Food biz owners conceal turnover to skip licence

Agra: Food Safety Drug Administration (FSDA) officials have found during random checking that several food business operators have concealed their actual income and are operating by merely registering themselves instead of procuring a licence. FSDA officials have asked these shopkeepers to get the licence as soon as possible or else a penalty would be imposed on them.
FSDA conducted random checking after receiving complaints that food business were operating in different parts of the district without a licence. As many as 40 food shops in Daresi and nearby areas in the city were found to be operating on the basis of a registration in place of a licence and 60 shops were found violating the regulation in areas located in Bah, Kiraoli, Etmadpur, Kheragarh and Fatehpur Sikri.
FSDA designated officer Ram Naresh Yadav told TOI, "Getting a registration in place of a licence is a theft of revenue. Violation of Food Safety and Standards (Licencing and Registration of Food Businesses) can be penalized Rs 2 lakh. According to an estimate, there are around 1,000 such shops in the district which are operating without a licence. Special teams has been constituted to investigate these businesses."
According to sources, even "petty food manufacturers" are governed by the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011. A "petty food manufacturer" is one who manufactures or sells any article of food himself or is a petty retailer, hawker, itinerant vendor or temporary stall holder, or distributes food except a caterer.
Under the norms, since August 2011, if the annual turnover of a food business does not exceed Rs 12 lakh per annum, then a Rs 100 registration is required. In case, the turnover is more than Rs 12 lakh per annum, the food operator must have a licence from FSDA by paying Rs 2,000 rupees as annual fee in order to conduct his business. The licence can be for a minimum period of one year to a maximum of five years. Shopkeepers have to apply online and submit a fee by a challan, after which the licence is issued by the department.

Is best-before date a necessary evil?

QUESTION OF CHOICE: At least some shoppers may be tempted to buy products past their sell-by date if no new batches of them are on the shelves.
The best-before date on the label misguides even the discerning customer.
A popular brand of table salt from a leading manufacturer has a label which indicates it should be used within 24 months of packaging. Does it imply that salt would go bad after two years? Salt is obtained by the process of evaporation of seawater, which has been in existence for eons. Do our processing methods make it unsuitable for human consumption after 24 months? Gingelly and mustard oils have been used by our mothers and grandmothers to prepare pickles which used to keep its quality for years. Why, even packages of our staple grain of rice have labels indicating best-before 24 months of packaging. Does rice become unfit for human consumption after being stored for two years? There are umpteen examples of food items which have dubious labelling which misguide the discerning consumer.
Nowadays, the so-called supermarkets and super stores sell grocery items in colourful polyethylene or polypropylene packets with information on nutrition, batch number, date of packaging and best before or use. What happens to these items that have overstayed on the supermarket shelves beyond the best-before date? Are they thrown away? Do these items really reach a state unfit for human consumption after the best-before date? Such information may be mandatory in advanced countries where supermarket shelves are packed with a variety of processed food items. There is growing concern in the advanced countries also about increasing amounts of food waste and the rising cost of these items mainly due to shoppers buying more than they need, lack of clarity around storage and labelling and over-estimating the quantities required for regular use. Many of the items are thrown away. In our country, the market for processed foods is relatively small. However, with the size of the urban population growing and young professionals getting fat salary cheques, they needlessly stock up on items that they will never use.
It is estimated that about 1.3 billion tonnes of food, about a third of all that is produced, is wasted globally. About 45 per cent of fruit and vegetables, 35 per cent of seafood, 30 per cent of cereals, 20 per cent of dairy products and 20 per cent of meat are so wasted.
The precursor to the concept of best-before date for a product was in the form of sell-by date introduced by Marks and Spencer of London in the 1970s mainly as a stock control measure to ensure a respectable turnover of products on its shelves. Gradually, sell-by-date or best-before dates have come to be assumed by consumers as a guarantee for food safety. Most of us have no idea how long a certain item of food might last in the natural course of events; we unthinkingly throw away good food because they have crossed the best-before date as mentioned on the label. Once we read the best-before date on a product and find that it has passed that date, we do not have the stomach to consume it. This results in unnecessarily wasting of a product. The very idea of the best-before or sell-by date meant for stock management in the supermarkets has inadvertently turned into a standard by which the consumer chooses to consume or throw away a product. We tend to implicitly believe in the labels printed on the packaged product.
The terms best-before or use-by date have somehow come to haunt us with surprising strength, though these are not based on recommendations of experts or certified by testing agencies. The manufacturers benefit by selling more of their products with the high-sounding concept of freshness and safety. Frozen poultry or thawed and chopped onions imported from a foreign country several months ago could be packed in an attractive modified atmosphere packaging to extend the shelf life and endow these ‘old’ items with fresh-like quality, which would be good for a fortnight after packing. This is indeed an anomaly.

Food During Pongala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Food Safety Department has asked individuals and organisations to obtain registration from the department for supplying food to Attukal Pongala devotees. Devotees, voluntary organisations, traders’ organisations, residents’ associations, labour unions and temporary traders should obtain licence to supply food to pilgrims.
The last date for taking registration is February 15. The department officials said online applications can be filed for getting registration. They can be submitted through Akshaya centres by producing a photo identity card, a passport-size photo and Rs 100 as registration fees.
For details, contact over 0471-2570499, 8943346582. Officials said strict action will be taken against unauthorised distribution of food items to the pilgrims.

For safe food during Attukal festival

The Commissionerate of Food Safety has made mandatory the registration of devotees, voluntary organisations, commercial establishments, residents associations and labour unions for providing ‘annadanam’ at the Pongala festival at the Attukal Bhagavathy temple.
A deadline of February 15 has been set for the purpose.
Further details can be obtained by contacting 0471 – 2570499 or 8943346582.

100 hospitalized after consuming adulterated food

INDORE: At least 100 people took ill after consuming adulterated food on Monday at a marriage function in Khajrana area following which district collector ordered magisterial inquiry into the matter.
Soon after consuming adulterated food including fish, mutton and halwa, one after other guests started vomiting and reported other health complications.
Later, patients were rushed to nearest private hospitals. All patients are reportedly stable. District chief medical and health officer Dr S L Porwal said, "During a function, guests had consumed adulterated food items that caused food poisoning. Patients are now stable."
Food safety officers reached the spot to take food samples that could have triggered food poisoning.

China court fines OSI, jails employees over food safety scandal

SHANGHAI, Feb 1 : A Chinese court has fined two domestic units of US food supplier OSI Group up to 2.4 million yuan (364,875 dollars) and handed prison sentences to 10 of its employees over allegations it reused returned food products to avoid losses.
The verdict marks the end of a long-running probe into OSI after a safety scandal in 2014 that hit fast-food giants it supplied – McDonald’s Corp and Yum Brands Inc, owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell in China.
The Shanghai Jiading People’s Court said in a statement on Monday that Yang Liqun, a general manager at OSI China, would be sentenced to three years in prison and deported.
It wasn’t clear whether Yang, who the court said was an Australian citizen, would serve jail time in China. The Australian embassy in China had no immediate comment.
OSI has criticised the handling of its case by the local food regulator – a rare act in China, where foreign firms steer clear of any public criticism of the authorities.
It said today that the verdict, which follows a December trial behind closed doors, was unjust.
“The verdict is inconsistent with the facts and evidence that were presented in the court proceedings,” it said in a statement. “As such, OSI is forced to consider an appeal through all legal channels in order to eventually be granted a just, evidencebased verdict as merited by the facts of the case.” The court statement said Yang and other workers at OSI’s China units had reused products from returned or cancelled orders, meaning some unapproved products had entered the market.
Nine other people in the case would be given shorter jail terms and would have to pay fines. Four of the nine would have their jail sentences suspended, it said.
The court added the punishments were relatively lenient because the defendants had cooperated.
China is trying to clean up its reputation for food safety scandals, which range from recycled “gutter oil” and “zombie meat” – smuggled frozen meat years beyond its expiry date – to crops tainted with heavy metals. Senior Chinese leaders have said food safety in the country remained “grim”.
The scandal dragged down sales at McDonald’s and rival Yum in China after a Chinese TV report in July 2014 alleged to show workers at a Shanghai unit of OSI using out-of-date meat and doctoring production dates.
A senior executive for OSI in China told the official Xinhua news agency last July the scandal had cost the firm close to a billion dollars in lost revenue.

Unsafe water packaging units to stay closed: NGT

Chennai:

The water packaging units declared unsafe in the state will continue to down shutters said the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal stating its earlier interim order regarding the units will remain unchanged. The NGT, had suo motu, taken up a petition to assess the safety of drinking water in the packaging units in 2013.

