Jul 29, 2018
Getting India to eat better
The Eat Right Movement aims to usher in a new food culture by nudging both businesses and consumers to opt for healthier products
Alarmed by a rise in lifestyle diseases, the FSSAI has launched the Eat Right Movement, and food companies around the country have pledged their support.
In November last year, top officials at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sat up when they flipped through the pages of the India State-level Disease Burden report. While life expectancy had gone up, more Indians were dying of non-communicable diseases such as ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, the report stated. “Dietary risks, which include diets low in fruit, vegetables and whole grains, but high in salt and fat, were India’s third leading risk factor for health loss in 2016,” the report says.
Diabetes, in particular, has become India’s fastest-growing disease since 2000, according to a study released in 2017 by two research institutes – The Indian Council for Medical Research and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation – and advocacy group Public Health Foundation of India. The same year, the International Diabetes Federation claimed there were over 72 million cases of diabetes in India, a number which, some experts say, will almost double by 2025, if current dietary trends continue. These numbers forced the food safety regulator to not just accelerate its ongoing draft regulation on labelling packaged foods with high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) content with red dots, but put their best minds together to draw up a larger plan.
On July 10, the Eat Right Movement was launched to usher in a ‘new food culture’ by nudging businesses and consumers to cut down on salt, sugar and Trans fat in their food. In a video on the campaign’s website, actor Rajkummar Rao, the pro bono ambassador for the ‘movement’, as the stakeholders like to call it, recites the campaign’s tagline – ‘Aaj se thoda kam.’ The idea is not to go cold turkey but slowly and steadily reduce the amount of salt and sugar that you eat, which should be easier for people to follow. In the video, Rao asks whether the heart or the head should decide what you eat, concluding that health is a matter of the mind, so be smart about what you eat.
While government agencies have often laid down regulations for foods industry to push for healthier options, what has remained unaddressed is awareness among consumers. The Eat Right Movement aims to strike that balance. “It is the classic chicken-and-egg case. Consumers complain they do not have healthy options when they eat out or buy packaged food whereas the businesses say consumers do not want healthy options. So we thought how can we break this cycle? Businesses will have to take the first step and consumers have to become more aware of what they eat,” says Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI.
As a team at FSSAI fleshes out draft regulations on menu labelling and strategically bringing down high fat, salt and sugar content, the regulator reached out to industry, inviting voluntary commitments to initiate the process right away instead of waiting for the regulations to come into effect. “The labelling regulation was already being considered, but we thought if we wait for that to happen, it will take a year. We began to nudge the food businesses to start working towards healthier options. It had two major advantages. When they begin product reformulation in a few months, we at FSSAI will understand the practical problems in implementing it, and that will help us bring in regulations with reasonable thresholds,” Agarwal says.
An issue that created further complications was that the draft regulations received pushback from food companies because none of them wanted their food labelled red, or unhealthy. “According to thresholds in draft regulations, a significant part of their portfolio was being labelled red and hence, they were concerned,” Agarwal says. “If, as a regulator, we say that 80 per cent of the food available in the market is unhealthy, either consumers will ignore it completely or will have limited choice. We do not want a situation where we have standards or thresholds that are significantly different from current practices because reduction of HFSS will happen only over a period of time.”
With the World Health Organisation calling for a complete removal of Trans Fat from the food supply by 2023, the edible oil industry, bakeries and halwais in India, including Halwai Association and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India, too, have pledged to do their bit, committing to phase it out by 2022 with the pledge ‘India@75 – freedom from trans fat by 2022.’
“As far as Trans fat is concerned, we are coming up with regulations where edible oil cannot have more than two per cent of Trans fat and final food or bakery products will have not more than 0.5 per cent. As soon as these standards are put in place, businesses will have to adhere to it and if they don’t, it will be a violation of the Food Safety Act and they will be liable for prosecution,” Agarwal says.
Fifteen companies from the packaged food industry – Nestle, Mapro, MTR, Britannia, Bikanervala, Patanjali, Bagrry’s, Hindustan Unilever, Weikfield, Kraft Heinz, Del Monte, Haldiram, Kellogg’s, ITC and Marico – have signed up with voluntary commitments to begin reducing salt and sugar in their products by 2020.
“It was an interesting journey to get the industry on board,” Agarwal says. “Though initially there were apprehensions, on the day of signing up for the initiative, they appeared more enthusiastic about it. Some of the enthusiasm might be tempered when they get down to business, but we will take it forward from there. What was particularly heartening was to see the traditional halwais, Haldiram and Bikanervala, get on board. There are major players like Dabur and Parle that are yet to come forward.”
Each company pledge is different. HUL has committed to reducing salt levels to enable intakes of 5g per day. In their tomato ketchup and sauces, for example, this means a 15 to 50 per cent reduction in sodium by 2020 to meet the benchmark of 750mg/100g. They have also pledged to reduce the sugar in their range of children’s frozen desserts to a maximum of 12g per portion in the same time frame.
“Unilever committed long ago to reformulate our products so as to reduce the salt, sugar and fat from our products gradually. The pledge which HUL has signed was just a reiteration of our commitment, which we have already been working on for several years,” a company spokesperson said.
Likewise, Kraft Heinz has pledged to reduce the salt content in its tomato ketchup by 50 per cent in 2025 from current levels and to have nutrition declarations on the front of the packaging on all their products by the end of 2020; Kellogg will reduce the sugar in their ready-to-eat cereals by 10 to 15 per cent and sodium by 10 to 30 per cent by 2020; Nestle will reduce sugar by 6 per cent on average and salt by 10 per cent by 2020, and MTR will reduce salt and sugar by 6 per cent and 5 per cent by 2025. In addition to the nudge from the government, these companies are also reacting to changing consumer preferences and greater awareness of the dangers of eating too much processed food. “Indian breakfast habits and food choices have seen some very interesting shifts over the last decade,” Mohit Anand, managing director, Kellogg’s South Asia, told Mirror.
