Packaged drinking water may after all be spurious

‘Selling such water drawn from taps in cans bearing ISI symbol amounts to cheating’

Is the packaged drinking water made available in the 20-litre cans at marriage halls and other gatherings unprocessed and spurious? Several packaged drinking water manufacturers and distributors, who had gathered for a meeting convened by the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) in Mysuru recently alleged that some unscrupulous distributors were fraudulently filling the cans with unprocessed water from taps and supplying the same to customers in the city.

Even though there is no conclusive evidence of a section of the distributors resorting to such unethical practices, the FSSA officials in Mysuru do not rule out the possibility of spurious water being supplied in the packaged drinking water cans to customers in the city. Worse, they fear that instances of such racketeering could increase in the coming summer months when demand for drinking water increases.

The packaged drinking water manufacturers and the distributors in the city expressed concern over the unethical practice bringing disrepute to their trade.

The FSSA, which has been acting against packaged drinking water units operating without obtaining the mandatory ISI symbol after obtaining licences from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and FSSA, will now be focussing even on the distributors.

“Such illegal practices by the distributors cannot be ruled out. We will begin inspecting the water cans being ferried by the distributors. They will have to produce the cash bills and other necessary documents to prove that the drinking water they are transporting is filtered, checked for fungal and bacterial contamination, ozonized and undergone all the other stipulated processes for packaged drinking water,” said Food Safety Officer H.N. Satish, who is also the in-charge Designated Officer for FSSA in Mysuru Rural.

By selling such non-purified water drawn from the taps or borewell in water cans bearing ISI symbol amounts to not only cheating, but could also prove to be a health hazard, leading to water-borne diseases and diarrhoea, added Food Safety Officer M.S. Lokesh, who is also the in-charge Designated Officer for FSSA in Mysuru Urban.

Some unscrupulous distributors are believed to be resorting to refilling the cans once packaged by drinking water manufacturer with water from a different unit, which is against the basic safety parameters. “It is not difficult to cover the water cans with caps readily available in the market,” he added. The FSSA has now made it mandatory for the distributors to be registered with them. “Though there are around 400 distributors in Mysuru city, barely 50 are registered with us”, Mr. Satish added.

The FSSA, which will carry out a drive against the distributors in the coming weeks, will collect samples of the water from the cans and subject the same to tests at the Food Testing Laboratory.

Report to food authority if you find water can sans ISI symbol

The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) has appealed to the general public to inform the authority if they come across any packaged drinking water manufacturing unit selling its cans without ISI symbol.

The public can inform the Designated Officer of FSSA, NPC hospital premises, Nazarbad, Mysuru, either through phone on 0821-2438144or e-maildomcca2013@gmail.com

All packaged drinking water units have been instructed to strictly adhere to the safety parameters prescribed for them that include using only groundwater drawn from borewell. As part of the process, water should be subjected to proper filtration, a chemical analysis for fluoride and arsenic content, and it has to be checked for bacterial and fungal contamination.

After completing the process, water should be filled in the can, sealed and stored for at least 48 hours before the same are distributed to consumers.

Strict action will be taken against the manufacturers and distributors failing to abide by the rules, said a press statement from the FSSA, Mysuru.

Safety first is Tocklai maxim - Tea research institute lab to check residue levels; ACMS-CCPA sign agreement for three years

Jorhat, Feb. 26: The Tocklai Tea Research Institute is preparing itself for "testing" times.

It has planned to set up a world-class laboratory to test maximum residue levels in tea, the first of its kind in the country to be instituted by the tea industry.

Industry sources said there are only six laboratories to test the maximum residue levels, with the Tea Research Association having two small labs - one in Calcutta and another at Tocklai here. United Planters' Association of South India has one and private companies own the rest.

Tea Research Association vice-chairman P.K. Bezboruah told The Telegraph about the laboratory today on the sidelines of the inaugural function of a two-day national seminar at the institute.

He said Tocklai has decided to set up the laboratory to test samples of tea in view of strict food safety laws coming into place in the country.

The seminar is on Plant Protection in Tea: Recent Advances, organised by the association in association with Tea Improvement Consortium National working Group on Plant Protection. Former Tea Board chairman and Assam additional chief secretary M.G.V.K. Bhanu inaugurated the seminar.

The seminar hopes to disseminate knowledge on recent advances in plant protection strategies. It will discuss ways to develop mechanisms to cope with the situation arising out of the inherent ability of insects to adapt to new host plants and restrictions on use of toxic chemicals after the implementation of the plant protection code from January 1.

Bezboruah said a Rs 55-crore proposal to set up a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory at Tocklai and another at Dibrugarh was submitted to the Union commerce ministry nearly six months ago, and the Centre was in the process of sanctioning it.

Bezboruah, a well-known tea planter and former chairman of the Assam Tea Planters' Association, said at present, the Tocklai laboratory could test only four tea samples per day, but the two proposed laboratories would be able to test 100 samples per day.

The Tea Research Association's vice-chairman said in view of the implementation of the plant protection code, the management of a tea estate has to certify that toxic chemicals banned under the code have not been used in the plantations while sending the stocks for sale.

He said a planter could be made liable for prosecution if random checks on tea carried out by the government found any material which could pose health hazards to consumers. A planter could face criminal charges if anything toxic was found in tea and the maximum residue level was above the prescribed limit.

Bezboruah said there would be a huge demand for tests on tea samples daily and hence a modern big facility was the need of the hour.

The secretary of the association, Joydeep Phukan, said anticipating this huge demand, it has decided to expand its facilities.

The association's director, N. Muraleedharan, in his welcome address, outlined challenges like climatic change affecting production, difficulties in tackling pests and the need for strict adherence to rules set by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

DINAMALAR NEWS

HC reserves order on plea seeking ban on junk food in schools

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on a plea seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools after the amicus curiae strongly advocated for a complete stop.

“We will consider the matter and pass an appropriate order,” a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said.

During the hearing, advocate Sanyat Lodha, appearing as an amicus curiae in the case, suggested that it would be proper if there is a complete ban of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Counsel for petitioner Uday Foundation said that the draft guidelines prepared by the expert committee on the issue are very theoretical and in all likelihood these will be difficult to implement them. He also sought that the word ‘junk food’ specifically be defined by the court in its order on the matter.

To this, the bench said there seems to be no mechanism for the implementation of the guidelines. “We will enforce this through a judicial order.”

On February 18, the court had sought suggestions from various stakeholders on draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Amicus curiae Lodha had submitted his suggestions on the draft guidelines of the expert committee appointed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The expert group constituted by the court in its report had came out with a slew of guidelines on the subject of “making available quality and safe food in schools” and suggested that food high in fat, sugar and salt content be restricted in schools and area “within 50 metres”.

The report had said the kids are not “the best judge of their food choice” and moreover, the schools are not the right place for promoting such food.

It had termed “chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages” as junk food and suggested that “the school managements must ensure regulation of such food through canteen policies that promote healthy, wholesome and nutritious food...”

The report also said there are food items such as ‘samosa’ and other fried items and a nationwide programme can be started to find out as to which can be termed as junk food.

The panel also felt that a canteen policy to provide nutritious food in schools should be framed to ensure that such canteens are not treated as “commercial outlets”.

HC reserves order on plea seeking ban on junk food in schools

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on a plea seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools after the amicus curiae strongly advocated for a complete stop.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on a plea seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools after the amicus curiae strongly advocated for a complete stop.