An association comprising 867 packaged drinking water units was made a party in the matter. The units were assessed for their location in the critical over-exploited, semi-critical and safe groundwater areas. Around 570 units in safe blocks were allowed to operate.

Another set of 33 units under the Metrowater jurisdiction, in semi-critical areas, were also permitted, pending a `no objection' certificate from the water agency for extraction of groundwater. The tribunal directed Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCN) to close down around 252 water units.

On Friday , special government pleader for the PWD and water resource organization Abdul Saleem appeared and argued the case. The tribunal then said there were three categories of the units on the basis of NGT's earlier interim order.Those denied permission, the ones shut down, were allowed electricity connection only to maintain their equipment and units with clearance. The water units with clearance had to abide by the conditions of PWD along with continuing operations for a limited number of hours. The clearance was provided “in view of the need of the public and also the employees' of the units whose livelihood depends on it,“ the tribunal said.

Meanwhile, a petition challenging GO No. 40, which classified the groundwater in the state in the three categories, was pending in the Madras high court. The interim orders of the NGT would continue, pending verdict of the high court, said the tribunal.

It also directed the TNPCB chairman to ask all District Environmental Engineers (DEEs) to monitor the units and ensure strict compliance with the order.

CMHOs to be trained on provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act

BHOPAL : The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is going to organise a three-day training workshop for chief medical and health officers (CMHO) by the end of this month. The FDA is holding the training after a span of three years to inform the details of the Food and Security Act 2006 to the CMHOs.

The joint controller of food and drugs, Pramod Shukla said the department has planned to organise the training session for the CMHOs of all 51 districts of the state. Technically, these CMHOs are the designated officers working for the FDA. The training session will be held in RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration & Management from February 24 to 26.

Shukla said that in the training, the officers will be trained on how to use the Food and Drug Act, 2006 including the rules and regulations of 2011. The Act was enforced from August 5, 2011. Earlier, the last training session for CMHOs was conducted in April 2012. This time in the training they will be trained about the new provisions made in the act.

They will be trained about the function, duties and the responsibilities of food safety regulators, inspections and reports, licensing and registration, online licensing, action on non compliance, sampling of food, packaging and labelling requirements, hygiene and sanitary requirements, food alerts, traceability and product recall and food safety management system.

He added that after the training these officer would have a sound knowledge of the new provisions of the Act and their workability will improve. In present scenario the food industry is growing rapidly, the departmental preparation including technically and academically strong officer can improve the food industry work.

Food safety not a concern for GHMC poll candidates

HYDERABAD: The year 2015 was a year which left the hapless denizens of the city with no alternative but to consume unsafe foods and fruits.

However, in the wake of the upcoming elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), every political banner has come out with a manifesto, which they have dubbed as a peoples' manifesto. Unfortunately, not a single one of them speaks about the need to cut down adulterants in the food people eat.

The manifesto released by the ru ling Telangana Rashtra Samithi, speaks volumes about making Hyderabad a global city, with state-of-the-art water supply and wifi in every part of the city. But, food safety experts note that there has not been a single mention about ensuring that the people of the city, get unadulterated food to eat.

Similarly, even the Happy Hyderabad Manifesto, released by the BJPTDP coalition, fails to make a mention of this issue. Rather than focussing on issues that are tailor-made for the city, this particular manifesto speaks about setting up a railway network, which does not fall in the civic body's purview. Not just that, this particular manifesto, compares the development of Gujarat to the city of Hyderabad. "This kind of development is only possible with the Bharatiya Janata Party in power," it reads.

"The manifestos released by all the major political parties, have made notes about what they can do to make Hyderabad a better and happi er city . But, not a single one of them speaks particularly about strengthening the food safety act or the prohibition of food adulteration act. There is very less focus on this matter," said noted agriculturalist, G V Ramanjenayulu.

The matters escalated to such an extent even the Hyderabad High Court, had taken cognisance of the matter, in August last year. Where it had asked the Telangana Government to initiate steps to curb this menace.

"As a first step to curb this menace, the city must have more food inspectors, who can lift samples. While the requirement is of 25 inspectors, the GHMC has no more than four inspectors who are handling the charge," said a senior official from the Nutrition Society of India, requesting anonymity .

He further added that the civic authorities need to step up the checks to prevent foods from being adulterated. "But to step up the checks, they would need more staff," he added.

According to the M Prasada Rao committee's recommendations on rationalisation of staffing patterns in the GHMC, a city as expansive as Hyderabad requires as many as 25 food inspectors and more people to lift samples at the circle level.

"If the political parties do not mention anything about food adulteration in their manifestos, the electorate cannot take them upto task if they fail to implement it, once they are elected," said M Padmanabha Reddy, a member of Telangana Election Watch.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Food Safety wing blacklists packed tea brand

The Food Safety wing has warned the public against using a brand of packed tea – Amurtham Premium Tea – which comes in a red packing, as it has been found to contain artificial colours, flavours, and additives.

Food Safety officials have seized 1,500 kg of this brand of tea from the godowns in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam by following up with the distributors of this brand.

They said the tea was “used tea,” to which artificial colour and flavours had been added The tea has been found to be widely used by hotels, canteens, and street-side tea shops in many parts of the State. Officials said the details of the manufacturing company and address given on the pack have been found to be fake. The Commissioner of Food Safety has appealed to the public to contact the Food Safety wing – 89433 46526 / 89433 46529 / 89433 46198 – if they find the particular brand of tea being used.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Centre Mulls Universal Fortification of Food to Mitigate Malnutrition

NEW DELHI: In a bid to address malnutrition levels across the country, the centre is considering universal fortification of all staple food items as in case of iodised salt. The proposal was made by a group of secretaries working on health and education before the Prime Minister’s Office last week.

The secretaries have proposed universal fortification of all staple food items on the lines of iodine-enhanced salt, sources in the Women and Child Development Ministry said. During the presentation in the PMO, all stakeholders, including Agriculture, Food and Public Distribution, Commerce and the Ministries of Health and Women and Child Development agreed to the plan.

The sources said that once a final decision to implement this is taken, then the Food Safety Standard Authority of India will notify the standards following which all producers and manufacturers will have to follow the guidelines. The government had already commissioned a study on fortification by the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.

As per the proposal submitted by the institution, wheat is to be fortified with Iron, Rice with Iron and Vitamin D, Milk and Edible Oils with Vitamin A. The proposal also talks about double fortification of salt as it was felt that the present standards are not enough.

The decision to iodize entire edible salt in a phased manner was taken in 1984 and the target was achieved by 1992.

World over 84 countries supply fortified food to their citizens. This is to tackle nutritional loss in transit from harvesting to milling to packaging to distribution and also due to excessive use of chemicals. The sources said pilot projects are going on in various parts of the country.

The National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad and Department of Bio-Technology, Delhi have the requisite technology. The production can be started in nine months to a year.

அயோடின் கலக்காத உப்பு மானாமதுரையில் ஜரூர் விற்பனை

மானா ம துரை, ஜன. 31:

மானா ம துரை கிரா மங் க ளில் அயோ டின் கலக் காத உப்பு விற் பனை ஜரூ ராக நடக் கி றது. இத  னால் பலர் பாதிக் கப் பட்டு வரு கின் ற னர்.

மத் திய அரசு இந் தி யா வில் 2009ம் ஆண்டு ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் டது. இதில் மக் கள் தொகை யில் 71 சத வீ தம் பேர் உண வில் அயோ டின் சேர்த்து கொள் கின் ற னர் என தெரிய வந் துள் ளது. தமி ழ கத் தில் 50 சத வீ தம் பேர் அயோ டின் கலக் காத உப்பை உட் கொள் கின் ற னர். இந் திய அள வில் அயோ டின் உப்பை அதி கம் பயன் ப டுத் தாத மாநி லங் க ளில் தமி ழ கம் கடை சி யில் உள் ளது.

மனித உடல், மூளை ஆகி ய வற் றின் இயல் பான வளர்ச் சிக் கும், செயல் பா டு க ளுக் கும் அயோ டின் அவ சி ய மா னது. இந் தச் சத்து குழந் தைப் பரு வம், பெண் கள் பூப் ப டை யும் பரு வம், கர்ப்ப காலம், தாய்ப் பாலூட் டும் காலங் க ளில் மிக வும் தேவை யான ஒன்று. அயோ டின் பற் றாக் கு றை யால் கருச் சிதைவு, குறைப் பிர ச வம், சிசு மர ணம், முன் கழுத் துக் கழலை, மன வளர்ச் சிக் குறைவு, தடைப் பட்ட உடல் வளர்ச்சி உள் ளிட்ட பல் வேறு பிரச் னை கள் ஏற் ப டு கின் றன.

