the court of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog in its order said the purpose of the committee was to look at the dietary habits of children and it was not concerned with the standards of food preparation or food safety, which come under the FSS Act.

The court issued had orders to create the committee after the government had submitted draft guidelines on junk food as directed by the court in a PIL filed in 2010 by the NGO Uday Foundation. The NGO had filed the PIL seeking creation of a policy to regulate sale of junk food in and around schools.
"Concern in the writ petition is not with hazardous food or with a standard of food safety envisaged by the Act. The concern is with a dietary habit and promotion of what is popularly known as junk food amongst schoolchildren and, thus, it would be wrong on the part of the applicants to state that the committee constituted under Section 11 — the Central Advisory Committee — cannot be directed to render an opinion. Any committee could have been directed by us to render an opinion," the bench said.
The restaurants' owners' associations had also raised the objection that the court had overstepped its authority by creating a separate "category" of 'junk food' which was not prescribed anywhere in the FSS Act.
"Our decision does not carve out any exception to the definition of food under the Act. It only makes a reference to a specie food. Thus, if food is a genus, junk food would be specie thereof," the court clarified.
The Central government had submitted draft guidelines on sale of junk food before the High Court last month, following which the court had directed the government to create a central advisory committee to consult experts in public health, especially health of the children, the adolescent and the youth. The court has been monitoring the issue since 2010.

Panel on junk food in schools to stay

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Tuesday rejected objections by the food and beverages industry and refused to modify its earlier order constituting a panel to frame guidelines on sale of junk food in school canteens.
A division bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog highlighted that their September 4 order "brings out that the concern in the writ petition is not with hazardous food or with a standard of food safety envisaged by the Act" and refused to scrap the committee.
It pointed out the concern is with a dietary habit and promotion of what is popularly known as junk food among schoolchildren and thus it would be wrong on the part of the representatives of food and beverages industry to state that the "committee constituted under Section 11, i.e. the Central Advisory Committee, cannot be directed to render an opinion. Any committee could have been directed by us to render an opinion".
The representatives had sought review of the order on the ground that the high court had carved out a new term "junk food" as the Food Safety Act doesn't make any differentiation on this ground. However, HC brushed aside the objections, saying the PIL raises the issue of sale of what is popularly known as junk food in the canteens of the schools, resulting in not only child obesity but also in other critical disorders and diseases.
The PIL, filed by Uday Foundation, also highlighted that various states in USA have already banned junk food sale in schools until at least after lunch. Similarly it cites a decision in England where fast food takeaway joints near schools have been declared unlawful.
The bench also argued that its order notes that the Act does not contemplate regulation of what may be called a 'junk food' since junk food is referred in the context of an eating habit i.e. consumption of junk food becoming a dietary habit.

சுகாதாரமற்ற இறைச்சி விற்பனை நகராட்சி அதிகாரிகள் மெத்தனம்

ஆத்தூர்: ஆத்தூர், நரசிங்கபுரம் நகராட்சிக்குப்பட்ட கறிக்கடைகளில், சுகாதாரமற்ற முறையில், இறைச்சி விற்பனை செய்து வருகின்றனர்.
ஆத்தூர் மற்றும் நரசிங்கபுரம் நகராட்சி பகுதிகளில், 100க்கும் மேற்பட்ட கறிக்கடைகள் உள்ளன. நகராட்சி பகுதிக்குள் கறிக்கடை வைக்க, நகராட்சி நிர்வாகத்திடம் உரிய அனுமதி பெறவேண்டும்.
இறைச்சி வெட்டுதல் மற்றும் கையாளும் பணியில் ஈடுபடும் கடை உரிமையாளரும், உரிமம் பெற்றிருக்க வேண்டும். கறிக்கடையில் வெட்டப்படும் எலும்பு உள்ளிட்ட கழிவு பொருட்களை, மூடியுள்ள தொட்டியில் போட்டு வைக்கவேண்டும். ஆடு, மாடு மற்றும் கோழிகளை ரோட்டில் வெட்டக் கூடாது. நகராட்சிக்குட்பட்ட இறைச்சி கூடாரங்களில் தான் வெட்ட வேண்டும்.
ஆனால், நகராட்சி அனுமதி பெறாமல், சுகாதாரமற்ற முறøயில் பல இடங்களில், இறைச்சி விற்பனை செய்கின்றனர்.
ஆத்தூர் கிரைன்பஜாரில், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய் மதிப்பீட்டில் கட்டப்பட்ட ஆடு அடிக்கும் தொட்டி, திறக்கப்படாமல் மூடிக்கிடக்கிறது. இதனால், ஆடு, மாடு, கோழிகளை சாலைகளில் அறுப்பதால், சுகாதார சீர்கேடு ஏற்படுகிறது.
இது குறித்து, நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டிய நகராட்சி அதிகாரிகள் மற்றும் சுகாதார அலுவலர்கள் கண்டுகொள்வதில்லை.