"We will consider the matter and pass an appropriate order," a bench of Chief JusticeG Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said. During the hearing, advocate Sanyat Lodha, appearing as an amicus curiae in the case, suggested that it would be proper if there is a complete ban of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Counsel for petitioner Uday Foundation said that the draft guidelines prepared by the expert committee on the issue are very theoretical and in all likelihood these will be difficult to implement them.

He also sought that the word 'junk food' specifically be defined by the court in its order on the matter.

To this, the bench said there seems to be no mechanism for the implementation of the guidelines. "We will enforce this through a judicial order." On February 18, the court had sought suggestions from various stakeholders on draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises.

Amicus curiae Lodha had submitted his suggestions on the draft guidelines of the expert committee appointed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The expert group constituted by the court in its report had came out with a slew of guidelines on the subject of "making available quality and safe food in schools" and suggested that food high in fat, sugar and salt content be restricted in schools and area "within 50 metres".

The report had said the kids are not "the best judge of their food choice" and moreover, the schools are not the right place for promoting such food. It had termed "chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages" as junk food and suggested that "the school managements must ensure regulation of such food through canteen policies that promote healthy, wholesome and nutritious food..."

The report also said there are food items such as 'samosa' and other fried items and a nationwide programme can be started to find out as to which can be termed as junk food. The panel also felt that a canteen policy to provide nutritious food in schools should be framed to ensure that such canteens are not treated as "commercial outlets".

Renewal of Food Safety & Regulation (Prohibition) Act hangs fire in Isles

Port Blair

25 Feb 2015

Gutka, Pan, Cigarettes, etc. are easily available in streets, road side shops which mostly attract school or college going students, especially teenagers. The young generation is addicted to these things because of their easy availability, thanks to the lax enforcement of law. Many states in India have already banned the sale of tobacco products.

The Food Safety and Regulation (Prohibition) Act 2011 allows tobacco products such as gutka to be banned for a year, which can be renewed every year. According to reports, this act which was also implemented in A&N Islands expired in November 2014 and has not been renewed thereafter. “The manufacturing and selling of such tobacco products should be banned all over the country as these products are creating health hazard like cancer and other ailments but shopkeepers are still selling the tobacco products like gutka, pan masala, etc. to the teenagers without any restraint,” say experts.

According to sources, the Food Safety department has already taken up with the A&N Administration the matter of renewal of Food Safety and Regulation (Prohibition) Act for another one year period but it has not been approved yet. As such the new ban order has not been implemented in these Islands. While Gutka, pan masala, etc. come under the food safety Act, cigarette, biddi, etc. are not covered by it. According to Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COTPA), smoking of tobacco in public places is strictly prohibited. Tobacco products cannot be sold to any one below the age of 18 years, and within 100 metres radius from the outer boundary of an educational institution, which includes schools and colleges. This Act also gives power to all Gazetted officers include police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector or any officer of State Food or Drug Administration or any other officer, holding the equivalent rank not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police for search and seizure of premises where tobacco products are produced, stored or sold, if he suspects that the provision of the Act has been violated.

Food safety control room set up

Public urged to desist from consuming unsafe items such as cotton candy

The Food Safety Department has opened a Food Safety Control Room at Attukal in connection with the Pongala festival.

Anupama T.V., Food Safety Commissioner, inaugurated the control room, which may be contacted for any complaints regarding food safety. A toll-free line — 1800 425 1125 — has also been set up.

Officials said those who intended to offer free food to devotees or open temporary food stalls would need prior permission from the control room. They should also register with the department. Details were available over the telephone number: 89433 46527 or from any of the Akshaya centres in the city, through which registration was possible. The sale of juices, ice creams, and other food items, laced with artificial colours and flavours, had come to the notice of the Food Safety officials, the press release said. The department had asked all hoteliers, traders, and temporary food stall operators to desist from such practices. Any violation could lead to fines of up to Rs.5 lakh and imprisonment up to six months, they said. The public should desist from consuming such food items, especially ice creams, ice cones, and cotton candy.

The toll-free number is 1800 425 1125

Registration must for food vendors

Seminar on safe water and food

Four varieties of vegetables found to be contaminated

The Laboratory and Technical Division (LTD) attached to the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI) here is organising a seminar on safe water and food at the CEPCI conference hall on February 28.

The seminar will be inaugurated by A.K. Mini, assistant food safety commissioner, Kollam.

Principal scientist of the LTD V.P. Potty said here on Wednesday that the seminar was aimed at promoting awareness of the need to avoid using water and food that were harmful for human health. He said that such food and water was the source of many diseases such as cancer.

Dr. Potty said that as per tests carried out by the LTD, four varieties of vegetables sold in Kollam had been found to be highly contaminated with organophosphorus pesticides. They are green chillies, curry leaves, cabbages, and bitter gourds. The chemical erythrocin was being rampantly used to give artificial colour and taste to watermelons and coal tar dyes were also used to give vegetables an artificial fresh look, he said.

But all such food was extremely harmful and people had to be aware of the safety levels of the food they consumed. He said that the seminar was being conducted in public interest.

The LTD, established in 1997 with Government of India funding, had the facility to conduct microbiological tests to identify such chemicals in food and water, he said.

CEPCI chairman Shahal Hassan Musaliar said that the LTD was a major laboratory in the country for food analysis. It was accredited to the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

He said that as per the Food Safety Act, all food stuff, agricultural products meant for human consumption, and drinking water had to be tested and certified by an NABL-accredited laboratory before being sold in the market.

Mid-day meal becoming poisonous meal: BJP MP

The HRD Minister immediately strongly reacted to the MP's statement, saying the contention was incorrect and he should not generalise the whole scheme

A ruling BJP MP today embarrassed the government by saying in Lok Sabha that the mid-day meal scheme, sponsored by the Centre, has become 'poisonous meal', leading to strong objection from HRD Minister Smriti Irani.

She, however, admitted that complaints have been received with regard to poor quality of meals especially related to aspects of food safety.

During the question hour, Ravindra Kumar Pandey, member from Jharkhand, said in many places in his state, children are being given stale and inconsumable food and many students have fallen sick after eating poor quality food offered in school.

"Ye jahrili bhojan ho gaye hain (It has become poisonous food," he said, inviting laughter in opposition camp.

The HRD Minister immediately strongly reacted to the MP's statement, saying the contention of Pandey was incorrect and he should not generalise the whole scheme.

"If the honorable MP has any specific complaint, he should bring it to our notice. We will solve the problem in consultation with the state government. Action will be taken," he said.

Irani said as per a Supreme Court order, children have to be served hot cooked meal and no packed food is allowed to serve.

The Minister said out of the 190 complaints received in the last three years and the current year, 75 complaints pertained to poor quality of meals especially related to aspects of food safety.

Action taken by the state governments includes criminal cases instituted, termination or suspension or transfer of those found responsible besides corrective action taken for prevention of recurrence of such complaints.

Irani said after introduction of mid-day meal scheme in 1995, initially the enrollment of children in government and government aided schools had increased.

However, in recent years, enrollment rates have stabilised or dipped as birth rates are stabilising in several states of the country, she said.