“Changing lifestyle, travel, experiences, and essentially exposure to a variety of cuisines are significantly impacting changing consumer food choices and attitude towards food. Consumers like to experience ‘food’. Therefore, food is not just sustenance any more. Another obvious big trend is the rise of health and wellness. Therefore, an education initiative like the Eat Right Movement is a multi-stakeholder effort that will empower consumers.”
Industry experts say that several unhealthy products like aerated drinks and vanaspati are being knocked off the shelves, thanks to gradually increasing awareness. “The consumption of vanaspati has been dwindling and production and consumption has gone down since 2012. Trans fatty acid content, which was between 6 to 10 percent in 2012, has been brought down to less than 5 percent in 2017. This is low as per WHO standards, but our commitment is to bring it down to 2 percent, and work is on to improve the interesterification process (a process that creates oil more suitable for deep frying),” explains Dr. KD Yadav, chairman of the technical committee of the Vanaspati Manufacturers Association.
In a bid to reach out to consumers, professional associations like the Nutrition Society of India, Indian Dietetic Association, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India), Indian Medical Association, and Indian Federation of Culinary Associations have come together to support the initiative.
“We eat much more salt in our cooking. While the recommended amount is not more than one teaspoon per day for an adult, studies says twice the amount is actually used. We have a whole lot of salty snacks and evening snacking is a persistent habit… most snacks are high in fat and salt,” says Sheela Krishnaswamy, noted dietician and national president, Indian Dietetic Association. “Taste is an acquired thing. It can be changed over time. If we, say, reduce salt gradually and supplement it with increased use of lime, herbs, and garlic that enhances taste and reduces requirement for salt, it can be done.”
Meanwhile Dr. B Sesikeran, President, Nutrition Society of India and former director of National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, says that changes in diet need to be complemented by exercise. “The Eat Right Movement attempts to bring about social transformation by bringing in behavioral change. When you tell someone to reduce consumption, compliance is better than asking them to completely avoid it. But along with eating a little less, we also have to tell people to walk and exercise a little more. Once everyone gets into that mode, a year later this campaign can be further intensified,” he says.
The challenge for the food companies is, of course, balancing taste, cost and the relative healthiness of their products. “Stepwise reduction is key,” says Kellogg’s Anand. “We work with our technologies to ensure that the taste is not compromised, as we reduce the salt and sugar levels in a phased way.”
Ankur Bhaumik, chief operating officer of MTR, admits that reformulation of their offerings will create challenges, but he is confident the company will find a way to adhere to their pledge. “There may not be new technology deployed to make these changes, but we are working with stakeholders to explore alternate solutions to help us achieve the target,” he says.
Similarly, Kraft Heinz will attempt to change the salt and sugar components of their tomato sauce while retaining its distinctive flavour. “The reformulated recipe will not compromise on the quality and taste of the product, and will maintain consumer affinity toward the brand,” says Sankalp Potbhare, the company’s Managing Director.
Backed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, FSSAI is hoping to work closely with other ministries such as Information and Broadcasting and Food Processing Industries to create a buzz around the campaign and weave other government initiatives into the larger movement. While the body is banking on publicity through mass media, running ads and Rajkummar Rao’s two-minute video in movie halls and public events, it is set to tie up with the Ayushman Bharat project and hand out toolkits to health workers at the 1.5 lakh health and wellness centers across the country to reach the rural populace.
FSSAI has also proposed that retail chains could nudge consumers to buy healthier food options by ensuring the ingredients and relative healthiness of their products are clearly marked at the points of sale. Of course, there is thin line between educating people about what to eat but leaving it to them to decide and telling people what to eat. The final choice should remain with the individual. If someone wants to eat a salty snack, or a candy bar, he or she should have that option. “Consumer choice should always prevail,” Anand says. “Moreover, there is nothing called ‘good’ or ‘bad’ food. It is about how one consumes those foods as part of the overall balanced diet. All foods have a place in consumers’ eating preferences and can definitely be eaten within a specific portion size.”
The Eat Right Movement has no choice but to play the long game. It will take years for changes in health indicators and lifestyle indicators to reflect, and it will be at least 18 months before most of the companies introduce their new formulations. So the success or failure of the campaign will not be known for years to come. But it is a start and well begun, as they say, is half done.
Bengaluru man finds insect in MTR pickle
The insect that was found in MTR pickle
BENGALURU:A Bengaluru resident found an insect in his pickle that was manufactured by MTR. After complaining to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Chennai and Delhi,
Karnataka Food Safety Commissionerate finally inspected MTR factory premises - Indira Food Private Ltd - in Jigani on July 20. Pickle samples were sent to the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru and the reports are awaited.
On July 12, Raj Sakhumalla posted on MTR’s Facebook page, “To my horror, found an unsliced bug in MTR Sliced Mango pickle, which was bought yesterday in Bangalore! It shows the callous attitude of both the manufacturers and authorities when it comes to food safety standards in India!”
“If the samples are found to be contaminated, the entire batch of pickle will be recalled by sending notices to vendors, retailers and shopkeepers who have purchased it,” said Dr Harshvardhan B, Special Squad, FSSAI Karnataka. The reports will be sent in 10 days.
