DINAMALAR NEWS

68% of milk adulterated, new kit to test in 40 sec.

மத்திய அரசு தகவல் 68 சதவீத பாலில் கலப்படம் சோப்பு, பெயின்ட் சேர்க்கை

புது டெல்லி, மார்ச் 17:

இந் தி யா வில் கிடைக் கும் 68 சத வீத பாலின் தரம் உணவு ஒழுங் கு முறை நிர் ண யித் துள்ள அள வீ டு க ளுக்கு ஏற்ப இல்லை.

மக் க ள வை யில், கேள்வி நேரத் தின் போது மத் திய அறி வி யல், தொழில் நுட்ப துறை அமைச் சர் ஹர்ஷ வர் தன் கூறியதாவது:

முன்பு பாலில் கலக் கப் பட் டுள்ள பொருட் களை கண் டு பி டிக்க ஒவ் வொன் றுக் கும் தனி த னி யாக சோதனை நடத்த வேண் டி யி ருந் தது. ஆனால் புதிதாக கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள ஸ்கே னர் இதை எளி தாக்கி உள் ளது. ஒவ் வொரு சோத னைக் கும் ஆகும் செலவு வெறும் 10 பைசா தான்.

இந்த ஸ்கே னர் கரு வி களை, எம்.பி.க்கள் தங் க ளின் தொகுதி மேம் பாட்டு நிதி யில் இருந்து வாங்கி தொகு தி யில் பொருத் தச் செய் ய லாம்.

நாட் டில் இப் போது கிடைக் கும் 68 சத வீத பாலின் தரம் நிர் ண யிக் கப் பட்ட தரத் தில் இல்லை. அதில் உட லுக்கு தீங்கு விளை விக் கும்,

நோய் களை உண் டாக் கும் டிடர் ஜென்ட், சமை யல் சோடா, குளு கோஸ், ஒயிட் பெயின்ட் போன் றவை சேர்க் கப் ப டு வது கண் ட றி யப் பட் டுள் ளது.இவ் வாறு அமைச் சர் ஹர்ஷ வர் தன் கூறி னார்.

2 out of 3 Indians drink adulterated milk, new kit to detect in 40 seconds

New Delhi: Two out of three Indians drink milk laced with detergent, caustic soda, urea and paint, union minister for science and technology Harsh Vardhan told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

With over 68% of the milk in India found adulterated in a 2011 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) study, the government is working towards providing an accurate, portable test kit for the important staple.

"A new scanner has been developed which can detect adulteration in milk in 40 seconds, and pinpoint the adult rant," Harsh Vardhan said during Question Hour.

Earlier, for every type of adulteration, a separate chemical test was required. But now a single scanner can do the job, he said.

There were murmurs among members when the minister suggested that these scanners could be purchased by MPs through their constituency funds.

Though the scanners are costly as of now, each test costs a mere 10 paisa, he said.

Vardhan said in the near future, GPS-based technology could be used to track the exact location where the milk supplied in the cold chain has been tampered with.

There are two lakh villages in the country from where milk is collected.

Is the Milk You're Drinking Safe? 4 Easy Ways to Spot Adulteration

"Food adulteration is an act of intentionally debasing the quality of food ordered for sale, either by the admixture or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredients." - Food Security & Standards Association of India (FSSAI).

Science and Technology Minister Mr. Harsh Vardhan's recent comment on adulterated milk raked up an atmosphere of anxiety not only within the chambers of Lok Sabha but in the drawing rooms of Indians across the country. It is a daunting thought, that over 68% of the milk in India fails to meet the recommended quality standards. Not only is milk one of the most important ingredients for children's overall development, it is essential for adult health as well. Apart from nutritional purposes, it is also the most widely used item, indesserts, food preparations, baking and not to mention beverages like chai and coffee.

Mr. Harsh Vardhan spoke about various contaminants found in milk when tested across the country. Most of the commonly ones would include detergent, white paint, caustic soda, refined oil and glucose. This has once again led to questioning the efficacy of the central food regulator. Last year in July, the food watchdog, FSSAI announced putting a cap on Melamine content in milk and milk products sold across the country.

Milk Adulteration

Melamine

According to the World Health Oraganisation, "Melamine is an organic base chemical most commonly found in the form of white crystals rich in nitrogen and is widely used in plastics, adhesives, countertops, dishware, and whiteboards. Companies using the milk for further production (e.g. of powdered infant formula) normally check the protein level through a test measuring nitrogen content. The addition of melamine increases the nitrogen content of the milk and therefore its apparent protein content."

United Nation's food standards body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission mentions the maximum limit of melamine content in powdered infant formula as 1 mg per kg and for other foods and animal feed as 2.5 mg per kg.

In a notification published last year, the FSSAI proposed imposing a permissible limit of 1 mg of melamine in every kg of powdered infant formula, 0.15 mg per kg in liquid infant formula and 2.5 mg per kg in other foods. 

E. Coli

Experts believe that bacteria like E.coli - essentially found in cow's waste - can easily mix with milk. If cows are not cleaned properly, the remnants of waste can make its way to the freshly collected milk. The bacteria can then multiply and can cause serious harm if one consumes the same milk.

The National Survey on Milk Adulteration 2011

The survey was conducted by the FSSAI to check for the contaminating agents in milk. It was found that in most cases the contamination happened at the procurement, packing & packaging stage. Lack of hygiene and sanitation during the overall process was another factor. Contaminants such as detergent, glucose, starch, urea and formaline also seemed to have found their way into the final product in most samples. According to the report published on the official website of Centre for Science and Environment, the adulterants used are usually for the purpose enhancing the volume, thickness, consistency and viscosity of milk and to increase the shelf life of the final product.

"Samples were collected from 28 states and five union territories. The worst performers were Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Mizoram, Jharkhand and Daman & Diu, where non-conformity with food safety standards was 100 per cent. There are nearly 70 per cent samples which have not conformed to the standards set for milk. Samples collected from rural areas fared better with only 30 per cent non-compliance as compared to urban centres. Water turned out to be the most common adulterant in milk. About eight per cent samples were found to have detergents," as published on the CSE website.

Water as an Adulterant

According to Mr. Amit Khurana, programme manager, food safety and toxins, CSE, E. coli and other bacteria that contaminate milk can mostly be countered by ensuring proper sanitation and hygiene at all processing stages as well as by boiling and pasteurizing milk properly. In case of addition of water, it is bound to lead many microbiological issues tied with the inclusion of unsafe water in human system. "The key would be to know the nature of adulteration. Best to my knowledge, most adulteration found in the FSSAI 2011 survey was with respect to water," he shared

"What we should be concerned about about is the intentional addition of artificial agents and adulterate milk. Mixing water in milk is a common practice by the local doodhwallahs. Having harmful elements - urea, carbonates and bicarbonates, salt, sugar, hydrogen peroxide, neutralizers (NaHCO3 , Na2 CO3 , NaOH, Ca(OH)2 etc.), sodium chloride, etc. added to our everyday drink is completely unacceptable. You cannot have synthetic milk, the regulators need to come down on such an issue by all means," he added.

Your Food is Adulterated When...

According to FSSAI if a food article is tampered in one or multiple ways listed below, it stands contaminated and adulterated, therefore unfit for consumption:

- A substance is added which depreciates or injuriously affects it

- Cheaper or inferior substances are substituted wholly or in part

- Any valuable or necessary constituent has been wholly or in part abstracted

- It is an imitation

- It is coloured or otherwise treated, to improve its appearance or if it contains any added substance injurious to health.

- For whatever reason its quality is substandard

How to Spot Adulterated Milk:

The central food regulator also gives out guidelines on how can one check for adulterants and contaminants in milk. We are sharing a few of them below:

Water - Put a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface, if it flows slowly, leaving behind a white trail, it is fine. If it flows swiftly without leaving a trail, it is adulterated with water.

Starch - Adding a few drops of iodine tincture or iodine solution will help spot starch in milk - the liquid will turn blue on presence of starch.

Detergent - Spotting it is a cake-walk. Take a bottle of milk and shake it, if it lathers up, it contains detergent.

Other Contaminants (detergent, urea, white paint, etc.) - Look for a bitter aftertaste. Once you rub some drops of milk in-between your fingers, adulterated milk will give you a soapy texture. Adulterated milk will turn yellowish on boiling.

Expert Advice

"Many chemicals and artificial agents are added to increase the shelf life of milk. Hydrogen paraoxide and formaline are a couple of them. These can be extremely injurious to human health. Nitrogenous compounds are added to artificially enhance the taste of protein in milk. The consistency or thickness of milk is another area, starch is an agent used to add thickness to the otherwise watered-down milk," shared Mr. Ramakant Sahu, CSE pollution monitoring lab.

