Aug 6, 2017
STATE TO BAN MANUFACTURE, SALE OF PAAN MASALA AND GUTKA
Health minister Siddarthnath Singh said on Saturday that the government has already taken a serious view on consumption of the two products and associated health hazards. He said that soon the state government would take measures for closing down factories manufacturing ‘gutkha’ and ‘paan masala’ across the state.
Soon after taking over as Chief Minister on March 19, Yogi Adityanath had banned chewing of paan and guthaka in all government offices in UP. The CM took the decision after an inspection of the Secretariat Annexe housing the CM’s office in March. Yogi was furious when he came across rust-coloured stains of paan and pan masala on stairs of the Secretariat building.
It may be stated her that following orders of Allahabad High Court, the sale and manufacture of paan masala and tobacco mixed guthka, are already banned in the state. Despite the ban, both products are being manufactured and marketed in the state.
In October, 2012, the then Akhilesh Yadav government had imposed a ban on gutkha (paan masala mixed with tobacco) as per the Allahabad High Court order and Food Security Act passed by the Parliament.
Though the court order was to be effective from April 1, 2013, the state government said that six months time has been given to find other source of employment for people rendered jobless by the ban.
In September, 2012, the Allahabad High court directed the UP government to restrain manufacturing, sale and distribution of ‘gutkha’ in the state. The court passed the order as per provisions of Food Safety Act, while disposing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Indian Dental Association.
As many as 13 states in India have already imposed a ban on the sale of gutkha which is the root cause for oral cancer and has increased manifold in the last few years. The state government was earlier reluctant to ban gutkha because of the massive revenue earnings through sales which is over Rs 300 crore.
As per an estimate, some 2.5 lakh people are struggling with cancer in UP. Of this, 75,000 are cases of oral and mouth cancer, mainly due to chewing of tobacco, gutkha or paan masala.
Gutkha factories will be closed in UP: Yogi Sarkar
UP: Now after the complete ban on liquor in Bihar, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to put a complete ban on Gutkha. Under this, it is very soon preparing to close the Gutkha factory in the state. UP government cabinet minister Siddhartha Nath Singh, who arrived in Noida on Friday, said that the state government is very soon going to ban the entire Gutkha factory in UP. He said that the Yogi Government had already banned Gutkha in government offices but now it has been decided that the Gutkha factories will be closed from the state. During all this, UP Health Minister Siddhartha Nath Singh and Health Education Minister Gopal Tandon inaugurated 10 Operation Theater and Heart Wing at Trauma Center, Sector-27.
TV Prevention Campaign Begins
On this occasion, the Health Minister introduced a campaign to identify the TV patients in the district and to prevent this disease. According to a report released by the Primary Health Center, the number of TV patients in the district is continuously increasing because of which this program has been started.
Supreme Court has put a ban on Gutka
On the directive of the Supreme Court, the sale of Gutka has been banned. Pan masala and tobacco are being sold in shops even after the sale of gutkha is prohibited. On the sale of pan masala and tobacco in different pouches, action will be taken on the related construction companies, sales agencies and shopkeepers under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
Pouch do not fall into the category of food
According to Section 2, 3 and 4 of the Food and Safety Act 2011, tobacco products are not considered in the category of food items. That's why Gutkha is being shut down. People are prone to illness due to nicotine in them.
As soon as the ban of gutkha is announced in the state, some companies have been preparing to sell gutkha in the second form. A company has started selling tobacco and pan masala in different packets so that it is not considered to be a gutka.
Antibiotics use by India’s poultry farms endangering human lives, says expert
Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, Washington DC and New Delhi, says most of the poultry feed available in the Indian market is medicated, but the majority of farmers were unaware of the presence of antibiotic growth promoters premixed in chicken feed.
A study has found rampant misuse of antibiotics in Indian poultry farms, endangering the health of people.
Antibiotics are being routinely administered to chickens on Indian poultry farms in small doses to promote growth and keep disease at bay, almost as a replacement for nutrition and sanitation, says a new study led by Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, Washington DC and New Delhi. The study has been published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Twelve of the 18 farms studied, or 67%, reported the use of antimicrobials as growth boosters. Tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones, antibiotics commonly used to treat cholera, malaria, respiratory and urinary tract infections in humans, were the most commonly used antimicrobials, with nine farms admitting their use.
This has serious implications for India — already the world’s biggest consumer of antibiotics for human use—and the world because it contributes to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Antibiotics fascinate Laxminarayan because they “underpin our modern healthcare system”, he said. As someone who has dedicated himself to the understanding of drug resistance as a problem of managing a shared global resource, he found the lack of awareness about antibiotics in India appalling. Consumers in India, it would seem, are largely indifferent to the circumstances in which their butter chicken is bred.
In an interview to IndiaSpend, Laxminarayan talked of the consumer’s role in reforming the poultry industry, particularly because of the fast-growing popularity of chicken in India and a 312% antibiotic-use increase projected for livestock.
Ramanan Laxminarayan is the director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, Washington DC and New Delhi.
Laxminarayan is an engineer from the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, and earned a doctorate in economics and a master’s in epidemiology from the University of Washington, Seattle, setting him up for a career in public health research, his passion. He continues to be associated with the University of Washington, as also with Princeton University, the University of Strathclyde, the John Hopkins School of Public Health and the University of Kwazulu Natal in South Africa. Between 2011 and 2015, he was responsible for expanding the research and policy programme at the Public Health Foundation of India.
