Steps sought to check misuse of adhesives as narcotics

Reports that schoolchildren are using adhesive substances as narcotic inhalants are quite disturbing and the government should take immediate action against this trend, V. Sivankutty, MLA, has said.

The police had found that children mostly acquiredthis adhesives from shops near schools. The practice of sniffing adhesives was seen more among migrant labourers, he claimed in a statement here on Friday.

The police should conduct surprise raids on the camps of migrant labourers to investigate this further. School assemblies should be used to create awareness among children of the ill effects of glue-sniffing and Shadow Police should be deployed near schools to check out shops selling such substances, Mr. Sivankutty demanded.

He said that the Food Safety wing and the city Corporation too should urgently intervene to investigate reports of the widespread use of adhesives as narcotic inhalants.

MLA demands that Shadow Police be deployed near schools to check out shops selling such substances.

Use organic grains for mid-day meals

In Puducherry, the Education Department provides mid-day meals for the students. 

The World Health Day to be celebrated on April 7 this year focuses on ‘Food Safety.’

As food safety is crucial for student’s health and well being, it is requested that the Government of Puducherry procure organic materials for making the mid-day meals though the cost may be slightly higher.

This would besides ensuring health of children encourage the farmers following good farming practices and avoid chemical fertilizers or pesticides for cultivation.

Lack of food safety killing 2.2 mn every year: Experts

Mumbai, April 5 (IANS) Lack of government policies on food and water safety is causing the death of 2.2 million people, including children, every year across the globe, health experts said on Sunday.

They said the use of pesticides and fertilizers in the past 50 years has grown nearly 170 times.

As a consequence, persistent residues of the chemicals contaminate food and disperse in the environment and find their way into the food chain.

"There has been rampant use of chemicals resulting in several short-term and long-term effects on the human body. High use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides while growing food grains results in food-borne diseases," Behram Pardiwalla, consultant internal medicine at Wockhardt hospital, said in a statement.

He said tackling the problem was necessary because toxic compounds like pesticides, heavy metals and toxins of fungal or bacterial origin could also contaminate the food during manufacture, storage or transportation.

Observing that unsafe food kills an estimated 700,000 children in Southeast Asia alone every year, he said: "Even if the food is free of bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemicals, other contaminants, additives and adulterants can cause over 200 diseases ranging from diarrhoea to cancer."

Pradeep Gadge, consultant diabetologist at Shreya diabetes centre, said: "The lack of surveillance by the government on food adulteration is another big issue that is contributing to the food poisoning among people.

"Adulteration of milk is very common. Some milk suppliers add salt to slow down the decomposition process of milk. Similarly cane sugar is often added to milk. Consumption of such milk leads to multiple health hazards especially in diabetic and blood pressure patients.

"Kidney patients and blood pressure patients suffer serious consequences due to the salt content of such adulterated milk," he said.

Apart from urging the governments of the countries to ensure food safety, they also said that there was a need to work with NGOs to raise awareness among the people.

The WHO has designated food safety as the theme for World Health Day-2015 on April 7.

In a statement, WHO's South Asian director Poonam Khetrapal said food safety was one of the key focus areas under the International Health Regulations -- IHR 2005 -- which include all public health emergencies of international concern that involve contaminated food and outbreaks of food-borne diseases.

She said WHO and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have established the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) to rapidly share information during food safety emergencies.

Saurabh Arora, a pharmaceutical experts and founder of foodsafetyhelpline.com said there were 306 disease outbreaks due to food contamination in 2014 alone.

"Food that is produced and processed at one place may become contaminated at the source, but affect the health of the consumer, located at the other side of the globe," he said in a statement.

DINAMANI NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

Food labels misleading consumers: MSU study

VADODARA: Your favorite multigrain atta or bread that boasts of proteins and fiber will actually give you less than half the nutrition from its regular counterpart. A study by researchers at MS University's faculty of family and community sciences (FFCS) has identified over 200 food products with improper food labeling by the manufacturers of food products that mislead consumers while buying them. The study is funded by Gujarat Council on Science and Technology.

It is mandatory for the food manufacturers to provide information on ingredients, allergens, natural or artificial colours and flavours and nutrition content on the nutrition fact panel. Assistant professor at the department of foods and nutrition of the FFCS Dr Suneeta Chandorkar said that most of the manufacturers fail in incorporating the guidelines set by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

As part of the study, over 1,100 food labels were analyzed to study their compliance with the guidelines laid down by FSSAI. According to the researchers, food labeling is in its infancy in India. As most legislation is voluntary in nature, even the mandatory guidelines are not followed by the manufacturers.

"Fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium are nutrients of concern as these are associated with incidence of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart ailments and various other non-communicable diseases. Ideally these nutrients should be present in lower quantities, but in several foods, hidden or alternative sources were found in ingredients list rendering the food unhealthy. Presence of alternative sources of nutrients of concern makes it difficult for the consumers to interpret food labels accurately," said Chandorkar.

"It is mandatory to provide nutrition information in English, Hindi or a regional language on the product, yet majority of the products we studied provided the information only in English," she added.

"We found that the analyzed values for sodium, sugar and fat were higher than the reported values on the packaging. We also identified major potential allergens," said Meenu Singh, a research scholar.

"An ideal ingredient list will have ingredients in the decreasing order of their weight expressed in percentages," she added.

Over 750 water samples from Jotiba checked

KOLHAPUR: The district health department inspected over 750 water samples from the recently-held annual Jotiba yatra from over 200 sources, including those of restaurants, vendors, water tankers and wells situated on the hill and its 10-km periphery. 

According to officials, unlike last year when almost half of the samples inspected needed purification, this year, not a single sample was impure. The department's drive to sensitise vendors and implementation of sterilisation of water sources played an important role. 

"The drive was conducted to avoid the spread of waterborne diseases. Several chlorine tests were undertaken to check the purity of the samples. Chlorine is considered to clean water by killing micro-organisms. So, its presence is tested in water samples through various tests," said taluka health officer of the zilla parishad's health department A S Kavthekar. 

Kavthekar added that considering the huge turnout of devotees every year, it is always a challenge to keep the water sources pure and plans were drawn in advance. 

FDA cracks down on over 300 food vendors 

The food and drug administration (FDA) carried out an inspection drive on over 300 food vendors for violation of the food safety Act at the annual Jotiba yatra. According to an FDA official, frequent inspections a week before the yatra were a part of this drive to curb any food-related problem. 

"A total of eight members from the FDA were present at the yatra site to inspect the quality of food materials and registration of vendors," said Kolhapur FDA assistant commissioner S M Deshmukh.

During the FDA inspection drive, food samples from the annachhatra, prasad, food from vendors and hotels were taken as samples. According to Deshmukh, those who fail to comply with FDA standards can be fined up to Rs 25,000 or licences or registrations can be suspended. 

Last week, the FDA had notified two vendors at Jotiba for keeping soda beyond its expiry date on sale.

Food operators given deadline for licence

Food business operators in State have been given time till August 4 to obtain licences under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations.

The regulations were drawn up in 2011 on the basis of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which consolidates various acts and orders in the food segment.

The Act also stipulates the formation of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to implement scientific standards to regulate manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food items. Accordingly, the FSSAI commenced operations two years ago, setting February 4, 2012 as the date for obtaining licences, which was extended for six months and later for a year. The date was extended till August 8, 2014, which was again extended by six months.

The current extension has been given to allow the operators to join the system in States where the FSSAI is yet to be fully functional. There were also demands from representatives in food sector to extend the time.

The FSSA aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi- level and multi-departmental control to a single line of command.

Various norms such as Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, Fruit Products Order, 1955, Meat Food Products Order, 1973, Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947, Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order 1988, Solvent Extracted Oil, De- Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967, and Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992, were sought to be repealed after commencement of the FSS Act, 2006.

They have to procure licence within August 4.

DINAMALAR NEWS

To maximize profit, 50% of retailed salt not iodised: Food Safety Dept

COIMBATORE: In a recent drive conducted by the food safety department in the district, officials found that over 50% of salt samples that they collected were not iodised, making the salt substandard.

