Centre Sets Aside Proposed Changes to Food Safety Act

NEW DELHI: The changes proposed to Food Safety and Standards Act by the previous UPA Government was set aside by the NDA Government, which said fresh amendments would be brought in after further consultations.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday.
The UPA Government had proposed amendments to the Act to expand the composition of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.“The Cabinet gave its approval for withdrawing the Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014, as introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 19.02.2014,” an official statement said.
The Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014, needs to be further amended after taking into account the judgments of the Supreme Court, Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court and representations received by the government and other recent developments, it said.“Based on further examination, a fresh set of amendments will be finalised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” the statement said.

Withdrawal of the Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014

Nov 05, 2014
The Cabinet today at the meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi gave its approval for withdrawing the Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014 as introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 19.02.2014.
The Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014 needs to be further amended after taking into account the judgements of the Supreme Court; Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, and representations received by the Government and other recent developments. Based on further examination, a fresh set of amendments will be finalized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Food safety bill: Fresh suggestions sought

The Union Cabinet Wednesday set aside the changes in Food Safety and Standards Act, drawn up by the UPA government, and asked the Health Ministry to come up with a fresh draft incorporating various observations and orders by the courts on the matter. The amendments would be suggested after talks with stakeholders.
The UPA government had proposed amendments to the Act to expand the composition of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and dispense with some conditions in public interest, while making regulations on food items.
The Bill had been introduced in Rajya Sabha in February this year.
The Bill needs to be further amended after taking into account the judgments of the Supreme Court, Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court and representations received by the government.

Cabinet nod to withdraw amendments to Food Safety Act

Setting aside changes proposed by the previous government to Food Safety and Standards Act, the government today said fresh amendments would be made after further consultations in this matter.
A decision to withdraw the existing amendments to this Act was taken this evening by the Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The UPA government had proposed amendments to the Act to expand the composition of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and dispense with some conditions in public interest while making regulations on food.
"The Cabinet gave its approval for withdrawing the Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014 as introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 19.02.2014," an official statement said.
The Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014 needs to be further amended after taking into account the judgements of the Supreme Court, Lucknow Bench of theAllahabad High Court and representations received by the government and other recent developments, it said.
"Based on further examination, a fresh set of amendments will be finalised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," the statement added.

Cabinet OKs withdrawal of Food Safety Bill introduced in RS

The Union Cabinet today approved withdrawal of the Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014, as introduced in the Rajya Sabha on February 19.
It needs to be further amended after taking into account judgements of the Supreme Court, Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court and representations received by the Government and other recent developments.
Based on further examination, a fresh set of amendments will be finalised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, an official spokesman said.

Withdrawal of the Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014

New Delhi
The Cabinet today at the meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi gave its approval for withdrawing the Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014 as introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 19.02.2014.
The Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2014 needs to be further amended after taking into account the judgements of the Supreme Court; Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, and representations received by the Government and other recent developments. Based on further examination, a fresh set of amendments will be finalized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Gutkha worth Rs 4.5L seized from Ghodbunder road

THANE: Gutkha products worth Rs 4.5 lakh were seized from a tempo along the Ghodbunder Road on Monday by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Konkan division, Thane in coordination with the Thane Narcotic Crime Branch.
Acting on a tip-off, food safety officers D D Kamble and H Y Yeole, along with narcotic branch officials, intercepted a tempo at Bhayander Pada near Nagla Bunder and found gutkha weighing 162kg stuffed in five gunny bags.
Tempo driver Mohammad Istiyak Riyaz Siddique was arrested for illegally transporting the banned tobacco products.
A case has been registered at Kasarwadavli police station and investigations are on.
"The sleuths laid a trap on the tempo. We are looking out for the kingpin of the network, which has also spread to Gujarat," said a FDA official.

DINAMANI NEWS

46% of Edible Oil Adulterated - Govt.

Traders to appeal against order

Cochin Oil Merchants’ Association (COMA) has said it would petition Food Safety and Standards Authority of India as well as the State authority about the practicality of selling coconut oil in packets as is now prescribed by food safety regulations.
An FSSAI official said that as per prevailing regulations, coconut oil can be sold only in sealed packets.
The packets should provide information, among other things, on the producer company; address for consumer complaints; date of manufacturing and expiry.

Govt to disband Development Council for Sugar Industry

NEW DELHI, NOV 4:
Aiming to weed out archaic laws and committees, the Food Ministry has decided to disband the 56-year-old Development Council for Sugar Industry (DCSI) saying the statutory body is no longer relevant after the decontrol and de-licensing of the sugar sector.
DCSI was set up in 1954 under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act. The Council looked into issuance of licences for setting up new sugar mills and other issues related to the sector. DCSI has normally been reconstituted on the expiry of a two-year tenure.
“DCSI has no relevance today, especially after the sugar industry has been de-licensed and decontrolled. There is little rationale in continuing with the council and we have decided not to reconstitute DCSI,” a senior Food Ministry official told PTI.
The 25-member Council will be disbanded and a notification in this regard will be issued soon, the official said.
That apart, the Food Ministry has decided to do away with a sub-committee on sugar standards functioning under the DCSI.
The official said, “Since the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) are looking into the issue of sugar standards, there is no point continuing with the Standing Advisory Committee on Sugar Standards (SACSS) under DCSI.”
The Ministry has decided that another sub-committee under DCSI, the Standing Research Advisory Committee (SRAC), will be shifted under the existing ‘Sugar Development Fund Standing Committee.’ The sub-committee will be renamed as ‘Grant-in-aid for Research Projects’
“This has been done to streamline the committees to avoid confusion,” the official said.

FDA slams notices on over 80 eateries

KOLHAPUR: The district Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Saturday issued 'improvement' notices to 85 eateries in the city and nearby areas for not complying with Food Safety Management regulations.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations, 2011, hotels and food stalls must comply with norms related to maintaining hygienic conditions while preparing and serving food to the customers.
In their raids on establishments over the past week, FDA officials observed that food safety norms - like wearing gloves, using clean vessels to prepare food, clean premises and clean drinking water served to customers - were not followed at these 85 establishments.
"As per the guidelines of the act, hoteliers and stall vendors have to follow norms like wearing gloves and aprons, using clean vessels to cook food and use unadulterated items to prepare food. However, in the raids conducted by our Food Safety Officers (FSO's), we found that 85 owners or operators had been flouting the norms. Thus, we have issued notices to these establishments," said S A Chougule, additional commissioner, FDA, Kolhapur.
Owners and operators to whom the notices have been issued should undertake food safety measures to improve the quality of food or face penalties, and at a later stage, may even face criminal charges.
Chougule said, "Some of the eateries did not display the food licence prominently in the their establishments and did not provide health certificates to workers handling food items. We have suggested measures through which safety of food should be maintained and have also offered ideal guidelines to prepare the food safety management report, which have to be submitted to us within seven days of the notice being issued."
The FDA is going to organize an awareness drive on 'food safety management' for street vendors, many of whom flout guidelines, albeit unknowingly. The drive will focus on vendors selling food at transit and tourist spots in the city, like the Central Bus Stand (CBS), the railway station and well-known food corners like Khau Galli.
Over the past two months, the FDA had obtained 115 food samples, common during the Ganesh festival and Diwali. These samples have been sent to the laboratory for testing.
The FDA is also going to issue directions to sugarcane farmers employed in jaggery manufacturing."A significant number of farmers are employed in manufacturing jiggery in the district. In 2013, we found some jaggery samples with excessive amount of sulphur dioxide, which could be poisonous. Now on, farmers making jaggery have to register their manufacturing unit to comply with the food safety norms," Chougule said.
As per act's guidelines, jaggery manufacturing should be done in closed premises. Also, the kiln in which sugarcane juice is poured should be placed on a rough surface, made of either stone or concrete. The sulphur dioxide concentration in jaggery should not be above 70 parts per million (PPM) of sugarcane juice used.

