FSSAI’s new regulation may benifit Indian wineries

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in its new regulation, has made it mandatory for imported foods and alcoholic beverages to list ingredients on the label in Devanagari or English. But since, India remains a small market for these international wine producers, they may not be keen on listing out the ingredients exclusively for the market.
This, however, could mean more business for domestic wineries since they will become the biggest beneficiaries in the absence of international players.
Shivajirao Aher, president, All India Wine Producers Association, explained that labeling requirements have hit importers hard and led to a gap in the market, some of which is being filled by domestic winemakers.
Several importers supply wines to hotel chains and would not like to lose an important customer, so they are aiming to fill this gap from other sources.
A number of local wine producers have already started to feel the affect of the new regulations. For instance, Aher’s winery Renaissance Wines that normally sells 2,000-3,000 cases, has received orders for 10,000 cases, something unheard of in the past.
International winemakers have already been suffering because of massive tax rates in India which has stunted their expansion plans in the country.
“The current duty situation is a limiting factor, and I don’t think it’s going to change any time soon,” says Jeffery Davies who runs Signature Selections.
The new regulations issued by FSSAI may add to the woes of these winemakers and is likely to trigger wholesale change in this section.

Now, rating system that tells you which junk food is the least bad

Washington, Oct 28 (ANI): An environmental organization in America has developed a new database that breaks down which foods are good and not so good.
The Environmental Working Group's database scores more than 80,000 grocery items, based on nutrition, safety of ingredients, food additives and the amount of processing, Fox News reported.
The organization said that their idea is to get shoppers to make "healthier, greener and cleaner food choices" helped also by a free app -to be released soon-that offers information with the scan of a smartphone.
The products are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being the best) and how well they perform in three categories: nutrition, processing, and "ingredients of concern." Nutrition makes up about 70 percent of the score, ingredients about 20 percent, and the amount of processing is 10 percent.
Ken Cook, EWG's president and cofounder, said that things that get bad scores are breakfast cereal, frozen pizza and even some meats. More positive scores were given to foods higher in protein, fiber, omega-3s, and minimal processing-foods "closer to what you might find in your kitchen than what you might find in a chemical plant.

கலப்பட தேயிலையில் டீ கலெக்டரிடம் புகார் மனு

கோவை, அக். 28:
கோவை கலெக்டர் அலுவலகத்தில் நேற்று நடந்த மக்கள் குறை தீர்க்கும் முகாமில் சமூக விழிப்புணர்வு இயக்கத்தின் நிறுவனர் சாக்ரடீஸ் மனு அளித்தார். இதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளதாவது:
கோவை மாநகரின் பல பகுதிகளில் உள்ள டீகடைகளில் பயன்படுத்தப்படும் தேயிலை தூள் மற்றும் காப்பித்தூள்களில் கலப்படம் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. மேலும் பல கடைகளில் காலாவதியான குளிர் பானங்கள், குடி நீர் விற்பனை செய்யப்பட்டு வருகின்றது. இவை தவிர பிளாஸ்டிக் கப்புகளும் விற்பனை செய்யப்பட்டு வருகின்றது. ஆனால் இது குறித்து மாநகராட்சி சார்பில் எந்த வித நடவடிக்கையும் எடுக்க வில்லை. எனவே அதிகாரிகள் விழிப்புடன் செயல்பட்டு பிளாஸ்டிக் மற்றும் கலப்படங்களை தடுக்க உரிய நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ள கலெக்டர் உத்தரவிட வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அந்த மனுவில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தண்ணீர் ரகசியம் எதைக் குடிப்பது.. எதைத் தவிர்ப்பது?