"One really can't do anything when it comes to the packed pasteurized milk. Such products undergo a series of processes and it is hard to trace the point of adulteration. Other factors that come into play would include the way the animal is kept; the sanitation and hygiene levels while milk procurement, quality of fodder given to the animal and so on. If you source milk from the local dairies, make sure to give them a visit and see the quality of the product and condition of the animal yourself. Go for the trusted ones which have been in business since long," shared nutritionist and weight management specialist, Dr. Anshul Jaibharat.

Steps You Can Take at Home:

Dr. Jaibharat calls for a stringent processing policy for the processing, packaging and distribution of milk and other edible items. She also pointed out the fact that adding water to milk has been in practice since ages to meet the excessive demand especially during certain seasons - when young calves need milk, the supply goes down automatically. The best would be to research and keep an eye. Visit your dairy periodically and keep a strict watch. Make sure you boil the milk on slow flame till boiling point. Avoid re-boiling milk as it brings down the nutritional value of milk.

Recently in the parliament, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan talked about a new scanner which can detect milk adulteration in 40 seconds with an ability to detect the exact adulterant.

"If the new scanner or any similar technology can help solve the issue, it is welcomed. Now is the time for proper and stringent implementation of basic regulatory practices and norms - it is the time to act," concluded Mr. Khurana.

If Mr. Harsh Vardhan is to be believed, who knows, the future might have a GPS-based technology that could be used to track the exact location where the milk supplied in the cold chain has been tampered with. In the meanwhile, what seems practical is to curb the adulterating practices and prevent further damage, rather than planning for remedial measures.

Now, safe and hygienic street food

Street food has become an integral part of life in many cities, including Mysuru.

Street vendors will get an apron, gloves, caps, sanitizers and an information booklet at a workshop

The Mysuru-based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) is lending a helping hand for making street food in the country’s cleanest city safe and hygienic.

With street food being an integral part of urban lifestyle, CFTRI, as part of its outreach programme, has joined hands with the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) and the Mysuru Street Vendors’ Association and formulated a unique programme for the benefit of both street vendors and consumers in the city.

Despite ensuring tasty, affordable and diverse food to consumers, street food vendors are often unaware of the best hygienic practices. The challenges for the policy-makers are to ensure that street food vendors maintain quality and hygiene of the food delivered to consumers, CFTRI said.

Initially, a study was undertaken by the AcSIR (Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research) doctoral students of CSIR-CFTRI to assess the hygiene amongst street food vendors in Mysuru.

Inputs from around 200 street food vendors along with consumers were gathered using a questionnaire.

The findings, along with the best practices for hygienic, safe food, will be presented at a workshop on ‘Ensuring Safe Street Food in India’s Cleanest City’ on Thursday at the institute. C.G. Betsurmath, Commissioner, MCC, will inaugurate the workshop. Ram Rajasekharan, director, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru, will preside.

The participants, around 100 of them, will be provided with a basic kit consisting of apron, gloves, caps, sanitizers along with a relevant information booklet, CFTRI said in a release. The workshop aims to shed light on issues such as the common problems faced by street vendors, maintenance of hygiene in and around vending spots, empowering street vendors with basic knowledge about food safety and so on.

Prof. Ram Rajasekharan said CSIR-CFTRI would like to impart its scientific knowledge and expertise for ensuring clean, safe, nutritious and affordable street food in Mysuru by creating awareness and disseminating basic and essential knowledge to street vendors, making them responsible food handlers, especially in the context of the city having been declared as the cleanest city in India for the second straight time.

Tough Stance Against Unhygienic Eateries

Raid being conducted at a wayside eatery

KOCHI: With several complaints against wayside eateries being reported in the district, the food safety department has decided to take a tough stance against those eateries which sell food in unhygienic conditions.

The shops which sell stale food and are making use of re-used oil, unhygienic pots, polluted water will come under the scanner.

As part of beefing up the drive, the department on Tuesday conducted raids in 23 eateries at Ernakulam south, Pallimukku and Ernakulam North. Besides closing six eateries, the officials also issued notice to eight eateries which failed to adhere to the hygiene norms. “The raid was conducted in the wake of complaints that wayside eateries in the city were functioning in unhygienic conditions. We will continue the crackdown in the coming days. Juice centres and wayside food stalls will also be brought under scanner. Since we are receiving complaints of adulterated food, we have also taken the samples of curry powders and coconut oil from several shops. Action will be taken only after getting the reports,” said Food Safety Assistant Commissioner K V Shibu.

Meanwhile, the department has also started raiding ice-canteens which run by local business men and migrant labours.

“Based on the tip off we have inspected 12 such ice canteens at Aluva on Wednesday. Raids have also been conducted on the houses of migrant workers but it is learnt that they are taking the ice from plants for making juice and other cola items. The ice samples from the factory have also been taken for checking,” added K V Shibu.

Meanwhile, the Kochi Corporation is also planning to conduct such raids in the city. “ At present we have issued license to as many as 374 way side eateries. Last month, we have started 36 women run kiosks. Only licensed eateries that comply to our food safety norms will be allowed to function,” said Minimol V K, Health Committee Chairperson.

A few pointers on sleep

• Six way side eateries near south railway station were ordered shut on Tuesday.
• Eight show case notices were issued.
• On Wednesday, a tea shop in front of Aluva railway station was asked to close down.
• Stale food, unhygienic conditions, re-used oil, unhygienic pots, no proper cleaning and polluted water will come under the scanner.

Food safety officials inspect ice factories, tea stalls

The officials check iced drinks on sale near schools in Aluva and in rural areas.

Food safety officials in the district on Wednesday conducted inspections at various places in Aluva, including the houses of migrant workers, following complaints that unhygienic ice was coming into the market.

The officials particularly checked the iced drinks on sale near schools and in the rural areas.

Samples collected

They visited 13 sites and collected samples from one ice manufacturing unit. Though complaints regarding unhygienic ice manufacturing units at the homes of migrant workers were received, the officials did not find any evidence. The workers told the officials that they buy the ice from manufacturing units and sell it.

The officials also checked packaged drinks. Samples were collected from two manufacturers to check quality of water and other cool drinks that reach the stores.

A squad also raided the open wayside eateries around the Aluva railway stations. One tea stall was given a closure notice unless steps are taken to improve the hygiene.

The officials gave directions to follow food safety steps and held awareness classes for tea sellers and fruit juice shop owners to imbibe the hygiene and food safety culture so that chances of food and water contaminations are totally avoided.

Officials inspect fair price shop over sale of ‘plastic’ rice

Following complaints of the sale China-imported ‘plastic’ rice, Food and Civil Supplies Department officials have seized rice samples from a fair price shops in Keelara in Mandya district.

Officials of the Department of Food and Civil Supplies inspected a fair price shop at Keelara in the taluk on Tuesday evening following complaints that China-imported ‘plastic’ rice was being sold to the card holders.

Chandru, a resident of Keelara, had raised the issue during the Grama Sabha on Tuesday morning. According to Mr. Chandru and a few others, plastic rice was being sold in Keelara through the public distribution system from the fair price shop.

Subsequently, K.S. Ramesh, president, Keelara Grama Panchayat, and others, had requested the department to check the rice.

Not plastic rice

“It was not plastic rice,” says Kumuda Sharath, Deputy Director, Department of Food and Civil Supplies. Speaking to The Hindu here, she said that the officials had visited the shop, collected samples and also interacted with the card holders to learn about the quality of the rice sold. Food inspectors have drawn samples from the fair price shop. The samples will be sent to the government laboratory to check the quality of the rice, she said. “We will also request the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to check the samples,” Ms. Sharath said.

The collected samples will be sent to the govt. laboratory for checking

Bananas sweeter in city, not safe

At a time, when people rely heavily on fruits and salads to beat the summer heat, the artificial ripening of fruits witnessed at the Koyambedu wholesale market points to serious lapses in enforcement of food safety norms in the state

A vendor at Koyambedu market sprays ethylene to ripen bananas artificially 

Chennai: 

As the mango season is just around the corner, instances of malpractices involving artificial ripening of fruits are expected to rise. Already doctors in the city have begun issuing warnings that commonly consumed fruits like banana, guava, apple and chikku are being artificially ripened, and that customers should exercise caution before buying. 

A source revealed that even neighbourhood petty shops and small vendors urge wholesalers to speedily ripen the fruits by all means necessary – including the spraying of harmful chemical solutions. This reporter tried purchasing a dozen, partially ripe bananas in Koyambedu market, which is run by CMDA. 