What all you need to know about Good Hygiene Practices?

What all you need to know about Good Hygiene Practices?

All consumers have the right to expect safe, hygienically prepared and good quality food.  This is the reason that the handling of food requires care to prevent the hazards. Good Hygiene Practices are the set of requirements to prevent contamination of food in order to provide safe food to the consumers. Food borne illnesses can result from contamination due to improper practices like when there is

• lack of environmental hygiene and poor sanitation
• mixed and inappropriate transportation
• poor storage
• poor personal hygiene,
• unsafe source of food

Contaminants are identified as being

• Biological: bacteria, viruses or parasites that are present in air, food, water, soil, animals or humans
• Physical: Foreign bodies in food are usually due to accidental contamination and / or poor handling practices, these are visible particles like; pebbles, stones, metal, glass, wood, insects, soil, dirt, jewelry, hair, fingernails etc.
• Chemical: chemicals used for cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces, pest control chemicals, paints and water treatment chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides and also a group of some naturally occurring harmful chemicals like Mycotoxins.

Food safety includes food handling, food preparation, food storage & food distribution according to the standardized procedures and guidelines as stated in compliance to Food Safety and Standards Regulations. It shall also be deemed to be the responsibility of the food business operator to ensure adherence to necessary requirements. Besides the steps outlined here, FBO must identify activities and take necessary steps to ensure food safety and also make sure that safety procedures are identified, implemented, maintained and reviewed periodically.

Primary Production 

Environment hygiene is of utmost importance as contaminants can enter food at the initial production stage itself if the surroundings and the environment where they are produced are unsafe. All food establishments must be located away from

• areas which are prone to pest infestations
• where wastes, either solid or liquid, cannot be removed effectively

Hygienic production of food sources

• You need to control contamination from air, soil, water, feed-stock, pesticides, veterinary drugs or any other agent used in primary production
• Protect food sources from fecal and other contaminant

Handling storage and transport 

• Use appropriate storage materials and equipment. Equipment and containers that come in contact when handling food or used for storage, preparation, processing, packaging and serving shall be made of corrosion free materials which do not impart any toxicity to the food and should be easy to clean and /or disinfect
• Protect food and food ingredients from contamination by pests, chemicals, microbiological or physical or other objectionable substances during handling storage and transportation

Cleaning, maintenance and personal hygiene; these three are most important for preventing cross contamination. There should be adequate facilities for cleaning and disinfecting utensils and equipment. Premises must be maintained and kept thoroughly clean. Personal hygiene must  be emphasized at all times and properly supervised.

The following points on Good Hygiene Practices as per Schedule 4 of Food Safety & Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 will give you more insight about the requirements:

Establishment Design and Facilities must be such that it minimizes risk to ensure food safety. Nature of operations and associated risks must be identified. Premises and equipment should be so maintained that risk of contamination is eliminated.

• Location can be a potential source of contamination as obnoxious odour, fumes, excessive soot, dust, smoke, chemical or biological emissions and pollutants from surroundings can enter food.
• Internal design, structures and layout of the premises rooms and equipment should be such that they prevent contamination.
• Material of equipment should be durable, movable and capable of being disassembled for cleaning.
• Premises and equipment should be easy to maintain, clean, disinfect and monitor

Facilities that directly or indirectly impact food safety must be strictly adhered to like

• water quality: water should be potable grade for food processing and water must not become the source of contamination during cleaning. Pipes should be clearly marked to indicate potable or non-potable water
• air quality: ventilation systems natural and /or mechanical including air filters, exhaust fans must be designed and constructed so that air does not flow from contaminated areas to clean areas.
• drainage and waste disposal : disposal of sewage and effluents (solid, liquid and gas) must conform to requirements of Factory / Environment Pollution Control Board. drainage, waste disposal system should be constructed in such manner that there is no risk of contamination to food or water
• temperature control: facility for transporting and storing food under temperature control must be provided. Cold storage facility must be available if required
• personal hygiene facilities: all food handlers must have adequate and suitable clean protective clothing, head covering, face mask and gloves. There must be adequate hand wash facility
• lighting: natural or artificial lighting must be adequate to enable the employees/workers to operate in a hygienic manner. Lighting fixtures must wherever appropriate, be protected to ensure that food is not contaminated by breakages of electrical fittings.
• Storage: ensure effective protection from contamination during storage. Segregate storage for raw, processed, rejected, recalled or returned materials or products which will be distinguishably marked and secured. Separate areas for storing raw materials and food printed packaging materials, stationary, hardware and cleaning materials / chemicals. 

Especial care must be taken to prevent contamination if the premises are temporary or it is a mobile facility.

Control of operations

Control of food hazards through the use of HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical control points) is a systematic and preventive approach to food safety. It prevents biological, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes that can cause the finished product to be unsafe. It also designs measurements to reduce these risks to a safe level. Through HACCP process, the food business operator must ensure that there is no potential contamination from surroundings, improper time and temperature controls.

• Key aspects of hygiene control systems: FBO must develop a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the processing of food as well as its packaging, dispatch and storage. This will help to pinpoint problem and control damage faster. Specific process steps must be set up to prevent microbial cross contamination, physical and chemical contamination of any kind.
• Incoming material requirements: specification need to be identified and applied, where possible inspected and sorted before processing of food.
• Packaging: design and packaging materials will be such that it provides protection for all food products to prevent contamination and damage. Labelling will be carried out as perFood Safety & Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations, 2011.
• Water in contact with food and used as an ingredient must be potable. Ice and steam that come in direct contact with foods must be made from potable water and special care must be taken to handle, store and use them so as to prevent contamination.
• Management and supervision: there should be adequate personnel according to the size of the business, the nature of activity and type of food processed. The Food Business shall ensure that technical managers and supervisors have appropriate qualifications, knowledge and skills on food hygiene principles and practices to be able to ensure food safety and quality of its products, judge food hazards, take appropriate preventive and corrective action, and to ensure effective monitoring and supervision.
• Documentation and records: appropriate records of food processing / preparation, production / cooking, storage, distribution, service, food quality, laboratory test results, cleaning and sanitation, pest control and product recall shall be kept and retained for a period of one year or the shelf-life of the product, whichever is more.
• Recall procedures must be in place for complete recall, handling and communication so that there is no damage to consumer.