மூச்சிரைக்க விளையாடிவிட்டு, வரும் வழியில் கிணற்றிலோ, தெருக்குழாயிலோ தண்ணீர் குடித்த காலம் இன்று இல்லை. இன்று நாம் குடிக்கும் தண்ணீரில் இருந்து உண்ணும் உணவு வரை அனைத்துமே ரசாயனக் கலப்பாகிவிட்டது. வீட்டில் காய்ச்சி ஆறிய தண்ணீரைக் குடித்துவிட்டு வேறு இடங்களுக்கோ, விசேஷங்களுக்கோ செல்லும்போது அங்குள்ள தண்ணீரைக் குடித்தால், அடுத்த நாளே சளிபிடித்துவிடுகிறது. மினரல் வாட்டர் என்று பாட்டில்களில், கேன்களில் கிடைக்கும் தண்ணீரைக்  குடித்துப் பழகிவிட்டோம். உண்மையில் அதில் ஊட்டச் சத்துக்கள் உள்ளனவா, சுத்தப்படுத்துகிறோம் என்ற பெயரில் தண்ணீரில் உள்ள சத்துக்கள் நீக்கப்பட்டு வெறும் சக்கையான நீரைத்தான் பருகுகிறோமா என்று பல்வேறு சந்தேகங்கள் எழுகின்றன. நீரின் தன்மை பற்றி  சென்னையைச் சேர்ந்த பொது மருத்துவர் எழிலனிடம் கேட்டோம். 'நம் உடலில் 50 முதல் 60 சதவிகிதம் வரை நீர்தான். ஒரு மனிதனுக்கு சராசரியாகத் தேவைப்படும் தண்ணீரின் அளவு என்பது அவனுடைய உடல், வாழும் இடத்தின் சுற்றுச்சூழல், வேலை ஆகியவற்றைப் பொறுத்து வேறுபடும். ஒருவருடைய உடல் எடையை வைத்து, அவருக்குத் தேவைப்படும் தண்ணீரின் அளவைக் கணக்கிடலாம்.    அந்தக் காலத்தில் இயற்கையிலேயே மூலிகைகள் கலந்த, சூரிய ஒளிபட்ட, கிருமிகளை மீன் தின்று சுத்தம் செய்த நீரைத்தான் குடித்து வந்தோம். அப்படிப்பட்ட சுத்தமான தண்ணீர், இன்று மனிதர்களால் மாசுபட்டுள்ளது.   நம் நாட்டில், சுத்தமான குடிநீர் என்பது வெறும் 33 சதவிகிதம் மட்டுமே. இதனால்தான் கிருமியால் ஏற்படும் இறப்பு விகிதம் அதிகரித்திருக்கிறது'' என்றார் டாக்டர் எழிலன். நாம் பருகும் நீர் எப்படி சுத்திகரிக்கப்படுகிறது என்பது பற்றி அக்வா டெக் சிஸ்டம் நிறுவனத்தின் நிர்வாக இயக்குனர் மூர்த்தியிடம் கேட்டோம்... 'வீட்டில் பொருத்தப்படும் வாட்டர் பியூரிஃபையரிலும், தண்ணீர் கேன் நிரப்பும் தொழிற் கூடங்களிலும் கிட்டத்தட்ட ஒரே மாதிரியான தொழில்நுட்பம்தான் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது.  முதலில் கேண்டில் பில்டர் என்று சொல்லப்படும் தொழில்நுட்ப முறையில், இயற்கை மாசு வெளியேற்றப்பட்டு தண்ணீர் சுத்திகரிக்கப்படுகிறது. எதிர்சவ்வூடு பரவல் தொழில் நுட்பத்தின்படி மைக்ரான் அளவிலான சவ்வு வழியாக சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட நீர் செலுத்தப்படுகிறது. அதையடுத்து கார்பன் ஃபில்டர் செய்யப்படுகிறது. பின்னர் ஒரு மைக்ரான் சவ்வு வழியாகவும், அதனையடுத்து 0.0001 மைக்ரான் அளவிலான சவ்வு வழியாகவும் அனுப்பப்பட்டு, தண்ணீரில் இருக்கும் மாசுக்கள் அகற்றப்படுகின்றன. இப்படிக் கிடைக்கும் தண்ணீர் மிகவும் சுத்தமானது. வீட்டில் பயன்படுத்தும் சில சுத்திகரிப்பான்களிலும், தொழிற்கூடங்களிலும் அல்ட்ராவயலட் கதிர்களால் சுத்திகரிப்பு செய்யப்படுகிறது. இதன் மூலம் கிருமிகள் முற்றிலுமாக அழிக்கப்படுகின்றன. இந்த முறையில் இருந்து பெறப்படும் நீரின் பாதுகாப்பு மேலும் உறுதிப்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. கேன் நிறுவனங்களில் தண்ணீர் சுத்திகரிக்கப்படும் முறை இந்தியத் தர நிர்ணய விதிகளை, சில  நிறுவனங்கள் முறையாகக் கடைப்பிடிக்கின்றன. ஆனால், சில நிறுவனங்கள், தரமற்ற கேன்களை உபயோகப்படுத்துவதும் நடக்கிறது. சுத்திகரித்த தண்ணீர் சுகாதாரமற்ற கேன்களில் சேரும்போது, மீண்டும் தண்ணீரின் தரம் கெட்டுவிடுகிறது. மினரல் வாட்டர் என்றால் என்ன? காசு கொடுத்து வாங்கும் பாட்டில்களில் உள்ள தண்ணீர்தான் மினரல் வாட்டர் என்று நினைக்கிறோம். ஆனால், அது உண்மை  இல்லை. நாம் வாங்கும் பாட்டில்களில் இருக்கும் தண்ணீர்  'சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்டுப் பாதுகாக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர்’ (packaged Drinking water) அவ்வளவு தான்.  மினரல் வாட்டர் என்பது கனிமங்கள் சரியான அளவில் கலக்கப்பட்ட சத்தான குடிநீர். ஒரு லிட்டர் தண்ணீரைத் தயாரிக்கவே 100 ரூபாய்க்கும் அதிகமாக செலவாகும்' என்றார். 'தண்ணீரைச் சுத்தம் செய்ய, பல நவீன வசதிகள் வந்து விட்டாலும், அந்தக் காலத்தில் நம் முன்னோர்கள் தண்ணீரைத் தூய்மைப்படுத்தப் பயன்படுத்திய முறைகள், அவற்றுக்கு எந்த விதத்திலும் குறைந்தவை அல்ல' என்கிறார்  சித்த மருத்துவர் திருநாராயணன். மேலும் அவர் கூறுகையில் 'தண்ணீரின் கடினத்தன்மையை மாற்றுவதற்கு, அந்தக் காலத்தில் நெல்லிமரக் கட்டையையும் தேற்றாங் கொட்டையையும் (தேத்தா விதை) பயன்படுத்தினார்கள். அதில் இருக்கும் பாலிபீனால் என்னும் பொருள், தண்ணீரில் இருக்கும் தாதுக்களை மென்மையாக்குவதால், நீரின் கடினத்தன்மை குறைந்துவிடுகிறது.முன்பெல்லாம் வீட்டுக் கொல்லையில் இருக்கும் கிணற்றில், நெல்லிமரக் கட்டையைப் போட்டுவைப்பது வழக்கம். அல்லது, தேற்றாங் கொட்டைகளைப் பொடித்து, ஒரு துணியில் கட்டி இறக்கிவிடுவார்கள். 15 நாட்களுக்கு ஒரு முறை மாற்றுவார்கள். கிணற்றில் மட்டுமல்ல, பானையில் கூட தேத்தா விதைகளைப் பொடித்து, துணியில் கட்டிப் போட்டுவைக்கலாம்.இப்போதும் நம் வீடுகளில் வரும் நீர் கடின நீராக இருந்தால், சம்ப் மற்றும் மேல்நிலைத் தண்ணீர் தொட்டிகளில் நெல்லிக் கட்டை அல்லது தேத்தாங் கொட்டையைப் போட்டுவைக்கலாம். நல்ல பலன் கிடைக்கும்.  நீரைக் குடிக்கும் முறை மோர் பெருக்கி, நீர் சுருக்கி, நெய் உருக்கி உண்பவர்தம் பேர் சொல்லப்போகுமே பிணி’ என்பது தேரையர் பாடல். நீர் சுருக்கி’ என்பது நீரைக் காய்ச்சி (அதாவது வற்ற வைத்து) குடிக்க வேண்டும் என்பதைத்தான் குறிக்கிறது. எனவே, காய்ச்சிய தண்ணீரைக் குடிக்கும் பழக்கமும் பாரம்பரியமாக   இருந்துவந்ததுதான். அதிலும், செம்புப் பாத்திரத்தில் காய்ச்சிக் குடித்தால், உடலில் இருக்கும் நிறமிகள் மற்றும் சருமத்துக்கு மிகவும் நல்லது. தண்ணீர் சில மருத்துவப் பலன்கள்   மருதம்பட்டையை, வெதுவெதுப்பான தண்ணீரில் இரவு முழுவதும் ஊறவைத்திருந்து, காலையில் அருந்தினால், இதயம் பலப்படும். ரத்தம் உறையாமைப் பிரச்னையைத் தடுக்கும் நல்ல மருந்து இது.   சுத்தமான சந்தனத்தை உரைத்து, அதை மிளகு அளவு எடுத்து, 60 மி.லி. தண்ணீரில் கரைத்துக் குடித்தால், சிறுநீர் கழிக்கும் போது ஏற்படும் எரிச்சல் தீரும்.   பெருஞ்சீரகம் சிறிதளவு எடுத்து, கொதிக்கும் தண்ணீரில் போட்டு வைத்திருந்து, மறுநாள் முழுக்கக் குடிப்பதற்கு அந்த நீரையே பயன்படுத்தி வந்தால், போதைப் பொருட்கள் மேல் வெறுப்பை ஏற்படுத்தும். மேலும், செரிமானத்தையும் சீராக்கும்.   ஓமம் ஊறவைத்த தண்ணீரை, குழந்தைகளுக்குக் கொடுத்தால், செரிமானக் கோளாறுகள் நீங்கும். வயிற்றுப்போக்கு இருந்தாலும் கட்டுப்படுத்தும். நம் வீடுகளில் முன்பெல்லாம் 'ஓமவாட்டர்’ கண்டிப்பாக இருக்கும். பெரியவர்களுக்கும் குழந்தைகளுக்கும் வயிற்றுப் பிரச்னைகள் ஏற்பட்டால், நல்ல மருந்து அது.   நாட்டுமருந்துக் கடையில் கிடைக்கும் சதகுப்பையை, கொதிக்கும் தண்ணீரில் ஊறவைத்து, மறுநாள் அருந்தினால் செரிமானத்தைச் சீராக்குவதுடன், வயிற்றை இழுத்துப் பிடித்து வலிப்பதற்கும் நல்ல மருந்தாகும். அந்தக் காலத்தில் குழந்தைகளுக்குக் கொடுக்கப்படும் 'கிரைப் வாட்டர்’ போன்று செயல்படும்.   கொதிக்கும் தண்ணீரில் புதினா இலையைப் போட்டு வைத்திருந்து, அந்தத் தண்ணீரில் வாய் கொப்பளித்தால், வாய் துர்நாற்றம் நீங்குவதுடன், கிருமிகள் வராமல் தடுக்கும். வீட்டிலேயே செய்துகொள்ளக் கூடிய மவுத்வாஷ் இது.   வில்வ நீர், துளசி நீர் இரண்டுமே நோய் எதிர்ப்புச் சக்தியை அதிகப்படுத்த உதவும். காய்ச்சிய தண்ணீர் தண்ணீரைக் காய்ச்சிக் குடியுங்கள்’ என்கிறார்கள். தண்ணீரைக் கொதிக்க வைக்கும்போது, 99.9 சதவிகிதம் பாக்டீரியா, வைரஸ் போன்ற கிருமிகள் அழிகின்றன. ஆனால், பலருக்கு முறையான கொதிக்கவைத்தல்’ பற்றிச் சரியான புரிதலோ வழிகாட்டுதலோ இல்லை. தண்ணீரை அடுப்பில் வைத்து, லேசாகச் சூடு வந்ததுமே அடுப்பை அணைத்துவிடுகின்றனர். நீரை நன்றாகக் கொதிக்கவைத்து, குமிழ்கள் வரும்போது, அந்தக் கொதிநிலையிலேயே 10 நிமிடங்கள்் இருக்கவேண்டும். இந்த நீரை ஆறவைத்து, வடிகட்டி அன்றே குடித்துவிட வேண்டும். முதல் நாள் காய்ச்சிய நீரை மறுநாள் பருகுவதால், எந்த நன்மையும் இல்லை. மேலும், பானையில் வைத்திருக்கும் நீராக இருந்து, ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் கையை விட்டு்த் தண்ணீரை எடுக்கும்போது, நம் கை மூலம் சில கிருமிகளை உள்ளேவிடுகிறோம். எனவே, தண்ணீரை முகந்து குடிக்காமல், ஊற்றிக் குடிப்பதுதான் நல்லது' என்கிறார்  டாக்டர் எழிலன்.

Indian moms buy milk, juices without looking at labels

New survey reveals mothers check for taste before expiry dates and are unaware of real health risks of contamination.
Is that juice too sweet or not enough? That's a question Indian mothers may ask. But is it safe to drink? They wouldn't be sure, since few are poring over the labels.
The fact that moms are not reading the fine print is just one of the findings uncovered by Conversations with Mothers, a survey conducted by Research Pacific India for Tetra Pak to understand concerns and perceptions regarding food and beverages, specifically milk and fruit juices.
Over 845 mothers aged 25-40 across eight Indian cities were interviewed face-to-face across September to October, many of whom revealed inadequate knowledge about the safety and nutrition quotient of beverages they consumed.
While mothers said their top three concerns were freshness, purity (no adulteration) and naturalness, the survey reveals that they voted taste as the main driver for purchasing a beverage (65%). Freshness (64%) and health (59%) were close second and third, while only 32% said the expiry date was a priority .