MTR in a statement said, “We replied to the consumer within 24 hours and requested for samples of the product and its production batch details to facilitate our investigation.”
“Even after our repeated efforts, Sakhumalla has declined to share the necessary details including samples of the product and its production batch number with us. The only information the consumer shared with us was the month of production. We have done a thorough check of the production conditions of all batches of the variant for the month of production specified by the consumer. Our investigation did not reveal any anomalies,” it said.
Sakhumalla told The New Indian Express, “It is true that I didn’t give them the batch number based on my lawyer’s advice. Because there is a good chance that they can compromise samples or products from that particular batch before the FSSAI can conduct an inspection. However, I have furnished all relevant information including batch number, manufacturing date and other particulars to FSSAI.”
6 tonnes of cooking oil seized, suspected to be adulterated
Coimbatore: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officials seized about six tonnes of coconut oil and sunflower oil from a Kerala-based repacker’s godown at Muthampalayam in Kinathukidavu following a raid on Saturday. “Albert, the owner of the business, sources oil from Thoothukudi and Andhra Pradesh, repacks and labels it in his brandnames and sells it in Kerala. He was not selling it in Tamil Nadu” FSSAI designated officer Vijayalalithambigai said. “We seized oil worth about Rs 70 lakh,” she said.
Jul 26, 2018
FSSAI asks nutraceuticals industry to adopt self-regulation
Food safety regulator FSSAI today said there is still confusion among consumers about nutraceuticals because of misinformation, and called for adoption of self-regulation by industry players.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Chairman Ashish Bahuguna said the industry has bigger responsibility to ensure quality and safe products to consumers.
Nuraceuticals are product of food origin with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value of the food. These can be viewed as non-specific bilogical therapies that promote general health, control symptoms and prevent malignant processes.
Confusion and clarity
Addressing an Assocham event here, Bahuguna said, “Everyone expects the acceptability of nutraceuticals to grow. I feel the first challenge is that consumers have ‘bramh’ (confusion). There is so much misinformation.”
There are also false claims about the products. The consumers want claims on labels to be clear. The industry should clarify the difference between nutraceuticals and pharmceuticals, he said asking the industry to work in this direction. Consumer interest and safety should be the priority for the industry, for which it should adopt self-regulation, he added.
Bahuguna further said, “FSSAI makes stringent rules that no one violates. Manufacturers have bigger responsibility to make quality and safe products.” Nutraceuticals sector is growing fast and will grow faster in the coming years. FSSAI is open to accepting suggestions to improve the sector, he added.
Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM) Vice Chancellor Chindi Vasudevappa were among other industry players present at the event.
Many challenges
Highlighting the challenges faced in the sector, Sami-Sabinsa Group founder and chairman Muhammed Majeed said the industry should be worried about herbal security as the country cannot depend on other nations like Indonesia for regular supply.“In Ayurveda, if you don’t get one herb, it is adulterated with other. Even in nutraceuticals, it happens. Therefore, herbal security is important,” he said.
Majeed also said India should patent new products else other countries will do so, affecting the domestic industry.
Health Foods and Dietary Supplements Association (HADSA) President Ajit Singh said the domestic industry has many problems with regard to packaging and hygiene. The nutraceuticals industry is forced to make products from equipments and processes designed by pharma industry. “We need to redesign equipments for nutraceuticals,” he said.
Another problem is that nutraceuticals are packed scientifically. They are packed in plastics that reduce the quality of dosages each time the bottle is opened, he said and suggested blister packaging.
According to an Assocham Knowledge report, the Indian nutraceuticals market is expected to grow from USD 4 billion in 2017 to USD 18 billion in 2025. Key global players in this sector include GSK Consumer Healthcare, HUL, Nestle, Danone, Kellogg’s and Amway.
Indian companies like ITC, Dabur, Himalaya, Patanjali and Baidyanath are trying to reach out to customers by introducing new products in the market. With emergence of new companies like Sami Labs, Tirupati Group, Deccan Healthcare and Vantage Nutrition, the market for nutraceuticals looks promising, the report said.
2 interstate tobacco smugglers held with 150kg contraband
Coimbatore: The food safety department detained two men, who were smuggling 150kg of banned tobacco products from Bengaluru, at Walayar checkpost on Wednesday.
The catch assumes significance as the department had been catching stashes of banned chewable tobacco products from godowns across the district, but it is yet to zero in on how these banned products manufactured outside the state come into the city.
On Wednesday, officials at Walayar checkpost stopped a Kerala-registered Maruti Ertiga and found packets of banned tobacco products. They detained Vibin, 30, and Riyaz, 33, both from Ernakulam. Subsequently, the checkpost officials informed the rural police and the food safety department.
Food Safety officials reached the spot and questioned the two men. “They said they had bought the tobacco products from Bengaluru. They drove to the city via Salem and were on their way to Ernakulam,” said Dr Vijayalalithambigai, designated food safety officer. “We have seized the vehicle and the tobacco products. We are now trying to get details of their suppliers as we suspect tobacco items to Coimbatore might also be coming from them.”
The food safety department has seized around three tonnes of banned tobacco products from shops and godowns since June. “According to distributors caught in the city, tobacco products are manufactured in north India and come to city from Bengaluru through buses. We are now hoping to catch people who bring tobacco items into the city and supply them to distributors,” said Vijayalalithambigai.
150kg of gutkha seized from vehicle at Walayar check post
COIMBATORE: Food safety officials here on Wednesday morning seized 150kg of banned tobacco products from a multi utility vehicle at Walayar check-post. The vehicle was going to Ernakulam from Bengaluru.