With iodine deficiency often leading to disability and sometimes even death in human beings, the food safety department went on a state-wide drive, in December last year, collecting almost 500 samples of salt from production houses and retailers, with more focus on the former. Of the 26 samples that were collected in the district, 13 of them were found to be misbranded and of substandard quality.

"The 13 samples lacked iodine content," said district food safety officer R Kathiravan. "Iodine fructification in salt has been made compulsory by the government, because we have a high rate of goiter in the country," he said.

Iodine deficiency in human beings also leads to goiter, which is a condition that leads to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism in the form of increased metabolism, heavy breathing and blood pressure. Iodine deficiency also leads to intellectual disabilities and cretinism, and interferes in growth.

A study published in the Indian Journal of Public Health in 2010 found that the goiter rate among 1,230 school children, between the ages of six and 12 in Tamil Nadu, was around 13.5%. They also found that only 56% of the children had iodine excretion of less than 100g/L, which is considered the standard expected levels.

Doctors say that salt is the perfect component for iodine intake, "because it has to be consumed in small doses but regularly". "If Iodine is taken in large quantities it could lead to toxicity, but it is important that it is always in the body," said the deputy director of public health Dr A Somasundaram. "This is a prophylactic measure to control Iodine deficiency disorder," he said.

However, many salt manufacturers fail to fructify their product with iodine to cut costs. "It costs around 3 to fructify one kg of salt. So instead of making a profit of Rs 0.50 per kg, they can make Rs2.50 per kg if they don't iodise the salt," said a food safety officer.

Manufacturers try creating loopholes by printing minute disclaimers in the packet corner that states "only for industrial use". "They make it look the product is meant for use as a preservative in pickles, masala powders and other items," said Kathiravan. "But they end up distributing it to small and medium-sized departmental stores, where many people pick up the cheapest packet of salt," he added.

Experts recommend that people pick up salt made by well-known brands that stick to guidelines and are able to preserve the product well. While the iodine content in salt has to be 30 ppm after it is manufactured, it has to be 15 ppm during consumption." Half of the iodine content gets absorbed during transport especially when exposed to sunlight," said Kathiravan.

FDA’s testing van still lacks equipment

AURANGABAD: Seven months after getting the mobile food testing van, the Aurangabad division of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is waiting for the equipment, apparatus and kits required for on-the-spot testing of adulterated food samples. 

Four vans were sanctioned in August 2014 for food inspectors in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad divisions to ensure speedy testing of suspicious samples. However, the van in Aurangabad division lacks testing facilities like advance equipment, apparatus, centrifugal machine and kits required to check food adulteration. 

Chandrashekhar Salunke, FDA joint commissioner (Food), Aurangabad division, said that the process of purchasing the equipment is in progress. 

Sources said that the van was supposed to be equipped with all the facilities so that the food safety officer (FSO) and a chemist can collect the samples on the spot and test them immediately. This would not only save time but also help in curbing supply and distribution of the adulterated food. 

This facility would enable the FDA to get reports within 15 to 20 minutes which otherwise take 15 days to one month. But the van arrived only with an inverter facility and is being used for transportation service, they said. 

"Lack of adequate laboratories and manpower is putting a burden on the existing labs. The food samples collected by the FSOs are sent to labs of FDA and the state health department. The labs must submit the analysis within 14 days but due to the lack of manpower and infrastructure, it is not happening," said a food safety officer. 

Though the van lacks equipments like a lactometer which is used to test adulterated milk, refractometre to test oil, apparatus to check solid not fat in milk products, moisture analyser, alkaline kits and many chemicals, Salunke said that they are using the mobile apparatus available in the Aurangabad FDA laboratory. 

"Utilising the van, the officials conducted a surprise inspection drive in Beed district in September 2014 to crackdown on transportation of adulterated milk. They tested about 50,000 litres of milk, of which one sample was found to be of poor quality," said Salunke. 

Since August to March 31, 2015, the FDA officials have tested 53 samples of milk, of which 44 were found fit for consumption, two were unsafe, while seven samples failed to meet the standard criteria, he added.

Avoid food poisoning, foodborne diseases with these 5 WHO-approved tips

1/5

Checkout the key tips for practicing food safety, according to World Health Organization that celebrates World Health Day on April 7. (AFP) Cook it thoroughly: Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood (pictured above, pork on the grill). Bring foods like soups and stews to boiling to make sure they have reached 70C. For meat and poultry make sure juices run clear, not pink. Ideally, use a thermometer. Reheat cooked food thoroughly.

2/5

Separate raw and cooked: Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods. Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives, cutting boards for handling raw foods. Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and prepared foods.

3/5

Use safe water and raw materials: Use safe water or treat it to make it safe. Select fresh and wholesome foods. Choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurized milk. Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw. Do not use food beyond its expiry date.

4/5

Keep food at safe temperatures: Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable food (preferably below 5C). Keep cooked food piping hot (more than 60C) prior to serving. Do not store food too long even in the refrigerator. Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature.

5/5

Keep clean: Wash hands before handling food and often during food preparation. Wash hands after going to the toilet. Wash and sanitize surfaces and equipment used for food preparation. Protect kitchen areas and food from animals and insects.

Food Safety Message In Your Dabba

(4 Apr) To improve the health of children in the city, a new campaign against rising number of cockroaches has been started this World Health Day. As part of the endeavour, Mumbai's famed dabbawallas will deliver the message against spread of diseases caused by cockroaches to an estimated 1,00,000 homes in the city by April 7. The initiative has been undertaken by Godrej Hit after the World Health Organisation (WHO) identified safe eating as one of the main priorities for public health. 

The theme for this year is "food safety" where WHO will alert people about the importance of safe food and how to prevent it from getting contaminated. In its safe food manual, the organisation has identified cockroaches as one of the pests that carry disease-causing micro-organisms and can infest food, which leads to diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, gastroenteritis etc. Each dabba will carry a message tag and consumers will get an opportunity to participate in a contest and win prizes by sending the name of the disease spread by cockroaches a the number 9902099020. 

To achieve this objective, Godrej Hit will be present across key media touch points like TV, print and digital media on World Health Day. The campaign will run a teaser around "someone is coming to deliver a message on food safety to you" and will also hit social media like Facebook with relevant messages. "We are soon to begin the campaign and are to reach out to our every customer with dabbas and messages. 

Over 5,000 dabbawalas have been deployed for the purpose as of now," said Krishnakant Palekar, one of the members of the dabbawalas' association. To magnify the impact, the campaign will also be launched on mobile apps and food and health sites like sifybawarchi, burrp, sanjeevkapoor, tarladalal and thehealthsite.com. 

Google display network will also reach seven million viewers with the message.

Indian food vendors to participate in World Street Food Congress

New Delhi, April 3, 2015: A delegation comprising six Indian street food vendors will participate in the World Street Food Congress beginning on April 8 in Singapore, it was announced here on Friday. 

The delegation will showcase famous Indian street foods, said Sangeeta Singh, head of the street food programme of the National Association of Street Vendors of India.

Alongside the World Street Food Congress, the World Street Food Dialogue would also take place in Singapore from April 8 to 11. 

The dialogue would see the presence of over 20 key speakers, Sangeeta Singh said.

The speakers would share, discuss and present ways to empower and engage street food vendors across countries in the enterprise, she said.

Food from temple lands 300 in hosp

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a suspected case of food poisoning reported at Vembayam outside the city, around 300 persons, including women and children, were admitted to various hospitals in the district.

All the affected had had the 'annadana sadya' served at Madan Nada Siva Bhadrakali Temple at Thekkada near Vembayam under Vattappara police station limits on Wednesday afternoon.

Those affected reportedly told doctors that they experienced nausea, diarrhoea and body pain by Wednesday evening after visiting the temple. They first sought treatment at the community health centre nearby at Kanyakulangara and at Nedumangad district hospital.

As many as 87 persons were brought to the medical college hospital in the city on Thursday after their condition worsened.

