Mar 14, 2018
Buying 'mineral' water? There's a 30% chance it will be contaminated
Junior consumer affairs minister reveals 224 of 743 bottles tested by FSSAI contained impurities; action against 131 manufacturers taken
In what would come as a jarring statistic for the billion-dollar packaged water industry, three out of ten units of so-called mineral water sold across India have been found to be contaminated. This was stated by Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution C R Chaudhary while replying to a question in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.Chaudhary stated that the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) had undertaken an exercise to test 743 samples in 2016-17. Out of these samples, almost a third, or 224 samples of packaged water were found to be not conforming to safety standards set in India.After finding such large samples to be contaminated, FSSAI launched cases against 131 manufacturers of these packaged water bottles. In the end, 33 were convicted and penalties were imposed on 40.
The minister did not elaborate on the nature of the penalties.The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is the regulator for ensuring food quality, states “No person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale packaged drinking water and mineral water except under Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification mark”.
According to FSSAI guidelines, packaged water is deemed safe if, after being procured from sources, it is disinfected to a level where it does not adversely affect health. It can be disinfected by means of chemical agents or physical methods such as distillation, which will reduce the number of micro-organisms to a level scientifically acceptable for food safety.
Manufacturers were not just guilty of producing contaminated water by not following the prescribed standards, some were even found to be flouting Bureau of Indian Standards (BSI) ‘Standard Mark’ guidelines.
As per the government, the BIS has received 55 complaints in the past three years. Till February 2018, twenty-three complaints about packaged drinking water were established and action taken. Complaints were also received over misuse of BIS mark by the sellers..Chaudhary said that cases of packaged drinking water sold without BIS mark have come to FSSAI's notice and strict action has been advised under the penal provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act.
As per the BIS Act of 2016, goods notified by the central government under compulsory BIS Certification when sold without the standard mark, constitute a cognisable offence on the part of the vendor.
The possibility of the presence of several heavy metals beyond permissible limits and also essential minerals missing in the contents came forward, following which discreet raids were conducted.
Following investigation, 192 search-and-seizure operations were conducted at the bottling units during the past three years and in the current year, till February.
When asked if the government is planning to ban the sale of drinking water in plastic pouches, which is hazardous for both health and environment reasons, the minister said strict norms are laid down regarding packaging material.Chaudhary also emphasized that the FSSAI had launched an online safe water web portal where consumers can compare test reports of packaged drinking water including physical, chemical and microbiological information.
This aims to use this portal as a confidence building exercise emphasising that the consumers have the right to know the quality of the packaged water they are drinking, he added.
3 out of 10 manufacturers of packaged drinking water are flouting safety norms. Not so pure, maybe?
How safe is your bottle of packaged drinking water?
New Delhi: Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution CR Chaudhary on Tuesday furnished a statement in the Lok Sabha where he said that three out of the ten units of mineral water sold across the country have been found to be contaminated.
This shocking revelation is expected to have a long-lasting effect on India's multi-billion dollar packaged water industry.
While replying to a question in the lower house of parliament, Chaudhary claimed that the discovery was the result of an exercise undertaken by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI). As part of the exercise, FSSAI tested 743 samples of packaged water in 2016-2017 and found that 224 or almost a third of the total number of samples failed to meet safety standards that the products are expected to meet.
According to a report by The Business Standard, FSSAI, upon discovering the violation of safety standards, filed cases against 131 manufacturers of packaged drinking water. As a result, 33 were convicted while penalties were slapped on 40 of such manufacturers.
Guidelines issued by FSSAI deem a product to be 'safe packaged drinking water' only if it is disinfected to an extent where it does not adversely affect health once it is acquired from the sources.
However, manufacturers of packaged drinking water were found not only violating norms set by the FSSAI but also flouting Bureau of Indian Standards (ISI) 'standard mark' guidelines.
Representatives of the government have confirmed the same by saying that the bureau received acted on 23 complaints about packaged drinking water till February 2018.
However, food and beverage regulators have also prodded a possible presence of multiple heavy metals beyond permissible levels in packaged drinking water manufactured by such companies which have also been accused of selling their product without a BIS mark which constituted a cognizable offense on the part of the vendor.
Products manufactured by such companies also lack essential minerals, said Chaudhary.
During raids conducted in the wake of such violations of both FSSAI and ISI norms, 192 search-and-seizure drives were launched at bottling units across the country. The drive lasted three years, concluding in February of the current year.
With the intention of empowering the consumer and introducing transparency in the packaged drinking water industry, the FSSAI has launched an online portal where consumers can compare test reports of packaged drinking water including physical, chemical and microbiological information, added Chaudhary.
Enforce law that prevents sale of tobacco to minors: Council to CM
A letter in this regard was sent to the Chief Minister on March 10, where activists had urged him to not succumb to pressures from tobacco lobbyists.
On September 21, 2017, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had suggested measures to protect children from exposure to tobacco products, by introducing an authorisation mechanism.
THE ACTION Council Against Tobacco (ACT) has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavisto issue a circular in the interest of public health, directing all health inspectors, directors of panchayat and urban affairs, and secretaries of local bodies, to strictly monitor and ensure that shops selling tobacco products have the mandatory licence. A letter in this regard was sent to the Chief Minister on March 10, where activists had urged him to not succumb to pressures from tobacco lobbyists.
