Tough time for moms as CBSE bans junk food

Nutritionists have welcomed the CBSE Board’s decision. 

 Visakhapatnam: Parents are now perplexed about what to pack in the lunch box for their children following the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) direction to all schools affiliated to it to inspect lunch boxes to ensure students don’t eat junk.
The Board has also asked schools to ensure that food items like chips, carbonated drinks, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers and confectionery items like chocolates, candies are not available in the school canteens. Schools are being encouraged to have healthy snacks on the canteen menu.
A working mother Jayati Majumder said, “It’s really hard to prepare food in time in the morning for working mothers,” while admitting, “I hadn’t realized the importance of nutritious food… for good health of our children, we have to put in a little more effort to prepare healthy food instead of giving our children ready-to-make noodles and other junk food.”
M. Venumohan, founder of a senior secondary school, said co-operation from parents is needed to ensure children eat healthy food. “Parents should first stop proving junk foods to their children and sensitise them about the bad impact of these foods,” he added.
Nutritionists have welcomed the Board’s decision. Mamta Narang, a nutritionist, said, “The health and fitness of the children were really at high risk due to the consumption of junk food. Parents give lunch box filled with junk food, conceding to the demands of their children or because of lack of time".
"The direction of CBSE will surely help students to inculcate good food habit… Children will gradually adapt to home-made healthy foods if they don’t get junk food from home or in school canteens. Idli, dosa and all our traditional dishes are very good for health. This initiative will really yield wealth in terms of health", Nutritionists added.
The CBSE directive to schools followed a Women and Child Development (WCD) ministry report suggesting how to control the “endemic” problem of consumption of junk food available in and around schools.
The Board has also asked schools to focus on encouraging physical activities for students up to Class 10 and have nutritionists, physical activity trainers, public health specialists, food safety experts talk to students about a healthy lifestyle. It is also encouraging schools to keep a record of height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) of all students.
Nutritionist Mamta Narang suggests Curd rice with vegetables, lemon rice, dosa, sandwich with stuffing and chapatti with curry could be prepared and packed easily for the kids and is good for their health.

Banned Khesari Dal May Gets Promotion To Meet Shortage And Price Rise Of Pulses

New Delhi: Now Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has recommended government to promote cultivation of ‘Khesari Dal’ and lift ban on its sale in the open market to meet pulses back to the common man’s ‘thali.’
Defamed Khesari dal is banned in the country since 1964 after the several cases of paralysis in adult males after prolonged consumption of it due to neurotoxin ‘di-amino-pro-pionic acid.’
But Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has appealed Government after it’s November 6 meeting that ban on Khesari dal must be lifted and its production should be promoted considering it’s nutritional values and low cost as the ‘Arhar Dal’ has became out to reach of common man.
Authority has also quoted that Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also found that in last twenty years not even a single case of neurolathyrism was reported due to this.
Presently this dal which is also known as Tiwara, was prohibited to use as an ingredient under Food Adulteration prevention Act after a study of 1964 found that this pea is associated in crippling disease in young adult males in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh where it was distributed as payment of wages to farmer’s families.
But now Government bodies feels that story of its toxic effects are just myth not reality and this variety of Dal may bring pulses to common men food as this can be grown in less than just less than five months.

Notice issued to 8 water purification plants in Haldwani

NAINITAL: The state food security department has issued notices to eight water purification plants in Haldwani for flouting various norms, including running without a licence from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and without paying taxes for several years.
Kailash Tamta, food supply officer, Nainital district said, "These plants were running without a licence from the BIS or any requisite approval from the concerned departments for years. Notices were served to them on Saturday. They have to give clarification and explanation on four vital points within ten days of stipulated time period."
The notices have sought details of test reports of the water purifiers operating in the plants equipped with reverse osmosis or ultra violet filtration technique. Monthly reports of the quality of water filtered in these plants also have to be submitted.
Plant owners will also have to present records, dating back to three years, of the operating machines, revenue, maintenance and other relevant details. Medical reports of the employees working in the plants has also been sought.
The move comes after media reports highlighted various norms being flouted by the water purification plants.
Commenting on the issue, city magistrate Harveer Singh said, "We are always vigilant on the issue of public concern. As soon as we came to know about illegally running plants, action was taken."

The scientific truth about state fish-Shevto

Nandkumar M. Kamat
Maggie noodles were banned because the lead content was alleged to be above 2.5ppm, the permissible limit. Shevto – the state fish of Goa would be found to have much more lead in its edible part – the muscle, because studies in India had earlier found 3 to 16ppm of lead in the fish. If I were to sum up the current scientific truth about the gray mullet, scientifically known as Mugil cephalus and locally known as shevto, if it is harvested from polluted waters then it is absolutely unfit for human consumption.
My family, familiar with all kinds of fish and shellfish, gave up consumption of shevto about 10 years ago when we found them totally unfit for human consumption, irrespective of site of sale. Many market samples smell strongly of Diesel. The skin and fins too show infections. Government knows that consumers on inspection of marketed shevto would only spot what is visible to eyes and smelt by nose but would never demand rigorous toxicological and pathological analysis or quality standards. The government of Goa which provides a world record subsidy of `29 for every kilogram of fish that is caught in local waters has failed to pass on the benefit of this subsidy given to mechanized and traditional sector to common fish consumers. Besides it has failed to disclose the facts about chemical, biological and microbiological pollution of estuaries and offshore marine areas where fishing is done. All tidal estuaries are polluted (high nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals, oil, grease, agrochemical residues, coliforms etc). Fisheries department is silent on dangerous concentration of radioactive isotopes, toxic heavy metals, pesticide and insecticide residues, pharmacologically active substances and pathogens in fish and shellfish caught and sold in Goa.
On the contrary by hastening to declare Mugil cephalus, a species notorious for its capacity to accumulate toxic metals like cadmium and prone to red spot and parasitic diseases as a ‘state fish’, the government is endangering the lives of the consumers. A reputed MNC like Nestle well known for stringent quality standards and R&D was taken to task for negligible concentration of lead in some noodle samples. Ironically, there is more lead in our potable water, milk, tea, poultry products, vegetables and fish. In a study conducted in 1979, De Souza and Naqvi from NIO had analysed metal concentration in shevto from Vishakhapatanam. They checked zinc, manganese, iron, copper, nickel, cobalt and lead concentration in muscle, gills, brain, bone, eyes and liver. They proved that shevto accumulates these metals from surrounding waters. They found these metals in all tissues. Lead level was 3 to 16ppm in muscle, the edible part.
Shevto belongs to the mullet family (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae). These have a worldwide distribution and are found in tropical and temperate waters. Mugilidae family includes 24 genera and 72 species and the grey mullet Mugil cephalus can be cosmopolitan. Shevto can be produced in aquaculture but scientists are concerned about the pathologic potential of some parasites, in particular Myxosporea which represents one of the important groups of parasites infecting worldwide mullets. If samples of shevto are subjected to toxicological (especially polonium, radium, caesium, heavy metals, pesticides and insecticides, pharmacologically active substances), microbiological and pathological analysis then the fisheries department would repent for its hasty decision.
The gastrointestinal tract of fish is known to constitute one of the major infection routes like the skin and the gills and allows a favorable site for bacteria proliferation. A team of fish pathologists had isolated Myroides sp. during the course of grey mullet gut micro biota studies which they collected from government fish farm, Old Goa. The parasites which would be found in the shevtos of Goa are Myxobolus muelleri, Myxobolus ichkeulensis, Myxobolus episquamalis, Myxobolus exiguus, Myxobolus parvus, and Myxobolus spinacurvatura.
Fish consumers would be shocked to know that the shevto is virtually a factory of dangerous anthropogenic chemicals and parasites. Generally any species of flora or fauna is declared as ‘state species’ is consistent with well laid down state policy. This is a prerogative of Goa State Biodiversity Board under Biodiversity Act, 2002. It has been bypassed in declaring shevto as state fish. Fisheries department should not play with lives, health and safety of unsuspecting consumers by declining to commission detailed studies on quality of fish. Both state fisheries department and the Directorate Of Food and Drug Administration have failed to take expected co-ordinated action to inform the fish consumers on various provisions, rules and amendments to The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) related to fish and fish products in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulation from 2011. They have failed to generate adequate publicity on draft amendment related to pharmacologically active substance prohibited for fish and fishery products.
The local authorities too are passive to engage FDA inspectors and labs to check the quality of marketed fish. So in announcing shevto as state fish, Goa government has committed a blunder which would fail the touchstone of hard science and stringent food safety regulations.

