What does the Irradiation of a Food Product mean?

What does the Irradiation of a Food Product mean?

Irradiation of Food 

Food irradiation is a technology that uses radiation to control food spoilage by destroying foodborne pathogens. Since the results are similar to pasteurisation it is also called “cold pasteurisation.” The difference is that pasteurisation uses heat to kill microorganisms, bacteria and viruses that may be present in the food whereas irradiation uses ionizing radiation.  The application is used to inhibit sprouting, delay ripening, and improve re-hydration.

Ionizing radiation damages DNA so that

• microorganisms stop growing and can no longer continue their pathogenic activities
• spoilage-causing micro-organisms cannot continue their activities
• insects do not survive, or become incapable of proliferation
• plant ripening or ageing process is delayed

How is food irradiated?

When bulk or packaged food passes through an irradiation chamber on a conveyor belt food is irradiated. The food does not come into contact with the radioactive material but passes through a radiation beam much like torchlight. The amount of irradiation depends on the type of food and the specific purpose for which irradiation is being used. The conveyor belt is important as the speed of the belt controls the exposure time to the food. The actual delivered dose is measured by dosimeters within the food containers. Cobalt-60 is the most commonly used radionuclide for food irradiation. However, there are also large cesium-137 irradiators and the army has also used spent fuel rods for irradiation.

Effects of ionizing radiation on food

• Causes disruption of internal metabolism of cells
• Causes DNA cleavage (also called spitting of DNA strands)
• Formation of free radicals
• Disrupts chemical bonds

Sources of Irradiation 

1. Electron irradiation beam uses electrons, accelerated in an electric field, to a velocity that is close to the speed of light. Electrons are particulate radiation and have cross section many times larger than photons. Electron beams do not penetrate the product beyond a few inches, depending on product density. 

2. Gamma radiation is radiation of photons in the gamma part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The radiation is obtained through the use of radioisotopes, generally Cobalt-60. Food irradiation using Cobalt-60 is the preferred method by most processors, because the deeper penetration enables administering treatment to entire industrial pallets or totes, reducing the need for material handling. 

Applications

The irradiation process has a wide range of uses and works with both large and small quantities of food. For example,

• a single serving of poultry can be irradiated for use on a space flight
• or a large quantity of potatoes can be treated to reduce sprouting during warehouse storage

Irradiation is most useful in four areas

Preservation 

Irradiation can destroy or inactivate organisms that cause spoilage and decomposition so self life increases.  Irradiation is an energy efficient food preservation method and has more advantages than traditional canning. Irradiated products resemble fresh state closely as the texture, flavor, and color are almost the same. Using irradiation to preserve foods does not require any additional liquid, nor does it cause the loss of natural juices. Food can be irradiated after being packaged or frozen.

Sterilization Foods that are sterilized by irradiation can be stored for years without refrigeration just like canned (heat sterilized) foods. With irradiation it is possible to develop new shelf-stable products. It is cold sterilization.

Control sprouting, ripening, and insect damage: Irradiation offers an alternative to chemicals for use with potatoes, tropical and citrus fruits, grains, spices, and seasonings. However, since no residue is left in the food, irradiation does not protect against re -infestation unlike insect sprays and fumigants.

Control of food pathogens Irradiation can be used to effectively  eliminate those pathogens that cause foodborne illness, such as Salmonella.

On the basis of the dose of radiation the application is generally divided into three main categories as detailed under. (The dose of radiation is measured in the SI unit known as Gray (Gy). One Gray (Gy) dose of radiation is equal to 1 joule of energy absorbed per kg of food material. In radiation processing of foods, the doses are generally measured in kGy (1,000 Gy)

Low Dose Applications (up to 1 kGy) for

• Sprout inhibition in bulbs and tubers 0.03-0.15 kGy
• Delay in fruit ripening 0.25-0.75 kGy
• Insect disinfestations including quarantine treatment and elimination of food borne parasites 0.07-1.00 kGy

Medium Dose Applications (1 kGy to 10 kGy) for

• Reduction of spoilage microbes to prolong shelf-life of meat, poultry and sea foods under refrigeration 1.50–3.00 kGy
• Reduction of pathogenic microbes in fresh and frozen meat, poultry and sea foods 3.00–7.00 kGy
• Reducing the number of microorganisms in spices to improve hygienic quality 10.00 kGy

High Dose Applications (above 10 kGy) for

• Sterilisation of packaged meat, poultry and their products which are shelf stable without refrigeration. 25.00-70.00 kGy
• Sterilisation of hospital diets 25.00-70.00 kGy
• Product improvement as increased juice yield or improved re-hydration

Advantages of Food Irradiation

• There is little or no heating of food
• Packaged or frozen foods can also be treated
• No chemicals are used for preservation of fresh foods
• Low energy requirements
• There is no comparable change in nutritional value
• High automation

Disadvantages of Food Irradiation 

• High capital costs
• Possible development of resistant MO
• Inadequate analytical procedures to detect irradiation in food
• Public resistance

Legal Status 

U.S.A. has approved irradiation for packaging material, spices, vegetable seasoning, poultry and ground beef. Another 35 countries have approved some form of food irradiation but the biggest hurdle is consumer acceptance. Many consumers have misconceptions about the technology and believe that it makes food radioactive. However, this is not so because food does not become radioactive with irradiation.

Potential uses of Food Irradiation

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Type of Food	Effects of Irradiation
Meat, poultry	Destroys pathogenic organisms, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Trichinae
Perishable foods	Delays spoilage; retards mold growth; reduces number of microorganisms
Grain, fruit	Controls insect vegetables, infestation dehydrated fruit, spices and seasonings , Reduces rehydration time
Onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, ginger	Inhibits sprouting
Bananas, mangos, papayas, guavas, other non-citrus fruits	Delays ripening avocados, natural juices

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How does irradiation affect the food itself? 

Ionizing radiation breaks some of the chemical bonds within the food itself. The effects of chemical changes in foods are varied. These effects are the result of radiolysis. Whether the products of radiolysis in food are all harmless from a human health perspective is still debated. However, from years of experience in food irradiation it is seen that there are no identifiable health problems. Some changes in foods may not be good but others can be. Examples of some food changes are:

• changes in structure of certain foods too fragile to withstand the irradiation, for example, lettuce and other leafy vegetables turn mushy
• slowed ripening and maturation in certain fruits and vegetables lengthens shelf-life
• reduction or destruction of some nutrients, such as vitamins, reduces the nutritional value (the effect is comparable to losses in heat pasteurisation)
• alteration of some flavour compounds
• formation of compounds that were not originally present requires the strict control of radiation levels
• generation of free radicals, some of which recombine with other ions.