The trader used a canister to spray the bananas, saying, “The fruits would be ready for consumption by next morning.” Many shopkeepers in the fruit-vendors’ area in the complex were spotted with the bottles of this spray inside their shops. The failure of officials to conduct frequent raids and apprehend such violators seems to have given such vendors a free run, a source said. 

Kumar Jayant, Commissioner of Food Safety, Tamil Nadu (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) told DTNext that raids were taking place at regular intervals. “We will keep up our vigil and confiscate and destroy such fruits, after which action will be taken against the traders,” he stressed. 

HAZARD ZONE

• Ethylene gas is the most commonly used ripening agent
• Doctors say artificially ripened fruits contain lower value and can cause allergies
• Violators can be penalised with 7-year imprisonment or pay fine

Traders should realise that consuming adulterated fruits will cause long term damage to people’s health. They need to refrain from such practices aimed at earning easy money.

Dr R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, FSSAI, Chennai

FSSAI FORMULATING STANDARDS TO REGULATE NOODLE MARKET

Post Nestle’s Maggi fiasco followed by Ramdev’s Pantajali noodles which caused some embarrassing moment to the Government, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is formulating standards for instant noodles to regulate the growing market of the eatable item.

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO of the top food regulator told The Pioneer on Wednesday that a scientific panel has been set up to prepare the standards for the instant noodles.

He said that the standards were in the final stage and will be released soon. The standards specifies in details like essential ingredients, food additives, parameters of the residual level and testing parameters before giving approval for instant noodles. Presently, as per the FSSAI, noodles come under the ‘pasta’ category.

The standards are likely to be on the line of Codex standards for instant noodles which are being followed by many countries. These Codex does not apply on pasta category.

The framing of the standards were felt after the FSSAI found itself in spot when the Bombay High Court revoked the ban on Maggi noodles clamped by the food regulator. While the FSSAI maintained that the Maggi noodles were found to have toxic contents MSG, the court ordered lifting the ban on the popular instant noodles brand.

November, last year, the FSSAI also locked horns with the yoga guru Baba Ramdev-promoted FMCG venture Patanjali alleging that it had not taken approval or licence for its instant noodles.

However, Patanjali contested saying that they had licence for Pasta in central category from the FSSAI. And since as per the FSSAI, noodles come under the ‘pasta’ category, the Patanjali claimed that the food regulator had given them licence for relabeling in the pasta category.

Based on the licence for pasta category, the company has entered into agreements with various companies that have licences for making noodles, it added.

However, with the standards coming soon, the FSSAI feel that all the issues related to the instant noodles ‘will be resolved soon.”

With the changing lifestyle, in the past few years, market has witnessed a large number of instant noodles from consumer goods giants ITC (Sunfeast Yippee!), Glaxo-Smithkline (Horlicks Foodles), and Hindustan Unilever Limited (Knorr Soupy Noodles) among others vying for space.

HEALTH DEPT TO CURB UNREGISTERED VENDORS

To put a curb on unregistered street vendors selling edible items along the road side, health department has launched one month campaign to make street food vendors aware about the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) norms and to register the unregistered street sellers through specific procedure.

“After receiving frequent complaints on the issue, a meeting was conducted on March 12 under the supervision of food safety commissioner where all the food safety officers (FSOs) are instructed to carry out a month long campaign along with conducting a regular surveys in their respective wards,” informed, Director Food Safety, RK Dubey.

“Those earning more than 12 lakh or above must have to keep licence whereas those vendors whose income is less than 12 lakh need to get themselves registered through online procedure. All the Food safety officers have been instructed to conduct surveys to collect samples on regular intervals,” Dubey added.

The registrations of the street food vendors are mandatory. In exercise of the powers conferred under section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, FSSAI has proposed Draft of Food Safety and Standards Regulation, 2010 under which Part 3.2 makes it mandatory for all Food Business Operators in the country to be registered or licensed in accordance with the procedures laid down in the regulation.

“We have also issued a circular for all Food Safety Officers to conduct an inspection drive in there respective areas and rigorously carry out the campaign. It is mandatory for vendors to have ID proofs with them to fulfill the norms and avail the services,” Dubey further added.

Presently, there are three food safety officers (FSOs) for all the 55 wards. “We have been instructed to carry an intensive one month campaign at our respective wards starting from third week of March. As far as collecting samples are concerned, we are doing that on regular basis in all the wards. On a monthly basis more than 50 samples are collected which are send to state food safety laboratory for further examination. It is mandatory for all street vendors to have Identity proofs like Aadhaar, voter ID etc. to avail the license and getting themselves registered,” said Food safety officer, KP Singh, who keeps the track record of ward number 25 to 35.

The Registration of the food vendors has initiated since April 2014 in various cities across India to keep a trail of street food sellers.

68% of milk adulterated, new kit to test in 40 seconds

NEW DELHI: With over 68% of the milk in India found adulterated in a 2011 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) study, the government is working towards providing an accurate, portable test kit for the important staple.

Science and technology minister Harsh Vardhan told the Lok Sabha that a new scanner had been developed which can detect adulteration in milk in 40 seconds, and pinpoint the adult rant.

Earlier, for every type of adulteration, a separate chemical test was required. Now a single scanner can do the job, he added. The scanner is priced at about Rs 10,000, and each test would cost a mere 5 to 10 paisa.

Most common adulterants found in milk are detergent, caustic soda, glucose, white paint and refined oil, a practice considered "very hazardous" and which can cause serious ailments.

Vardhan said in the near future, even GPS-based technology could be used to track the exact location in the supply chain where the milk was tampered with.

New technology developed to detect milk adulteration

A new technology to detect adulteration in milk has been developed by CSIR-Central Electronic Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI) at Pilani in Rajasthan, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Wednesday.

"The new technology is based on acquiring electrochemical fingerprint coupled with multivariate data analysis technique. Globally, there is no system available based on similar methods. This is a fully Indian concept," the minister said.

CSIR-CEERI is a premier research institute in the field of electronics established in 1953 under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

The technology will cost around Rs.70,000 to Rs.1 lakh. The milk detection process will take nearly 40-45 seconds and the cost of testing will be as low as Rs.0.05 to Rs.0.10.

The technology has been transferred to two industries --Rajasthan Electronics and Instrument, Jaipur and Alpine Technologies, Surat.

In a written response in the Lok Sabha, the minister said: "The technology excels in its ability to detect known and unknown adulterants in milk and it has great potential to be used widely in dairy industries.

"The adoption and deployment of this technology in as many villages and milk societies as possible would be a step forward in enhancing the standards and quality of milk. Besides, it will also help in generating employment."

According to a FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) survey in 2011, the most common adulterants in milk are addition of water, glucose, skimmed milk powder, urea, detergent, caustic soda, which are very hazardous to life.

FSSAI chief agrees to recognise labs of juice sector in SAARC region

New Delhi, Mar 16 (KNN) The Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) today organized a workshop on ‘Regional Trade Development in Juice and Juice Products in SAARC countries: Opportunities and Challenges’.

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), was the chief guest at the event. While addressing the event, he said, “Specific customs related issues of Fruit Juice importers should be looked into. On a pilot scale FSSAI should recognise food testing laboratories of Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka to prevent re-testing of food imports from these countries.”

Dr Sangam Kurade, President, FISME, said that the food industry is growing at the rate of 15 per cent YoY currently which is fastest amongst all other sectors.

“It is an excellent thought process from FISME which has taken a lead in removing trade barriers in the fruit juice sector,” Dr Kurade said.

Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, FISME, highlighted that SAARC is the only region where the intra-regional trade is much lower than the global trade of the region in total.

“In the juice sector, it was found that despite India being a large market, it was importing juice concentrates and nectars from around the world but not from the SAARC countries. If the same products were imported from the SAARC countries, it would have come at far more competitive prices,” Bhardwaj explained.

Dr. S.C. Khurana, Juice Consultant, FSSAI, deliberated on the Market Access for Imports of Juice Products.

He said, “If all constituents of a food product conform to Indian standards, the product may not need separate approval by Food standard authorities.”

During the event a MoU was signed between FISME India and Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI). The objective of the agreement is to enhance cooperation between the two associations and institutional organisations promoting economic development of SMEs in their countries and their desire to facilitate intra-regional trade and regional economic cooperation between SMEs.

The FISME workshop was organized with the support of SAARC Trade Promotion Network and GIZ.