Jamshedpur walks for safe, hygienic food for all

In what was a first-of-its kind Walkathon held in the Steel City, people from walks of life — politicians, Superintendent Police (City), sporting luminaries, industry members, street food vendors, students, senior citizens and differently abled students — joined an estimated 2500-strong Jamshedpur Walkathon, Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan, organised by CII, FACE and its’ National Industry partners Cargill India, multistakeholder National Partners VOICE on Sunday to walk for the cause: Safe and Hygienic Food for All.
Among the notable personalities who joined the Jamshedpur Walkathon were Laxman Tudu, MLA, Ghatsila, Chandan Kumar Jha, Superintendent of Police (City), Jamshedpur, Aruna Mishra, Olympian boxer, Anand Sen, president, TQM & Steel Business, Tata Steel Ltd, A B Lall, Vice Chairman, CII Jharkhand, Ashim Sanyal, Chief Operating Officer, VOICE, A K Srivastava, Convener, CII Jharkhand, MSME Panel & President, Citizen Forum and Tapas Sahu, Co-Chairman CII YI, Jharkhand along with scores of industry members.
Chandan Kumar Jha, Superintendent of Police (City), Jamshedpur, praised CII for organising the Walkathon and said such awareness programmes need to be organised at regular intervals to generate greater awareness about the need for consuming safe and hygienic food, and also implementation of food safety practices at all levels.
The Jamshedpur Walkathon was marked by the parallel session on Food Safety Training of 60 Street Food Vendors. For cascading Food Safety knowledge to schoolchildren through interactive activities a Sit & Draw competition with 140 schoolchildren was also organised as a parallel forum at the Walkathon venue, the XLRI Grounds of Jamshedpur.
The Walkathon programme comprised several thematic Food Safety skits by Consumer VOICE and NASVI, Tribal Dance performances by Kala Mandir and music performance by the students of Jamshedpur Women’s College. Some of the other key activities associated with the Jamshedpur Safe Food Walkathon was a photography competitions on food safety in colleges and schools as a precursor to the Walkathon.
A B Lall said, “that this is a welcome step in the direction of food safety and hygiene and that day’s walkathon will act as a catalyst to improve food safety awareness in the country as well as drive the agenda of ‘safe food as everyone’s right’ through the Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan.”
Saugat Mukherjee, regional director, CII, Eastern Region, said in a statement, “The Safe Food Walkathon is part of CII’s resolute and sustained commitment to capacity building on food safety along with national industry partner, Cargill India, multi-stakeholder bodies National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), Consumer Body VOICE.”

Dinakaran News

Dinakaran News

DINAKARAN NEWS

DINAKARAN NEWS

பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்ட ரூ.30 லட்சம் ஜவ்வரிசியை விடுவிக்க வலியுறுத்தல்

உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்த ரூ.30 லட்சம் மதிப்புள்ள ஜவ்வரிசியை சம்பந்தப்பட்ட வியாபாரிகளுக்கு வழங்க வேண்டும் என, சேலம் சேகோ சர்வ், ஸ்டார்ச் வியாபாரிகள் சங்கம் வலியுறுத்தியுள்ளது.

இதுதொடர்பாக அந்தச் சங்கத்தின் தலைவர் தாராசந்த் சுரானா, செயலர் விகாஸ் பாபு, முன்னாள் தலைவர் வெங்கட்ரமணன் ஆகியோர் செய்தியாளர்களிடம் வெள்ளிக்கிழமை கூறியது:

சேலத்தில் உள்ள சேகோ சர்வ் நிறுவனத்தில் விற்பனைக்கு வைக்கப்படும் ஜவ்வரிசிக்கு ஏலத்தின் மூலம் விலை வைத்து வியாபாரிகள் வாங்கி வெளிமாநிலங்களுக்கு ஏற்றுமதி செய்து வருகிறோம்.

இதனிடையே, எங்கள் சங்கத்தைச் சேர்ந்த 6 வியாபாரிகளிடம் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறையினர் பறிமுதல் செய்த சுமார் ரூ.60 லட்சம் மதிப்பிலான ஜவ்வரிசியை திருப்பி வழங்காமல் வைத்துள்ளனர். இந்த ஜவ்வரிசியின் தற்போதைய மதிப்பு ரூ.30 லட்சம் ஆகும்.

சேகோ சர்வில் உள்ள ஆய்வகத்தில் பரிசோதனை செய்து தரமான ஜவ்வரிசி என்று அறிக்கை கிடைக்கப்பெற்றும் அதனை உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறையினர் ஏற்க மறுக்கின்றனர்.

கொல்கத்தாவில் உள்ள ஆய்வகத்தின் அறிக்கையையே உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறையினர் அனுமதிக்கின்றனர்.

ஜவ்வரிசி பரிசோதனை செய்வதில் உள்ள முரண்பாடுகளை நீக்க தமிழக அரசு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்.

இதுதொடர்பாக உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறை ஆணையர் குமார் ஜெயந்திடம் எடுத்துரைத்த பின்னர், ஜவ்வரிசியை வியாபாரிகளிடம் ஒப்படைக்க 2015 அக்டோபர் மாதம் உத்தரவு பிறப்பித்தார்.

ஆனால் உத்தரவு பிறப்பித்து 3 மாதங்கள் நெருங்கி விட்ட நிலையில் ஜவ்வரிசியை வியாபாரிகளுக்கு திரும்ப வழங்கப்படவில்லை.

மேலும், தங்களது கோரிக்கைகள் நிறைவேறும் வரை சேகோ சர்வ் நிர்வாகத்தில் நடத்தப்படும் ஜவ்வரிசி ஏலத்தில் கலந்து கொள்ள போவதில்லை என்று முடிவுசெய்து கடந்த ஜனவரி 5 ஆம் தேதி முதல் போராட்டம் நடத்தி வருகிறோம்.

எனவே, வியாபாரிகளிடம் இருந்து பறிமுதல் செய்த ஜவ்வரிசியை உடனே விடுவிக்க வேண்டும்.

சேலம் சேகோ சர்வ் நிறுவனத்தில் செயல்படும் பரிசோதனை கூடத்தை அங்கீகாரம் பெற்ற பரிசோதனை கூடமாக மாற்ற வேண்டும். இந்தப் போராட்டத்தால் நாள் ஒன்றுக்கு சுமார் ரூ.2 கோடி அளவிலான வர்த்தகம் பாதிக்கப்படுகிறது என்றனர்.

சேலம் சேகோசர்வ்வில் ஜவ்வரிசி கொள்முதல் முடக்கம்: உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி மீது வியாபாரிகள் குற்றச்சாட்டு

சேலம்: சேலம் சேகோசர்வ் நிறுவனத்தில் இருந்து, கலப்படம் உள்ள ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளை விற்பனை செய்வதற்கு, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி தடை விதித்துள்ளார். இதனால், அங்கிருந்து, ஜவ்வரிசி, ஸ்டார்ச் மாவு கொள்முதல் செய்வதை வியாபாரிகள் நிறுத்தியுள்ளனர்.

சேலம், நாமக்கல், விழுப்புரம் மாவட்டத்தில், 350க்கும் மேற்பட்ட சேகோ ஆலைகள் உள்ளன. ஜவ்வரிசி, ஸ்டார்ச் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் ஆலை அதிபர்கள், அவற்றை, சேகோசர்வ் நிறுவனத்தில் ஒப்படைத்து, ஏலம் அடிப்படையில் பணத்தை பெற்றுகொள்கின்றனர். அங்குள்ள வியாபாரிகள், தரத்துக்கு ஏற்றாற்போல் விலை வைத்து கொள்முதல் செய்கின்றனர். பின், அவற்றை வட மாநிலங்களுக்கு விற்பனைக்கு அனுப்புகின்றனர்.

1,000 மூட்டைகளுக்கு சீல்: ஓராண்டுக்கு முன், வணிகவரித்துறை அதிகாரிகள், சில லாரிகளை மடக்கி பிடித்தனர். அதில் இருந்த ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளை, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் அனுராதா வசம் ஒப்படைத்தனர். அவர் ஆய்வு செய்தபோது, ரசாயன கலப்படம் இருப்பது தெரியவந்தது. பின், சேலம் மற்றும் கொல்கத்தாவில் உள்ள உணவு பகுப்பாய்வு கூடத்துக்கு அனுப்பி வைத்தார். கலப்படம் இருப்பது உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டதால், 50 கிலோ, 90 கிலோ எடையுடைய, 1,000 மூட்டைகள், குடோனிலேயே சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டன. அவை விற்பனை செய்வதற்கு தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டது.

கொள்முதல் நிறுத்தம்: வியாபாரிகள் போராடியபோதும், அந்த மூட்டைகளை விற்பனைக்கு கொண்டு வர முடியவில்லை. கடந்த, 5ம் தேதி முதல், ஜவ்வரிசி கொள்முதல் செய்வதை நிறுத்தி விட்டனர். அரசு தலையிட்டு, இப்பிரச்னைக்கு தீர்வு காண வேண்டும் என வியாபாரிகள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

சேலம் சேகோ மற்றும் ஸ்டார்ச் வியாபாரிகள் சங்க தலைவர் தாராசந்த்சுரானா மற்றும் நிர்வாகிகள் கூறியதாவது: எங்களுடைய சங்கத்தைச் சேர்ந்த ஆறு பேருடைய, 60 லட்சம் ரூபாய் மதிப்புள்ள ஜவ்வரிசியை, தரமற்றவை என குறிப்பிட்டு, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி தடை செய்துள்ளார். ஓராண்டுகளாகியும், அவற்றை எடுக்க முடியவில்லை. மாநில உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை கமிஷனரை சந்தித்து முறையிட்டோம். அவர், ஜவ்வரிசியை விடுவிக்கக்கோரி உத்தரவிட்டார். சேலம் அதிகாரி அதற்கு அனுமதி மறுக்கிறார். அரசு தலையிட்டு, இப்பிரச்னைக்கு முடிவு காண வேண்டும். அங்கீகாரம் பெற்ற பரிசோதனை கூடமாக, சேலம் சேகோசர்வை உருவாக்க வேண்டும். கடந்த, 5ம் தேதி முதல், கொள்முதல் செய்வதை நிறுத்தி வைத்துள்ளோம். இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

ரசாயன கலப்படம்: சேலம் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் அனுராதா கூறியதாவது: கமிஷனரை பொறுத்தவரை, விதிகளுக்கு உட்பட்டு, ஜவ்வரிசியை அனுமதியுங்கள் என்று தான் கூறியுள்ளார். ஆனால், வியாபாரிகள், 'அவர் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளார், நீங்கள் ஏன் அனுமதி மறுக்கிறீர்கள்' என, கேட்கின்றனர். சில உற்பத்தியாளர்கள், வெளிர்நிறத்துக்காக ரசாயன கலப்பு செய்கின்றனர். மார்க்கெட்டில் அது விற்பனைக்கு ஏற்றதாக உள்ளதால், வியாபாரிகள் அதை விரும்புகின்றனர். ஆனால், பொதுமக்கள் பாதிக்கப்படும் சூழல் உள்ளது. அதனால் தான், வியாபாரிகள் வைத்திருந்த, 1,000 ஜவ்வரிசி மூட்டைகளுக்கு தடை விதித்துள்ளேன். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Sago merchants demand return of seized goods

Members of Salem Sago and Starch Merchants’ Association addressing reporters in Salem on Friday.