Designated food safety officer Dr Vijayalalithambigai said the food safety department had got a call from police officers at Walayar check-post. "They told us that they had caught a vehicle carrying large sacks of gutkha. There were two men in the vehicle," she said
On being questioned by the food safety department and police, the men said they had brought the gutkha from Bengaluru.
"The two men have been detained for further questioning on the source of gutkha and whether they have buyers in Coimbatore too," she said.
"This is the third time that this same vehicle was crossing this border in the last couple of weeks," she added.
Clean street food project to change vendor mindset
Clean food? Popular seafronts like Girgaum Chowpatty are lined with street food stalls that do brisk business. `
FDA, Nestle India team up; survey on in city, Pune, Nagpur
Mumbai: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and Association of Food Scientists and Technology (AFST) are conducting a gap analysis of street food vendors at the Juhu and Girgaum chowpattys to develop them as clean street food hubs. A gap analysis assesses measures to make an individual or business perform to full potential, and identify areas for improvement.
Shailesh Adhav, Joint Commissioner (Food), FDA, said various aspects of the business of street vendors operating along these beaches are being studied. The aim, he added, is to transform them into seafront food hubs, similar to those in countries like South Africa, Spain and Thailand. “The analysis may look at a common waste disposal system, better seating and change in structures, among other factors. We may have to take the civic body’s help to implement the project. Once ready, these hubs will be certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as zones which will maintain quality, cleanliness and hygiene.”
The initiative is part of the Clean Street Food Hubs projects, to be implemented across the country depending on the success of pilots in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. Two more hubs are planned in the State at Saras Baug in Pune and Futala Lake in Nagpur. For starters, 80-odd vendors at Juhu and 25 at Girgaum have attended a day-long training session on hygiene. They were given a food safety kit, which included an apron, head cap, gloves, towel and hand wash, and informed of the importance of using the kit to attract customers.
Surprise check
After the training session, the FDA carried out a surprise inspection at both places, and found some vendors using the kit. Mr. Adhav said, “We highlighted several aspects of hygiene. For example, most vendors didn’t have a proper dustbin, so we made them get one with a lid to keep away the flies and stink. Most vendors had long, dirty fingernails and long hair. Their water storage facilities weren’t appropriate. These were pointed out as well during the training. We want to change mindsets.”
Ganesh Parlikar, Assistant Commissioner, FDA, said Nestle India has helped to take the project to more than 2,900 street food vendors across the State in the last three months. “They have a mobile van which reaches out to vendors. The training sessions are held inside the van, covering food safety, cleanliness and hygiene issues.”He added that the van has covered 814 street vendors and 41 spots in Mumbai, and 159 locations in the rest of the State.
Subramanyam Bharti, owner of the 57-year-old Siddhivinayak Pav Bhaji stall at Juhu beach, said his staff have become more conscious after the training. “My six-member staff was already using goves and head cap. But after the FDA training, they have understood that hygeine and cleanliness is mandatory.”
‘Edible’ oil seized near Dindigul
It was meant for distribution in open market; mill sealed
A 10-member team of officials of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) raided a private oil manufacturing facility on Dindigul-Gujiliamparai Road here and seized 11,000 litres of ‘edible’ oil meant for distribution in markets and sealed the mill on Wednesday.
Following complaints that the private mill was indulging in adulteration, officials were monitoring movements of raw materials and other goods for some time.
According to the officials, when the team entered the premises, they found that oil used for lighting lamp were being mixed and packed as “edible” oil.
While the FSSAI had clearly mentioned a list of oil, which alone should be used for cooking, some oil manufacturers allegedly indulged in adulteration. The samples were sent to the laboratory and, based on the report, further action would be taken.
The team comprised Designated Officer K. Natarajan and his team included Chandramohan, Saranya and Jothimani.
The officers told reporters that the seized oil may be worth around ₹ 10 lakh if they had been sold in the markets.
To a query, they replied that only gingely oil, groundnut oil, refined sun flower oil should be used for edible purpose. They urged the consumers to purchase oil available in sealed containers only.
The public can lodge complaint with the Collector and the FSSAI about any adulteration happening in their locality. The information shall be kept confidential, they said.
Mumbai: FDA to inspect Juhu, Girgaum chowpatty food stalls for hygiene maintenance
The state-run Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be inspecting food sold by vendors at Juhu and Girgaum Chowpatty. Earlier, the FDA along with the FSSAI had trained street food vendors at these two chowpatties on guaranteeing food safety and also distributed hygiene kits.
According to FDA officials, the inspection will be carried out to see if they are following the food safety measures. Under the street food vending initiative announced last month by the FDA, two major street food joints — Juhu Chowpatty and Girgaum Chowpatty — were identified. The authorities also selected streets famous for street foods in other cities, such as Saras Baug in Pune and Futala Talav in Nagpur.
Speaking about the inspection, Shailesh Adhav, Joint Commissioner, Food, Mumbai, said, "We have already trained street food vendors twice. To fill the gap and see if they are following the instructions, we will be inspecting these two places along with an association of food scientists and technologists on Friday.
The main objective of the inspection includes looking at the hygiene measures followed by street food vendors to provide quality food. "We want them to coordinate with us and ensure that safe street food is served," added Adhav.
In the street food vending initiative, FDA will be the first one to fill up gaps where there is a lack of good facilities. The problems that come in the way of maintaining good hygiene include non-potable water, cleanliness of the place, and waste disposal.
Recently, BMC's Hydraulic Engineering Department collected 3,086 water samples from 24 wards and found that 53 samples unfit, while 14 of them had E-coli contamination.