The workshop was organized on the second day of Aahar – the international food and hospitality fair, which started at Pragati Maidan on Tuesday. The fair was inaugurated by Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

The SAARC region comprising of 8 member countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives) is one of the fastest growing regions in juice consumption in the world. Although a bewildering variety of fruits and vegetables is also grown in the region, only a fraction of it is processed. The market is set to grow several fold-offering enormous opportunities to growers, producers and suppliers, if bottlenecks in the supply chains could be cleared. 

தொற்றுநோய் முதல் புற்றுநோய் வரை - ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் பாதிப்புகள்! எச்சரிக்கை ரிப்போர்ட்

மாலை... வேலை முடிந்து வீடு செல்லும்போது, சாலை ஓரங்களில் உள்ள ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் கடைகளின் வாசலில், வியர்வையில் குளித்த மாஸ்டர்கள் ‘டங்... டங்... டங்கென’ கல்லில் தாளமிடுவது முதலில் நம் காதை இழுக்கும், அதனோடு சேர்ந்து வரும் மசாலா வாசம் நம் நாசியை நிறைக்கும். மந்திரத்துக்குக் கட்டுப்பட்டது போல பர்ஸைப் பார்த்துக்கொண்டே கடைக்குள் நுழைவோம். கடாயில் பாமாயிலை ஊற்றி பலவகை மசாலாக்களைத் தூவி, நூடுல்ஸையும் ஃப்ரைடு ரைஸையும் அந்தரத்தில் தூக்கியடித்துப் பிடிக்கும் சாகசத்தை வியந்தபடியே, நான்கு ஐட்டங்களை உள்ளே தள்ளுவோம். வீட்டுப் பாசத்தில் கொஞ்சம் பார்சல் கட்டுவோம். 100 ரூபாயில் வயிறும் மனமும் நிரம்பிவிட்ட சந்தோஷத்தில் கிளம்புவோம்.

இந்தத் துரித உணவுகளில் எவ்வளவு ஆபத்து ஒளிந்துள்ளது என்பதை நாம் ஃபேஸ்புக்கிலும் வாட்ஸ்அப்பிலும் பார்த்திருக்கிறோம்தான். ஆனாலும், நாவில் நீர் ஊறும்போது நம் மனஉறுதி அனைத்தும் குலைந்துபோகும். `எப்பவுமா சாப்பிடறோம்; எப்பவாவதுதானே?’ எனப் போலி சமாதானம் செய்துகொள்வோம்.



இப்போது, சிறிய பெட்டிக்கடையில் ஆரம்பித்து பெரிய மளிகைக்கடை வரை, வாசலை ஆக்கிரமித்து சரம் சரமாகத் தொங்கிக் கொண்டிருப்பவை மசாலா ஐட்டங்கள்தான். மிளகாய்த்தூள், ரசப்பொடி போன்றவற்றுடன் ஃபிரைடு ரைஸ் பவுடர், சிக்கன் டீப் ஃபிரை பவுடர் என பல ஆரக்கிரமித்துள்ளன. தெருக்கடைகள் வரை இருந்த ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் மோகம் வீடுகள் வரை வந்துவிட்டன. பரோட்டா, கொத்து பரோட்டா, தந்தூரி சிக்கன், ஃப்ரைடு ரைஸ், நூடுல்ஸ்... என நகர மக்களை மட்டுமே கிறங்கடித்த ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் மோகம் இன்று கிராமங்கள் வரை சென்றுவிட்டதற்கு இந்த மசாலாப் பொருட்கள் விற்பனை ஒரு சாட்சி.
உண்மையில் துரித உணவுகள் அனைத்துமே முற்றிலும் தீமையானவைதானா... துரித உணவுகளைச் சாப்பிடும்போது கவனிக்க வேண்டியவை என்னென்ன?
துரித உணவுகள் தயாரிக்க பல சுவையூட்டிகள், மசாலாப் பொருட்கள் சேர்க்கப்படுகின்றன. முதலில் இவை ஆரோக்கியமானவையா என்பதைவிட எழும் கேள்வி இவை தரமானவைதானா என்பதுதான். விலை குறைவாகக் கொடுக்க வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக பெரும்பாலும் மலிவு விலையில் கிடைக்கும் பொருட்கள் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன. அடுத்தது, அது தயாரிக்கும் விதம், ஆரோக்கியமற்ற முறையில், சுகாதாரமற்ற சூழலில்தான் பெரும்பாலான துரித உணவுகள் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டு விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகின்றன. இதனால், தொற்றுநோய்கள் ஏற்படுவதற்கான வாய்ப்புகள் அதிகரிக்கின்றன.

எம்.எஸ்.ஜி தவிர்ப்போம்!
துரித உணவுகளில் சுவைக்காகப் பயன்படுத்தப்படும் எம்.எஸ்.ஜி (Mono sodium glutamate) அல்லது சோடா உப்பு பற்றி நிறையக் கேள்விப்பட்டிருப்போம். இது கெட்ச்அப், தக்காளி சாஸ், நூடுல்ஸின் சுவையைக் கூட்டும் தன்மையுடையது. இது கலக்கப்படும் உணவை ஒருமுறை உட்கொண்டால், மீண்டும் மீண்டும் உண்ணத் தூண்டும் அடிக்ட்டிவ் தன்மைகொண்டது. அதனாலேயே, இது பல நாடுகளில் தடைசெய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. சோடா உப்பில் சோடியம் பைகார்போனேட் உள்ளது. எம்.எஸ்.ஜி மற்றும் சோடா உப்பு இரண்டிலுமே சோடியம் அதிகமாக உள்ளது. நமது உடலில் 60 முதல் 70 சதவிகிதம் தண்ணீர் இருக்க வேண்டும். உடலில் சோடியம் அதிகமானால், உடலின் நீர் அளவு அதிகமாகிறது. இதனால், குறுகிய காலத்தில் அதிக எடை கூடி ஊளைச் சதை உருவாகிறது.

ஆரோக்கியமற்ற எண்ணெய்
எண்ணெய், நிறைவுற்ற கொழுப்பு அமிலம் (Saturated fatty acids), ஒற்றை நிறைவுறாக் கொழுப்பு அமிலம் (Mono unsaturated fatty acids), பன்மை நிறைவுறாக் கொழுப்பு அமிலம் (Poly unsaturated fatty acids) என மூன்றுவிதமாகப் பிரிக்கப்படுகிறது. இந்தப் பன்மை நிறைவுறாக் கொழுப்பு அமிலம்தான் `அத்தியாவசியக் கொழுப்பு அமிலம் (Essential fatty acids)’ எனப்படுகிறது. நிறைவுற்ற கொழுப்பு அமிலம் அதிகமாகும்போது, அது கொழுப்பாக மாறி உடலுக்குக் கெடுதலை விளைவிக்கும். எனவே, இதை `கெட்ட கொழுப்பு’ எனலாம். ஒற்றை நிறைவுறாக் கொழுப்பு அமிலம் அதிகரிக்கும்போது, நம் உடலில் உள்ள கெட்ட கொழுப்பைக் குறைக்கும். பன்மை நிறைவுறாக் கொழுப்பு அமிலம் ரத்தம் உறைவதைத் தடுக்கும். உடலில் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தியை அதிகரிக்கச் செய்யும். எனவே, இவை இரண்டும் நல்ல கொழுப்பு எனக் கூறலாம். பொதுவாக, சுத்திகரிக்கப்படாத நாட்டு எண்ணெயில் நிறைவுற்ற கொழுப்பு அமிலம் குறைவாகவும், மற்ற இரண்டு கொழுப்பு அமிலங்கள் அதிகமாகவும் இருக்கும்.
ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் கடைகளில் பாமாயிலை அதிக அளவில் பயன்படுத்துகின்றனர். ஒரு முறைக்கு மேல் தொடர்ந்து சூடுபடுத்தும்போது அதில் நிறைவுற்ற கொழுப்பு அமிலம் அதிகரித்து ஆரோக்கியத்துக்கு பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது. மேலும், திரும்பத் திரும்ப சூடுபடுத்துவதால், `டிரான்ஸ்ஃபேட்’ எனும் அமில மாற்றம் நடக்கிறது. இதன்மூலம் நல்ல கொழுப்பு, கெட்ட கொழுப்பாக மாறுகிறது. இது உடலில் சேரச் சேர இதயக் குழாய் அடைப்பு, சிறுகுடல் மற்றும் மலக்குடல் புற்றுநோயை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது.