On September 21, 2017, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had suggested measures to protect children from exposure to tobacco products, by introducing an authorisation mechanism. The ministry had asked municipal bodies and local authorities to authorise sale of tobacco at shops on the condition that they would have to be exclusive tobacco shops and cannot sell anything else such as “toffees, candies, chips, biscuits, soft drinks.”
“We have urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure that these guidelines are followed and these shops that exclusively sell tobacco products should not sell goods like toffees, candies, cakes and chips,” said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, head and neck surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital and secretary of ACT.
“Use of tobacco is a prominent risk factor for 6 to 8 leading causes of death and almost 40 per cent of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), including cancer, cardio-vascular diseases and lung disorders. Almost 13 lakh people die every year in India due to tobacco use. It is the duty of the state to protect children and improve public health under Article 39 and 47 of the Constitution of India. Yet, tobacco shops are mushrooming and the harmful product is freely available to our future generations,” Chaturvedi stated in the letter.
“…several outlets in Mumbai and other cities are still trading in tobacco products, in violation of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulations of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 and Rules, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children)Act, 2015 and the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Regulations, Legal Metrology Act thereby causing danger to our kids,” the letter read.
Milk adulteration may soon invite life imprisonment
The state government is considering to make adulteration of milk a non-bailable offence and increase the jail term to a minimum of three years, which can go up to life imprisonment.
Milk adulteration is an offence under section 29 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. At present, it is bailable, and the jail term, upon conviction, is between six months to one year.
"Even though it is a central act, the Union government has allowed us to make changes at the state level. We are working to bring a legally sound and strict law in the next few months," said food and civil supplies minister Girish Bapat in both houses of legislature on Tuesday.
He said three states-Gujarat, Bihar and Orrisa-have amended the law to increase the jail term. "People are not afraid of the current law. We have felt the need for more stringent punishment to ensure an adulteration-free state," Bapat said.
The issue of milk adulteration was raised by NCP's Kiran Pawaskar in the legislative council. He said the number of cases was on the rise and "under the current law if a person is caught in the morning, he is out on bail within a couple of hours". In the assembly, the issue was raised by BJP's Ameet Satam through a calling attention notice.
"In several countries, including the UK and the US, if a restaurant is found to be violating FDA norms, it is sealed in 24 hours. The state government should also take such strict steps," said Pawaskar.
Bapat replied that the government was in the process of preparing the draft of the amendment. "We will bring it for the cabinet's approval in the next few months."
Do dry pantries need food safety license ?
TechnoparkToday.com >> In a bizarre turn of events, food safety officials barged into an IT company to inspect their dry pantry (a dining area for employees with a coffee vending machine and drinking water dispenser). The officials not only closed down the pantry demanding a food safety license, but also engaged in a war of words with employees.
This happened despite Technopark authorities given permission to food safety officials only to inspect eateries in Technopark. Thoughtline, a Technology company operating in Ganga building of Technopark Phase III was the scene of the entire drama. It was by Friday evening that food safety officials came to inspect the IT company which is functioning in the SEZ campus.
The employees questioned whether they have a permission to enter the SEZ campus, but the food safety officials insisted on conducting an inspection. They even called police to intervene in the baseless issue.
“It is unfortunate that such incidents are happening at a time when Kerala IT is doing its best to bring major IT companies to the state. It is nothing but officers’ highhandedness and ego. We are running IT companies, not eateries. Such dry pantries are set to ensure that employees get a comfortable area for dining” managing director of a Technopark company said to TechnoparkToday.com.
Employees and management of most of the companies where shocked by the unauthorized entry of food safety officials into an IT company and disrupting its normal functioning. The food safety officials also defamed the name of the company by circulating its name among the eateries which were closed after their audit.
Sources said that the company has escalated the matter to higher officials in the department of IT. It is expected that government will take a strong action to ensure that such issues are not repeated.
Meanwhile, food safety officials temporarily closed down 5 eateries in Technopark citing unhygienic conditions. A total of 93 eateries were inspected and among them, 30 were slapped a fine of Rs. 1.94 lakhs. Tasty Six at Bhavani building, Arabic Paradise near main gate, Gafoor Ka Dosth, Sabardast Fusion, and Table Cafe at Thejaswini building were among the eateries which were temporarily closed down.
Food safety officers organise awareness camp
JAMMU: A team for food safety officers under the overall supervision of Dr. Parvesh Kumar, Commissioner Food Safety Municipal Limit Jammu organised an awareness camp at KC 360 Restaurant to impart hygienic training on food standards of restaurant. Awareness with regard to keep premises hygienic, non using of newspapers, colour, additives, ajinomoto, preparing personal hygiene etc was imparted.
They were asked to maintain hygiene at all levels right from purchasing to serving to customers and were taught the ways of storing, cooking and serving food to customers including water purifiers, pest control, usage of dustbin, etc.
Mar 13, 2018
கூல்ட்ரிங்க்ஸ் கடைகளில் விற்கப்படும் 'ஃப்ரூட் மிக்சர்' குடிக்கத்தகுந்த பானம்தானா?