DINAMALAR NEWS

No pesticides detected in vegetables, fruits samples collected: Govt

The government today said no residues of banned pesticides had been detected in any sample of fruits and vegetables collected under Agriculture Ministry's programme of 'Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level'. There had been reports about use of toxic substances like calcium carbide and oxytocin for early ripening of fruits and vegetables. However, the use of ethylene gas in low concentration exogenously to trigger ripening of fruits was considered safe,Minister of State for Agriculture Dr Sanjeev Kumar Balyan saidin the Lok Sabha. The Commissioners of Food Safety/Food (Health) Authority of States/UTs who are responsible for implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and its Rules/Regulations in their States/UTs had been requested to keep a strict vigil on and take legal action against use of carbide gas and other hazardous chemicals for ripening of fruits, the Minister said.

State Governments had also been advised to educate the people against consumption of such artificially ripened fruits, he said in a written reply. During 2011-2014, out of 25,664 vegetable samples, 764 samples were found to contain pesticide residues above the maximum permissible residues level (MRL). Out of 7,501 fruits samples, the residues above MRL were detected in 88 samples. However, none of the banned pesticides was detected. A Grow Safe Food campaign had been initiated to carry the message of safe and judicious use of pesticides is sought to be conveyed through hoardings, banners etc in regional languages in Gram Panchayats and rural areas.

MCC to crack down on Packaged drinking water units without ISI licence

Mysuru: Manufacturers, distributors and retailers of packaged drinking water should now obtain ISI and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence to manufacture, distribute and sell packaged drinking water in city and district.

Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) in a press release has said that those packaged drinking water units which have not obtained ISI and FSSAI licences should not continue their business without obtaining these licences and should maintain cleanliness and quality of the water according to ISI and FSSAI standards.

The release also stated that stern action would be taken against such units which have not obtained the licences but doing business. The public are urged to give a written complaint to Office of the Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Act, NPC Hospital premises, Nazarbad, Mysuru-10 or e-mail to domcca2013@gmail.com if they come across packaged drinking water units which are doing business without licences.

U.S. government report outlines foods most prone to pathogens

More than 80 percent of cases of a certain E. coli illness were linked to beef and vegetables grown in rows, according to a U.S. government report on Tuesday.

Salmonella infections were traced to a wider variety of foods ranging from tomatoes and sprouts to chicken, beef and pork, the report released on Tuesday by three federal agencies charged with food safety showed.

The report produced by the Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration is a partnership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the first time the three federal agencies charged with food safety are using a single method to estimate sources of foodborne illnesses.

The report comes amid calls to for a single food safety agency, as proposed in President Barack Obama's 2016 federal budget plan. It is also outlined in a bill by Illinois Democratic Senator Richard Durbin and Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut.

The report used data from nearly 1,000 outbreaks between 1998 and 2012 to find foods responsible for illness from four major foodborne bacteria, Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157), Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter.

According to CDC estimates, these four pathogens cause 1.9 million cases of foodborne illness in the United States each year.

Researchers broke down the outbreaks into 17 categories of foods. They found just two food categories accounted for most illnesses caused by Campylobacter, E. coli O157, and Listeria, but seven categories accounted for a similar percentage of Salmonella illnesses.

Of the findings, 74 percent of Campylobacter illnesses were caused by dairy (66 percent) or chicken (8 percent), 82 percent of E. coli O157 illnesses were caused by beef (46 percent) or vegetables grown in rows (36 percent), and 81 percent of Listeria illnesses were caused by either fruits (50 percent) or dairy (31 percent).

With salmonella, the range was broader, with 77 percent of illnesses attributed to vegetables grown from seeds (18 percent), eggs (12 percent), fruits (12 percent), chicken (10 percent), sprouts (8 percent), beef (9 percent), and pork (8 percent).

Dr. Chris Braden of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, said a single methodology allows agencies to better coordinate their efforts. "We can do more as a group than we can individually."

Supply of Adulterated Milk by Private Dairies

As per the reports received from the State/UT governments, there are occasional instances of supply of sub-standard/adulterated milk. 

The menace of food adulteration and particularly milk adulteration needs to be eliminated through a series of measures including effective implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act by State Government, strengthening of the food safety structures in the country and to the extent necessary, by appropriately amending the laws after consultation with all concerned. While government will take all measures considered necessary for eliminating milk adulteration, even under the existing Food Safety and Standards Act, manufacturing, selling, distributing or importing unsafe food which includes milk, is punishable under Section 59. The penalties provided for in section 59 (iv) of this Act include imprisonment for not less than seven years which may extend to imprisonment for life and also fine of not less than Rs. 10 lakh. 

The Health Minister, Shri J P Nadda stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today. 

Use of Banned Pesticides

Ministry of Agriculture is implementing a program for Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level under which samples of vegetable and fruits are collected and analysed for the presence of pesticide residues. No residues of banned pesticides have been detected in any of the samples collected under this program. 

However, there have been reports in media about use of toxic substances like calcium carbide and oxytocin for early ripening of fruits and vegetables. Clause 2.3.5 of Chapter 2 of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sale) Regulations prohibits sale of fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas commonly known as carbide gas produced from calcium carbide. 

However, use of ethylene gas in low concentration exogenously to trigger ripening of fruits is considered safe. The Commissioners of Food Safety/Food (Health) Authority of States/UTs who are responsible for implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and its Rules/Regulations in their States/UTs have been requested to keep a strict vigil on and take legal action against use of carbide gas and other hazardous chemicals for ripening of fruits. The State Governments have also been advised to educate the public through mass electronic media against consumption of such artificially ripened fruits. 

During 2011-2014, out of 25,664 vegetable samples, 764 (2.9%) samples were found to contain pesticide residues above the maximum permissible residues level (MRL). Out of 7,501 fruits samples, the residues above MRL were detected in 88 (1.1%) samples. However, none of the banned pesticides were detected. 

The Registration Committee constituted under the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968 registers pesticides only after establishing their safety to human, animal and environmental health. Technical reviews are carried out from time to time and continued use of pesticides is permitted only if found safe. 

The Central Govt. through Central Integrated Pest Management Centres of Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage as well as State Department of Agriculture conduct Farmers Field Schools and awareness campaign through print media, electronic media and hoardings, sensitizing farmers regarding safe and judicious use of pesticides, use of bio-pesticides/ bio-fertilizers etc. 

A Grow Safe Food campaign has been initiated to carry the message of safe and judicious use of pesticides to farmers and other stakeholders. A simple message on the five essential principles of judicious pesticide use - application of pesticides on the right crop, against pests for which the pesticide has been approved, at the right time, in approved doses, and as per approved method of application - is sought to be conveyed through hoardings, banners etc. in regional languages in Gram Panchayats and rural areas. 

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture Dr.Sanjeev Kumar Balyan in Lok Sabha today.

Spurious milk products seized from market

LUCKNOW: Nearly 50% samples collected by officials of food safety department were found to be sub-standard in a check conducted on Monday. Most of the adulteration has been reported in dairy products such as mixed milk, khoya and raw milk. Around eight samples of paneer (cottage cheese) too have been found to be sub-standard (prime facie by the department). With almost 12 days left for Holi, the department tested dairy food items being sold in the district.

Some samples of mixed milk found sub-standard were collected from tea shops outside City Station and Badshahnagar station, in addition to a couple of eateries located in the busy Charbagh locality. Some of the private dairies in Alambagh and one shop selling milk in the VVIP locality of Kalidas Marg also came under scanner. A senior official told TOI that out of 80 samples (of various food items) collected by the department, 35 have been found to be sub-standard. The department has also issued a 30-day notice to the owners/management of these food joints/eateries, after which case may be lodged against the erring food joints/eateries and accordingly legal action would be initiated.