மைதா என்னும் எமன்
நம் மக்களிடம் உள்ள அறியாமையே பளபளப்பாக இருந்தால் சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட பொருள் என்ற எண்ணம்தான். அதனாலேயே நிறத்துக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் அளிக்கின்றனர் வியாபாரிகள். பெட்ரோலை சுத்திகரிக்க அரேபிய நாடுகளில் பயன்படுத்தப்படும் வேதிப் பொருளான டெர்ஷியரிபட்டைல் ஹைட்ரோகுயினோன் (Tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)) இங்கு மைதா மாவை வெண்மை யாக்கப் பயன்படுத் தப்படுகிறது. மைதாவின் மென்மைக்காக அலாக்சின் என்ற வேதிப்பொருள் சேர்க்கப்படுகிறது. மைதா, எந்தச் சத்துகளும் அற்ற குப்பை மாவாகும். இதனால், உடலுக்கு எந்தப் பயனும் இல்லை. இந்த கலோரிகள் உடல்பருமனைக் கூட்டும். கோதுமையின் தோலில் பி காம்ப்ளெக்ஸ், புரதம், அமினோ அமிலங்கள் நிறைந்துள்ளன. வேதிப் பொருட்களைச் சேர்த்து, பலகட்ட பதப்படுத்தலுக்குப் பின் இந்தச் சத்துக்களை எல்லாம் நீக்கி, ரீஃபைண்டு மாவாகத் தரப்படுவதுதான் மைதா. பசியோடு இருக்கும்போது பரோட்டா சாப்பிடும்போது அவற்றைக் கொழுப்பாக மாற்றி அடிவயிற்றில் சேமித்துக்கொள்ளும். வருடக்கணக்கில் சேமிக்கப்படும் கொழுப்பு, பெருத்த தொப்பையுடன், உடல்பருமன், இதயக்கோளாறு, சர்க்கரைநோயை ஏற்படுத்தும்.

ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் பாதிப்புகள்
எப்போதாவது ஒரு நாள், மாதத்துக்கு ஒரு நாள் ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் எடுத்துக்கொள்வதில் பிரச்னை இல்லை. அதுவே தொடரும்போதுதான் பாதிப்புகள் ஏற்படுகின்றன. தொடர்ந்து ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் சாப்பிட்டுவந்தால் ஏற்படக்கூடிய பாதிப்புகள்:
உயர் ரத்த அழுத்தம்
சர்க்கரை நோய்
கொழுப்பு அளவு அதிகரிப்பு
இதய நோய்கள்
ஹெபடைட்டிஸ், டைஃபாய்டு உள்ளிட்ட தொற்று நோய்கள்
ஈ மொய்த்த உணவுகள் உட்கொள்வதால் வயிற்றுப்போக்கு உள்ளிட்ட நோய்கள்
ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட் டிப்ஸ்!
பாக்கெட் உணவுகளில் உள்ள ஊட்டச்சத்து லேபிளைச் சரிபார்க்கக் கற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். அதில் இருக்கும் பாலி அன்சாச்சுரேட்டட் ஃபேட்டி ஆசிட், மோனோ அன்சாச்சுரேட்டட் ஃபேட்டி ஆசிட், டிரான்ஸ் ஃபேட் ஆகியவற்றை ஒப்பிட்டுப்பார்த்து வாங்க வேண்டும்.
ரெடிமேட் இன்ஸ்டன்ட் உணவுகளான இன்ஸ்டன்ட் இட்லி மாவு, இன்ஸ்டன்ட் மசாலா, காபி பவுடர், இடியாப்பம், நூடுல்ஸ், ஃப்ரைடு ரைஸை முடிந்தவரை தவிர்ப்பது நல்லது.
ரெடிமேட் உணவின் அளவுக்குச் சரிசமமாக, காய்கறிகளையும் பழங்களையும், பருப்பு வகைகளையும் எடுத்துக்கொண்டால், பாதிப்பைக் குறைக்கலாம்.
40 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்டவர்கள், சோடியம் சேர்த்த உணவைச் சேர்த்துக்கொள்வதைத் குறைத்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
மைதா உணவுகளை உட்கொள்ளாமல் இருப்பதே நல்லது. கட்டாயம் ஏற்பட்டால், சுகாதாரம் இல்லாத உணவகங்களைத் தவிர்ப்பது நல்லது. முக்கியமாக, சமையலுக்குப் பயன்படுத்தும் எண்ணெயின் தரத்தைச் சோதிக்க வேண்டும்.
சூப்பர் மார்க்கெட்டில் விற்கப்படும் பதப்படுத்தப்பட்ட பொருட்களின் பிராண்டு தரத்தை விளம்பரங்களைப் பார்த்து நிர்ணயிக்கக் கூடாது. ஜாம், குளிர்பானங்கள், உலர் பழங்களால் ஆன உணவுப் பண்டங்கள், ஊறுகாய், பழங்களைப் பதப்படுத்தி தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட உணவுகள் ஆகியவற்றில் இந்திய அரசின் தரக் கட்டுப்பாடான எஃப்.பி.ஓ (FPO) மார்க் உள்ளதா எனப் பார்க்க வேண்டும்.
பானிபூரி, சமோசா, பேல் பூரி போன்றவற்றை வீட்டிலேயே தயாரித்துச் சாப்பிடலாம். வீட்டில் தயாரிக்கப்படும் தின்பண்டங்களான முறுக்கு, பஜ்ஜி, உருளைக்கிழங்கு சிப்ஸ் ஆகியவற்றை பாலி அன்சாச்சுரேட்டட் கொழுப்பு அமிலம் அதிகமாக உள்ள நல்லெண்ணெய், சூரியகாந்தி எண்ணெயைக் கொண்டு தயாரிக்கலாம். இதில், உடலுக்குத் தேவையான ஒமேகா 6 கொழுப்பு அமிலம் உள்ளது.
ஒரு நாள்... ஒரு அளவு
ஒருநாள் ஊட்டச்சத்து தேவை எவ்வளவு எனப் பட்டியலிடுவதுபோல், அளவுக்கு மீறாக்கூடாதவை என சில கட்டளைகளை இதய நோய் சிகிச்சை நிபுணர்கள் பரிந்துரைக்கின்றனர். ஆரோக்கியமான நபர் ஒருவர், ஒரு நாளைக்கு எடுக்கும் உணவில் டிரான்ஸ் ஃபேட் அளவு இரண்டு கிராமுக்கு மிகாமல் இருக்க வேண்டும். சாச்சுரேட்டட் ஃபேட் 16 கிராமுக்கு மிகாமலும், சோடியம் 2,300 மி.கி மிகாமலும், சர்க்கரை 25 - 38 கிராமுக்கு மிகாமலும் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்கின்றனர். ஆனால், ஃபாஸ்ட் ஃபுட், பிராசஸ்டு ஃபுட், பாக்கெட்டில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட பதப்படுத்தப்பட்ட உணவுகளில் மேலே சொன்ன அளவுகளைத் தாண்டி இவை இருக்கின்றன. இதனால், கொழுப்பு அதிகரிப்பதால் மாரடைப்பும், சர்க்கரை அதிகரிப்பதால் சர்க்கரை நோயும், சோடியம் அதிகரிப்பதால் உயர் ரத்த அழுத்தம் வருவதற்கான வாய்ப்ப்பு அதிகரிக்கிறது.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Agenda Item No.19-7: Proposes to increase the Turnover limit from Rs.12 lakhs to Rs.25 lakhs for PETTY FOOD MANUFACTURER

CERC writes to McDonald’s, Subway, KFC to stop serving meat from antibiotic treated animals

Ahmedabad

Consumer Education and Research Center (CERC),a leading consumer rights organisation in India, has written to McDonald’s, Subway and KFC calling on them to stop serving meat and poultry from animals routinely given antibiotics used in human medicine.

CERC has also strongly urged the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to take urgent actions to prevent the presence of antibiotic residues in food products which is a serious health threat.

In a statement issued by the United Nations recognized Indian NGO based at Ahmedabad, on the eve of the world consumer rights day, this evening it said that it has written to McDonald’s, Subway and KFC.

‘Antibiotic residues in food products like milk, honey, eggs and chicken is a serious health threat today as it leads to the emergence of ‘superbugs’ – microorganisms which are resistant to antibiotics. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that, without urgent action, we are heading for a post-antibiotic era, in which important medicines stop working and common infections and minor injuries will once again kill people.’ the statement said adding that its writing to the restaurant chains was a part of Consumers International’s (CI) plan – World Consume Rights Day. CI’s theme this year is ‘Antibiotics off the menu’.

In India, the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants. Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011 regulates antibiotic use only in sea food. It is essential that antibiotic use and residue limits are defined for other food items too, it said.