Labelling 

As per FSS Act (2006) regulation 2.4.4 describes the labelling of irradiated food. The labelling of pre-packed irradiated food shall be in accordance with the provisions of FSS (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations. Also, the provisions of the atomic energy (control of Irradiation of Food) Rules, 1991, under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 should be followed.

All packages of irradiated food shall bear the following declaration and logo, namely: –

PROCESSED BY IRRADIATION METHOD……………………………………………………. DATE OF IRRADIATION………………………………………………………………………….

LICENSE NO of Irradiation Unit…………………………………………………………………PURPOSE OF IRRADIATION…………………………………………………………………….

In India, the standard guidelines for Irradiated Food Products have been defined under Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.

Irradiated foods require proper food handling 

Food irradiation can only be used if it fulfills a technological need or is necessary for food safety or food hygiene. It cannot replace the need for correct food handling practices in the food industry. Some bacteria may survive the irradiation of food, for example meat, so if meat is left unrefrigerated or not handled according to food safety norms, these bacteria could multiply and cause food poisoning. Irradiated foods need to be stored, handled and cooked in the same way as foods that are not irradiated and according to good food handling practices.

What is an Organic Food Product?

Organic Food – Fresh Red & Green Apple

The word “organic” refers to the way farmers grow and process all agricultural products like fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming encourages soil and water conservation and helps in reducing pollution. Animals on organic farms are not given growth hormones or antibiotics. Since they are raised on organic farms they do not receive chemicals from the soil or in food they eat. This kind of farming is ecologically balanced. Organic foods are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides and no genetically modified products are used.
In simpler terms organic food is

• grown without use of any chemicals
• processed without additives

Many people prefer to grow organic food in their own gardens, because organic foods are about 20% more expensive than conventional food. Conventional food is that food which uses synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Those who grow food in their own kitchen gardens use organic seeds, organic fertilizers and compost, organic root simulators and pest control. Organic food production has become popular since the 1990s in both developed and developing nations and worldwide organic food sales stand at around 2 % percent.
Processed organic food
This class of organic foods contains only organic ingredients. If non-organic ingredients are included then they must not be more than 5% which means that 95% of the ingredients must be organic. Organic foods must be

• free of additives
• processed without the use of artificial methods
• must not use chemical ripening, food irradiation, and genetically modified ingredients.
• Some pesticides mat be permitted to be used but only if they are non synthetic

Advantages of organic foods
Organic foods have a number of advantages over conventional foods

• They are tastier because they are grown naturally and without chemicals of any kind and are farm fresh
• They are nutritious but may not look as colorful and well presented as conventional foods
• Environmentally friendly and protect topsoil from erosion and bring you closer to nature
• They are safer than foods grown with non-organic methods such as pesticides, non-organic fertilizers, antibiotics and hormones
• High food quality which conventional foods cannot match.
• Contain more antioxidants that fight diseases like cancer

Environmental impact of organic farming
Most surveys carried out have come to the conclusion that this kind of farming does not damage the environment because it

• does not consume or release synthetic pesticides into the environment so there is no harm caused to soil, water and land and aquatic wildlife
• sustains a diverse ecosystem of plants and insects, as well as animals
• when calculated either per unit area or per unit of yield, organic farms use less energy and produce less waste, like packaging materials for chemicals.

Some factors that can be used to compare conventional farming to organic farming are as described

1. Yields from organic farms

Organic farms may have lesser yield than conventional farms as they use less fertilizer and almost no pesticides. However, the soil content on organic farms is superior and it has better water retention ability. This could mean that in drought years organic farms will have better yields. Developing countries have better yields from organic farms because they do not have access to synthetic farming materials and so use organic methods, unlike developed countries where there is easy availability of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.

2. Energy conservation

Organic farming is considered to be more energy efficient as there is no use of chemically synthesized nitrogen for crop production. They also rely on harnessing and using other sources of energy like solar energy. However, they could use more petroleum when using machinery as there is no other option for weed control and soil management. Since they use fertilizers that are less nutritious it results in the use of more fuel.

3. Pesticide residue

Organic farming standards do not allow use of synthetic pesticides. However, some standards do allow restricted use of organic pesticides like BT, pyrethrum, and rotenone.

4. Nutritional value

In a few studies that have been carried out organic foods showed better nutritional value as

• There are higher levels of vitamins/antioxidants and poly-unsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 and CLA
• Lower levels of compounds like heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticide residues and glyco-alkaloids in many crops and milk.

Organic Certification Process
The certification process for defining a farm as organic is rather long. Good management and record keeping are one of the key requirements of the process. Farmers look for guidelines to find out what practices and products are allowed for certification. For land to be certified as organic there should be

• no use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides for three years before applying for certification
• farmers must provide a detailed plan that describes the entire operation
• they must outline the organic techniques to be used for production and marketing of crops
• if there is lack of fertility in the beginning they must first rectify the problem before starting organic farming.

There is a strict inspection process where inspectors come to take soil samples to evaluate the soil fertility. The soil will also be tested to check the presence of any unacceptable pesticides in it. The inspectors will visit the farm annually or as directed in the standards to see that the organic farm is in compliance. Inspectors also check the records of the farm to see that the operations are being conducted according to the original plan given.
Indian certification organizations
In India, National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP) defines the regulatory mechanism and is regulated under two different acts for export and domestic markets. NPOP notified under Foreign Trade Development and Regulation Act (FTDR) looks after the export requirement. The
NPOP notified under this act has already been granted equivalence by European Union and Sweden. USDA has also accepted the conformity assessment system of NPOP. Due to this, the product certified by any Indian accredited certification agency under NPOP can be exported to Europe, Sweden and USA without the requirement of re-certification.
To look after the requirement of import and domestic market the same NPOP has been notified under Agriculture Produce Grading, Marking and Certification Act (APGMC). Regulatory body of NPOP under FTDR act is Agricultural and Processed. Foods Export Development Authority (APEDA) under Ministry of Commerce and of NPOP under APGMC act is Agricultural Marketing Advisor (AMA) under Ministry of Agriculture. Accreditation of Certification and Inspection Agencies is being granted by a common National Accreditation Body (NAB). Almost 20 accredited certification agencies are looking after the requirement of certification process. Out of these, 4 agencies are under public sector while remaining 16 are under private management.
Organic labelling
In legal terms to be certified or labelled 100% organic, products must be grown and manufactured in a way that is in compliance with the standards of the country they are sold in.
Foods that are organically grown can state this fact on the labels. Those consumers who want to buy organic foods can look at the labels to see if the foods are 100% organic

• “100% Organic” Foods that are labelled as 100% Organic must contain all organically grown ingredients except for added water and salt.
• “Organic” Foods that are labelled as Organic need to contain at least 95% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt. Up to 5% of the ingredients may be non-organically produced.
• Foods that are labeled ‘Organic’ cannot contain sulphites added as a preservative. Sulphites can create allergies and asthma in some people.
• “Made with Organic Ingredients” Product labels that claim Made with Organic Ingredients need to contain at least 70% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt. They must not contain added sulphites, and up to 30% of the ingredients may be non-organically produced.
• Food products made with less than 70% organic ingredients cannot claim to be organic foods. However, they may state which of the ingredients are organic.