Stating that samples of sago taken by the Food Safety officials had confirmed to the standards by the regional laboratory, members of Salem Sago and Starch Merchants’ Association demanded that the seized products worth Rs. 60 lakh should be immediately returned to merchants.

Addressing media persons here on Friday, association president Tarachand Surana and secretary Vikas Sabu said that the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department had seized over 1,200 bags of sago from six merchants six months ago. The Government Food Laboratory in Udayapatti in the city had found the samples conferring to the standards. But the samples were again sent to Central Food Laboratory in Kolkata that declared it as unsafe.

“The lab in Kolkata has the facility to screen only palm sago and not the sago made from tapioca,” they added. They wanted the laboratory in Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Cooperative Society Limited (Sagoserve) to be accredited so that samples could be tested here.

The members said that they met Commissioner of Food Safety, Kumar Jayant, and presented their case who later passed an order dated October 16, 2015. The order said that if the samples taken from the seized quantity conferred to the standards, the seized quantity should be returned to the merchants within five days from the receipt of the report. “But, it is more than six months that the products were not returned to the merchants. The market price of the products during the seizure was Rs. 60 lakh and now it has dropped to Rs. 30 lakh.”

When contacted, District Designated Officer T. Anuradha told The Hindu that as per rule 2.4.3 of Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, one sample could be sent to referral lab which in this case had declared the product as unsafe.

FSSAI's ban on Maggi noodles is unreasonable: Nestle to SC

The company also complained about the arbitrary, unreasonable manner in which the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had banned the sales of MaggiNestle India on Friday opposed in the Supreme Court a plea by the food regulator to stay a Bombay High Court order that allowed the company to resume sales of Maggi noodles in the country if fresh laboratory tests found the product fit for human consumption.

The company also complained about the arbitrary, unreasonable and non-transparent manner in which the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had banned the sales of Maggi noodles in June after samples were found to contain monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer, and excessive levels of lead.

"The action of the food authority was arbitrary and high-handed insofar as samples were taken only from three variants, however, all nine variants were banned," Nestle said in its first response to a court notice on the FSSAI's challenge to the Bombay High Court order. The FSSAI had also challenged the Bombay court's decision that all such tests should be carried out by accredited labs.

This would render most testing facilities in the country useless, the authority claimed. Nestle said the ruling was in public interest and that non-accredited labs would destroy the credibility of the food-testing regime. The company claimed that it wasn't given adequate opportunity to prove that Maggi noodles were safe for human consumption.

"It is only when contamination of food is an imminent threat that immediate order of prohibition can be passed...whereas there was no risk analysis made by the food authorities to determine the extent of damage that would be caused by consumption of the product," Nestle said in an affidavit.

The company said it should have been first told how its product did not meet the requirements and asked to 

comply with it.

The FSSAI banned the product and issued a show-cause notice later, asking why the product approval shouldn't be cancelled. The company said the first round of testing was done by labs that were not approved to detect the presence of lead in samples.

The FSSAI had directed that tests be made for lead and monosodium glutamate. The Bombay High Court's order permitting Nestle to resume sales following two fresh tests - of old and new samples - was therefore right, the company said.

The samples were taken by the food safety officer and cleared tests for lead conducted by three accredited labs. Sales resumed on November 9 after the tests showed that lead was within permissible limits. Nestle has resumed production of Maggi noodles at all five of its plants - in Punjab, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Goa and Himachal Pradesh.

Therefore, there was no need for any further stay on the high court order allowing fresh sales, Nestle contended. The company claimed it had sent fresh samples abroad to labs in Europe and all of them had declared Maggi safe for consumption. Nestle has also sought a stay from the top court on proceedings pending against it in the national consumer court.

Ban on tobacco extended by 1 yr

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Friday extended the ban on gutkha and pan masala across the state by another year.

Under the exercise of the powers conferred to the commissioner of food safety under section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, a press communique stated that the state hereby prohibits the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of gutkha / pan masala which contains tobacco and nicotine as ingredients and chewing tobacco products like chap tobacco, pure tobacco, khaini, kharra, scented tobacco, flavoured tobacco packed in pouches / sachets / containers etc., or by whatever name it is called in the entire state of Telangana for a period of one Year with effect from January 10, 2016.

No person shall himself or by any person on his behalf shall manufacture, store, distribute, transport or sell eatables which contain tobacco and nicotine as ingredients.

Contravention of the prohibition order is an offence and punishable with imprisonment/fine under the provision of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.

After ban on sale or distribution of Gutka/Pan Masala, now Punjab bans manufacturing also

The Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal ordered to ban the manufacturing of "Gutka/Pan Masala", processed/flavored/scented chewing tobacco and any other food products containing tobacco or nicotine in the state.

The state had already renewed the ban on the sale or distribution of "Gutka/Pan Masala", processed/flavored/scented chewing tobacco and any other food products containing tobacco or nicotine in the state from 01 January, 2016. In view of greater public interest, the Punjab Chief Minister has ordered for the ban the manufacturing of such products.

In the month of November 2015, an article about Cool Lip tobacco product was published. The article mentioned how Children Against Tobacco (CAT) had reported about the sale of "Cool Lip" products near the schools in Chennai.

In relation to this,Tamil Nadu People's Forum for Tobacco Control (TNPFTC) identified that the product is being manufactured in Punjab and sent a formal letter to Government of Punjab and the Food Safety Department. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has considered the issue and asked the state Food Safety Department to take action on the issue.

With the advocacy of the National Tobacco Control Community, the Government of Punjab has taken this advanced measure in order to abolish the presence of tobacco. The Government of Punjab has been proactive and taken the pro-public step. Due to this step, products such as Cool Lip will not be manufactured henceforth in Punjab.

However, back in Tamil Nadu, the Government has not taken any action against the sale and distribution of banned tobacco products. It makes one wonder whether the Government has interest in the health of the public and especially interest towards the health of the children. It is imperative now that the Tamil Nadu Government takes stringent action against the sale and distribution of banned tobacco products.

TNPFTC has appreciated the contribution of Media in strengthening the tobacco control initiatives.

TAMIL HINDU NEWS

வெல்லத்தில் கலப்பட புகார் எதிரொலி உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையினர் கிடங்குகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு மாதிரி சோதனைக்கு அனுப்பி வைப்பு