CERC has also urged FSSAI to take urgent action to prohibit the use of antibiotics which are critical for humans as growth promoters and for mass disease prevention in poultry, dairy and other animals.

To Set standards for residues and limits for antibiotics use in poultry, dairy and meat industries.CERC has also written to the Ministry of Health, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MoCA). It is urging them to ensure that a country wide system is set up for surveillance and monitoring use of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in food producing animals.

‘We have also written to Amul, Dabur and Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt Ltd on the issue. Also, we are campaigning through an online petition and urging other consumer groups to support our advocacy,’ the statement said adding that people should opt for organic milk and meat products and free-range eggs where hens are not caged and are treated more ethically.

‘When you are ill, always ask your doctor whether it is necessary to take an antibiotic. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) recently asked doctors not to prescribe antibiotics for adults suffering from common cold, bronchitis, sore throat or sinus infection,’ the statement said stressing on the need for spreading of awareness on the issue.

Impact of Passive Smoking on Children

As per Global Youth Tobacco Survey, a school-based survey of students in grades 8, 9, and 10 conducted in 2009, one in five students live in homes where others smoke, and more than one-third of the students are exposed to smoke around others outside of the home; one-quarter of the students have at least one parent who smokes. 

Exposure to second hand smoke results in lung cancer and heart diseases among adults, and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), chronic respiratory infections, exacerbation/worsening of asthma, reduced lung function growth, middle ear diseases, and acute respiratory illnesses among children. Smoking in the home affects babies and young children as well as the elderly and other adults, especially women. 

The Government has taken measures including, inter alia, the following to curb smoking: 

(i) Enactment of the “Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, (COTPA) 2003”. 

(ii) Ratification of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. 

(iii) Launch of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) in the year 2007-08, with the objectives to (a) create awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption, (b) reduce the production and supply of tobacco products, (c) ensure effective implementation of the anti-tobacco laws and (d) help the people quit tobacco use through Tobacco Cessation Centres. 

(iv) Notification of rules to ban smoking in public places. 

(v) Notification of rules to regulate depiction of tobacco products or their use in films and TV programmes. 

(vi) Notification of rules on new pictorial health warnings on tobacco product packages. 

(vii) Launch of public awareness campaigns through a variety of media. Government of India has banned certain kinds of smokeless tobacco products like gutkha and chewing tobacco through the notification issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Other tobacco products are regulated by the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA 2003), which contain provisions, inter alia, relating to ban on sale of tobacco products by/to minors, ban on sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions, ban on promotions/advertisements of tobacco products, etc. 

The State Governments/UTs of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Mizoram, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand have issued orders/notifications banning the sale of loose cigarettes. 

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

Drive discovers bad water in juice shops

Special drive against juice parlours

Drive is part of steps to prevent spread of water-borne diseases

Joining hands with the Health Department’s initiatives to ensure the quality of drinking water supplied, the Food Safety Authority also launched a special drive on Monday with special focus on juice parlours and wayside cool drink sellers.

The five-day special drive is also part of the Statewide safety measures taken by the department to avoid the spread of various water-borne diseases.

According to officials attached to the department, the quality of water used for the preparation of juice and other cool drinks will be the main focus of inspection.

Squads will be split into different groups and they will conduct surprise visits in select locations, they add.

During the special drive, samples will be collected from various selling points and will be sent for detailed lab tests. In case of serious violations or adulterations, the trade license would bSe cancelled. Action will also be initiated against unlicensed traders in the sector.

The squads are planning to crackdown on sale of crushed ice delicacies on the Kozhikode beach and other popular tourism locations in the city. In an earlier checking drive, the department had exposed the poor hygiene involved in the production of such products.

Along with the checking of water quality and the collected sources, the squads will look into attempts at food adulteration.

FSO seals food outlet at Kral Khud

Srinagar:

Acting on a complaint by a consumer, Jammu and Kashmir Food Safety Organisation on Saturday seized factory of a sweet manufacturer and supplier at Kral Khud area here and seized food items from the unit.

An official communiqué said a team lead by Assistant Commissioner Food Safety, Hilal Ahmed Mir, raided the a food manufacturer, M/S Aar Gee Sweets, at Kral Khud who had been supplying sweets and other edibles to various confectionery retailers in Srinagar. “The team also raided Modern Sweets Bemina and seized the entire stock of food items from there and sent samples for testing,” the communiqué said. “On Friday, FSO had received a complaint that Modern Sweets had sold ‘Rasmalai’ to a person whose two children had been hospitalized after consuming it. We found that there were no manufacturing or expiry date on the package of Rasmalai. We seized the entire stock from manufacturer in Kral Khud and the seller in Bemina,” Mir said,” Mir said.

CHANDIGARH FOOD SAFETY OFFICERS INSPECTED VARIOUS FOOD ITEMS IN PU STUDENT CENTRE, FIVE SAMPLE TAKEN

As per the action plan prepared by Dr. Rajinder K. Sharma, Designated Officer I/c Food Safety Administration, Chandigarh Health Department, Chandigarh. Sh. Bharat Kanojia, Food Safety Officers on Monday inspected the various eateries situated at Student Centre, Punjab University, Sector 14, Chandigarh and five samples of Shahi Mutter Paneer, Prepared Rajmah, Prepared Channa, Veg. Fried Rice and Papaya Shake were taken for analysis & examination and two improvement notices have been issued. 

The Food Business Operators were instructed to adhere to the norms of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Rules, 2011.

First batch of vendors trained in food hygiene

Delhi has been divided into 10 zones, with a total of 40 centres to train 40 vendors each

Food safety regulator FSSAI in association with National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) trained the first batch of street vendors in the Capital under ‘Project Clean Street Food’ on Sunday. The programme, which aims to train 20,000 street food vendors in Delhi a month’s time, was launched by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Union Minister of State Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

Speaking at the event, Mr Nadda said, “Food-borne diseases pose a big challenge in the country. Hence, it is vital to train street vendors in hygienic food handling techniques.” Mr Rudy linked the initiative to the Centre’s flagship “Skill India” mission, and said the idea of “certified street food vendors” would soon be a reality.

The programme was organised at New Moti Bagh club. On the first day, 40 vendors were trained. Five vendors received the “Skill card.” “NASVI has been mobilising food vendors to participate in the project. Delhi has been divided into 10 zones, with a total of 40 centres to train 40 vendors each,” said Arbind Singh, Co-ordinator, NASVI. A street food festival organised on the occasion pulled large crowds.

As part of the effort, all food vendors of the city will begin wearing safety gears needed for maintaining hygiene.

FSSAI launches project 'Clean Street Food'

In the first phase, the project aims to raise the safety standards of foods sold on streets across New Delhi by training 20,000 roadside vendors on aspects of health and hygiene

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) yesterday launched ‘Clean Street Food’ project to raise the safety standards of foods sold on streets across New Delhi by training 20,000 roadside vendors on aspects ofhealth and hygiene, in the first phase. As part of project Clean Street Food, FSSAI will partner with the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to train street food vendors at more than 40 centres across Delhi under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) category of the Government’s flagship skills training scheme- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

J P Nadda, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, stated that this is a pragmatic, practical, constructive and positive approach to skilling one of the largest unorganised sectors of the country. With nearly 20 lakh street vendors in the country, the training of 20,000 vendors is on a pilot basis in the NCR of Delhi. “As street food forms an integral part of our society, the project which shall upgrade the skills of the street food vendors will also contribute to preventive and promotive health,” he added.

Under the Delhi Project, 20,000 food street vendors would be trained, assessed and certified by seven training partners over the next four weeks at 40 training centres set up for the purpose across Delhi. Delhi Food Safety Commissioner and the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) are engaged in mobilisation of street vendors across Delhi. Food vendors will receive smart skill-cum-registration cards on completion of the training.

Green tribunal to rule on safety of PET containers on Monday

HIGHLIGHTS

• Uttarakhand-based NGO, Him Jagriti, has petitioned the NGT that given India's extreme variations of temperature, it fears that PET containers leached harmful chemicals like phthalates and heavy metals.

Green tribunal to rule on safety of PET containers on Monday

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is slated to pronounce on Monday on whether plastic packaging of products including polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers is safe or not.

Uttarakhand-based NGO, Him Jagriti, has petitioned the NGT that given India's extreme variations of temperature, it fears that PET containers leached harmful chemicals like phthalates and heavy metals.

It has sought directions to restrict the use of plastic bottle and multi-layered plastic packaging including PET bottles by imposing a ban on packaging of carbonated soft drinks, saying unrestricted use of plastics for packaging has significant health and environment impact.