Popular organic food items are organic tea, organic coffee, organic wine, organic meat, organic beef, eggs, organic milk, organic honey, organic vegetables, organic fruits, organic rice, organic corn, organic herbs, organic essential oils, organic coconut oil and organic olive oil.
The food safety guidelines for Organic Food products including Licensing & Registration, Labelling, Contaminants, Toxins & Residues, as per Indian Regulations (FSS Act, Rules & Regulations) would imply same as have been defined for other normal food products.
Important – The information contained in this article can be used as a reference guideline on the subject, however the actual guidelines (Regulatory & others) may differ from the content discussed here.

Oxytocin in food items: HC seeks reply from Centre within 6 weeks

SHIMLA: Director, health safety and regulations, on Tuesday filed its response in Himachal Pradesh high court on observations made on the issue of large scale use of harmful oxytocin vaccine in milk, fruits and vegetables. The director said that state government does not have any mechanism to test oxytocin injected into fruits and vegetables, milk and non-vegetarian products. The court has now directed the Union government to file its reply within 6 weeks and posted the matter for April 1.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders on a petition taken up suo motu by the court as a public interest litigation on misuse of oxytocin vaccine.

Amicus curiae Satyen Vaidya had submitted that only 11 samples of fruits, 4 of vegetables, 11 non-vegetarian food items and 91 samples of milk were lifted in the entire state during the last three years despite huge paraphernalia of the food safety department and the drug control administration. He said that only 117 samples were lifted during 3 years in the entire state and only 65 of them analyzed, which shows the concern of the food safety administration towards its duties. The Composite Testing Laboratory (CTL), Kandaghat, does not have a facility for detection of oxytocin in food samples. It has also not been specified whether the food samples were sent specifically for detection of oxytocin or not.

The amicus curiae also submitted that the drug control administration has failed to provide data about steps taken by it to check its abuse and is conspicuously silent about possibility of oxytocin being illegally imported into the state from other parts of the country and even overseas and no date has been provided to show steps taken by the drug control administration to keep strict vigil and check on manufacturers and chemists indulging in its sale, except one seizure conducted during the last 3 years, when 254 injections of oxytocin (for veterinary use) were seized.

In reply to this, the director submitted that the matter, under present circumstances, was more of research rather than regulatory. The director said that the state government does not have any mechanism to test the factum of oxytocin in fruits and vegetables, milk and non-vegetarian products injected with the said drug.

The government of India has not prescribed any norms under PFA/FSSA for carrying out tests for oxytocin in foods. He said that media reports about misuse of oxytocin and its harmful effects on human health were not based on any scientific date and no such ill effects have been reported by ICAR on animals on which experiments were carried out.

Plant Protection Code in Place; Consumers can Expect Safer Tea

Plant Protection Code in Place; Consumers can Expect Safer Tea

The Plant Protection Code (PPC) was expected to be implemented in September 2014, but was deferred as small farmers needed some more time. The tea industry had been facing some issues particularly from conscious consumers who demanded to have safer, healthier and more environmentally friendly tea. Greenpeace had also alleged that Indian teas have a higher than permissible level of pesticide residue.

Now the tea board has announced that the PPC has become effective from January 1, 2015. The Tea Board has made some modifications to the recently implemented PPC. These changes are applicable to the small tea growers, which account for 30% of total tea output. From henceforth, small tea growers will have to give a declaration that their tea output conforms to the PPC. The Tea Board is likely to continue the ongoing awareness campaign to educate tea growers about the Plan Protection Formulations (PPF).

Based on extensive screening, the Central Insecticides Board (CIB) has listed 33 pesticides that can be used in tea production in India. The Tea Board has also outlined the chemicals that can be used in PPF for tea plantations and these cover insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and bio pesticides. In order to check contamination, chemicals will be restricted for use in tea estates, water bodies near tea estates, wildlife habitats and human dwellings. Tea plantations in south India have been allowed a few concessions in the use of chemicals. The Tea Research Institutes that have been involved in making the PPF have based their recommendations on compliance with FSSAI standards.

The PPC is a document that will encourage tea growers to use safer methods of tea protection and to review their use of chemicals in their PPF. The PPC is based on the international standards set by Codex Alimentarius. Through the PPC the Tea Board hopes to achieve sustainability through Good Agricultural Practices. They also aim to reduce the use of some chemical pesticides for pest control. To put it simply the threefold methods that tea planters need to use to reduce pesticide residues in tea are

review their use of PPFs,

reduce the use of PPFs as much as possible

apply the PPFs in the safest way possible

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is another striking feature of the PPC, which means using suitable methods and techniques in such a way as to minimize the pest incidence so as to prevent economic loss of crops. Tea Board has however, mentioned that despite the use of PPFs, the tea industry loses nearly 30 per cent of its crop due to pests, weeds and diseases.

DINAMALAR NEWS

BETTER AMRITSAR: SUBSTANDARD EATABLES-II Implement food laws strictly, say residents

Implement food laws strictly, say residents



A man eats at a roadside stall unmindful of the unhygenic conditions under which food is prepared in Amritsar.
A pool of stagnant water near a cart selling fruits in Amritsar

Amritsar, January 5Stringent laws and stricter implementation can check the agonising sale of substandard and adulterated food items in the holy city. The Health Department with its limited manpower and resources is unable to cover all shops in the entire district.The residents said the government should take strict action against those found selling low quality eatables to set an example for the others.They said collecting a few samples every month would not help in checking the problem. There was a need for a full-fledged drive to check the menace, they added. The residents said food testing laboratories should be opened at the district level so that reports of tests were available readily. Various educational institutions in the district had food technology labs, which could be roped in to test food samples and prepare reports, which were readily available, added the residents.Following are the views expressed by some residents on the unabated sale of poor quality food items in the holy city.
Test samples locally“At present the samples from the entire state are sent to laboratory in Chandigarh for testing. This creates a glut at the laboratory and the reports are delayed. It will be better if samples are tested at the local government hospitals and other educational institutes in the district till the time new labs come up in the district.” --Dr Hazara Singh, A local resident.