சேலம், ஜன.8:
பொங் கல் பண் டிகை அடுத்த வாரம் கொண் டா டப் பட உள் ளது. பொங் க லை யொட்டி சேலத் தில் ஓம லூர், தின் னப் பட்டி, தீவட் டிப் பட்டி, டேனீஷ் பேட்டை, காம லா பு ரம் உள் பட பல பகு தி யில் உள்ள கரும்பு ஆலை க ளில் அதிக அள வில் வெல் லம் உற் பத்தி செய் யப் பட்டு வரு கி றது.
இங்கு உற் பத்தி செய் யப் ப டும் வெல் லத்தை உற் பத் தி யா ளர் கள் செவ் வாய்ப் பேட்டை வெல்ல மண் டி யில் விற் பனை செய் கின் ற னர். வெல் லத் தில் கலப் ப டம் இருப் ப தாக சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் அனு ரா தா வுக்கு புகார் கள் சென் றது.
அதன் அடிப் ப டை யில், சேலம் செவ் வாய்ப் பேட்டை சுடு காடு ரோட் டில் உள்ள வெல்ல கிடங் கு க ளில் சேலம் உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை அதி காரி டாக் டர் அனு ராதா தலை மை யில் அதி கா ரி கள் நேற்று காலை ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட னர். அப் போது கெமிக் கல் கலந்து உற் பத்தி செய் யப் ப டும் வெல் லத்தை விற் பனை செய்ய வேண் டாம் என வியா பா ரி க ளுக்கு, அனு ராதா அறி வு றுத் தி னார். தொடர்ந்து விற் ப னைக்கு வந் தி ருந்த வெல் லத்தை மாதிரி எடுத்து, உடை யாப் பட் டி யில் உள்ள உணவு பகுப் பாய்வு கூடத் திற்கு அனுப்பி வைத் தார்.
இது குறித்து மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் அனு ராதா கூறி ய தா வது:
சேலம் மாவட் டத் தில் உற் பத்தி செய் யப் ப டும் வெல் லத்தை விற் ப னைக் காக உற் பத் தி யா ளர் கள் செவ் வாய் பேட் டைக்கு கொண்டு வரு கின் ற னர். இந்த வெல் லத் தில் கலப் ப டம் இருப் ப தாக புகார் வந் தது. அதன் அடிப் ப டை யில் இங் குள்ள வெல்ல குடோன் க ளில் வெல் லத்தை ஆய்வு செய் தோம். வெல்ல உற் பத் தி யின் போது, கெமிக் கல் மற் றும் அஸ்கா சர்க் கரை, மைதா உள் ளிட் டவை கலந்து உற் பத்தி செய் கின் ற னர்.
இது குறித்து விழிப் பு ணர்வு ஏற் ப டுத்தி வரு கி றோம். ஆனா லும் தொடர்ந்து கெமிக் கல் கலந்து உற் பத்தி செய் வ தாக புகார் கள் வந் தது. தொடர் புகார் கார ண மாக வெல்ல குடோன் க ளில் ஆய்வு செய்து மாதிரி சேக ரித் துள் ளோம். மேலும் வியா பா ரி கள், விற் ப னைக்கு கொண்டு வரப் ப டும் வெல்ல மூட் டை க ளில் உற் பத் தி யா ளர் கள் முக வரி உள் ளதா என பார்த்து வாங்க வேண் டும் என அறி வு றுத் தி யுள் ளோம். பாது காப் பற்ற நிலை யில் வெல் லம் விற் ப னைக்கு வைக் கப் பட் டி ருந்த 3 குடோன் க ளின் உரி மை யா ளர் க ளுக்கு நோட் டீஸ் வழங் கி யுள் ளோம். ஆய் வின் போது பூட் டி யி ருந்த வெல்ல குடோன் உரி மை யா ளர் க ளுக்கு தக வல் அளித் துள் ளோம். அவர் கள் வர வில்லை என் றால் குடோன் களை பூட்டி சீல் வைக்க நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என்று எச் ச ரித் துள் ளோம்.  இவ் வாறு டாக் டர் அனு ராதா கூறி னார்.
கெட்டி தன் மைக் காக மைதா மாவு கலப்பு
கடந்த காலங் க ளில் வெல் லம் உற் பத்தி கரும் புச் சாற் றில் இருந்து உற் பத்தி செய் யப் பட்டு வந் தது. கரும் புச் சாற் றில் உற் பத்தி செய் யப் ப டும் வெல் லம் ‘டார்க் பிர வுன்’ கல ரில் இருக் கும். இந்த வெல் லம் உட லுக்கு எவ் வித தீங் கும் ஏற் ப டாது. ஆனால் கடந்த சில ஆண் டாக வெல் லம் உற் பத் தி யில் கரும் புச் சா றுக்கு பதி லாக சர்க் கரை 70 சத வீ த மும், கரும் புச் சாறு 20 சத வீ தம், மைதா மாவு 10 சத வீ த மும் சேர்க் கப் ப டு கி றது. வெளிர் மஞ் சள் நிறம் வர கெமிக் கல் கலக் கப் ப டு கி றது. கடந்த சில ஆண் டாக வெல் லம் உற் பத் தி யில் சர்க் கரை மட் டும் கலந்து வந் த னர். ஆனால் சமீப கால மாக வெல் லம் கெட்டி தன் மை யாக வர மைதா மாவை கலந்து உற் பத்தி செய் கின் ற னர். ஒரி ஜி னில் கரும் புச் சாற் றில் உற் பத்தி செய் யப் பட்ட வெல் லத்தை அனைத்து தரப்பு மக் க ளும் உண் ண லாம். ஆனால் கெமிக் கல் கலந்து உற் பத்தி செய் யப் ப டும் வெல் லத் தில் பாதி அள வுக்கு மேல் சர்க் கரை உள் ளது. இது போன்ற உண் ப தால் சர்க் கரை நோய் அதி க ரிப் ப தோடு வயிறு எரிச் ச லும் உண் டா கும் என்று அதி கா ரி கள் கூறி னர்.

DINATHANTHI NEWS

கலப்படப் புகார்: வெல்லக் கிடங்குகளில் சோதனை

சேலத்தில் கலப்படப் புகார் காரணமாக உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் வெல்லக் கிடங்குகளில் வியாழக்கிழமை திடீர் சோதனை மேற்கொண்டு, வெல்ல விற்பனைக்குத் தடை உத்தரவு பிறப்பித்துள்ளனர்.
பொங்கல் பண்டிகையை முன்னிட்டு சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் வெல்லம் விற்பனை சூடுபிடித்துள்ளனது.
இந்தநிலையில், சேலத்தில் தயார் செய்து விற்பனைக்காக வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள வெல்லத்தில் கலப்படங்கள் இருப்பதாகவும், வெல்லத்தில் சர்க்கரை மற்றும் மைதா கலந்து விற்பதாகவும் புகார் வந்தது.
இதைத்தொடர்ந்து, சேலம் மாவட்ட உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறை நியமன அலுவலர் மருத்துவர் அனுராதா தலைமையிலானக் குழுவினர் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை பகுதியில் செயல்பட்டு வரும் வெல்லம் விற்பனை கிடங்குகளில் வியாழக்கிழமை காலை திடீர் சோதனை மேற்கொண்டனர்.
அப்போது, அங்கு மூட்டைகளாக அடுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த வெல்லத்தில் சர்க்கரை மற்றும் ரசாயனங்கள் கலந்து தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட வெல்ல மூட்டைகளும், நாட்டு சர்க்கரை மூட்டைகளும் விற்பனைக்கு வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது.
இதையடுத்து, கலப்படம் செய்து தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட வெல்லம் மூட்டைகளை பறிமுதல் செய்த அதிகாரிகள், அதனை விற்பனை செய்வதற்கும் தடை விதித்தனர்.
மேலும், வெல்லம் மற்றும் நாட்டுச் சர்க்கரைகளில் மாதிரிகளைச் சேகரித்து உணவுப் பகுப்பாய்வுக் கூடத்துக்கு சோதனைக்கு அனுப்பி வைத்தனர்.
இதில் அதிகாரிகள் சோதனை நடத்திய 6 கிடங்குகளில் பகுப்பாய்வு அறிக்கை வரும் வரை கலப்பட வெல்லங்களை விற்பனை செய்யக்கூடாது என்று தடை உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
இதுகுறித்து உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறை நியமன அலுவலர் மருத்துவர் அனுராதா கூறியது:
சேலத்தில் உள்ள வெல்லக் கிடங்குகளில் சர்க்கரை 80 சதவீத அளவுக்கும், கரும்பு பால் 20 சதவீத அளவுக்கும், கலர் பவுடர் மற்றும் மைதா மாவு கொண்டு தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட வெளிர் மஞ்சள் நிறமுடைய கலப்படமிக்க வெல்லம் விற்பதாகப் புகார் வந்தது.
அதன்பேரில், 6 கிடங்குகளில் சோதனை செய்துள்ளோம். கலப்படமிக்க வெளிர் மஞ்சள் நிறமுடைய வெல்லத்தின் மாதிரிகள் சேகரிக்கப்பட்டு, பகுப்பாய்வுக் கூடத்துக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. சோதனை முடியும் வரையில் வெல்லத்தை விற்பனை செய்யக்கூடாது என உத்தரவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்தக் கலப்பட வெல்லம் அதிக சுவையுடன் இருக்கும்.
இதைப் பயன்படுத்தினால் உடலுக்கு கேடு வரும். நீரில் போட்டால் விரைவில் கரைந்துவிடும் தன்மை கொண்டது.
நுகர்வோர் அடர் பழுப்பு நிறத்தில் உள்ள கலப்படமில்லாத வெல்லத்தை வாங்கி பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும். வெளிர் மஞ்சள் நிற வெல்லத்தை வாங்கக் கூடாது என்றார்.

MAALAI MALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

கன்னியாகுமரியில் கடைகளில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் சோதனை

கன் னி யா கு மரி, ஜன.8:
சர் வ தேச சுற் றுலா தல மான கன் னி யா கு ம ரி யில் தின மும் உள் நாட்டு வெளி நாட்டு பய ணி கள் ஏரா ளம் வந்து செல் கின் ற னர். தற் போது சப ரி மலை சீசனை முன் னிட்டு தின மும் ஆயி ரக் க ணக் கான ஐயப்ப பக் தர் க ளும் வந்து செல் கின் ற னர். கலெக் டர் உத் த ர வின் பேரில் நேற்று மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் சாலோ டீ சன் தலை மை யில் நாகர் கோ வில் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அலு வ லர் சங் கர நாரா ய ணன், அகஸ் தீஸ் வ ரம் வட் டார உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் பிர வீண் ரகு ஆகி யோர் காந்தி மண் ட பம், திரி வேணி சங் க மம் கடற் க ரை யில் உள்ள கடை கள் மற் றும் கடற் கரை சாலை யில் உள்ள கடை க ளில் திடீர் சோதனை நடத் தி னர். இதில் சுகா தா ரம் இல் லா மல் திறந்து வைக் கப் பட் டி ருந்த உணவு பொருட் கள், காலா வ தி யான உணவு பொருட் கள், குளிர் பா னங் கள் போன் ற வற்றை பறி மு தல் செய்து அழித் த னர். 