Maintenance and sanitation

• Cleaning methods and procedures must be appropriate keeping in mind the type of product to be cleaned, like raw food must be cleaned separately. Vegetarian food and non- vegetarian food must be washed and cleaned separately.
• The kind of machine that is being cleaned; a separate method would be adopted for cleaning hidden residual food and pest control chemicals.
• Cleaning programmess must be methodical, their frequency as per FSSAI regulations and cleaning must be monitored so that only suitable and effective methods are used.
• Pest control systems must effectively prevent access, must not harbor pests that cause infestations. Monitoring, detection and eradication methods must be in place.
• Waste management to be carried out systematically, with daily removal of food and other waste. Waste storage must be located away from food processing area and covered. Method, frequency and effectiveness must be defined by FBO according to regulations.
• Monitoring Effectiveness: to ensure that all methods in place are effective there must be a periodic audit of the whole system according to the SOP must be able to fill gaps in the GMP / GHP system. The FBO shall voluntarily carry out microbial testing either in an in-house laboratory or an accredited lab or lab notified by FSSAI.

Personal Hygiene 

• Health status of employees must be checked for communicable diseases and surface injuries, especially to hands or other parts of the body that come in direct contact with food items.
• Personal cleanliness: Clothing must be clean, head covered, face mask, gloves and different footwear must be supplied for wearing inside processing area. Nails and hair must be short and clipped regularly.
• Personal behavior: smoking, spitting, chewing, sneezing, coughing, and eating near food preparation areas must be discouraged and never overlooked.
• Visitors: There must be stringent rules and guidelines for entry in food preparation areas and must be allowed entry only with protective clothing with full adherence to personal hygiene

Transportation 

• Design of conveyances and bulk containers must be such that there is proper segregation of products to prevent cross contamination, Transport must have time, temperature and humidity controls available inside the vehicle and monitored
• Appropriate for type of packaging: Food must be transported in packaging that is food grade or appropriate for the food according to regulations
• Use and maintenance of conveyance must be scheduled appropriately. Avoid mixed use of transport and transport must be thoroughly cleaned after prior usage and corrective measures to prevent contamination must in place.

Product information and consumer awareness 

• Lot and batch identification on food packaging must be as per Codex standard and FSSA rules
• Product information must bear adequate information to enable the next person in the food chain to handle, display, store prepare and use the product safely and correctly
• Labelling must be as per Food Safety & Standards Regulations, 2011.
• Consumer education: Labelling instructions must be adequate and informative about the nutrition value for consumer to make safe and healthy choices.

Training

• Awareness and responsibility: Training is one of the most important aspects of GHP. Lack of training of employees is the cause of most food safety hazards and incidents. Hence all workers must be aware of the hazards and trained to be responsible
• Training Programs must be scheduled from time to time so that all employees are aware of the
  • nature of food and its ability to sustain growth of harmful micro-organisms
  • manner in which food is handled/packed correctly
  • extent/nature of processing or further preparation before final consumption
  • conditions under which the various types of foods will be stored
  • expected length of time before consumption

• Instructions and supervisions: Food handlers must be instructed and trained in food hygiene and food safety aspects along with personal hygiene requirements commensurate with their work activities, the nature of food, its handling, processing, preparation, packaging, storage, service and distribution. Routine supervision and checks are needed to ensure that food hygiene and food safety procedures are being carried out effectively.

• Refresher Training programmes must be routinely scheduled and updated so workers are always aware.

70% samples of curd in Sangrur district fail test

Sangrur, October 31
About 70 per cent samples of curd, 57 per cent of cheese, 36 per cent of desi ghee, 27 per cent of milk and 43 per cent samples of mustard oil collected from across the district failed to pass the test of food safety standards. These samples were collected during the past nine months by the health authorities and tested by the Food Analyst Punjab, Chandigarh.
Ten samples of curd were collected from January to September, out of which seven failed the test while four out of seven samples of cheese were not found to be up to the mark. Likewise, four out of 11 samples of desi ghee, 20 out of 74 samples of milk, nine out of 21 samples of mustard oil too failed the test.
Three samples of cold drink, four samples of refined oil, five of sweets, two each of pickle and ice cream, one each of pulses, gram flour, maida, tea leaves also failed to meet the food safety standards.
The district health authorities had collected 328 samples of various food items in Sangrur district, of which 69 failed the test on account of being unsafe, substandard, misbranded or having misleading statement on cover under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Of the 69 failed samples, nine samples (two of desi ghee, six of milk and one of refined oil) were declared unsafe for human consumption while the remaining 60 are substandard, misbranded or misleading.
Expressing concern over the failure of samples of milk and its products and mustard oil, District Health Officer Dr Surinder Singla said adulterated mustard oil could lead to skin diseases and hair fall. Besides, adulterated milk and milk products were also harmful for human consumption to a great extent.
Dr Singla said under the Act, for an unsafe product, a judicial court could award punishment up to life imprisonment and fine up to Rs 10 lakh and for a substandard food item, a penalty up to Rs 5 lakh could be imposed by the court of Adjudicating Officer-cum-Additional Deputy Commissioner.
He could also impose a penalty up to Rs 3 lakh for a misbranded item and up to Rs 10 lakh for a misleading statement on a product.
Dr Singla said they were in the process of initiating cases in the respective courts.
Report card
57% samples of cheese, 43% of mustard oil, 36% of ghee too were found to be below safety standards
These samples were collected during the past nine months by the health authorities and tested by the Food Analyst Punjab, Chandigarh

Traders protest food safety Act, online trading

Members of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, Vellore, stage a protest in Vellore on Friday.

A woman selling greens on the roadside can now be slapped a fine of Rs. five lakh and imprisoned for six months for not possessing a licence as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
“Such regulation will come down hard on roadside vendors and we have been repeatedly demanding that these provisions be amended and the Act simplified,” R.B. Gnanavelu, secretary of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, Vellore, said.
On Friday, traders belonging to the association staged a protest to reiterate their demand to review the Act. They said that this act was brought into effect to allow foreign companies to set base in India, while wiping out domestic retailers.
The traders also opposed online trading and called for a ban. “These online trading firms pay only service tax to the government, leading to huge revenue loss. Consumers make online purchases for things such as electronic goods and clothes. These products do not have a guarantee and customers cannot ask for an exchange,” he said.
Online trading affected the livelihood of traders across the country. “Online retail sector had a business worth Rs. 21,000 crore every year, and this will increase to over Rs. 85,000 crore in four years,” he said.
Traders said foreign companies invested in these online trading firms and this should be banned considering the welfare of the public, government and traders.
C. Krishnan, president, Tamil Nadu Vannigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, Vellore, was present.
“The Act will help foreign companies set base in India and wipe out domestic retailers”

‘Ban online trading’

The members of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate on Friday demanding the Government to slap a total ban on online trading. They also demanded the Government to totally revamp the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
They said that online trading would immensely harm retail trading, besides leading to tax evasion.
Already many laws existed to ensure food safety and maintain the standards. The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 accounted for many conditions which would totally paralyse the trade.
S. K. Periasamy, district president of the Peramaippu, led the agitation.