Impacts public health“The sale of substandard food directly concerns public health. If the sale of such eatables is stopped, the government will have to spend less on public health.The problem of substandard, unhygienic and adulterated food is more prominent in the rural areas. A government helpline to lodge complaint about such cases will be of some help.” --Gurjinder Singh, A resident
Spread awareness“There is a need for creating awareness about unhygienic food. The owners of the eateries must be educated to keep cooking utensils and surroundings clean. It will not cost anything, but help in ensuring good health of the consumers. Owners of the eateries ignore hygiene because they just do not care. A look at the surroundings of many roadside eateries and kitchens of restaurants is clear to assume that the food being sold is contaminated.” --Jatinder Monga, An entrepreneur
Enforce law“The government had earlier brought in Food Safety and Standards Act. The provisions of the Act cover all aspects of food industry. The strict implementation of all the provisions of the Act will finish the problem of substandard and unhygienic foods, which is sold openly in the city. Under the Act, cooks require health fitness certificate. They should wear gloves and cover their heads while cooking, besides other provisions, which relate to quality of the food.” --Deep Davinder Singh, Punjabi Lehak Sabha
Meanwhile, the Health Department has already completed the process to register all food businesses. However, it seems that the progress in implementing the Act is far slower than desired.

Full lies and half-truths

We ask Pritee Shah, Chief General Manager of the Consumer Education & Research Centre (CERC) to tell us about the usual suspects among misleading health food ads and unearth surprising results

Maggi Veg Atta Noodles & Maggi Oats Noodles



Claim: The campaign, endorsed by Madhuri Dixit, targets growing children and encourages them to play outdoors. It says ‘healthy need not be ‘boring’, linking Maggi noodles with a healthy lifestyle.
Fact: Our in-house laboratory tested major instant noodle brands and found them high in salt and fat, making them unhealthy, especially for regular consumption. Even in Top Ramen Oats Noodles, content of oat fibre was less than 6.8 %.
Claim: Maggi Oats Noodles has real vegetables
Fact: The dehydrated vegetables in the ‘Tastemaker’ not a significant source of nutrients in terms of quality and quantity.
Claim: ‘Maggi Veg Atta Noodles’ indicates that it is made mainly of atta.
Fact: It is mainly made up of maida or a combination of atta and maida. Maida is low in nutrition as compared to atta.

Organic Teas



Claims: ‘Natural’, ‘Contains antioxidants’, ‘Delicate and refined flavour’, ‘Strong rounded aroma with light floral flavour’, ‘100% organic’, ‘With intense infusion’ and ‘From stimulating to relaxing’.
Facts: Consumers are taken in by the advertising and pay a lot more. Organic tea brands are priced between Rs 35 and Rs 150 per 100 gms while conventional teas cost between Rs 25 and Rs 27.60 per 100 gms.
We tested 12 brands of organic tea, and though none of the brands contained pesticide residues, they contained heavy metals such as lead and copper (within the specified limits) which can have an adverse impact on health.

Chyawanprash



Claims: The eight brands we tested made varied claims such as increasing immunity, resistance and metabolic activity, improving memory and concentration and being rejuvenating. India’s popular health food is supposedly packed with Ayurvedic benefits.
Facts: Tall claims distract from the high sugar content. Sugar and honey play an important role in Chyawanprash, acting as a carrier for the herbs. All the products tested, with the exception of one sugar-free variant, were found to have more than 50% sugar. Vitamin C content varied hugely between brands – from a mere 33.4 mg per 100g to 83.2 mg per 100g.

Radikal Rice



Claim: Contains ‘healthy carbs’
Objection: Difference between the carb content in Radikal Rice and ordinary rice is not nutritionally significant. It cannot make the consumer especially energetic and active. No information regarding the Glycemic Index (GI) is present in the laboratory reports provided by the company. This index can measure how ‘healthy’ a carbohydrate is.
Claim: Packed with the power of special nutrients
Objection: No evidence of the rice containing special nutrients
Claim: Makes the consumer active and healthy
Objection: If no independent comparative study has been carried out with other brands of basmati rice in the market, what is the basis of this?

Kellogg’s Special K



Claim: “98% Fat Free”; “2 bowls, 2 weeks can make one lose up to 2.5 kg of weight”
Objection: Body weight depends on a number of factors: metabolism, genetics and lifestyle. How can you claim that a woman would become slim if she takes Kellogg’s? What would happen when she stops taking Kellogg’s after some days? The TVC makes consumers believe that the product has a special formula to help reduce weight quickly and they don’t have to do anything but consume it to shed weight. It is only when consumers buy the pack that they realize that Kellogg’s recommends a complete regimen which includes having fruits and doing moderate exercise for 30 minutes every day, among other things.

When food advertising is a SCAM

Advertisements of ‘healthy foods’ have long been glorifying half-truths. This year, ASCI, with due backing from the government and changed laws, is set to cause a lot of whiplash - By Malay Desai

Last June, in a landmark ruling, the American Supreme Court allowed the makers of POM Wonderful, a pomegranate-blueberry drink, to sue beverage giant Coca-Cola for a misleading label on their competitor drink, Minute Maid. But if Coke calling its product ‘pomegranate blueberry’ despite it being made of 99.5% apple and grape juice sounds crazy, hear these:
Kellogg once claimed that children who had its Frosted Mini Wheats cereal improved their attentiveness by ‘nearly 20%’, a figure they’d rounded up from ’11%’ – and it was one they had arrived at by comparing the children to those who had NO breakfast at all! Another cereal brand, Kashi, claimed to sell ‘all natural’ products until a lawsuit exposed its contents to be ‘almost entirely synthetic’ and ‘federally classified hazardous substances’. Why, even the litigant in the Coke case, POM Wonderful, had indulged in messaging such as ‘cheat death’ and ‘off to save prostates’.
The good news? While the American advertising ecosystem, despite the current tightening noose around fraudulent adverts, may let brands say just about anything and get away, things are slightly better off in India. With the country’s regulator of advertising, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) having entered into a partnership with the government in November 2014, advertisers promising slimmer waists, smarter children and other assorted ways to immortality might have to rethink their ways.
Moreover, if ASCI agrees to proposals of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) made just last fortnight, the noose around misleading F&B products will tighten further.
We spoke to the top heads of the Council, representatives of popular erring brands, watchdogs of public health as well as marketing pundits to discuss how this cookie will crumble.
The ‘Functional Food’ Factor 