This included 54 women, 17 men and 16 children. More people were shifted to the medical college during the night. Hospital sources said the condition of the patients was not critical.

According to local police, the annual festival of Siva Bhadrakali Temple was going on for the past four days and they organized an 'annadana sadya' on festival days.

On Wednesday, nearly 3,000 people reportedly ate the food served at the temple. Following the incident, temple authorities cancelled the 'annadanam' scheduled for Thursday.

Food safety officials said they collected samples of dishes available at the temple on Thursday. The food that was served comprised boiled rice and traditional dishes including avial, sambar and pulisseri.

The food was prepared on the temple premises. Water samples were also collected from the tank on the premises since several people were given the water after a procession at 8pm. The samples have been sent for detailed analysis.

Temple trust authorities said the water might have caused the food poisoning. Health minister V S Sivakumar visited the persons who were hospitalized on Thursday afternoon.

Dairy giant Amul planning to launch camel milk

The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) – the owners of Amul brand – is planning to market camel milk to Indian consumers.

“The number of camel breeders in Kutch district is fast dwindling and need to be supported financially. The Kutch unit now wants GCMMF to help them launch camel milk commercially with brand name Amul,” R S Sodhi, managing director of GCMMF told Deccan Herald.

Some estimates put total camel population in Kutch to be in the range of 10,000-12,000, with female camel an average providing up to four litres of milk every day.

The Kutch District Milk Producers’ Union, that runs Sarhad dairy in this largest district of India, has received a sanction of about Rs 80 lakh for support to camel breeders. Sodhi said Amul would need to invest in setting up a milk collection for camel milk and cold chain for its storage across various places in Kutch. “To begin with, it will be on a small scale and if we are able to do 10,000-15,000 litres of camel milk a day, we would be happy,” he said.

Amul feels that it will take at least 3-4 months before they can begin collecting and marketing camel milk in Ahmedabad. “All the stakeholders have approached the Central government with a request to notify camel milk under category of milk. We hope that The Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will categorise camel milk as milk fit for human consumption,” Sodhi said.

The other reason for such a small beginning could be difficulty in sourcing of camel milk in India. “You can get goat milk in bulk but to collect camel milk in huge quantity will be a challenge,” T Nanda Kumar, chairman, National Dairy Development Board, said. India primarily has camel population in the desert regions of Kutch in Gujarat and Barmer in Rajasthan. This could be a limiting factor for Amul to go big.

Talking about the health-related rationale of marketing camel milk, that generally has salty taste to it, Sodhi said that it would find a ready market with fitness and health conscious. “There are people who opt for soya milk too. Similarly, camel milk will appeal to niche audience as it helps improve immunity and has great benefits for diabetics, heart patients, TB patients and children with autism,” Sodhi said.

The project is thus being taken up with twin objectives – one to provide an alternative income to cattle breeders and another to provide milk which is high in nutritional properties, low in fat and easy to digest.

World Health Day 2015: 'From Farm to Plate, Make Food Safe' Says WHO

World Health Day is celebrated every year to mark the anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO) that was founded in 1948. Each year, WHO picks a theme that highlights an important area of public health, initiates discussion and calls for action from countries across the globe. This year, the theme is 'food safety' which focuses on the need of safe food that is 'free from microbes, viruses and chemicals'.

To celebrate this day in India, the Indian Health Ministry joined hands with the World Health Organization (WHO) to urge people to make food safety a priority. Recently, they organized a national consultation on Food Safety which was attended by a number of Indian Ministers and WHO officials to discuss the issue and steps that need to be taken to tackle the problem.

In her opening address, Nata Menabde, WHO Representative to India shared, "About 2.2 million people in the world, including many children, die annually due to food-borne diseases. Unsafe food, containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances, causes more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhea to cancer."

In the wake of these statistics, it's about time we address the issue of food safety which is a growing public health concern. Therefore, the objective of WHO this year is to drive collective government and public action by taking into consideration all sectors and departments like agriculture, health, education and trade. It stressed on the collaboration of every government with civil societies, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and consumers to ensure safe food, everybody has a role to play.

To do this, the first step was to identify the major challenges posed to production, supply and distribution of food in India.

Food hazards at farm level -"Pesticides and the use of fertilizers in the past 50 years have grown nearly 170 times," said Ms Menabde. Pesticide residues has been the biggest issue regarding food safety. According to Utpal Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, "A lot of steps have been taken to curb this situation. No pesticide can be registered without risk assessment and knowing about its toxicity. We are working on making labels and leaflets more farmer friendly. Training programs are being organized to make them more aware about the waiting period and the right time to use pesticides. We are also promoting the use of bio-pesticides. In most cases, pesticides may be used just before harvest and this can lead to residues above maximum residue level. Therefore, they need to know how much to use and when to use." The focus is on framing standards and putting in place a system of certification of organic products.

Storage and Distribution - Food adulteration has become very common. These may be chemicals and additives or inferior quality ingredients. Strict vigilance is required at every step. "Our food supply chain is fragmented at every stage. Inspection and certification along with validation is extremely important," says Mr Sudhanshu Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is estimated that 20 to 25% of food stocks are lost due to lack of storage facilities. 70% of the items are sold lose in the markets.

(How Safe are Fruits & Veggies Bought from Local Markets?)

"We need to regulate our Public Distribution System. Grains, pulses and cereals should be packaged and sold and for fresh fruits, vegetables and street food standards need to be set for sale and preparation. Statistics reveal that about 42% children in 102 districts suffer from malnutrition. Access to a nutritionally balanced diet for pregnant mothers and children should be the focus," said Mr Keshav Desiraju, Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.

Processed Food - Reading your labels has become of utmost importance considering the various scandals and risks surrounding processed food. Most products are loaded with saturated fat, sugar and sodium that are increasing the burden of non communicable diseases more than ever. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India was established in 2006 and has been conforming with WHO standards to ensure proper labeling and licensing. "Food safety is the forefront of policy making. Every penny spent on making food safe is equivalent to a reduction in every penny spent on health care. We need to strengthen our laboratory infrastructure at state level to maintain standards and detect discrepancies earlier," said Mr YS Malik, CEO, FSSAI.

"We've conducted studies which show that most people can't read labels. People may only see the brand name or date of expiry. They need to be informed about the scientific rationale behind the use of certain ingredients or practices. Kids should get this knowledge in schools so that they can make better choices," said Dr G.M Subba Roa, Scientist, National Institute of Nutrition

(Laws to Prevent Food, Milk Adulteration to be Made Stringent)

Food processing is a necessary evil; it drives trade through export of food products. Contamination may occur due to failure of application of appropriate technologies or misuse of chemicals. There need to be stringent regulations regarding quality control. Local contamination can easily enter International markets through trade and cause an outbreak.

FSSAI conforms with standards set by various global instruments like International Health Organization, International Network of Food Safety Authorities and CODEX Alimentarius for import and export of safe food products.

Antibiotic Resistance and Microbial Contamination - With increased consumption of animal products, there is a larger risk of exposure to zoonotic diseases. 60% of all infectious pathogens are of animal origin. In the past there have been issues like unhygienic breeding conditions or use of growth hormones. The collaboration between WHO, FAO and World Organization for Animal Health aims to tighten surveillance. Besides this, how we handle food at home also makes a difference. Clean surfaces and hygienic surroundings are the basics that one should never part with. Inadequate cooking, cross contamination, improper holding temperature are some other risks that we should be careful of.

(Adulteration Alert: How Antibiotic-Fed Chicken May be Harming You)

The WHO Global Action Plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases 2013 - 2020 will stress on banning all forms of tobacco and alcohol advertising, replacing trans-fat with polyunsaturated fats and reducing the level of sugar and salt added to food or even consumed on daily basis. "The Government of India has already developed a National NCD Monitoring Framework with the WHO Global Action Plan for prevention and control of NCDs," expressed Ms Menabde.

On the other hand, the consumer needs to be more aware to be able to make informed choices. The World Health Organization recommends the following five keys to safer food.