ராம நா த பு ரம், தூத் துக் குடி உப் பள உற் பத் தி யா ளர் க ளி டம் இருந்து சுத் தம் செய் யப் ப டாத, அயோ டின் கலக் காத உப் புக் களை மலி வான விலைக்கு வியா பா ரி கள் வாங் கு கின் ற னர். இவற்றை அயோ டின் கலந்த உப்பு என மானா ம து ரையை சுற் றி யுள்ள 30 க்கும் மேற் பட்ட கிராம பகு தி க ளில் கடந்த சில மாதங் க ளாக கூவி கூவி விற் கின் ற னர்.

கடை க ளில் விற் கப் ப டும் பாக் கெட் டில் உள்ள அயோ டின் உப்பு கிலோ எட்டு ரூபாய்க்கு விற் கப் ப டு கி றது. ஆனால் கிரா மங் க ளில் விற் கப் ப டும் அயோ டின் கலக் காத உப்பு ஒரு படி( 1650 கிராம்) உப்பு பத்து ரூபாய்க்கு விற் கப் ப டு கி றது. விலை மலி வாக இருப் ப தால் கிரா மங் க ளில் இவற்றை அதி க ள வில் வாங்கி ஆண் டுக் க ணக் கில் இருப்பு வைக் கின் ற னர்.

இது குறித்த சமூக ஆர் வ லர் நாக ரா ஜன் கூறு கை யில்,

”மானா ம து ரையை சுற் றி யுள்ள 30 க்கும் மேற் பட்ட கிரா மங் க ளில் தின மும் ஏரா ள மான வியா பா ரி கள் உப்பு விற் ப னை யில் ஈடு பட் டுள் ள னர். கடற் க ரை யோர கிரா மங் க ளில் இருந்து லாரி க ளில் மூட் டை க ளாக கொண் டு வ ரப் ப டும் சுத் தம் செய் யப் ப டாத , அயோ டின் கலக் காத உப்பு மலிவு விலைக்கு விற் கப் ப டு கி றது.

அயோ டின் கலக் காத உப் பால் ஆரோக் கி யக் கு றைவு ஏற் ப டும் என்று கிராம மக் க ளில் பல ருக்கு தெரி ய வில்லை. இது குறித்து சுகா தா ரத் து றை யி னர், உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் உரிய நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டும்” என் றார்.

அதி கா ரி கள் அதி ரடி மன்னார்குடியில் காலாவதியான பொ ருட் கள் பறி மு தல்

மன் னார் குடி ஜன.31:

மன் னார் கு டி யில் மளிகை மற் றும் பெட் டிக் க டை க ளில் உணவு கலப் பட தடுப்பு மற் றும் பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் நேற்று சோத னை யில் ஈடு பட் ட னர்.

உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் கலப் பட தடுப்பு பிரிவு மாவட்ட அதி காரி ராமேஷ் பாபு தலை மை யில் உண வுப் பா து காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் மண வ ழ கன், பால் சாமி, அண் ணாத் துரை மற் றும் 10 பேர் அடங் கிய அதி கா ரி கள் குழு வி னர் இந்த சோத னையை நடத் தி னர். பெட் டி க டை கள் மற் றும் மளிகை கடை க ளில் நடந்த இந்ந அதி ரடி சோத னை யில் காலா வ தி யான உண வு பொ ருள் கள் , குளிர் பா னங் கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட் டது.

பான் ப ராக் புகை யிலை உள் ளிட்ட பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கி றதா என் றும் ஆய் வும் நடை பெற் ற தாக அதி கா ரி கள் தெரி வித் த னர். மன் னார் குடி கீழ பா லம் , பந் த லடி , மேல ரா ஜ வீதி உள் பட நக ரம் மு ழு வ தும் இந்த அதி ரடி ரெய்டு நடத் தப் பட் ட தில் சுமார் ரூ. 75 ஆயி ரம் மதிப் பி லான பொருள் களை பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட் டது. அர சால் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட பொருள் களை விற் பனை செய் வ தும் காலா வ தி யான உண வு பொ ருள் களை விற் பனை செய் வ தை யும் வணி கர் கள் நிறுத் திக் கொள்ள வேண் டும். காலா வ தி யான பொருட் களை மக் கள் பயன் ப டுத் தும் போது பல் வேறு நோய் தொற் று கள் ஏற் ப டு கி றது. குறிப் பாக வரும் கோடை காலம் நெருங்கி வரு வ தால் இந்த சோதனை முதல் கட் ட மாக மேற் கொள் ளப் பட்டு பொருட் கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட் டுள் ளது. இனி வ ரும் காலங் க ளில் சோத னை யின் போது பறி மு தல் செய் யப் ப டும் பொருட் க ளு டன் சேர்த்து அப ரா த மும் வசூ லிக் கப் ப டும் என் ற னர்.

KFC fined for sub-standard food items

A local court has slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on multi-national food joint KFC after ice cream and palm oil samples collected from one of its outlets in the city was found to be of sub-standard quality.

Bareilly: A local court has slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on multi-national food joint KFC after ice cream and palm oil samples collected from one of its outlets in the city was found to be of sub-standard quality.

The court of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) City imposed the fine after the laboratory report of ice cream and palm oil samples, which were collected and sent for testing by Food and Drug Safety Authority (FDSA), were found to be of sub-standard.

The reports found both the items to be of sub- standard and below the stipulated quality control norms, officials said. A team of FDA officials, led by district food safety officer, had conducted surprise checks at a local KFC outlet in February last year.

The team collected samples of a particular brand of ice cream sold by the multinational brand, along with palm oil used for cooking.

Both the samples were sent for laboratory testing at state food laboratory. The report of the laboratory was received a few months ago. After receiving the report, the FDA filed a case under Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 in the court of ADM, City.

In their plea, the multi-national brand contended that they are not liable for the quality of the products as which were not manufactured in their unit and were instead bought from other firms.

"The onus of maintaining the quality of the above two items was solely on the company manufacturing them. KFC should not be held responsible for it," the KFC counsel argued in the court. However, after hearing both the sides, ADM, City, Alok Kumar imposed a fine of Rs 2.50 lakh on KFC for each of the product.

The court observed, "As per the existing provisions of law, the company on whose premises the sub-standard product is seized is held responsible for the quality of the said food item. Since the products were seized from the KFC outlet, it has to pay the fine of Rs 5 lakh for their poor quality."

Hotels say FSSA terms for hygiene ‘impractical’

The TN Hotels Association is seeking the Union government’s Health and Family Welfare Ministry’s support to ensure that hotels are not penalised for not implementing conditions stipulated by the FSSA (Food Safety and Standards Act) 2006 which it has called “impractical” and beyond their ability

Chennai: 

The association president, Mr M. Venketasubbu. told DT Next the association had twice successfully sought extensions and representations were given to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda in person. As the second extension is due to end on February 4, the association has sought an urgent appointment with the minister to explain matters personally, he explained. Citing provisions in the Act, he said the FSSA demanded that all vessels in a hotel be washed in potable water. 

Also, pesticide levels in edible items should be below the government fixed norm, rodents and pests should be totally eradicated and garbage has to be stacked in AC rooms overnight before disposal. Stating that government itself had stated that water in 638 districts was unfit for drinking, he wondered how it would be possible to comply with the condition. 

On the pesticide norm, it should be controlled at the farmer level and not at the consumer end as no hotel is responsible for that. Tough anti-rodent measures are only temporarily successful.

Another extension inevitable; just 6.8% complete licensing, registration

With the latest deadline - Feb 4, 2016 - a couple of days away and 6.8% (a minuscule rise from 6.2% at last deadline) out of India’s 5+ crore FBOs obtaining licence and securing registration under Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, the revamped online system seems to be working for FSSAI though at a sluggish pace.

The new system has not only made the procedure simple, but it also enables FBOs to check and track their applications on a regular basis and overcome delays, if any. The system is in place in 32 states and Union territories already.