"The street stalls do not maintain hygiene standards, which in turn contaminates the water. Maintaining hygiene will reduce the spread of infectious diseases," Dr Madhukar Gaikwad, Medical Superintendent, St George Hospital.
Food safety officer arrested on graft charges
A food safety officer was among four government employees arrested by vigilance personnel in Odisha for allegedly accepting bribe, a vigilance statement said.
The food safety officer, Tapaswini Behera and senior helper of Berhampur Municipal Corporation, Dharmananda Nayak, were yesterday caught while accepting the illegal gratification of Rs 1,000 from a hotel owner for renewal of the food license of the hotel, the statement said.
Following a complaint by the hotel owner, a trap was laid by vigilance personnel who recovered the money from the table drawer of Behera.
In another operation, Riship Kumar Pruset, a junior clerk in the office of the sub-collector, Kuchinda in Sambalpur district was yesterday caught for accepting illegal gratification of Rs 5,000 from the chief priest of the Lord Jagannath temple there, the statement said.
The bribe was demanded for processing a file in respect of transfer of Rs 27,200 to the chief priests account towards day-to-day expenditure of the Jagannath Temple at Kuchinda.
The sub-collector of Kuchinda is the ex-officio president of the Jagannath Temple at Kuchinda. The income received from all sources are deposited in SBI, Kuchinda in the account maintained in the name of the sub-collector, Kuchinda, the release said.
In yet another trap, Guru Charan Munda, head clerk- cum-accountant in the statistics wing of the district planning and monitoring unit, Mayurbhanj, Baripada was caught for accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a retired statistical field inspector to process his GPF and pension papers.
The bribe was recovered from his pocket during yesterday's operation following which the head clerk was arrested.
Airport food under FSSAI scanner
Seaports and airports need to have licence issued by the Central food safety agency
The Food Safety And Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed all the Food Business Operator (FBO) establishments within the premises of seaports and airports to have licence issued by the Central food safety agency only.
The food regulator, in its recent order stated that in future all such FBO's having establishments within the seaports/airports premises i.e. within Port/Airport Terminals for which DOs (Designated Officers) (PHOs (Public Health Officer)/APHOs (Additional Public Health Officer)) have been notified under FSS Act, 2006 need to obtain licenses from respective DOs and incase where DOs (PHOs/APHOs) have not been notified under FSS Act, 2006, the FBOs need to obtain license from the respective Central licensing authorities.
Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI told Mail Today, "As of now, all our international ports have a public health officer who manages the licensing procedures of FBO's at sea/airports. But we were witnessing a lot of confusion at the domestic ports whether it has to be under the control of State or Central government. From now on, all the domestic posts will have to managed by Central food regulator," he said.
DLSC on food safety constituted
Food Safety Commissioner cum Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, I.Himato Zhimomi has constituted the district level steering committee (DLSC) in all district of Nagaland under section 30(2) (d) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 with the following members:
Chairperson – Deputy Commissioner; member secretary – Designated Officer (CMO); and members – Commissioner/Superintendent of Police; Administrator (Municipal/ Town Council); Food Safety Officer & Horticulture/ Agriculture/ Veterinary/ Fishery/ Land Resources/ Food & Civil Supplies/ Municipal Affairs/ Rural/Education/Social Welfare/Industries & Commerce Department/Chamber of Commerce as District members and the DLSC will incorporate any NGOs as and when required.
In order to exercise public Safety under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the DLSC will meet regularly to carry out the various provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and action taken may be reported to the Food Safety Commissioner.
Jul 24, 2018
A healthy measure
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed leading food aggregators such as Zomato, Swiggy and UberEats to delist all restaurants and eateries that do not have an FSSAI licence or registration. It has also asked them to submit a report on the action taken to delist such eateries or food vendors from their platforms by July 31.
The move came after the food safety regulator received a series of complaints about sub-standard food being supplied by restaurants and vendors listed on these delivery platforms. The regulator has ordered 10 such online food deliver firms to 'debar' non-licensed or unregistered restaurants or eateries from their platforms immediately and to ensure compliance with the food safety rules and regulations. These firms are Zomato, Swiggy, UberEats, Foodpanda, Fassos, FoodCloud, Foodmingo, JusFood, BoxB and LimeTray.
This is also significant as the food safety authority had operationalised guidelines for e-commerce food service platforms in February. Under the guidelines, it is mandatory for them to display the FSSAI licence number of the restaurants and eateries listed on their platforms. In addition they also need to have an agreement with these listed eateries regarding compliance with the FSS Act and Rules.
The regulator has come to know that most of these or all of these have been not following the guidelines. Unhygienic eateries are a common sight all over the country and majority of the people street food. Tie up with such unhealthy joints gives them a brand placement. These apps also attract customers by providing huge discounts. The Indian Consumer Complaints Forum has received as many as 257 complaints against Swiggy, a food delivery app, of which the company has resolved only 14. Swiggy's customer satisfaction stood at only five per cent.
As contacting personnel of the apps is an unfriendly exercise, customers have taken to twitter and other online platforms to complain. The food delivery sector written off not too long ago in the country, has seen a revival over the past six months. Everyone is rushing into to invest in the delivery system. The food technology sector is expected to touch at least $2.5 billion by 2021 from its current size of about $700 million. The online food deliver market is growing at a steady 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter in terms of daily food orders.
Top cities for food tech firms include Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkota and Chennai (the latest entrant). Here is where the regulator's role becomes key. One cannot afford to be a dirty nation in this modern age. Profiteering is being frowned upon everywhere. Quality is the key word of food industry.