BCIC’s Nov 7 seminar on FSSAI to help F&B players navigate regulations

Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) would organise a seminar, titled ‘FSSAI 2014: Navigating the Dynamic Regulatory Landscape’ on November 7, 2014 at Hotel Le Meridian, Bengaluru.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) priorities are to lay down science-based standards for food products and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
“The seminar is intended to educate the participants on how the FSSAI has been implemented, explore the changes experienced by the industry and seek resolutions to the bottlenecks in implementing the law,” said T S Sampath Kumar, secretary general, BCIC.
“There is an urgent need for an clarification on certain clauses of the new Act. In this endeavour, we have invited leading industry and government experts to provide the much-needed clarity and assist the industry to effectively traverse the regulatory landscape,” he added.
“Although the Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR), 2011, have been designed to keep up with the changing needs, confusion has persisted, throwing up several challenges for the industry. There are serious doubts on licencing, product approvals, labelling, export implications and key amendments,” Kumar informed.
The seminar would addressed by industry and government representatives, including Varun Berry, managing director, Britannia Industries (who would provide a business perspective on the regulatory landscape), and P S Vastrad, health and family welfare commissioner, Karnataka.
A technical session would be moderated by Murali Ganesan, chairman, expert committee on agro and food processing, BCIC.
Vijay Sardana, past director, Confederation of Indian Food Trade and Industry (CIFTI), and Cynthia Joseph, business relations, Equinox Labs, would speak about the implications of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, and FSSR, 2011, on the food and beverage sector. The latter would also provide an understanding of FSSR, 2011’s Schedule IV guidelines.
Dr Sattigeri, former director, Central Food Laboratory, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, would provide an introduction to Codex and the alignment strategy with FSSAI.
There would be a presentation on product approval by Sunil Adsule, director, regulatory affairs, Coca-Cola India Inc.
Dr M Kannan, deputy director, FSSAI, Chennai, would speak on the labelling requirements and issues on import.
Sachin Achintalwar, senior manager, regulatory affairs, AB Mauri, would provide an introduction to global regulations.
BCIC stated that policy-makers, enforcement authorities, food safety officers, food technologists, food importers and exporters, representatives of the hotel and catering segments and food consultants would be required to attend the seminar.
“Participants would benefit from the insights of the new Regulations, enabling them to capitalise on the opportunities in agro food processing,” said Sampath Kumar.

செவ்வாய்பேட்டைக்கு வெல்லம் வரத்து பாதிப்பு தட்டுப்பாடு ஏற்படும் அபாயம்

சேலம், அக்.31:
சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை வெல்ல மண்டிக்கு வெல்லம் வரத்து குறைந்துள்ளதாக வியாபாரிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.
சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் ஓமலூர், தேக்கம்பட்டி, வட்டக்காடு, கருப்பூர், மூங்கில்பாடி, காமலாபுரம், தின்னப்பட்டி, தீவட்டிப்பட்டி உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படுகிறது. இந்த பகுதியில் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் வெல்லத்தை விவசாயிகள் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை வெல்ல மண்டிக்கு ஏலத்திற்கு கொண்டு வருகின்றனர். இங்கு வரும் வெல்லத்தை வியாபாரிகள் ஏலம் எடுக்கின்றனர்.
இந்நிலையில், கடந்த செப்டம்பர் முதல் வாரத்தில் சேலம் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் ஆலைக்கு சென்று ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அப்போது வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பில் கலப்படம் செய்து இருப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. இதனால் சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் பல ஆலைகள் இயங்காததால், வெல்லம் வரத்து குறைந்துள்ளதாக வியாபாரிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.
இது குறித்து சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை வெல்லம் வியாபாரிகள் கூறியதாவது:
சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டையில் தினசரி காலையில் நடக்கும் வெல்ல ஏல மண்டியில் 120 முதல் 150 டன் வெல்லம் விற்பனை நடக்கும். கடந்த செப்டம்பரில் சேலம் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள், வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் ஆலைகளில் ஆய்வு நடத்தினர். இந்த ஆய்வின்போது வெல்லத்தில் கலப்படம் இருப்பது தெரியவந்தது. உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரியின் கெடுபிடியால், சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் ஆலைகள் பல இயங்கவில்லை. வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி குறைந்ததால், சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை வெல்லம் மண்டிக்கு வெல்லம் வரத்து பாதித்துள்ளது.
தற்போது 30 முதல் 40 டன் வெல்லம் மட்டுமே வருகிறது. இவைகளும் வந்தவுடன் விற்பனைக்கு சென்றுவிடுகிறது. பல மளிகைக்கடைகளில் வெல்லம் விற்பனைக்கு இல்லை. வரத்து குறைந்ததால் வெல்லத்திற்கு தட்டுப்பாடு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. நேற்று நிலவரப்படி 31 கிலோ கொண்ட சிப்பம் முதல் ரக வெல்லம் ரூ.1000 முதல் ரூ.1200 எனவும், இரண்டாம் ரகம் ரூ.850 முதல் ரூ.1000 என விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறது. இவ்வாறு வெல்லம் வியாபாரிகள் கூறினர்.

Canteen sealed

The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department on Wednesday sealed a private canteen at the premises of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.
“We received a complaint from a medical student who suffered food poisoning. On inspection, officials found the kitchen in an unhygienic condition,” said an official. An improvement had been issued last week.

No view taken on IIT non-veg food issue: Govt.

A HRD Ministry source said: "... no such direction can be given as this is an administrative matter to be decided by respective IITs which are autonomous."
The Ministry of Human Resource Development wrote to directors of all the16 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) on Thursday saying that no view has been taken on segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian messes.
The Hindu had reported on Thursday that the Ministry had forwarded a letter of a Madhya Pradesh based grain-trader to IITs on October 15. The letter from one SSK Jain of Katni, who described himself as a ‘swayamsevak’ and BJP supporter, and others demanded the segregation of vegetarian messes as students are influenced by Western culture through non-vegetarian food.
The Ministry’s covering letter had asked IITs to inform the Ministry of action they may take in this regard. Non-vegetarian food has been stopped in IIT Delhi this year and IIT Madras has a separate vegetarian mess for the last couple of years.
In the letter on Thursday, Under-Secretary AK Singh of Technical Section-I wrote, “… the representations were forwarded to the Institutes in routine manner, without any view having being taken thereon.”(sic)
A Ministry source said, “Jain's letter along with a score others on same issue were sent to the IITs as a routine matter. In RTI age, this is done routinely. Add to this the pressure of Modi's MyGov portal inviting ideas. Further, no such direction can be given as this is an administrative matter to be decided by respective IITs which are autonomous.”

Ban on non-veg food: Will govt force IIT to act?