கோடைக்காலம் தொடங்கிவிட்டது. இவ்வளவு நாள் சாந்தமாக இருந்த சூரியன் உக்கிரம் காட்டத் தொடங்கிவிட்டது. இளநீர் கடைகள், ஜூஸ் கடைகளில் கூட்டம் மொய்க்கிறது. புதிது புதிதாகத் தள்ளுவண்டிகளில் ஜூஸ் கடைகள் முளைக்கத் தொடங்கியுள்ளன. கூல்ட்ரிங்க்ஸ் கடைகளும் ஆங்காங்கே தோன்றுகின்றன. பல கூல்ட்ரிங்க்ஸ் கடைகளில், செக்கச்சிவப்பு வண்ணத்தில் 'ஃப்ரூட் மிக்சர்' என்ற பானத்தை விற்பனை செய்கிறார்கள். பெரும்பாலானோரின் விருப்பத்துக்குரிய பானமாக அது மாறியிருக்கிறது.
வாழைப்பழத்தைக் கொண்டு செய்யப்படும் இந்த ஃப்ரூட் மிக்சரில் உடலுக்குக் கெடுதல் செய்யும் பல பொருள்கள் சேர்க்கப்படுவதாகப் புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது.
இதுகுறித்து விரிவாகப் பேசினார் சித்த மருத்துவர் செந்தில் கருணாகரன்.
" பெரும்பாலும் இந்தப் பானத்தில் வாழைப்பழம்தான் இருக்கும். பெயருக்கு, கொஞ்சம் அன்னாசிப்பழம், திராட்சை, சிறிதளவு ஆப்பிள் சேர்ப்பார்கள். வாழைப்பழத்தைக் கரைத்து பிற பழங்களை சிறு சிறு துண்டுகளாக வெட்டிச் சேர்ப்பார்கள். கூடவே, சில ரசாயனங்கள் சேர்க்கப்படுகிறது. இனிப்புக்கு 'சாக்ரின்' எனப்படும் செயற்கை இனிப்பூட்டி பயன்படுத்துகிறார்கள். ஒரு கிலோ சீனி தருகிற இனிப்பை, இந்த இனிப்பூட்டி ஒரு சிட்டிகையிலேயே கொடுத்துவிடும். ஆனால், இது வயிற்றுக்கு மிகவும் கேடு விளைவிக்கும். வாய் வெந்துபோகும். 'சாக்ரீன்' கலந்த பானத்தைக் குடித்த சில நிமிடங்களிலேயே நம் உடலில் இன்சுலின் உற்பத்தியாக ஆரம்பித்துவிடும். தேவையில்லாத நேரத்தில் உற்பத்தியாவதால், தேவைப்படும்போது அதன் உற்பத்தி குறைந்துவிடும். இதனால் சர்க்கரைப் பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட வாய்ப்புள்ளது. சிலர் சுவைக்காக இதனுடன் பாதாம்பால் சேர்ப்பார்கள். இரண்டையும் கலந்து குடிக்கும்போது வயிற்றுக் கோளாறுகள் ஏற்பட வாய்ப்புள்ளன.
இது மட்டுமின்றி, இந்த பானத்தில் வீரியமுள்ள ஒருவகை எசன்ஸ் சேர்க்கிறார்கள். அதுதான் இந்தப் பானத்தின் வாசனைக்குக் காரணம். ஆனால், அதுவும் உடலுக்குக் கேடுவிளைவிக்கக் கூடியது. அதைவிட ஆபத்தானவை செயற்கை நிறமூட்டிகள். நம் உணவுப்பண்டங்களில் சேர்ப்பதற்காகவே ஏறத்தாழ 1000-த்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட செயற்கை நிறமூட்டிகள் உள்ளன. இந்த நிறமூட்டிகளைப் பயன்படுத்திச் செய்யப்பட்ட உணவுகள் செரிமானக்கோளாறை ஏற்படுத்தும். நரம்புக் கோளாறுகள், தோல் சம்பந்தமான பிரச்னைகளும் உண்டாகும். வாந்தி, குமட்டலையும் ஏற்படுத்தும்.மேலும் செயற்கை நிறமூட்டிகள் கலந்த உணவுகள் நம் குடலுக்குள் அப்படியே தங்கிவிடும் . இது குடலின் உட்கிரகிப்புத்தன்மையை குறைத்துவிடும்.
ஒவ்வொரு பழத்திலும் இயற்கையாக சர்க்கரை இருக்கிறது. உதாரணமாக ஆப்பிளில் 'மால்டோஸ்' என்னும் சர்க்கரைப் பொருள் இருக்கிறது. இதனுடன் வெள்ளைச் சர்க்கரையோ, சாக்ரீனோ கலக்கும்போது அதனுடைய உண்மையான பலன் கிடைக்காது. அதேபோல், ஒவ்வொரு பழத்துக்கும் இனிப்பு,புளிப்பு, துவர்ப்பு என தனித்தனிச் சுவை இருக்கிறது. தனித்த சத்துகளையும். உடையது. ஒவ்வொரு பழத்தையும் தனியாகச் சாப்பிட்டால்தான் அதற்குரிய பலன் கிடைக்கும். அனைத்தையும் ஒன்றாகக் கலந்து சாப்பிடும்போது அஜீரணக் கோளாறுதான் உண்டாகும்.
