Introduction of Self Declaration system dated 26th March 2015 to substitute affidavits in the Licensing and Registration of Food Business

Book criminal cases against food adulteration: DC

Mysuru: Deputy Commissioner C Shikha has instructed the officials to book criminal cases against traders, who indulge in adulteration of food products.

Presiding over a meeting at her office recently, the Deputy Commissioner directed the authorities concerned to form a team, comprising officials from Food and Civil Supplies department, Food Safety and Standards, Horticulture, Health and Legal Metrology departments. 

The team should take punitive action against adulteration of food grains and fruits.

The DC said, there are various complaints against adulteration of food, especially fruits. 

Chemicals are being sprayed to ripen fruits, mainly mangoes with the mango season to set in. In addition to this, there are complaints against adulteration of food grains on a large scale at APMC yard by wholesale dealers and retail merchants. 

Book cases

Tur dal is being adulterated on a large scale. The team should crackdown on such traders and book case after assessing the standard of the food, she said.

Earlier, an official attached to the Food Safety and Standards department explained to the deputy commissioner that there are no such instances of selling adulterated fruits in the city. 

He claimed to have collected and tested samples of watermelon fruits, following a complaint by the public. During the test, no such chemical was found to be used to ripen the fruit, he claimed.

However, the DC, who was not satisfied with the reply, asked the officials to initiate action, if any trader was found guilty.

DINAMALAR NEWS

சென்னை கோயம்பேடு மார்க்கெட்டில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் ‘திடீர்’ சோதனை பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்ட ‘கார்பைடு’ கற்கள் பறிமுதல்

சென்னை, 

சென்னை கோயம்பேடு மார்க்கெட்டில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் திடீர் விழிப்புணர்வு சோதனை நடத்தினர். அப்போது சில பழக்கடைகளில் பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்ட ‘‘கார்பைடு’’ கற்களை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர். 

தொடர் புகார் 

சென்னை கோயம்பேடு பழச்சந்தையில் ‘கார்பைடு’ கற்கள் மூலம் மாம்பழங்கள் பழுக்க வைக்கப்படுகிறது என்று உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறைக்கு புகார் வந்தபடி இருக்கிறது. 

இந்தநிலையில் தமிழக அரசின் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை கூடுதல் ஆணையாளர் டாக்டர் வாசகுமார் தலைமையில் சென்னை மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் டாக்டர் லட்சுமி நாராயணன், அதிகாரிகள் ஏ.சதாசிவம், மணிமாறன், ஜெபராஜ், சுந்தர்ராஜன், இளங்கோவன், ராஜா உள்ளிட்டோர் சென்னை கோயம்பேடு பழச்சந்தைக்கு வந்தனர். பின்னர் ஒவ்வொரு பழக்கடைக்கும் சென்று அங்குள்ள வியாபாரிகளிடம் பழங்களை செயற்கை முறையில் பழுக்க வைக்கவேண்டாம் என்று ‘மெகா போன்’ மூலம் அறிவுறுத்தினர். 

‘திடீர்’ சோதனை 

இந்த விழிப்புணர்வு நிகழ்ச்சியின் போது, அதிகாரிகள் சில கடைகளில் ‘திடீர்’ சோதனையிட்டனர். சோதனையில், அந்த கடைகளில் ‘கார்பைடு’ கற்கள் கொண்டு மாம்பழங்கள் பழுக்க வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது தெரியவந்தது. 

இதையடுத்து அந்த கடைகளில் இருந்த ‘கார்பைடு’ கற்களும், அதனால் பழுக்க வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த மாம்பழங்களும் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டன. இதையடுத்து அங்கிருந்த வியாபாரிகளை அதிகாரிகள் எச்சரித்தனர். 

செயற்கை முறையில் பழங்கள் பழுக்க வைக்கப்படுவது குற்றம் என்றும், அத்தகைய செயல்களில் வியாபாரிகள் ஈடுபட வேண்டாம் என்று வாசகங்கள் அடங்கிய பேனர்கள் பழச்சந்தையின் முக்கிய இடங்களில் வைக்கப்பட்டது. 

தடை 

இதுகுறித்து உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரி டாக்டர் லட்சுமி நாராயணன் கூறுகையில், ‘‘உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டம் 2006 மற்றும் ஒழுங்கு முறை விதிகள் 2011-ன் படி கால்சியம் ‘கார்பைடு’ கற்களை கொண்டு செயற்கை முறையில் பழங்களை பழுக்கவைத்து விற்பனை செய்வது தடை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால் உணவு உபாதை, வயிற்றுபோக்கு உள்ளிட்ட அஜீரண கோளாறுகள் ஏற்படுவதுடன், புற்றுநோய்க்கு ஒரு காரணியாகவும் ஏற்பட வாய்ப்புள்ளது. எனவே இதுபோன்ற சம்பவங்களில் வியாபாரிகள் ஈடுபடுவது குற்றமாகும்’’, என்றார்.

Mysuru DC sets up team to curb use of chemicals by mango merchants

MYSURU: Ahead of mango season, the district administration has set up a team of officials asking them to ensure that chemicals are not used to ripen the fruit. 

This follows complaints from the public and elected representatives. DC C Shikha asked the horticulture officials to visit the market and collect the samples. She has asked them to book criminal cases in case chemicals are used to ripen the mangoes. 

During a meeting of the officials from the food and civil supplies, horticulture and health departments, the DC expressed concern about food adulteration and set up the team. It is asked to deal with food adulteration, including use of chemicals by fruit merchants. Shikha asked the team to invoke provisions contained in Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and book criminal cases against adulterators. 

The officials said they have collected samples of watermelon and tested it for chemical use. However, there are no such case, they said. Shikha didn't agree and pointed at large scale complaints and asked them to focus on mango season when use of chemicals to ripen the fruit early is rampant. 

She asked the officials to crack down on food adulterators, both retailers and wholesalers and raid them. District health officer Dr H T Puttaswamy and deputy director of food and civil supplies Ka Rameshwarappa attended the meeting.

TOBACCO CHECK: PB GOVT RAIDS MORE THAN 1,400 EATERIES

To check violations or ban on chewable tobacco, e-cigarettes, or hookah bars, the Punjab Government has conducted raids on more than 1,400 eateries and pan or cigarette shops. Announcing this, State Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani on Wednesday said that raids were conducted to check whether Food Safety and Standard Act of India (FSSAI) or Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) were being effectively implemented and monitored regularly at the State level.

He said that as many as 800 violators were challaned during a special three-day campaign which was conducted in all districts to check use of tobacco and nicotine, hookah bar and illegal sale of e-Cigarettes, loose cigarettes and flavoured or scented chewable tobacco. “This is the first ever initiative in India, and such campaigns will continue in future to protect the youth from abuse of tobacco or nicotine,” said Jayani. The Minister has directed the State health officials to keep a strict vigil against sale of tobacco for strict compliance of COTPA.

Food eateries fined over food safety issue in Kerala

The officials have collected about 36.75 lakh as fine following inspections conducted at various hotels and restaurants; food safety commissioner has informed the Kerala High Court.

In a recent drive by the food safety commissioner in Kerala over 12 eateries were ordered to be closed and 223 outlets were served with improvement notices.

The officials have collected about 36.75 lakh as fine following inspections conducted at various hotels and restaurants; food safety commissioner has informed the Kerala High Court.

At the same time, two tanker Lorries carrying adulterated coconut oil was confiscated, an affidavit filed by food safety commissioner Anupama TV said.

These would show that strict action is being taken against erring food business operators, including hotels and restaurants, the food safety commissioner opined.