World is progressing towards biodegradable packing systems. The Regulator is now proposing to punish those obstructing the work of a food safety officer or threatening someone from discharging his duties. It is recommended that imprisonment of not less than six months and up to two years besides a penalty of Rs 5 lakh be imposed.
Several other amendments are also being brought in to the existing law to impose quality controls strictly. It is time for us to take quality seriously.
New regulations to certify organic food likely to favour big brands
Worse, the government's latest move to regulate the domestic organic market can also push tens of thousands of organic farmers out of business
For 20 years, R Selvam has been painstackingly growing paddy, groundnut, coco nut and sesame seeds organically in his 2.8-hectare farmland in Tamil Nadu’s Arachalur village. But July 1 onwards, Selvam can no longer sell the produce to organic retail stores due to a new regulation that bans the retail sale of food labelled as organic unless it has been certified by the government. The regulation, he says, will reduce his farm income by over 70 per cent, which is worth Rs 25 lakh a year. “I sell only 30 per cent of the produce directly to customers, which the regulation says can be done without a certification,” says Selvam. He fears that if the government does not come up with a cheap certification process for individuals, farmers like him might “disappear” altogether.
As per the new regulation by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), farmers can obtain certification through two processes, both of which, Selvam says, are difficult and time-consuming. The first option is to get a certificate, valid for one year, from one of the 28 third-party certification agencies accredited by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). This process can cost a farmer anywhere between Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000 per year and an existing organic farmer like Selvam will have to wait for one whole year to get the certificate (see ‘Certified problem’). The other option is the Participatory Guarantee System-India (PGS), under which a group of farmers come together and vouch for each others’ produce. While PGS certification can be obtained for free, getting the certificate takes three long years, even if the farmer is already practising organic.
Before the new regulation kicked in, only farmers and food processors exporting their products needed mandatory certification and domestic players could operate without a certification. “The certification is a mark for the genuine farmers, processors and manufacturers, as currently, anyone can claim they are organic,” says Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI.
Drafted to hit small players?
While there is no doubt that the regulation is desirable, most industry players say it may slow down the country’s organic movement.
“The regulation needs to be revised to make it more realistic,” says Narayana Upadhaya, director, Aditi Organic Certification Pvt Ltd, one of the 28 NPOP-accredited private agencies responsible for verification of the organic farmers, processors, manufacturers and traders, and issuing them certificates. “The certification requires farmers to use organic seeds, but we know they are not easily available in the market,” he says. An analysis by Down To Earth shows that most organic farmers soak the conventional seeds in beejamrutam, a mixture of cow urine, cow dung and neem oil, for two-three days and then follow the organic farming methods. The procedure is also recognised by the guidelines of the Centre’s ambitious Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), launched in 2015 to promote organic farming (see ‘Seedless future’, Down To Earth, 1-15 March, 2018).
The regulation comes at a time when PKVY is yet to gain a foothold in most states. In Punjab and Haryana, which along with Uttar Pradesh is referred to as the food bowl of India, just 131 and 488 farmers have been covered under the scheme; Uttar Pradesh has 38,781 farmers under the scheme. The scheme so far has issued 95,688 certificates to farmers, of which 18 per cent have not opted for renewal.
Worse, the regulation will now push tens of thousands of organic farmers out of business. Joy Daniel, executive director, Institute of Integrated Rural Development, a non-profit in Maharashtra, says, “In the northeastern states, excluding Assam, 10 million hectares are organic by default as farmers do not have access to chemical fertilisers. They will no longer be able to sell their produce as organic. The same is true for farmers in most remote tribal regions.”
Then there are those growing and processing organic crops with the help of certificates issued by non-profits. For instance, the Participatory Guarantee Systems-Organic Council (PGSOC), a network of 21 civil society organisations, has so far issued certificates to over 10,000 farmers in 14 states. All these farmers will have go through expensive and time-consuming processes to obtain organic certification from NPOP or PGS-India. Deccan Development Society, a member of PGSOC, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on June 30 against the notification and urged that non-profits already working with organic farmers be allowed to issue certificates. “We have urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the power to give certification should not be given to one single government body,” says P V Sateesh, founder, Deccan Development Society.
Time to shift focus
“We need an accountable mechanism where any farmer desirous to shift to organic farming can do it without joining a collective or enrolling under a government scheme,” says Kavitha Kuruganti, member of the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture. The certification should be free of cost, time-bound and simple. This is missing right now. The current regulation, she fears, would keep only big organic brands in the business.
Devinder Sharma, a food and trade policy analyst, goes a step further when he says that FSSAI should introduce certification for non-organic farmers, who are responsible for environmental pollution and a myriad of illnesses.
Certified problem
Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS)
Farmers will have to form a group of at least five and then apply for PGS, introduced in 2015 under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
Registration of a new farmer takes three years
A farmer has to peer-review the fields thrice every season—during sowing, harvest and once in between. This inspection takes around 12 days every seasonNational Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)
Farmers and processors can get a certificate from agencies accredited by NPOP, which has been in place since 2001
Farmers growing perennial crops need to wait for three years to get a new certificate. For annual crops, the waiting time is two years
Farmers already practising organic can get a certificate after a year
Cost may vary from Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000, depending on the size of the holding and the fee of the inspecting third-party
(This article was first published in the 16-31 July issue of Down To Earth under the headline 'Organic glitch').
Officials justify release of contaminated fish stock
Hit hard: The scare created by formalin-laced fish has impacted fish trade in the city. A view from the Nadakkvu market where a trader readies his stock.