Govt revokes ban on sale of loose edible oil

AURANGABAD: The state government on Monday issued a notification revoking ban on the sale of loose edible oil. The government said that the lack of infrastructure required for packing edible oil is not in place and it will take another year for doing so.
The ban had forced the oil industry to hike the prices as they had to spend money on packing edible oil.
Besides, people from the weaker sections of society were also forced to purchase oil packs of 500 grams as oil with smaller packing was not available.
In August 2011, the state government had imposed a ban on the sale of oil in loose form as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (prohibition and restriction on sales) Regulations, 2011. According to the regulation, no person was allowed to sell or expose for sale, distribute, offer for sale, dispatch or deliver to any person edible oil in loose form.
Following the directions, the Food and Drug Administration officials had started penalizing shop owners and firms between Rs 25,000 and Rs 1 lakh for violating the orders.
In its notification on Monday, a copy of which is with TOI, the government stated that the decision to revoke the ban has been taken in 'public interest'. It stated that the food business operators do not have the necessary infrastructure for packaging edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams. It also stated that the tin plates required for packing edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams capacity are not available in sufficient quantity. It will take at least a year for making available such provisions, the notification stated.
Highly placed sources at the secretariat said that since the ban came into place, the prices of edible oil kept on increasing as the manufacturers were charging packing cost on the final product, which directly percolated to the common man. Thereafter, the government was under constant pressure to take measures to control the rising prices.
After failing to do so, the government finally decided to revoke the ban, sources said.
The notification also states that most of the people in the state are farm workers and small and marginal farmers. Besides, many people in urban areas of the state reside in slums and are mostly labourers and workers, it stated.

Gutka seized, illegally run packaged water unit sealed

Illegal goods:Gutka products worth Rs. 10 lakh that were seized from shops at Indra Nagar in Erode on Tuesday.

Officials of Food Safety department confiscated Rs. 10 lakh worth pan masala, gutka, and Hans from shops, and sealed an illegally run packaged water unit, at Indra Nagar in the city on Tuesday evening.

G. Karunanidhi, District Officer for Food Safety and Drug Control, who led the operation, said the banned items were confiscated from shops in Laskhmi Narayanan street. They would be destroyed on Wednesday, the official said. Shops found indulging in surreptitious sale of these products would be dealt with severely, he said.The illegal functioning of the packaged water unit, was noticed during the course of the clampdown on the shops, Mr. Karunanidhi said.

The unit was issued a notice a month back for not having secured Indian Standards Institution (ISI) certification.The unit did not comply with the regulations of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi. Hence it had to be sealed, said the offical.

Safe food on the plate

For scores of students staying in hostels, bachelors and many families, the wayside “Thattukadas” have remained a favourite, despite the innumerable fashionable joints that have sprung up in various parts of the city.

Food served hot and tasty and affordable and safe — because it is prepared in limited quantities inside homes — has been the USP of these eateries. Despite occasional complaints, the small-time vendors have for long served a requirement for cheap and tasty dinners for night owls and film-goers.

With the Food Safety and Standards Act being strictly implemented in the State, food safety officials have managed to register a good number of these vendors as food business operators. “The food served by ‘Thattukadas’ is safer than what is served in many other eateries because no storage is involved. They serve food cooked on the spot and finish off whatever raw materials or food prepared for cooking that they bring with them every evening. The problem is not with their food but with the environs in which it is cooked and served,” Commissioner of Food Safety Biju Prabhakar says.

“Most of them set up shop near some waste dump or over open drains, because it is convenient for them to throw away waste water. Cooking in unhygienic environs is a violation of the Act. Another potential problem is with regard to the safety of the water they provide to customers, for drinking as well as for washing. There are also issues in the case of bigger wayside eateries, where the food handlers and those engaged to serve food often do not follow hygienic practices,” he says. Food safety officials have initiated awareness classes for “Thattukada” owners on food safety issues and how food should be handled safely. The vendors were brought together with the help of SEWA, and more such classes would be held.