பொதுவாக, இதுபோன்ற பானங்களைத் தவிர்த்து, பழங்களை அப்படியே சாப்பிடுவதுதான் ஆரோக்கியத்துக்கு நல்லது. அப்படிச் சாப்பிட்டால் பழங்களில் உள்ள நார்ச்சத்து முழுமையாகக் கிடைக்கும். அல்லது வீட்டுக்குப் பழங்களை வாங்கிச்சென்று ஜூஸாக்கி, சர்க்கரை சேர்க்காமல் குடிக்கலாம்.
வெள்ளைச் சர்க்கரையை பெரும்பாலும் தவிர்ப்பது நல்லது. பனங்கற்கண்டு, பனை வெல்லம், நாட்டு வெல்லம் பயன்படுத்தலாம், எழுமிச்சம்பழம், புதினா, பனங்கருப்பட்டி கலந்த பானத்தை தாகம் எடுக்கும் தருணங்களில் அருந்தலாம். இளநீர், தாளித்த நீர்மோர் அருந்துவதும் நல்லது. " என்கிறார் அவர்.
Mar 12, 2018
கோயம்பேடு மார்க்கெட்டில் விடிய, விடிய சோதனை: செயற்கை முறையில் பழுக்க வைத்த 5 டன் பழங்கள் பறிமுதல்
கோயம்பேடு மார்க்கெட்டில் உணவு பொருள் பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் விடிய, விடிய சோதனை நடத்தினர். அப்போது செயற்கை முறையில் பழுக்க வைத்த 5 டன் பழங்களை பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.
கோயம்பேடு,
சென்னை கோயம்பேடு மார்க்கெட்டில், ‘ஈத்தலின்’ என்னும் ரசாயனத்தை தண்ணீரில் கலந்து, அதை வாழைத்தார்கள் மீது ஊற்றி செயற்கை முறையில் வாழை பழங்களை பழுக்க வைத்து விற்கப்படுவதுடன், சென்னையின் சுற்றுப்புற பகுதிகளுக்கும் அனுப்பி வைக்கப்படுவதாக கடந்த சில நாட்களுக்கு முன்பு ‘தினத்தந்தி’யில் படத்துடன் செய்தி வெளியானது.
மேலும் இதுதொடர்பாக பொதுமக்களிடம் இருந்து வீடியோ காட்சிகளுடன் ஏராளமான புகார்களும் வந்தன. இதையடுத்து கோயம்பேடு மார்க்கெட்டில் உள்ள பழக்கடைகளில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வு செய்து, செயற்கை முறையில் பழங்களை பழுக்க வைத்தால் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என பழ வியாபாரிகளை எச்சரித்தனர்.
இந்தநிலையில் கோயம்பேடு மார்க்கெட்டில் உள்ள பழக்கடைகளில் நேற்று முன்தினம் இரவு உணவு பொருள் கட்டுப்பாட்டு நியமன அலுவலர் கதிரவன், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் சதாசிவம், மணிமாறன், ஜெபராஜ், ராஜாமுகமது மற்றும் அங்காடி நிர்வாக குழு ஊழியர்கள் 25-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட போலீசாருடன் சென்று சோதனை நடத்தினர். இந்த சோதனை விடிய, விடிய நீடித்தது.
அப்போது ‘ஈத்தலின்’ என்னும் ரசாயனம் மூலம் செயற்கை முறையில் பழுக்க வைக்கப்பட்ட வாழை பழங்கள், கார்பைடு கற்கள் மூலம் பழுக்க வைத்த சப்போட்டா, மாம்பழங்கள் என மொத்தம் 5 டன் பழங்களை பறிமுதல் செய்து அழித்தனர்.
Chennai: Fruits worth Rs 2.5 lakh ripened using chemicals, seized
CHENNAI: In a midnight operation that spanned nearly three hours, food safety officials seized fruits worth Rs 2.5 lakh, being ripened using chemicals at Koyambedu market in the wee hours of Sunday.
In the wake of recent media reports on use of chemicals to ripen fruits at Koyambedu market, around 50 officials, including police and Market Management Committee officials, started the checks around 2 am.
After nearly three hours, officials seized 3.25 tonnes of sapota (chiku), one tonne of mango and 750 kg of banana. A total of 24 shops were found to be using chemicals to artificially ripen fruits and substances such as calcium carbide stones. Chemical sprayers were seized from the shops.
“We will file cases against the vendors in the coming days. Three of them have been identified,” said R Kathiravan, designated officer, Food Safety Department, Chennai.He said despite warnings and creation of awareness by the department on the harmful effects of chemicals on fruits, some continue the practice.
M Thiyagarajan, president, Koyambedu Kaai, Kani, Malar Vyabarigal Sangam, said the vendors resort to artificial ripening of fruits since it makes the fruits saleable quickly. “They do this because of the quick money it gives. We are always appealing to vendors to show concern over the health of consumers,” he said.Doctors have warned people to be cautious while consuming the fruits.
The doctors said the impact of consuming artificially-ripened fruits varied from people to people. While to some it may cause diarrhoea, for others it may reach extreme forms leading to serious case of dehydration and loss of electrolytes.
Explaining the traditional methods to ripen the fruits, Thiyagarajan said though they took time, they never had a harmful impact on consumers. For mangoes, the fruits were stored in a hay room and left for three to four days. Bananas would be stored in a smoke-filled room. In this process, the bananas would take one or two days to become ripe. “Since these are tedious processes, vendors resort to chemicals to make quick money,” Thiyagarajan said.