Q: Chickens that are provided good nutrition, clean water and kept in hygienic pens don’t need antibiotics. Consumers abroad are aware of concepts like free-range chicken farming and pastured poultry which require that animals be reared ethically. But Indian consumers remain largely ignorant of these issues. You found that here, antibiotics are being used as a cheap substitute for basic nutrition and treatment. In the 18 farms you visited, you found large flocks, more than 50,000 birds, kept in confined areas lacking proper sanitation. To what extent does the lack of consumer awareness in India impede reform? What are the laws on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in the poultry industry in the US, the European Union and India?
As far back as 1986, Sweden banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in the poultry industry as a result of consumer awareness. Consumer movements in the EU and the US have played a major role in introducing poultry farming standards and legislation to regulate the use of antibiotics. In 2006, the EU banned the use of antibiotics used in humans as poultry growth promoters. In 2015, the US introduced the veterinary feed directive whereby the use of drugs on the veterinary feed directive list is permitted only under the professional supervision of a licensed veterinarian. This is a step in the right direction.
Government agencies in India including the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India have the regulatory authority to impose restrictions on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in poultry but have not moved in this direction so far.
In India, low farmer awareness is as much a concern as low consumer awareness. In the absence of regulation, most of the poultry feed available in the market is medicated. But the majority of the farmers we surveyed reported being unaware of the presence of antibiotic growth promoters premixed in chicken feed purchased from feed mills. Some farmers are genuinely unaware of the potential harm from using antibiotics as growth promoters. One farmer noted that antimicrobials were more effective than hygiene or sanitation measures because the labour on poultry farms is unskilled. Of course, this is an excuse to continue misusing antibiotics. India saw demonetisation happen overnight. If a similar will is exercised by the state and central governments to check the rampant misuse of antibiotics, we could see great change happen soon.
Q: Indian consumers are mostly not aware that meat infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria could make you sick. Why does this happen? Doesn’t cooking meat at high temperatures, as we do in India, kill all bacteria? Also, your study says that “direct contact with livestock colonized with resistant bacteria is the most documented route of resistance transmission from the agricultural reservoir into human populations”. This means that farm hands are more likely to spread antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, especially considering that 67% of the workers you interviewed confessed to taking no precautions to protect themselves from poultry shed infections.
Multiple pathways exist whereby all people, including those consuming chicken raised on farms misusing antibiotics, are affected.
For instance, when you eat chicken sourced from poultry raised on growth promoters, you ingest antibiotic-resistant bacteria that were harboured within the chicken. Those bacteria can make you sick. However, those bacteria do not respond to conventionally prescribed antibiotics so your sickness is hard to treat or can even be untreatable. Cooking at a high temperature kills all bacteria but uncooked meat can harbour resistant bacteria. Also, heat cannot break down some of the antibiotic residues that may have remained within the meat.
Also, farm workers’ feet and other body parts are exposed to infected poultry or they breath in the antibiotic-resistant bacteria suspended in the air. Workers can acquire an infection that is not treatable, which they can spread, through direct contact with relatives or through the aerial route.
These and other pathways are all significant. We cannot predict which exposure route will prove to be more dangerous for Indian consumers.
Q: Consumers are bombarded with findings of pesticide residue in vegetables, fruit and milk. This has resulted in a certain resignation – that almost all (if not all) food products carry some toxin or the other, so they have little choice. Would you say that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a bigger concern than pesticide residue in agricultural produce?
We hear of cyanide being used to artificially ripen farm produce and other pesticides being excessively used. Pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits gradually impact the body. These toxins gradually build up in the body and eventually can make you sick. Antibiotic-resistant bacterial residues in poultry are a problem when the meat is insufficiently cooked and there are food borne infections. Both these issues are serious concerns.
Q: Your study evaluated resistance to 11 antibiotics: ampicillin, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, co-trimoxazole, gentamicin, imipenem, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin and tetracycline. What diseases do these antibiotics help treat? Would medicine suffer a setback if these were no longer available?
Modern healthcare, as we know it, would be impossible to practice without antibiotics, and many of these 11 antibiotics play a major role. Most of these are broad-spectrum drugs prescribed for a variety of diseases like respiratory infections, diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, etc. Our study included ciprofloxacin, which belongs to the fluoroquinolone class, and is one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics for people in India. Losing these medicines would be a massive loss to humanity; it could cause many more people to die from common infectious diseases. Consumer awareness can play a major role in preserving these important tools of modern medicine.
Q: You found that poultry farms that produce meat were twice as likely as those that only produce eggs to harbour the ESBL-positive bacteria that is particularly difficult to treat in humans. Also, the prevalence of multiple-drug resistant bacteria in meat farms was 94% as against the 60% in egg farms. And, meat farms were between 2.2 and 23 times more likely than egg farms to harbour Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacteria that causes diarrhoea and is resistant to multiple antibiotics. This includes ciprofloxacin, used to treat respiratory infections, and nalidixic acid, used for treating urinary tract infections. Is it correct to infer that it is less dangerous to consume eggs than it is to consume poultry (meat)?