Walk down to your neighbourhood hypermarket and drop a rupee for each time you see a product that promises a stronger heart, lower cholesterol and reduced sugar levels… and you’ll be out of change in seconds. There were times in advertising when food brands would promise miraculous cures to diseases and other outwardly things (The drink Dr Pepper was sold as a ‘brain tonic’ at drug stores) but now, long since the ‘no ullu-banaoing’ era has begun, the approaches have been a little more pragmatic.
Now, as miraculous claims remain only in fringe advertising as the consumer has smartened up and regulation has become tighter, brands have gone one-up in the game by repositioning their foods as being ‘functional’. So while cereal A does not say it will cure your obesity, it says, rather attractively, that it ‘promotes health’; and biscuit B, not promising to prevent heart disease, vaguely calls itself ‘whole’ or ‘natural’ or something that vaguely maintains wellness. Welcome to the world of exaggerated claims, misleading catchphrases and the great Indian middle class, buying into ‘health’ amidst its stressful lifestyle.
While the most regularly caught culprits of misleading advertisements of smartly positioned ‘functional foods’ are milk additives and digestive biscuits, there have been many more, some perhaps lying inside your kitchen at this moment.
Milk additives
Old-timers among you would know, back in the 80s, ‘health drinks’ were marketed only to the elderly and sick, but in the next decade and more so in the ’00s, the target audience changed to children. With some help from the pressures of our education system and social norms, milk additive brands created a breed of ‘smarter’ and ‘taller’ children who were in some way better than the others. While Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar phased out as the Boost drinker’s inspirational idols, the real hero became ‘homework’ and better memory.
While it’s difficult to point out if GSK’s Horlicks began the race in 2004 with its ‘taller, sharper, stronger’ claim, the competition intensified with Complan getting an ‘independent scientific research study’ to claim its kids grew taller by three centimetres compared to non-Complan drinkers!
Today, the Rs 4,000 crore malt drink market (or ‘health drinks’) as the brands call themselves, target the parents with a hotchpotch of promises about their children’s intellect, height, energy and more. Big campaigns especially begin around this period and go up to exam time, i.e., March-April.
Programme Director of the Center for Public Health and Awareness (CPHA), Prof Smitha Sarma Ranganathan, makes it clear that just these drinks can have no impact on a child’s health or intellect. “While minerals and vitamins (what these energy drinks contain) do have an impact on these parameters, drinking them alone doesn’t assure one of these benefits. I would any day go for balanced and sustainable means of growth and development, right from childhood and all through one’s life,” she tells us.
While ASCI has upheld adverts by all three big players, Cadbury (Bournvita), GSK (Boost and Horlicks) and Heinz (Complan) in the past, it is likely to pick upon them more often now, thanks to a more streamlined process of complaints.
One of the clever adverts which surprisingly skipped the ASCI radar was Complan’s TVC of it having ‘8 memory chargers.’ The commercial’s voice-over said that the reason for a child forgetting things could be incomplete nutrition, while the visual showed a child refusing his meal of chapatti, dal, sabzi and chawal. The Hindi narration talked about feeding children with New Complan that had ‘8 memory chargers’.
“How do the 8 memory chargers help improve a child’s memory? We were surprised that a complaint against this was not upheld by ASCI, though we learnt from the company that the FSSAI had initiated adjudication proceedings against the TVC,” says Pritee Shah, Chief General Manager of the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC).
Biscuits: Hard to digest
In 1892, McVitie’s became the pioneer of thinking that the biscuit can be ‘digestive’ too, and it still is telling us the same, these days with a little help from actor Bipasha Basu. The other big players in this increasingly big market are Britannia with NutriChoice and Horlicks’ Nutribic. While Basu may seduce us with the nutritive values of her biscuit, her brand as well as all others won’t tell you about the levels of unsaturated fat and sugar.



“All bakery items or so-called diet foods are high in sodium or many other preserved components,” says Malavika Athavale, who runs a nutrition clinic in Mumbai, adding that as most of the biscuits’ target consumers are on-the-go, whole grain or multi grain by default becomes a comparatively better choice than biscuits made with refined flour or maida.
The nutritional segment of the over Rs 12,000 crore biscuit market may be small, but the biggies are prepared to go to war. With Britannia at the forefront (NutriChoice declaring ‘no added sugar’ and vying for the diabetics pie and Vita Marie claiming to be ‘heart-friendly’ and ‘help reduce cholesterol’), Horlicks is playing catch-up and Parle too is now in the fray.
With Parle Digestive Marie and Actifit sugarless Cream Cracker, the food giant has unveiled its first step into the ‘healthy food’ market. And if we go by the packaging of Parle’s new digestive biscuit Simply Good, it has started off without loud claims. “The brand follows the philosophy of mindful eating. Rather than scaring off consumers, we ask them to enjoy everything in the right proportion. We have always been honest to our consumers - their trust in us is testimony. No brand will gain in the long run if it is not true and honest to its customers,” says Pravin Kulkarnii, Parle’s General Manager – Marketing.
Kulkarnii feels the proposed tie-up with the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) will help ASCI. “It will augment the efforts to stop misleading ads and provide the necessary wherewithal to implement ASCI directives to advertisers about changing misleading ads,” he adds, although feeling that it is self-regulation in the end that can lead to responsible advertising.
Noodles: The coiled truths
Nutritionists and health experts might have found it hard to control their sniggers when Nestle, makers of the market dominator Maggi Noodles, positioned them as ‘healthy’. Coming from the organization that hasn't even spared discouraging breast-feeding in poor communities to promote its health drink, it seems even less believable that instant noodles can be good for your health.
ASCI, which has regularly seen Nestle products go under the scanner (it even rapped Maggi soups in 2007 for falsely claiming to be ‘heart-friendly’), upheld complaints against Maggi’s recent claims of making health ‘mazedaar’ and depicting Madhuri Dixit in a fit lifestyle.
“When our in-house laboratory tested instant noodle brands, the results showed that they were high on salt and fat, making them an unhealthy option, especially for regular consumption. ASCI upheld our complaint,” informs Pritee Shah of CERC. Her centre has also debunked Maggi’s claim of its oats variant having real vegetables. “The dehydrated vegetables which are present in the taste-maker would not be a significant source of nutrients both in terms of quality and quantity,” she said.
Not surprisingly, Maggi’s competitors are also not far away from misreporting on their products’ benefits. In October last year, the Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad found high salt and fat content in Top Ramen and Ching’s Secret too.
Expectedly, nutritionist Athavale too isn’t convinced by healthy noodle adverts: “Be it wheat or oats, the preservation and sodium part (in packaged products) continues to be unhealthy. Consuming such foods on a regular basis is definitely a no!” she says.
ASCI and the ‘toothless’ factor
Ask any industry stake-holder or advertiser with or without a history of being pulled up by India’s only regulatory body for mainstream advertising (ASCI), and chances are that there will be a mention of ineffectiveness. For years, ASCI, thanks to its role as a regulator, has been regarded as a toothless organization in terms of inability to take action against erring brands.
ASCI Secretary General, Shweta Purandare, however, puts forth her point of view to the contrary: “We believe in promoting self-regulation. But that said, it would be wrong to refer to us as toothless - over 90% of the advertisers against whom we uphold complaints take off their ads or modify them. When it comes to TV, the compliance is 100%!” she tells us.
Now, with ASCI’s partnership with the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), the latter will redirect complaints it receives to ASCI, to avoid duplication of processing. The tie-up has prioritized six sectors of tracking complaints, and ‘agriculture and food’ is among them. What this means is that the government will build a coalition of watchdogs to combat misleading advertisements and consequent unfair trade practices.
“The Ministry (of Information & Broadcasting) has always been supportive to us. Now, with the Consumer Affairs ministry making us key stake-holders, advertisers will be even more cautious,” Purandare adds. Well, the advertisers will especially do so if they witness show-cause notices being served to others.
Soumitra Sen, President, DDB Remedy, agrees that government assistance on censorship matters always helps. “Interpretation of rules and regulations is better left to government bodies - they more often than not have the most correct interpretation of the law, leaving little room for confusion and accusations of favouritism. While ‘the government can interpret law and help in implementation, ASCI could be the watchdog that could ensure that everyone is dealt with equitably,” he tells us.
Shah, however, echoes what many other industry pundits also believe: “Just the partnership may not have the desired impact. ASCI is a self-regulatory body and its code needs review and modification. We hope the proposed measures envisaged in the amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 will curb the menace of misleading ads,” she says.
Loose change – The Rs 10 lakh penalty
A crucial reason why the marketer of the pseudo healthy product is laughing all the way to the bank after misleading you with exaggerated claims is that in case his packaging or communication is found and proven to be fraudulent, the penalty is just Rs 10 lakh. Or, as some mega-brands term it, ‘the sales of half a day in a metro’.
While the key heads at ASCI, Purandare and Chairman Narendra Ambwani (see interview) refused to comment on this, the truth remains that this pittance of a penalty isn’t discouragement enough for big advertisers to stop making outwardly promises on their packaging.
The dusty corridors of FSSAI in Delhi might not have responded to our probes adequately in this regard, but here’s a suggestion to them if they’re reading this – raise the penalty if the brand’s sales are national and run into crores.
Sen points out more holes in ASCI & I&B Ministry’s processes which allow sly advertisers to slip away with profits: “It’s important that the offending message gets off-limits for mass consumption. The problem is that by the time ASCI and the I&B Ministry find something objectionable, the ad often runs for a few weeks and in many instances a couple of months before it is taken off air. Brands and their managers laugh all the way to the bank, because they anyway reap the benefits of the investment made, until any decision is taken on its actual fate by ASCI. Even after that, brand owners are given multiple opportunities to defend their case and a last recourse to law is always there for anyone who is hell bent on delaying the final decision.”
Creating a market that isn’t 