1. Keep clean: We know the importance of a clean and hygienic environment, but sometimes we tend to overlook the basics. Microorganisms can easily be transferred from dirty hands, wiping cloths and utensils (especially cutting boards) and the slightest contact can cause food borne illnesses. Washing and sanitizing all surfaces and kitchen equipment is highly essential.

2. Keep food at safe temperatures: Do not leave cooked food for more than 2 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate all cooked food below 5 degree Celsius. Keep cooked food piping hot. Do not store food in the refrigerator for too long and avoid thawing at room temperature. Microorganisms can multiply very quickly. By storing food below 5 degree Celsius and above 60 degree Celsius, the growth of bacteria can be controlled.

3. Separate raw and cooked food: This reduces the risk of cross contamination. Juices from raw foods like poultry, meat and seafood can contaminate fresh vegetables and fruits when stored together. Raw meat could carry bacteria and should be stored in plastic bag to prevent juices from dripping on other foods. Cooked meat products, dairy products and egg dishes (high protein foods) should be stored carefully, these can be easily contaminated. Eggs should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Never place or serve cooked food in the same utensils that held raw foods.

4. Cook thoroughly: Cooking kills most of the dangerous microorganisms. Previous studies have shown that cooking food at a temperature of 70 degree Celsius can ensure safe consumption. It is especially important to cook meat, poultry, eggs and seafood thoroughly and also reheat cooked food thoroughly. Cooking reduces the risk of food poisoning. Inadequate cooking is one if the common causes of food poisoning. Cover your dishes as steam promotes cooking. Take extra precaution when using raw eggs in batters, dips or spreads. Cooking in a microwave or oven, may sometimes leave the food partially uncooked. To avoid this, place thicker items towards the edge and stir and rotate while cooking.

(Simple Tricks to Remove Pesticides From Fruits and Vegetables)

5. Use safe water and raw materials: Raw materials like water and ice are some of the most common sources of bacteria. Using clean water, pasteurized milk and checking for expiry dates are simple ways in which we can ensure food safety.

Ms Menabde along with other Ministers echoed the fact that the full burden of food-borne illness is not known as most of the cases are unreported. According to surveillance data in the country from 2011-14, food-borne outbreaks and acute diarrhoeal diseases made up nearly half of all the reported outbreaks during this period. There is an urgent need to collate better statistics and data so as to tackle the problem at the ground level. Food safety is a shared responsibility and it needs multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary action.

திருமண விருந்தில் 200 பேர் பாதிப்பு ராயக்கோட்டை மளிகை கடைகளில் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையினர் ஆய்வு

ராயக்கோட்டை, ஏப்.3:

கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட்டம் ராயக்கோட்டை அருகே திருமண விருந்து சாப்பிட்டதில் 200க்கும் மேற்பட்டவர்கள் வந்தி, பேதியால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டனர். இதன் எதிரொலியாக ராயக்கோட்டை பகுதியில் உள்ள மளிகை கடைகளில் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதிகாரிகள் சோதனை நடத்தினர்.

கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட் டம் ராயக்கோட்டை அருகே தொட்லாம்பட்டியில் கடந்த சில நாட்களுக்கு முன்பு திருமண வீட்டில் விருந்து சாப்பிட்டவர்களுக்கு புட்பாய்சன் ஏற்பட்டு 200க்கும் மேற்பட்டோர் வாந்தி, பேதியால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டனர். இவர்கள், ராயக்கோட்டை அரசு ஆரம்ப சுகாதார நிலையம் மற்றும் தர்மபுரி, கிருஷ்ணகிரி அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டு சிகிச்சை பெற்ற சம்பவம் பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியது.

இதையடுத்து, மாவட்ட கலெக்டரின் உத்தரவின்பேரில், கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட்ட உணவு துறை நிய மன அலுவலர் கலைவாணி, உனவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் கெலமங்லகம் சுவாமிநாதன், காவேரிப்பட்டனம் துளசிராமன், பர்கூர் இளங்கோவன் ஆகியோர் தொட்லாம்பட்டி சென்று விசாரணை நடத்தினர். அப்போது, திருமண விருந்திற்காக எந்த கடையில் மளிகை பொருட்கள் வாங்கப்பட்டது என்பது குறித்து விசாரித்தனர்.

பின்னர், ராயக்கோட்டைக்கு வந்து சம்பந்தப்பட்ட மளிகை கடையை முழுவதுமாக சோதனை செய்தனர். அப்போது, அந்த கடையில் திருமண விருந்துக்காக வாங்கிய பொருட்களின் மாதிரிகளை சேதனைக்காக சேகரித்தனர். மேலும், அப்பகுதியில் உள்ள அனைத்து கடைகளிலும் சோதனை யில் ஈடுபட்டனர். அங்கு விற்பனைக்காக வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள பொருட்கள் தரமானதாக உள்ளதா? என்பது குறித்து ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

Top Queries on Food Safety Answered by FoodSafetyHelpline Experts

Question: I am planning to open a fresh coconut water stall in a mall for this summer .what kind of license is needed for this.thanks in anticipation?

Answer: You need to register your business under the Food Safety & Standards Act. If your expected annual turnover is upto Rs. 12 lacs then you need a registration certificate and if you expect that the annual turnover will be more than Rs. 12 lacs then you need to apply for the license.

You can apply online or can contact the licensing/registration authority of your concerned area.http://foodsafetyhelpline.com/2014/07/online-procedure-licensingregistration-food-businesses/

Question: We wish to import dietary food supplement product for treatment of advanced macular disease? We are new in this. Please guide us.

Answer: If in case you claim that your product is for the treatment of diseases then it can not be treated as a food product and it will become drug so you have to apply for the drug license. But if it is a food product then you have to apply for the food product approval system from FSSAI (food regulatory body in India) and after your get and approval by authority then you can further apply for the license.

You can further read on Food Product Approval System:http://foodsafetyhelpline.com/2014/09/step-step-guide-online-food-product-approval-system/

Question: How to get the renewel of FSSAI licence?

Answer: For renewal, you have to apply atleast 30 days prior to the expiry of your existing license. You can do it online or you can contact the designated officer of your area concerned.

Question: I am starting Packaged Tea business. I am not manufacturing but only trading. So Should FSSAI License is required for my business?

Answer: Yes, you have to apply for the food license from the food authority as food license is mandatory for all food business activities.

Question: For non-retail food products (raw materials for food industry) – is there need of Nutritional information, Veg & Non-Veg logo?

Answer: As per Food Safety & Standards Act, Rules & Regulations, the labelling guidelines apply to prepackaged food products. Nutritional information is not required for a single ingredient food. The guidelines for Veg & Non-Veg logo will also apply as per the food labelling regulations. Only exemption for not declaring the discussed information on the multipiece packages but the labelling information should be available on the wholesale packages.

Question: A am manufacturer and marketer for others’ product. For manufacturing I obtained central license. For marketing of the others’ products, do I need to obtain any license? If I have Branch Office More than one state then only, can I obtain the Central License for my Register Office.(i.e. KRG Agencies H.O in Tamilnadu, It must have branch office in the same name in other states like Kerala, Karnataka etc.)

Answer: You can apply for only one license and can club all the food business activities but the premises have to be the same. If you have multiple locations of your food business then you have to apply for the separate license for separate locations. The Central license is required for the Head Office/Registered office. But if you are operating in multiple states then you need to apply for the separate licenses for each of the location and the licensing criteria as whether you require a Central License or State License would be based on the turnover/production capacity.

Question: Sir, we are producing packaged drinking water and supplying the same to other party for sale. We are having our head office in Gujrat but production unit is stated at some other place in MP. I want to know which address i should give for central licence (Head office address or production plant address) and in which category Packaged drinking water comes?

Answer: For packaged drinking water unit, a mandatory BIS license as per IS 14543 is required to be taken. You can check for more details on http://www.bis.org.in/cert/requirementsis14543.htm. For food license as per FSS Act, Rules & Regulations, you have to apply for the Central license for your Head Office plus individual licenses for separate locations in different states as per the licensing criteria based on the production capacity. You have to file your application in Category: Manufacturing/Processing including sorting, grading etc.