The affidavit was filed in response to a contempt of court petition filed by Basil Attipetty alleging inaction on the part of the commissioner.

Following a high court order issued in February 2012, special drives were ordered across the state.

Inspections are conducted through inter-district squads frequently in addition to inspections during festivals and special occasions. Special drive was conducted all over the state with emphasis on ghee, pickle, payasam mix, spices and condiments, cooked meat, bakery food, chips, milk and milk products, and oil.

Surveillance at check posts were intensified with the assistance of mobile analytical labs during Onam, the affidavit filed through senior government pleader Joe Kalliyath said.

Maharashtra govt. makes gutka manufacture and sale a non-bailable offence in state

Maharashtra govt. to make gutka sale a non-bailable offence in state

Maharashtra state government, on March 24, 2015, said that those found involved in the sale of gutka in the state would be booked under non-bailable sections regarding the offence. 

Due to no such restrictions in the neighbouring states, the ban on the manufacture and sale of gutka has not been implemented effectively in Maharashtra. Also, as per the reports, the tobacco-laced chewing products are smuggled in to the state because of the same reason. 

Reportedly, State Food and Drug Minister Girish Bapat stated that gutka worth 32 crore rupees has been seized after searching around 72,000 shops as the state police received directives to book offenders under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 328.

In 2012, Maharashtra Government had banned sale and manufacturing of Gutka and Pan Masala under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.

State government also had imposed punishment of six months to three years imprisonment. However, it was bailable offence that time. 

About the IPC Section 328:

Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence. As per the Section, whoever administers to or causes to be taken by any person any poison or any stupefying, intoxicating or unwholesome drug or other thing with intent to cause hurt to such person or with intent to commit or to facilitate the commission of an offence or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine.

Non-bailable offence:

As per the IPC, When a person is detained for a non-bailable offence, he cannot demand to be released on bail as a matter of right. He can, however, request the court to grant bail.

Gutka ban will be stricter now: FDA

PUNE: The state government's decision to make the manufacture, sale and distribution of gutka a non-bailable offence will make the enforcement of its ban more effective and stringent, said officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The move will bring uniformity in punishment, curb habitual offenders and keep a check on the entry of new offenders in the black market, they said. Gutka has been banned in Maharashtra since July 2012. 

"Currently, if a person is found selling gutka, he is arrested after we file a police complaint. However, offenders get bail within two to three days and go back to selling gutka. This will change once the sale of gutka becomes a non-bailable offence," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune division. 

"Moreover, from a hawker selling a small amount of gutka to a businessman dealing with huge amounts of gutka, every offender will get the same punishment. The FDA makes inquiries of the sale and purchase of gutka at all levels. When we make inquiries at the manufacturer level to trace the origin of the confiscated gutka, we have to struggle a lot to prove the offence. But if the police are involved in the investigations, then it becomes easier to solve the cases with their vast network and manpower," he added. 

After the ban on gutka came into force, the FDA officials have seized gutka worth Rs 6.64 crore in Pune district. 

"We have conducted raids on 269 establishments and lodged 200 FIRs against the offenders since 2012. We raided godowns from where the maximum amount of gutka was seized, followed by shops, paan stalls and residential premises," said Shivkumar Kodgire, assistant commissioner (food), FDA, Pune. 

The modus operandi used in selling gutka keeps changing. "We have to be vigilant constantly to nab the offenders," Kodgire said. 

One of the ingenious methods of selling gutka that emerged following the ban was the 'supari mix'. The main ingredients in gutka are supari (betelnut) and jarda (flavoured tobacco). These are being sold in separate pouches as 'supari mix', which when mixed together becomes gutka. 

This is the third consecutive year when the state government has banned gutka and paan masala. Through a notification on July 20, 2014, the state government has empowered the food safety commissioner to prohibit manufacturing, distribution, stocking and sale of gutka and paan masala in the state under Section 30 (2) (a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Red-hot Food Safety Dept for Probe into Chilli Fraud

Test result of the Regional Analytical Laboratory in Kochi

THRISSUR: After testing the samples of dry chillies supplied by the government undertaking Supplyco to BPL families during last Onam season, food safety assistant commissioner here has recommended for an adjudication process against officers concerned for supplying sub-standard grocery.

In the complaint filed by RTI activist P B Satheesh of Mannuthy, it was pointed out that the free Onam kits distributed at the Supplyco Unit at Mannuthy last year contained only stalk (njatti) of chillies along with dry leaves, pieces of stone and wood etc.

There were media reports over the issue then, he noted. The complainant had brought to the notice of the officials in Food Safety Department that it was very difficult to find a piece of dry red chilly in the 200g-pack given to BPL cardholders and strangely, the dry chilly found in the pack was yellow in colour.

Assistant Food Safety Commissioner in Thrissur B Jayachandran told ‘Express’ that the samples collected were tested at the Regional Analytical Laboratory in Kochi and was found to be sub-standard.

“The Food Safety Officer will submit all documents in connection with the complaint and test conducted before the Revenue Divisional Office (RDO) for adjudication and action will be taken against the Supplyco officials who had erred in their duties after the hearing,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources in the Supplyco said that the dry red chilly (‘Chillies Whole’) found as sub-standard after testing would not be of a great concern for the corporation and the Revenue

Divisional Office would at the most impose a small token as fine.

Manager of the Supplyco Unit at Mannuthy said that even though the packaging was done in his unit, the consignment came from Kochi. The quality controllers of the corporation had tested it before it reached the unit for packing. “We conducted an inquiry with the packing employees here and they told us that they have packed what they received after the inspection conducted by QC,” he said.

Meanwhile, Satheesh said the estimated cost of one free kit that included 2 kg of rice and 50 grams of tea dust along with the dry chilly was `70 and his organisation ‘Nerkazhcha’ had already filed a complaint with Vigilance to find out whether there was any financial misappropriation.

Restaurants fined for over Rs 36 lakh, food safety commissioner tells HC

KOCHI: A total of Rs 36.75 lakh was collected as fine following inspections conducted at hotels and restaurants, food safety commissioner has informed the Kerala High Court. 

During the inspections, 12 eateries were ordered to be closed and 223 outlets were served with improvement notices. Two tanker lorries carrying adulterated coconut oil was confiscated, an affidavit filed by food safety commissioner Anupama TV said. 

These would show that strict action is being taken against erring food business operators, including hotels and restaurants, the food safety commissioner claimed. The affidavit was filed in response to a contempt of court petition filed by Basil Attipetty alleging inaction on the part of the commissioner. 

Following a high court order issued in February 2012, special drives were ordered across the state. Inspections are conducted through inter-district squads frequently in addition to inspections during festivals and special occasions. During Onam, special drive was conducted all over the state with emphasis on ghee, pickle, payasam mix, spices and condiments, cooked meat, bakery food, chips, milk and milk products, and oil. Surveillance at check posts were intensified with the assistance of mobile analytical labs during Onam, the affidavit filed through senior government pleader Joe Kalliyath said. 

The same strategy was repeated during Christmas, Sabarimala season, National Games, and Attukal Pongala. Day and night special squads were ordered to inspect all eateries in the state, including bakeries and 'thattukadas', the court was told.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

4 years on, 40% eateries in Kapurthala to register under food safety norms

Even as the health department claims to have made concerted efforts and repeatedly postponed the deadline since the state government implemented the Food Safety and Standards Act in August 2011, only 60 per cent of the total eateries and food vendors in the district have got registered under the Act so far.

Under the Food Safety aAnd Standards Act, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has made it mandatory for all food business operators, including producers, processors, transporters or traders of food items, to get license and registration certificates.