Most of the small “Thattukadas” serve standard home-cooked fare while less than five per cent of these joints serve non-vegetarian fare. Eggs are an integral part of the fare offered by all, and one complaint which reached food safety officials was about the quality of the eggs.

One idea that Mr. Prabhakar has put forth is that safe zones be created for wayside vendors of food. The government can earmark areas where good lighting and safe water can be provided, where the vendors can set their carts and sell food. He suggests that Chala is one area, which can remarkably be turned around into a food street as in say, Bangkok, by evening, as most businesses here shut shop by the end of the day and the area is practically empty.

He has mooted that mobile fast food vendors be encouraged to be more hygienic and a stamp of approval be given to those units which follow the 30-point guidelines drawn up under the Food Safety Act.

500 kg of pan masala product seized

A team of officers from the Food Safety Authority (FSA) seized more than 500 kgs of a pan masala product, which is reported to contain magnesium carbonate, an inorganic salt and mono sodium glutamate (ajinamoto), sometimes used as a food additive.
Laboratory test
An FSA official said that 520 kgs of a brand of pan masala product was seized from a godown in Paathalam, west of Kalamassery and statutory samples sent to the Regional Analytical Laboratory for further tests. The godown in which the substance was stored has been sealed, the official said.

Enjoy sweets but watch out for adulteration

ALLAHABAD: If you have a sweet tooth, especially during Deepawali, better watch out. The juicy and sweet gulab jamun you love to enjoy may have boiled potatoes. Same could be true for delicious pista barfi too even though it may have the requisite green colour due to peas and not pista.
With the festive season round the corner, adulteration is at its peak as the consumption of sweets, spices, fruits and other eatables is on the rise. Various teams of food safety and drug administration department are conducting raids in various markets to check the menace.
However, in comparison to the magnitude of adulteration and high demand for sweets, their efforts seem to be miniscule. Their task is arduous as five festivals would be celebrated from November 1 (Dhanteras) to November 5 (Bhiaya Duj) and suppliers are well aware of the potential high demand in coming days.
"Sweets with fancy price tags can pose a health hazard if rampant adulteration and poor hygienic conditions prevailing in kitchens and workshops are any indication," said head department of MLN Medical College's gastroenterology department Prof Manisha Dwivedi. Since, adulteration was on the rise, one must be cautious while buying favourite sweet, she added. Soaring prices of ingredients complicate the problem as manufacturers use sub-standard oil along with banned toxic food colours and flavours, said the expert.
Similarly, Prof Jagdamba Singh of the department of Chemistry of Allahabad University said that bright pink, green and yellow sweets look attractive but these colours could be harmful. The sweet makers make excessive use of colours.
"Food grade colours like tartarazine, indigo carmine, fast green and sunset yellow are found in many food items. The situation can be alarming as against the prescribed norm of 100 parts per million (ppm), some of the colours have up to 200 ppm," said Prof Singh.
Chief of department of food safety and drug administration, Hari Mohan Srivastava, who is closely associated with raids on various vendors, be it khoya, paneer (cottage cheese), sweets, oil, spices or vegetables, said "It's better to go for light coloured sweets or more better if you simply go for sweets made of Besan (gram flour) and Chhena as there is less chance of these ingredients being adulterated. For Chhena it is easier to see the symptoms in terms of sweets being stale and moreover it is preserved in refrigerator. But refrain from paneer and sweets made from khoya. If you want to savour khoya sweets then try to purchase it from a reputed shop."
Regarding purity of khoya and paneer, the official said that any product made from milk had to be a bit sweet in taste. Adulteration of any kind would add tartness to the taste. Likewise, for testing purity of khoya, simply rub it on your palm. If it is pure, rubbing would leave your palm oily, he added.
"During sample collection, we have found either turmeric powder or refined oil in sweets. Fat content has been found to be less than prescribed limit in pure ghee sweets. Refined oil has no odour and can be used in place of ghee without detection," he added.
"Toxic colours are easily available and cheaper. Above all they make sweets look attractive. This entices consumers, especially children. However, they could be carcinogenic. Similarly, milk is commonly adulterated with water and may even be contaminated with urea, vanaspati and starch," he added.
"Leave alone adulteration in khoya or sweets made from it, spices too are being adulterated. Papaya seeds are mixed with black pepper, brick dust in chilli powder, synthetic colouring in dried red chillies, rice husk in jeera and garam masala, coloured chalk powder in turmeric powder and ordinary tree bark in Cinnamon. These are only some of the ways to adulterate spices," said another officer.
Unhygienic conditions in which sweets are produced to cater to Diwali demand is another health hazard. "While buying milk and milk products, consumers should ensure that the products are fresh with good flavours and texture," said Dr Manisha Dwivedi.
"Given the possibility of adulteration in sweets that I may be distributing in family, many of my friends have opted for dry fruits. Although they are a bit costlier but more nutritious," said Urmila Upadhayay.