While the new system definitely seems to be better than the earlier glitch-ridden version, it is yet to speed up the procedure in a significant way because of issues such as lack of manpower and additional burden of converting licences and registrations completed earlier manually to online. A look at the figures makes it amply evident - till January 20, 2016, the total number of licensing and registration in the country rose to 33,82,599 from 31,11,646 on June 29, 2015. Similarly state licences, which stood at 5, 87,929 in June 2015 jumped to 6,66,763; Central licences climbed up from 20,850 to 24,293; and number of registrations recorded an upward spiral from 25,02,867 to 26,91,543. Among these only the percentage of state licences has shown a slightly noteworthy rise at 2.1%, while all others are in decimals.

Interestingly, even when the online system was not functioning properly, FSSAI was struggling for completion of the procedure, marked by delays and extensions of deadline - six in total. This has been the case ever since the implementation of India’s comprehensive food safety regime - FSSR, 2011, which made licensing and registration compulsory for every entity that dealt with food, in August 2011.

Repeated extensions

That being the scenario, while states that are drastically lagging behind in licensing and registration numbers, are expecting another extension to the deadline, those that are completing at a steady pace are strongly against any more extensions. In fact, the latter are of the opinion that repeated extensions are making FBOs take the procedure lightly.

For instance, a senior official from the UP Food and Drug Administration laments, “Each time without any reason and consultation with the state authorities, the FSSAI issues direction to extend the deadline. This creates confusion amongst the FSO who is working on ground and the FBOs therefore feel no pressure of regulations as they believe each time the deadline will be extended.”

The official points out that UP has completed the work related to conversions with 34,973 licences being converted online while 25,250 licences given offline. Further, around 3 lakh registrations have been done till date.

Officials in Gujarat are also against another extension. They strongly feel that already enough time has been given to the FBOs. According to C S Gohil, food safety officer, FDCA, Gujarat, till December, licences issued were 56,477 and registrations done - 1,52,342.

However, those from food safety department, Bihar, have a differing viewpoint. According to them, a lot of work is still pending with regard to licensing and registration.

The state has completed 27,000 registrations and issued close to 11,000 licences. The officials in Bihar estimate that there are around 1.5 lakh FBOs in the state.

In Haryana, the officials say that the work is stuck as so far only 4,000 licences and 8,000 registrations have been done.

According to food safety department of Government of Delhi, from Jan 1 to 20, 2016, 562 licences have been issued while last year total of 5,906 licences were issued. In 2014, 5,406 licences were issued through the online process while 555 licences were issued manually. According to the officials, the numbers include both conversions

and new. On registration front, last year, 20,245 registrations were issued by Delhi, while this year, till Jan 21, 562 registrations were completed.

Manpower crunch, additional burden

In the western region, officials with the Maharashtra food safety department informed that Mumbai was suffering due to severe scarcity of manpower, and hence, online submission and issuance of licences was unable to takeoff completely. According to officials, till November, both online and offline, a total of 13,959 licences and 46,061 registrations were issued.

Further, across the Maharashtra state, total licences/ registrations issued till Oct 31, 2015, were 156,707 wherein licences issued: 77,737 and registrations done 78,970. According to the officials, new licences/ registrations till Oct 31, 2015, were 679,655 wherein licences issued were 148,639 and registrations done 531,016.

Uday Vanjari, joint commissioner (food), Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, said, "The state of Maharashtra has more pressure of licences and registrations than other states. The rise in pressure is the result of approaching deadline of Feb 4. There are less employees in the FDA. We have to convert all the earlier

files to suit the online system. Each file takes around 15-20 minutes to be converted to the online database. We will add up more data entry operators to our team to finish up the work."

He adds, "Due to the work pressure on the states, even the work of updating the physical files of earlier registrations is in progress, and the workload and less availability of employees is making the job more difficult."

Down south in Kerala as on Jan 18, 2016, 19,351 online licences were issued while 64,132 online registrations have been done. The state officials informed that the state has so far collected a sum of Rs 82,415,100, through fees.

In Karnataka, a total of 61,457 registrations have been completed so far, while 26,391 licences were issued. C R Srinivasa Gowda, joint director, State Public Health Institute, Bangalore, informed, "The last minute rush is visible. FBOs and small food operators have started registering and applying for the licences to be safe from the FSSAI's radar as the deadline is approaching.

FSDA collects 5 samples from food stores

To check cases of food adulteration, a six-member team of the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) raided two stores selling branded products in the city on Friday.

MEERUT: To check cases of food adulteration, a six-member team of the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) raided two stores selling branded products in the city on Friday. As many as five samples of food were collected, sealed and sent to a Lucknow-based laboratory for further inspection. The raids took place at an Easy Day store in Mangal Pandey and at a Mother Dairy distributor in Pragati Nagar.

Giving information, VK Verma, designated officer, FSDA, Meerut, said, "The samples of food items collected by us have been sent to a laboratory in Lucknow. We want to ensure that no substandard product is being sold in the city."

Detailing about the food items, JP Singh, chief food safety officer, said, "We collected three samples from Easy Day store -- a packet of namkeen, Amul Milk and Yakult, a fermented milk drink. A detachable sticker was pasted on the namkeen packet, which is not allowed under FSDA rules. Also, colour was mixed to the mixture, which was also not mentioned on the packet as per rules."

The sample of Amul Milk was also taken from Easy Day store to ensure that no substandard product was being sold as milk is always under the FSDA scanner.

"We also collected one sample of Yakult to ensure that the micro bacteria used in the drink, which claims to aid digestion, does not harm an individual's body," added Singh. The FSDA team also collected two samples from a Mother Dairy distributor in Pragati Nagar - one sample of Lassi and another of curd.

Meanwhile, the results of the test are likely to be out in a month's time following which necessary action will be taken.

6,000 litres edible oil seized in raid

Nearly 6,000 litres of edible oil worth Rs. 7.5 lakh that had crossed expiry date were seized by Food Safety officials during a raid on a godown at Yerraguntla in Kadapa district on Friday. Acting on a tip-off that the godown staff were affixing fresh labels on the oil sachets that remained unsold after expiry date, the officials conducted a raid and seized the stock.

FDA holds campaign against tobacco

Nashik: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nashik has decided to make posters about the ill effects of tobacco and paste them at medical shops across the city and the district as a part of its awareness campaign against tobacco which started on Thursday.

The additional joint commissioner of FDA, Nashik, Bhushan Patil said, "this is part of our campaign against consumption of tobacco products. Last week we booked nearly 200 pan stalls and shops into the sale of tobacco product within 100 meter radius of schools. Now we are working on spreading awareness among people about the ill effects of tobacco products."

Patil said, "the drive is being conducted under the guidance of Harshadeep Kamble, commissioner, FDA, Mumbai and Harish Baijal, joint commissioner, vigilance, FDA, Mumbai. The 200 shops and pan stalls were booked under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) last week and a fine of Rs 42,000 was also collected by our drug inspectors and food safety officers."

On Thursday, a students' rally passed through different parts of the city to spread the message of the ill effects of tobacco . Nearly 300 students of two pharmacy colleges and the staff of FDA participated in the rally. On Friday, another rally was organised in the Nashik Road area with the help of school students. Officials said that the awareness spread through school students would help the students in the first place. Sankalp Group, an association of chemists in the Nashik Road area is assisting the FDA. in its awareness campaign.The awareness campaign, which started from Thursday would continue till Saturday, after which posters on ill effects of tobacco will be made and pasted near medical shops across the city and the district, said FDA officials.

FDA officials also added that the awareness rally against tobacco product was appreciated by all.

சிக ரெட் ‘உடல் நலத் துக்கு கேடு’ என் பது போல ஜங்க் புட் பாக் கெட் க ளி லும் எச் ச ரிக்கை வாச கம் வரு மா?

புது டெல்லி, ஜன30:

பீடி, சிக ரெட்டை தொடர்ந்து, சிப்ஸ், கோலா, பிட்சா, பர் கர்ஸ் போன்ற ஜங்க் உணவு பாக் கெட் உறை க ளில் ‘இது கல் லீ ரலை பாதிக் கும்’ என்ற எச் ச ரிக்கை வாச கங் கள் பட விளக் கத் து டன் இடம் பெற வேண் டும் என்ற கோரிக்கை எழுந் துள் ளது.

‘மது உடல் நலத் துக்கு கேடு’ என்ற வாச கங் க ளு டன் மது பா னங் கள் விற் கப் ப டு கின் றன. இதே போன்று, ‘புகைப் பி டிப் பது கொல் லும், புகை யி லைப் பொருள் கள் புற் று நோயை ஏற் ப டுத் தும்’ என்ற வாச கம் மற் றும் பாதிக் கப் பட்ட நுரை யீ ரல் படம் சிகரெட் அட் டைப் பெட் டி க ளில் கண் க ளுக்கு நன்கு தெரி யும் வகை யில் அச் சி டப் பட் டி ருக் கும். இது சிக ரெட் குடிப் ப வ ருக்கு எச் ச ரிக்கை போல அமைந்து புகைப் பி டிப் பதை கைவிட அல் லது எண் ணிக் கையை குறைக்க உத வும்.