Food poisoning alleged after temple fete

300 hospitalised after eating meals served at temple fete

Hundreds of people, mostly women, took ill, allegedly after having free meals that were served during a temple festival, near Nedumangad here, on Thursday.

According to Food Safety authorities, around 300 people had sought treatment for food poisoning at hospitals since Wednesday night.

The meals were served to around 3,000 people on Wednesday as part of the annual festival at the Thekkeda Madan Nada Siva Bhadrakali temple, out of which around 300 were hospitalised after they complained of vomiting, diarrhoea, and body pain, Satheesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner (Food Safety), Thiruvananthapuram, said.

Food Safety officials collected samples of food items that were available at the temple on Thursday, with the distribution of the meals prepared for the day being cancelled as well.

80 persons fall ill after taking food at temple festival

About 80 persons on Thursday were admitted to a hospital here for suspected food poisoning after having food at a temple ceremony organised as a part of a festival, officials said.

Their condition was not serious, officials said.

The ‘Annadhanam’ (offering of food) ceremony was organised as part of the temple festival at Kanyakulagara near here.

State Health Minister V Sivakumar visited those admitted at the Medical College Hospital and said necessary arrangements had been made to provide treatment to them.

The reasons that caused food poisoning would be examined, Sivakumar said.

கோடையில் அபாயம் ஏற்படுத்தும் கார்பைடு மாம்பழம், போலி குளிர்பானங்கள் - உணவுப்பாதுகாப்புத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் எச்சரிக்கை

சேலம், ஏப். 2:

தமிழகத்தின் சராசரி வெப்பநிலையே 100 டிகிரி ஃபாரன்ஹீட் என்று சொல்லும் அளவுக்கு, மார்ச் கடைசி வாரத்தில் இருந்தே வெயிலின் தாக்கம் அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. கொளுத்தும் வெயிலுக்கு இதமாக, ‘ஜில்’ என்ற பழச்சாறு, ஐஸ் கிரீம், கரும்பு ஜூஸ் கடைகளை தேடி மக்கள் நாடிச் செல்கின்றனர்.

கோடை துவங்கியதையடுத்து, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் போலி மற்றும் காலாவதியான குடிநீர், குளிர் பானம் விற்பனை ஜோராக நடக்கும். அதனை கண்டறிந்து, நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும் பணியில், உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் அதிரடியாக அனைத்து பகுதிகளிலும் ஆய்வு செய்து வருகின்றனர். சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் பழைய, புதிய பஸ் நிலையங்கள் மற்றும் ஆத்தூர், மகுடஞ்சாவடி, தலைவாசல், ஓமலூர் பஸ் நிலையத்தில் உள்ள கடைகளில் நடத்தப்பட்ட சோதனையில் மூன்று முதல் ஆறு மாதங்களுக்கு முன்பே காலாவதியான 7500 குளிர்பானம் பாட்டில் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டு உள்ளன.

இதை தொடர்ந்து தற்போது, கார்பைடு மூலம் பழுக்க வைக்கப்படும் பழங்கள்தான் இந்த சீசனில் மிகவும் அச்சுறுத்தக்கூடிய உணவுப்பொருள். அதற்கு காரணம், கார்பைடு கல்லில் இருக்கக்கூடிய அசிட்டிலீன் வாயு. ‘‘இந்த வாயுவின் மூலம் மா, வாழை போன்றவை 12முதல்24 மணி நேரத்துக்குள் பழுக்க வைக்க முடிகிறது. காய்களில் இயற்கையாக உள்ள எத்திலின் வாயு மூலம் அவை 48 முதல் 72 மணி நேரத்துக்குள் பழுத்துவிடும். எனினும், அவசர அவசரமாக கல்லா கட்டும் நோக்கத்தில் வியாபாரிகள் செயற்கையாக பழங்களை பழுக்க வைக்கின்றனர்,’’ என்கிறனர், மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள்.

இதுபோன்று செயற்கையாக பழுக்க வைக்கப்பட்ட பழங்களை தொடர் ந்து உண்பதன் மூலம் நரம்பு மண்டலம் பாதிக்கும். கல்லீரல், குடல், இரைப்பை யும் பாதிக்கும். குழந்தைகள், முதியவர்கள் இதுபோன்ற பழங்களை அதிகம் உட்கொண்டால், அவர்களுக்கு கடும் வயிற்றுப்போக்கு, ஒவ்வாமை ஏற்படலாம் என்றும் மாவட்ட உணவுப்பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர் அனுராதா எச்சரிக்கிறார்.

மக்கள் நடமாட்டம் மிகுந்திருப்பதால் காலாவதியான குளிர்பானங்களை கொடுத்தாலும் குடித்து விட்டு சென்று விடுவார்கள் என்ற எண்ணம் எல்லா பஸ் நிலைய கடைக்காரர்கள் மத்தியிலும் நிலவுகிறது. அதனால்தான் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் முதலில் பஸ் நிலைய கடைகளை குறி வைத்து களம் இறங்கியுள்ளனர். இவர்களின் வேட்டையில் பல காபி பார், பேக்கரி கடைக்காரர்கள் சிக்கிக்கொண்டாலும், மக்கள் விழிப்புணர்வுடன் இருந்தால்தான் போலி மற்றும் காலாவதி பொருட்களிடம் இருந்து தப்பிக்க முடியும் என்பதும் உணவுப்பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர்கள் கூறுகின்றனர்.

‘கார்பைடு’ பழம் கண்டறிவது எப்படி?

கார்பைடு கற்கள், வெல்டிங் பட்டறைகளில் பெரும்பாலும் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. இந்த கற்களில் உள்ள அசிட்டிலீன் வாயு மூலம் பழங்கள் மிக விரைவாக செயற்கையாக பழுக்க வைக்கப்படுகிறது. பொதுவாக செயற்கையாக பழுக்க வைக்கப்பட்ட பழங்கள் நல்ல கனமாக இருக்கும். தோல் பகுதி வெளிர் மஞ்சள் நிறத்தில் இருக்கும். தோலை நீக்கி பார்த்தால் உள்ளே காய்வெட்டாக இருக்கும். காம்பு பகுதியில் லேசாக கீறினால் புளிப்பு சுவைக்கான மணம் வீசும். இதன்மூலம் செயற்கையாக பழுக்க வைக்கப்பட்ட பழங்களை கண்டறிய முடியும்.

ஐஎஸ்ஐ முத்திரை கட்டாயம்

பாலிதீன் பாக்கெட் மற்றும் பிளாஸ்டிக் பாட்டில்களில் அடைத்து விற்கப்படும் குடிநீருக்கு, கண்டிப்பாக ஐஎஸ்ஐ முத்திரை பெற்றிருக்க வேண்டும். ஹெர்பல் மற்றும் பிளேவர்டு வாட்டர் என்ற பெயர்களில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் குடிநீர் பாட்டில்களில் ஐஎஸ்ஐ முத்திரை இருப்பதில்லை. குடிநீர் பாட்டில் வாங்கும்போது அதில் ஐஎஸ்ஐ முத்திரை, இந்த முத்திரைக்கு மேல் பகுதியில் ஐஎஸ் எண், முத்திரைக்கு கீழ் பகுதியில் சிஎம்/எல் எண்கள் இருக்க வேண்டும். அதன்பின், பாட்டிலில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட தேதி, காலாவதி தேதி விவரங்கள் ஆகிய அம்சங்களை பார்த்து நுகர்வோர் வாங்க வேண்டும்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Food wing officials warn against adulteration in sago

Officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has warned manufacturers not to adulterate sago with tapioca starch.

District Designated Officer K. Tamil Selvan said that sago and starch was manufactured in Rasipuram, Vennandur, Namagiripettai, Sendamangalam, Sellappampatti, Metalla, Kalangani, Budhansandai and other areas.