When questioned about what they did to ensure the beverages they purchased posed minimal health risks, a majority said they only checked the expiry dates on the pack (68%). Just 9% inspected the pack to ensure it wasn't swollendirty. (Rotting drinks emit gas that fill the vacuum inside the pack and make it swell.) Though one in three mothers admitted to being unsure about the quality and safety of the beverages bought, only 38% read nutritional information or checked ingredients.
Dietician Dr Shweta Rastogi is of the opinion that most urban Indians don't pay much attention to food safety."Most people are price-driven or influenced by health claims of the product. I've heard both patients and laymen say they don't have the time or any interest in reading labels, they don't understand the terms, can't see the fine print and even doubt accuracy of information," says Rastogi, who consults with SNDT University and Guru Nanak hospital in Mumbai.
The mothers surveyed were also not aware of the health risks posed by unhygienic, spoilt, contaminated or adulterated drink items, citing food poisoning, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever as the only common fallouts. Less than 20% mothers in the higher income segment mentioned serious illnesses like jaundice, cholera or typhoid.
All the mothers interviewed boiled their milk for 4 to 6 minutes, mostly to kill germs. Even those using Ultra Heat Treated or UHT milk, which is sold in Tetra Pak packs, did the same (UHT is a treatment to kill germs).None of these mothers were aware that UHT milk does not need to be boiled. They also didn't know that boiling milk reduces its nutrition level (only 15% were aware)."Boiling milk reduces microbiological contamination but also lowers its vitamins B1, B12, calcium and phosphorus levels," Rastogi explains.
Comparatively, their knowledge of risks and benefits associated with fruit juices is up to date, with 55% choosing packaged juice over loose because although the latter is more nutritious, it is less hygienic than the former.
While packaged beverages score on purity of product, Rastogi pointed out that expense may be a factor for some consumers. The multiple layer packaging may prevent adulteration of the product, but also makes it costlier. (A litre of Mother Dairy full-cream packet milk costs Rs 44; UHT toned milk sold in a Tetra Pak is Rs 65.)

Govt ‘disempowers’ SMC, JMC health officers

Srinagar, October 26
The state government has de-notified the health officers of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) as designated officers for the food safety.
As per government order, Assistant Controllers Food Kashmir and Jammu have been given the charge of food safety as designated officers in their respective municipal areas.
The amendment was done following a proposal submitted in June 2014 in which it was unanimously resolved that Drug and Food Control Organization would supervise the monitoring and market checking of food installations and manufacturing units for any violation.
According to official sources the health officers of SMC and JMC will no more handle the affairs related to food safety including market checking as the charge has been taken away from them.
This order was issued after a high-level review meeting chaired by the Minister for Health and Medical Education Taj Mohi-ud-Din in June along with the officers of Health Department and Drug and Food Control Organization.
The order came four months after the Jammu and Kashmir government shunted the whistle-blower health officer after he exposed the use of hazardous and cancer-inducing ingredients by Valley-based corporate giants Khyber and Kanwal.
Officials said the overhaul was done ‘to unify the department and have the single control.’
“No doubt this decision will unify the Drug and Food Control Organization (D&FCO). However, the charge shouldn’t have been given to Assistant Controller Food. This will make the monitoring of food safety lenient as the officers are over burdened with their other work,” a senior officer in the D&FCO told Rising Kashmir.

Administrative affairs: Punjab Food Authority’s role curtailed

The government has barred the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) from checking the quality of wheat stored at flour mills and issuing them licences, a Food Department official said on Friday.
The government had established the PFA in 2012 under the Punjab Food Authority Act 2011.
It was tasked with ensuring food safety and quality in collaboration with manufacturers, food business operators and consumers.
The authority’s functions include formulation and enforcement of food safety and quality standards, registration and licensing of food manufactures and outlets and laboratory accreditation of eatable items. Its operational jurisdiction was initially limited to Lahore. It was later extended to Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Multan divisions.
The PFA had recruited a food safety officer to inspect wheat quality and cleanliness arrangements at flour mills under Section 2 of the Act.
The officer asked the management of flour mills to get fresh licences from the authority under Clause 15(2) of the Act failing which their factories would be sealed.
Several flour mills’ owners raised the issue with the Food Department. The department then sent a summary to the chief minister recommending that powers to check quality control of wheat products be given to the Punjab Food Directorate.
It also recommended that flour mills be exempted from getting fresh licences. The food grain licence is issued by the district food controller under the Food Control Licensing Order, 1957.
The Food Department said issuance of licences by the PFA would result in duplicity creating administrative problems.
In the first week of February, the chief minister constituted a four-member to resolve the issue. Its members included the food minister, the agriculture minister, the food secretary and Zafar Iqbal Qureshi.
The committee held several meetings with the flour mills’ association.
It concluded that any duplication in the regulatory mechanism of flour mills might affect the supply of flour.
It called for restricting the PFA’s powers saying that the food directorate dealt with issues related to wheat quota, stock management wheat flour prices.
“Acting on the recommendations, the chief minister curtailed the PFA’s domain, although the authority had been established under an act passed by the assembly,” the official said requesting anonymity.
“A majority in the House can amend the Act… the chief minister cannot do so on a summary of an administrative department,” a senior officer from the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department said on condition of anonymity.
Food Secretary Muhammad Aslam Kamboh said the PFA’s powers had been restricted to avoid duplicity of functions.
“It has been done on a temporary basis. The PFA will again be able to check wheat quality and issue licenses when its start functioning across the province,” the secretary told.

Govt allows field trials for GM mustard, brinjal

The environment ministry has allowed field trials of two varieties of genetically modified (GM) brinjal and mustard, almost 18 months after the previous government ordered a freeze on such tests.
In a reply to an RTI query early October, the ministry said on August 21, it permitted the Delhi University to hold trials for a mustard variety and Maharashtra-based Bejo Seeds Pvt Ltd to test Bt brinjal.
The decision does away with the uncertainty surrounding the biotech sector. Environment minister Prakash Javadekar had been saying the government had not taken a decision on field trials while maintaining “science cannot be stopped”.
There is a huge debate surrounding GM crops that are strongly resisted by organisations that question their safety and cite concerns that the country’s food security could be compromised due to monopolising farm biotech MNCs. The Supreme Court is hearing a public interest litigation that has sought a ban on open field trials.
The ministry’s nod came after the country’s biotech regulator, the genetic engineering appraisal committee (GEAC), approved trials of more than 30 varieties in two batches this year.
The go-ahead, a ministry official said, was an indication of the positive outlook of the Modi government towards the use of “science” to boost agriculture production.
The process of field trials, a necessary step to evaluate a GM technology’s efficacy and safety before commercial approval, had nearly come to a halt during the previous UPA regime.
The DU’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, headed by former vice-chancellor Deepak Pental, got the permission to conduct trials for a new variety of GM mustard two years after filing an application with GEAC, the ministry said.
Nod for Bejo Seeds came after a year. Former environment minister Jairam Ramesh had imposed a moratorium on commercial release of Bt brinjal in 2010.
“Either the minister is being misled by the bureaucrats, or the public is being misled by the minister. For gains of few companies, people and farmers are being blindfolded. Mr Javadekar should come out in public and end this double-talk,” said Manvendra Singh, a Greenpeace campaigner who filed the RTI plea.
The UPA government’s decision to freeze trials was wrong as these were conducted in labs and that, too, after state governments’ permission, the official said. “The Supreme Court had never asked the government to impose the moratorium,” the official said.
Several states such as Haryana, Maharashtra and Punjab have asked agriculture universities to ensure that the GEAC safety conditions for field trials were complied with, the reply said.
GM crops are those in which genetic material is altered to provide some perceived advantage either to the producer or consumer, such as pest resistance or better nutrition.

Tobacco traders fined

Imphal, October 22 2014: In a significant verdict against the selling of contraband articles injurious to health, the Adjudicating Officer (Food safety)/ADM, Imphal West Dr.Nivedita Lairelakpam awarded a penalty of fine amounting to Rs.1,05,000 (rupees one lakh five thousand) to seven persons from whom contraband chewable tobacco products were seized by a team of Imphal city police and Food Safety Officer Imphal west.
The seven persons, who have been accused of violating the provisions of section 58 of Food Safety and Standards Act. 2006, are Md. Sameer, son of Md. Yaima of Lilong makha Leikai; Aslam Khan son of Amu Khan of Kshetrigao Awang Leikai; Jaku Rai son of Ramghorosh Rai of Masjid Paona bazaar; Krishna Kumar son of Kedar Shah of Dewlaland; Ramesh Kumar@ Rakesh Kumar son of Netlal Prasad from Kakhulong Basti; Geet Sharma @ Sarma Nand Gupta son of Hansian Goh of Mantriprukhri, and Santosh Gupta son of Sheyaram Sha from Masjid Road paona Bazar.
In another ruling of the same nature, six persons namely Bindeshwar Prashad son of Jaganath Prasad of Masjid Road Imphal; Mukesh Kumar Shah son of (L) Jokhilal Saha of Paona bazaar; Suraj Kumar son of (L) Dindayal Prasad from Masjid Road; Rahul Kumar son of Jugal Shah of Kakhulong Basti; Prem kumar son of Srikant Sharma of Thangal bazaar and Prakash Gupta son of Om Prakash gupta from masjid Road Paona Bazar were also imposed a penalty amounting to Rs.30,000/- under the same act.
The court order issued today also instructed three other accused persons who failed to turn up for trial to deposit a fine of Rs.15,000 within seven days.
All the accused were instructed to deposit their penalty amounts to the relevant accounts of the Health department within seven days of the ruling.
It may be mentioned that there is complete ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation distribution, display, sale and purchase of Gutkha, Khaini, Zarda, Pan Mashala and other chewable smokerless tobacco products.