இந்த வரி சை யில் ஜங்க் புட் பாக் கெட் டு கள் மீதும் எச் ச ரிக்கை வாச கங் கள் இடம் பெற வேண் டும் என உடல் நல நிபு ணர் கள் வலி யு றுத்த தொடங் கி யுள் ள னர். இன் றைய இளம் தலை மு றை யி ன ருக்கு வாய்க்கு ருசி யான பர் கர்ஸ், பிட்சா, மொறு மொறு என்று இருக் கும் எண் ணெ யில் பொறிக் கப் பட்ட உருளை கிழங்கு சிப்ஸ், குளிர்ச் சி யான கோலா போன்ற சர்க் கரை அதி கம் உள்ள குளிர் பா னங் கள் போதும். உட லுக்கு ஆரோக் கி ய மான ஊட்ட சத் து கள் நிறைந்த சரி வி கித உணவு தேவை யில்லை.

இத னால் சிறு வய தி லேயே உடல் பரு மன், நீரி ழிவு நோய், ரத்த அழுத் தம் போன் ற வற் றால் பாதிக் கப் ப டு கின் ற னர். இத் த கைய ஜங்க் புட் க ளில் தேவைக்கு அதி க மாக சர்க் கரை, உப்பு , உட லில் கெட்ட கொழுப்பை அதி க ரிக்க செய் யும் பொருள் க ளும் உள் ளன. கார் போ ஹை டி ரேட் மற் றும் கலோரி அதி கம் உள்ள ஜங்க் புட்களை விரும் பும் குழந் தை கள், நார்ச் சத்து நிறைந்த பழங் களை தவிர்ப் ப தால் வைட் ட மின் கள் குறை பா டு க ளும் ஏற் ப டு கின் றன.

இதை ய டுத்து இந் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தர நிர் ணய ஆணை யம் நிபு ணர் கள் குழுவை 6 மாதங் க ளுக்கு முன் அமைத் தது. இக் கு ழு வில், டெல்லி எய்ம்ஸ் மருத் து வ மனை மருத் து வர் கள், இந் தியா பொது சுகா தார பவுண் டே ஷன் நிறு வன நிபு ணர் கள் மற் றும் உண வு முறை வல் லு னர் ஆகி யோர் இடம் பெற் ற னர். இக் குழு அதன் இறுதி அறிக் கையை அடுத்த மாதம் அளிக்க உள் ளது.

இந்த அறிக் கை யில், சிக ரெட், மது பா னங் களை போன்று எச் ச ரிக்கை வாச கங் கள் இடம் பெற வேண் டும். ஜங்க் புட் சாப் பி டு வ தால், குழந் தை க ளுக் கும், பெரி ய வர் க ளுக் கும் கல் லீ ரல் பாதிப்பு ஏற் ப டும் என்ற எச் ச ரிக் கை யு டன் கல் லீ ர லின் பட மும் இடம் பெற வேண் டும் என பரிந் து ரைக் கப் பட் டுள் ள தாக, இக் கு ழு வில் இடம் பெற்ற எய்ம்ஸ் மருத் து வ ம னை யின் குழந் தை கள் நல மருத் து வர் டாக் டர் வந் தனா ஜெயின் கூறி னார்.

சிறு குழந் தை க ளுக்கு உடல் பரு மனை ஏற் ப டுத் தும் பிஸ் கட் கள், உரு ளைக் கி ழங்கு வறு வல் கள் போன்ற ஜங்க் உணவு பொருள் கள் தடுப்பு முறை களை உலக நாடு கள் எடுக்க வேண் டும் என உலக சுகா தார நிறு வ னம் கேட் டுக் கொண் டுள் ளது. இதே போன்று உடல் நலத் துக்கு எதி ரான சர்க் கரை அதி கம் உள்ள குளிர் பா னங் களை சிறு குழந் தை க ளுக்கு விற் ப தில் கட் டுப் பா டு களை விதிக்க வேண் டும் என் றும் அது வலி யு றுத்தி உள் ளது.

சிறு வர், சிறு மி யர் க ளின் கல் லீ ரல் பாதிக் கப் ப டும் அபா யம் உள் ளது என் றும் சில சம யங் க ளில் மாற்று கல் லீ ரல் பொருத்த வேண் டிய சூழ லும் ஏற் ப டும் என் றும் உலக சுகா தார நிறு வ னம் கூறி யுள் ளது. உடல் பரு மனான குழந் தை க ளுக்கு மூச்சு விடு வ தில் சிர மம், எலும் பு முறிவு அபா யம், ரத்த அழுத் தம், இன் சு லின் எதிர்ப்பு மற் றும் பிறர் தம்மை கிண் டல் செய் வார் கள் என்ற பயத் தால் மன உளைச் சல் போன் றவை ஏற் ப டும் என நிபு ணர் கள் எச் ச ரித் துள் ள னர்.

ஜங்க் புட் களால் சிறு வய தி லேயே உடல் பரு மன், நீரி ழிவு நோய், ரத்த அழுத் தம் போன் ற வற் றால் பாதிக் கப் ப டு கின் ற னர்.

காரைக்குடியில் பரபரப்பு கலப்பட டீ தூள் கம்பெனிக்கு சீல்

காரைக் குடி, ஜன. 30:

காரைக் கு டி யில் இயங் கிய கலப் பட டீ தூள் கம் பெ னிக்கு தின க ரன் செய்தி எதி ரொ லி யாக, உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை யி னர் சீல் வைத் துள் ள னர்.

சிவ கங்கை மாவட் டம், காரைக் குடி மற் றும் அதனை சுற் றி யுள்ள பகு தி க ளில் கலப் பட டீ தூள் பயன் பாடு அதி க ரித்து வரு வ தாக குற் றச் சாட்டு எழுந் தது. இது கு றித்து கடந்த சில நாட் க ளுக்கு முன், தின க ரன் நாளி த ழில் விரி வாக செய்தி வெளி யா னது. இதை ய டுத்து உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் மருந்து நிர் வா கத் துறை மாவட்ட அதி காரி சுகுணா உத் த ர வின் பேரில், அப் ப கு தி க ளில் உள்ள டீ கடை க ளில் உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் தொடர் சோதனை நடத் தி னர்.

இதில் காரைக் குடி பர்மா காலனி பகு தியை சேர்ந்த ரவிக் கு மார் என் ப வர் வீட் டில், கலப் பட டீ தூள் கம் பெனி செயல் பட் டது தெரி ய வந் தது. உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை மாவட்ட அதி காரி சுகுணா, பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் தியா க ரா ஜன், முத் து ரா ம லிங் கம், முத் த மிழ் ஆகி யோர் ரவிக் கு மார் வீட் டில் நேற்று சோதனை செய் த னர். அப் போது ரூ.5 லட் சம் மதிப் புள்ள கலப் ப டம் செய் வ தற் காக வாங்கி வைக் கப் பட் டி ருந்த டீ தூள், கலப் ப டப் பொருட் கள் இருந் தது கண் டு பி டிக் கப் பட் டது. பல் வேறு பகு தி க ளில் இருந்து டீ தூள் வாங்கி அதில் கலப் ப டம் செய்து விற் றது விசா ர ணை யில் தெரிய வந் தது. உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் மற் றும் இன்ஸ் பெக் டர் பிச் சை பாண்டி, எஸ்ஐ அர விந்த், விஏஓ வீர சாமி ஆகி யோர் முன் னி லை யில் கலப் பட டீ தூள் கம் பெ னிக்கு சீல் வைக் கப் பட் டது.

உணவு பாது காப்பு மாவட் ட அ தி காரி டாக் டர் சுகுணா கூறு கை யில், ‘‘நல்ல பிராண்ட் டீ தூளை வாங்கி, அதில் மரத் தூள், புளி யங் கொட்டை பவு டர், நான் பெர் மிட் புட் கலர் ஆகி ய வற்றை கலப் ப டம் செய்து டீ கடை க ளில் விற் பனை செய் கின் ற னர். இந்த டீயை தொடர்ந்து குடித் தால் உண வுக் கு ழாய் புற் று நோய் வரும். ரவிக் கு மா ரி ட மி ருந்து கைப் பற் றப் பட் டுள்ள டீ தூள் மாதிரி, சோத னைக்கு அனுப் பப் பட் டுள் ளது. அதன் மீதான அறிக் கை யில் அடிப் ப டை யில் வழக்கு தொட ரப் ப டும்,’’ என் றார்.