Last year lot of manufactures were involved in adulteration activities and action was taken against them. Currently, tapioca cultivation is over in the district.

Hence there are chances that manufacturers may involve in adulteration.

They were warned against such practices.

He also said that all the units would be monitored and samples, if needed, taken.

All the units will be monitored and samples will be taken

VMC cracks down on mango, sugarcane juice vendors

VADODARA: Food safety officers of Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) cracked down on outlets selling mango and sugarcane juice in the city. The step was taken in wake of the summer setting in and such outlets opening up across the city.

VMC officials checked such outlets across the city in a concerted drive. The drive was conducted in Tarsali, Makarpura, Manjalpur, Mujmahuda, Gotri Road, Makrand Desai Road, Vasna Road, Dandia Bazaar, Fatehgunj, Chhani, Karelibaug, Ajwa Road and other areas.

Designated officer under the Food Safety and Standards Act, additional health officer Dr Mukesh Vaidya said that 23 outlets selling mango juice as well as 27 selling sugarcane juice were checked by the officers. He added that the drive would be continued in coming days.

The officers found colour being used widely in mango juice. They destroyed 230 kg of mango juice, 120 kg of sugar syrup laced with colour and 70 kg of mangoes that were not fit for consumption. The officials also disposed off 590 kg of ice and around three kilograms of colour.

The vendors were issued a warning and asked to maintain hygiene at their outlets. Sixteen members who were not registered were issued notices by the civic body asking them to get themselves registered.

FDA seals 4 water-bottling units for evading BIS norms

AURANGABAD: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) sealed four units for running their business without a Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) certification in Waluj Bajajnagar on Monday in an attempt to tighten the noose on errant bottled and packaged drinking water companies. 

"Earlier, the department had served notices to 19 units in the city for not abiding by the FDA Act," said Aurangabad division joint commissioner (Food) of FDA Chandrashekhar Salunke. "Many plants operating in the city are facing such action for avoiding BIS certification," he added. 

"In a raid launched by food safety officers on Monday, the FDA sealed four units in Waluj Bajajnagar. Officials collected 10 samples of water from these units and sent them for testing to the laboratory," informed FDA's assistant commissioner (Food), Aurangabad, M D Shah. 

"Though state governments issue permission to set up water-bottling plants, BIS grants product licences. The agency has the mandate to ensure quality of both packaged drinking water and packaged mineral water," said FSO R D Munde. 

"Many bottling unit owners invest up to Rs 2 lakh while a standard mineral water processing plant needs around Rs 20 lakh and many supply water without ISO certification. The demand for packaged water is so high that it hardly matters whether the contents are certified or not. People don't ask about the certification," said FSO Varsha Rode. 

"Consumption of packaged drinking water rises during summer. Most illegal plants fill the bottles with tap or ground water and sell it as processed drinking water," said another FSO, J V Kasar. 

Meanwhile, the president of Udyog Kranti Udyojak Sangh, Asaram Phulare said, "It is beyond the reach of small scale entrepreneurs to procure BIS certification. The unit owner will have to incur expenses of around Rs 2.5 lakh to get the certification. Moreover, every year the owner has to spend Rs 90,000 for renewal charges." 

Phulare added that as per BIS specifications, the unit has to employ two technicians. "Nowadays, a technician demands no less than Rs 25,000 as salary per month. If you consider the overall expenses, the unit owner has to incur around Rs 15 lakh per year, which a small businessman cannot afford," he said. 

"Before the FDA Act was executed in 2011, we were following all the Acts and made sure the products did not pose any health threats to people. With the new specifications, it has become very difficult for small scale entrepreneurs to survive," Phulare added. 

"The government implements Acts in favour of major industries that are against the survival of small scale entrepreneurs. Multinational and foreign companies require to seek licences just once in 45 days and do not have to apply for renewal," he claimed. 

Meanwhile, FDA officials said, "The expense to seek BIS certification comes to about Rs 2 lakh. This is compelling entrepreneurs to escape following the norms. But as per rules, the FDA will continue the drive and go after all such persons who violate the Act."

ORGANIC FOOD: NO RULES ON THE PLATE

Consuming organically-grown food is a popular trend. But with little regulation, we have to rely on what producers and suppliers claim. Regulatory body FSSAI says no rules yet!

Organic food is becoming a lifestyle choice for many in India. The organic market, worth Rs.1000 crores, is growing at a steady 20 per cent every year despite the fact that organic produce is 25 per cent costlier than its conventionally grown counterpart. To be categorized as ‘organic’, the produce must be cultivated or bred and packaged according to very exacting and tough practices. But, in India, not everything claiming to be ‘organic’ is truly organic. There are few prescribed standards and a regulatory framework that informs and protects consumers is absent.

In response to BOOM’s previous report, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is the statutory body for laying down the rules for food standards, said in an email response, “As of now, we do not have standards for Organic Food. However, we are in the process of formulation of standards for organic food products.”

So for now, consumers will need to rely on the claims made by farmers and suppliers. Hyderabad-based Sresta, which markets 24 Mantra that has been selling organic products for 10 years and supplies to over 1500+ outlets across India and abroad, says their self-regulatory processes are sound.

CEO N Balasubramanian says “We keep track of what the farmers are using for produce. We sign a formal contract with them and our people visit the farms regularly in order to make sure that they follow all organic practices. Then, we finally source from the farmers who are certified by the certifying agencies. We ensure the integrity because our own people work directly with the farmers.”

But Crop Care Federation of India, a body that represents the interests of fertilizer and pesticide companies, has charged 24 Mantra for misleading consumers in its packaging by claiming unproven benefits from organic food. Advisor to Crop Care Federation of India, S Ganesan says “Organic food standard stipulate that products should be packed in biodegradable material. The products we picked up from the market have been packed in plastic material. They have claimed ‘save your children from cancer causing pesticide’ on the pack which is a violation of labelling rules of Organic product.”

Reacting to this charge, Sresta’s CEO N Balasubramanian said, “The matter is still being investigated and discussed. However, we are very clear that whatever we have claimed we will substantiate that to the FSSAI. We have not claimed anything that misleads anyone. We are very clear that as of today we don’t contravene any law, food laws or FSSAI laws.”

BOOM has written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to know when the rules will be formulated but we have received no response yet. Clearly, when it comes to the quality of organic food, the onus will continue to be on the consumer.

WHO, Indian health ministry bat for food safety

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Indian health ministry on Wednesday urged the nations of the world to make food safety a priority.

The institutions stated that due to the rising number of deaths caused by food-borne diseases, there was an immediate need for every government to partner with civil society, non-governmental organisations and private sector and consumers to ensure that safe food becomes everybody's business.

According to WHO statistics, food-borne and water-borne diarrhoeal diseases kill an estimated 2 million people, including many children, annually.

It also says that in the South East Asian region, diarrhoeal diseases continue to be one of the top three leading causes of deaths.

Nata Menabde, WHO Representative to India said: "Food safety is an issue of growing public health concern. To achieve food safety, strong functional links must be built between the public health and other sectors to ensure effective cross-sectoral collaboration."

"In India, food safety has obvious and direct linkages with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet initiative -- Swachh Bharat campaign -- that promotes cleanliness and hygiene, which are the key factors influencing food safety, thereby reducing the socio-economic impact of food-borne illnesses," she said.

Menabde was speaking at the national consultation on "Food Safety 2015" -- which has been set as the theme for World Health Day.

Present at the consultation were Bhanu Pratap Sharma, health secretary and chairperson of Food Safety and Standards Association of India (FSSAI), Keshav Desiraju, secretary of department of consumer affairs and other senior dignitaries of both WHO and the health ministry.

The WHO also stated that in India, the full burden of food-borne illness is not known as most of the cases are unreported.

Surveillance data in the country from 2011-14 shows that food-borne outbreaks, together with acute diarrhoeal diseases, constituted nearly half of all reported outbreaks during this period.

In a message, WHO's South Asian director, Poonam Khetrapal, said that food safety is one of the key focus areas under the International Health Regulations -- IHR 2005 -- which include all public health emergencies of international concern that involve contaminated food and outbreaks of food-borne diseases.