In some shops, officials also detected a couple of samples of sweetmeat kalakand with silver foil containing some extraneous material and samples have been sent for elaborate testing. Samples of cooking medium like ghee, sweets such as milk cake, besan and urad daal have also been taken by food inspectors and officials are of the view that prima facie these items violate some provisions of laws pertaining to food safety.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Cat meat being sold as mutton in roadside eateries

Chennai

Meat lovers beware! The succulent lamb chops or spicy roasted mutton pieces at aroadside eatery might be prepared from cat meat.

“In the past few months, there has been a spurt in demand for cat meat,“ says G Arun Prasanna of People for Cattle in India (PFCI). Volunteers have rescued around 40 stolen cats -meant to be slaughtered for meat -from gypsy colonies at Pallavaram, Avadi, Ayanavaram, and Red hills in the last six months.The largest haul (20) was from Red Hills, followed by Pallavaram (14). Recently , a large number of carcasses and cat skins were recovered at Kotturpuram gypsy colony . “A total of seven police complaints have been registered so far,“ said a police officer.

A large polythene bag of cat meat weighing between 2kg and 3 kg costs around `100.It is supplied to small vendors and biriyani stalls across the city . They are then sold to unsuspecting customers as mutton preparations. Similar is the case with the vendors selling `side dishes' near Tasmac outlets in Red Hills, Pallava ram and Avadi, according to Prasanna.

“Mutton 65 prepared from cat meat was a hit among tipplers,“ said Ramesh Kerketta (name changed) from Jharkhand, a former teenage help at a stall near a Tasmac outlet in Pallavaram.

Explaining the modus operandi, S Shanmugham, another volunteer said, the gypsies target cats near MRTS stations and bus depots. These cats are caught with nets, drugged and stuffed in gunny bags. There is another facet which fuels the demand for cat meat. Many people believe that cat meat is an aphrodisiac and has several medicinal properties. Quacks prescribe cat meat for impotency , asthma and arthritis, said animal activist Suchitra Rao.

Also, cat meat is considered a delicacy among gyp sies. A fortnight ago, PFCI volunteers raided a narikaruva wedding. Around 20 cats had been slaughtered for cat biriyani. A video clip (a copy of which is with TOI) shows people admitting that the dish was being cooked for guests.

Attempts to contact heads of gypsy community proved futile. Volunteers conducted a sensitisation camp at Poonamallee gypsy colony in January . “We plan to conduct more camps as according to Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) cat meat is unfit for human consumption,“ said Prasanna.

சாலையோர ஓட்டல்களில் அதிகாரிகள் திடீர் ஆய்வு

தாம்பரம், பிப்.22:

பரங்கிமலை ஒன்றியத்தில் தரமற்ற உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்கப்படுவது குறித்து, தினகரன் நாளிதழில் கடந்த வாரம் செய்தி வெளியானது. இதன் நடவடிக்கையாக, பரங்கிமலை மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு குழுவினர் பெருங்களத்தூர் மற்றும் பீர்க்கன்காரணை பேரூராட்சி பகுதியில் உள்ள ஓட்டல்கள், மளிகை கடைகள், பேக்கரி உட்பட பல்வேறு கடைகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர்.

அப்போது, முகவரி, உற்பத்தி மற்றும் காலாவதி தேதியில்லா பொருள்கள் குறித்து ஆய்வு செய்யப்பட்டது. காலாவதியான 70 லிட்டர் குளிர்பானம் மற்றும் 12 கிலோ பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டன.

மேலும், சாலையோரம் உள்ள துரித உணவகங்களுக்கு தரத்துடனும், பாதுகாப்பாகவும் கடையை நடத்த நோட்டீஸ் வழங்கப்பட்டது.

இதுகுறித்து பரங்கிமலை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் சுகுமார் கூறுகையில், கடைகளில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் உணவு பொருள்களில் உற்பத்தி செய்பவரின் முழுமையான முகவரி, உற்பத்தி தேதி, காலாவதி தேதி கட்டாயம் இருக்க வேண்டும். ஆண்டுக்கு 12 லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்கு கீழ் வர்த்தகம் செய்பவர்கள் எங்களிடம் பதிவு செய்து கொள்ள வேண்டும். அதற்கு மேல் வர்த்தகம் செய்பவர்கள் கட்டாயம் உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும். இதற்கான விண்ணப்பங்களை எங்களிடம் பெற்று கொள்ளலாம். மேலும், உற்பத்தி முகவரி, காலாவதி தேதியில்லாத பொருள்களை பொது மக்கள் வாங்குவதை தவிர்க்க வேண்டும், என்றார்.

DINAKARAN NEWS

தர்பூசணியில் ஊசி மூலம் மருந்து செலுத்தினால் 5 ஆண்டு சிறை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி எச்சரிக்கை

கடலூர், பிப். 22:

கோடைக்காலம் தொடங்கிவிட்டால் வீதிகளில் கொட்டப்பட்டு விற்பனைக்கு வருகிறது தர்பூசணி. விற்பனையை அதிகரிக்க செய்வதற்காக சிலர், முறைகேடாக சிவப்பு நிறமாக மாற்றும் மருந்துகளான எரித்ரோசின், கார்மாய்சின் ஆகியவற்றை தர்பூசணியில் ஊசி மூலம் செலுத்துவதாக வந்த தகவல், பொதுமக்களை அதிர்ச்சியடைய வைத்தது. நகரங்களில் வியாபாரிகள் ஊசி மூலம் தர்பூசணிக்குள் இந்த மருந்தை செலுத்தி விற்பனை செய்து வருவதும் தெரியவந்துள்ளது. இந்த மருந்து தொடர்ச்சியாக உடலுக்குள் சென்றால் புற்றுநோயை உருவாக்கக்கூடிய அபாயம் ஏற்படும் என கூறப்படுகிறது.

எனவே உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையினர் இது போன்ற முறைகேடான செயல்களை தடுக்க கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுத்து வருகின்றனர்.கடலூரில் நேற்று கடலூர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலகம், மஞ்சக்குப்பம், முதுநகர், செம்மண்டலம் உள்பட பல்வேறு இடங்களில் தர்பூசணி விற்பனை செய்யும் இடங்களில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரி டாக்டர் ராஜா தலைமையில் அலுவலர்கள் சுப்ரமணியன், நந்தகுமார் ஆகியோர் ஆய்வு நடத்தினர். அப்போது அவர்கள் லென்ஸ் மூலம் தர்பூசணி பழங்களை ஆய்வு செய்து ஊசி குத்தப்பட்டுள்ளதா என சோதனை நடத்தினர்.

பின்னர் டாக்டர் ராஜா கூறியதாவது: தர்பூசணி இயற்கையான சிவப்பை விட கூடுதல் சிவப்பாக இருந்தால் பொதுமக்கள் விழிப்பாக இருக்க வேண்டும். கடலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட ஆய்வுகளில் தர்பூசணிகளில் ஊசி மருந்து செலுத்தப்படவில்லை என்பது முதற்கட்ட ஆய்வில் தெரியவந்துள்ளது. ஊசி மூலம் தர்பூசணி பழங்களில் மருந்து செலுத்தினால் சட்டபூர்வ நடவடிக்கை பாயும், ஐந்தாண்டுகள் சிறை தண்டனை மற்றும் ரூ.5 லட்சம் அபராதமும் விதிக்கப்பட வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது என்றார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

67 fall ill after suspected food poisoning

KHARGONE: At least 67 people, including 10 children, fell ill after consuming food at a wedding party in Sita Mangal Bhawan here, police said today. 