In classic cases of clever marketing - and not only in India - there are ad campaigns which create insecurities among the target audiences’ psyche and convert many into users of a product that didn't exist until about a decade ago. Cooking oil brands indulging in gender-targeted ads, we are pointing especially at you!
Ranganathan of CPHA has a thought or two about cooking oils that promise husbands a healthier heart. “Low-cholesterol oils targeting men alone is myopic advertising. While heart disease over the years has acquired a male demeanour, women perhaps are at equal if not higher risk at specific periods of their lives, such as menopause. In the context of today’s occupations and lifestyles, sensitivity to heart health is of paramount importance for both men and women,” she asserts.
Shah seconds this, stating the FSSAI guidelines for food advertising. “They clearly state that ‘no person can engage himself in any unfair trade practice for purpose of promoting the… consumption of articles of food …by visible representation which makes a false or misleading representation concerning the need for, or the usefulness of (the product).’ Despite this, many foods are marketed as health foods in India, making consumers feel the need for the product. In Australia, the law is very strict about manufacturers making health claims. For instance, to justify the manufacture and sale of fortified foods, manufacturers have to establish that a certain section of the population has a deficiency, which makes the fortified foods necessary,” she explains.
It’s a long way to go then, before regulators have teeth that bite and advertisers have a voice that doesn't lie. For now, all that consumers need is a mind that makes an informed choice.
The Noose Will Tighten in 2015

 

On December 23, 2014, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, answered a question in the Rajya Sabha regarding advertising of food supplements. His response, confirming that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has requested a partnership with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), carries a warning for food advertisers making tall claims.
“FSSAI has asked ASCI to undertake comprehensive monitoring of advertisements appearing with respect to (F&B) across various media segments…; to bring to FSSAI’s notice any F&B advertisement making unsubstantiated claims and misleading the consumers; to examine the advertisements concerning F&B products (most of which are scientifically unsubstantiated) being endorsed by celebrities, with a view to requesting the celebrities to restrain from endorsing such products; and provide information to FSSAI about the advertisement…” the health minister said.
While the formal association with ASCI hasn’t yet happened, it is believed that the body will make a statement soon. The FSSAI and ASCI joining hands will impact not only the brands which mislead, but their celeb endorsers and media as well.

FDA finds food samplesub-standard

AURANGABAD: Of the 24 samples of food items the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collected from eateries across Aurangabad division on December 31, one was found to be sub-standard.
Since the afternoon of December 31, 2014, the FDA has begun to ensure that people ushering in the New Year at hotels, 'dhabas' and restaurants aren't served sub-standard food. The FDA had deputed 22 officers across the division and the food samples were tested within 24 hours. "The samples were tested for adulteration as well as quality. The officers were on the field throughout the night and visited party spots to collect samples," said FDA (food) joint commissioner, Chandrashekhar Solanke.
"The drive was massive. We did everything possible to get the results in time," he added.
"The food safety officers collected 24 food samples from various hotels and dhabas which were sent for testing to the FDA laboratory in Mumbai. Out of these 24 samples, one was reported to be of sub-standard quality, in which excessive artificial colour was used. Action will be initiated against the guilty," said FDA (food) deputy joint commissioner M D Shah.
Solanke said that on New Year's Eve, many people party, and eateries receive a large number of orders. "To fulfill the customers' demands, hotels resort to using low quality ingredients or serving sub-standard food. Though people fall ill after consuming such food, they either don't register complaints or don't know where to do so. So, we had organised this drive, and would take action against the errant eateries," he added. "We had appealed to the people to come forward and register complaints if they come across sub-standard food in an eatery," he said.