According to a report in the Hindu, the Union Ministry for Human Resource Development has asked all 16 Indian Institutes of Technology in the country to "take action" on a request by an RSS member for separate dining halls for vegetarians.
The request, made by one S.K Jain of Madhya Pradesh, is based on the belief that the consumption on non-vegetarian food is a bad culture of the West.
The letter, which the Hindu says it has a copy of, claims that "children who have started practicing non vegetarianism have saddened their parents by their ‘tamsic’ behaviour. It is the call of the parents of India that IITs and other institutions segregate their dining halls for vegetarians."
Mr Jain, who has no connection to any IIT in any capacity whatsoever, told The Telegraph the UPA government had earlier rejected his appeal saying the IITs were not meant to promote religious ideologies.
But the Modi sarkar appears to be more receptive to this demand. In his cover letter to the IITs, HRD ministry A.K Singh said "Please take the trouble to inform the ministry about whatever actions you take,".
Speaking to the Telegraph, Mr Jain claimed "Non-vegetarian food is not part of Indian culture. It affects our value system and enhances aggression. The crime rate is increasing because of such tamasic food."
Tamasic food are the list of items that Hindus are not supposed to eat – including things like onions and garlic.
In his interview with the Hindu, Mr Jain said "We see many families which are all mixed up. There are Sindhi fathers and Punjabi mothers in the same family and their children get married to Muslims. It all starts when you mix up food. Wrong food spoils one's mind. That’s why I made this request as I am a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and a supporter of the BJP. I knew that this government would understand,"
While the idea to have separate dining halls for vegetarians is rational, and many IITs already provide this facility, it is strange that the Union Ministry would base its action request on Mr Jain's request, with its calls to end ‘anti-Indian’ behaviour.
The HRD Minister - Smriti Irani, is yet to comment on the letter.
The students of the IITs have not been consulted over this move. In any case, a large percentage of them invariably end up leaving the country for the West where vegetarian food of any kind, let alone separated from meats like beef and pork, is a rarity.
In a strange twist, though the Hindu broke the story, the banning of non-veg food in canteens based on religious beliefs is nothing new to the Hindu newspaper.
As per this notice from the Hindu's Human Resource Department, the bringing and eating of non-veg food is banned in the Hindu's canteen.

Trade group seeks to reinvigorate US-India agri partnership

Thursday 30th October, 2014
A leading US-India trade group has suggested how India could enhance food safety, foster innovation, boost the competitiveness of local industry, and increase the speed of introducing new products to market.
The suggestions were discussed during the US-India Business Council (USIBC)'s just concluded first Food and Agriculture Executive Mission to India since 2011, according to the group comprised of 310 of the top-tier US and Indian companies.
The three-day mission entitled Reinvigorating the US-India Agricultural Partnership, "was an important milestone in efforts to "advocate for policies and regulations that improve agricultural productivity, enhance food safety, and ensure food security in India," it said.
In meetings with US and Indian officials, USIBC members also discussed ways to partner with the Indian government to advance Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" initiative, which calls for greater foreign investment in production and manufacturing in India, the group said.
"Our meetings this week were open, frank, and extraordinarily encouraging" said DuPont Pioneer President and Mission Co-Lead Paul Schickler.
"The officials we met with at all levels in the Indian Government were interested in gaining a better understanding of how they can partner with industry to generate greater investment at every level of the farm-to-fork food chain," he said.
"There is a real sense in New Delhi that the government is serious about the reforms that we have all heard so much about," Schickler added.
During the trip, USIBC members were able to strengthen ties with government and corporate leaders and reinforce the US industry's position as a collaborator with shared interests in advancing India's agriculture economy and food industry, the group said.
Siraj Chaudhry, chairman of Cargill Foods India and mission Co-Lead said the group has already outlined "several areas for collaboration between the US and Indian private and public sectors that will build capacity and enhance private sector engagement in policy and regulatory decision-making."

Edible Oil Units Must Ensure FSMS Compliance Needs

Olive Oil
With the implementation of FSS Act, 2006, the edible oil industry is governed by FSS Act, Rules & Regulations for issue of license, safety and ensuring standard parameters. However, for licensing, the producer or manufacturer of vegetable oil, edible oil and other products needs to have his own laboratory facility for analytical testing of samples as it is one of the conditions of the license.
Another stipulation under the regulations is that every manufacturer [including ghani operator] or wholesale dealer in butter, ghee, vanaspati, edible oils, solvent extracted oil, de-oiled meal, edible flour and any other fats shall maintain a register and present the same for inspection by the food authorities. The register must show details of
the quantity of manufactured, received or sold oil
nature of oil seed used
quantity of de-oiled meal and edible flour used etc. as applicable
destination of each consignment of the substances sent out from his factory or place of business.
Food Business Operators must also be careful that they do not sell or distribute, offer for sale or deliver to any person for the purpose of sale any edible oil that is not packed, marked or labelled as specified in the regulations. They can be exempted these conditions only if there is a public interest notification by the Food Safety Commissioner in the official Gazette and that too under
specific circumstances,
for specific period of time
for reasons recorded in writing.
Location and Layout of the establishment
In keeping with regulations and to prevent contamination edible oil manufacturing units are to be located away from those industries that emit harmful gas, chemicals or obnoxious odours. Machinery in the factory must occupy only 50% of floor space so that there is no obstacle to continuous production.
The factory must have a permanent roof like R. C.C, asbestos or iron sheet. Similarly the flooring must be either tiled, cemented or pakka stone laid. The production area walls are required to be smooth and should not be less than five feet height and the junctions between the walls and floors are curved. The factory premises must be whitewashed and painted and should also have adequate lighting and ventilation. To take care that no effluents could contaminate the oil, the factory requires proper refuse disposal and drainage facility.
To prevent infestation from flies and insects, all doors must have automatic door closures, while windows and other openings must be fitted with secure mesh or screens. For hygienic purposes entrances must have antiseptic/ disinfectant foot mats. Toilet facilities must be adequate for all workers and located away from the factory premises. Factory owners need to adopt a CIP (clean-in-place) system.
Equipment and Fixtures
Manufacturing plant owners must provide adequate facility to disinfect and clean equipment and instruments used in oil production. Equipment made with stainless steel/ galvanized iron or other non-corrosive material is most suitable for use. Temperature and pressure/vacuum in the processing vessels require proper maintenance. Edible oil must be transported in clean transport particularly if the same transportation is used for non-food items. The transport must be equipped with temperature control facility if required.
Processing plants must carry out only
Approved processes in the factory
More than 180° C temperature is required for de-odourisation
Post neutralization must be carried out for hydrogenation/ interesterification units
Packaging and Storing
Packaging material must be adequately available and while place for storage must be clean and free from pest and rodent infestation. Packaging section must be clean, tiled, covered and free from contaminants like flies and insects. Use only food grade containers or those made of prime quality material for packing edible oil and fats. Tin containers must be rust free. If required, manufacturing units must provision for cold storage facility. Follow all labelling norms on packs along with correct batch numberings so consumers are safe.
Personal hygiene
To ensure that edible oil and fats are not contaminated through workers manufacturing unit owners need to provide adequate
Aprons, headgear, disposable gloves and footwear
Provision for hand wash, detergent/ bactericidal soap
Nail cutters
Hand drying facility
Toilets with disinfectant foot mats
Water Supply
You must ensure that there is adequate supply of potable water and facilities to store water in a clean and safe manner. Make sure that potable and non-potable water pipes are easily identifiable by marking them appropriately.
Food Testing Facility
All edible oil manufacturing units should have a well-equipped laboratory for testing of vegetable oils/fats with provisions for necessary chemicals and supporting facilities. The laboratory must employ qualified chemists. Raw oil or finished products must be all tested within standard parameters and quality control records must be satisfactorily maintained.
All packaged edible oils that are being sold in all retail outlets would now be marked with the new ISI standards. BIS has been working on new standards for edible oil.