காரைக் குடி பர்மா கால னி யில் செயல் பட்ட கலப் பட டீ தூள் கம் பெ னி யில் உணவு பாது காப்பு மாவட்ட அதி காரி சுகுணா மற் றும் அதி கா ரி கள் ஆய்வு செய் த னர்

DINAMALAR NEWS

Food safety officials conduct drive against misbranding

I. Dhanaraju, Food Safety Officer, inspects the items being sold in a shop inside the Goubert Market in Puducherry on Friday.

Officials from the Department of Food Safety conducted raids at the Goubert Market here on Friday and seized packaged food items and other products with faulty labelling and misbranding.

The team led by I. Dhanaraju, Food Safety Officer, conducted raids at around 15 shops in the Goubert Market and seized 30 samples that did not have proper labelling including manufacturing date and best before use.

Mr. Dhanaraju said that the vendors had procured the stocks from different suppliers for sale to consumers. The officials warned the shopkeepers that they should purchase and display only those food articles that are properly labelled in terms of manufacturing date, best before use, net weight and the Maximum Retail Price. He also advised consumers to remain vigilant while purchasing packaged products and to refrain from purchasing food articles that do not bear proper and complete product labelling.

The Department of Food Safety will continue with raids to ensure that consignments with faulty labelling did not enter the market, he said.

பெரிய மார்க்கெட்டில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி சோதனை

புதுச் சேரி, ஜன. 30:

புது வை யில் காலா வ தி யான உண வுப் பொருட் கள் அதி க ள வில் புழக் கத் தில் இருப் ப தாக உணவு பாது காப்பு துறைக்கு புகார் கள் வந் தன. இதை ய டுத்து பாது காப்பு அதி காரி தன் ராஜ் தலை மை யி லான குழு வி னர் நேற்று பெரிய மார்க் கெட் பகு தி யில் அதி ரடி சோத னை யில் ஈடு பட் ட னர்.

அங் கி ருந்த சுவீட்ஸ் கடை கள், மொத்த வியா பார மளிகை கடை கள் மற் றும் வணிக நிறு வ னங் க ளில் ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட னர். அப் போது பிஸ் கட் உள் ளிட்ட திண் பண் டங் க ளில் தயா ரிப்பு நிறு வ னத் தின் பெயர், விலை பட் டி யல், பொருள் தயா ரிக் கப் பட்ட தேதி, காலா வ தி யா கும் தேதி உள் ளிட் டவை இடம் பெ றா மல் இருந் தது கண் ட றி யப் பட் டது. அவற்றை உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் கைப் பற் றி னர். மேலும் அவற்றை விற் பனை செய்த வியா பா ரி க ளுக்கு கடும் எச் சரிக்கை விடுத் த னர்.

உணவு சம் பந் த மாக பொருட் க ளில் குறிப் பிட்ட தக வல் கள் இடம் பெற வேண் டு மென அறி வு றுத் திய அதி கா ரி கள், அவை இல் லா மல் விற் ப னைக்கு வரும் பொருட் களை வாங்கி நுகர் வோ ருக்கு விற் பனை செய் யக் கூ டாது என்று எச் ச ரித் த னர். இனி மே லும் இது போன்ற தவ று களை தொடர்ந் தால் வியா பாரி கள் மீதும் நட வடிக்கை எடுக் கப் படும் என்று கண் டித் த னர். 15 கடை க ளில் மொத் தம் 30 திண் பண்ட ெபாட் ட லங் களை அதி கா ரி கள் பறி மு தல் செய் த னர். உணவு பொருட் களை தயா ரித்து கடை க ளுக்கு சப்பை அனுப் பும் உரி மை யா ளர் கள் லைசென்சு பெற் றி ருக்க வேண் டு மெ ன வும், அவை இல் லா மல் உணவு தயா ரிக் கும் நிறு வ னங் கள் மீது நட வடிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என்று அதி கா ரி கள் தெரி வித் த னர்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

Food Business Operators to have license for running business

The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India has made it mandatory for all Food Business Operators to obtain online registration/license of their establishments for running their business.
A State Govt official said all food manufacturers, packers, whole sellers, distributors and sellers, food importers, hotels, restaurants, clubs, canteens, caterers, food transporters, food storage establishments, food processing units etc. were covered under the Food Business Operators.
Official said that Operators will have to register or obtain license before 4 February, 2016, and action would be taken against the Food Business Operators which failed to obtain license/registration before the time limit under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, he further added.
Food Business Operators could contact the Chief Medical Officer or Designated Officer or Food Safety Officer of their concerned district.

Carbide-ripened fruits can trigger health epidemic

 

Taking serious note of the failure of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to check the carbide menace, the High Court has asked Principal Secretaries (Agriculture & Marketing) to appear before it on February 1
A division bench of the High Court has rapped recently the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments over its negligence to check the carbide menace and failure to take concrete steps to overcome the problem of artificial ripening of fruits with calcium carbide chemical and also failure to create awareness among the citizens about the ill-effects of consuming such fruits. It directed the Principal Secretaries of Agriculture and Marketing of both the States to appear in person in the court on the next day of hearing on February1.
Calling fruit traders who use carcinogen calcium carbide to ripen fruits ‘worse than terrorist’ the Bench also directed the two States to take steps for establishment of ‘ethylene chambers’ for ripening fruits by the stakeholders and for its close monitoring by the authorities to overcome the problem of availability of carbide fruits on the markets, in an earlier occasion.
Though Telangana stands third in area and eighth in production of fruits in the country, it has only three ripening chambers and five cold storages in the State as it produces around 40,79,399 tonnes of fruits every year, which constitutes 74% of total horticulture cropped area.
Following the High Court censure, the Telangana government proposed to the Centre to set up four ethylene chambers in major markets this year initially as the Centre has agreed to sanction Rs 92 lakh expenditure towards its share of 35% and the remaining 65 percent expenditure bared by Telangana.
In Telangana, Gaddiannaram fruit market is the biggest market in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with 97 godowns, from where hundreds of fruit companies do business. The Telangana government has also decided to set up five big cold storages in major markets this year, as the Centre has offered to give Rs 14.67 crore to set up 11 cold storages.
However, the doctors warned that the health benefits are being threatened by a potentially harmful compound ‘calcium carbide’ believed to have carcinogenic properties is being used to ripen fruits by corrupt business men and shady market traders who are looking to make quick buck. Worse, many traders inject harmful chemicals (sweeteners) in mangoes, papaya and apples to make them taste unnaturally sweet.
When calcium carbide compound whose two main products – acetylene, a colourless gas widely used as fuel and calcium cyanamide used as fertilizer - comes into contact with water, it produces acetylene gas that hastens the ripening of several fruits such as mangoes, bananas and apples.
This chemical is extremely hazardous because it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus which both have dangerous effects on the human body. The reason for using calcium carbide is that it is freely available and very cheap compared to ethylene. The doctors also warned that consumption of such artificially ripened fruits can cause mouth ulcers, gastric problems, diarrhoea, and skin rashes.
Free radicals from carbide play a major role in the ageing process as well as in the onset of cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and perhaps allergies. If pregnant women consume these artificially ripened fruits, it can cause miscarriages and developmental abnormalities if the child is born.
Besides this, as per the Food Safety (Prohibition & Restriction on sale) Regulations 2011, “No person shall sell or offer or expose for sale or have in his premises for the purpose of sale under any description, fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene, gas, commonly known as Calcium Carbide.”
The division bench was acting on a PIL that was admitted suo moto and observed that the problem of use of calcium carbide is pervasive and is more than expected. In order to prevent the use of calcium carbide by the wholesale/ retail fruit vendors and the use of citizens and issued necessary instructions to both Telugu States to implement the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, in true spirit to comply the directions of the division bench.
But the previous orders had not been implemented so far in both States, stated the bench. As per High Court directions, both AP and TS should create awareness among the consumers about the dangers posed by fruits artificially ripened and enhanced, and encourage the consumers to buy seasonal fruits and shun products that reach them from far off nations both at premium price and at the cost of their health.