50 food handlers attend training

Chandigarh, January 3
PGI claims to be taking a lead in training its food handlers on food safety issues, in canteens and other outlets on the campus today. A documentary on best practices in kitchen was screened to train them.
Chetan PS Rao, Deputy Director, Administration (PGI), highlighted the importance of the training in view of the Swachhata Abhiyan, declared by the Prime Minister. He also provided a copy of a short film by the Central Government on the topic for screening before the audience.
Dr Puja Dudeja held the training at the School of Public health under the supervision of Prof Amarjeet Singh. The training marked the culmination of the painstaking efforts by Lt-Col Dr Puja Dudeja in this field. She has successfully completed her PhD on the topic this week. Around 50 food handlers along with their contractors participated in the training.
It was asserted during the session that lack of trained food handlers can compromise the food safety in hospitals and thereby the health of people. In kitchens, lack of trained food handlers is a definite bottleneck in achieving food safety. Lapse at any point by a food handler can compromise the food safety and thereby the health of people. However, not much efforts are made to organise their training. Also, the role of Food Business Operators (FBOs) in ensuring proper hygiene of their establishments was emphasized. They were told that they have also to ensure the fitness of their food handlers. They are expected to ensure availability of safe food to all customers inside PGIMER.

Fresh Food Products ‘Spring’ a Surprise on Kerala Homes

KOCHI: Home Spring, a fresh food products brand formed in 2009, is slowly making inroads into the highly competitive packaged-food market.
Founded by Jesluck Peter, who first started JR Trading Company, a seafood export company in 2000 while pursuing his masters degree, ventured into fresh food products business five years ago to tap the huge potential in fresh food segment.
“I wanted to focus on food products that we use in our day to day life. So, I concentrated on food products like fresh chapatis, Kerala parotta, wheat parotta, pathiri and idli/dosa batter etc. Introducing wheat parotta for the first time in Kerala market was a huge success of our brand ‘Home Spring’,” Peter said.
The Kochi-based company has its production centre at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)-approved unit at Kozhinjampara, Palakkad. Peter said while launching ‘Home Spring’, the idea was to introduce food products which are popular but not easily available in the market. “I’ve realised that no matter how health-conscious they are, Keralites can’t resist parotta. With health freaks in mind, we also launched ‘wheat parotta’ without sugar,” he said.
Home Spring struggled to make a mark in the first year. However, over time, the products started getting acceptance from customers, Peter said.
Home Spring products are now available at leading retail malls, supermarkets and bakeries across the state. “My sincere advice to new entrepreneurs is that success will never come your way. You have to search and find the right way to be successful,” he said. The company which received the quality recognition from RTI Council Kerala and consumer protection award for its products in 2014, plans to launch new products such as ‘appam’ batter, multi-grain chapatis, multi-grain parottas and ‘puttu’ powder this year.
Peter, who is inspired by the hard work and success of M A Yusuf Ali of Lulu Group, said he derived more satisfaction from the fact that the products are enjoyed by the customers. Top priority will be given to maintain the quality of fresh food products, he said.

25,000 litres of edible oil seized

An enforcement team of Food Safety and Drug administration (FSDA) on Friday raided five edible oil mills and seized more than 25,000 litres of oil.

FDA official H S Abdi said the team found violation of standards set by FSDA. A few of mills were running without licence. The team also collected samples of Mustard oil, rice bran oil and refined soyabeen oil.

He informed that around 23 tonnes of edible oil worth Rs 12 lakhs was seized from a mill. Around 330 litres of edible oil worth Rs 20,000 was seized from another mill. Around 210 litres of mustard oil and 500 litres of rice bran oil were also seized.

FSDA team also raided two food joints and collected samples of colour, ice cream mixture and cream. Officials destroyed cake wrapped in printing paper. Samples of biscuit, chocolate, cherry and pine apple cake were collected.

Raids were conducted on the directives of commissioner, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Badal Chatterjee.

In festive season, anti-adulteration drive in full swing

Meerut: As city residents relish sweets and cakes in the New Year, the food safety and standard department's (FSSD) anti-adulteration drive is in full swing. The department has already sent 30 suspicious samples to a food testing laboratory in Lucknow in the last week. 

The drive, which started on December 24, is set to go on till January 5. "The food department team is conducting regular checks by sending suspicious food items to the laboratory for testing. If any sub-standard food item is found, the person will be dealt with as per rules," said VK Verma, designated officer, FSSD. 

Even though there is a laboratory in Meerut, on the Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCSU) campus, the samples were sent to a lab in Lucknow to avoid any manipulation. 

"The food items are preserved and sent to Lucknow . The result reaches us within 20 days of the courier being sent," said J.P Singh, chief food safety officer. 

The food department is focusing on milk products, cooking oil, spices and artificial colouring in food. Field visits and sample testing will be intensified this week and violators will be booked under the Food Safety and Standards Act (2006). 

Some city residents have already fallen prey to adulterated food. "I got Christmas cake from a friend which was purchased from a city bakery. I suffered from food poisoning after consuming the cake. Since then, I have not had any sweets from outside," said Garv Gupta, a city resident.

Food safety drives for state school kalolsavam

KOZHIKODE: The officials of the food safety department in the district will conduct special drives and deploy officials round-the-clock to check the hygiene and quality of the food items and water being served at all types of eatery outlets in the city during the state school kalolsavam . 

The food safety officials here has decided to conduct the inspections and awareness programme prior to the beginning of the school kalolsavam in the wake of special direction received from the office of the commissioner of food safety following the request put forward by the deputy director of education here. The food safety officials will conduct the first drive from January 6 to January 13, covering all the food outlets comprising of make-shift eateries , bakeries, hotels, restaurants and cool bars to ensure that people arriving in the city during the school fest get only quality food. They will conduct inspections to urge the owners to cook only quality food in hygienic condition. The officials will also put up the toll-free number of food safety officer and mobile numbers of respective food inspectors on the notice board so that the public can pass information to the officials in case they find problem regardingthe quality of food or if they are being charged exorbitant prices. 

A control room will also be set up which will function round-the-clock from January 14 to 21 exclusively to cater the needs of the public thronging to the various venues of the school kalolsavam. The second drive will be held from January 14 to 21. Inspections will be conducted at the hotels and make shift eateries functioning near the surrounding areas of the eighteen venues of the school kalolsavam . 

C T Anil Kumar, assistant commissioner, food safety department, said that the first drive to be held from January 6 to 13 aims at regulating the food chain business in the city. "The drive and daily inspections are being conducted to ensure safe food to thousands who will be visiting the city during the art festival time. Five food safety officials and mobile squad of the department will carry out the inspections. Stringent actions will be taken against those who serve low quality food items and water," he said.

A package with add-ons

Recent incident of a tadpole in a bubbletop can brings into question quality of retailed water

With Chennai Metrowater increasingly unable to meet the demand of the expanding city, packaged drinking water helps bridge the gap. However, there are questions over the quality of some of the water sold.