 

DINAMALAR NEWS

Check tiffin box for junk food, CBSE tells schools

NEW DELHI, Jan 08, 2016, DHNS

  

Open the tiffin box of students to check consumption of unhealthy food, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) directed its affiliate schools on Thursday.
It also asked every school to constitute a canteen management committee and include parents and students as its members to ensure that only healthy food items are cooked and sold to children on the campus.
“They (committee members) may decide the type of food to be prepared in the school kitchen/canteen and, as and when possible, check the quality of raw materials and ingredients to ensure that food available in schools meets safety, hygiene and sanitation standards,” it added. The board issued a detailed set of guidelines to replace junk foods with healthy snacks and food varieties, as its previous advisories in this regard had been cold shouldered by a large number of private schools.
It also asked the schools to make parents and children aware of the ill effects of junk food.
“Schools are required to ensure that there are no high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) foods like chips, fried foods, carbonated beverages, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, potato fries and confectionery items, chocolates, candies, samosas and bread pakoras in the school canteens,” the CBSE said in a circular.
It also advised the schools to conduct “inspection” of lunch boxes of their students to rule out consumption of unhealthy foods, saying consumption of HFSS food has been found to be associated with many diseases, including type-2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, chronic inflammation and hyperinsulinemia with a risk of cardiovascular diseases in later life.
“These diseases and childhood obesity have been reportedly found to affect the cognitive and physical development of children adversely, causing an irreparable loss to the society,” it added, highlighting significance of promoting healthy food eating habits among children.
In its circular, the board gave the web link of a recent report of a working group, set up by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and asked the schools to refer the recommendations for implementation.
“The recommendations made by the panel comprehensively covers the issue and provides invaluable insights on how to control the endemic problem of consumption of junk food available in and around schools,” it added
The board’s directive comes months after the Delhi High Court, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) in March last year, accepted the draft guidelines formulated by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, to restrict sale of HFSS food items in and around schools.

Checking against food adulteration to be intensified

Several wayside eateries had faced legal action for the sale of unhygienic food in the recent checking conducted by the Health Department and the Food Safety Authority.
The District-level Food Advisory-cum-Vigilance Committee has directed the Food Safety Department here to intensify their checking to prevent food adulteration.
An official direction in this regard was issued at a district-level meeting of the committee chaired by Additional District Magistrate T. Janilkumar at the Collectorate conference hall, here, on Thursday.
As per the new move, the functioning of wayside eateries will be brought under close monitoring. Surprise checking will be conducted in cool bars and juice parlours to ensure that they follow the quality and hygiene parameters prescribed by the Food Safety Authority.
Food Safety Department officials who attended the meeting said their squads imposed a total fine of Rs.14 lakh from the beginning of this fiscal on noticing adulteration attempts on the parts of various traders.
In addition to this, the Legal Metrology Department slapped a fine of Rs. 25 lakh on traders who were found violating the terms and conditions related to the use of weighs and measures.
The meeting, which was also attended by the Civil Supplies Department officials, took a decision to approach the State government for sanctioning modern laboratory equipment to test the presence of harmful pesticides in vegetables brought for sale. Health Department officials said the city was in need of a Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry- based testing facility to strengthen checking.

Week on, Punjab rolls back plan to lift tobacco ban

On May 31, 2015, on World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organisation had honoured the Punjab government for its campaign to curb tobacco use.
BARELY A week after the Punjab government issued a notification for lifting the ban on manufacture of tobacco products in the state, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday rolled back the decision.
On January 1, Punjab food safety commissioner, Hussan Lal, had issued a notification “lifting” the ban on manufacture of gutkha, paan masala, processed/flavoured/ scented chewing tobacco and other products containing tobacco and nicotine. The decision was being seen as taken keeping in mind the interests of tobacco manufacturers.
A study published in the medical journal The Lancet, in 2012, reported that India accounts for 206 million smokeless tobacco users.
The notification read, “There will be no ban on manufacture of the above mentioned tobacco products in the state if the manufacturers give an undertaking that the products will not be sold/made available in Punjab or other state where there is a ban on these tobacco products.” However, the notification had prohibited storage, sale and distribution across the state for one year.
Badal directed the health department to take immediate steps to ensure a blanket ban on manufacture of gutkha, paan
masala and other processed/flavoured/ scented chewing tobacco and any other food products containing tobacco.
The government spokesperson mentioned that the ban had been issued as the sale is in violation of Section 7 of the COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products, Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act, 2003). Section 7 prohibits any trade or commerce in cigarettes or any other tobacco product unless every pack of cigarettes or any other tobacco product sold, supplied or distributed carries specified warning including pictorial warning.
It was on August 27, 2012, that the Punjab government extended the ban on manufacture, storage and sale of tobacco products to the entire state after initially banning sale and consumption of Pan Masala and Gutkha in four districts. On May 31, 2015, on World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organisation had honoured the Punjab government for its campaign to curb tobacco use.
After the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in 2011 framed rules making it clear that tobacco and nicotine will not be used as ingredients in food products, a number of states had put ban on manufacture, storage and sale of tobacco products.

Punjab bows, lifts gutkha manufacture ban

Only sales prohibited; move comes seven months after WHO feted state for anti-tobacco programme
Disturbing reality

• Smokeless tobacco is largely associated with oral cancers; India sees around 80,000 oral cancer cases annually
• India has 275 million tobacco users; 206 million of them use smokeless tobacco

New Delhi, January 6
The Punjab government today took a major step backward in its journey towards tobacco control by lifting the ban on manufacture of gutkha, pan masala and other processed, flavoured and scented food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients. Manufacture of chewable tobacco products will now be allowed and only their storage, sale and distribution will be prohibited within Punjab.
The state’s diluted stand is revealed in its latest anti tobacco notification, issued by Punjab Food Safety Commissioner Hussan Lal. Punjab was among the first states to ban production and sale of harmful smokeless chewing tobacco forms after the Union Health Ministry in August 2011 framed new prevention of food adulteration rules.
These rules, issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, clarified that “tobacco and nicotine will not be used as ingredients in food products”. This meant that since gutkha, khaini, masher, zarda, toothpastes, etc, were all food products, consumed for flavour or use, they could not contain injurious substances like nicotine or tobacco, proven carcinogens. After FSSAI regulations, 12 states banned the production and sale of gutkha and pan masalas containing tobacco; Punjab being one. Asked why the state succumbed to tobacco lobby pressure to permit production of harmful chewing tobacco, Hussan Lal told The Tribune,
“A blanket ban was hurting our tobacco industry. At present, there are 20 states without blanket bans on production and even sale of chewing and scented tobacco. Punjab imposed an initial full ban on Centre’s directions but later we realised that our tobacco industry was suffering.
Only a nationwide ban on production and sale of chewing and flavoured tobacco can work. We have taken the decision to allow manufacture of chewing tobacco forms in all fairness.
Sales within Punjab remain prohibited.” Punjab’s retrograde step comes seven months after the World Health Organisation feted it for its anti-tobacco programme. Also, public health experts today said Punjab was violating central FSSAI rules by choosing to allow manufacture of gutkha, pan masala, khaini, zarda, etc.
“Union regulations ban production and sale of harmful tobacco. Punjab can’t pick and choose. Also, Punjab’s differential standards on public health are shocking. How can it assume what’s unhealthy for Punjab is not unhealthy for other states?” asks Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, cancer specialist at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. Chaturvedi, active on India’s anti-tobacco policy, says production of gutkha and pan masala is banned across India under FSSAI rules.
“Flavoured tobacco has been banned only in 13 states. Gujarat recently exempted gutkha units exporting the product and was found to be in violation of central rules. Punjab has done worse by allowing production and sale in all states except itself,” Chaturvedi said.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Rs 2.18 cr worth fines for flouting food safety norms in Noida

Noida, Jan 6 (PTI) District authorities have imposed fines to the tune of over Rs two crore this fiscal on sellers, manufacturers and suppliers of food products here for violating safety norms and selling substandard products.
"Fine of Rs 26 lakh has been levied in eight cases of substandard food or violation of regulations recently. So far Rs 2.18 crore fine has been imposed in the current financial year 2015-16," additional district magistrate Chandra Shekar said today.
Items that have come under the scanner of food safety officials included paneer, chilli sauce, gulab jamun among others.
A case was registered following complaint of sale of substandard paneer in the district. Also samples of chilli sauce and paneer taken from a restaurant in sector 26 were also found to be substandard. Rs 4.25 lakh each has been imposed in these two cases, the ADM said.
Rs 3.25 lakh was imposed on pan masala vendor, supplier and manufacturer for violations of the regulations. Rs 4.25 lakh was fined on peanut butter company for violation of regulations. In other cases Rs 2.25 lakh was imposed for substandard gulab jamun and Rs 1.25 lakh for substandard paneer

Rail Neer: HC for commuters’ right to choice

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said there should be no compromise on the quality of drinking water sold at railway stations and commuters should be able to buy brands of their choice.
A Division Bench of Justices Naresh Patil and M.S. Sonak was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by Lopesh Vohra.
Freedom curtailed
The plea petition said commuters could not exercise freedom of choice owing to a circular issued by railway authorities directing contractors and caterers to put up stalls selling Rail Neer — the packaged drinking water manufactured and supplied by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The PIL also questioned Rail Neer’s quality and stated that the water, available only in 750 ml and one litre bottles, was substandard and contaminated and did not follow safety norms laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authorities of India. Advocate Rui Rodrigues, appearing for the petitioner, said non-availability of other drinking water brands posed a problem to commuters. Mr Rodrigues said at Mumbai Central railway station only Rail Neer was being sold.
Advocate Usha Srivastava, representing IRCTC, said, “This practice is seen only in places where there are water plants. The Railways is facing gross loss as Rail Neer bottles are lying unused at godowns.”
She said measures were in place to ensure quality control and commuters always had the option of buying water from outlets outside the station.
However, the Bench said, “If food of different brands and varieties are available at railway stations then why not water? If the Railways’ contention is that IRCTC is facing loss, then a complimentary bottle of Rail Neer should be offered with each ticket to encourage people to buy it.”
The Bench also observed that water was a basic necessity and quality control inspectors had to get their act together.
The court suggested the authority to manufacture 500 ml bottles, which would be handy for commuters. The matter has been adjourned for four weeks.