Food dept seizes five tonnes of artificially ripened fruit
Chennai: Officials from the state foodsafety department seized nearly five tonnesof artificially ripened fruit from wholesale stores at Koyambedu market during the wee hours of Sunday.
A team comprising of officials from CMDA’s Market Management Committee and the local police assistedthefoodsafety department in raiding the shops based on complaintsfrom the public.
Five tonnes of artificially ripened mangoes, sapotas and ethylene-sprayed bananas packed in boxes and ready for salewere seized, said the designated food safety officer RKathiravan.
Rolls of butter paper with calcium carbide, used to artificially ripen the fruit, were also seized. Officials estimated the total value of the seized products to be more than ₹10lakh.
Since the seized food items (the fruit) were of perishable nature, officials and local sanitary workers destroyedthem.
Calcium carbide is banned under Section 44A of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. There is, nonetheless, widespread use of the chemical by traders to hasten the ripening process.
Doctors say artificial ripening substances that contain traces of phosphorus or arsenic and could damage the kidney and liver, and cause gastric problems and ulcer.
Officialssay artificially ripened mangoes are mostly a bright and uniform yellow, rigid and lack the juiciness or “press” that naturally ripened mangoeshave. The natural rigidity will be missing while cutting these fruit and they will have almost no taste, officials added.
Gutka: TN oppn flags crores, fine’s just ₹55k
Chennai: A paltry ₹55,000 has been collected for illegal manufacturing and sale of gutka — which triggered a huge political controversy in the state, with the opposition alleging kickbacks being paid to several top ministers — in the last one year in Chennai, shows data provided by the state food safety department.
While more than ₹3 crore-worth gutka products were seized from retailers in Chennai, only a few of them have been held guilty by court, shows an RTI reply by the department.
A letter allegedly written by the then Chennai police commissioner, S George, to the principal secretary claiming that health minister C Vijayabaskar and other top cops had received huge sums of money to allow the sale of tobacco products in the state has kicked up a huge furore in the assembly, pushing the government imposed a complete ban on the sale of gutka products.
MONEY SPINNER: Sale of gutka products is banned in TN
Only 5 retailers convicted, no manufacturers nailed by state food safety dept since 2016
From 2016, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration department has lifted 43 samples of chewable tobacco and gutka from retailers across the city. Of these, legal proceedings have been initiated against 26. Only five ended in conviction. Those found guilty were let off with a fine of ₹10,000.
In the same period, 970 cases were registered in police stations across Chennai under various sections of Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COPTA). Of this only 245 ended in conviction and ₹50,400 collected as fine, all in the range of around ₹100-₹500.
The outcome of the leniency: “Almost all the vendors we initiate action against are habitual offenders. The fine means nothing. Their profit is much more,” said a senior food safety official.
According to Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, any person who manufactures, sells, stores or distributes food for human consumption which is unsafe – causing non-grievous injury --can be imprisoned for a term of up to a year and be fined a sum of up to ₹3 lakh. If the injury is grievous, the jail sentence may extend to six years and up to ₹5 lakh in fine.
However, when D Kumar, an activist in Coimbatore, filed an RTI to source the actiontaken details, his intention wasn’t to find how many retailers were prosecuted. “They are only the small fish. I wanted to find out how many manufacturers have been nailed. The reply said none,” he said.
Officials said initiating action against the manufacturers is tough as all of them are based outside Tamil Nadu. Food safety commissioner P Amudha recently wrote to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) urging officials to take action in the source states. “Most of the manufacturers are either based out of Delhi or Haryana. Every time we have a seizure here, we intimate FSSAI,” she said. In 2013, Tamil Nadu had joined several other states in banning the manufacture, storage and sale of gutka, paan masala and other carcinogenic chewable forms of tobacco by invoking the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.
Despite the ban, the banned products continue to find their way into the state through its porous borders – mostly by rail or road. Last month, the food safety department had received a tip-off on a consignment of gutka arriving at Madurai railway station. “We wrote to the Railway police asking them to intercept the contraband. They were reluctant,” said Amudha, who had to seek FSSAI’s intervention. “It turned out that the officials were not aware of gutka being banned in the state,” she said.
The RTI is not the only document reflecting the rampant sale of tobacco products. A study released by Adyar Cancer Institute in 2017, based on interviews with over a lakh people, found that that more than 90% of smokeless tobacco users in the state have no difficulty in procuring banned gutka products, although they pay double the price to buy it. “The products have just moved from the shelves to beneath the vendors’ clothes,” said R Kathiravan, designated food safety officer, Chennai. Tobacco control advocate Cyril Alexander said, manufacturers and distributors of banned tobacco products often slip through the state’s radar owing to poor coordination between various departments.
Five tonnes of artificially ripened fruits destroyed
24 shops out of 136 in Koyambedu found using chemicals
A total of five tonnes of artificially ripened fruits including a tonne of mangoes were seized from the Koyambedu fruit market and destroyed on Sunday.
A team of officials belonging to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) along with a posse of police conducted raids through Saturday night and Sunday early morning to seize 3.25 tonnes of sapotta and 750 kg of banana.