Beverages of Hindustan Coca Cola found sub-standard, operation may be banned Rs 17 lakh fine imposed on company, 6 distributors

JAMMU, Oct 22: Noticing that multi-national company M/s Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd is playing with the health of people by using “sub standard” carbonated water in the beverages, the Additional District Magistrate, Kathua has immediately stopped the distribution of beverages from the main distributors of the company in the district to the retailers.
The Magistrate has even made it clear that in case of failure to deposit the fine imposed under Food Safety and Standard Act within the stipulated time frame operations of the company in the entire district will be completely banned and the beverages under consideration destroyed.
During the past two years Additional District Magistrate, Kathua, who is also Food Safety Adjudicating Officer, received a number of complaints regarding use of misbranded carbonated water and violation of various provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 by the M/s Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd.
Though some exercise was carried out on these complaints like lifting of samples and getting the same analyzed from the Food Analyst, yet these complaints could not be taken to logical conclusion because of varied reasons. Taking serious note of this delay, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, who recently took over as District Magistrate Kathua, directed for expeditious disposal of the complaints after following the laid down procedure.
Few days back, Additional District Magistrate, G Prasanna Ramaswamy, decided the complaints after hearing the arguments put forth by the prosecution and the respondents. By invoking the powers vested in him by Section 68 of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and the Gazette Notification of J&K Government, the Additional District Magistrate has imposed penalty of Rs 15 lakh on Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd, Gangyal, IFCA Bottling Ltd New Industrial Estate Area Gangyal, Manager Incharge of IFCA Bottling Ltd, Gangyal, M/s Hindustan Coca Cola Ltd, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and others under Section 52 of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006.
Similarly, Rs 2.50 lakh fine varying between Rs 70,000 to Rs 20,000 has been imposed on six distributors of the Coca Cola company under Section 49 of the Food Safety Act.
The company and its subsidiaries have been directed to immediately take steps to conform their products with provisions of the law and report compliance within two weeks failing which all their operations in Kathua district would be stopped and the pre-packaged food items under consideration would be destroyed.
As immediate action, the District Administration has directed all the distributors of the company to forthwith stop supply of beverages to the retailers and directions have been issued to the Tehsildars and Police Stations to seize the beverages wherever found in the entire district till the company fulfills the conditions laid down by the Food Safety Act for the food business operator.
In his order, the Additional District Magistrate has observed, “the respondent (Coca Cola) was given the chance to contest the report of the Public Food Safety Analyst and go for a second analysis but this opportunity was not availed by the respondents”.
The act of the respondent is that of alleged misbranding, which is governed by Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations. The Regulations make it very clear that when a pre-packaged food item or beverage contains natural, nature-identical or artificial flavoring substances, it is required to declare the “common name” of the artificial flavor and “class name” of the natural or nature identical flavoring substances, the order said.
Quoting the Supreme Court judgment in Undavilli Nagarathanam and Others Versus Reddi Satyanarayana Murthi and Others, the Additional District Magistrate said, “the food business operator is deemed to have full knowledge of the Act and the consumers have a legal right to know the common name of the artificial flavoring substance in the food product being sold to them”, adding “the case of misbranding can easily be established by a casual perusal of the label declaration on the prepackaged food item as such needs no expert scrutiny”.
According to the sources, the action taken by the Additional District Magistrate would go a long way in stopping M/s Hindustan Coca Cola from selling sub-standard products and ignoring provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act.

FDA seizes 600 kg Barfi worth Rs 96,000

Food Safety Officers (FSO) of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Nagpur Division have conducted raid on M/S Harihar Foods, Eastern Industrial Area, Chikhali Layout, Kalamna on Monday and seized 600 kg Barfi worth Rs 96,000.
The said quantity of Burfi was stored in un-hygenic gunny bags having no labels The bags consisting of Burfi were to sent to Raipur by the owner of the firm, Yogesh Ramawatar Gupta. FSO Abhay Deshpande and Pravin Umap conducted raid seized Burfi. The raid was conducted under the guidance of Joint Commissioner (Food) Shivaji Desai, Assistant Commissioner (Food) N RWakode and M C Pawar. FDA has started a special drive to conduct raids on the sweet shops and sweet manufacturing units to safe guard public health.
In Nagpur district as well as in MP and Chhatisgarh state, a large quantity of sweets are being sold in Diwali festival. The traders and manufacturing units are not following the cleanliness and quality standards for the Sweet.
FDA Nagpur Division has started keeping vigil on such units and conducting raids on such units. People who have any doubt about the quality, production, distribution, storage and sale of khowa and sweets should contact on 2562204 and report the same, informs Shivaji Desai, Joint Commissioner (Food), FDA Nagpur Division, in a press release.

Food sample collections fail to prevent sale of adulterated products in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: The various drives undertaken by the Chhattisgarh Food department to check adulteration are turning out to be mere formalities, as they fail to prevent the sale of suspected contaminated products, thanks to the lengthy procedures involved in testing of samples.
The food department, which goes on an overdrive to collect samples during the festive season, has no on the spot detection kits to check for adulteration and they have to wait for test reports, sometimes even for months, before initiating any action against the unscrupulous traders. The time lag between the collection of the samples and the receipt of its reports allows the traders to sell off their adulterated products to unsuspecting consumers, putting them at risk.
According to sources in the food department, the lengthy procedures involved in testing of samples are defeating the very purpose of stopping the sale of adulterated products. "Though the prescribed time limit for the preparation of the reports is 14 days, other formalities, like dispatch and receipt, and holidays that come in between eat up more time and reports are effectively not delivered before a month", said an official on condition of anonymity.
Incidentally, the rate of adulteration appears to be quite high in Chhattisgarh as over 50% of the 70 samples collected across the state last year during Diwali tested positive for contamination. Though the department has launched proceedings against the traders whose samples failed tests, the sale of the adulterated products could not be prevented.
The department has collected 50 samples since October 15 this year but no reports have been received from the lab till date. With just a day left for Diwali, the adulterated products, if any, would have been already sold to consumers.
Incidentally, on the spot adulteration kits are available in the market and are being used by administration of several states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat. According to reports, these kits prove very effective as goods tested positive for adulteration are immediately seized and destroyed.
These instant detection kits are in fact very handy to check adulteration in any form in khoya and sweets. These kits save a lot of time and ensure stricter compliance.

When contacted State Controller Food and Drug, Ravi Prakash Gupta, admitted that absence of these instant kids was indeed an impediment in stricter compliance of food safety norms. He however, assured that by next year the department would equip itself with these kits.

Food Safety - Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial

The Court of Adjudicating Officer (Food Safety), Imphal west district on October 21 awarded penalty to 13 persons for selling of contraband tobacco products in violation of the provisions of section 58 of Food Safety and Standards Act. 2006.
The ruling of the Court followed an enquiry by the Food Safety Officer of Imphal wet district, after the accused persons were nabbed by Imphal City police.
Though already late, it is good to know that the Government of Manipur has finally woken up to giving due importance to the cause of general health and hygiene of the people, and decided to act tough against shops selling eatable items and other food manufacturing units being operated in the State without possessing the required registration certificates and license.
After being passed by the Indian Parliament on August 23, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 has been implemented as a law with effect from August 5, 2011 throughout the country including Manipur.
Under this Act, owners of shops and other business establishments selling eatable items as well as companies manufacturing food items need to register themselves and possess the required registration certificates and licenses from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which has been mandated under the provisions of the Act to ensure availability of wholesome safe food for human consumption.
At the State level, the Commissioner of Food Safety is the highest regulatory and implementing authority of the Act. It is unfortunate to learn that people of the State in general and the owners of shops and other business establishments dealing in food items in particular do not understand the significance of the Act.
As some of the Food Safety Officers in the State have themselves admitted, lack of awareness has been at the root cause of total neglect of the Act and its provisions in Manipur, and consequently, the failure of the shop-keepers and proprietors of food manufacturing units to register and possess the required registration certificates and licenses from FSSAI.
So, the authorities concerned need to find out ways and means to generate awareness among the people.
Here, we should understand the simple fact that for successful implementation of any legislation or developmental scheme/project, mass publicity campaign out in the field is imperative.
Organising a couple of workshops or seminars within the confined of an air-conditioned conference hall of some classy hotels and then claiming that publicity campaigns have been carried out to convey the message to owners of shops and other business establishments dealing in food items or extending deadline for registration wouldn';t simply work.
One needs to be more sincere and dedicated towards ensuring availability of wholesome safe food for human consumption.
Let';s be clear that unsafe food not only causes many acute and life-long diseases, but also pose a growing threat to public health.
So, when it comes to the question of life and death, do we need time to wait for an answer?