From an antibiotic resistance standpoint, it may be safer to eat eggs than to eat poultry. Broilers (animals raised for meat) are fed more antibiotics than layers (hens laying eggs) since the producer’s goal is to increase weight gain over a short period of time.
Q: You found that independent farms had a higher risk of E. coli resistant to all the antibiotics tested (apart from nitrofuration) as compared to contracted farms. Why should the farm type impact the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria?
Contracted farming operations by large-scale poultry producers rely on small scale farmers to supply the land and labour to raise poultry. Contracted farm managers are obligated to adhere to all instructions, protocols and production processes established by the producer. All their input materials such as the day-old chicks, feed, antimicrobials, etc. are supplied by the contracting firm. It is possible that contract farms are using some good practices, but I must note that the difference between contract and independent farms was not statistically significant.
(Bahri is a freelance writer and editor based in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.)
Unhygienic ‘cherry’ unit raided in Anantapur
The unit apparently had no license or permission to prepare cherry fruits with ripened papaya fruits.
ANANTAPUR: A team from Food Safety and Standards Authority of Anantapur raided on an agro tech industry near TV tower area here on Friday and registered cases for not maintaining hygienic conditions at the unit. The unit apparently had no license or permission to prepare cherry fruits with ripened papaya fruits. Food safety district official Mr Nageswariah Sastry and his team which raided the Manikanta Agro Tech Industry located near TV tower area on outskirts of Anantapur headquarters, based on complaints, noticed a shocking violation of norms and very unhygienic conditions at the unit. The papaya fruits being used to prepare the cherry fruits were totally damaged and spoilt.
“The unit organisers failed to produce papers about the licenses. The unit did not have licences for the machinery being used or for the food products,” the official said. He added that the process was in unhygienic condition. The team collected samples of the papaya fruits. The local tahsildar was also informed about the condition and proposed to seize the unit.
D&FCO conducts market checking in Jammu
JAMMU, Aug 5: In order to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food articles to the general public especially on the eve of ensuing festival season, a team of Drugs & Food Control Organization (D&FCO) officials today conducted surprise market checking at various places in the Jammu district.
The team visited Channi Himmat, Bus Stand, Purani Mandi, Gandhi Nagar, New Plot etc and inspected various Food Business Vendors during which samples of Khoya, Burfi, Milk Cake, Gulab Jamun, and Malpura were lifted for quality check.
"Food Business operators are hereby advised to strictly adhere to the provisions laid under Food Safety and Standards Act and maintain high standards of sanitary and hygienic conditions to guarantee safe food to end users and to carry out the food business after obtaining proper food licenses, a statement of the D&FCO said.
Get food license a day after application is received: FSDA
To clamp down on prevailing corruption in the food safety department, the state government has directed it to issue food licenses within one day after applications are received online. Earlier, it used to take two months for obtaining a license.
To clamp down on prevailing corruption in the food safety department, the state government has directed it to issue food licenses within one day after applications are received online. Earlier, it used to take two months for obtaining a license. After issuing the license, the FSDA will conduct a spot inspection of the establishment and in case they find any discrepancy, they will have the authority to suspend or cancel the permit.
The decision will benefit lakhs of retail shop owners across the state who were earlier forced to make several rounds of the FSDA office. However, those who are involved in sale of meat related products have been kept out of this category.
FSDA assistant commissioner Vinit Kumar said, “The move is aimed at curbing harassment of businessmen in the state. Licenses to retail shops, except for those who are involved in meat business whose establishments (restaurants) require hygiene evaluation, will be issued without any delay. Moreover, they will not be required to visit the office for this purpose as the license will be issued online.”
Earlier, it took one month for issuing registration and two months for issuing the license. In case the deadline is not met, the official concerned will be held responsible and have to give reasons for denying a permit, the FSDA official added.
On why meat vendors and restaurants were not in this category, Kumar said they need an NoC from various departments.
According to officials, the new system is likely to benefit small business houses and fruits and vegetable sellers, who otherwise avoid taking a license. A fee is Rs 100 will have to be paid by those whose business turnover is below Rs 12 lakh per annum. If the turnover is above this limit, the applicant will have to pay Rs 2,000. License would be for a period ranging from one to five years.
Kumar said, “If anyone faces any sort of problem or is asked to pay a bribe, they can directly call on my number and register a complaint. I will ensure that such cases are resolved immediately.”
Aug 5, 2017
உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை சார்பில் கோயம்பேடு பஸ் நிலையத்தில் டெங்கு விழிப்புணர்வு நிகழ்ச்சி
உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை சார்பில் சென்னையில் பல்வேறு இடங்களில் டெங்கு காய்ச்சல் குறித்த விழிப்புணர்வு நிகழ்ச்சி நேற்று நடைபெற்றது.
உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை ஆணையர் அமுதா உணவு கலப்படம் குறித்த விழிப்புணர்வு நடத்துவதோடு சேர்த்து டெங்கு காய்ச்சல் குறித்த விழிப்புணர்வையும் நடத்த உத்தரவிட்டு இருந்தார். அதன்படி, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை சார்பில் சென்னையில் பல்வேறு இடங்களில் டெங்கு காய்ச்சல் குறித்த விழிப்புணர்வு நிகழ்ச்சி நேற்று நடைபெற்றது.
உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரிகள் (சென்னை மாவட்டம்) சதாசிவம், மணிமாறன், கண்ணன் ஆகியோர் நேற்று காலை அரும்பாக்கத்தில் உள்ள அரசு மேல்நிலைப்பள்ளியில் டெங்கு காய்ச்சல் உருவாக்கும் கொசுப்புழுக்கள் எப்படி உருவாகின்றன? அதை தடுக்க என்ன வழிகள் இருக்கின்றன? என்பது குறித்த காட்சி படங்களை ஒளிபரப்பி விழிப்புணர்வு நடத்தினார்கள்.
அதனைத்தொடர்ந்து பொதுமக்கள் அதிகம் கூடும் பகுதியான சென்னை கோயம்பேடு பஸ் நிலையத்தில் அரசு மேல்நிலைப்பள்ளி தேசிய மாணவர் படை மாணவர்களை கொண்டு விழிப்புணர்வு நிகழ்ச்சியை நடத்தினர். அப்போது மாணவர்கள் ‘டெங்குக்கு அபாயம், நிலவேம்பு கசாயம்’, தண்ணீர் தொட்டிகளை மூடி வைப்போம் என்ற வாசகங்கள் அடங்கிய பதாகைகளை ஏந்தி வந்தனர்.
அதேபோல், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரிகள் டெங்கு காய்ச்சலை உருவாக்கும் கொசுப்புழுக்களை பாட்டிலில் அடைத்து வைத்து அதை பொதுமக்களுக்கு காண்பித்து விளக்கி கூறினார்கள்.
Detection of Adulteration and Analysis of Milk
CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), for developing the technology to tackle a national level health hazard due to adulteration in milk.
The Minister said that he would soon be reaching out to the Union Health Minister and the Health Ministers of all state governments to adopt and deploy the technology platform to address the problem of milk adulteration in the country. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) would also be asked to bring in the required regulatory intervention so as to ensure the delivery of quality milk, he added.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan pointed that our country ranked number one across the world for milk production, contributing to about 18% of the world’s total milk. By volume, milk production was about 146 million tonnes in the country. But it was feared that over 60% of the milk was contaminated due to malpractices in milk supply chain which included dilution with unsafe water. The milk was otherwise said to be adulterated with contaminants such as urea, salt, detergent, liquid soap, boric acid, caustic soda, soda and hydrogen peroxide which have hazardous health effects.
The gravity of the situation had been such that NITI Aayog identified the problem of detecting adulteration in the milk within three minutes at Rs. 4 or less, as one of the Grand Challenge Areas being considered under the Atal Innovation Mission.
The Minister appreciated the initiative of CSIR-CEERI for developing and deploying the technology solution, ‘Ksheer Scanner’, which instantaneously detects the above identified adulterants in milk. It was a low-cost portable system with user friendly features. The contaminants were detected in just 40-45 seconds at per sample cost of less than 50 paise. The minimum detection levels of major contaminants are: Urea: 1 gm/l; salt: 2 gm/l; detergent: 2 gm/l; soap: 1%; and soda: 1 gm/l.
Awareness rally on ill-effects of tobacco taken out
To create awareness on the ill-effects of using tobacco, a rally was taken out by students of Kongu Engineering College in the city on Friday.
Jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department and the college, T. Kalaivani, Designated Officer flagged off the rally near District Government Headquarters Hospital that passed through Perundurai Road before culminating at Collectorate.
Students, numbering over 170, held placards that highlighted the menace of using tobacco and adverse effects of tobacco.
They said that leading a healthy life without tobacco is important for the family and the society and called upon the public to keep themselves away from tobacco.
Participants also raised slogans on the harmful effects of tobacco and called for united struggle against tobacco.
In recent times, the Food Safety Department and the District Police officers are carrying out raids at shops selling the banned tobacco items.
Huge quantities of tobacco were also seized from a godown.
Govt forming standards for special diets to help children with rare metabolic disorders
Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) is a group of generic diseases and disorders, and people suffering from these disorders have special dietary needs
An estimated 30,000 children suffer from rare metabolic disorders in India.
To meet the special dietary needs of children suffering from rare metabolic disorders that affect an estimated 30,000 children in India, an expert committee is formulating guidelines for manufacturing, sale and distribution of such diets.
Though Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recently started a registry to know the exact burden of rare diseases in India, an exact prevalence of children suffering from inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) as the condition is called is not known.
IEM is a group of generic diseases and disorders, and people suffering from these disorders have special dietary needs as they can't digest normal food. These children require special diets to avoid developing cognitive and physical disorders.
Until the guidelines are formed, Union health ministry that is spearheading the project has allowed permission for certain products of the several available globally to come in Indian markets.
"Forming special food standards is a cumbersome process, and consumes a lot of time. So, for time-being we have given permission on product-basis, after approval from our expert committee," said a senior health ministry official, requesting anonymity.
The committee analysed a long-list of special diets that are approved for use abroad in children suffering from metabolic disorders.
The project is a part of country’s top food regulator-- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) Diet4Life initiative, with experts participating from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, ICMR, Indian Dietetic Association, Indian Academy of Paediatrics etc.
“For years we were approached by organisations that deal in rate genetic disorders, there were some technical issues earlier but now we are seriously looking into it," said the official.
These diets, however, Are very expensive and a month's diet can cost anywhere between a few thousand to about Rs 20,000.