Health experts demand pictorial, health warnings on junk food

New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) After tobacco products, even junk food products may have pictorial warnings, if a proposal by health experts is accepted by the government.
Health experts have demanded pictorial and health warnings on junk food and detailed information for consumers about what goes into the food they buy and the effect it can have on their health.
A panel of experts formed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), comprising doctors from AIIMS, experts from Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and dieticians from National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad have proposed pictorial warnings on fast and junk food.
The panel was constituted six months ago to look at the prevalence and data on consumption of high fat, sugar and salt and make recommendations. The final report will be out in February.
"We have recommended pictorial warnings on junk foods like chips, colas, pizzas, burgers or health warnings saying that this product contain fat and salt in excess of what is recommended or even a picture of liver may be on pack indicating that consuming them may led to fatty liver in children and adults," said Dr Vandana Jain, Additional Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at AIIMS, who is also a member of the panel.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), effective population-based childhood obesity prevention strategies include restrictions on marketing of unhealthy food (biscuits and potato chips, for instance) and non-alcoholic beverages (soft/carbonated drinks) to children.
Children having fatty liver are at risk of liver cirrhosis and end stage liver disease and may require liver transplantation later in their life. Obese children also experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, insulin resistance and low self esteem.
AIIMS in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have also conducted a study to look at the prevalence of fatty liver in overweight adolescents aged 10 to 15 years.
The study included 220 overweight children, who visited AIIMS Paediatric Department with obesity and other related problems. Their parents were also enrolled in the study.
"We conducted blood tests, ultrasounds and other tests and 62.5 per cent of the children were found to have fatty liver and 65 per cent of the mothers had fatty liver while among the fathers, 69 per cent have fatty liver.

Now, pictorial warning on your burgers, colas?

New Delhi: Should chips, burgers and colas-which are often blamed for the rising cases of obesity-come with a pictorial warning? While the effectiveness of this is under debate, health experts believe such steps are necessary to discourage people, particularly children, from consuming these.
According to Dr Vandana Jain, additional professor at the paediatrics department of AIIMS, obesity is leading to serious health issues, including fatty liver disease, in children. Jain, who is also part of an expert panel formed by FSSAI to prevent obesity due to consumption of food high in fat, sugar and salt, said pictorial warnings for chips, colas, pizzas, burgers, etc is something even the committee is in favour of.
"This has been included in the draft noting. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India panel will meet again on February 2 to decide whether it should be part of the final list," she said.
Sunita Narain of Centre for Science and Environment said pictorial warnings on junk food are welcome and they would push for its implementation.
According to World Health Organisation, poor diet is a global health concern and a leading cause of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular ailments, diabetes and cancer. In 2012, the Ontario Medical Association also demanded that junk food be treated like tobacco and be taxed heavily and packaged with graphic warnings. Experts said warnings could be in the form of labels stating that the product contains excess fat and salt or even a picture of liver indicating that consuming such food may lead to fatty liver.
AIIMS, in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research, conducted a study to look at the prevalence of fatty liver in 220 overweight kids aged 10-15 years. It included 220 overweight kids who came to the hospital complaining of obesity-related problems. "About 62.5% had fatty liver. Our findings also showed that 65% mothers and 69% fathers alos sufferred from fatty liver," said a doctor, adding that such kids are at risk of liver cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease.

FSSAI cracks the whip on unauthorised food business

The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India has made it mandatory for all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to obtain online registration or licence of their establishments for running their business.
A spokesman of Himachal Government on Thursday said that the Government of India has fixed February 4, 2016 as the last date for obtaining licence or registration.
He said that all food manufacturers, packers, whole sellers, distributors and sellers, food importers, hotels, restaurants, clubs, canteens, caterers, food transporters, food storage establishments, food processing units etc. were covered under the FBOs.
He said the action would be taken against the FBOs which failed to obtain licence or registration before the time limit under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The spokesman added for more details the FBOs could contact the Chief Medical Officer or Designated Officer or Food Safety Officer of their concerned district.

Inquiry into use of sewage water for vegetables

NAVI MUMBAI: Authorities from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a detailed inquiry on Thursday regarding the use of contaminated water by small time farmers on plots adjacent to railway tracks. MPCB officials collected water samples and FDA officials took samples of vegetables.
"Illegal pipes have been laid connecting the sewerage channels to water these plants," said BJP party worker, Santosh Pachalag. The party had complained to the authorities on January 20.

Food SafetyOfficials Swing Into Action Ahead of Attukal Pongala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In view of the Attukal Pongala next month, the Commissioner of Food Safety has asked shops, hotels, restaurants, bakeries and all business establishments producing and selling foodstuffs within city limits to ensure that guidelines issued by the Commissionarate are strictly followed.
Food Safety registration will be a must for all those who are involved in ‘annadanam’ and those who have set up temporary eateries during the festival. They can contact 8943346526 or the nearest Akshaya Centre for details regarding registration. Only those outlets with registration will be allowed to function. The registration can also be done through Akshaya Centres.
“It has come to our notice that juice, sweets and ice-cream, mixed with artificial colours and sweeteners, are being widely sold during festivals,” Food Safety Commissioner T V Anupama said.
The Commissioner urged traders to desist from unfair practices as offenders can be punished with imprisonment of six months and fine of Rs 5 lakh. The public have been advised not to buy candy floss and ‘ice fruit’.
The District Food Safety Assistant Commissioner and the Intelligence Wing have constituted special squads to check adulteration. “To fulfill the objective of providing safe food to all, traders, public and devotees should co-operate with the Food Safety Commissionerate,” Anupama said.
Food safety numbers
1800 42 1125 (Toll-free), 8943341130, 8943346526, 8943346529, 8943346195

Food Handlers and Hygiene: How much do we know

To FEED must be a SACRED act, as what we eat eventually mingles with the GODLY soul in us all.

There were times when the kitchens were temples and cooking food was a form of offering to God. The guest was a welcome angel (Atithi Devo bhava) and not a client as of now.

Practicing and looking for FOOD HYGIENE is becoming very important as more and more of us are shifting from essentially ‘home-cooked-family-meals’ to ‘street food-kitty-restaurant-tiffin meals’.

We need to look at the condition of kitchen, the hygiene of the food-maker (most are self-trained cooks) and the choice and cleanliness of ingredients used.

According to the Public Health Association, only 53% of Indians wash their hands with soap after defecating and only 30% before preparing food. Nobody has any figure of the boil/skin-infection, cough-sneezing-tuberculosis-jaundice-history and smoking and alcohol habits or vaccination status of the cooks preparing food on the street, in banquet halls, marriage palaces, restaurants, or even the five-star kitchens.

Coliform bacteria, entamoeba, salmonella, shigella, staphylococcus, hepatitis A-E and many of the poorly handled viral and protozoal infections can EASILY enter from the food if prepared with SULLIED hands of infected cook. Some studies have documented Enterobacteriaceae (Salmonella, Shigela etc) and Staphlococci to be in as much as 44 and 80 percent of food handlers respectively.

A cross-sectional study on food handlers in Central India reported that the frequency of pathogenic organisms on the hands was 56.87%. The different degrees of hand contamination between studies could be explained by the degree of adherence of food handlers to food safety measures and hand washing in different geographic regions and the class of the recruits.

The FOOD-HANDLERS, increasingly, are being recruited from poor, deprived backward sections of society on paltry salaries. Their family backgrounds, education, health and hygiene standards are abysmally low and the GUEST for them is just a client and not GOD as envisioned by Gandhi and our Indian ethos.

Most of the domestic help and cooks in the modern households are no better and there is hardly an effort to improve their hygiene and cleanliness standards.

Mary Mallon, now known as Typhoid Mary, was a healthy woman when she was discovered and quarantined to be the cause of a typhoid epidemic in 1907. The public health concerns are not as robust now. The street-food vendors and the food handlers in banquet halls, marriage palaces and 3-5 star hotels need regulatory health practices.

The municipal bodies or state health bodies can have modular courses and mandatory certifications. Informally, the food handlers and the cooks can be supervised at home and at ‘managed hotels’ for hand-hygiene, infective illness, skin integrity and possibly be convinced of presumptive treatment with anti-helminthic (deworming Albendazole )and anti-protozoal medicines (Metronidazole) periodically along with vaccination for the water –borne diseases like typhoid and hepatitis A.

Till we have MORE hygiene education and prophylactic-preventive care of food-handlers, some tips may be handy.