The incident took place last night following which all the victims were admitted in a district hospital around 2am for suspected food poisoning, Sanjay Bhatt, a senior doctor told PTI today. 

He said that proper medical facilities are being provided to all the victims including groom Sourabh Gupta. 

Many guests had complained of vomiting, loose motion, and nausea after eating dinner, Khargone police station inspector Brijesh Malaviya said. 

The inspector said that police are investigating the matter and food samples are being collected for testing.

MODI BETS ON GM CROPS FOR SECOND GREEN REVOLUTION – REUTERS

NEW DELHI Sun Feb 22, 2015 8:54am IST Link this Share this By Krishna N. Das and Mayank Bhardwaj NEW DELHI (Reuters) – On a fenced plot not far from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home, a field of mustard is in full yellow bloom, representing his government’s reversal of an effective ban on field trials of… Email Print 1 of 4. A scientist points to a patch of genetically modified (GM) rapeseed crop under trial in New Delhi February 13, 2015. 

Credit: Reuters/Anindito Mukherjee NEW DELHI (Reuters) – On a fenced plot not far from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home, a field of mustard is in full yellow bloom, representing his government’s reversal of an effective ban on field trials of genetically modified (GM) food crops. The GM mustard planted in the half-acre field in the grounds of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi is in the final stage of trials before the variety is allowed to be sold commercially, and that could come within two years, scientists associated with the project say. 

India placed a moratorium on GM aubergine in 2010 fearing the effect on food safety and biodiversity. Field trials of other GM crops were not formally halted, but the regulatory system was brought to a deadlock. But allowing GM crops is critical to Modi’s goal of boosting dismal farm productivity in India, where urbanisation is devouring arable land and population growth will mean there are 1.5 billion mouths to feed by 2030 – more even than China. Starting in August last year, his government resumed the field trials for selected crops with little publicity. “Field trials are already on because our mandate is to find out a scientific review, a scientific evaluation,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told Reuters last week. “Confined, safe field trials are on. It’s a long process to find out whether it is fully safe or not.” 

Modi was a supporter of GM crops when he was chief minister of Gujarat state over a decade ago, the time when GM cotton was introduced in the country and became a huge success. Launched in 2002, Bt cotton, which produces its own pesticide, is the country’s only GM crop and covers 95 percent of India’s cotton cultivation of 11.6 million hectares (28.7 million acres). From being a net importer, India has become the world’s second-largest producer and exporter of the fibre. 

However, grassroots groups associated with Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have opposed GM crops because of the reliance on seeds patented by multinationals. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, a nationalist group which promotes self-reliance, has vowed to hold protests if GM food crops are made commercially available. “There is no scientific evidence that GM enhances productivity,” said Pradeep, a spokesman for the group. “And in any case, why should we hand over our agriculture to some foreign companies?” A handful of agrichemical and seeds companies dominate the global market for GM crops, including Monsanto Co., DuPont Pioneer, a unit of DuPont, Dow AgroSciences, a unit of Dow Chemical, and Syngenta. 

SECOND GREEN REVOLUTION Largely agricultural India became self-sufficient in foodgrains after the launch of the Green Revolution in the 1960s, when it introduced high-yielding seed varieties and the use of fertiliser and irrigation. The challenge now is to replicate that success in edible oils and vegetables, which are increasingly in demand. India imports about 60 percent of its edible oil needs at an annual cost of up to $10 billion – its third-biggest import item after crude oil and gold. The trials of the mustard plant, which provides the highest yield of all oilseeds, are being led by Delhi University researchers headed by Deepak Pental, a scientist who returned to India in 1985 from Britain. He has said that he has developed a transgenic mustard strain that raises output by up to 30 percent but that further trials were halted after the moratorium. 

The environment ministry began approving GM field trials in August, although applicants need to seek no-objection certificates from states where the trials are to be conducted. States ruled by the BJP are spearheading the trials: Last month, Maharashtra gave the all-clear to open field trials of rice, chickpeas, corn and aubergine, as well as new varieties of cotton. Punjab, ruled jointly by the BJP and a local party, gave the go-ahead for mustard in October followed next month by Delhi, then indirectly run by the federal government in the absence of a local government. “The (federal) government is, for a change, being decisive,” Pental said, adding his mustard strain could be ready to be released for commercial farming in a year or two. 

Environmental group Greenpeace however remains opposed. “The current government’s rush with open field trials without addressing the fundamental loopholes in the regulatory mechanism is a matter for serious concern,” said Manvendra Singh Inaniya, a campaigner for Greenpeace India. “This leaves us vulnerable to contamination with untested and potentially hazardous GM food. We urge the Union Government to roll back approvals given to open air field trials of GM crops.” 

But the environment ministry official said studies have found no ill effects from GM foods and that local firms should partner with multinationals like Monsanto, which has already licensed its Bt Cotton product to several Indian companies. “Farmers are smart and deserve wider choices,” a spokesman for Monsanto in India said. “They will only reward products, practices and partnerships which create value on their farms.”

தேயிலை வாரியம் எச்சரிக்கை கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் விற்பவர்கள் மீது கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்

குன்னூர், பிப். 21:

தென்னிந்தியாவில் நீலகிரி மாவட்டத்தில் தான் தேயிலை உற்பத்தி அதிகளவில் மேற்கொள்ளப்படுகிறது. இங்கு 63 ஆயிரம் சிறு குறு விவசாயிகள் உள்ளனர். இம்மாவட்டத்தில் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் தேயிலை தூள்கள் ஏல மையங்கள் மூலம் விற் பனை செய்வது போக மீத முள்ள தூள்கள் பாக்கெட்களில் அடைக்கப்பட்டு சில்லறை விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறது. ஒரு சில தொழிற்சாலைகளில் இரு ந்து சமவெளி பகுதிகளை சேர்ந்த பலர் தேயிலை தூளை மொத்தமாக வாங் கி சென்று அதில் கலப்படம் செய்து கொள்ளை லாபம் ஈட்டி வருவதாக புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது. இன்னும் ஒரு மாதத்தில் கோடை சீசன் துவங்க உள்ளதால் இதனை மைய மாக வைத்து கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் விற்பனை யை அதிகரிக்க ஒரு சிலர் தீவிரமாக முயற்சி மேற் கொண்டு வருகின்றனர். இதுபோன்ற காரணங் களால் நீலகிரி தேயிலை தூளின் தரம் குறையும் அபாயம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனை தடுக்க சம்மந்தப்பட்ட துறை அதிகாரிகள் பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகள் மேற்கொண்டாலும் இதுவரை எவ்வித பயனும் இல்லை.

இதுகுறித்து தென்னிந்திய தேயிலை வாரிய செயல் இயக்குநர் அம்பலவாணன் கூறியதாவது: தரமான தேயிலை தூளை விற்பனை செய்ய தேயிலை வாரியம் பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது.