600 kilos sweetmeats destroyed, 33 adulterated khoya samples seized

The teams constituted by the UT Administration to check adulteration in food items has destroyed 600 kg of sweetmeats and has seized 33 number of samples on suspicion of adulteration till now in Chandigarh.

Aimed at preventing food adulteration during this festive season, the UT Administration had initiated an intensive drive on October 14 to check adulteration in food items in Chandigarh. UT Home Secretary-cum-Commissioner Food Safety Anil Kumar on Tuesday in a meeting with designated food safety officers reviewed the ongoing drive against adulteration of sweetmeats in the city.

During the meeting, it was informed that about 600 kg of sweetmeats (Mithai) prepared under unhygienic conditions/exposed to dust and flies were destroyed and 33 number of samples were seized on the basis of suspicion of adulteration of khoya/khoya products in Chandigarh. UT Commissioner Food Safety Anil Kumar called upon the manufacturers to prepare the sweetmeats under most hygienic conditions and to maintain all standards of Food Safety, failing which they will be liable for action under Food Safety and Standards Act.

As spurious khoya and desi ghee are supplied to the market during festive season, the Administration is making efforts to ensure that unadulterated eatable items reach the city markets. The Administration has already issued warning to shopkeepers and vendors to refrain from such activities. If any shopkeeper or vendor is found selling adulterated food, strict action will be taken against them under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and under Section 2 of  the epidemic diseases Act  1897 (Central Act No.III of 1897).

Eliminating poison

October 29, 2013,

The high levels of pesticide and insecticide residues in food articles are a serious public health hazard in the country. Many food items being sold in the market are also known to contain unacceptable levels of veterinary and anti-biotic drugs which contaminate food items at the time of production of crops or later.
 This is different from the deliberate adulteration of food items and is more difficult to control. The Supreme Court has told the Central and state governments and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to conduct periodic checks of fruit and vegetable markets and monitor the contents of soft drinks. Harmful substances are present in many of these items of common consumption. The order was in response to a public interest litigation which sought better regulatory control over chemical content in  them. The court has held that the availability of safe food is part of the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution and so the authorities had the responsibility to ensure the supply of uncontaminated food.
India is among the largest users of pesticides in Asia. The levels of use are much higher in the Green Revolution states than in others.  Many pesticides which are banned in other countries and are notified as harmful by the World Health Organisation are freely used in the country. Even those which are prohibited by the government are used. When they enter the food chain they create many health problems and disorders. The serious consequences of the use of endosulfan are well-known as they have been studied and recorded. The application of pesticides and insecticides keeps increasing also because more and more quantities  have to be used when pests and insects develop resistance  to them. They also upset the balance of life in nature by eliminating some species of insects.

Farmers have to be made aware of the harmful effects of using chemicals-based pesticides. Organic farming has not taken off in the country and its products are very costly also. Studies should be made of alternatives to chemical pesticides and they should be made available. The authorities should also ensure that the laws which are meant to avoid contamination of food articles with pesticides are implemented effectively. The government told the court that the Food Safety and Standards Act has provided a regulatory regime to take care of all fears in this respect. But its claim is hard to accept.

Supreme Court turns down plea to ban PET bottles, packaging

Environmentalists say fresh studies suggest they may be harmful to health

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal against the decision of the Madhya Pradesh High Court which had dismissed a public interest petition seeking ban on PET (thermoplastic polymer, polyethylene terephthalate) in packaging food, drugs and beverages.

The petition was filed by Prani Mitra Samiti (Pramisha), a non-governmental organization (NGO). While dismissing the special leave petition, the apex court upheld the high court verdict, which based its order on the fact that under the Food Safety Act, PET packaging had been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) 26 years ago.