Three companies so far have been permitted to bring in their select products, of which products of two companies have already hit the market. The third company's products are expected to come in by August end.
To help children who can't afford, health ministry has also formed a screening committee to decide needy patients.
"We are willing to partially bear the cost of these diets for children who can't afford. However, Its not possible to subsidise for all so we will go by the screening committee's recommendation," said the official.
An Indian company that manufactures these special diets has applied for a license and the food regulator is examining their case. “If they met the criteria then it would bring down the cost significantly,” said Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI.
200 kilogram adulterated mawa seized from factory
Jaipur: Health department unearthed a mawa manufacturing unit which used liquid glucose, refined soyabean oil and suji (semolina) for producing mawa at Lalarpura village near Jaipur on Friday.
Ahead of Raksha Bandhan, the health department officials conducted the search of a house after getting the tip-off that a person is involved in producing substandard mawa. The officials recovered 200 kg of milk cake, which they destroyed immediately after the inspection. They have also collected three samples of milk cake and sent it to laboratory for quality test.
Health department officials said that the mawa should be produced from milk but here liquid glucose, refined soyabean oil and suji was being used. Officials found 500 liters of liquid glucose, 300 kg suji and four canisters of refined soyabean oil.
Food safety officer Virendra Singh said for producing substandard quality of food, there is a penalty of upto Rs5 lakh. Acting on the tip off, the health department's team inspected Shiv Raghav Food Product in Navdeep Vihar and alleged that they have found substandard mawa produced in it. The department has launched a five-day campaign against food adulteration in the state to ensure that people will get pure milk products at a time when the demand of sweets goes high ahead of festivals like Raksha Bandhan.
Now, get food licence a day after application is received: FSDA
Agra: To clamp down on prevailing corruption in the food safety department, the state government has directed it to issue food licences within one day after applications are received online. Earlier, it used to take two months for obtaining a licence. After issuing the licence, the FSDA will conduct a spot inspection of the establishment and in case they find any discrepancy, they will have the authority to suspend or cancel the permit.
The decision will benefit lakhs of retail shop owners across the state who were earlier forced to make several rounds of the FSDA office. However, those who are involved in sale of meat related products have been kept out of this category.
FSDA assistant commissioner Vinit Kumar said, “The move is aimed at curbing harassment of businessmen in the state. Licences to retail shops, except for those who are involved in meat business whose establishments (restaurants) require hygiene evaluation, will be issued without any delay. Moreover, they will not be required to visit the office for this purpose as the licence will be issued online.”
Earlier, it took one month for issuing registration and two months for issuing the licence. In case the deadline is not met, the official concerned will be held responsible and have to give reasons for denying a permit, the FSDA official added.
On why meat vendors and restaurants were not in this category, Kumar said they need an NoC from various departments.
According to officials, the new system is likely to benefit small business houses and fruits and vegetable sellers, who otherwise avoid taking a licence. A fee is Rs 100 will have to be paid by those whose business turnover is below Rs 12 lakh per annum. If the turnover is above this limit, the applicant will have to pay Rs 2,000. Licence would be for a period ranging from one to five years.
Kumar said, “If anyone faces any sort of problem or is asked to pay a bribe, they can directly call on my number and register a complaint. I will ensure that such cases are resolved immediately.”
6 restaurants in Colva ordered to be shut
Colva: A food safety officer of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Friday ordered the closure of six restaurants at Colva, which were found to be functioning under unhygienic and unsanitary conditions.
FDA director Salim Veljee said that as many as nine restaurants were inspected along the coastal belt on Friday as part of the drive conducted by the department.
While one restaurant was found to be functioning without a food safety licence, a number of violations were noted at other restaurants.
The violations included using artificial colours in cooking, unfiltered water, uncovered dustbins, washing utensils in the open area, filthy kitchen conditions, etc. Also, cooks in some restaurants did not use aprons.
FDA officials even found a rat at one of the restaurants.
Aug 4, 2017
Adulteration racket busted
Crackdown: Task force police and food safety authorities check the stocks at a medical store in One town on Thursday.
Warehouse, unit seized; owners arrested
Sleuths of the Commissioner’s Task Force along with Food Safety Department officials raided two units and seized huge stocks of adulterated glucose and papads in the city on Thursday. The traders were taken into custody by the police and the samples of glucose and papads were collected by the food safety officials for laboratory tests.
Acting on tip-off, officials raided a warehouse of Swastik Products and Anjaneya Medicals near the One Town fish market and found 27 bags of glucose and a large number of small paper boxes printed with labels of popular brands in the market. Outdated and local-made medicines were also seized.
Dangerous mix
Officials found that the owners have been repacking the glucose they bought at wholesale price into branded sachets and paper boxes and selling them to medical shops and grocery stores in the city.
“Suspecting the presence of rice starch in the powder, we collected the samples and sent them to the lab,” said Assistant Food controller G. Purnachandra Rao.
‘Hazardous papad’
Later, the teams raided a papad manufacturing company at Radha Nagar in the Payakapuram area and found that owner did not have any permission.
“The premises was unhygienic. Also, the manufacturers were using poor quality black gram powder and sodium carbonate to make papads boil quickly and easily. The chemical substance is hazardous to health,” he added. The owners of the units were arrested and the units shut down.