கலப்படகாரர்கள் மீதும் நடவடிக்கை எடுத்துள்ளோம். கடந் தாண்டு கோவை, நீலகிரி, ஈரோடு, திருப்பூர், பொள் ளாச்சி உள்ளிட்ட மாவட்டங்களில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட அதிரடி சோதனை யில் 7 டன் கலப்பட தேயிலை பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது. மேலும் சம்பந்தப்பட்டவர்கள் மீது உணவு தடுப்பு பிரிவு சட்டத்தின் கீழ் வழக்கு பதிவு செய்துள்ளோம். தொடர்ந்து அனைத்து பகுதிகளிலும் இதுதொடர்பாக கண்காணிப்பு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க மாநில சுகாதார துறை அதிகாரிகளின் ஒத்துழைப்புடன் சோதனை நடத்தப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

டீ கடைகள் மற்றும் பேக்கரிகளில் அதிகளவில் கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் பயன்படுத்துவதாகவும் புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது. மேலும் சுற்றுலா தளங்களிலும் கலப்பட தேயிலை விற்பனை அதிகரித்து வருவதாக தெரிய வருகிறது. இதனால் இம்மாத இறுதிக்குள்ள நீலகிரி மாவட்டத்திலுள்ள அனைத்து சுற்றுலா தளங்கள் மட்டுமில்லாமல் டீ கடைகள், ஓட்டல்களில் சுகாதார துறையினருடன் இணைந்து அதிரடி ஆய்வு செய்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க உள் ளோம். கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் விற்பனை குறித்து தக வல் ஏதேனும் கிடைக்கும் பட்சத்தில் பொதுமக்கள் உடனடியாக தேயிலை வாரிய அலுவலகத்திற்கு தகவல் தெரிவித்து புகார் கொடுக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் ஆய்வு

சிதம்பரம், பிப். 21:

கடலூர் மாவட்டம் முழுவதும் டெங்கு காய்ச்சல் தடுப்பு நடவடிக்கைகள் தீவிரப்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன. சிதம்பரம் நகரில் டாஸ்மாக் பார், உணவகம் மற்றும் சத்துணவு கூடத்தில் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி ராஜா, அலுவலர்கள் பத்மநாபன், அருண்மொழி ஆகியோர் நேற்று காலை அதிரடியாக ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

பஸ் நிலையம் அருகே உள்ள டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் உணவு பொருட்களை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கு பின்புறம் கொட்டப்பட்டிருந்த காலி பாட்டில்களை ஆய்வு செய்த போது சில பாட்டில்களில் லார்வா இருப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. அங்கிருந்த பாட்டில்களை உடனடியாக அப்புறப்படுத்த உத்தரவிட்டனர். மேலும் பஸ் நிலையத்தில் உள்ள ஒரு உணவகத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தார். அங்கு பாத்திரங்களில் தண்ணீர் தோங்காமல் பார்த்து கொள்ளுமாறு அறிவுறுத்தினார். சிதம்பரம் மாலைகட்டி தெருவில் உள்ள நகராட்சி நடுநிலைப்பள்ளியில் சத்துணவு கூடத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அங்கு மாணவர்களுக்கு வழங்குவதற்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த முட்டைகள் காலாவதியாகாமல் உள்ளதா? என ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கிருந்த குடிநீர் தொட்டியில் ஏறி தொட்டி சுத்தமாக பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறதா என்றும் தொட்டியில் கொசு புழுக்கள் உள்ளதா என்றும் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

சிதம்பரம் பஸ் நிலைய டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் கிடந்த மது பாட்டிலை, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

பஸ் நிலையம் அருகே உள்ள டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் உணவு பொருட்களை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கு பின்புறம் கொட்டப்பட்டிருந்த காலி பாட்டில்களை ஆய்வு செய்த போது சில பாட்டில்களில் லார்வா இருப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. அங்கிருந்த பாட்டில்களை உடனடியாக அப்புறப்படுத்த உத்தரவிட்டனர். மேலும் பஸ் நிலையத்தில் உள்ள ஒரு உணவகத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தார். அங்கு பாத்திரங்களில் தண்ணீர் தோங்காமல் பார்த்து கொள்ளுமாறு அறிவுறுத்தினார். சிதம்பரம் மாலைகட்டி தெருவில் உள்ள நகராட்சி நடுநிலைப்பள்ளியில் சத்துணவு கூடத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அங்கு மாணவர்களுக்கு வழங்குவதற்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த முட்டைகள் காலாவதியாகாமல் உள்ளதா? என ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கிருந்த குடிநீர் தொட்டியில் ஏறி தொட்டி சுத்தமாக பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறதா என்றும் தொட்டியில் கொசு புழுக்கள் உள்ளதா என்றும் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

ARTICLE ON SUGAR

DINAMALAR NEWS

Restaurants, eateries directed to have CCTV cameras

The district administration has directed the Food Safety Wing to ensure that restaurants and eateries have closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras before issuing licences.

District Collector Archana Patnaik gave the direction in response to a demand made by the Commissioners of Valparai, Mettupalayam and Pollachi Municipalities during the first Steering Committee meeting of Food Safety held here recently.

Designated Officer of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), R. Kathiravan, is the convenor of the Committee, which has been formed to implement the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Trade bodies had requested the district administration to train entrepreneurs on norms and guidelines of the Food Safety Act. The Food Safety Officials also requested the Project Officer of ICDS to properly store samples of the food being prepared at their centres for each meal.

According to officials who took part in the meeting, Ms. Archana Patnaik directed the Food Safety Officers to conduct as much raids in super markets and big outlets as in small shops. Responding to a request from consumer organisations, she also directed them to check the quality of foods given as ‘annadhanam’ in temples.

In the 24 temples where the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department offered annadhanam (free food distribution) in Coimbatore, the kitchens had the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India licence, said sources in the department.

The administration in Coimbatore had applied for the licence a couple of years ago and as of 2014, the Department had renewed the licence as well. To cook food, the Department procured groceries on a monthly basis and vegetables on a daily basis so as to ensure that only fresh vegetables were used.

The Department no longer used firewoods in the kitchens. It used LPG cylinders. The Department managed 254 listed (big) temples and 1,290 non-listed (small) temples in the district.

Food Safety Officials requested Project Officer of ICDS to properly store samples of food prepared at the centres for each meal

The amicus curiae recommends banning junk food in schools to the Delhi High Court

Suggestions were filed by the amicus curiae; the stakeholders are expected to reply within the next hearing

The amicus curiae (friend of court) in the junk food case currently being heard by the Delhi High Court has made some recommendations to improve the draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food in schools.

The hearing that took place in the court of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw was in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Delhi-based non-profit Uday Foundation, seeking ban on sale of junk food in schools. 

Amicus curiae Sanyat Lodha has suggested, among other things, using the term “junk food” along with the term “high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS)”, as a layperson can identify with such food and the term has been in use since the filing of the PIL. It is to be noted that the respondents in the case had earlier applied to seek the deletion of the term “junk food” as it was not a scientific term and was not a category of food as defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar — including pizzas, burgers, and sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated beverages are termed as HFSS. Food categories, therefore, could be colour coded — foods which must be rarely eaten (HFSS foods), foods which can be eaten sparingly and foods which must be mostly, could be used. The amicus mentions that similar bans on HFSS foods are in place in countries like Canada, Costa Rica and UK. He has further recommended a ban of HFSS food within school premises and their sale to be restricted within 100 metres outside school premises.