DINAMALAR NEWS

சுகாதாரமற்றதாக புகார் அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் உணவகத்துக்கு அதிரடி சீல்

சென்னை, அக். 30:
ராஜிவ் காந்தி அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் சுகாதாரமற்ற முறையில் செயல்பட்ட உணவகத்துக்கு சீல்வைக்கப்பட்டது.
சென்னை ராஜிவ் காந்தி அரசு பொது மருத்துவமனையில் ஐந்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட உணவகங்கள், டீ கடைகள் உள்ளன. இதுதவிர அம்மா உணவகமும் உள்ளது. இங்கு வரும் ஆயிரக்கணக்கான நோயாளிகள் மற்றும் அவர்களது உறவினர்கள், செவிலியர்கள், மருத்துவமனை ஊழியர்கள் என பலரும் உணவகங்களுக்கு சென்று சாப்பிடுகின்றனர்.
இதேபோல் மருத்துவமனையில் பணியாற்றும் டாக்டர்கள் மற்றும் மருத்துவ மாணவர்கள், பயிற்சி மருத்துவர்களுக்காக தனியாக உணவகம் உள்ளது. தனியாரால் நடத்தப்படும் இந்த உணவகம் சுகாதாரமற்ற முறையில் செயல்படுவதாக உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகளுக்கு புகார்கள் வந்ததால் கடந்த 15 நாட்களுக்கு முன் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் சோதனையிட்டனர்.
அதில், புகார் உண்மை என தெரிய வந்தது. இதையடுத்து உணவகம் நடத்தும் தனியாருக்கு எச்சரிக்கை விடுத்தனர். ஆனால், மீண்டும் மீண்டும் புகார் வந்தவண்ணம் இருந்ததால் நேற்று மீண்டும் சோதனையிட்டனர். இதில் சுகாதாரமற்ற முறையில் உணவகம் இருப்பது தெரிய வந்ததை அடுத்து, அதிகாரிகள் உணவகத்தை பூட்டி சீல் வைத்தனர். அதன் மேல் எச்சரிக்கை நோட்டீசும் ஒட்டப்பட்டது. இதேபோல் மருத்துவமனையில் உள்ள அனைத்து உணவகங்கள், டீ கடைகளையும் சுகாதாரமான முறையில் வைத்துக்கொள்ளும்படி அதிகாரிகள் அறிவுறுத்தினர்.

Food licence for medical stores painfully slow

MEERUT: Ever since the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 was implemented in August 2011, making it mandatory for medical stores to also receive a licence from the food safety department, the licencing procedure has become exceedingly cumbersome, storekeepers say.
Medical stores keepers and officials in the food safety department accept that only 50% of the licences applied for have been issued.
"The online procedure is troublesome for medical store owners. They have to get their license renewed in five years, depending on the time period for which the medical stores' license was issued. The online renewal process adds to the woes of medical store owners," said JP Singh, Chief Food Safety Officer (CFSO).
Earlier, medical stores had to get a license only from the drug inspector. After the Food Safety and Standards Act was implemented in 2011, retailers had to also get a license from the food safety department.
The step came to ensure that food items, including milk powder, honey and chyanvanprash that were sold at medical stores met food safety norms.
Puneet Sharma, a medical store owner in the city, said, "Not only is the online procedure difficult for a person like me, who shies away from technology, it also ends up taking more time than the manual issuing of licences."
Sharma said he had applied for the license in March 2014. Seven months have passed, but he has still not received the licence, he said. "I visited the department but was told the online procedure takes time," Sharma said.
When TOI sought details from the CFSO of the numbers of licences applied for and issued, he said, "It is difficult to collate data because it is on different online portals. We don't have the hard copy of the list of online licenses issued." He added that the government had given time until February 2015 to issue food licences to medical stores.

‘Ensure no wildlife meat at Sangai fest’

People for Animals Thoubal has called for officials who are to manage the food stalls at the upcoming Sangai festival to check the food offered by stall keepers, and to arrange stalls into veg and non-veg categories.
The body, in a statement, remarked, that “animal meat” refers to sheep, goat, pig, cattle, poultry and fish only under the purview of existing Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. It said slaughtering of any other species other than these animals was not permissible and is illegal.
Reacting offering of wildlife meat, PFA also said dog, and rabbit meats are also to be avoided. The body while pledging it will keep constant vigil of the stalls also reminded that the state is not famous for its cuisines.
Selling of cooked meat which is not permitted could lead to imprisonment upto six months and fine up to one lakh rupees while selling of wild animals’ meat could be punished as well.
On a different note, PFA also appealed that Pony and polo associations are not to provide joy ride of Pony horses in the festival.
In the previous year staffs of wildlife department were deployed to check sale or offering of wildlife meat or its products.

Safe packaging

The world's leading food processing and packaging solutions provider launches a food awareness campaign for mothers to keep their childern and family protected by making the right choices, reports shubhra bhramar
Food processing and packaging company Tetra Pak launched its Right to Keep Food Safe awareness campaign in the Capital recently, targeting mothers to inform them of food safety, nutrition and packaging facts. As per a recent multi-city survey commissioned by Tetra Pak, one in every three mothers surveyed is unsure about the safety of food that she gives to her family. The survey conducted by Research Pacific, Conversations With Mothers, also revealed that mothers are most concerned about the freshness and purity of the food they consume as well as the risks of its adulteration.
Releasing the findings of the survey on World Food Day, Tetra Pak’s Right to Keep Food Safe campaign was an awareness programme to empower mothers with knowledge and facts on food safety and nutrition, and motivate them to spread the word to many more mothers. An integral part of this is Nutrition Quotient (NQ), which is a first-of-its-kind online course on food safety, nutrition and packaging that has been developed by experts from the Indian Medical Association, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Indian Dietetics Association, the National Dairy Research Institute and the National Institute of Nutrition.
"Food safety is a continuing concern with the outbreaks of food-borne diseases due to adulteration, contamination and lack of awareness on how to keep food safe,” said Aditi Gowitrikar, doctor, actor and mother of two who was present at the launch. “It is surprising to learn from the survey that over 70 per cent mothers do not immediately connect serious diseases such as jaundice, cholera, and typhoid with food safety."
Tetra Pak Asia Markets marketing director, Sumit Khattar said, "The survey shows that while mothers are quite concerned about the food and beverages they consume, there is a clear need for them to have easy access to better information and consequently exercising the right choices."
The Right to Keep Food Safe campaign comprises several programmes, activities and seminars around ten key cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Vishakhapatnam). It aims to empower mothers to champion the movement around food safety and nutrition and become spokespersons in their own communities to increase awareness on this critical issue.