The green panel had noted that the Central Pollution Control Board and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSO) have sought a ban on using PET bottles or plastic containers for primary packing in liquid oral formulations.

In findings that could help Rs.4,000 crore Indian PET packaging industry, two separate test reports by international testers SGS and India's Shriram Institute for Industrial Research (SIIR) have not found any traces of harmful leaching in PET containers packaging tested at varied environments.

Pharmaceuticals along with soft drinks constitute about one fourth of India's PET packaging industry.

PET is made from mono ethylene glycol and purified terephatic acid. Of the 600,000 tonnes of PET production, the pharmaceutical industry uses around 16 percent, accounting for around 100,000 tonnes every year.

The NGT bench had earlier indicated that it favoured "restriction" on plastic packaging of products including PET bottles and granted a final opportunity to various plastic manufacturing units and others to file their written submissions in the matter.

தடை செய்யப்பட்ட 15 கிலோ புகையிலை பொருள் பறிமுதல் சமயபுரம் கோயில் கடைகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு

திருச்சி, மார்ச் 15:

சம ய பு ரம் கோயிலை சுற் றி யுள்ள கடை க ளில் நடத் திய ஆய் வில் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட 15 கிலோ புகை யிலை பொருட் கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட் டன.

சம ய பு ரம் மாரி யம் மன் கோயி லில் பூச் சொ ரி தல் விழாவை முன் னிட்டு கலெக் டர் பழ னி சாமி உத் த ர வின் பேரில் உணவு பாது காப்பு பிரிவு மாவட்ட நிய மன அலு வ லர் சுரேஷ் பாபு மேற் பார் வை யில் மண் ணச் ச நல் லூர் வட் டார உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கென் னடி தலை மை யில் உணவு பாது காப்பு குழு வி னர் சம ய பு ரம் கோயிலை சுற் றி யுள்ள அனைத்து உணவு கடை க ளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட னர்.

இந்த ஆய் வின் போது தடை செய் யப் பட்ட பொருட் கள் விற் ப னைக் காக வைக் கப் பட்டு இருப் பது கண்டு பிடிக் கப் பட் டது. இதை ய டுத்து குட்கா, ஹான்ஸ் உள் ளிட்ட 15 கிலோ பொருட் கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட் டன. பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட்ட பொருட் கள் கண் ண னூர் பேரூ ராட்சி அலு வ ல கத் தில் ஒப் ப டைக் கப் பட் டன. பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட்ட பொருட் களை பேரூ ராட்சி செயல் அலு வ லர் கும ரன் மற் றும் பேரூ ராட்சி அலு வ லர் கள் சாகுல் ஹ மீது, தேவ தாஸ், கணே சன், சோம சுந் த ரம் ஆகி யோர் பார் வை யிட் ட தோடு இந்த பொருட் களை கம் போஸ் உரம் தயா ரிக் கும் குப் பை க ளு டன் கொட்டி அளிக்க உத் த ர விட் ட னர். சம ய பு ரத் தில் என் றில் லா மல் திருச்சி மாவட் டம் முழு வ தும் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட புகை யிலை பொருட் களை பறி மு தல் செய்ய அதி கா ரி கள் அதி ரடி நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டும் என் பதே அனைத்து தரப் பி ன ரின் எதிர் பார்ப் பாய் உள் ளது.

வேலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் களைகட்டிய தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்கள் விற்பனை

வேலூர், மார்ச் 15:

தமி ழ கத் தில் ஹான்ஸ், பான் ப ராக் உள் ளிட்ட புகை யிலை மற் றும் பாக் கு கள் கடை க ளில் விற் பனை செய்ய தடை செய் யப் பட் டுள் ளது. தடையை மீறி விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டும் கடை க ளில் உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை அதி கா ரி கள் ஆய்வு நடத்தி பறி மு தல் செய்து வந் த னர். இந் நி லை யில், வேலூர் மாவட் டத் தில் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட புகை யிலை பொருட் கள் விற் ப னையை முழு மை யாக கட் டுப் ப டுத்த முடி ய வில்லை.

இத னால், மண் டித் தெரு, சுண் ணாம் பு கார தெரு உள் ளிட்ட குடோன் க ளில் பதுக்கி வைக் கப் பட்ட புகை யிலை பொருட் களை மீண் டும் சந் தைக்கு கொண்டு வந் துள் ள னர். இத னால், தற் போது பெட்டி க டை கள், மளிகை கடை க ளில் மீண் டும் புகை யிலை பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் பட்டு வரு கி றது.

தடை செய் யப் பட்ட பான் ப ராக் பாக் கெட் டு கள் ₹7 முதல் ₹12 வரை யும், புகை யிலை ₹10 முதல் ₹15க்கும் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கி றது. வேலூர் மாவட் டத் தில் ரயில் நிலை யம், புதிய பஸ் நிலை யம், பழைய பஸ் நிலை யம் மற் றும் மாவட் டத் தின் உள்ள அனைத்து பகு தி க ளில் செயல் ப டும் பெட் டிக் க டை க ளி லும் இவை விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கின் றன. இவை சம் பந் தப் பட்ட உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை அதி கா ரி க ளுக்கு தெரிந்தே விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு வ தாக சமூக ஆர் வ லர் கள் கருத்து தெரி வித் துள் ள னர்.

Equinox Labs to conduct seminar on Impact of FSSAI on Corporates and FBOs

Equinox Labs, a leading FSSAI consulting company, will be conducting a seminar on Impact of FSSAI on Corporates and FBOs on March 18, 2016. 

The seminar will be conducted by Chhaya Verma, assistant manager, compliance and food safety, Equinox Labs, giving clarity on the numerous laws under FSSAI and how to adhere to them. It will familiarise the attendees with the audit process, benefits of FSSAI to the Indian food industry and will prepare them to confidently face an FSSAI / FDA audit and the penalties if the mentioned standards are not followed by FBOs and corporates on topics like benefit of manufacturers, importers and exporters.

Ashwin Bhadri, CEO, Equinox Labs, says, “FSSAI, established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is responsible for protecting and stimulating public health by the regulation and administration of food safety. Food safety is incomplete without adhering to FSSAI. I believe this seminar will enable one to know the impact of FSSAI on corporates and FBOs.”

According to a press release issued by the company, Equinox Training Center is India’s largest platform for food safety & FSSAI courses, trainings, certifications, seminars and webinars. A series of free webinars have been conducted earlier like FSSAI License Modification: Helps In Business Expansion; Food Labelling Requirements in Compliance with FSSA; Two Sides of Coin - Modification & Renewal.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Mobile APP

FSSAI App will allow the consumers in India to raise their food safety related concerns. Whether it is a Packaged Food or a Food Service Establishment, now consumers are empowered to know about the Food Business Operators and get informed about the Food Safety information. The app has built in functionalities to locate the consumer's geo location and any Food Incidents witnessed can be raised along with the captured pictures.

The app allows consumers to check different parameters on which the Food Safety is compromised for both Packaged Foods and Food served in ready-to-eat establishments. For served food, the consumer is given an option to rate the Overall Hygiene of the food service establishment.

Since most of the times the form of food consumed is either packed or serviced, FSSAI app provides Food Safety Tips and Food Safety laws as prescribed by FSSAI through its Regulations.

Provision for consumers to enter FSSAI issued License/Registration Number if available will provide accurate information about the FBO's adherence to the Food safety requirements.

Understaffed Food Safety Dept Fails to Check Adulteration

GUNTUR: At a time, food adulteration has become a major concern and questions about food quality and safety are being raised prominently, it is natural to question the role of food safety department.

Health activists accuse the government of neglecting public health and say that scant attention is being paid to food quality and safety. Free rein is given to food product companies and street sellers, they claim. Questions are being raised about the roles and responsibilities of the food safety department. However, the answer is not far to seek.

As per WHO standards, Food Safety Department, which is also entrusted with the task of issuing licences after due checks, should have a minimum of 600 staff members, but the state has only 30. For instance, in a recent raid conducted on the wholesale fruit shops in Vijayawada region, officers of other departments and other districts were drafted for duty.

There are several instances of adulterated food including ghee and milk being released into the market. The activists question the government that despite understanding the importance of food quality and public health, why more staff members are not being recruited for the food safety department.

Lack of staff with food safety department is also resulting in loss of precious revenue. This is because, it is the licensing authority for issuing permission for starting any food related company, venture or sales, as per the Food Safety and Standard Act of India (FSSAI). According to sources, there are about six lakh food vendors across the district and there is every possibility for the government to earn revenue of at least `100 crore towards processing fee for licenses.