If you can allow outside food, why not water? HC asks railways

Jan 6, 2016, MUMBAI: Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation to reply to a public interest litigation challenging the sale of only Rail Neer packaged drinking water at stations and on trains.
A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice M S Sonak heard the PIL filed by Lopesh Vora, a regular commuter, urging direction to the Railways and its subsidiary , IRCTC, to provide packaged drinking water of other brands also.
Vora's advocates Rui Rodrigues and Abhishek Tripathi argued that it is "a consumer's right of choice to drinking water" under Article 21 (Right to Equality) of the Constitution. They pointed out that there is an issue of quantity as well as quality. They explained that only 1 litre bottles are being sold instead of 500 ml. Also, tests done by an independent laboratory in Gujarat:showed the water is "sub-standard " and did not conform to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India norms.
IRCTC's advocate Usha Srivastava said the decision to keep only keep one brand of packaged water was because Rail Neer " was not being lifted " and it resulted in a huge loss. She said currently it is available in four zones having bottling plants and not at all places. " We are not preventing people from carrying their own water as done on planes," she added.

Additives are OK, excess is harmful

Hyderabad: About 12,000 food additives are allowed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India as they are in accordance with the acceptable daily intake. However, they have to be used within certain limits and consumers should read labels carefully before consuming these products.
This process has been scientifically carried out over the last year, as Indian consumers are now opting for ready-to-eat, preserved foods and also foods with additional nutrient values for health benefits. Biscuits with fiber, oats with added multigrain, gluten free, steel cut oats and food with less sugar for diabetics require added ingredients to preserve them during packaging and transportation till it reaches the consumer.
The growing food industry needed streamlining of these additives, state experts. A senior scientist with the National Institute of Nutrition said, “An additive like the flavour enhancer MSG is added to give food the ‘lip smacking’ taste. But it has to be regulated and used in controlled levels. To ensure that the proper standards are set, FSSAI took up this massive exercise and brought the levels at par with global standards.” In doing so, they have ensured that food processors preserve the nutritional quality of the food and do not reduce it with additives.
Nutritionist Sujatha Stephen with Maxcure Hospitals said, “An additive is also used to add an item in the normal diet which may not be a part of it. But is it really required for the consumer is a point that they must be aware of. At the same time, a healthy adult has to opt for natural foods. Ready-to-eat foods can be opted for once in a while. But if it is a regular affair than they are adding more synthetic food to diet which is not good.”
The literate too ignore food labels
People hardly read the labels while buying off-the-shelves food. In a recent workshop carried out by a city nutritionist, it was revealed that hardly anyone followed the habit. Most people believe what their friends, colleagues or neighbours certify about a product rather than evaluate it themselves.
Nutritionist Sunitha Premlatha with Yashoda Hospitals said, “Reading the labels helps one to scientifically understand what is in the product and whether one actually needs it. It takes time and a bit of self-learning but in the long run people benefit by understanding their food better. “Presently, it is not being followed and people only choose based on their experience with the product.
The major nutrient which many young healthy adults and teenagers are missing out on is fiber whose requirements are not being met due to eating these processed foods on a daily basis.” An adult requires 40 gm of fiber per day but that is not adequately met. Similarly intake of sugar has to be 25 gm, or 6 teaspoons per day, but many people exceed the limit.”

GREENS SAFE AMID RESIDUAL FEAR

Pesticide residue found in condiments

Nothing like a dash of masala or spice to lend that extra flavour to your favourite dish. But if the latest report of the Pesticide Residue Analysis Laboratory under Kerala Agricultural Laboratory is anything to go by, spicing up a curry may not be a good idea for the health conscious.
While two of the five samples of cardamom collected from the open market between July and September had pesticide residue above the maximum residue level (MRL) prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), oregano, dry chilli, chilly powder, crushed chilly, cumin powder, cumin, cumin powder, curry masala, fennel, fennel powder, Kashmiri chilly powder, rasam powder and tea were found to contain pesticide below MRL or pesticides without prescribed limits.
Of the 31 spices, condiments and processed foods tested, 18 were found to be of safe-to-eat quality.
Traces of ethion
While the two samples of cardamom had residue of quinalphos, an organothiophosphate chemical, tea was found to contain traces of ethion. The other contaminated condiments had residues of pesticides including profenofos, chlorpyrifos, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, bifenthrin and cyfluthrin.
Vegetables
Of the 48 types of vegetables tested, only curry leaf had pesticide residue above the prescribed limit while samples of green chilly and mint leaf had traces below MRL or pesticides without prescribed MRL.
The samples were collected from outlets in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Kasaragod districts.
Samples of all the 16 types of fruits collected from across the state tested negative for pesticide residue.
Of the four dry fruits tested, only two samples of raisins contained pesticides below MRL.
None of the six processed foods tested positive for pesticide residue.
Experts however point out that the report masks the real picture of pesticide safety because of the failure to prescribe MRL for most pesticides that are abundantly used by farmers, especially on vegetables imported from neighbouring states.
Codex standards
In the absence of MRL approved by FSSAI, scientists under the pesticide residue monitoring project had relied on EU and Codex standards to evaluate samples, a practice that was later dropped on directions from ICAR.
Most vegetables safe to eat

Pesticide safety hit by lack of standards

FSSAI yet to prescribe maximum residue level for various vegetables
The failure to prescribe safety standards for the use of pesticides on various crops has made a mockery of the government-sponsored scheme for periodic monitoring of vegetables, fruits and food products for pesticide residue.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has not prescribed the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) of various pesticides for chilli, curry leaf, amaranthus, coriander leaf, mint and capsicum, items for which Kerala largely relies on neighbouring States.
Evaluation
The MRL is fixed on the basis of a rigorous evaluation test of each pesticide approved by the Central Insecticide Board.
It is an indicator of the correct use of pesticides and ensures compliance with legal requirements for low residues on unprocessed food.
According to Thomas Biju Mathew, Head, Pesticide Residue Laboratory, the delay in fixing MRL had led to the continued use of unapproved pesticides by farmers for over two decades, impacting on public health.
To understand the health hazards caused by pesticide residue, it is absolutely essential to have MRL values for various pesticide-commodity combinations.
Database
The European Union has a comprehensive database of pesticide-commodity combinations covering even the dietary habits of immigrant communities.
It has MRL standards for pesticides used on amaranthus, largely used by Malayali immigrants.

Food safety department collects Rs 2.18 crore fine from violators

NOIDA: The district food safety department has collected a total of Rs 2.18 crore as fines from different manufactures of food and beverage products for selling adulterated items to consumers in 2015. The department also fined Rs 3.25 lakh to the manufacturer and seller of a smokeless tobacco product in Sector 58.
S N Singh, district food safety officer, said that the officials had collected a tobacco product from Rinku Store. "The lab tests revealed harmful elements in the tobacco products which is violation of the food safety rule. The manufacturer of the product was fined Rs 3 lakh while the seller has been asked to pay Rs 25 thousand," he said.
In the last financial year the department conducted checking at different stalls, manufacturing outlets, hotels and restaurants and took 369 samples of suspicious food items for lab test. "We sent these samples for checking in a government lab in Lucknow. The lab report revealed that 156 products had failed in quality tests. We filed cases against the manufacturers and sellers of these products. The court ordered the violators to pay fine for selling adulterated food items," Singh said.

Paper box chemicals are no longer considered safe for food contact: FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has announced it plans to publish a final ruling banning three chemicals used in pizza boxes and other food packaging.
In response to a petition filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Center for Food Safety, the Breast Cancer Fund, the Center for Environmental Health, Clean Water Action, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Children’s Environmental Health Network, Environmental Working Group, and Improving Kids’ Environment, the FDA said it has planned to ban three specific perfluoroalkyl ethyl types.
Perfluoroalkyl ethyl is a chemical used in food contact substances, that acts as an oil and water repellent for paper and paper boards, which comes in contact with oily and fatty foods. New data is available that shows the toxicity of chemicals similar to these compounds that demonstrate there is no longer a reasonable certainty of no harm from the food-contact use of these FCSs, as per sources.
Erik Olsen, director of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) health program, had praised the FDA action on this issue stating, “The FDA’s ban is an important first step but just a first step towards improving the safety of our food supply. Now it should act on our petition to ban the seven other chemicals we believe and government agencies such as the toxicology program at the National Institutes of Health have found to cause cancer,”.
The USFDA says the the final rule will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, while the process also involves filing of objections and demands for a public hearing.