FDA shuts down two canteens at Mapusa, Assagao
Mapusa: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Thursday ordered the closure of the canteen at a design and technology institute at Assagao after it was found to be operating under unhygienic conditions.
Rajiv Korde, senior food safety officer said the inspection carried out by FDA officials revealed the canteen, that was catering to around 600 students, didn't possess a food licence.
The principal of the college assured to comply with FDA's order in the interest of the students, he said.
According to University Grants Comission (UGC), canteens and other food establishments in affiliated colleges must adhere to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, including a mandatory food licence.
In another inspection carried out on Thursday, FDA officials also ordered the shut down of a canteen at Kadamba bus stand at Mapusa. During an inspection two months ago, officials had discovered that the canteen flouted several norms. The restaurant didn't install a water filter, dustbins were found overflowing and utensils were being washed with reused water. The eatery reeked of foul odour owing to the overflowing soakpit.
The canteen contractor Mahesh Narvekar, who was directed to halt all activities, claimed that he has placed his grievances before Kadamaba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) to undertake repairs works of the canteen.
Salim Veljee, FDA director confirmed that two cases have been booked.
The inspection team comprised senior food safety officer (FSO) Rajiv Korde and other members including FSO Flavia D'souza, Madhav Kavlekar, Atul Dessai, Shruti Pilarnekar, and Pradeep Parsekar.
210 kg food in 46 sweet shops destroyed
Vadodara: Food safety officers of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) checked shops selling sweets and savouries in different parts of the city on Thursday. The teams destroyed a large quantity of food items and collected samples for testing.
The officers have gone on an offence to test sweets and other food items in wake of the ensuing Rakshabandhan festival. The teams checked 46 shops and manufacturing facilities in Alkapuri, Akota, Pandya Bridge, Gorwa, Subhanpura and Sayajigunj areas.
The teams destroyed 210 kg of food items including raw material that was not found fit for consumption. Notices were issued to nine establishments and others were given warnings to maintain hygienic conditions. The drive is expected to continue for the next couple of days, officials said.
AMC raids find animal ingredients in farsan
Ahmedabad: If you plan to buy farsan and sweets for the month of Shravan, beware. You may end up eating 'non-vegetarian' items, as the flying squad officials of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Thursday, found worms in gram flour used to make farsan and sweets.
AMC officials raided sweet and farsan stores across the city on Wednesday and Thursday and 194 notices were issued to shops violating the norms of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act.
Standard violations such as vanaspati used in ghee, substandard oil, old flour infected with worms and insects were unearthed by civic body officials.
Suspicious food samples were also collected from 37 such shops in Navrangpura, Satellite, Anandnagar Road, Nikol, Naroda, Naranpura, Stadium Road, Paldi, Sabarmati and Ghodasar among others. These samples have been sent to the public health laboratory for testing.
AMC officials also levied administrative charges of Rs 36,500 on companies violating FSSAI norms. "We found violations in packaging norms, where batch numbers, packaging date, use-by dates and even the list of ingredients were missing from packets," said Rakesh Gamit, food safety officer, AMC.
Aug 2, 2017
Food adulteration in India, the reason you need to be careful with what you eat
There is a good probability that a lot of what you eat is adulterated. Therefore, it becomes essential to cross check the purity of the things you consume
- Food adulteration has been highly rampant in India
- “Some of the most common adulterated foods are milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments”
- The case of food adulteration that took the country by storm was the case of Maggi Noodles, India’s most popular snack
New Delhi, August 1, 2017: The definition of food adulteration according to the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is, “The addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food so that the natural composition and quality of food substance is affected.”
Food adulteration has been highly rampant in India. India, on a usual basis, witnesses a number of cases of people getting affected by consuming adulterated food products.
According to FSSAI, “Some of the most common adulterated foods are milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments, pulses, coffee, tea, confectionery, baking powder, vinegar, besan and curry powder.”
The case of food adulteration that took the country by storm was the case of the very loved, Maggi Noodles. Maggi Noodles was found to contain a higher than the permissible level of lead and MSG. The entire nation was shocked to know that India’s most popular snack is not safe for consumption. Nutritionists suggest that consumption of lead for a long period of time can have hazardous consequences on the body.
“The Annual Public Laboratory Testing Report for 2014-15 brought out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) says that of the 49,290 samples of food items it tested, 8,469, nearly one-fifth, were found adulterated or misbranded.” suggests a report in The Hindu.
The worst part is, despite the potential of disastrous consequences of adulteration, the government is very lenient in providing punishment for the crime. Even if the culprit is caught, the system isn’t strict enough and one can easily get away.
“The reason behind the increasing trend in food adulteration practices is the poor ethical framework and lack of values. Government laws have their limits, it is the values in people that automatically resist them to do unethical practices,” says Rahul Gupta who works for the Food Corporation of India. “In regard to milk, the demand and supply gap, and the ease with which it can be handled is what makes it the softest target of adulteration.” he mentioned.
Sections 272 and 273 of the Indian Penal Code deal with the offense of Adulteration of Food and Drink Intended for Sale entailing a punishment of six months imprisonment or payment of Rs. 1000 fine in case of a person adulterating some food or drink, as an attempt to make the food or drink noxious, intending to sell it, or knowing the likeliness of the same being sold as a food or drink.