Only 700 of a total of 1,200 estimated eateries have got licences in the district, while 6,000 of a total of 10,000 vendors have got registered with the department.

Health officials are of the opinion that since the government postponed the deadline repeatedly, people have started taking the Act lightly. This is the fourth or fifth time that government postponed the deadline to August 4 this year to get registered.

“The delay in deadline is also the reason that the department could not take strict action against defaulters who are apparently benefitting from violating the rules,” an official said.

It has been learnt that the eateries which have recently registered under this act did so due pressure exerted by officials.

Food sellers with an annual turnover of up to Rs 12 lakh has to pay an annual fee of Rs 100 to get registered, while food business owners having an annual turnover of over Rs 12 lakh have to get licence by paying Rs 2000 a year.

District health officer Dr Guriqbal Singh said they are strictly implementing the act to get 100 per cent registrations. “Strict action will be taken against defaulters who fail to get registered under the act by August 4. We have started issuing notices to defaulters,” Dr Singh said.

Meanwhile, applicants can login to the website www.foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in to get registered.

CEPCI meet on quality & safety of food told to be strict in FSSA norms

A one-day seminar on quality and safety of food and water was held at CEPCI, Kollam, Kerala, recently. The seminar was held in tune with the National Science Day celebrations.

Around 50 people including hotel owners, food processing professionals, food inspectors and health inspectors were present at the meet.

Delivering the welcome address, C B Mayarani, head, Microbiology division, spoke about the technologies and high-end instruments available at CEPCI (Cashew Export Promotion Council of India) laboratory. She informed about the change in the mandate of the laboratory and said that its services were now open for all food samples, water and water used for cooking purposes, fish, meat, oil, fats and any material for analysis. 

A K Mini, assistant food safety commissioner (Kollam), who was present as the chief guest, delivered a detailed account on Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, and its implication in future and advised those who were present to be particular about following the guidelines.

Stating that much of the organic foods available in the markets were fake, Mini observed, “Marketers of most organic products are cheating customers by charging more through false claims and this sector is now growing into one of the biggest ways through which people are cheated.”

“This situation calls for stringent and flawless methods to certify organic food products,” she added.

Mini pointed out, “Overdose of permitted colours in food is rampant in the state, and this is harmful to human health.” She stated that only 100 mg of permitted colour was the upper limit for one kg of pastry product. “But many bakeries do not have any measuring standards.”

According to her, adding even permitted colours to meals in restaurants is an offence. She stated, “Earlier food safety authorities looked only for unpermitted colours. But now, detection comprises quantitative analysis to find out whether permitted colours have been added in excess of the permitted levels.”

Mini informed, “All food supplements could be marketed only after obtaining mandatory approval from Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Such imported food should comply with domestic regulations in force in the country. This is the reason why some food products from China have been denied import permission recently.” “Our food products exported should mandatorily comply with the food safety standards of the importing country.”

She explained that while cigarettes were not banned, pan masala was banned under the Food Safety and Standards Act because it was a consumable product. More than 2 tonne of such tobacco products were seized from the district during raids. The High Court has now given permission to destroy the entire seized quantity.

Mini observed that during drives in the past, the use of hazardous chemical erythrocin in watermelons was detected in Kollam district, hence, with the start of the watermelon season, surveillance had resumed.

Speaking on the occasion, T K S H Musaliar, chairman, CEPCI, requested the public to utilise the facility at CEPCI laboratory in regard to quality and safety of food and water.

Meanwhile, P Sundaran, VC, CEPCI, stressed on the importance of Food Safety & StandardsAct, 2006, and how it had to be followed.

Dr V P Potty, principal scientist, CEPCI, made a brief speech on the activities of CEPCI laboratory and requested all to avail the services of the lab.

165 bags of gutka, khaini seized

Around 165 bags of gutka and khaini were seized by policemen of the Special Branch wing and the One Town in a joint operation on Monday. Stocks of the banned products, valued at Rs.21 lakh, were seized from a godown near Poorna Market. The owner had procured the stock from neighbouring Odisha in two lorries and stored them in the godown.

On a tip-off, the police raided the godown and seized the stock, according to Special Branch Inspector B. Ramana. Owner Lakshmana Rao was arrested as gutka and khaini are banned under the Food Safety and Standard Act-2006.

British slaughterhouse owner fined over horsemeat scandal

The owner and manager of a slaughterhouse in northern England were sentenced to fines and a suspended jail term on Monday in the first criminal prosecution related to a horsemeat scandal that embarrassed British supermarkets in 2013.

The owner and manager of a slaughterhouse in northern England were sentenced to fines and a suspended jail term on Monday in the first criminal prosecution related to a horsemeat scandal that embarrassed British supermarkets in 2013.

The slaughterhouse in the town of Todmorden was inspected by a food safety official at the height of the scandal, in which horsemeat was found in food products that were labelled as containing beef, outraging consumers

"Documents produced for this inspection were intended to deceive the inspector and the lack of proper records meant that the source and destination of the horsemeat was untraceable," specialist prosecutor Kevin Hansford said in a statement.

The slaughterhouse owner, Peter Boddy, was fined 8,000 pounds ($11,900) and ordered to pay another 10,442 pounds in legal costs after being convicted of failing to keep adequate records allowing the provenance of meat to be traced.

The manager, David Moss, received a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay costs of 10,442 pounds, after being convicted of falsifying an invoice. "This deception is serious. The absence of proper records means that it is not possible to identify whether the horsemeat may have entered the human food chain," Hansford said.

The horsemeat scandal began in January 2013 when Irish food inspectors said they had found horsemeat in frozen beefburgers being sold by several British supermarket chains. The scandal then escalated and spread to several other European countries and a number of products were recalled.

உயிருக்கு உலை வைக்கும் வகையில் கார்பைட் கல், ஸ்பிரே பயன்படுத்தி மாங்காய் பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை

தாம்பரம்: மாம்பழ சீசன் தொடங்க உள்ள நிலையில், தரமற்ற முறையில் மாங்காய்களை கார்பைட் கல் மூலம் பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை செய்வது அதிகரித்து வருவதால் தடுத்து நிறுத்த கோரிக்கை எழுந்துள்ளது. ஆண்டுதோறும் மார்ச், ஏப்ரல், மே மாதங்கள் மாம்பழ சீசனாக உள்ளது. கடைகளுக்கு சப்பட்டை, கிளி மூக்கு, பஞ்சவர்ணம், கொட்டக்காய், அல்போன்சா உள்பட பல வகையான மாங்காய்கள் விற்பனைக்கு வர தொடங்கியுள்ளன. இந்நிலையில், சீசன் தொடங்கும் முன்பே சில வியாபாரிகள் அதிக லாபம் பார்க்கும் நோக்கத்தில், மாங்காய்களை குறைந்த விலையில் கொள்முதல் செய்து, கடைகளில் குவியலாக வைத்து அவற்றை கார்பைட் கல் மூலம் பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை செய்ய தொடங்கி உள்ளனர். கோயம்பேடு, தாம்பரம், தி.நகர், சைதாப்பேட்டை, எம்ஜிஆர் நகர் உள்ளிட்ட பெரிய மார்க்கெட்டுகள் மட்டுமின்றி, பல்வேறு இடங்களில் உள்ள சிறிய கடைகளிலும் தற்போது, இதுபோன்று முறைகேடாக மாங்காய்களை பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை செய்வதாக புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது. இவ்வாறு பழுக்கும் பழங்களின் தோல்பகுதி பளபளப்பாக இருக்கும்.