More biz for Indian wines as FSSAI label requirements hit importers

SUMMARY
This festive season augurs well for Indian wines, with 20% increase reported in sales by most winemakers.
This festive season augurs well for Indian wines, with 20% increase reported in sales by most winemakers.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has made it mandatory for imported foods and alcoholic beverages to list ingredients on the label in Devanagari or English.
The new requirements, however, are not feasible for many international wine producers, for whom India is a small market. Naturally, this means more business for Indian wineries.
Shivajirao Aher, president, All India Wine Producers Association, says the labelling requirements have hit importers hard and led to a gap in the market, some of which is being filled by domestic winemakers. Several importers supply wines to hotel chains and would not like to lose an important customer, so they are aiming to fill this gap from other sources.
"This is difficult for Indian winemakers who may not pay the same kind of attention to us as importers who have had a longer relation with the hotel industry," he said.
For instance, Aher’s winery Renaissance Wines that normally sells 2,000-3,000 cases, has received orders for 10,000 cases, something unheard of in the past.
According to Jagdish Holkar, chairman, India Grape Processing Board, there has been a 20% rise in sales this season because of increase in demand. For the first time in many years, this year the industry may not have spillover stock .
Holkar had earlier told FE that there could be a 20% gap in production owing to the damage cause by hailstorms earlier this year and unseasonal rains. Around 15 million litres of wine is expected to be produced this season.
Pramod Krishna , director general, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), says popular brands are not available on shelves anymore and the festive season has been definitely hit by the absence of big names in the market.
CIABC is the apex body of wine and spirits industry and boasts of membership of the likes of Diageo, Bacardi and Moet Hennessey among others.
According to Krishna, around R76,000 crore is given by the wine and spirits industry in the country annually in the form of taxes. India imports around 500,000 cases of wine annually.
A recent article in the international wine press expressed confidence in the Indian consumer and Bordeaux-based American négociant, Jeffrey Davies, who runs Signature Selections, is actively looking to expand in India.
"We're sifting through the current wine and spirit importers and distributors to figure out who will be the best fit for our range of wines," Davies said in the article ‘Fine Wine Trade Eyes Up India’ in The Drinks Business.
He believes that as Indian consumers learn more about wine, starting with drinking our own wines, the Indian wine market will continue to grow.
"With the tremendous slowdown in China, and a certain slowdown in America, they're looking to other markets within the BRICS. Russia's having embargo troubles, so India and Brazil are becoming areas of interest," he said in the article.
While wines in the lower segment (R250 a bottle) continue to dominate sales to the tune of 60%, the rest comes from premium and reserve wines in India.
Wine producers feel there could be a rise in sales in this segment though many of them are not willing to say it outright. Most foreign wine is sold in India’s five-star hotels via a quota system.
How this will pan out remains to be seen.

Health Dept ready for emergency, puts sweets shops under surveillance

Bathinda, October 22
The Health Department has geared up to provide emergency services in times of crisis on Diwali. Doctors have been alerted to be available on call in an emergency while private NGOs have dedicated the ambulances with round-the-clock services at different spots in the city.
The district health department had instructed all the doctors and staff to be ready on a single call and had checked its medicine stock. Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, had also instructed the senior health officials to manage the duties of the staff on the festival day to tackle the crisis situation if occurred.
It is noteworthy that some private NGOs had also offered to dedicate their services of private ambulances placed at different places in the city to tackle crisis situation on night of Diwali.
“We have about 12 ambulances (108) and all have been actively given instruction to remain stationed at their respective stations. We welcome the move if private NGOs are also providing the free help to common man but we have sufficient ambulance and staff to tackle the situation of crisis. I appeal the public especially children to avoid consumption of sweets and crackers. Children if adamant on using crackers, should use the fireworks under the surveillance of their parents and carefully. Precautions should be taken before using the fireworks. Our teams have been inspecting on sweet shops regularly.”
Sweets under surveillance of food safety team
A team under the surveillance of District Food Safety Officer are conducting inspections of sweet shops in Bathinda district for the last two days while it had conducted regular raids on sweet shops ahead of Diwali season.
Food inspector, Amritpal Singh, said, “We are inspecting the number of shops and destroyed the sweets that were in not fit for consumption or were kept in unhygienic condition. Yesterday, too, we inspected the shops. No such product was found that we could have suspected as adulterated. We had conducted raids in almost all the major and minor shops that are famous for selling sweets. Hard instructions have been given to every sweet seller to keep the sweets in hygienic way and in a proper environment. No one will be spared if found with sub standard sweets.”
Its noteworthy that district health department had conducted a numerous raids ahead of Diwali this year and had claimed to conduct raids on about more than 130 shops in Bathinda, including all the blocks of district.
The district health department had also claimed that it had earned about Rs 7 lakh by conducting raids since 2011 in Bathinda and numbers of minor cases that are found with sub standard food stuff are sub judice in the court of Adjudicating Officer-cum-ADC (General), Bathinda, whereas major cases that includes adulteration are pending in local courts.
“We are prepared for circumstance and a stringent action would be taken against the sweet sellers if found at error. Our team is keeping a vigil round the clock over the district and sources in the market are regularly informing us about the sweet sellers if any erroneous,” added the food inspector.

Guidelines for Milk and Milk Products to ensure FSMS compliance needs

Milk Processing Unit
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act (2006), you cannot deal in Milk and Milk products without a License. A Central License is required if your dairy units, including milk chilling units are equipped to handle or process more than 50,000 litres of liquid milk/day or 2500 MT of milk solid per annum. A State License is required if your dairy unit handles from 500 to 50,000 litres of milk per day or more than 2.5 MT to 2500 MT of Milk Solids per annum. To ensure that your licenses are renewed you have to keep in mind that the milk sources and procurement procedures are according to FSSAI regulations. As per the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, the following information will help you to understand and maintain the requirements in order to run your dairy/milk processing food business:
Location and Layout of the establishment
To ensure that food is produced safely, the dairy or milk processing plant should be located away from industries that emit harmful gases, obnoxious odour, chemical etc. The plant or manufacturing unit must have
a permanent roof made of iron or asbestos sheet/RCC
cemented, tiled or stone/ pakka flooring
properly whitewashed and painted walls. covered up to five feet with impervious material
curved junction between the walls and floor
adequate and protected lighting fixtures and ventilation,
Machinery must be installed in a way that it does not occupy more than 50% of the space so as to allow easy movement and continuous flow of production. This ratio also helps to keep the processing unit clean and hygienic. Adequate chimneys and exhaust fans need to be in place if required.
Your milk processing units must have a foolproof refuse and effluent disposal system so there is no accumulation. Also have an adequate drainage system in the milk production unit.
To prevent contamination opt for doors with automatic door closers so that flies and insects do not get to the milk and milk products. Proper cleaning & maintenance of window and door screens/meshes. Keep antiseptic/ disinfectant foot mats at door entrances also help to keep contaminants out of the production area. Workers toilet facilities should be outside the processing units.
Equipment and Fixtures
It goes without saying that equipment must be kept clean, washed, dried so that it is free from moulds and fungi. Keep adequate cleaning and disinfecting facilities for all equipment and instruments. Select containers and equipment that do not cause metallic contamination, therefore stainless steel /galvanised iron/ non corrosive materials are advisable. Only use impervious material and close joints for surfaces where food preparations are made. Have a cleaning in place (CIP) system in your processing units.
Personal Hygiene
Workers can maintain better personal hygiene when there are adequate toilets, hand wash, foot mats, detergent, bactericidal soap, hand drying facility and nail cutter available to them. Aprons and headgear will safeguard the milk from contaminants. Place local language personal hygiene posters, with dos and don’ts in your production units. Make employees aware that smoking and spitting will not be tolerated in the milk and milk product processing units.
A six monthly medical checkup will ensure that your employees are free from infectious, contagious and other diseases. Inoculations to safeguard against enteric diseases must be given to food handlers. Do not use employees who are suffering from a hand or face injury, skin infection or clinically recognizable infectious disease.
Water Supply
You must ensure that there is adequate supply of potable water and facilities to store water in a clean and safe manner. Have the water examined for chemical and bacterial contaminants by a NABL accredited laboratory. Make sure that potable and non-potable water pipes are easily identifiable by marking them appropriately.
Conveyance and Transportation
Transportation is an important aspect in milk and milk product conveyance. A clean vehicle adds value and provides contaminant free products. Ensure it is clean especially if the vehicle is also used to carry non-food items also. It should also have a temperature control system. It is a good idea to have a dedicated vehicle for carrying milk. You must use the stipulated format to maintain details of vehicle transporting milk and milk products.
Food Operations and Controls
You must facilitate hygienic handling of raw materials, non-packed or non-wrapped dairy products so they are protected from contaminants during loading and unloading, transportation and storage. Provide bulk milk cooling facility. Facilitate cleaning and disinfecting tank that is used for transporting dairy product and raw milk.
To prevent contamination you must keep in mind that raw milk is
stored or handled in a clean area
cooled at temperature of 5°C or lower
temperature is maintained till further processing
To ensure that you are meeting all regulations make appropriate arrangements for
storage of food and food ingredients to keep them properly segregated, labeled and follow stock rotation system
a raised platform with sides and top sufficiently protected to prevent contamination while unloading the raw milk
the raw milk receiving section to be away from the milk processing area
stacking milk products on pallets that are made from non-absorbent material and stack products one foot away from wall.
proper maintenance of time – temperature control during storage as per product requirements
recording and maintaining specific process controls and temperature
a separate cold storage facility for milk and milk products (e.g. packed milk, butter, ice – cream, cream, ghee, dahi, paneer, milk powder, cheese or any other product)
a separate area for packaging of various milk products under satisfactory hygienic conditions
valid weight and measure certificates for weighing scales and weights from a designated authority
You must make sure that the source, standards of raw material, food additives, ingredients and packaging material wherever applicable all conform to regulations as stated in the Act. Do not use mild steel metal and plastic material for cans/ containers used for storage and transportation of milk and milk products
Inspection / Documentation and Records
If you want to ensure that all is in order you must have adequate documented system SOPs in place for core processes like procurement, storage, processing, packing, etc. According to regulations you must maintain daily records for production, raw material utilization and daily sales. Make sure you conduct a periodic audit of the whole system according to the Standard Operating Procedure regarding Good Manufacturing Practices/Good Hygienic Practices (GMP/ GHP) system. Also maintain records of food processing/ preparation, food quality, laboratory test results, pest control etc. for a period of 1 year or the shelf – life of the product; whichever is more.
Maintain records of sale and purchase of the food product that are sold to registered/ licensed vendors and raw material purchased from registered/ licensed suppliers. Have a documented recall plan so it can be is implemented effectively if required.
Food Testing Facility
Raw milk testing facility and parameters must be available at raw milk reception if in-house laboratory is available for testing of milk and milk products. The test report from your own or NABL accredited/ FSSAI notified lab regarding microbiological contaminants in food items must be available at all times.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Document a cleaning and sanitation programme. Implement it and maintain the record properly. Make sure food preparation areas are cleaned at regular intervals, with water, and detergent and with the use of a disinfectant. The milk receiving area must be equipped with brush/rotary / through can washer. Have an approved waste water disposal system that is hygienically operated.
Product Information and consumer Awareness
You must ensure that all packaged food products carry a label and requisite information as per Regulations.
Training
You must make arrangements so that food production personnel and production floor managers, supervisors, food handlers can undergo appropriate food hygiene training. Maintain a record of the training programme. From time to time review and schedule training programmes so that handlers meet the hygiene compliance.