• Check for a rapid-turnover place. Observe hand-hygiene of self and the cook.
• Try eating Tandoori Roti/foods directly from Tandoor. A hot fried food (coming from a deep fryer) is also less likely to be infective.
• Avoid raw foods, salads, curd, raw cheese and frozen foods when you eat in open ambiance parties. Also, avoid ‘milk-creamy-cheesy’ curries and opt for ‘onion-coriander-condiments’ curries instead.
• Have natural beverages like coconut water or steaming hot tea-coffee etc.
• And do pay attention and possibly talk about in the places you frequent and eat. A
• And have more of get-togethers and parties where the POOLED-HOME COOKED food is a trend and a fashion statement!

Dr J.K. Bhutani, MD is a protagonist of preventive and promotive health care based on austere biology and facilitating self-healing powers of human organism. Twitter: @drjkbhutani

WHO, INDIA CONCERNED OVER RISING OBESITY

Two different surveys released back to back by India and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently have underlined common concern: Obesity is on the rise at an alarming level among adults as well as children. 

While the WHO report has attributed marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages besides declining physical activity as a major factor in the increase in numbers of children being overweight and obese, particularly in the developing world including India, the recent survey by the Union Health Ministry, which covered all age groups, shows sedentary lifestyle as well as unhealthy diets reason for the dangerous trend.

As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), released last week by the Union Health Ministry, in the past 10 years, the number of obese people has doubled in the country with most of the States experiencing the dangerous trend.

As per the survey conducted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), released last week, people having Body Mass Index (BMI) over 25 kg per metre square have been considered as obese.

The first phase of the survey says that Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar and Sikkim have more than 30 per cent of their populations falling under the “obese” category while in Bihar, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura and West Bengal, more than 10 per cent population is obese. This is double compared to the last NFHS, which was conducted in 2005-06.

Health condition of children globally too is dismal. As per a WHO commission report, released on Tuesday, childhood obesity has reached alarming rates globally in the developing world, including Asia and Africa where the number of obese and overweight children under five has nearly doubled since 1990.

Overall, the number of obese and overweight children under five rose from 31 million to 41 million between 1990 and 2014. Asia currently accounts for nearly half (48 per cent) of young children categorised as overweight or obese.

The Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) presented the final report to the WHO, culminating a two-year process in 100 countries to address the alarming levels of childhood obesity and overweight globally.

“What’s the big message? It’s not the kid’s fault,” said Peter Gluckman, Commision’s co-chair. Biological factors, inadequate access to healthy foods, a decline in physical activity in schools and the unregulated marketing of fattening foods are among the drivers of a worsening epidemic that requires a coordinated global response, the report said.

“Dieting and exercise alone are not the solution,” Gluckman said. In Indian context, Gluckman’s concerns highlight the urgency to enforce the draft guidelines prepared by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on availability of wholesome and nutritious food in schools to control junk food consumption among children.

The draft guidelines propose to restrict sale or availability of food which are high in fat, salt or sugar content within 50 metres of schools’ premises. This includes chips, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, sugar-sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, potato fries (commonly called French fries) and confectionery items.

However, the FSSAI is yet to notify the guidelines to ensure better health of the schoolkids

Nutraceuticals, food supplements no longer to be considered proprietary foods by FSSAI

NEW DELHI: Nutraceuticals and health and dietary supplements such as fortified foods and energy drinks will no longer be considered proprietary food by India's regulator, according to revised rules, and they will likely have to be approved as a separate category.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has amended regulations to fix loopholes in the definition of proprietary food, under which approval had been sought for several nutraceutical and
health supplements as proprietary foods.
According to the FSSAI's new regulations uploaded on its website on January 25, proprietary food is now defined as "...an article of food that has not been standardised under these (Food Safety and Standards) regulations, but does not include any novel food, food for special dietary use, functional food, nutraceutical, health supplement and such other articles of food which the Central Government may notify in this behalf."
The regulations specify that "the Food Business Operator shall be fully responsible for the safety of the proprietary food."

 

"Proprietary food shall use only such additives as specified for the category to which the food belongs and such category shall be clearly mentioned on the label along with its name, nature and composition," according to the regulations known as the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2016.
"Nutraceuticals and food supplements will now have to be approved under the regulations for nutraceuticals," an FSSAI official said.
India's nutraceuticals market is estimated to cross $6.1 billion by 2020 from $2.8 billion, according to a study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India and market research firm RNCOS in August. Nutraceuticals can be classified as dietary supplements, including vitamins and minerals, and functional food and beverages such as those fortified with omega fatty acids and probiotics and energy and sports drinks.
Following the controversy over the regulator's ban of Nestle's Maggi instant noodles, which the Bombay High Court lifted in August, and the product approval process, which was quashed by the Supreme Court in the same month, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had said that the government plans to review and amend the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.
The food regulator recently uploaded a list of 8,000 approved additives after setting new standards for them, the food categories in which they can be used and their permissible limits. It is also preparing new standards for product approval.

Ask Away: Street food safety

Samosas and pakoras, which are freshly deep fried in front of your eyes, are absolutely okay. 

I'm travelling to India later this year. I love Indian food, but am anxious to avoid gastro-dramas. I'm a meat-eater, but happy to go vegetarian for a spell if that's the safest thing. Any advice?
Sharon Cook
I asked Swamy Akuthota, an Indian food expert who founded Auckland's acclaimed Satya restaurants and has travelled extensively in India to research food.
He says the two problem areas are water-borne infections and viral infections.
To avoid the first, drink bottled water with tamper-proof lids from reputable stores.
Street food is generally safe if it's being cooked in front of you at high temperatures. "For example samosas and pakoras, which are freshly deep fried in front of your eyes, are absolutely okay," he says.
Cold mango lassis, which are freshly churned from full yoghurt trays are usually safe - go for disposable cups rather than glass, as the later may have been washed in stagnant water.
Fruit juice vendors squeeze from fresh fruit - and according to Akuthota, Indian fruits can have an intense flavour. Try a few until you find one that suits your palate.
Viral infections can be avoided by using a face mask in very crowded areas and using hand sanitiser before eating. "Try to eat at crowded popular outlets as the food standards are generally good and there is no stagnation of food," he says.
And yes, avoiding meat is a good idea.

DINAMANI NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

Ingredient-based approval for proprietary foods likely

In a bid to clear the confusion over definition of proprietary food items, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come up with a new description on Monday. According to it, proprietary food items, prepared using standardised ingredients, are permitted for consumption. The new regulation is a step towards the global practice of ingredient-based product approval, which is in place in countries such as USA, UK and Singapore among others.

"Proprietary food shall contain only those ingredients other than additives which are either standardised in these regulations or permitted for use in the preparation of other standardised food under these regulations," FSSAI said in the notification. It, however, has retained the existing list of food additives to be used in proprietary foods.
According to Ashish Prasad, partner, Economy Law Practice, the definition of non-standardised foods in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 had much scope for clarification. "The recent definition is a balanced one which got rid of ambiguity. While, it clarifies the ingredients and additives to be used in proprietary foods, it also excludes novel and functional foods, nutraceutical and health supplements from its purview," he said.
Experts say the lack of a list of approved ingredients has led to confusion.
According to Gowree Gokhale, partner, Nishith Desai Associates, the global practice is to have two lists of approved ingredients, indicating permissible limits and labelling guidelines, and banned items. This would help cover all segments of the sector, she says. But in India, the product approval regime till recently pertained to final food products, not food ingredients and additives.
FSSAI is currently preparing a separate guideline for nutraceutical and novel food items which has now been separated from proprietary foods.

Implement new relaxed regulations, FSSAI tells state regulators

FSSAI says products for which standards have not been framed but have ingredients already approved by it, may not require any approval
New Delhi: In a bid to ease product approval system, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked all state food regulators to implement the new relaxed norms for those items wherein standards have not been laid down so far.
FSSAI had earlier this month said that products for which standards have not been framed but have ingredients and additives that are approved by the regulator, may not require any approval.
The FSSAI has laid down quality standards for 370 products. Its approval is a must for all other products, which are also known as proprietary food.
The notification, dated 12 January, was issued to amend the Food Safety and Standards Regulations. The central food safety regulator has issued a circular, dated 14 January, directing all the state food regulators to implement the new relaxed norms for product approval process.
In the notification, the regulator said, “Proprietary food shall contain only those ingredients other than additives which are either standardised in these regulations or permitted for use in the preparation of other standardized food under these regulations.”
The notification also adds that the proprietary food shall use only such additives as specified for the category to which the food belongs and it shall be clearly mentioned on the label. However, it has also been clarified that the food business operator shall be fully responsible for the safety of the proprietary food.
These new norms will not apply to novel food, food for special dietary use, functional food, nutraceutical and health supplement articles of food.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY!!!