இது பார்ப்பவர்களை வாங்க தூண்டும். இதேபோல், குவியலாக மாங்காய்களை போட்டு, ஸ்பிரே மூலம் ரசாயன மருந்து அடிக்கப்படுகிறது. கல், ரசாயனம் மூலம் காய்கள் சில நாள்களில் பழுக்கின்றன. இந்த பழங்களை சாப்பிட்டால் வயிற்று வலி, வயிற்றுப்போக்கு ஏற்படும் அபாயம் உள்ளது. இதுகுறித்து பொதுமக்கள் கூறுகையில், ‘கடந்த ஆண்டு சீசனில் உணவுப்பொருள் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாக துறை அதிகாரிகள், பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் உள்ள கடைகளில் அதிரடி சோதனை செய்து, செயற்கை முறையில் பழுக்க வைத்த மாம்பழங்களை டன் கணக்கில் பறிமுதல் செய்து அழித்தனர். கடைகளில் இருந்த கார்பைட் கல், ரசாயன மருந்துகளை கைப்பற்றினர். அதேபோல், இந்தாண்டும் உணவுப் பொருள் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாக துறை அதிகாரிகள் உடனடி நடவடிக்கையில் இறங்கி, செயற்கை முறையில் மாங்காய்களை பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பவர்கள் மீது கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்,’ என்றனர்.

15 of 20 food samples taken in Jan found unfit

Meerut: Out of the total food samples sent to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) in Meerut found 75% of the food samples either unfit to be consumed or wrongfully labled. 

The FSDA had sent a total of 20 samples to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow in January. The reports were made public on Sunday. According to it, 15 samples out of the total 20 failed the test. 

The FSDA conducts anti-adulteration drives whenever festivals are round the corner and to make sure that city residents don't consume food items which are unfit to consume. 

"I am glad that 15 samples from six shops have been caught. The shops under the scanner will think twice before fooling customers," said JP Singh, chief food safety officer. 

Moreover, three court cases were also filed against the shop-owners who were found selling adulterated samples four months ago, sources said. 

"Though 75% of food samples were found substandard, I am glad that the cases came to our notice. Now, the matter will go to court and the accused will be taken to task," said JP Singh. 

A total of five shops were found selling food items unacceptable under the food safety standards. There are Padamshri shop in Mohsinpur, Shop in Lala ka Bazaar and Agarwal & Sons on Surajkund. They failed in six, three and four samples, respectively. While Bittoo Foods in Sports Complex and Arora Foods in Partapur failed in one sample each. 

The shops for which the matter has reached court are located in Brahmpuri, Suroorpur and Achanta village of Meerut. 

No database available on the number of FBOs in Punjab: CAG

There is no database available with Punjab's Health department with regard to the number of food business operators (FBOs) in the state, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). 

In its latest report on social, general and economic sectors, the government auditor found that in the absence of the database, the possibility of FBOs running the business without licenses or registration could not be ruled out. 

The audit of Commissioner's records showed that neither was any survey conducted nor was any database with regard to total number of FBOs in the state available with him, it said. 

While assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 in Punjab, CAG noted that no person shall commence or carry on any food business except under a license under the Act. 

The Act provides that the Commissioner of Food Safety shall carry out survey of industrial units engaged in manufacture or processing of food in the state to find out compliance by such units to the standards notified by Food Authority for various food items. 

Though 10,861 licenses and 85,066 registrations were reported to have been granted up to January 2014, but in the absence of the said database, the possibility of FBOs running food business without licenses or registrations could not be ruled out, it said. 

In its reply, the Health and Family Welfare department said all designated officers in the state were being directed to conduct such survey in the field. 

The auditor also found that department was not maintaining any data in respect of samples collected and analysed in the state of Punjab. 

Monthly targets for collection of samples were not achieved and analysis of adulterated samples from referral laboratory was delayed, as per the report. 

The prosecution against offenders of adulterated samples could not be launched due to non-obtaining of the sanction of Commissioner, it said. 

CAG further found that the Food and Drug Authority could not be set up in the state for want of release of funds during 2012-14 despite the state government's decision to make a budget provision of Rs 5 crore each year for it. 

However, required funds were not released by the Finance Department as a result of which the budgeted provision of Rs 5 crore for 2012-13 and 2013-14 lapsed, the report noted.

Now, app that will help food business operators understand FSSAI regulations better

New Delhi, March 23 (ANI): Food business operators can now access all the latest updates and notifications regarding Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations plus a self-inspection tool through Food Safety Mobile App.

The application which is being introduced for the first time in India will help food business operators to understand, learn and implement the requirements listed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The mobile application not only provides information on FSSAI compliance needs but also features food safety inspection for business. It helps the food business community, who are intending to operate with the agency's regulations with a traceability system at their premises.

With the food safety inspection tool, one can do the audit through the mobile device, generate automated report, save your cost of hiring a professional firm for Inspection, do the audit anytime you wish to do, cover multiple locations of your food business, identify the gaps in the system and can take corrective action.

The mobile app features the customized checklists for Self Inspection on different industry verticals to identify possible gaps in your system.

Currently the mobile app is available for android phone users.

Judge Defines Best Before, Date of Expiry

CHENNAI:Defining the difference between the phrases ‘Best Use Before’ and ‘Date of Expiry’, the Madras High Court has said there was a clear-cut distinction between them. The meaning attached to “best before” is that the period during which the product shall remain fully marketable and shall retain in specific qualities for which tacit or express claims have been made. Beyond the prescribed date also the food article may still be perfectly satisfactory, Justice S Vaidyanathan said.

The meaning attached to the “expiry date” signifies the end of the estimated period under any stated storage conditions, after which the product probably will not have the quality and safety attributes normally expected by the consumers. As such, the item shall not be sold beyond the expiry date.

“Therefore, it is clear that even after the date of ‘best before’, the product can be consumed as safety would be still intact, however, it may not be as good as what it would have been if used within specified time limit, since after it passes the date of ‘best before’ every day counts and the shelf life of the product will gradually decrease in all respects, such as, quality, taste, potency etc. There is no confusion as regards ‘expiry date’, which is a clear cut and once it passes, the product will lose its value in all respects and cannot be consumed and it is harmful if used. Therefore, it can be analyzed that ‘expiry date’ will come after expiration of ‘best before date’. If a product contains both the dates, normally, best before date will be shown first to that of ‘expiry date’, the judge said.

The judge was dismissing a writ petition from Amrut Distilleries seeking to quash an order dated October 15 last year of the Authorized Officer of Chennai Seaport and Airport, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in Chennai and consequently, send appropriate report to the Deputy Commissioner of Customs to enable it to clear goods covered under the Bill of Entry dated September 26, for home consumption.

Kitchen Towels Top Contamination Hazard List

Although only 9 percent of reported foodborne illness outbreaks occur in the home, researcher and K-State food safety specialist Jeannie Sneed estimate the actual number of incidents is much higher.Research shows a leading cause of cross contamination within the home is actually an object associated with cleaning, the kitchen towel.

A study recently published in the journal Food Protection Trends highlights the work of several Kansas State University faculty and students.

Lead researcher Jeannie Sneed said the study showed some unique observations and areas of weakness when it comes to consumers’ kitchen behavior.

“First, participants were observed frequently handling towels, including paper towels, even when not using them for drying,” Sneed said. “Towels were determined to be the most contaminated of all the contact surfaces tested.”

Video observation showed many participants would touch the towel before washing their hands or used the towel after washing their hands inadequately. Even after properly washing their hands, they reused the towel and contaminated themselves all over again.