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தை கண்டித்து 31ல் ஆர்ப்பாட்டம்

குன்னூர், அக் 29:
உணவு பாதுகாப்பு தர நிர்ணய சட்டத்தை கண்டித்து நீலகிரி மாவட்ட வணிகர் சங்கங்களின் பேரமைப்பின் சார்பில் மாபெரும் ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் வரும் 31ம் தேதி ஊட்டி ஏடிசி சுதந்திர திடலில் நடக்கிறது. இதற்கு மாவட்ட வணிக சங்கங்களின் பேரமைப்பின் மாவட்ட தலைவர் பரமேஸ்வரன் தலைமை வகிக்கிறார். மாநில இணை செயலாளர் அப்துல்ரசீது, மாவட்ட செயலாளர் ரகீம், பொருளாளர் ஜான், துணைத்தலைவர்கள் முஸ்தபா, ரவிக்குமார், முகமது ஜாபர், தாமஸ், சிவசண்முகம், கவுரவ ஆலோசகர்கள் ரமேஷ்கேம்சந்த், முகமது பாருக், சிவன், ராஜா முகமது, தங்கவேல், இணை செயலாளர்கள் வின்சென்ட், ஆனந்த்குமார், சிவக்குமார், குணசேகரன், ஜெயராமன், ரெக்ஸ்மணி, ஜபரூல்லா, மற்றும் மாவட்ட அனைத்து சங்க நிர்வாகிகள் முன்னிலையில் நடக்கிறது.

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் கடைகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு

வால்பாறை, அக்.29:
வால்பாறையில் உள்ள பேக்கரி, ஓட்டல் மற்றும் உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்யும் கடைகளில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் நேற்று அதிரடி ஆய்வு நடத்தினர்.
கோவை மாவட்ட உணவு மற்றும் மருந்து பாதுகாப்பு மாவட்ட அலுவலர் கதிரவன் தலைமையில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் செல்வபாண்டியன், கோவிந்தராஜ், காளிமுத்து ஆகியோர் நேற்று வால்பாறை நகரில் உள்ள கடைகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வில் ஈடுபட்டனர். ஆய்வு குறித்து மாவட்ட அலுவலர் கதிவரன் கூறுகையில், வால்பாறையில் காலாவதியான குளிர் பானங்கள் விற்கப்படுவதாக வந்த புகாரின் அடிப்படையில், ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டோம்.
அதில் சில கடைகளில் காலாவதியான குளிர்பானங்கள் விற்பனை செய்வது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. அவற்றை பறிமுதல் செய்து அங்கேயே கொட்டி அழித்துவிட்டோம். இனிமேல் இதுபோன்ற காலாவதியான உணவு பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்தால் கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று சம்பந்தப்பட்ட வியாபாரிகளுக்கு எச்சரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளோம்.
உணவு பொருட்களை வாங்கும்போது மக்கள் எச்சரிக்கையாக இருக்கவேண்டும். குறிப்பாக பொருட்களின் காலாவதி தேதியை கண்காணித்து வாங்கவேண்டும் என்றார். மேலும் அதிகாரிகள் தேயிலைத்தூள் விற்பனை கடைகளில் தேயிலையை நீரில் கலந்து ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

20 லட்சம் மதிப்பிலான 648 மூட்டை ஜவ்வரிசி பறிமுதல் உணவு பாதுகாப்புதுறை அதிகாரி அதிரடி

சேலம், அக்.29:
சேலத்தில், ஜவ்வரிசி தயாரிப்பில் கெமிக்கல் பவுடரை கலப்பதாக வந்த புகாரை அடு த்து 648 மூட்டை ஜவ்வரிசி பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டன.
சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள ஜவ்வரிசி ஆலை களில், ஜவ்வரிசி வெளிர் நிறமாக வருவதற்காக தயாரிப்பின் போது கெமிக்கல் கலக்கப்படுவதாக புகார்கள் வந்தன. இதனையடுத்து உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரிகள் ஜவ்வரிசி ஆலைகளில் ஆய்வுகள் மேற்கொண்டு, கலப்படம் செய்யப்பட்ட ஆலைகள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுத்தனர்.
இந்நிலையில், நேற்று சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை நரசிம்ம செட்டி தெருவில் உள்ள ஒரு குடோனில் இருந்து, கெமிக்கல் கலந்து தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகள் விற்பனை செல்வதாக ரகசிய தகவல் கிடைத்தது. விரைந்து சென்ற சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அலுவலர் அனு ராதா, அங்கு வெளியூருக்கு அனுப்புவதற்காக லாரியில் தயாராக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த மூட்டைகளை சோதனையிட்டார்.
இதுகுறித்து சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அலுவலர் அனுராதா கூறியதாவது:
சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள ஜவ்வரிசி உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் ஆலைகளில் கடந்த மாதங்களில் ஆய்வு நடத்தப்பட்டது. அப்போது ஜவ்வரிசி தயாரிப்பில் திரவமாக கெமிக்கல் கலப்படம் செய்யப்படுவது, கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டு ஆலைகள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்பட்டது.
அதேபோல் செவ்வாய்பேட்டையில் உள்ள ஒரு குடேனில் மேற்கொண்ட திடீர் ஆய்வில், ஜவ்வரிசியை வெளிர் நிறமாக மாற்ற கெமிக்கல் பவுடரை உபயோகப்படுத்தியது தெரியவந்துள்ளது. இதனால் இங்கிருந்து வெளியூருக்கு அனுப்புவதற்கு தயாராக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த தலா 50 கிலோ எடைகொண்ட 648 ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகள் பறிமுதல் செய்துள்ளோம். இதன் மதிப்பு 20 லட்சமாகும்.
இவற்றின் மாதிரி எடுத்து ஆய்வுக்கு அனுப்பி, வரும் அறிக்கையின் அடிப்படையில் நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ள உள்ளோம். இவ்வாறு அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.

வெண்மை நிறத்துக்கு ரசாயனம் கலப்படமா? சேலத்தில் 648 ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகள் பறிமுதல் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் நடவடிக்கை