# Stand Against Food Adulteration

 

Boycott food with toxic additives

Instant food that comes in an assortment of flavours, colours and preservatives has plagued the health and well-being of tender lives as much as those of the adults. Delectable dishes that contains a lot of calories beyond the daily requirement, sweets and other sorts of delicacies that tantalize the taste buds draws the attention of everyone with a sweet aroma and beauty that is a secret confined to the culinary art. Despite the various awareness programmes that are launched countrywide to alert the public about the potential risk of consuming artificial food energisers, artificial food additives and instant food yet there remains a majority who fall prey to these food trends.
Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said they had carried out a major campaign on food safety in Sri Lanka. The GMOA had also presented a ten-fold proposal to the Government last year concerning this issue. Dr. Herath shared these views at a news conference that was held recently at the Head Office of GMOA.
Dr. Herath stressed the importance of boycotting food that contained artificial food preservatives and artificial energisers. Furthermore, the diseases that can be caused due to the consumption of these food elements, especially owing to instant food are high among the young generation.
Speaking to Daily Mirror, GMOA Committee Member and Medical Nutritionist Dr. Timothy Wickramasekara said the percentage of children among the urban population who have succumbed to obesity, malnutrition and those who are in between amount to about thirty per cent, twenty percent and fifty percent respectively.
“This has resulted in the rise of non communicable diseases among the younger generation of the urban population which is a bad symptom,” Dr. Wickramasekara added.
Most often the target group of these unhealthy foods is innocent school children. Recent research concerning this topic had helped in identifying that kidney diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and cancer are the major diseases that are peaking high among the younger generation due to the high consumption of unhealthy food. This condition is highly evident among the urban population of the country.
Food containing MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is very popular in Chinese restaurants and sometimes they are found in savoury snacks and processed food. Glutamate is considered as the fifth taste known as ‘Umami’ which is also translated to Japanese as ‘pleasant savory taste’.

Recent scientific research indicates that MSG could cause cancer although scientific proof that supports this statement has not been established yet. The side effects of Monosodium Glutamate are known as the ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ which refers to illnesses such as burning sensation. palpitation, headache and chest pain. Despite these controversial notions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), American Medical Association and the National Academy of Science confirm that MSG is safe for general consumption. Many fail to notice the side effects of this food additive because it is universally accepted as safe for use. It is important that the health and food authorities take necessary steps to raise awareness among the public pertaining to the use of MSG in food products.
Advertising of unhealthy food which consists of artificial elements (preservatives and additives) in food items such as popsicles, soft drinks, margarine and etc is apparent in many instances. Dr. Herath highlighted the importance of prohibiting the promotion of unhealthy food items through the media as they have a negative impact on the wellbeing of school children. 

It is vital that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education work in collaboration to ensure the safety and the nutritious value of the food that the school children consume. The recent circular banning milk powder advertisements was highly commended by the GMOA. Dr. Herath said it was high time that the relevant authorities took action against food companies that advertise unhealthy food.
“This has become a big burden to the health of Sri Lanka. Food companies are trying to get the attention of the young population,” Dr. Herath added.
Instant food, preservatives and additives need to be replaced by food that is healthy and high in nutritious value. Vegetables and fruits that are grown in one’s own garden would further enhance the living standards of the people. ‘Traditional agriculture must be promoted country wide and the use of chemicals for agricultural purposes must be discontinued’ said Dr. Herath. In addition, he also said that an ideology is developing in the western sphere which signifies the value of fresh food that can be obtained from one’s homeland.
The ‘School Canteen Policy’ which was drawn up by the Ministry of education focuses on the promotion of healthy food among children. Chief Health Officer of the Colombo Municipal Council, Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni said that the main objectives of the policy were to prevent the rate of obesity, diabetes and hypertension among school children which is currently at the rise.
’ According to available statistics, 20 000 people are dying per annum in Sri Lanka due to the increased use of fat, salt and sugar in food’ added Dr. Wijayamuni. He also said that the level of mean blood pressure is going up due to the consumption of unhealthy food. ‘Heart attack, strokes and cancer are the three main killers that threaten the lives of people due to the excess consumption of such food items. Diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia are the underline causes for heart attacks’ added Dr. Wijayamuni.
In line with the School Canteen Policy, many programmes have been organized. Dr. Wijayamuni said that they are trying to prevent students from drinking sugared beverages and they have introduced fresh juice as a better substitute which is healthy and rich in nutritious value. They have also launched programmes that look into food safety and the sanitary conditions of the school and a track record of the investigations conducted are maintained by them.
“It is evident that the circular on the ‘School Canteen Policy’ which prohibits the selling of unhealthy food such as those that contain an excess of wheat flour, artificial colouring, additives and preservatives are not given serious consideration by the relevant authorities. Unfortunately, many schools fail to take heed on the adverse effects that it would cause children and the commercialization of such food items in canteens is still evident in many schools,” Dr. Wickramasekara said.
Instant food, preservatives and additives need to be replaced by food that is healthy and high in nutritious value. Vegetables and fruits that are grown in one’s own garden would further enhance the living standards of the people. “Traditional agriculture must be promoted countrywide and the use of chemicals for agricultural purposes must be discontinued,” Dr. Herath said. He said an ideology was developing in the West which signified the value of fresh food that could be obtained from one’s homeland.
Speaking to Daily Mirror, Dr. Wickramasekara said measures were being taken worldwide to promote the safety of the food people consume. ‘Codex Alimentarius’, an international standard of guidelines and codes that ensures the safety and quality of food is setup as a joint collaboration of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accordingly, issues concerning contaminants, food additives and biotechnology are some of the most common debates that are taken into consideration at the Codex meetings.
He said it was the duty of the Sri Lankan Food Authority to ensure the safety and nutritious value of food in our country.
According to the Health Ministry’s Food Control Administration Unit Assistant Director H. Tilakaratne, “The quality of food products for commercial purposes cannot be preserved without the use of preservatives.” Food preservatives are necessary to maintain the freshness of food products but they can be used only within the permited range.
Retired Government Analyst and the Food Advisory Committee Member E. G. Somapala, supported Mr. Tilakaratne’s statement saying preservatives are inevitable elements that must be used to secure the freshness and quality of food products.
Mr. Somapala’s scientific research has also helped in identifying that the rate of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) that is evident in many ready-to-serve drinks is high. A large number of drinks that fall under the category of ready-to-serve contain an excessive amount of SO2 which is not very advisable for the health. The use of SO2 in soft drinks could have a negative impact in the body in terms of asthma. This situation mainly rises due to the manufacturer’s lack of scientific knowledge in the preparation of such beverages.
The best preservatives that can be used for food products are those that can be extracted from herbs as they are natural preservatives. Furthermore, it has been identified that the side effects of the use of artificial preservatives are sometimes not recognized. These are identified as oncogenic agents that cause cancer unlike natural preservatives which is considered as a highly valuable source that acts as an anti-cancer agent.
Children are most often addicted to flavoured drinks, sweetmeats that contain a lot of artificial preservatives and instant food that are high in calories. This does not promote a balanced dietary system which is crucial for the healthy development of a younger generation.
“It is always better to consume food such as fresh fruits and vegetables and children must be given home-made food as far as possible,” said Dr. A.M.A.S.B. Mahamithawa, Director of the Nutrition Division of the Ministry of Health. When inquired on the high intake of flavoured milk, soft drinks and yoghurt consumed by children, Dr. Mahamithawa said that despite their nutritious values, these food elements consists of an excess amount of sugar. This may lead to non communicable diseases such as diabetes and obesity which is already evident in many school going children. According to Dr. Mahamithawa it would be advisable to avoid consuming such delicacies on a daily basis and resort to a healthy diet system. He said it would not cause serious harm if they are consumed in limited amounts.
To ensure the well-being of children, it is vital that the relevant authorities and parents act sensibly. Children as well as adults need to be aware of the potential risk they face due to unhealthy food trends. The consumption of unhealthy food that contains calories beyond the daily requirement, soft drinks and Popsicles with an excess of colouring and artificial flavours and other types of food that causes a threat to the physical well-being of the children must be avoided and it was vital for public awareness to be raised regarding this issue constantly.