Researchers believe this could be one of the most critical findings of the study, because cloth towels can quickly and easily become contaminated at significant levels, including microorganisms that potentially can lead to foodborne illnesses.

Other researchers found that salmonella, bacteria commonly found in raw meat and poultry products, grows on cloths stored overnight, even after they were washed and rinsed in the sink. This is why Sneed recommends washing cloth towels after using them while preparing a meal, or using paper towels and discarding them after each use.

Another observation from the study was cell phone handling during food preparation and the lack of proper sanitation afterward. While electronic devices are useful tools for communication, entertainment and a method of gathering recipes, they add another potential source of contamination.

“We often take our cell phones and tablets into the kitchen,” Sneed said, “but what about all the other places we take them? Think of how many times you see someone talking on their cell phone in places like the bathroom, where microorganisms such as norovirus and E. coli are commonly found.”

If such devices will be used in the kitchen, Sneed recommends treating them as potential hazards and wiping the surfaces with a disinfectant solution frequently. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hopes to conduct further research on the use of cell phones and tablets in the kitchen.

Under the microscope

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service funded the K-State study “Consumer Food Handling Practices Lead to Cross Contamination” to better understand the behavior of consumers with young children and observe the effects of food safety messages.

The 123 participants of the study were randomly assigned to three separate groups. The first group was given an education program on the four national Food Safe Families campaign messages of clean, separate, cook and chill. The second group viewed and discussed the Ad Council public service announcements that focused on the same Food Safe Families messages, and the third group did not receive any food safety education before preparing the meal.

The researchers set up a condominium on the K-State campus to reflect a home kitchen environment and videotaped the participants preparing a recipe using either raw ground beef or chicken and a ready-to-eat fruit salad. The raw meat was inoculated with Lactobacillus casei, a nonpathogenic organism commonly found in yogurt but not naturally present in meat.

The L. casei served as a tracer organism that allowed Randall Phebus, K-State food microbiologist and co-author of the study, to track the levels of meat-associated contamination spread throughout the kitchen while preparing these meals.

Phebus and his team of students found that more than 90 percent of the fruit salads prepared alongside the meat dish were contaminated with the tracer organism, suggesting that if the tracer represented a pathogen such as Salmonella, a high risk of foodborne illness was generated during the meal preparation.

Suggested changes

The study found that all participants, regardless of food safety message group prior to the meal preparation, made mistakes in the kitchen that could lead to foodborne illness.

In addition to high levels of contamination in their cloth towels, about 82 percent of participants also left meat-originating contamination on the sink faucet, refrigerator, oven and trash container.

While the study paints a picture of the objects consumers often leave contaminated, it is important to note common mistakes that occur in the kitchen, which are often difficult to change.

“I think these days a lot of people learn on their own how to cook, so they may not know how to be conscious of cross contamination,” Sneed said. “People are becoming more aware of the hazards in raw meat products, but they may not know how to prevent those hazards through things like separation or raw and ready-to-eat foods and sanitation. I think it’s fairly easy to avoid cross contamination, but it’s also easy to cause it.”

Artificial colours back in snacks

COIMBATORE: Do not trust the Murukku, Omapudi and boondi that sport a bright yellow color. The Food Safety Department has found at least four samples of South Indian savouries collected from bakeries and restaurants in the district to be 'unsafe' and 'not conforming to food safety standards'. However, many restaurants and sweet shop manufacturers say they find it hard to convince their customers about food safety.

The samples found unsafe include a packet of potato chips in a bakery in Annur area, a few Murukkus from a leading bakery chain in the city, Bhajji Bonda served at a shop in Pollachi and some savouries from another bakery on Mettupalayam Road. "All of them were found adding artificial colour to their food," said R Kathiravan, designated food safety officer. "We have issued notices to all of them and have filed a case too," he said.

The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 clearly states that 'unsafe food' is an article in which there is 'presence of any colouring matter or preservatives other than that specified for its category' or if the 'article is being coloured to make it appear better than it really is'. "This point was included in the Act because long-term consumption of such artificial colours is harmful to health, because they often contain colours made of chemicals," said Kathiravan. While colour is permitted to be added to ice-creams, lolly pops, jelly crystal and North Indian sweets, it is banned in South Indian sweets and savouries. "However, in some cases, approved artificial colour is allowed," he clarified.

Though food makers admit that colours do not play a part in the taste, they find it hard to change the public's mindset. "They are used to seeing specific foods in specific colours," said Vivekanand Natraj of Moti Mahal Delux. "So we have tried to work around this by using Kashmiri Chilli which gives the red colour but is not as spicy as our local chillies. We use beetroot to add colour to vinegar soaked onion, so the difference is just 10%," he said. "Even after all this we have irate customers upset over the colour of food served or purchased," said a staff member at Nellai Muthu Vilas Sweets.

Reasons you should go organic

We all have a decision to make about what we choose to eat, whether it's conventional, chemically grown food or natural, organic produce. There are lots of reasons to choose organic, but here are five of the best:
For your health: No chemical fertilizers, pesticides or other toxic substances are used in organic farming or during handling, storage, and processing, which means organic food is safe to eat from the moment you buy it. Many chemicals used in Indian farming are banned globally, and due to uncontrolled usage, are applied to crops at levels far over safe or legal limits. These are known to cause serious health problems, including cancers, neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, autism, especially for infants and children.
For the soil: We don't think about it very often, but the dirt where we grow our food is its own world of nutrients, organisms, and crops working closely together. Conventional farming throws this world out of sync by overloading it with a few basic chemicals, destroying the soil's health. Organic farming uses only natural, local nutrient for fertilizer, keeping the soil, and everything growing in it, healthy. For long-term food security, it is crucial that we take care of our soil, which is depleting at an alarming rate.
For Farmers: Since chemical fertilizers and pesticides destroy soil health, farmers who rely on them need more and more every year to grow the same amount of crops. These rising costs can trap farmers in inescapable debt. Ironically, farmers buy in retail and sell in wholesale! Various research studies have linked the resulting debt from industrial agriculture practices directly to farmer suicides. Organic farmers rely directly on their own land and make their own inputs, and hence don't need to buy new chemicals and fertilizers every year. This makes organic farming economically sustainable as well.
For the environment: Organic farming isn't just good for farmers and their land, it's better for the earth. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides run off into local water systems, threatening people's health and destroying plant and animal life. These toxins, which have become omnipresent in the environmental ecosystem, are inevitably making their way into our bodies as well. Conventional agriculture along with its allied activities is the single largest contributor to carbon emissions. Going organic is a major way to help reduce global warming, and ensuring long-term health for our planet and it's inhabitants.
For biodiversity: Large agribusinesses usually own the rights to certain types of seeds that are resistant to their own brands of pesticides. This can lead to the extinction of thousands of natural varieties of different fruits and veggies that make food more delicious, more exciting, and more unique. Organic farmers help preserve unique local varieties of fruits and veggies for the rest of us to enjoy.
By Ashmeet Kapoor, CEO/Founder - I Say Organic.

1,724 bottles of imported beer seized in raid

They were up for sale after expiry date

Beer bottles that were stocked beyond expiry date being seized by the Food safety officials at Mettupalayam near Coimbatore on Friday.

The sale of imported beer on ‘buy one get one free’ offer has landed a bar attached to a leading resort near Mettupalayam in trouble.

The Designated Officer of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department’s Food Safety Wing, R. Kathiravan, who led the team that conducted a surprise raid in the bar, said that 1,724 bottles of beer in 86 cases with expiry date of February 20, 2015, were seized.

Mr. Kathiravan told The Hindu that the raid was conducted based on a complaint received via email from a lawyer based at Chennai.