She said that the WHO and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have established the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) to rapidly share information during food safety emergencies.

Highlighting the need for inter-sectoral convergence at all levels, India's health secretary Bhanu Pratap Sharma said: "There is a need for greater awareness and giving correct information to all stakeholders and that's where the role of WHO is extremely important."

"The objective of World Health Day, this year, is to catalyse collective government and public action to put measures in place that will improve safety of food by aligning policies in agriculture, trade, health, education and social protection to provide a safe and healthy diet for all," he added.

Acknowledging the need to improve food safety systems, the institutions extensively deliberated on the issues of production, regulation, nutrition, unhealthy food and safety of street food.

It was announced on the occasion that state-level consultations on the theme food safety would also be held at Bengaluru, Kolkata, Patna and Raipur soon.

Safe food should be a priority: WHO

New Delhi: Ahead of World Health Day, the Health Ministry and WHO on Wednesday came together to seek stronger measures for promoting food safety saying awareness on the issue will help strengthen enforcement of food standards and prevent foodborne illnesses.

Speaking at the national consultation on food safety, Union Health Secretary Bhanu Pratap Sharma highlighted the need for inter sectoral convergence and enforcement at all levels.

"There is a need for greater awareness and giving correct information to all stakeholders and that's where the role of WHO is extremely important," he said.

In her World Health Day message, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO, South-East Asia Region said, "Political awareness and consumer education on food safety will help to strengthen enforcement of food standards, improve hygienic practices, and prevent foodborne illnesses. The most pertinent of all the measures is creating awareness among people to ensure that their food is safe."

Speaking on the occasion, Nata Menabde,WHO Representative to India said, "Food safety is an issue of growing public health concern. To achieve food safety, strong functional links must be built between public health and other sectors to ensure effective cross-sectoral collaboration."

"In India, food safety has obvious and direct linkages with the Swachh Bharat initiative of the Prime Minister that promotes cleanliness and hygiene, which are the key factors influencing food safety, thereby reducing socio-economic impact of foodborne illnesses," she said.

The consultation strongly advocated that governments must partner with civil society, NGOs, private sector and consumers, to ensure that safe food becomes everybody's business.

Perspectives on 'Serving Safe Food' were presented by Akshayapatra and National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), emphasising the importance of safe food.

The theme for World Health Day, which falls on April 7, is safe food this year.

Intersectoral co-operation key to achieve goal of food safety : Sharma

Bhanu Pratap Sharma, secretary (health & family welfare), Government of India, and chairperson, FSSAI, has urged for an intersectoral convergence and enforcement at all levels to achieve the goal of food safety across the food chain. He was speaking at a national consultation organised on Wednesday to mark the upcoming World Health Day, which would be celebrated on April 7.

Sharma stated, “There is a need for greater awareness and giving correct information to all stakeholders along with intersectoral cooperation.”

The consultation was organised by ministry of health & family welfare (MoHFW) and World Health Organisation (WHO) for promoting food safety, the theme of this year’s World Health Day.

The consultation brought together all stakeholders, from farm to plate, to discuss integration of ‘food safety’ into the broader food policy agenda and informing producers and consumers about the vital importance of safe food, and its impact on public health.

Sharma felt that standards needed to be set up with awareness campaigns to make informed choices. He added that success lies in full public participation. 

Y S Malik, CEO, FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), in his address said that the apex food regulator in its endeavour to achieve the goal of food safety had enabled 3.3 million licences and registration so far along with 19,000 Central licences. He said that while newer challenges emerged in recent past due to increased global food trade, there was need to place interventions in every level of the food trade.

“We have decided to increase the scientific panels to achieve development of vertical standards. Further to boost the food safety, the number of labs are being increased,” he said, while adding that lab facilities in states needed boost.

In her World Health Day message, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, World Health Organisation, South-East Asia Region, said, “Political awareness and consumer education on food safety will help to strengthen enforcement of food standards, improve hygienic practices, and prevent foodborne illnesses. The most pertinent of all the measures is creating awareness among people to ensure that their food is safe.”

Speaking at the national consultation, Dr Nata Menabde, WHO Representative to India, said, “Food safety is an issue of growing public health concern. To achieve food safety, strong functional links must be built between the public health and other sectors to ensure effective cross-sectoral collaboration.”

“In India, food safety has obvious and direct linkages with the Swachh Bharat initiative of the prime minister that promotes cleanliness and hygiene, which are the key factors influencing food safety, thereby reducing the socio-economic impact of foodborne illnesses,” she added.

The objective of the World Health Day, this year, is to catalyse collective government and public action to put measures in place that will improve safety of food by aligning policies in agriculture, trade, health, education and social protection to provide a safe and healthy diet for all.

Addressing issues related to food safety and food control systems, the panel discussion at the national consultation saw active deliberations on the need for multisectoral collaboration from food production to consumption and cooperation from all sectors for compliance of food standards.

Acknowledging the need to further improve the food safety systems, the forum extensively deliberated on the issues of production, regulations, nutrition, unhealthy food, safety of street food, consumer awareness, animal-human interface of foodborne diseases and strengthening surveillance of these diseases in India.

The consultation strongly advocated that the governments must partner with civil society, NGOs, private sector and consumers, to ensure that safe food becomes everybody’s business. Perspectives on ‘Serving Safe Food’ were presented by Akshayapatra and National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), emphasising the importance of safe food. 

On the occasion, the WHO Country Office for India awarded Public Health Champions for outstanding contribution to public health in India. These awards are an attempt to recognise and honour the best in the field in order to encourage them to press forward and others to emulate them.

The award winners were SEWA Rural; Community Health Department, Christian Medical College, Vellore; Biocon Foundation; and Dr Vinod K Paul, AIIMS; for sustained contribution to public health. In the category of innovation, the awardees were Narayana Health and Ekjut.

State-level consultations on the theme of World Health Day will also be held at Bangalore, Kolkata, Patna and Raipur. 

Present at the consultation were Keshav Desiraju, secretary, department of consumer affairs, Government of India; Dr Jagdish Prasad, director-general, health services, MoHFW; Anshu Prakash, joint secretary, MoHFW; Sudhanshu Pandey, joint secretary, ministry of commerce; Kumar Singh, joint secretary, ministry of agriculture; and Dr S Venkatesh, director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), MoHFW, amongst other eminent industry experts, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations.

வெள்ளை உணவுகள் நண்பனா ? எதிரியா ?

“அரிசி, சர்க்கரை, பால் போன்ற வெள்ளை உணவுகளை விட்டால் சந்தோஷமாக இருக்கலாம்’’ என்பது சூப்பர் ஸ்டாரின் ஹெல்த் ஸ்டேட்மென்்ட். மருத்துவர்களைக் கேட்டாலும், “சில ஒயிட் ஃபுட்களை சாப்பிடாதீங்க” என அட்வைஸ் செய்கிறார்கள். உலகம் முழுவதும் அதிகரித்து வரும் வீகன் டயட் ஃபாலோயர்களும் வெள்ளை உணவுகளைக் கண்டால், தெறித்து ஓடுகிறார்கள். வெள்ளை உணவுகள் சாப்பிடலாமா? கூடாதா? சாப்பிட வேண்டாம் என்பதன் காரணம்தான் என்ன?

சர்க்கரை

வெள்ளை உணவுகளில் தொடவே கூடாத உணவு சர்க்கரைதான். சர்க்கரை முற்றிலும் வெண்மையாக இருக்க, பல்வேறு ரசாயனங்கள் சேர்க்கப்பட்டு, சுத்திகரிக்கப்படுகிறது. இந்தச் சர்க்கரையை அதி
கம் பயன்படுத்துவதால், கல்லீரல் நோய்கள், வளர்சிதை மாற்ற நோய்கள் ஏற்படுகின்றன. மேலும், பல் சொத்தை, எலும்பு மெலிதல் போன்ற பிரச்னைகள் ஏற்படுகின்றன. சர்க்கரை நோய் தாக்குவதற்கும், சீக்கிரமே முதுமை அடைவதற்கும் சர்க்கரை ஒரு முக்கியக் காரணம். சர்க்கரைக்குப் பதில் வெல்லம் மற்றும் உலர் பழங்களில் இருந்து எடுக்கப்படும் சர்க்கரையைப் பயன்படுத்தலாம்.