There is a good probability that a lot of what you eat is adulterated. Therefore, it becomes essential to cross check the purity of the things you consume. The situation is, indeed, grave and one needs to be watchful!. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/food-adulteration-in-india/
To check adulteration, FSDA conducts raid at food manufacturing unit
Meerut: In order to check adulteration in sweets and other eatables ahead of Raksha Bandhan, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) officials raided a food manufacturing unit in Meerut’s Shastri Nagar area on Tuesday. One sample each of besan ladoo, food colour and refined palm oil was taken from the spot and an improvement notice was issued to the owner of the unit.
Archana Dheeran, designated officer, FSDA, said, “We took three samples – one each of besan ladoo, food colour and refined palm oil from Giriraj Food Products – a manufacturing unit in Shastri Nagar area. The samples were collected and sent for inspection at a Lucknow laboratory to ensure that no tampering is done at the local level.”
The samples were collected by a seven-member team. The reports of these samples will take at least a month to arrive after which action will be taken if required.
“Also, since the food was being prepared in unhygienic conditions, an improvement notice has been issued to them. A check will be conducted after one month to see if they followed the directions in the improvement notice – which if not done, will invite an inquiry against them,” said Dheeran.
The raids will continue for the next few days, said officials.
Complaint based on BARC research: NHRC asks for report on levels of bromate in drinking water
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of a Mumbai doctor’s complaint about “high levels” of bromate in packaged drinking water. The complaint is based on a Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) report that found high levels of bromate in packaged drinking water in 27 per cent of the samples they tested in Mumbai. Bromate is known to have carcinogenic effects, reduce weight and affect renal function. While the World Health Organization (WHO) limits bromate concentration to 10 microgram per litre in drinking water, the samples tested had 10.7 microgram per litre.
The report stressed on the need for the Indian government to lay down standards for bromate, chorite, chlorate and bromide concentration in packaged drinking water under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The report was prepared in 2015, but with no action on it in the past two years, a Mumbai doctor on July 7 wrote to NHRC to take congnizance of the research. The NHRC has now asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to submit a report on this in four weeks.
In the report, BARC scientists had analysed 18 samples of 500-ml commercially packaged drinking water. In five samples, they found levels of bromate to be higher than international standards. Levels of chlorate and chlorite were found within accepted range. “When I came to know about this report, I realised people are at risk of carcinogenic chemicals through consumption of packaged water. Government should have acted on the report,” the Mumbai based doctor who filed the complaint said on condition of anonymity.
According to Dr V K Pancham, attached with FSSAI (western zone), the permissions for manufacturing packaged water are currently based on IS document 14543, which lists a series of requirements to maintain turbidity, colour, and chemical composition of water. “We are not aware of the BARC research,” he said.
The state Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which routinely samples drinking water from hotels, hawkers and restaurants, has its own criteria for testing water. “The levels of bromate are mandated by international standards, not Indian standards,” a joint commissioner at FDA said.
If ozonisation is used to disinfect water, intake of bromate may range from 120 to 180 microgram in a day for those who consume it.
Action taken by Centre to stop duplicate mineral water bottle
New Delhi, August 1: Standards for Packaged Mineral Water and Packaged Drinking Water (other than Mineral Water) are prescribed under sub-regulations 2.10.7 and 2.10.8 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 respectively and compliance to these standards is mandatory for any packaged drinking water manufacturer in the country. These products are also under mandatory certification of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
These requirements are to be followed by all manufacturers of packaged water. However, cases of sale of packaged water by unlicensed units and not meeting the prescribed standards have come to the notice of FSSAI. Therefore, FSSAI has been regularly taking up the matter with the Food Safety Commissioners of States/UTs and urging them to undertake regular and effective enforcement action in the matter.
Regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products, including packaged water are being undertaken by the officials of Food Safety Departments of the respective States/UTs to check that they comply with the standards laid down under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules and regulations made thereunder. In cases where the food samples are found to be non-conforming, recourse is taken to penal provisions under Chapter IX of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) from time to time receives complaints regarding quality of BIS Standard marked Packaged Natural Mineral water and Packaged Drinking Water as per IS 13428 and IS 14543 respectively. Similarly complaints are also received regarding misuse of Standard Mark on Packaged Drinking Water/Packaged Natural Mineral water by manufacturers without having valid BIS Licence.
Complaints regarding quality of BIS Standard Marked Packaged Natural Mineral water and Packaged Drinking Water are investigated both at complainant-end and Licencee's premises for redressal.
Complaints regarding misuse of BIS Standard Mark (ISI mark) on Packaged Natural Mineral water and Packaged Drinking Water are investigated. Depending on outcome of the investigation, raids are conducted and cases are filed in the concerned court of law.
FSSAI plans more for ensuring food safety
The central food regulator has been very proactive with regard to issues like safety and standards, including labelling of packaged products and nutrient content, which has led to a sharp rise in the number of notices, orders and guidelines issued by it since 2015.
A series of notifications and guidelines have been issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to safeguard consumer interest as part of the health ministry's plan to strengthen the regulatory regime.
Food regulation in India has mostly been a conflicting turf between the industry, the regulator and the consumer. However, the packaged food industry is rapidly growing, making it all the more important for the government and regulator to set the ground rules in the interest of the industry as well as consumers.