'Carcinogens now even in samples considered safest': Maneka Gandhi advises against drinking milk

By Maneka Sanjay Gandhi
How many of us know what is being fed to animals that give us milk? It is time we did because lack on control over what they are fed is turning milk toxic in India.
In September, scientists at the government Central Food Toxicology Research detected cancer-causing fungal toxins exceeding safety limits in samples of ultra-high-temperature (UHT) processed milk- milk considered to be extremely sterile and pure. UHT milk is usually sold in tetrapacks as a shelf-stable product that needs no refrigeration until opened.
The poisonous compound called aflatoxin M1 was found in 20 per cent of the samples of UHT (Ultra High Temperature processed) milk they examined. Samples were collected from all over India. They found aflatoxin M1 levels exceeding limits imposed by India's Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) also in six out of 45 samples of raw milk and in three out of seven samples of pasteurised milk. The raw and pasteurised milk was collected from milk suppliers across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Their findings have appeared in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology.
Since the late 1990s, reports of aflatoxins in milk have emerged from Thrissur in Kerala and Anand in Gujarat. Biochemists at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Lucknow had detected very high aflatoxin levels in samples of infant milk food, milk-based weaning cereals and liquid milk in 2004.
More than forty years later, the dairy industry in India – that relies on milk supplies from livestock – does not test samples for aflatoxin before they pool the milk for industry-level processing.

There are no pastures left in this country and cows/buffalos graze on the roadsides and on dirty human trodden grass. All green fodder grown for animals is grown with pesticides. Nobody knows what they eat.
High levels of aflatoxins in livestock feed such as maize residue and peanut cake seem to be the reason for the toxins in milk. This is not the first time that warnings have been given to the livestock sector. In north-west India in 1974, thousands of cattle died after eating mouldy maize with extremely high aflatoxin levels (ranging from 6250 to 15,600 mg/kg).
Aflatoxin-producing members of Aspergillus — a family of harmful fungi — are common and widespread in nature. They can colonize and contaminate grain before harvest or during storage. Host crops, which include maize, sorghum, and groundnuts, are particularly susceptible to infection by Aspergillus following prolonged exposure to a high-humidity environment, or damage from stressful conditions such as drought. Humidity, moisture, and poor storage conditions contribute to the growth of fungi and aflatoxins in livestock feed.
Researchers have reported high values “up to 3,300 micrograms per kg” of the fungal toxin aflatoxin B1 in livestock feed. Aflatoxin B1 is metabolised by animals and converted into aflatoxin M1, which is secreted in milk. Aflatoxins are also sometimes found in eggs and meat when animals are fed contaminated grains.
Since studies show that these aflatoxins are resistant to heat treatment, the object should be to reduce their intake. But while most developed countries have set maximum permissible limits for aflatoxin levels in livestock feed, no such mandatory limits exist for livestock fodder in India. The limit for aflatoxins in milk set by the European Commission is “0.05 microgram per kg.” 90 per cent of our milk is higher than this.
In 2006 FSSAI imposed 0.5 microgram per kg limit on milk in India - 10 times higher than the EC limit. Even that is lower than what is currently found.
Recent studies conducted by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in South India revealed that aflatoxin levels were as high as 40 times the permissible limit. In a study published in the journal Food Control, researchers found that over 90% of the milk samples used in the study contained aflatoxin M1 levels. In these studies, contamination of milk was found to be high in both rural and urban areas, across a cross section of the population. Children were found to be most susceptible to the adverse health effects of these toxins.
At least 14 different types of aflatoxin are produced in nature. These are among the most potent of carcinogens that cause more than 90,000 cases of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer each year.
Consumption of aflatoxins can also lead to vomiting, abdominal pain, liver damage, convulsions, kidney, liver and heart disease, and in extreme cases, coma and death. Long-term aflatoxin poisoning in cattle leads to decrease in growth rate, lowered milk production and immune suppression. Some experiments have also shown high incidence of hepatitis B infection where dietary exposure to aflatoxins was prevalent.
Aflatoxins are strongly associated with stunting and immune suppression in children. In a 2015 study published by the Mitigating Aflatoxin Consumption for Improving Child Growth, researchers established a relationship between aflatoxin exposure and linear child growth.
Animals suffering from chronic aflatoxin poisoning exhibit various symptoms. But in our country where vets are like hair on a near balding head, who is interpreting these symptoms?
Remember that if UHT milk, which means milk that has been pasteurized at very high temperatures, cannot remove the fungus, it is better not to drink the stuff at all.
To join the animal welfare movement contact gandhim@nic.in, www.peopleforanimalsindia.org

நோய் பாதித்த ஆடுகள் இறைச்சியாக விற்பனை கண்டுகொள்ளாத அதிகாரிகள்

திரு வள் ளூர், ஜன.6:
திரு வள் ளூர் மாவட் டத் தில் ஆட் டி றைச் சி யில் கலப் ப டம், நோய் பாதித்த ஆடு களை வெட் டிக் இறைச் சி யாக விற் பனை செய் வ தால் நோய் க ளுக்கு பெரும் வாய்ப்பு உள் ளது.
பொது வாக வார விடு முறை, பண் டிகை நாட் க ளில் ஆட் டி றைச்சி விற் பனை அதி க மாக இருக் கும். சுகா தா ர மான முறை யில் வெட் டு தல், கலப் ப டம் இல் லா தது போன் ற வற் றிற் காக அசைவ பிரி யர் கள், பல மணி நேரம் காத் தி ருந்து கறி வாங்கி செல் வர். சுகா தா ரம், கலப் ப டம் தவிர்ப்பு என் பது அந் தந்த உள் ளாட்சி அமைப் பு க ளின் கட் டுப் பாட் டில் வரு கி றது.
இறைச் சிக் காக வெட்ட உள்ள ஆடு களை பரி சோ தித்து சுகா தார அதி கா ரி கள் சீல் வைக்க வேண் டும். அதற் கென ஆடு வெட் டும் கூடம் அமைத்து அங்கு வெட் டப் பட்ட ஆட் டுக் க றி களை தான் விற் பனை செய் ய வேண் டும் என் பது தான் முறை. முதல் நாள் விற் ப னை யில் மீத முள் ள வற்றை மறு நாள் விற் கக் கூ டாது. ஆனால் இதை பலர் பின் பற் று வ தில்லை. உள் ளாட்சி அமைப் பு க ளும் கண் டு கொள் வ தில்லை.
இறைச் சி யில் கலப் ப டத்தை தவிர்க்க உண வு பொ ருள் கலப் பட தடுப்பு பிரிவு உள் ளது. மாவட்ட அள வி லான அதி கா ரி கள் நட வ டிக்கை எடுப் பது அரி தான விஷ ய மாக உள் ளது. ஆடு வெட் டும் கூடம் செயல் ப டா த தால் மெயின் ரோடு, குப்பை நிறைந்த பகுதி, நீர் பி டிப்பு பகுதி அருகே ஆடு களை வெட்டி இறைச்சி விற் பனை நடக் கி றது.
இத னால் இங்கு சுகா தா ரம் கேள் விக் கு றி யாக உள் ளது. மேலும் கழி வு களை அங் கேயே கொட் டி விட்டு செல் கின் ற னர். இதை நாய், கோழி, பன் றி கள் கிள றும் போது துர் நாற்ற பிரச்னை ஏற் ப டு கி றது.
மேலும், நோய் வாய்ப் பட்ட ஆடு க ளின் இறைச் சியை கலந்து, குறைந்த விலை யில் விற்க வாய்ப்பு உள் ளது. சிறு வர் கள் இறைச் சி யை யும், முதி ய வர் கள் சூப் போன் ற வற் றை யும் விரும்பி சாப் பி டு வ தால் பல் வேறு நோய் பிரச் னை களை சந் திக்க நேரி டு கி றது என மக் கள் கூறு கின் ற னர்.
இது கு றித்து மக் கள் கூறு கை யில், ‘நீல நாக்கு நோய், கோமாரி நோய் போன் ற வை க ளால் ஆடு கள் பாதிக் கின் றன.
கிரா மங் க ளில் விழிப் பு ணர்வு இல் லா த தால் நோய் பாதித்த ஆடு களை வெட்டி சாப் பி டும் நிலை உள் ளது. நக ரங் க ளில் மெயின் ரோடு அருகே ஆடு களை வெட்டி உறுப் பு களை தொங்க விடு கின் ற னர்.
சாலை யில் வாக னங் கள் செல் லும் போது ஏற் ப டும் தூசி, மணல் ஆகி யவை தொங் க வி டப் பட் டுள்ள இறைச் சி யில் படி கி றது. இதை நன் றாக சுத் தம் செய் யா மல் சாப் பிட் டால் நோய் ஏற் ப டும் நிலை உள் ளது. ஆடு வதை கூடங் களை நவீ னப் ப டுத்தி ஆடு கள் சுகா தார முறைப் படி வெட் டப் பட்டு விற் ப னைக்கு செல் கி ற தா? என் பதை சுகா தார அதி கா ரி கள் கண் கா ணிக் க வேண் டும். அதி கா ரி கள் அலட் சி யம் செய் தால் மக் க ளின் சுகா தா ரம் கேள் விக் குறி தான்’ என் ற னர்.
எனவே, ஆடு வதை கூடங் களை முறைப் படி செயல் ப டுத்த சுகா தா ரத் துறை அதி கா ரி கள் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் க வேண் டும். மேலும், மாவட்ட உணவு பொருள் கலப் பட தடுப்பு பிரி வி ன ரும் இதை கண் கா ணிக்க வேண் டும் என மக் கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத் துள் ள னர்.