The proliferation of unlicensed packaged drinking water units in the city’s fringes often leads to supply of poor quality water. Recently, a family in suburban Madambakkam were in for a shock when they found a dead tadpole inside a bubbletop can. The can was sealed with a cap, and had the mandatory details of brand name, batch number, and date of packing affixed.

The company owner agreed to replace the water can, but only after a series of calls. Speaking to The Hindu, the owner of the packaged water firm said they would put stringent measures in place to ensure that such an incident did not take occur again.

Though a stray incident, it brings into question the quality of retailed water in the city. Despite regular checks by government officials, the growing demand for packaged drinking water has led to the mushrooming of illegal manufacturing units. “The demand for packaged water has increased due to poor quality of groundwater, and dwindling supply of Palar water,” said L. Sundararaman, a resident of Chitlapakkam.

While packaged water products need to carry an ISI mark, complaints are registered with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Southern Region. Officials of BIS said they receive 15 complaints in a year.

“But, these mostly relate to substandard quality, stench and suspended particles in water. We have not received any complaints about dead insects or tadpoles found in water, so far,” said an official.

In the past one year, BIS officials have conducted nearly 20 raids and cancelled the licences of three units for misuse of the ISI mark. “It is important that the seal is intact. Consumers should also get a bill. Once the complaint is lodged, we will take a sample. When the fault is proven, until it is corrected, the manufacturer cannot use the ISI mark. They may even lose their licence,” a BIS official said.

Officials of Tamil Nadu food safety and drug administration department (food safety wing) said manufacturing units are instructed to affix a seal of their brand on the caps of 20-litre cans.

Consumer activist T. Sadagopan pointed out there were no checks on water sachets sold at crowded places such as bus terminuses and railway stations. Testing of water and food products for quality needed to be done at the district level to tackle the problem of fake products, he added.

NGT blasts MPCB on meat processing units

NAGPUR: The Western Zone bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), Pune, blasted Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for not following the Supreme Court directives while issuing licence to meat processing units.

The NGT disappointment comes while disposing of a PIL filed by Kanakrai Savadia, president of city-based Sukrut Nirman Charitable Trust in 2012. The PIL was first filed in the HC bench but was transferred to NGT on June 18, 2014.

Savadia, who works for animal welfare and environment damage caused due to slaughter houses, had challenged setting up of two meat processing and cold storage units — Shahin Frozen Foods and Best Cold Storage Private Limited in Taroda near the temple town of Shegaon.

MPCB, Akola, gave consent for the units with a capacity of 1,200 tonnes per month and cold storage of meat and vegetables of equal capacity. According to Savadia, to keep 1,200 tonnes capacity of the meat unit operational, about 10,000-12,000 large animals will need to be slaughtered.

"As per the 2007 livestock census, there were only 16,047 buffaloes in Buldhana district. The number must have gone down further in last five years," says Savadia (80), who appeared in person before NGT.

Savadia pleaded that the slaughtering of animals would pollute water sources and waterborne diseases would affect local residents. To prevent such a situation, the petitioner demanded the consent given to the proposed unit be withdrawn.

However, NGT on December 24, partly allowed the PIL, directing MPCB to see that slaughter houses maintained record of sourcing of slaughtered animals along with necessary details of clearances as laid down by the apex court.

NGT also asked MPCB member-secretary to review environmental performance and time-bound directions for upgrading of pollution control systems in next four weeks.

"All the compliances are needed to be adhered to by the industries in four months. In case of failure, MPCB shall issue closure directions to the industry, which shall not be revoked without the permission of NGT," ruled Justice VR Kingaonkar (judicial members and Dr Ajay Deshpande (expert member).

NGT also asked MPCB to visit the two industries on bimonthly basis for next two years to ascertain compliance. Interestingly, the tribunal also directed the two units to pay Rs50,000 to the applicant towards the cost of application.

Impact of NGT Ruling:

* Judgement clearly indicates that MPCB officials are not following pollution control norms and SC orders while issuing licenses to meat processing units.

* MPCB shirking responsibilities of sourcing of the raw material (meat) from slaughter houses.

*Now MPCB officials will have to mention source of raw meat. It should be approved by Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for domestic consumption and by Agricultural Produce Export Development Authority (APEDA) for exports.

* Necessary environmental safeguards for meat industries should be considered by MPCB before issuing the consent to start the industry. It is must to provide necessary pollution control system to achieve specified norms for meat processing industry.

* Even after the lower court rulings in favour of industries, now meat cannot be stored in cold storages unless source of meat is known and that should be from approved slaughter houses.

* As per the rules for transport of meat, it should be transported in a vehicle having refrigerated facilities

Contaminated ice spreads diarrhoea, typhoid, jaundice



Officials Fail To Keep Tabs On Manufacturers

Summer or winter, a drink with crushed ice could be anyone's temptation. But health experts caution that contaminated ice can cause not just a sore throat, but serious diseases like jaundice, typhoid and diarrhoea.

While there seems to be a spurt in such diseases in Chennai, the food safety and drug administration department is doing precious little, citing shortage of staff. Testing ice samples is probably the last thing on its agenda.

Officials who have visited ice manufacturing units say most of them have an unhygienic environment, and use untreated water from borewells or water tankers. Worse, ice blocks in several units are wrapped in dirty sacks and often handled by workers with bare hands.

A senior food safety official said they have not inspected ice manufacturing units in several months, if not years.And the reason is as scary as it is flippant. “We have not received any complaint of contaminated ice. There is no way to visually differentiate good ice from the bad. It is a Herculean task to inspect each roadside vendor to check the quali ty of ice,“ he said.

Most fresh fruit juice stalls in Chennai prefer cheaper commercial ice, sourced from fish vendors. These slabs of ice are made in unlicensed units that compromise on quality .Such ice may contain bacteria such as Escherichia coli and salmonella, besides chemicals like lead and arsenic.

Dr P Senthur Nambi, infectious diseases consultant at Apollo Hospitals, said contaminated ice, in fact, preserve disease-causing organisms. “Bacteria and viruses in frozen water remain active to harm the human body ,“ he said.

Chennai Fishing Harbour Ice Block Manufacturers Association secretary J Chandreshkaran said only a few elite clubs and hotels in the city buy ice made of remorse osmosis-treated water. A block of industrial ice costs `2 per kg at wholesale and `3 or `4 at retail. Ice from ROtreated water costs `6-7 per kg wholesale and the retail price can go up to `10-12 per kg,“ he said.

Corporation officials said they don't have any data on ice manufacturing units in the city. “The absence of quality standards and guidelines for manufacturing ice hampers monitoring,“ said an official.

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