A total of 136 shops were inspected and 24 were found to be using chemicals to ripen the fruits artificially. The seized fruits, worth ₹2.5 lakh, were disposed at the Koyambedu bio-methanisation plant, sources said.
Based on a tip-off
The raids were conducted based on a tip-off that fruits were being ripened on trucks that were bringing them to the market. “Though we could not catch any truck, we did find the fruits in the shops. A week ago, we conducted an awareness programme about the health risks of artificially ripened fruits,” an official said.
Under the Food Safety Act 2006 and Regulations 2011, the sale of fruits artificially ripened using acetylene gas, commonly known as carbide gas, is prohibited.
The sapottas and mangoes were ripened using carbide gas emitted by calcium carbide stones.
According to the officials, the bananas were doused in ethylene gas to ripen them.
Don’t give in to tobacco lobby, Tata Hospital doctor tells CM
Letter seeks cancellation of licence if shops are found selling tobacco products
Mumbai: A head and neck surgeon from Tata Memorial Hospital has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis not to succumb to the pressure of the tobacco lobby. Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, an anti-tobacco activist, in his letter, has also appealed to the CM to ban the sale of tobacco to minors and allow its sale only through licensed vendors.
Dr. Chaturvedi said tobacco shops are mushrooming and freely available to the future generation. “The public health community was thrilled to know that the Maharashtra government is planning to make sale of gutkha a non-bailable offence. Recently, the government issued a notification banning sale of tobacco at shops selling chocolates and candies. However, I bring to your notice that the tobacco lobby will do everything to subvert this pro-public step. Please do not succumb to their pressure,” Dr. Chaturvedi wrote in his letter sent to Mr. Fadnavis on Saturday.
Early this year, the State had announced that general stores selling chips, biscuits, and chocolates cannot sell tobacco products. Officials from the Food and Drug Administration said such shops are frequented by minors and youngsters, who have easy access to such products.
But the move has definitely not gone down well with tobacco companies. “It has come to our notice that almost all outlets in Mumbai are trading in tobacco products in violation of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulations of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 and Rules, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Regulations, and the Legal Metrology Act, thereby causing danger to our kids,” he said.
The tobacco lobby, Dr. Chaturvedi said, targets kids and youth as their new consumers. “They strategically aim to lure kids into this deadly addiction,” he said, and requested the government to take stringent action like cancellation of licence of shops found selling tobacco products.
Mar 10, 2018
Poultry farming needs safety regulations: HC
A bench of Justices Naresh Patil and Anuja Prabhudesai was hearing a PIL that highlighted excessive use of pesticides by farmers and 20 farmer deaths in Vidharbha. The PIL, argued by advocate Shehzad Naqvi, sought orders for a policy to be framed to prevent growth or ripening of fruits with chemicals and to prohibit poultry farmers from using growth harmones or antibiotics.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joint commissioner and other senior officers appeared in court on Friday.
The high court said the state must spread more awareness among farmers by sending pamphlets and other material to gram panchayats on proper use of pesticides and growth of poultry.
After dismissing a communication presented by the state as ‘typically bureaucratic’’, the court sought more information on how inspections can be carried out to find if excessive probiotic feed was being used to fatten chicken and whether antibiotics were being used in violation of rules.
The bench said, “Give public interest awareness ads against food adulteration in theatres. We believe there must be some regulatory law... Abroad there is much research done on growth of food. Put advertisements in theatres on food safety as is done for anti-smoking and other public places.”
An animal husbandry department officer present in court said, “No antibiotics were given to chicken, except when they were sick.’’ But he pointed out that “permitted probiotics were given in feeds”. The state’s contention is that probiotics can be given to poultry; antibiotics are given for three days when sick.
An affidavit by joint commissioner (food), submitted by government lawyer Deepali Patankar, stated there was only one NABL-accredited FDA laboratory in the state but action is taken for food safety.
The bench told the BMC, “Your concern should be what people are eating in the city of Mumbai. Are you vigilant?’’
The bench further said: “What prevents you from checking what food is being given as feed?... We want to know if supervision is falling short.”
The court also wants the FDA to consider proposals to check on labelling of unpacked fruits and vegetables sold in malls. The court said FDA should consider increasing the number of mobile vans to check milk adulteration too, and study proposals to check if meat sold in malls is safe for human consumption.
Temporary closure notice served on six eateries
Food safety authorities conduct suprise raid on Technopark campus
Temporary closure notices were served on six restaurants on the Technopark campus after a surprise raid conducted by a special squad of the Food Safety Department on Friday. The restaurants are Tasty Six in Bhavani building, Arabic Paradise at the Technopark main gate, Gafoor Ka Dosth, Zabardast Fusion and Table Cafe in Tejaswini building and Thoughtline Private Ltd in Ganga building.
Fifteen special squads consisting of food safety officials from Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram conducted inspections at various restaurants on the Technopark campus on Friday morning. Of the 92 hotels and restaurants inspected, notices were served on 63 for improvement of facilities and implementation of extra measures to ensure food safety.
In addition, a total fine amount of ₹1.94 lakh has been imposed on 30 restaurants for violation of various guidelines. Food Safety Commissioner Veena N. Madhavan said stringent inspections would be conducted in the coming days to ensure food safety in the district.