தரமில்லா உணவு பொருட்களால் பாதயாத்திரை பக்தர்கள் பாதிப்பு: இட்லி ஒன்று ரூ.10

பழநி,:தைப்பூச விழாவை முன்னிட்டு, பழநியில் பாதயாத்திரை பக்தர்களுக்கு தரமில்லாத உணவு பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்கின்றனர்.தைப்பூச விழாவை முன்னிட்டு, பழநி கோயிலுக்கு மதுரை, காரைக்குடி, ராமநாதபுரம், விருதுநகர், திருச்சி, கரூர், தாராபுரம்,கோவை உட்பட வெளியூர்களில் இருந்து பக்தர்கள் பாதயாத்திரையாக வந்த வண்ணம் உள்ளனர். இதன்
காரணமாக ரோட்டோரங்களில் திடீர் ஓட்டல், டீ மற்றும் ஜூஸ் கடைகள் துவக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.பல கடைகள் ஒருமுறை பயன்படுத்திய எண்ணெயை மீண்டும், மீண்டும் பயன்படுத்தி பலகாரங்கள் தயார் செய்கின்றன. விற்காத முதல்நாள் உணவு பொருட்களை சுட வைத்து பக்தர்களிடம் விற்கின்றனர். மலைக்கோயில் கிரிவீதிகள், இடும்பன் கோயில் ரோடு, பூங்கா ரோடு, அய்யம்புள்ளி ரோடு
களிலும் தற்காலிக உணப்பொருள் விற்பனை கடைகள் அதிகரித்துஉள்ளன.விலை உயர்வுபாதயாத்திரை பக்தர்கள் வருகை அதிகரிப்பால், உணவு பொருட்களின் விலையும் கணிசமாக
உயர்ந்துள்ளது. டீ ரூ.10, இட்லி ரூ.10, தோசை ரூ.30, சாப்பாடு ரூ.50 முதல் ரூ.110 வரை ஓட்டல்களின் ஆடம்பரத்திற்கு ஏற்ப விற்கின்றனர். இதன்காரணமாக குடும்பத்துடன் வரும் நடுத்தர, ஏழைமக்கள் தள்ளுவண்டி, தரைக்கடைகளில் தரமில்லாத
உணவு பொருட்களை உண்ணும் நிர்ப்பந்தம் ஏற்படுகிறது.பழநியில் உணவு பொருட்களை சோதனை செய்து, முறைகேடான விற்பனையாளர் மீது உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்.

Raids show K’taka units processing ginger with sulphur, calcium hypochlorite

Ginger, an aromatic spice with wide-ranging culinary use, is reportedly being processed using chemicals like calcium hypochlorite and sulphur in some parts of the country.
Raids conducted recently on ginger processing units in Ayanur and Ripponpet areas of Shimoga district of Karnataka were found using chemicals in order to give the spice a yellowish tint and erase the dark spots on it. This is done to make the ginger rootstock attractive and command good prices.
With regard to the raids, C R Srinivasa Gowda, joint director, State Public Health Institute, Bangalore, explained, “We had received consumer complaints earlier. Some of our officers were suspecting bleaching agents being used in ginger processing units. Later, our district food safety officers (designated officers) went on to inspect ginger processing units in Ayanur and Ripponpet in Shimoga district. The whole vegetable, ginger was whitened using bleaching agents like calcium hypochlorite and sulphur.”
Gowda added, “We have seized sulphur and bleaching agents from the units. Our designated officers are on a search of processing units to ensure safe processing of ginger.” The quantity of seized sulphur was 100 kg.
He pointed out, “Three samples of the processed ginger from the processing units are sent to Bengaluru-based laboratory for tests. The results are expected to arrive in a month.”
Further, Gowda stated, “If the results are positive and usage of aforementioned chemicals in ginger processing is proved then an all-state inspection regime will be conducted to wipe out the usage of chemicals to attain appealing colour to the processed ginger.”
The designated officers have been asked to conduct regular checks at the units to unearth such malpractices since ginger cultivation doubled in the area in the past seven years.
It may be noted that many consumers in Shimoga district are facing issues regarding breathing and some have reportedly developed allergies. The usage of sulphur in processing is said to have contaminated the nearby water bodies making the situation worse. Following this, people in the vicinity lodged a complaint with the department of health and family welfare. Based on the complaint, designated officers conducted raids.
A source close to department of health and family welfare, stated, “One of the possible reasons for using chemicals is discoloured ginger in the market fetches low prices. Harmful chemicals like calcium hypochlorite are used in the processing to cease discolouring, ripening and rotting of ginger.”

Rajkot civic body collects samples of Patanjali ghee, noodles, biscuits

The food department of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has collected samples of some Patanjali products and sent them to laboratory for testing.
“We have collected random samples from the market in the RMC area. Samples of Patanjali's products like ghee, atta noodles and biscuits were collected on December 29, 2015, and those of chilli powder, son papdi and besan on December 30, 2015. These samples were sent to the Food and Drugs Laboratory, Nizampura, Vadodara,” informed A N Panchal, food safety officer, food department, Rajkot Municipal Corporation.
“The inspection results should arrive in 40 days as per the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act in practice. As and when the inspections will occur, the products will be sent to the Vadodara lab in this winter season,” stated Panchal, explaining the winter inspection drive.
The food department will be on an inspection regime of ghee and edible oils in the coming days.
“We have taken similar product samples of noodles, ghee, edible oils and sweets under our regular inspection regime,” informed Panchal.
“We conduct such inspection regimes every year. Last year, Patanjali samples met the standards,” added Panchal.
Panchal pointed out that some local sweet manufacturers will also be raided soon.

Hindustan Coca-Cola among food companies fined for selling sub standard items

Srinagar: Tightening noose on food companies selling sub standard and misbranded item, the Food Safety officials in Baramulla have imposed heavy fine on Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and Divine Crops and allied products.
Assistant Commissioner Food Safety, Baramulla told a local news gathering agency, KNS, that under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, a total fine of Rs 990000 was imposed on M/S Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd industrial estates Gangyal, Jammu, M/S Divine Crops and allied products Pvt Ltd and other companies for selling sub standard and misbranded items to people.
“The food operators were fined as they were involved in the sale, distribution and manufacturing of sub-standard and misbranded products in their stores, which is the violation of section 26 (2) of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006,” Iqbal said.
He said, “21 complaints were registered under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 by the Food Safety administration district Baramulla and Drug and Food control organization Jammu and Kashmir.”
The officer has warned the Food Business operators of strict action for violating food safety laws.

Easier norms for import of food items soon

NEW DELHI: The new year heralds good news for food lovers. For faster clearance of imported food products, including supplements and nutraceuticals, the government has decided to waive off sampling from consignments of general food products at ports, airports and other points of entry. Instead, only risk-based sampling will be done to ascertain compliance.
The move is in line with international standards aimed at easing trade between countries by awarding speedier clearances to products that do not involve serious health concerns, while focusing on specific items which are identified on the basis of "pre-defined risk parameters", as specified by food and drug regulatory agencies. The customs department could then introduce these parameters into its own system to draw random samples at ports, while immediately clearing those that do not raise an alarm.
"...after detailed consultations, it has been decided that amongst others, it is possible to reduce the time taken for clearance of imported consignments by adopting a risk-based criteria for clearance of such consignments in place of samples being drawn from each consignment," said a recent order of the health ministry.
However, the order will come into effect from March 1 as the customs department will put in place a specific software to identify products with potential risk.
According to a senior official in the ministry, products which are imported regularly by importers of established reputation with a credible record are likely to get faster clearances under the new system.
The move is in line with the government's resolve to launch single-window clearance for all imports by March. The customs department has already started clearing textiles from countries like the US and EU, with prohibited use of harmful azo dyes, without testing at ports. It is planning risk based testing for imports from nations that are known to use azo dyes.
The health ministry's rule will be applicable for both export and import of food products and drugs that require clearance from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and Drugs Controller General of India.
Food importers and pharmaceutical companies, particularly those selling supplements and nutraceuticals, have been pushing for faster clearances for a long time. Premium chocolates, dairy products such as cheese and various fruits and dry fruits were often held back at ports by customs for days for sampling and checking. Companies allege that such delays in clearances lead to huge loses as shelf life of the products get exhausted and sometimes they are even spoiled.
The latest move also assumes significance because consumption of imported premium products including chocolates and gourmet based products is increasing tremendously.

Mysuru scientists develop anti-obesity oil

In what is described as a major innovation, CFTRI has developed an anti-obesity edible oil (diacylglycerol oil).
CFTRI has claimed that it was a healthy vegetable oil prepared from sunflower oil.
In addition to maintaining healthy bodyweight, the oil provides energy and does not store as fat, according to the institute. CFTRI Director Ram Rajashekaran claimed that it was “one of its kind in the world” as a similar product developed in the past by a foreign country had to be withdrawn over the issue of “food safety”.