Environmentalists say scientific studies by independent groups show chemical elements in PET bottles react with chemical components in drugs and cause leaching in different temperature conditions. These companies might have BIS clearances, but the government should reconsider use of PET bottles in the light of fresh studies, they say.

Public interest petitions were filed in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, saying PET polluted beverages and caused environmental hazard; several courts have rejected petitions on the subject. NGO’s approached the health ministry for a ban on PET packaging for medicines, saying leaching can have a carcinogenic impact.

Health ministry sets up expert committee

The health ministry set up an expert committee to look into the matter after two Dehradun-based NGOs intensified protests against PET bottles and demanded complete ban on its usage. Coloured and uncoloured PET bottles are used as primary packaging material in pharmaceutical liquid orals, suspensions and dry syrups. The expert committee has submitted its observations to the Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB) and it is scheduled to be discussed in next meeting.

The bench of Chief Justice P Sadashivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi rejected the plea outright last Friday. The bench observed that the petitioner should have presented scientific studies or details in his plea against PET packaging. The bench then asked the petitioner's advocate Gautam Awasthi to read the Madhya Pradesh High Court order in detail before dismissing the case.

The high court judgement stated that PET bottles have already been certified by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and there is no specific study by any recognised institution to show otherwise that such packaging is hazardous to the health of consumers or the environment. Further, the high court order took cognisance of the pollution control board's response that PET bottles are recyclable and are not harmful to human beings.

Mithaiwallas hit as HC refuses to stay ban

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday refused to stay a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) circular banning the use of edible silver leaves (varq) for sweetmeats, in a setback for mithaiwallas.
A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel heard a petition by Shree Mumbai Misthan Vyavasai Sahakari Mandal Ltd challenging the October 24 circular to regulate the sale of mithai during Diwali, particularly the use of the edible foil.
Advocate Anjali Purav argued that the BMC could not have issued the circular when the sale of food was controlled by the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA). She said the BMC was usurping the competent authority's power under the act. "If I am not able to sell these sweets, who is responsible for the loss?'' Purav asked. She said crores worth of business would be lost and lakhs of employees would suffer, affecting their fundamental right to carry out trade and business. She said that the circular favoured those against Indian sweets and would impact Diwali sales.
BMC advocates Suresh Pakle and Trupti Puranik submitted that the civic body, by exercising its powers under BMC Act, "had power to issue the circular in public interest and no defect and deformity could be attributed to it".
The judges said the issue whether provision of the BMC Act would prevail over the FSSA required consideration and admitted the petition. They said they could not grant interim relief to the petitioner as prima facie BMC has the power to act and safeguard public health through the sale of food articles through shops it issued licences to.
They said the authority which granted licences had powers to ensure conditions are complied with, and if there was a breach to ensure consequences are visited. They also said the fundamental right to carry out trade and business was subject to reasonable restrictions.

HC refuses to stay circular banning silver leaf on sweets

Ahead of Diwali festival, the Bombay High Court today refused to stay a municipal circular banning silver foil coating on sweets.
Mishtann Vyavasai Sahakari Mandal, an association of sweets sellers, had sought a stay on the October 24 circular issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) banning use of silver leaf on sweets.
Refusing to grant interim relief, Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel said, "BMC issues licence with certain conditions and has the powers to check. If the civic body finds that the conditions are being violated then it has all the powers to stop it in larger public interest."
BMC counsel Suresh Pakale and Trupti Puranik argued that the civic body had not imposed a blanket ban on the use of silver foil coating on sweets. There is a regulation on use of silver leaf for health purpose, they told the court.
"There are traders who use material other than silver. This is harmful to public health," said Pakale.
Anjali Yajurvedi, advocate for the petitioner, claimed that the circular was issued just before the Diwali festival to create panic among the general public. Even earlier, the BMC had issued such a circular with regard to 'mawa' (sweet).
Opposing the circular, the petitioner claimed that such "last minute" circulars cause losses to the traders as they have already accepted orders from customers before the Diwali festival. The customers would not then want to buy the sweets which would cause them heavy losses, it claimed.
The petitioner further alleged the order was a ploy to stop the sale of Indian sweets.
The petitioner also claimed the civic body had no powers to regulate the sale of sweets. As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the BMC health officials do not have the power to conduct inspection, the petitioner contended.
The high court said it would deal with all the aspects of the petition during next hearing after Diwali vacation. Meanwhile, interim relief to stay the circular was refused.

KAALAI KATHIR NEWS