சேலம், அக்.29-வெண்மை நிறத்துக்கு ரசாயனம் கலப்படம் செய்யப்பட்டதா? என்பதை கண்டறிய 648 ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.
ஜவ்வரிசி ஆலைகளில் ஆய்வு
சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் ஜவ்வரிசி ஆலைகள் அதிகளவு செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது. இந்த ஆலைகள் சிலவற்றில் ஜவ்வரிசியில் கலப்படம் செய்வதாக வந்த புகார்களை அடுத்து உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் அடிக்கடி ஆய்வு நடத்தி வருகின்றனர். அப்போது ஜவ்வரிசியில் கலப்படம் செய்த ஆலைகளுக்கு ‘சீல்‘ வைக்கப்பட்டு நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகிறது.
இந்த நிலையில், ஜவ்வரிசி வெண்மையாக மாறுவதற்கு ரசாயன பவுடர் கலப்படம் செய்வதாக மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் அனுராதாவுக்கு புகார்கள் வந்தன. அதன்பேரில் நேற்று மாலை நியமன அலுவலர் அனுராதா மற்றும் அதிகாரிகள் சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை நரசிம்மன்செட்டி தெருவில் உள்ள ஷாமதன்ராஜ் என்பவரது குடோனில் ஆய்வு நடத்தினர்.
ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகள் பறிமுதல்
அப்போது அங்கு ஒரு லாரியில் 50 கிலோ எடை கொண்ட 324 ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகள் ஏற்றப்பட்டு வடமாநிலங்களுக்கு அனுப்ப தயாராக இருந்தன. மேலும் 2 லாரிகளில் ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளை ஏற்ற ஊழியர்கள் தயாராக இருந்தனர். இதை பார்த்த அதிகாரிகள் ஏற்றப்பட தயாராக இருந்த ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளில் இருந்து பரிசோதனைக்காக மாதிரிகளை சேகரித்தனர்.
மேலும் அங்கிருந்த 648 ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்ததுடன், அந்த குடோனிலே மூட்டைகளை பாதுகாப்பாக வைத்தனர்.
அதிக விலைக்கு...
இதுகுறித்து உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அலுவலர் அனுராதா கூறும் போது, ‘கலப்படம் செய்யப்படாத ஜவ்வரிசி பழுப்பு நிறத்தில் இருக்கும். வெண்மையாக இருக்கும் ஜவ்வரிசி தான் அதிக விலைக்கு விற்பனையாகிறது. இதற்காக வியாபாரிகள் ஏதாவது ஒரு ரசாயன பவுடரை கலப்படம் செய்து ஜவ்வரிசியை வெண்மையாக்குகின்றனர்.
இதுதொடர்பான புகார்கள் அடிக்கடி வந்ததால் இந்த குடோனில் சோதனை செய்தோம். அங்கிருந்த ஜவ்வரிசிகளை மாதிரிக்கு சேகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதன் முடிவு வரும் வரை பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்ட 648 ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளை விற்பனை செய்யக்கூடாது என்று கூறி உள்ளோம். பரிசோதனையின் முடிவில் கலப்படம் ஏதேனும் செய்தது தெரியவந்தால் அடுத்த கட்ட நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்‘ என்று கூறினார்.

DINAMALAR ARTICLE

DINAMALAR NEWS

Packaged water found unfit to drink, but no action taken

GURGAON: Forget tap water, if you thought packaged drinking water was safe in the city, think twice. Though only four samples of packaged drinking water were collected by the food safety department from two units in Gurgaon in the last three years, analysis showed that all were unfit for consumption, a Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed.
"The cases were reported and they are now before the court of chief judicial magistrate," said the RTI reply by the food safety officer of Gurgaon.
A separate RTI reply has brought to light the fact that the district pollution control department of Gurgaon has not taken any action or issued any notice to a single water supplier for not maintaining the quality of drinking water in the last five years.
To make it worse, no new permission or licence has been granted to process, operate and fill bottled drinking water in the past five years, the district pollution control board said in its reply to Aseem Takyar, an activist.
"When the pipeline water fails to meet the drinking water requirements of the city dwellers especially in the commercial and industrial areas, people have no choice but to rely on packaged drinking water. But, the authorities have not collected any sample in the past three years barring two. This clearly shows how unsafe the drinking water could be," Takyar said.
In residential colonies, people tend to use the piped water but only after treating it through RO (reverse osmosis) technology.
"In DLF areas, most people use the water supplied by HUDA but it is treated by the RO system installed in most houses as people are not sure about the quality and in the offices, bottled water is used," said Sudhir Kapoor, secretary general of DLF City RWA, Gurgaon. No one from the food safety office could be contacted, despite repeated attempts.

Administration slaps Rs 20,000 fine on private dairy

LUCKNOW: A fine of Rs 20,000 has been imposed on Maa Laxmi Dairy, Vishal Khand in Gomtinagar for a sub-standard paneer taken from the shop on September 24, 2013. The laboratory report found the fat to be 41.5%, while as per laid down norms of Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 (along with rule of 2011), the fat content should not be less than 50%.
No other contaminant was found. Hence under section 49/51 of the said Act, fine has been imposed on the proprietor Jitendra Pal. Meanwhile, food safety officials took three samples of paneer, curd and besan laddoo from Balaji Sweets & Dhaba in Vibhuti Khand, and have sent the samples for further testing. The department has also urged public to inform them about suspected adulterated or sub-standard food on the helpline number 1800-180-5533.

No strange meat, pony joyride in Sangai Festival: PFA Manipur

Imphal, October 28 2014: As "animal meat" is defined as the meat which belongs to Sheep, Goat, Pig, Cattle, Poultry and Fish only under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS) 2006 and Food Product Standard and Food Additives Regulation 2011, the People for Animals, Manipur has appealed to managers of food stalls in the upcoming Sangai Festival 2014 to check the food which will be offered by the stall keepers.
A statement issued today by L.Biswajeet Meitei, Managing Trustee, People for Animals, Manipur said slaughtering of animals of any other species other than these animals is not permissible under the act and regulations.
The PFA Manipur also urged the officials who are managing food stalls in the Sangai festival to arrange the food stalls into veg and non-veg stalls separately.
Saying that wildlife meat is to be strictly checked, the statement called upon all concerned that dog, rabbit or any other uncommon animal meat is to be avoided.
PFA Manipur will keep vigil on the food stalls, it said and added that strange food will not impress foreigners, as Manipur is famous for sports, culture and rare wildlife, but not for cuisine.
Selling of cooked meat which are not permitted could be imprisoned up to 6 months and with fine up to one lakh rupees, according to the FSS Act 2006. Selling of wild animals' meat could also be punished with huge fine under this act and Wildlife protection Act.
The Food Safety commissioner of the state to detail officials to check the food items offered in the festival, PFA urged, while requesting Pony and Polo associations not to provide joy ride of Pony horses in the festival.
In the previous years, staffs of wildlife department were deployed to check sale or offering of wildlife meat or its products.
The PFA statement further suggested the Wildlife department to provide to and fro transport services to access parks, sanctuaries, lakes and gardens of the state.

PFA urges

Imphal, October 28 2014: People for Animal (PFA) Thoubal is all set to keep an eye on food stalls to check the sale of wildlife meat and other uncommon animal meat during the ensuing Sangai Festival.
A statement issued by PFA Thoubal said Manipur is famous for sports, culture and rare wildlife but not for its cuisines.
It said that strange food would not impress foreigners.
Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS), 2006 and its (Food Product Standard and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011 define "animal meat" as meat which belongs to sheep, goat, pig, cattle, poultry and fish only.
Slaughtering of animals of any other species other than these animals is not permissible under the Act and regulations.
So the officials who are going to manage food stalls in the upcoming Sangai Festival are appealed to check the food to be offered by the stall keepers, it said.
It further requested the authority concerned to arrange the food stalls into different groups as vegetarian and non-veg.
Wildlife meat is to be strictly checked.
Dog, rabbit or any other uncommon animal meat is to be avoided.
Selling of cooked wild animals meat is punishable under law, it said.
It also requested Pony and Polo associations not to offer joy ride on ponies during the festival.

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.