Consignment not meant for retail in Kerala, they say
Officials of the Food Safety Department on Monday clarified that a truckload of squid they had intercepted at Vadakara on Saturday after confirming the presence of formalin in it, was released, as the stock was not meant for retail in Kerala.
The vehicle was heading to an exporting unit at Mangaluru from Kanyakumari, and food safety officials in Kerala are not authorised to act against inter-State shipping of products between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, they said, adding that the allegation of “inaction” on the part of the squad was baseless.
Defending the decision, an officer in charge of the squads said that the team had ensured that the stock was not unloaded in any part of Kerala en route to Mangaluru.
Authorities alerted
There was a mild presence of formalin in the stock, and the details were communicated to the authorities concerned in Mangaluru for action, the officer added.
Noticing the vehicle near the Mooradu bridge, some locals had alerted the police and food safety squads. Though the driver and the cleaner had claimed that the stock was not meant for delivery in Kerala, the protesters were unwilling to relent and demanded that the authorities destroy the stock.
The squad members said that the vehicle had been released after consulting senior officials at the Commissionerate of Food Safety. The only instruction was to ensure that the stock was delivered at the mentioned spot, they claimed.
Better surveillance
A senior Food Safety Department official said that the checking squads in Kerala had limitations in seizing stocks during transit between two States. “We will be able to prevent such practices effectively only by strengthening the surveillance mechanism and the mobile squads on the State’s borders,” he added.
Meanwhile, he confirmed that contaminated stocks meant for resale in local markets would be instantly seized and buried. “We had impounded nearly 5,000 kg of such stock at Vadakara and buried it at once, taking public safety into account,” he said.
The squads in Kozhikode circle said that no large-scale trade in formalin-laced fish had been confirmed in any local market in Kozhikode city. Only a small quantity was recently seized from the Central market, and samples were sent to laboratories for final inspection, officials said.
VMC carries out checks on edible oil across Baroda
Vadodara: Food safety officers of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) checked the quality of edible oil used for frying food items in the city. It is for the first time that the civic body conducted such a drive to check the total polar compound (TPC) in oil used for frying.
Sources said that the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) had issued directives earlier this month for ensuring the quality of edible oil used for frying food items.
Officials were also instructed to use the total power count machine for analysing oil samples when they were hot.
According to the standards, the oil is considered to be safe if TPC is within 25. Food safety officers of the civic body checked samples in Akota, Gotri, Mujmahuda, O P Road, Gotri, Nizampura, Chhani, Karelibaug and other areas of the city. At an outlet in Akota, the TPC was found at 27 which is above the prescribed limit.
The outlet was issued a notice by the VMC officials and the oil as well as food items cooked in it were disposed of. Sources said that the drive would continue in the coming days in different parts of the city.
Restaurant ordered to pay up for worms in bottle
Vadodara: An Ahmedabad-based bottled water company and a restaurant in the city had come under the lens when a resident of Nagarwada, Feroz Vohra, approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum after he found worms in a bottle of packaged water.
The forum ordered the bottling company to deposit Rs 10,000 in the consumer welfare fund, while the restaurant has been told to pay the complainant Rs 6,000 as compensation for harassment and legal costs.
In April 2016, Vohra and his family went for dinner to a restaurant called Kareem’s on Old Padra Road, where he was served a bottle of packaged water of the brand ‘Clear’. According to Vohra’s complaint, he found worms in the water and raised the issue with the restaurant manager. While the manager assured him he would take up the matter the Ahmedabad-based Gaggar Enterprises and Energy Beverages, which manufactures and markets the water, Vohra decided to leave the restaurant without having the meal. He offered to pay for the bottle, but the manager refused to take his money.
Vohra later wrote to the Food and Drugs Laboratory and the health department of Vadodara Municipal Corporation. When no action was taken by the authorities, he moved court. On being issued notices, the manufacturer informed the court that Vohra made up the complaint to extract money from them. It also told the court that they follow food safety rules and regulations and had even got the product inspected by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
However, the consumer forum rejected their arguments and upheld the documents produced by Vohra. The court observed that the manufacturer’s responsibility does not end by having licenses and getting the product inspected. “It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to maintain the quality of the water and when worms are visible in the water, it shows that it has failed in its responsibility,” the court said in its judgement.
The forum asked the manufacturer and the restaurant to deposit the money within two months.
CM orders IG-level inquiry into food poisoning incidents at GV Raja Sports School
Thiruvananthapuram: In order to resolve the mystery around recurrent food poisoning incidents at GV Raja Sports School, Mylam, the state government has ordered for a police investigation into the issue.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed DGP Loknath Behera to initiative an IG-level inquiry into the issue.
Earlier, food safety commissioner M G Rajamanickam recommended sports department to ask for a police investigation into the food poisoning cases, but the decision was pending. Sports minister A C Moideen forwarded the file to CM, who directed DGP to constitute a team for inquiry, said government sources.
There were allegations that recurrent food poisoning incidents were taking place with the support of higher officials in GV Raja Sports School and the sports department.
Following the controversy, the higher education department transferred the then principal of the school C S Pradeep to sports division, Kannur. The DPI had transferred headmaster Jain Raj and the kitchen staff.
On June 18, around 40 students of the school sought treatment for stomach upset and vomiting at Government hospital, Peroorkada.
Food safety department was informed about the incident only two days later and so it was unable to collect samples. However, food safety department noticed foul play as food poisoning incidents have happened around four times since 2013.
One of the major allegations is that there was foul play in giving contract to run the mess. The sports department is spending around Rs 18 lakh per month for the mess.