Referring to the World Health Organization (WHO) in its “Set of recommendations on the Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverage to Children”, Lodha calls for restrictions on marketing of HFSS foods. He suggests that the guidelines must define the age group for which the restrictions are applicable, the marketing techniques and the communication channels, what constitutes marketing according to factors including products, timing, placement and content of marketing message are suggested to be covered by marketing restrictions. The amicus also mentions that restrictions on advertisements are in place in countries like Canada, France and Sweden.

Monitoring is a must

Lodha has also suggested including details on how the guidelines will be implemented. Implementation of these guidelines should be charted out with a responsible nodal body or person. Monitoring and enforcement mechanisms with timelines should be charted out. Deterrents for non-compliance and incentives for adherence could also be considered at the same time.

The amicus suggests that canteen contracts in schools should include clauses prohibiting the sale of HFSS/junk food (including sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated drinks) on the school premises.

The next hearing is scheduled for February 25, 2015 when stakeholders will file suggestions on the draft guidelines.

Uday Foundation had filed the PIL in 2010 seeking directions/orders to be issued to the respondents to immediately ban junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools and schools under Central and state government and local municipality in Delhi; to initiate measures to discourage the availability of “fast food”, unhygienic food and foods with unhealthy ingredients within 500 yards of the schools in Delhi; to further direct the respondents to develop a comprehensive school canteen policy which emphasises healthy nutrition among school going children and to ban junk food and carbonated drinks advertisements in media as well as in the television through any means.

Delhi HC seeks suggestions on guidelines on junk food

The Delhi High Court today sought suggestions from various stakeholders on draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises in the country. 

"Draft guidelines framed by expert committee have been placed on record. The suggestions of those who want to respond to the draft guidelines may be filed within a weeks," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said while posting the matter for next hearing on February 25. 

During the hearing, advocate Sanyat Lodha, appearing as an amicus curiae, submitted his suggestions on the draft guidelines of the expert committee appointed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). 

Earlier, the expert group came out with a slew of guidelines on the subject of "making available quality and safe food in schools" and suggested the availability of food high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) contents be restricted in schools and area "within 50 metres". 

The report said the kids are not "the best judge of their food choice" and moreover, the schools are not the right place for promoting HFSS food. 

It had termed "chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages" etc as HFSS foods and suggested "the school management must ensure regulation of such food through canteen policies that promote healthy, wholesome and nutritious foods..." 

It also suggested there are food items such as 'samosa' and other fried items and a nationwide programme can be started to find out as to which can be termed as HFSS food. 

The panel has also suggested a canteen policy to provide nutritious food in school be developed to ensure that such canteens are not treated as "commercial outlets". 

The court was hearing the PIL filed by Uday Foundation seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools.

400 kg of illegal meat found at Vasco rly station

An unclaimed consignment containing unhygienic beef, pork and mawa, weighing nearly about 400 kg was found in a luggage compartment of Goa-bound Hazrat Nizamuddin (Goa Express) passenger train, which arrived at platform No 2 of the Vasco railway station from Delhi early Thursday morning.

As per information provided by Animal Rescue Squad member Gaurav Kumar, the consignment was being transported illegally and supposed to be unloaded at the Margao railway station. However, it was transported further to the Vasco railway station as he had alerted the railway authorities and police at Margao in the morning.

Kumar said that neither did the consignment carry any official receipt or certificate of transportation nor was there any mention of the animals slaughtered for the purpose of consumption and added that the meat was transported in an unhygienic condition and hence unfit for consumption. He also claimed that similar consignments have been loaded onto a train in Delhi and are expected to be delivered either at the Margao or Vasco railway station on Friday morning.

Officials of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) inspected the meat, but failed to seize the consignment or book an offence against unknown persons due to restrictions over jurisdiction. FDA inspector Shivdas Naik said that they cannot seize the consignment lying within the premises of Vasco railway station. “We can only register a case under Food Safety Standard Authority of India but we don’t have any powers to book a case against unknown persons involved in illegal transportation of beef,” he said.

When contacted, manager of the Vasco railway station M Thamarai Selvan said that the Vasco railway authorities can neither hand over the parcel (containing beef, pork and mawa) to any government authority, nor are they entitled to allow any person to touch the parcel as the consignment was supposed to be delivered at the Margao railway station. He clarified that the parcel reached Vasco station as the door of the luggage compartment had failed to open at the Margao railway station during the early morning hours on Thursday when the train had reached Margao. “We are now sending the parcel back to the Margao railway station in a Collem-bound passenger train. Once in Margao, the consignee would be revealed,” he said.

Finally, the consignment was sent back to the Margao railway station in the afternoon, where the parcel was seen lying on platform till late in the evening.

Railway authorities at the Margao station informed the police, who, in turn, summoned officials of FDA and animal husbandry and veterinary services department. However, no offence has been registered against unknown persons.

“We told the police and Railway authorities to conduct the panchanama of the consignment and collect a sample and give it to us for checking the quality of meat at our laboratory. But the authorities were reluctant to do it,” said an FDA official. Team of animal husbandry officials along with a doctor checked the meat and found it to be unhygienic.

Margao railway police station in-charge Santosh Desai said that since the property was of Railways, they (police) had no role to play. “If the Railways gives to us in writing that the meat was being transported illegally, we can act,” he said. Interestingly, the railway authorities refused to provide details of the sender and receiver of the consignment.

Public relation officer of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited Baban Ghatge said that such transportation of meat is permitted in trains but hastily added that it should be packed properly in refrigerated containers. He also said that the Railway Protection Force officials had already informed the South Goa Superintendent of Police about the meat consignment. The meat is presently in the possession of the Railway authorities at Margao. It is learnt that Railways has been advised to dispose off the meat since it is unhygienic.

Meanwhile, animal activist Gaurav Kumar said that post the deadly assault on animal activist Amrut Singh, consignments of beef, pork and mawa are transported illegally to Goa on a large scale on a daily basis by the Goa Express train, either from Delhi or Belgaum. He said that such consignments were earlier transported by road, but after the assault, people involved in the illegal trade are now more vigilant. Kumar also said that four groups – Govansh Raksha Abhiyan, Animal Rescue Squad, Shiv Sena and Gau Gyan Foundation – are collectively making efforts to stop the illegal trade and killing of animals. He also demanded strict action against the people involved in transporting meat illegally by slaughtering animals.

Food Safety Deptt to Lift Samples of Suspected Food Articles

Port Blair, Feb 20: Ensuring availability of safe & whole some food to each & every citizen is the duty of the state. To achieve this, collection of food samples and its analysis for the compliance of law is a mandatory requirement. In the absence of Food Analyst & functional laboratory in A&N Islands this requirement was not exercised for last several years but now the Govt. of India has notified several accredited laboratories for this purpose and as a result any suspected sample of food article can be analysed.

The Food Safety department of this Administration has started this exercise and shall continue to lift samples of suspected food articles. Hence all Food Business Operators are requested to cooperate.

Further, it is brought to the notice of all consumers, NGOs and Consumer Organisations that they can also collect samples of food articles and send it for analysis to any notified laboratories and if the sample is found to be adulterated/misbranded or not within the norms, the entire expenditure towards collection & analysis shall be reimbursed to them and legal action shall also be initiated against vendors. For any assistance please contact the Food Safety department which is functioning in the Directorate of Health Services.