India's diabetes burden and the obesity problem have assumed serious levels. Experts blame these on the consumption of sugary beverages and junk food. The disease burden is also fast increasing among children.
The FSSAI plans to control sourcing of raw materials by restaurants and food manufacturers. So far, vendors of vegetables, spices and other raw materials are not required to have licences from the FSSAI.
Another major area of focus is curbing availability of junk food and those high on sugar, salt and trans-fat in and around schools. The idea is to control incidence of non-communicable diseases among the youth.
Aug 1, 2017
வீட்டில் பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்ட 2 டன் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல் 2 பேர் கைது
தர்மபுரியில் வீட்டில் சட்டவிரோதமாக பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்ட 2 டன் புகையிலை பொருட்களை பறிமுதல் செய்த போலீசார், இதுதொடர்பாக 2 பேரை கைது செய்து விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகிறார்கள்.
தர்மபுரி,
தர்மபுரி மாவட்டத்தின் பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பல கடைகளில் மறைத்து வைக்கப்பட்டு சட்டவிரோதமாக விற்பனை செய்யப்படுவதாக போலீசாருக்கு தகவல் கிடைத்தது. இதுதொடர்பாக தீவிர விசாரணை நடத்த போலீஸ் சூப்பிரண்டு பண்டி கங்காதர் உத்தரவிட்டார்.
இதன்படி தர்மபுரி டவுன் போலீசார் தர்மபுரி நகரில் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் விற்பனை குறித்து ரகசிய கண்காணிப்பில் ஈடுபட்டனர். அப்போது அஞ்சகார தெருவில் உள்ள ஒரு பழைய வீட்டில் பான்பராக், ஹான்ஸ் உள்ளிட்ட தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்டிருப்பது தெரியவந்தது.
நேற்று போலீசார் அந்த வீட்டில் திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தி அங்கு பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த 2 டன் எடை கொண்ட தடை செய்யப்பட்ட போதை பாக்குகள், புகையிலை பொருட்களை பறிமுதல் செய்தனர். இதன் மதிப்பு ரூ.10 லட்சம் என கூறப்படுகிறது. இவை தர்மபுரி நகரம் மற்றும் மாவட்டத்தின் பல்வேறு பகுதிகளுக்கு வினியோகம் செய்வதற்காக அங்கு பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது முதல் கட்ட விசாரணையில் தெரியவந்தது.
இதுதொடர்பாக துணை போலீஸ் சூப்பிரண்டு காந்தி, இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் ரத்தினகுமார், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் பிருந்தா ஆகியோர் சம்பவ இடத்தை நேரில் பார்வையிட்டு விசாரணை நடத்தினார்கள். இதைத்தொடர்ந்து புகையிலை பொருட்களை பதுக்கியது தொடர்பாக வழக்குப்பதிவு செய்த தர்மபுரி டவுன் போலீசார், இதில் தொடர்புடைய தர்மபுரியை சேர்ந்த லோகாந்தன்(வயது 43), அஸ்கர்அலி(31) ஆகிய 2 பேரை கைது செய்தனர். இதில் தொடர்புடைய மேலும் சிலரை பிடித்து தீவிர விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகிறார்கள்.
After HC Rap, Govt Appoints Commissioner Food Safety
A notification in this regard was issued by the government under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and comes two weeks after the J&K high court pulled up the state for remaining behind in appointing the Commissioner.
Srinagar—The State government on Monday appointed Dr Pawan Kotwal (IAS), Principal Secretary to the Government Health and Medical Education Department, as the Commissioner of Food Safety in addition to his own duties.
A notification in this regard was issued by the government under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and comes two weeks after the J&K high court pulled up the state for remaining behind in appointing the Commissioner.
During the suo-moto hearing of a Public Interest Litigation, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, who was present before the court on June 17, had stated that the process of having a “full time” Commissioner of Food Safety was under way. “The proposal is pending with the Finance Department for financial approval,” Kotwal had said, following which the high court had directed the Finance Department to clear the proposal within a week.
The court had stressed that the entire organizational structure envisaged under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 required that all the functionaries should be in place because specific functions have been given to officers of each tier.
The lowest in the ladder is the Food Safety Officer, then Designated Officer, Assistant Commissioner and Commissioner of Food Safety on the top.
In so far as reporting of samples was concerned, the first point is collection and that is to be done by the Food Safety Officer. Thereafter, the samples are forwarded to the Food Analyst through the Designated Officers. It is the Food Analyst who analyses the samples and then, depending upon the seriousness of offence, whether it is a case of fine or sentence or sentence of more than three years, further action has to be taken by the Designated Officer or by Commissioner Food Safety, the court had underlined. “Unless and until the entire manpower is in place, the proper functioning of the Act would not be possible,” the court had said
In so far as Food Safety Officers are concerned, there are 106 sanctioned posts, out of which 70 are filled while 20 FSOs are holding the posts of Designated Officers as Incharge but not in a substantive capacity.
“Once they are granted substantive capacities as Designated Officers, 20 posts of Food Safety Officers would become available which would have to be filled up,” the court had said.
Besides, there are 16 posts of FSOS which are lying vacant and the process in respect of them has been initiated by the government. The government informed the court that the examination in respect of the 16 posts conducted by the J&K Service Selection Board on 6 July this year and its result was awaited.
Jul 31, 2017
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