The public can register complaints regarding food safety on the following numbers — 8943346181, 8943346195, 8943346198, 18004251125 (Toll free). The identity of the complainants would be kept confidential.
STATE GETS FIRST MOBILE LAB TO CURB FOOD ADULTERATION
The State on Friday entered into the elite club to own a mobile vehicle (van), allocated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), well-equipped with laboratory devices facilitating on-the-spot testing of food samples at a nominal cost.
Minister, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ramchandra Chandravanshi in the presence of other dignitaries inaugurated the first State of the Art ‘Mobile Lab’ on Friday at RCH Campus, Namkum.
To curb the rising adulteration level, two lab assistants will test food samples as per FSSAI guidelines. The mobile van will be functional for 20 days in a month and besides collecting food samples from hotels, confectionery shops, it will also test the chemical contents for milk and milk products, PH level of drinking water including high content of starch in sweets, confectionery items etc on public request instantly.
State Food Analyst, Chhaturbujh Meena present on the occasion, said, “At present merely 8 to 9 States by far owns a mobile van lab. At present, we have one mobile lab; later on requisition will be made to allot some more mobile labs considering its requirement and success rate. The mobile van is decked with milkoscan machine, sugar testing apparatuses, PH meter sensor etc.”
“For elaborate tests, depending on the significance of the contamination level, officials will send the samples to the State lab in Namkum. According to the rules, two lab technicians, two lab assistants, one attendant and one driver will be appointed for smooth functioning of mobile lab. The mobile lab service at present will be restricted to only urban areas,” added Meena.
No more Aashirvaad Atta Videos, Court issues restraining order
Guwahati, March 9: Following the uploads of the multiple videos claiming the presence of plastic in ‘Aashirvaad Atta’, the Court of City Civil and Sessions Judge in Bengaluru on Friday issued a notice for all online media platforms to stop publishing any irrelevant report regarding the matter.
The company in a press statement released today clarified that a thorough scientific test at NABL accredited laboratory in Mumbai assured that on testing Aashirvaad Atta as well as other popular atta brands recently, has confirmed the presence of gluten in the samples of all these atta in the range of 7 to 12 percent of atta.
The report of the laboratory also confirmed that when atta dough is washed with water, starch and fibre gets removed and a residue is obtained which is gluten and not plastic.
It may also be mentioned that Aashirvaad Atta was the subject of several homemade videos on internet platforms alleging that the atta contained plastic.
Also, the said videos claimed that if the dough made from ‘Aashirvaad atta’ was washed several times it resulted in a gum-like substance, which was alleged to be plastic.
Even the FSSAI regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, require that all atta must contain a minimum of 6% wheat protein.
Meanwhile, the Court has issued summons in the Suit to the said internet/social media platform providers.
Online inspector, food sampling system bring transparency in food safety dept : Brahm Mohindra
Chandigarh, Mar 9 (UNI) To bring transparency in the food safety department, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra here on Friday, launched an online inspection and sampling system to expedite the procedure of food sampling and testing.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mohindra said that it is essential that food safety inspections is be conducted diligently and reports made available to all stakeholders in short span of time with quick response provision.
He also ordered the food safety officials to clear backlog of licenses/ registration by March 31, 2018.
He said that food businesses have a legal and moral obligation to ensure they are not contributing to the statistics of food borne illness and other diseases.
He said that at the same time the food safety team must be equipped well to address to such issues concerning the food security which directly protect the healthy life of State’s population.
Mar 9, 2018
Mar 8, 2018
Vijayawada: Out of around 400 food outlets only 80 have valid FSSAI licences
VIJAYAWADA: Think twice before consuming food at the hotels and restaurants across the city as only 20 percent of the owners have obtained valid licence from the authorities of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), while others have given a go-by to food safety and quality.
In all, the city has around 400 hotels and restaurants including small and medium. Recently, the FSSAI officials in a joint operation with Vigilance and Enforcement department conducted surprise checks at Dolphin and 11 to 11 Restaurant and seized stale chicken and biryani from the respective restaurants. As part of the inspection, the officials also came to know that the Dolphin Restaurant did not have a valid licence from FSSAI for the past five years.
“Several hotels and restaurants are failing to maintain hygienic atmosphere in their kitchens. Consumption of such food items will cause water and food-borne diseases to the public. Some of the ailments include gastroenteritis (food poisoning), cholera, Hepatitis A jaundice, viral and fungal infections, typhoid etc. It is better not to eat food in unhygienic atmosphere,’’ said Ch Hari Kumar, a general physician.
‘’The next time if you witness any unhygienic atmosphere in a hotel kitchen or even if the hotel premises is filthy, just click a photo and share it with the Food Safety Department officials,’’ assistant food safety controller N Purnachandra Rao told TNIE.
Disclosing the procedure to be followed by the traders in obtaining the licence, he said traders whose annual turnover is below Rs 12 lakh, should register with FSSAI. Traders whose annual turnover is between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 20 crore, should obtain State licence and traders whose annual turnover is above Rs 20 crore, should obtain Central licence. Traders who belong to the aforementioned categories can apply for licences either through www.fssai.gov.in or by visiting E-seva centres, Rao informed.