But most of the food safety offices in the state are running without a computer operator, and hence the process of issuing licenses itself is a distant reality. Despite, some of the vendors approaching the offices seeking licenses, issuing licenses itself has become a burden to the department due to the skeletal staff.

Admitting that staff crunch is limiting their activities, State Food Safety Enforcement Officers Welfare Association General Secretary also the Guntur Zonal Food Controller N Purnachandra Rao said that as per the norms of Word Health Organisation there should be one food safety officer to one lakh rural populace and for 50,000 urban population, that should be 600 food safety officers in the state as per its population.

“However, we are asking the government to increase the staff by at least 100 so that we could manage to take up the documentation work like issuing licenses as well as in taking up raids from time-to-time,” he told Express.

Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the High Court, which took up the issue of artificial ripening of fruits using calcium carbide had suggested the government to enhance the staff numbers of the food safety department to prevent the incidents of food adulteration.

Drive to ensure quality of water in juice shops, eateries

Kozhikode: Those who have put up wayside juice shops and makeshift eateries to make some quick bucks during the summer beware. The owners of the juice and eatery outlets that use polluted water to prepare food items will face the music from the food safety department.

The officials of the food safety department have decided to initiate an extensive drive in the wake of increase in number of cases of waterborne diseases reported in the district. The week-long drive commencing from March 14 will exclusively target juice shops and makeshift eateries. Quality of water being used to prepare food items will be monitored.

Two squads from the food safety department will cover the city and its outskirts. Unlike in the earlier years, this time the department is also considering a proposal to conduct inspections at migrant labour camps to check the quality of drinking water used by them.

The squad will check the source of the water being used to prepare juices, ice creams and quality of ice supplied by local ice manufacturing units to make chilled drinks. The officials will also conduct inspections at ice manufacturing units.

More than 1,000 makeshift eatery outlets have been functioning at the various locations within the corporation limits.

According to the health department, the district registered around more than 4,500 cases of diarrhoea and more than 30 cases of hepatitis A from January 1March 12, 2016. It also reported ten typhoid cases from January 1March 12. In 2015, 135 cases of hepatitis A and 107 cases of typhoid were reported. Also 47,623 cases of diarrhoea were reported in 2015.

Retired additional district medical officer Dr M Shyamala said that consumption of chilled drinks and ice creams prepared using contaminated water often results in one getting waterborne diseases. "The public should not consume juices and water from makeshift eateries during the summer season and use of safe drinking water is the only available remedy to curb waterborne diseases,'' she said.

Assistant commissioner of food safety department C T Anil Kumar said, "Water samples will be collected from the juice shops and makeshift eateries to test the quality. The drive has been planned in the wake of increase in the number of waterborne diseases in the district and as part of precautions in the summer season. The eatery outlets and juice shops using contaminated water will be closed down on the spot''. He added that inspections will also be conducted at migrant labour camps to check quality of water. "We will also seek the help of health, local self-government bodies and labour departments in case need arises,'' he said.

Rs 1.26 lakh fine imposed on 30 eateries

Phagwara, Mar 13 (PTI) Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Iqbal Singh Sandhu today slapped a fine of Rs one lakh and twenty six thousand on 30 local shops and eateries for allegedly selling adulterated food items.

The fine was imposed after the samples collected by the District Food Safety Officer (DFSO) of the Health Department during the last two months tested positive, he said.

The DFSO had referred the case to the ADCs court.

The samples were taken from dhabas, sweetshops, dairies, restaurants and food corners.

Sandhu warned of heavier penalty in case the eateries violated the norms again.

Now, register packaged food complaints on FSSAI app

Discovered some “strange” and “unexpected” object in your packaged food and you do not know whom to approach? Here is a good news. Now, you will be able to report safety concerns of a packaged food product or served food at a restaurant instantly.

The Food Safety and Standards of India (FSSAI), in their new mobile application launched on Sunday, will have a feature by which the food concerns raised by a consumer will be routed to the food safety officer (FSO), a designated officer or the state food commissioner for necessary action.

The FSSAI app, which is a free mobile application developed will help consumers verify registration/ licence of the food manufacturer, will further help in ensuring safety standards of the product. The easy-to-use application will require only the licence number printed on the food package after which the app will search for manufacturer details in the FSSAI database and provide the details to the consumer who can verify the authenticity by matching the data. The consumers can then report their concern to the authority concerned.

Union health minister J.P. Nadda, who launched the “safety app”, told this newspaper that it is an “intiative to bring the in economic mainstream the unorganised sector of food vendors by providing them official recognition, dignity and skills. This would benefit the street food vendors to establish their brand enhance their income while also benefiting the consumers by promotion of hygiene and quality of the food served by the street food vendors. This is a true reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “sab ka sath sab ka vikas”.

The consumers will also have an option to provide hygiene rating of a food outlet through the App. According to officials, this will further help the food outlet to improve their hygiene standards. “This will also help the FSSAI to identify weak areas of hygiene and will help the outlet to improve their food safety standards”.

In a bid to help manufacturers provide safe food to its consumers the App also provides food safety tips on packed food and served food. This will help in creating awareness of safe food among the consumers too.

FBOs and regulators should not be seen as adversaries

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has said that food business operators (FBOs) and regulators should not be seen as adversaries to each other instead they should be looked at as there to help each other in achieving the goal of food safety. Further, food businesses should adopt international best practices to stand the global trade competition, according to Agarwal.

“There is absolutely no reason for the regulator and food businesses to be seen in adversarial position. They are all citizens and consumers. As responsible citizen we’ll have to ensure food safety in all aspects of food business,” he said, while taking part in an event here recently.

The FSSAI CEO added that a framework is needed to be crafted so that the FBOs are guided well with regard to compliance. “Our job is to improve the quality of the food that is being manufactured in the country. We have to create a framework for continuous improvement and for that FBOs are first to be guided for compliance for all aspects/critical points for manufacturing of the food.”

With regard to bridging the communication gap that seems to have cropped up between FBOs and regulators, Agarwal said, this is already being done. He informed, “We have an absolute open door policy for FBOs of all kinds, for consumers, for civil organisation and we’ll be close to all stakeholders.”

This is evident with recent developments wherein FSSAI issued clarification with respect to proprietary food and released standards for additives. And now the FSSAI is moving towards surveillance through risk assessment instead of sample-based enforcement.

Agarwal stated, “The whole new paradigm instead of enforcement through samples, we have to go to surveillance through risk assessment and risk management. It is still not there in our regulatory environment so we have a long way to go.”

He pointed out that the food business was getting global with increase in exports and imports and the industry tended to lose out if our food safety regulatory environment was not in accordance with global standards. There is no choice but to adopt international best practices of food safety and the regulator should get all cooperation from FBOs.

As for creation of science-based standards, the FSSAI CEO said that the process was time-consuming and complicated although it had been accelerated in the past few months and 80-90 of the standards and regulations should be in place within the next few months.

“There is no way a regulator will be able to ensure food safety with small machinery. Therefore the onus of the food safety lies on food businesses and that is the paradigm shift. HACCP and other such principles should be maintained by the food business,” he said.

Centre Launches Project To Train Street Food Sellers In Delhi

NEW DELHI: Vendors selling street food in the national capital will now be sensitised about health and hygiene for raising food safety standards.

Health Minister J P Nadda on Sunday launched the project titled as 'Clean Street Food' to be undertaken by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The FSSAI will train street food vendors under the Recognition of Prior Learning category of the Centre's skills training scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

Speaking at the launch of the Project, Mr Nadda said it is a pragmatic, practical, constructive and positive approach to skilling one of the largest unorganised sectors of the country.

"With nearly 20 lakh street vendors in the country, the training of 20,000 vendors on a pilot basis in the NCR of Delhi is a welcome steep. As street food forms an integral part of our society, the project which shall upgrade the skills of the street food vendors, will also contribute to preventive and promotive health," he said.

Under the Delhi Project, 20,000 food street vendors would be trained, assessed and certified by seven training partners over the next four weeks at 40 training centres.

Besides, the FSSAI also launched a Mobile App to empower citizens to reach out to the food enforcement machinery for any concerns or suggestions that they may have on the issue of food safety.

The National Association of Street Vendors of India is engaged in mobilization of street vendors across Delhi to persuade them to undergo training.

The Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Council, an affiliate of the National Skill Development Corporation, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will be the training provider under the Project.

Food vendors will receive Smart Skill-cum-Registration cards on completion of the training.

Hygiene lessons for Street Vendors