சமையல் உப்பு

கடலில் இருந்து கிடைக்கும் உப்பு, சற்றே பழுப்பு நிறத்தில் இருக்கும். ஆனால், அயோடின் உப்பு தயாரிக்கும்போது, அதிக வெப்பத்தில் உப்பை பிளீச் செய்கிறார்கள், இந்த முறையால், உப்பில் இயற்கையாக இருக்கும் பல்வேறு தாது உப்புக்கள் வெளியேறிவிடுகின்றன. அயோடின் அதிகளவு நிறைந்த, தூள் உப்பை அதிகம் உணவில் சேர்ப்பதால், இதயநோய்கள், ரத்த அழுத்தம், பக்கவாதம் போன்ற நோய்கள் எளிதில் வர வாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன. எனவே, இயற்கையில் கிடைக்கும் கடல் உப்பு, இந்துப்பு போன்றவற்றைப் பயன்படுத்தலாம். இந்துப்பில் பொட்டாசியம், மாங்கனீசு, அயோடின், இரும்புச்சத்து, துத்தநாகம் உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு சத்துகள் இருக்கின்றன.

மைதா

முழு கோதுமையைப் பட்டைதீட்டி, நார்ச்சத்துகளையும் பிற வைட்டமின் சத்துக்களையும் அறவே நீக்கி, ரசாயனங்களைச் சேர்த்து ப்ளீச் செய்து, தயாரிக்கப்படும் பொருள் மைதா மாவு. இதில், கார்போஹைட்ரேட் சத்து மட்டுமே இருக்கும். நூடுல்ஸ், கேக், பீட்சா, பர்கர், பரோட்டா என, ஜங்க் உணவுகளில் பெரும்பாலும் மைதா மாவே பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. இந்த உணவுப்பொருட்களில் சர்க்கரை மற்றும் எண்ணெய் அதிக அளவு சேர்க்கப்பட்டு இருக்கும். எனவே, இது அதிக கலோரிகள் கொண்டது. தொடர்ந்து மைதாவால் செய்யப்பட்ட உணவுகளைச் சாப்பிடும்போது, சர்க்கரை நோய் எளிதில் தாக்கலாம். மேலும், மலச்சிக்கல், குடல் புற்றுநோய் போன்றவை வருவதற்கும் மைதாவே காரணம் என்கிறார்கள் ஆய்வாளர்கள். எனவே, மைதாவுக்குப் பதிலாக முழு தானியமான கோதுமையை வாங்கி, அப்படியே அரைத்து, சமையலுக்குப் பயன்படுத்தலாம். சிறுதானிய மாவுகளைப் பயன்படுத்தும்போது, உடலுக்குத் தேவையான நார்ச்சத்து, வைட்டமின்கள் கிடைப்பதோடு,  சர்க்கரை நோய் வருவதற்கான வாய்ப்புகளும் குறையும்.

பால்

எளிதில் ஜீரணமாகாத ஒரு உணவு, பால். தற்போது, பசுக்கள் அதிகமாகப் பால் சுரக்க ஹார்மோன் ஊசிகள் போடுவதாலும், ஆன்டிபயாடிக் மருந்துகளை மாட்டுக்குத் தருவதாலும், பாலில் யூரியா கலப்பதாலும் பால்கூட விஷமாக்கப்பட்டுவிட்டது. இதனால், பல்வேறு உடல்நலப் பாதிப்புகள் வருகின்றன. பாலில் இருக்கும் கேஸியீன் (Casein) என்ற புரதம், புற்றுநோய் வரக் காரணமாக இருக்கிறது என பல ஆய்வுகள் சொல்கின்றன. எனவே, பசும்பாலுக்குப் பதிலாகத் தேங்காய்ப் பால், சோயா பால், வேர்க்கடலைப் பால், பாதாம் பால் போன்றவற்றைப் பயன்படுத்தலாம். பாலில் இருக்கும் கால்சியத்தைவிட எள்ளில் அதிக அளவு கால்சியம் இருக்கிறது. எனவே, எள்ளுச் சட்னி, எள்ளுப்பால், எள்ளு சாதம் போன்றவற்றைச் சாப்பிடலாம்.

அரிசி

உலக அளவில்,  சர்க்கரை நோயாளிகள் அதிகம் இருப்பது இந்தியாவில்தான். இதற்கு அரிசி உணவும் மிக முக்கியக் காரணம். அரிசி நன்றாகப் பட்டைதீட்டப்பட்டுத்தான் கிடைக்கிறது. சாதம், வெள்ளைவெளேரென இருந்தால்தான், உயர் ரக அரிசி என நினைத்து, மக்கள் வாங்கிப் பயன்படுத்துகின்றனர். பாலீஷ் செய்யப்பட்ட அரிசியில் அறவே நார்ச்சத்து கிடையாது. குறைவாகச் சாப்பிட்டாலும் திருப்தி ஏற்படாது. இதனால், அதிகம் சாப்பிடுவார்கள். அரிசியில் உள்ள மாவுச்சத்து, கொழுப்பாக மாறி உடலில் தங்கிவிடும். நாளடைவில் சர்க்கரை நோய் வர அரிசி ஒரு முக்கியமான காரணியாக இருக்கும். தவிடு நீக்கப்படாத பாலீஷ் செய்யாத பழுப்பு அரிசி, சிவப்பு அரிசியைச் சாப்பிடுவதே நல்லது.

- பு.விவேக் ஆனந்த்

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‘பழுப்பே’ பெஸ்ட்!

வெள்ளை நிற உணவுகள் உடலுக்குப் பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தக்கூடியவை என்பது உண்மைதான். அதற்காக, முற்றிலும் தவிர்த்துவிடுவதும் சாத்தியம் இல்லை. சர்க்கரையை ஒரு நாளைக்கு 30 கிராம் எடுத்துக்கொள்ளலாம். சர்க்கரைக்குப் பதில், பனை வெல்லம், பனங்கற்கண்டு போன்றவற்றைப் பயன்படுத்தலாம். வெல்லம் பயன்படுத்துபவர்கள் மஞ்சள் நிறத்தில் இருக்கும் வெல்லத்தைத் தவிர்த்து, இளஞ்சிவப்பு நிறத்தில் இருக்கும் வெல்லம்தான் பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும். பழுப்பு நிறத்தில், பிளீச் செய்யப்படாமல் கிடைக்கும் சர்க்கரையை சிறிதளவு சேர்த்துக்கொள்ளலாம்.

அதேபோல், உணவில் உப்பும் அதிகம் சேர்க்கக் கூடாது. அயோடின் உடலுக்கு அவசியம் எனவே, கல் உப்பு, தூள் உப்பு  இரண்டையும் சரிவிகிதத்தில் சமையலுக்குப் பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும். மைதாவில் கார்போஹைட்ரேட் மட்டுமே உள்ளது. எனவே, முற்றிலும் அதைத் தவிர்ப்பதுதான் நல்லது. பாலுக்கு மாற்றாக கால்சியத்தை எள், கேழ்வரகு மூலம் பெற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியும் என்றாலும், குழந்தைகளை எளிதாகப் பால் சாப்பிடவைக்க முடியும். எனவே, குழந்தைகளுக்குப் பால் சிறிது அளவு கொடுக்கலாம். பெரியவர்கள் பால் சாப்பிடுவதற்குப் பதிலாக, கேழ்வரகை அன்றாடம் சேர்த்துக்கொள்ளலாம். வெள்ளை அரிசிக்கு மாற்றாக, பழுப்பு அரிசி, கைகுத்தல் அரிசியைப் பயன்படுத்தலாம்.