FDA cautions citizens against rising adulteration in sweets

PUNE: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized adulterated sweets and its ingredients worth Rs 17.40 lakh and drawn over 373 samples for tests in the last 14 days.
Be it excess use of edible colours or cleverly substituting pistachio with coloured groundnut flakes, adulteration in sweets is rampant in Pune's market ahead of the festive season.
"Three samples of sweets had food colour beyond permissible limits. As per the food safety norms, colours up to 100 parts per million i.e. PPM, a way of expressing very dilute concentrations of substances, are allowed in food articles. However, three samples sent to the state public health laboratory were found to contain colours up to 500 ppm which can be very harmful to health," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.
The FDA also found groundnut flakes coloured in green and used as pistachio in 'Sohan-papadi' at a shop in Pimpri. "The enormous demand for sweets ahead of Diwali drives people to look for ways to resort to such such indigenous method in lure of quick money. We have intensified surveillance across Pune," said Kekare.
Besan (gram flour), used extensively to make laddoos, are also mixed with kesari or Laakhi daal which can be injurious to health. "We found samples of besan containing this daal which was brought from Madhya Pradesh. We have seized besan worth Rs 82,000 and maida worth Rs 2.17 lakh in the last few days," Kekare said.
FDA officials are conducting random inspections and on-the-spot tests to check quality of milk and milk products such as khoya, besides rawa, maida and other flours.
They also found that some units were reusing old tins for packaging edible oil which is not allowed under the new Food Safety and Standards Act.
"At some places we found unit owners had purchased oil in bulk and packaged it locally. The tin containers used for packaging the oil were old and recycled. Stock worth Rs 7.31 lakh were seized. Besides, hydrogenated vegetable oil worth Rs 38,200 was also seized," said Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner (food), FDA.
Besides, the officials also found that some sweet shop owners were using sorbic acid in excessive amount and selling such sweets as 'special burfi'. "Sorbic acid up to 1000ppm is allowed, but some shop keepers had raised the limit to 6,700 ppm," Sangat said.
Adulteration causes serious risk to health. Presence of harmful starch, urea-mixed milk, caustic soda, 'ararot', artificial sweetening chemicals, non-approved colored sweets (such as heavy metals incorporated malachite green, etc) and unhygienic conditions lead to acute gastritis, serious diarrhoea, dysentery, dehydration, kidney inflammation, etc.
Detect adulterants in your food
* Tea: Wet a white blotting paper with water and sprinkle tea powder on it. The appearance of yellow, red or orange spots indicates use of artificial colours
* Hing (asafoetida): In its pure form, 'hing' would dissolve and form a milky white solution in water. It burns with a flame
* Saffron: Genuine saffron, unlike artificial one, will not break easily. Artificial saffron is prepared by soaking maize cob in sugar solution and colouring with coal-tar dye. The colour will dissolve in water. Pure saffron completely dissolves in water while maize cob will not
* Ghee or butter: Adulteration with vanaspati can be detected by adding sugar and hydrochloric acid. Upon mixing, a red colour will appear
* Edible oil: If adulterated with argemone oil, it will give a red colour when treated with nitric acid
* 'Pithi' sugar spiked with washing soda: Add a few drops of hydrochloric acid, effervescence will indicate the presence of washing soda
* Honey spiked with sugar solution: A cotton wick dipped in pure honey, when lighted with a match stick, burns and show the purity of honey. If adulterated, the presence of water will not allow honey to burn. If it does, it will produce a cracking sound
* Silver foil: Aluminium foil is whitish gray in colour and is readily soluble in concentrated hydrochloric acid while pure silver foil is not

SWEETS MAY TURN SOUR AS ADULTERATION POSES RISK THIS DIWALI

The demand of sweets goes up manifolds during Diwali and so is the supply of ingredients required to make sweets. But there is hardly any mechanism to address the menace of adulteration that is extremely hazardous for the masses. The food safety mechanism present in place in the State is not effective enough to control the dangerous practice before it takes its toll.
The situation can be gauged with the fact that there is no mechanism to check adulteration on the spot. And, a report of samples collected usually takes about 14 days. Food safety thus is more like a damage control in nature than preventive.
“A lab cannot move with us. We have nothing to ascertain adulteration on the spot,” said a Food Safety Officer of Ranchi.
Keeping check on the practice is too casual a business in Jharkhand where food samples collected are too small in number to even think about the existence of any mechanism discouraging people from selling contaminated products especially during festivals. About 27 samples have been collected so far by Food Safety Officers in-charge of Ranchi in raids conducted in last three days. But considering the time taken in generating report on samples collected a consumer is exposed to the risk of food poisoning especially during festivals while culprits make money under the nose of enforcement agencies.
“We have collected samples and will send it for examination and unless we get a report no action can be taken,” said ACMO-1, Ranchi, Bina Sinha.
According to sources about 70 cases of adulteration were reported to the district administration in last 18 months and a fine of Rs1-crore has been imposed in about 40 cases of substandard products collected from different outlets. According to provisions fine of Rs5 lakh is imposed for selling substandard products where as Rs3 lakh is fined for misbranded products and there is a provision of prosecution as well as fine for selling unsafe items.
Food safety comes under the department of Health and health officials in each district are entrusted with the job of monitoring safety of food and verify adulteration by collecting samples which is examined in designated labs. Health officials are assisted by Food Safety Officers (FSOs).
But the real cause that has thrown the food safety mechanism out of order is few overly burdened FSOs finding it difficult to do their job besides hundreds of non-performing FSOs in the State. Enforcement structure as decided for Jharkhand by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) envisages 24 designated and adjudicating officers besides 205 FSOs and one Food Analyst for the State. Ironically, the strength of 205 FSOs include 194 non-descript in-charges of Primary Health Centre who are for namesake as evident by incident of food poisoning reported from Ormanjhi about a week ago where 40 kids fell ill after consuming rotten eggs.
Also, out of the 11 FSOs other than 194, seven are in charge of two districts each where as four FSOs have been given the responsibility of keeping adulteration under check in three districts. Ranchi is looked after three FSOs.

Owner locks health team in sweets shop Police resuce the joint team of Health and Admn from Sharma Sweets at Model Town

Ludhiana, October 21
High drama was witnessed at Sharma Sweets, Model Town, today when the owner of the sweets shop locked a team of the Health Department and the district administration along with himself inside the shop to prevent the from taking take the sweets samples from his shop. A case has been registered against the shop owner, Jaspal Singh.
Mukesh Sharma, Executive Magistrate, who was also accompanying the health team, said when they went to Sharma Sweets located at Model Town for collecting sweets samples, the owner of the shop did not allow them to do their duty.
“He started making calls but did not allow the health team to collect samples despite our requests for cooperation. We told him that we were there on the orders of the Deputy Commissioner and also showed him the papers but still he did not allow the team to collect samples. He instead asked one of his employees to put up the shutters, thus locked the raiding team along with himself inside the shop. We contacted the police, who reached the spot, after which the shop was opened and the samples were taken,” said Sharma.
Food Safety Officer Ravinder Garg said although he signed the documents confirming that the samples were taken from his shop but he did not sign the samples. He has absconded. “We collected the samples and sealed them. It is mandatory for the owner of the shop to sign the samples to confirm that these belong to his shop. Though the police were also present at the shop, he managed to flee from the scene,” said Garg.
The District Health Officer, Dr Abnash Kumar, said the raids were conducted with the sole motive that people got pure sweets during the festivals.
DC Rajat Aggarwal said he had ordered the collection of samples from the shop. According to information received by him, the owner was not allowing the team to collect samples on the plea that he was planning to close down the shop soon. “If he is planning to close down the shop that does not mean he will not give the samples,” said the DC.
Six samples were collected from Khushi Ram, three from Lovely Sweets and four from Dhodha Sweets.