Report confirms poisoning after MDM

PATNA: It has now been confirmed that 65 children, who fell ill after consuming midday meal (MDM) at Rajkiya Madhya Vidyalaya, Sinduari, in Vaishali district on Thursday, suffered from poisoning. A report to this effect has been submitted by the Vaishali district epidemiologist and sent to State Surveillance Officer in State Health Society of Bihar.

The report says, "After investigation, it has been found that all children and cook were affected from suspected poisoning." The reason of poisoning is yet to be verified but since the children fell ill immediately after consuming food, experts suspect it was food poisoning.

All the victims were given conservative treatment and discharged. However, such midday meal scare has been in news quite often. The children of Rajkiya Madhya Vidyalaya started vomiting and nauseating while many others complained of abdominal pain and dizziness.

Noted paediatrician Dr Nigam Prakash Narayan said it appears that children suffered from a mild infection. "But had the extent of infection been large, they could have suffered from toxic gastroenteritis which is very dangerous." If the children are given stale rice, they can suffer from starch infection.

Child Rights and You (CRY) spokesperson Saradindu Bandyopadhyay said such and other midday meal accidents in Bihar are a grim reminder of the tragedy that struck a Saran school in which 23 kids died due to consumption of food containing pesticide in July, 2013. He said, "Though the government has taken some measures like construction of separate kitchen sheds for cooking meals and arrangements for safe drinking water, these are confined only to a few schools."

As per the study conducted in 2013 by Bihar Lok Adhikar Manch (BLAM) in collaboration with CRY in 210 primary schools of the state in 21 districts, 26% respondents said though MDM programme was more or less regular, the quality was not at all satisfactory. The same report also said 58 per cent schools surveyed didn't even have a dedicated kitchen shed, hence the cooking environment is not at all satisfactory.

The Vaishali incident comes about a month-and-half before World Health Day, whose theme this year is Food safety. WHO says "unsafe food" causes deaths of 2 million people annually, including children. Food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances is responsible for more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, WHO says.

Among its five recommendations, WHO suggests hand washing to keep food-borne diseases at bay. However, availability of safe water remains an issue in most of the schools in the state, Bandyopadhyay said. Keeping clean, separation of raw and cooked food, cooking food thoroughly and keeping food at safe temperature are the other four recommendations.

Soft drink consumers at a higher risk of cancer

People who consume one or more cans of cold drinks per day are exposing themselves to a potential carcinogen, warns a new study.

The ingredient, 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) - a possible human carcinogen - is formed during the manufacture of some kinds of caramel colour. Caramel colour is a common ingredient in colas and other dark soft drinks.

"Soft drink consumers are being exposed to an avoidable and unnecessary cancer risk from an ingredient that is being added to these beverages simply for aesthetic purposes," said Keeve Nachman, senior author of the study.

Building on an analysis of 4-MEI concentrations in 11 different soft drinks first published by Consumer Reports in 2014, researchers estimated exposure to 4-MEI from caramel-coloured soft drinks and modelled the potential cancer burden related to routine soft drink consumption levels in the United States.

"This unnecessary exposure poses a threat to public health and raises questions about the continued use of caramel colouring in soda," Nachman of Johns Hopkins Center for a Liveable Future (CLF).

Results indicated that levels of 4-MEI could vary substantially across samples, even for the same type of beverage.

While there is currently no federal limit for 4-MEI in food or beverages, Consumer Reports petitioned the Food and Drug Administration last year to set limits for the potential carcinogen.

"This new analysis underscores our belief that people consume significant amounts of soda that unnecessarily elevate their risk of cancer over the course of a lifetime," said Urvashi Rangan, executive director for Consumer Reports' Food Safety and Sustainability Center.

The results were published online in the journal PLOS One.

New deadline is Aug 4 but FBOs keen on FSSR amendment

Even as most food and beverage industry representatives and bodies are wary of the efficacy of another extension to the deadline for obtaining licence and securing registration by FBOs under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, in completion of the process, CAIT, the body spearheading the movement against implementation of FSSR, 2011, in its present state, is confident of finding a solution to the issue in the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament.

While the new deadline is August 4, 2015, entailing an extension of six months, starting from February 4, 2015, the previous deadline, a review of the FSS Act, 2006, and FSSR, 2011, is currently underway. It is expected that this review, which is being done as per the ground realities in India with regard to climatic and other conditions, will make the Act and Regulations more industry-friendly and the same will be adopted in the form of an Amendment to the Regulations during Budget 2015-16.

Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general, CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders), explains, “There would not be any need to further extend the deadline as the subject of licensing and registration would be duly deliberated in course of the review of FSS Act and Regulations, in the second half of the Budget session and a remedy would be forthcoming in the form of an Amendment.” 

Interestingly, the latest extension is the fifth since the implementation of FSS Act, 2006, and the subsequent FSS Regulations, 2011, in the country on August 5, 2011. Thus, though the regulations are in vogue for about four years, the rate of licensing and registration completed so far in the country, stands at approximately six per cent - around 30 lakh out of five crore FBOs completed the procedure.

In this regard, an analysis of the number of licensing and registrations completed in the recent past shows how the pace has been slow all along. FSSAI, in a reply, stated that as on January 15,2015, a total of 23,57,047 FBOs (food business operators) got registered and 5,45,653 got licensed under the Regulations, on December 24,2014, it had granted 17,775 Central licences, while states / UTs granted 5,45,065 licences and registered 23,53,083 FBOs.Even on October 15, 2014, the figures do not have much difference - procedure for obtaining 520,867 licences and securing 22,72,018 registrations was completed. Clearly the pace is sluggish.

Further, in Delhi, till January 31, 2015, 7,213 licences were distributed, a number that was marginally higher than the previous tally - 6,736 licences on January 23. In the latest figures, the number of licences obtained online was marginally up - 5,941 from the previous of 5,464 licences. 

While, according to industry experts who are not counting on the Amendment to FSSR, the current extension, which is fifth, will not be sufficient to complete the process of licensing and registration.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMANI NEWS

IPA envisions FDA for better enforcement

INDIA- The central government of India has been urged by the Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA); to create a separate Department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in India, which can be governed by the ministry of health and family welfare. This model has been adopted in Goa, Maharashra and Gujarat, and resulted in better coordination with agencies to deal with food and drugs laws.

According to a media report; IPA president Abhay Kumar has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi, saying that creation of a separate department of FDA in appropriate ministry and similar structures should be made mandatory in all states and Union Territories for uniform implementation of food and drugs laws throughout the country. 

Kumar in his letter said that at present Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and recently Punjab government have created the FDA department with food and drugs divisions functioning effectively under a senior level secretary. At present, the food law is implemented Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the health ministry and drug laws like D&C Act, DPCO, Pharmacy Act are implemented by different ministries. He further suggested that the implementation of the food and drugs laws should be handed over to professionally trained personnel who can efficiently manage, as there is no dearth of manpower from the food and drugs sectors.

In the states and Union Territories the food and drug laws are by and large enforced by directorate of health services with poor infrastructure and lack of professionally trained enforcement personnel, results in poor implementation of these laws. In most of the states even the full time regular drugs inspectors who are the main instrument for implementation of Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1948 are not posted and the drugs control department runs on ex-officio staffs.

Further, he expressed the need to create a new department independent from health department with inter-sectoral coordination especially with health, agriculture, veterinary, consumer affairs, fertilizers, chemical departments/ministries, which can function as an apex body of the food and drugs authorities under the ministry of health and family welfare or under appropriate ministry.