The officer said that the product on sale was a Russian brand manufactured on February 20, 2014.

“But, the consignment of 2,000 bottles had reached the bar only on the date of expiry,” he said.

The bar authorities had tampered with the hologram seal on the bottles and had also concealed the expiry date with a sticker. After inspecting the bar and the warehouse where the bottles were stored, the officer said that the bar had already sold 276 bottles - priced at Rs. 300 each - and that the remaining stock worth Rs. 5.17 lakh was seized during the raid that went on for more than three-and-a-half hours.

“Samples of beer will be sent to the Food Analysis Laboratory in Coimbatore for testing,” he said and added that the result was expected in two weeks. Based on the outcome of the analysis, legal action would be initiated against those found guilty. Officials who conducted the raid include Food Safety Officers S. Rajeshwaran, K. Chandran and Gerald Sathya Punithan.

‘Samples of beer will be sent to the Food Analysis Laboratory in Coimbatore for testing’

Fake gutka worth over Rs 6.40 lakh seized in Thane Dist

The officials of Food and DrugAdministration have seized packets of different brands ofgutka and pan masala worth over Rs 6.40 lakh during a raidon a godown in Bhiwandi town of the district.

Acting on a tip-off, the FDA officials last eveningraided the godown of one Shaikh Israr Mohamamad and seizedduplicate brands of banned gutka and paan masala includingthat of Vimal worth Rs 6,41,800 during the raid, sources inFDA said. Taking the advantage of darkness, he tried to flee fromthe spot but was arrested by the officials. The arrested accused was manufacturing the banned gutkaand was repacking it in small pouches in a unit within the godown. 

The FDA team also seized a packing machine and a pickupvan from there. Offences under Sections 328, 420, 468, 471, 188, 272,273 of the Indian Penal Code and also Sections 26 and 27 ofthe Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 have been registered with the local police against the alleged accused, sources added.

New GMO potatoes, apples approved for US market

Potatoes that are genetically engineered to withstand bruising and produce less of a harmful chemical when fried, along with two kinds of browning- resistant apples were approved for the US market today. 

"These foods are as safe and nutritious as their conventional counterparts," said a statement by the Food and Drug Administration. 

The ruling applies to six varieties of potatoes, known by the trade name Innate potatoes, genetically engineered by J R Simplot Company in Idaho. 

The potatoes not only resist bruising, they also produce less acrylamide, a chemical that can form in some foods during high-temperature cooking or frying, and has been found to be carcinogenic in lab rats. 

The FDA also approved two kinds of apples engineered to resist browning from cuts and bruises, known as Arctic apples, made by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc. In Canada. 

The FDA said it "has no additional food safety questions at this time concerning food from these plant varieties," after a review of the data that included safety and nutritional information provided by the companies that make the products. 

"The consultation process includes a review of information provided by a company about the nature of the molecular changes and the nutritional composition of the food compared to traditionally bred varieties," said Dennis Keefe, director of the FDA's Office of Food Additive Safety. 

"This case-by-case safety evaluation ensures that food safety issues are resolved prior to commercial distribution.

Govt raises the steaks; beef to no longer be rare

PANAJI: Not only will BJP-led government in Goa not join Maharashtra and Haryana in banning beef, an essential part of cuisine of the minority Christian and Muslim communities, but has taken adequate steps to import beef to mitigate any shortage due to the crisis in the state arising out of some NGOs raising a heckle on transportation of bulls, chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar told TOI on Friday.

Parsekar reiterated the state government's stated position that the BJP government will not ban sale of beef in Goa and made it clear he would not follow other states.

The CM said that eating beef is a part of the minority communities' food habit and his government does not want to betray the trust of Christians and Muslims, which BJP took several years to earn in the state.

There has been a shortage in beef supplies in the state after some NGOs blocked transportation of bulls into the state and the government machinery cracking a whip on stalls which were unhygienic and not possessing licences to operate, as reported in TOI.

Parsekar said "beef will continue to be sold in Goa. At present, Goa gets beef supplies from Belgaum in neighbouring Karnataka to overcome the shortage due to closing down of some illegal stalls". The CM said that the state government will monitor the supply of beef to Goa, keeping in mind that beef hygiene is not compromised and Goa's minorities get good quality beef at their door step.

He said that the state-owned Goa meat complex (GMC) is being modernized and as soon as the upgradation is complete, operations will commence.

Recently, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) conducted a special inspection of meat stalls and shops across the state and found 77 shops operating without a food safety licence. Parsekar said that meat stalls have to comply with FDA norms and run their business. "The government cannot exempt beef stalls from obtaining licences," the CM added.

Two weeks ago, traders stopped getting oxen and bulls following monitoring by some NGOs along with the state government. Meat traders alleged that the state government machinery has started harassing meat traders while bringing bulls in the state. Following the trader's decision to stop the meat and bulls import, there was shortage of beef in Goa, as reported by TOI.

Meat complex chairman Lyndon Monteiro said that they are the facilitators to obtain beef from other states to overcome the beef shortage. "Currently, there is no beef shortage in the state," he claimed.

Monteiro said that on Saturday the meat complex will import 10 tonnes of beef from Karnataka for supplies in Goa. He said that the meat complex is ready for slaughtering and as and when traders bring animals, they can start slaughtering.

Identification of Food Products and Their Markets

The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Commerce, has identified product specific production clusters in different States to encourage export oriented production. APEDA has also commissioned a study on augmenting export of value added food products from India. 

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the various regulations made thereunder lay down the food quality and safety standards in India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, a statutory body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is in the process of harmonizing the existing food products standards with CODEX international food standards. APEDA has developed web-based traceability system for tracing, tracking, product recall under a single window clearance system for peanuts, grapes, pomegranate and organic products. Exports of these products are routed through this online system. 

Encouraging exports of food products is a continuous process. The Government is taking steps to encourage exports of food products through measures and incentives under Plan schemes of the Commodity Boards and Export Promotion Councils. Besides these measures, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has put in place various schemes namely Market Development Assistance (MDA), Market Assistance Initiative (MAI), Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE), Vishesh Krishi and Gram Upaj Yojana (VKGUY), Focus Product Scheme, Focus Market Scheme, Town of Export Excellence, etc. to provide assistance to encourage exports. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of 14 scheduled products. APEDA participates in several international trade fairs every year to promote the export of agro products from India. APEDA also works with the regulatory bodies in the importing countries to negotiate and achieve market access for Indian agro products. To enhance the capabilities of the exporters, APEDA extends financial assistance for market, quality and infrastructure development to registered members under the plan scheme Agriculture Export Promotion Scheme. 

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

Labels on packaged food products should not mislead consumer

Accepting the stand of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that there was a distinction between 'Best Before' and 'Expiry' dates related to pacakaged food products, the Madras High Court has said printing the same date for both would mislead consumers. 

The court was dismissing a petition by Amrut Distilleries Limited challenging the refusal of concerned authorities to test samples of imported active dry yeast as the 'Best Before' and 'Expiry' dates on the label of it were same. 

Noting that the company had on an earlier occasion too imported product with the same problem and gave an undetaking that it would not repeat the mistake, Justice S Vaidyanathan dismissed the petition with a cost of Rs 30,000.

The Judge made it clear that pacakaged food products which were not marked and labelled in the manner as specicified by Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) 2006 shall not be sold or distributed. 

"The label should contain specific information by which, the consumer should not be misled. If both the dates, viz., 'best before' and 'expiry' are mentioned with same date, it would certainly mislead the consumers since they would be under impression that till the expiry date, the product will be best in all respects, which is practically unacceptable," the Judge said. 