17917 samples of sweets, milk and milk products collected for analysis : Jyani

Drive against adulteration intensified in Punjab
Adulterated goods worth Rs.1 crore seized in the State, Rs.67.88 lakh recovered as penalty
Fazilka October, 22 : Drive against adulteration of sweets has been intensified in Punjab with state government launching statewide raids on shops, godowns suspected to be selling/storing/manufacturing such products. The Punjab government acting tough with all those selling adulterated and contaminated food items and playing havoc with the human lives has collected 17917 samples from 2011 till date and sent them for detailed analysis.
Disclosing this here today Punjab health and Family Welfare Minister, Surjeet Kumar Jayani said that the government has already launched an aggressive campaign against the sale of adulterated food items including sweets, khoya and other milk especially during the ongoing festival season. He also said that the government has collected 17917 samples so far and after getting them examined in the hi-tech labs found as many as 2167 sampled failed.
He also said that with a view to ensuring purity in the sweets and other eatables over 2000 traders have been inspected by the Department of Food and Supplies across the state. A staggering 500 traders were prosecuted for selling commodities in violation of health and safety norms.
Meanwhile, in Punjab officials seized adulterated goods worth Rs 1 crore. The Minister also said that from April 2014 till date out of the collected 3904 samples about 694 samples failed.
To keep strict vigil on the milk products and khoya coming from other states, the Minister said that all the entry points including the railway stations, bus stands have been guarded against adulterated food items. The adulterated food items would be destroyed there and then by the special task force deputed at various sensitive points, said Mr. Jayani.
Cautioning the people to be vigilant against adulteration, the Minister said that when the filter paper is put on the sample if the top layer leaves a mark on the paper, the sweet is adulterated and the people should report such instances so that appropriate action could be taken against the erring food sellers. As many as 260 cases against the erring food sellers have been lodged in the courts and the government has recovered Rs. 67.88 lakh as penalty from such shopkeepers.
Adding further Jayani said that according to the Food Safety and Standards Act, the punishment for selling adulterated food is seven years imprisonment and a Rs 10 lakh fine. For selling sub-standard food you could face a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh. And for death caused by adulterated food, the offender could face seven years jail term to life imprisonment. He has asked the officers of the department to remain cautious against the sale of unsafe food in the state.
The Minister also said that the government has initiated the online registration and obtaining online license for the small scale and whole sale retailers of food items.

Beware of adulterated sweets this festive season

New Delhi: With the start of the festive season, families across India are on a shopping spree for sweets. But savouring these tasty treats can prove fatal. As demand and the price of sweets and its ingredients go up, many sellers are resorting to making sweets from contaminated and adulterated ingredients at cheaper rates.
In the national capital itself, over 1800 traders have been inspected by the Department of Food and Supplies. A staggering 731 traders were prosecuted for selling commodities in violation of health and safety norms. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, officials seized adulterated goods worth Rs 1 crore.
Government authorities have collected several samples and have sent them to this lab for a detailed analysis. "When we put filter paper on the sample..if the top layer leaves a mark on the paper, the sweet is adulterated," says a lab technician.
While this has not impacted the sales, retailers concede that many people are flocking to their competitors.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Act, the punishment for selling adulterated food is seven years imprisonment and a Rs 10 lakh fine. For selling sub-standard food you could face a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh. And for death caused by adulterated food, the offender could face seven years jail term to life imprisonment.

TDB bid to keep Appam and Aravana safe

Offerings from Sabarimala to comply with food safety standards
Appam and Aravana to be sold from the Sabarimala temple would adhere to food safety measures, including Good Manufacturing Practises (GMP) soon.
Besides putting in place the GMP, it has been proposed to introduce Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points (HACCP) at Sabarimala. The Centre for Food Research and Development (CFRD), Konni, has drawn up food safety plans for the hill shrine, which is visited by thousands of devotees each season.
The effective implementation of the food safety measures would go a long way in eliminating possibilities of food contamination in Appam and Aravana and at Annadanam, free food offered to the devotees.
The food safety systems could be made operational within a fortnight on order from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), said M.K. Mukundan, CFRD director.
P. Venugopal, TDB Commissioner, conceded that there were complaints of poor quality of Appam and Aravana sold from the temple. It was following these complaints that the board decided to assign the job of ensuring food safety measures to the CFRD. The system would be in place during the forthcoming pilgrim season.Health card
The CFRD will check the samples of raw materials brought to the temple for preparing the sacred offering. Sanitary surveys would also be carried out. A health card for workers engaged for the preparation of the offerings would be prepared to ensure that the health and hygiene parameters are not compromised. Swabs would be taken from the workers to test them for contagious diseases, Dr. Mukundan said.

Smokeless kitchens in govt schools by March '15

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to introduce smokeless kitchens in all government schools by the end of fiscal year 2014-15.
Official sources said last year's plan to launch the facility on a pilot basis remained a non-starter. The proposal to distribute locally-designed smokeless chullahs developed by Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency is also gathering dust.
During a recent review meeting on midday meal (MDM), chief secretary G C Pati asked school and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra to ensure that nutritious food is served to the children.
"Last year, the Centre allowed subsidy of Rs 35 crore on LPG cylinders to be used under MDM scheme. But majority of schools use firewood, leading to fire mishaps and unhygienic and polluting atmosphere," said an officer.
Over 55 lakh students of Class I to VIII in around 63,000 state-run schools are being served lunch six days a week. To ensure quality and safety of noon meal, the government is planning to construct safe and fire-proof kitchens.
"Collectors have been asked to look into proper convergence of departments, agencies and NGOs involved in the process," the officer said.
The chief secretary has asked collectors to hold regular meeting with MPs and MLAs and ensure timely release of funds for MDM. They also have to monitor proper implementation of guidelines on kitchen cleanliness, hygienic storage of food items, quality control measures in case food is procured locally, personal hygiene of cooks and students and ensure whitewashing of existing kitchens.

WISHING YOU ALL!!!

BIS working on standards for edible oil, soon to be ISI-marked product

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is currently working on a set of standards for edible oil, which, as stated by Sunil Soni, its director general, are ready. As soon as the final draft of the standards for the same is released, the certification of the product would begin. “Edible oil would shortly be an ISI-marked product,” he informed.
Soni added, “A meeting with the stakeholders on the transition methods is slated to be held next month. Not only would the regulations and implementation time frame for the same be discussed, but a roadmap (which would be decided by the transition methods) would also be drawn up for the implementation of the edible oil standards.”
At the meeting, the stakeholders would put forth their concerns, because the director general said that BIS wanted a smooth transition. The standards would be applicable to the entire range of packaged edible oil sold at retail outlets across the India.
They would be accepted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is working on them with BIS. The former would use the standards to ensure food safety.
Soni informed that BIS was in continuous in talks with the country’s apex food regulator, adding that in addition to high-level coordination meetings, they were a part of a working group for oil standards.
It has been done to avoid overlapping and copying of standards by the various agencies working to ensure food safety. In the past, edible oil standards were a part of the AGMARK portfolio. But AGMARK has withdrawn itself from framing standards for manufactured agri products to focus solely on raw products.
BIS has standards ready for street foods and tap water as well. It would write to the Urban Development Department to ask local bodies to ensure the implementation of the standards for the latter. As for the former, each state’s food safety department would be the implementing authority.
However, it has been proposed that the standards, which are fairly high, would be implemented in phases, with levels one, two and so on.

Campaign stresses iodisation of salt

Food Safety Department officials have embarked on a campaign stressing the need for iodisation in salt. The programme is aimed at creating awareness of the need to prevent iodine deficiency.
To iodise salt, potassium iodate should be added to salt after it was refined and dried before packing, reliable sources from the Department told The Hindu here on Monday.
With the Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Day being observed on October 21, the Food Safety Department has come out with a strong message to ensure iodisation in salt.
The iodised salt should have 99 per cent of potassium iodate to ensure safe and healthy consumption. As per Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), iodisation of salt is mandatory for both producers and consumers.
It was necessary that 30 parts per million (ppm) of iodine should be maintained at production level and 15 ppm at consumption level.
To check sale of substandard and mis-branded product, the officials stepped up vigil. Four cases of sale of substandard quality of salt were detected since August this year. It was mandatory that packed salt must have full address of manufacturer and marketer of the brand. In violation of the FSSA norms, many often this packed commodity carried doctor’s advice –‘Best for Health’ and even World Health Organization’s advice citing the brand name, sources pointed out.
Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Day is observed on October 21

DINAMALAR NEWS