The assistant food controller asked traders to register with food safety officers to obtain licences from the food department. Severe action will be taken against those who sell food items without registration and licences from the department, he said. “Only 20 percent of the hotel and restaurant owners obtained licence from the department, which is a serious violation as per the FSSAI guidelines. As per Section 63 of FSSAI Act, a fine of Rs 5 lakh would be imposed and six months imprisonment would be awarded,’’ Rao added.
In all, the city has around 400 hotels and restaurants including small and medium
As per Section 63 of FSSAI Act, a fine of J5 lakh will be imposed and six months imprisonment will be awarded against the traders who fail to obtain licence
Recently, the FSSAI officials in a joint operation with Vigilance and Enforcement department conducted surprise checks at Dolphin and 11 to 11 Restaurant and seized stale chicken and biryani from the respective restaurants
Food, drug adulteration: It’s time Telugu States act tough to end the evil
Hyderabad, March.7 : One famous Telugu poet had said long back that a match stick, a cake of soap, a puppy and nothing is ineligible to be the subject matter of poetry. In the present day scenario, this can be applied to adulteration –nothing is free from this worst type evil which is playing with the lives of the people, including children and women.
Reports are appearing in the media, frequently since long years about raids by officials and detecting the scourge of adulteration of milk, baby foods, almost all types of food stuffs, vegetables, fruits and even drugs. Whenever such reports appear, the Government (Ministers and Chief Minister) hurls warnings to the manufacturers and dealers of such adulterated items about stern action, cancellation of license, etc. In some cases, some sort of action is taken against the culprits, but such action is not deterring neither the manufacturers nor the dealers, and the game goes on uninterrupted, even while the medical experts are repeatedly warning about the ill-effects of adulteration and the health hazards involved.
Recently, the Minster for Health and Medical Dr C Lakshma Reddy has warned that those who indulge in adulteration of food stuffs would not be tolerated at all, their licences would be cancelled and Preventive Detention (PD) Act would be invoked against the culprits; and the dealers, eating establishment owners should be held responsible for supply of unadulterated food stuffs to the citizens. The Minister, who is a Doctor, said that adulteration of food stuffs is causing serious ailments like cancer, kidney and liver diseases. People will be very happy if the Minister (Government) really takes the matter very seriously and acts tough against the defaulters, to stop the evil and save the people from diseases.
It may be pointed out, however, that adulteration of food stuffs and medicines is going on for several years now and both the Telugu States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have failed to curb the evil with an iron hand, in spite of repeated high-sounding warnings and threats. This journalist vaguely remembers a grandiose threat hurled by the Health Minister of the united Andhra Pradesh (K Rajamallu, if my memory is correct) some four decades ago in the State Legislature that, given to himself, he would like to hang drug adulterators to the nearest lamp post, and hit the headlines. Unfortunately enough, no such action is seen till now, and not even deterrent Laws were made to stop the social evil of adulteration.
People in general and medical professionals in particular feel there is urgent need to stop adulteration of food stuffs and drugs enacting a Law providing for highly deterrent by punishment for the culprits, appointment of adequate staff in the departments empowered with enforcement of the laws relating to food safety and also to provide a mechanism to prevent collusion of officials with adulterators. It is said that already States like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha have enacted stringent Laws providing for deterrent punishments including life imprisonment, very high fines for adulteration of food stuffs and drugs. Both the Telugu States would do well to enact such Laws and enforce them strictly to save the people from health hazards. (NSS)
Special teams to inspect hotels
Rajamahendravaram: East Godavari Collector Karthikeya Mishra has directed the officials of food safety, revenue, police, municipality and panchayat raj departments to check the quality of food items in hotels and restaurants by forming special teams across the district.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, the collector said the decision was taken as 32 daily wagers suffered sickness due to food contamination after consuming breakfast in Ramavaram village near Jaggampeta on Tuesday.
Of the total, 11 persons were sent to community health centre in Jaggampeta and five were shifted to government general hospital in Kakinada and two persons undergoing treatment in private hospital, he said and added a medical camp was posted in Ramavaram village and hotels and restaurants in the village were seized. The collector said stern action will be initiated against the respective hotels and restaurant managements if they compromise on quality food.
Mar 7, 2018
Here's why you should never, ever, order drinks with ice
Be it a cup of cola or a glass of alcohol that you are sipping on, more often than not, you ask for a few ice cubes to be added to your drink.
Do you know ordering drinks with ice can be harmful for your health?
According to an article by HuffPost, ice machines is restaurants tend to be contaminated with bacteria, mold or the germs on one's hands.
These contaminants can come from various places. Mold, for instance can build up in ice machines. On the other hand, if one uses an ice scoop without washing the hand and then drops the schoop back into the ice, the cubes become contaminated with the germs on the hands or on the scoop.
In the article, Dr Pritish Tosh, an infectious diseases physician and researcher at the Mayo Clinic, had also mentioned that the main issue was the threat of ice being cross contaminated if it touches the other foods being served.
How to avoid ice contamination
Martin Bucknavage, senior food safety extension associate at the Department of Food Science at Pennsylvania State University, suggested that ice contamination could be avoided with the same safety measures undertaken to treat food.
Cleaning and sanitising ice machines is also extremely important to avoid contamination.
One should always use a clean scoop and even wash one's hands before using it.
So, the next time you visit a bar or a restaurant, make sure to carefully evaluate the place's cleanliness before ordering your drink. The best way would be to avoid consuming ice completely.
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