The matter related to the import of Active Dry Yeast on September 26, 2014 by the company and the consignment was referred by the Customs Department to FSSAI Chennai for clearance. 

FSSAI refused to draw samples stating that the "Best Before" and "Expiry" date on the packages were one and the same and this was in contravention of rules and provisions of FSSA and the guidelines issued on January 24, 2013. 

The company had termed as arbitrary the refusal to draw the sample and moved the court. 

In the counter-affidavit, FSSAI submitted that there was a distinction between 'best before date' and 'expiry date', whereas, the 'best before date' signifies the duration for which the product shall remain marketable and retain its specific qualities if stored in appropriate conditions and on the other hand, 'expiry date' is the date from which it shall not remain marketable. 

A product may be best before a specific date but shall expire only on another specified date.

`Expiry date' and `best before date' are distinct: HC

Chennai:

A consumer's right to know the shelf-life of packaged food stuff got a shot in the arm, as Madras high court has held that the terms `best before date' for use and `expiry date' meant two distinct things, and hence manufacturers must clearly mention two different dates if they choose to print both details on their products.

Justice S Vaidyanathan, refusing to come to the aid of a private packaged food company which had imported goods showing the same date as `best before date' as well as `expiry date,' said: “Even after `best before' date, a product can be consumed, as safety would be still intact though it may not be as good as what it would have been if used within specified time limit. There is no confusion as regards `expiry date', which is clear-cut and once it passes, the product will lose its value and cannot be consumed.“

The court also imposed a cost of `30,000 on the company , and directed it to pay `15,000 each to Schizophrenia Research Foundation (India) in Anna Nagar, and Banyan Adaikalam in Mugappair West within a month.

Adistilleries company had imported active dry yeast as a food item in September 2014 for home consumption. Customs and Chennai seaport and airport authorities refused to lift samples for clearance saying it did not comply with food safety and standards. The product labelling was not as per norms, they said, adding that the material carried same date for both `best before date use' and `expiry date'.

The company rushed to the court to quash the October 15, 2014 rejection order saying there was no requirement to declare `use by date' or `expiry date', and that mentioning same date for both is not in violation of the regulation.

The authorities, however, cited the statutory guidelines governing wholesale packages containing `best before date' and `expiry date'. The company had committed a similar violation on an occasion, and it was allowed to continue the trade after it gave an undertaking that it would comply with norms in future consignments.

Finding nothing wrong with the rejection orders, Justice Vaidhyanathan said: “It is clear manufacturers shall not sell or distribute any packaged food products not marked and labelled in the manner as specified by regulations. The labels shall not contain any statement, claim, design, device, etc., which is false or misleading in any particular concerning the food product or quantity or nutritive value.“

The judge said the company had violated its own undertaking given on th earlier occasion, and said the present case deserved to be dismissed with `30,000 as costs.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

IIT fined for low-quality chilli in hostel food

The Haridwar district court has slapped `3 lakh as fine on the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee for preparing food with sub-standard chilli powder. 200 students had fell sick after eating the food.

According to the food safety department, Haridwar-based additional district magistrate (ADM) Ravneet Chima penalised the IIT-R on March 12.

On September 10, 2013 around 200 students, living in Rajendra Bhawan hostel, complained of stomach ache and vomiting after consuming meals cooked at the hostel mess.

The food safety department took notice of the incident and made a surprise inspection of the hostel’s canteen on September 19.

“We gathered samples of edible items from the canteen and after inspection, it was found that the food items were unhygienic. We then served a show-cause notice to the institute authorities asking why they had not taken a licence from the food safety department,” said food safety officer Dilip Jain.

The chilli powder, one of the collected food samples, was later sent to the food and drug testing laboratory at Rudrapur on March 10, 2014 where it was found to be of sub-standard quality.

It was again sent to the Pune-based national food and drug testing laboratory that said in its report that the chilli powder sample was not pure and harmful if consumed.

“On the basis of the Pune laboratory’s report we registered a case before the ADM court on August 23, 2014 against three different authorities of the institute under various sections of the food safety and safety act (FSSA), 2006,” added Jain.

The authorities who were penalised include the chairman of the coordinating committee of hostels, chairman of the central purchase committee of the institute and chairman and chief warden of the mess working committee.

“The court slapped a fine of `1 lakh each on them,” said Jain.

Norms issued for running juice shops

The Commissioner of Food Safety has issued a set of guidelines to be followed by all food business operators running juice shops across the State.

The Commissioner said that guidelines were issued in the wake of increasing cases of food poisoning being reported centred around juice shops. Majority of these shops were using milk, ice, and water, the quality of which was highly suspect.

All juice shops should have FSSA licence or registration, which should be displayed prominently. The water and ice being used in these shops should be safe and of the prescribed quality.

The fruits, sugar, nuts, and other additives used to make juices or milk shakes should be bought only from shops or outlets or traders who have a FSSA licence and the purchase bills should be kept. All packed food items should have the necessary label information. The details of purchase — name of the shop/trader, quantity, price, etc — should be entered in a register systematically and should be produced whenever officials come for inspection.

The water being used in juice-making should be from a source of impeccable quality and the quality of the water source should be tested every six months at a government-approved analytical laboratory. These reports should be kept for perusal in the shop.

All food items, including water, in the shops should be stored in proper food containers of food-grade quality and these should be kept covered.

The fruits should be of good quality, and there should not be any trace of fungus in these.

The fruits should be washed and stored in refrigerated condition. Ice should not be stored in thermocol boxes, but should be stored in the freezer or in proper ice boxes. Prepared juice should not be stored for long in refrigerators.

Food poisoning: Barpeta bans sale of grams, moong

Guwahati: The Barpeta district administration on Thursday issued prohibitory orders regarding the sale and distribution of different varieties of grams and moong beans across the district following Wednesday's food poisoning incident that claimed three lives, including that of a 10-year-old girl.

On Thursday, postmortems were conducted on the deceased.

Over 500 people, including women and children, fell ill after consuming adulterated prasad at a religious ceremony in Nasattra, a village in the district, on Monday evening. Most people who attended the ceremony complained of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ailments and dehydration.

On Thursday, the shops from which the grams, moong beans and other food items for the ceremony were purchased were raided and the remainder of the supplies was seized by the district administration. The actual source from which the items were purchased is yet to be identified. Officials on Thursday said the ceremony was a public one and many people from outside the district also brought food items as offerings.

Barpeta DC Varnali Deka on Wednesday ordered an inquiry and constituted a committee, comprising the district joint director of health, the circle officer and food safety officer, among others.

"Section 144 has been imposed and there can be no sale and distribution of grams and moong beans across the district till further notice. This has been issued in view of public health and safety. Grams and moong beans have been seized from the concerned shops," Deka said.

"It is difficult to trace the original source of the items. People brought edible offerings from Bongaigaon and Nalbari districts also. We believe the contaminated food came from multiple sources," added Deka.

On Wednesday evening, close to 80 patients were referred to Gauhati Medical College Hospital for further treatment. On Thursday, the joint director of health said most of the patients admitted in Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College Hospital were responding to treatment and had stabilized.

Samples of the adulterated food have been sent to the food safety department laboratory in the city. Vomit and stool samples from the patients have also been collected for tests. The samples have also been sent to the forensic department to determine the presence of toxins.

The pushback against junk food gains momentum

The demand for junk food has to come down so that the demand for refined sugar also comes down 

Here are some unrelated issues in the food and agriculture business. Please join the dots. 

First, the Delhi High Court has delivered a judgement on the issue of junk food being sold in and around schools. The salient features are -

• Most common junk foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar such as chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages, sugar sweetened non-carbonated beverages, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, potato fries and confectionery items should be restricted in schools and 50 meters nearby.

• Advertisement and promotion of such foods targeted at children is to be regulated through a framework that includes all types of media, celebrity endorsements and promotional activities.

• A canteen policy should be implemented based on colour coding. Green category foods -- the healthy food options -- should constitute about 80 per cent of available foods. Red category of select most common junk foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar should not be sold or served in schools. Suggested, healthy menu options should include fruit salad, fruits, paneer / vegetable cutlets, khandvi, poha, uthappam, upma, idlis and kathi rolls, low fat milk shakes with seasonal fruits and no added sugar, fresh fruit juice and smoothies with fruits, fresh lime soda, badam milk, lassi etc.

• The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) should fix limits of unhealthy ingredients such as transfats to 5% at the earliest. 

• Schools should promote nutrition education and awareness for children. A well-structured curriculum on balanced diet and its health impacts should be introduced.

• Labelling regulations must be strengthened by the FSSAI to enable complete and transparent information on the amount of fat, salt and sugar with reference to recommended daily allowed limits. 

Second, the sugar industry is once again apparently in the doldrums and seeking handouts from the taxpayer. In the bargain, farmers have not been paid for the last 2 or even 3 years and have therefore, in some cases shifted to cash crops of shorter growth cycles, also because of rapid and drastic climate change. One of the largest customers for the refined sugar industry is the junk food industry, be it carbonated sweetened colas and other soft drinks, bakery products or even simple buns and pizza bases-and they do not like this shift away from sugarcane by the farmers.

This junk food industry is by default, therefore, demanding that the taxpayer subsidise its insatiable appetite for sugar. While the incentive to grow more useful seasonal cash crops, vegetables and lentils is either removed or farmers are simply not allowed to grow and sell them further. You have to understand the economies and pressures of rural India to appreciate this - where poor farmers or large land-holders alike are forced to grow sugarcane and sell it only to the sugar mills in their areas. 

Sugarcane is a strange crop-traditionally associated with slavery. Mainly because it does not provide anything of value to the people growing it other than cash in lumpsum. That cash in lumpsum is not happening and landowners are rapidly, therefore, becoming enslaved and dispossessed of their own lands because of debt. Meanwhile, they are economically weakened and unable to resist the demand to grow even more sugarcane.

Sugarcane farming is where the term "indentured labour", a polite word for bonded labour or slavery, was coined.

General Sales Tax to permit free and easy movement of fresh produce between States is still not in position. Meanwhile, small but very important indicators like the delayed or even non-arrival of butterflies because of the unseasonal heavy rains in India this year have caused major worry on subjects as diverse as the spread of swine-flu to lack of pollination.

In turn, the cost of seasonal vegetables and other cash crops is likely to go shooting through the roof, as farmers are stuck between growing more sugar-cane in the hope that previous debts will be cleared and growing more vegetables as well as cash crops including fast-growing lentils to meet the demand.

This is going to impact your and my home budgets in a way that we cannot even begin to imagine right now.

One part of the solution lies in our hands as responsible citizens as well as in the larger interest of our own health. The rampaging demand for junk food of all sorts - from colas to fast foods to other unhealthy consumption - has to come down so that the demand for refined sugar also comes down.

The High Court judgement addresses one part. Making young people aware is the bigger part.

Just like there was a "Say no to fire-crackers" movement, we need to start working on a "Say no to Junk Food" movement and awareness programme aimed at young people. The Delhi High Court judgement is already covering the schools. We now need to also cover the weekends and holidays.

Expecting the junk food industry to voluntarily scale down consumption on weekends and holidays is like a pipe dream, not likely to happen, in fact heavy resistance can be expected. The only way to do it is by ourselves.

SAY NO TO JUNK FOOD TODAY, ESPECIALLY ON A HOLIDAY!

People are encouraged to get this message across to the purveyors of junk food by whatever legitimate means available at their disposal. Start today!

Food safety licence must for tankers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The food safety department has reissue guidelines making food safety licence mandatory for all tanker trucks supplying drinking water in the state.

Under the Food Safety and Standards Regulation, 2011, tankers should carry the licence-bearing the registration number-besides displaying 'drinking water' or 'not for drinking purposes' in both English and Malayalam.

The department has also asked all trucks to use protective and permissible coating to prevent corrosion of water tanks.

"Water sources other than that of Kerala Water Authority must have licences. Water must be tested in NABL accredited labs every six months," food safety commissioner T V Anupama said.

The tankers supplying water must at all times have all documents, such as licence, lab reports of water, capacity of tanker, coating, etc.

The department has also asked consumers to buy water only from licensed suppliers. "Hotels, restaurants, hospitals, etc must keep a register containing the details of water supply. Details such as source of water, copy of the report of water quality analysis, details of licence, etc., must be included in the register," the guidelines said.

The guideline was originally issued in January 2013. It was reissued considering the possibility of spread of water-borne diseases during summer.

Would you like camel milk with your breakfast?

Mumbai: Drinking milk fads have ranged from coconut to soya milk and even almond milk, but a new alternative is going to be added to supermarket shelves by diary giant Amul — camel milk. This offering comes with significant health benefits since they are higher in Vitamin C and Calcium and lower in lactose and cholestrol than cows milk.

According to a report in Business Standard, Amul camel milk is awaiting a nod from the Food Safety and Standards Association of India (FSSAI) and the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation’s (GCMMF) Sarhad Dairy, based in Kutch is thinking of processing it.

Milk from the 'ship of the desert' however has a salty taste and its shelf life is low. Reportedly. Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF) had ground-tested by launching camel milk under the Saras brand a few years earlier. The milk is expected to be lapped by health-conscious urban dwellers, as well as patients of chronic ailments.

Milk purists might swear by cows milk and point our camels spit, kick, smell and grunt, but wait till camel milk become the health trend and flood the supermarket shelves!

Can food be safe at 2022 Olympics, if held in Beijing?

Beijing, March 19 (IANS) The idiom 'Bread is the staff of life' holds especially true for China -- a country with infinite love for food.

As a candidate for the 2022 Winter Olympics, China's capital city Beijing is eager to show off a wide variety of cuisines to visitors from all over the world. But wait before being served -- what about the safety of your food?

A recent survey by China Youth Daily showed that food safety has become one of the public worries as well as one of the government's major concerns, reports Xinhua.

In its report on China's economic, social development plan, the government listed improving food supervision system as one of the 'major tasks for economic and social development in 2015'.

Besides, a 22-month crackdown on food and drug, and environmental crimes will be launched by China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) to keep the momentum from an eight-month campaign of the sort last year.

As the Chinese government is making more efforts, food safety for the general public, hopefully, can be removed from the list of concerns in the years to come. And for athletes who have higher standards for food, Beijing already has a lot of experience from hosting the 2008 Olympics to make sure their needs are met.

Back in 2008, the Olympic Food Safety Action Plan was in place and Beijing also mapped out a preparedness plan to cope with any possible emergencies in food safety during the Games.

Food for athletes was produced in compliance with strict standards, delivered in a unified way and carried electronic labels recording the whole process from the producer to the eaters. Even white mice were said to be used to test food including milk, alcohol, salad, rice, oil, salt and seasonings, 24 hours before they were used in cooking or served to athletes.

As Beijing's bid committee pledged an "athletes-centred" Winter Olympics, the hosts would exert themselves to ensure food safety for athletes, coaches, officials and visitors from all over the world should they win the bid.

Zhangjiakou, co-host city some 200 km northwest of Beijing, has already started to raise the level of supervision in food safety.