A section of parents and students have come in support of the principal, who was facing allegations. They too demanded a police investigation to solve the mystery.
DGP was unavailable for comments despite repeated attempts.
Draft Notice Issued By The FSSAI Seeking Suggestions On Display Of Menu
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has seeked out suggestions from stakeholders of food service establishments regarding the display of information on menu labels. A draft notice has been issued urging them to give out their suggestions.
Under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, in Regulation 2.4 related to Specific Requirements/ Restrictions, on the manner of labeling, a new clause, namely Display of information in food service establishments, should be added according to the draft that has been issued, reports the publication.
REQUIRED INFORMATION
“Food service establishments having a Central license or outlets at 20 or more locations shall display the calorific value of each food item sold by them on their menu cards or boards. Additionally, reference information on the requirements of 2,000Kcal energy for an average adult per day shall also be displayed clearly and prominently,” is what is stated in the clause.
The food service establishment should display information, including any warning or statutory declarations required under the regulations, information relating to allergens in the food, logo for vegetarian or non-vegetarian food, information relating to gluten-free and low gluten status in food and information relating to organic food or ingredients, at the point of sale or service of the food.
Apart from food service establishments, the draft also covers e-commerce food business operators (FBOs) who have been instructed to provide all the information on their menu links with every food service establishment that are a part of their platform.
THE EXCLUSIONS
These provisions, however, will not be applicable to self-serve condiments that are free of charge and not listed on the menu, event caterers and food service premises that operate for less than 60 days in a calendar year, either consecutively or non-consecutively; and specially-ordered items or modified meals and menu items that are given according to the customers’ requests.
The clause also directs food service establishments to keep in handwritten nutritional information on the food items they sell, either as booklets, handouts or on their website. This shall be provided to consumers upon request.
Jul 23, 2018
Telangana alerted about formalin on fish
FSSAI asks all states to set up labs to test fish for the chemical.
Traders are asked not to use additives and chemicals to prolong shelf life of fish.
Hyderabad: The state government has to set up a laboratory to check for the adulterant formalin in fish.
Cases of formalin in fish were found in Assam, Odisha and Kochi and this has led Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to issue guidelines to check on the use of formalin to preserve fish.
The FSSAI also wants all states to have a laboratory to test fish for the presence of formalin.
Formalin is used by traders and suppliers to extend the shelf life of both fresh and frozen fish. The World Health Organisation and International Agency for Research on Cancer of the United Nations have confirmed that formaldehyde is carcinogenic and is found to cause nasopharyngeal cancer (upper part of the throat and behind the nose).
When present in large quantities, it can also lead to severe abdominal pain, vomiting, coma, renal injury and even death.
Dr Suvarna Chandrapp-agari, the commissioner of fisheries, explained, “We do not have aquaculture ponds in TS and consumers are used to eating fresh fish. The fish comes within three to four hours from coastal Andhra Pradesh.”
She said the FSSAI had stated that a laboratory has to be set up to test fish for formalin. “We are going to do that as it is important from the health perspective of consumers,” she said.
The consumption of fish is highest in Telangana with 150 tonnes on weekdays and 400 to 500 tonnes on weekends.
Food raid on hotels
Hotel Gargee Grand. Pictures by Manoj Kumar
Patna: The health department's food safety wing has planned to conduct regular raids on city hotels for hygiene standards after two establishments were found lax on Saturday.
Authorities of Hotel Lemon Tree and Gargee Grand have been asked to maintain hygiene standards after raids revealed loopholes. Food safety officer Ajay Kumar, who conducted the raids, said: "Both the hotels were found to not maintain sanitation norms. They have been served notice."
Violation of sanitation and hygiene norms had also drawn the attention of Bihar State Pollution Control Board which recently showcaused seven hotels in the city.
A senior food safety officer said the teams found food products at both hotels not stored properly. "The norms stipulate vegetarian and non-vegetarian raw material to be kept separately, including spices. We didn't find packaging date on products and few ingredients were found kept in open. We have collected oil and spice samples from the hotels and will send them to a Calcutta laboratory," the source said.
He added that a decision has been taken to conduct raids on at least two hotels a day, besides visit to mandis.
"The hotel management has to provide health reports of the staffs to the food safety wing on visits. The idea is that the staff who mainly work in kitchens should be free from infections and diseases," added the official.
The food safety wing will now make it mandatory for hotel and restaurant staffs to undergo training in food safety and hygiene standards.
Sources said the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has instructed the food safety wing to ensure one in every 25 staff is trained and serves as certified food safety supervisor.
Restaurants and hotels whose annual turnover is Rs 12 lakh or more will be required to do this, a source said.
On the parameters checked during raids on hotels, restaurants and other eateries, the source said: "We have to check if there is a proper waste disposal system, drainage facility, proper labelling and segregation of raw material, food additives and ingredients. The staff shall wear clean aprons, head cover, gloves and footwear, and not handle food if unwell. Potable water must be available 24x7 and control measures must be taken to prevent insects and rodents contaminating the food."
Nagaland Food Safety unit destroys fruits in Dimapur
Kohima, Jul 22 (UNI) The State Food Safety Authority along with the members of the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Naga Council of Dimapur inspected the fruit shops in an around Dimapur town and destroyed over 5000 kgs of adulterated ‘fresh’ fruits, which were seized after testing positive for a carcinogenic artificial ripening chemical agent.
According to sources the Food Safety personnel led by the Nagaland Food Safety Commissioner I.
Himato Zhimomi the disposed fruits included mango, pomegranate, water melon and also tomato.
Mangoes comprised the bulk of the impounded items weighing in at around 5000kgs and the condemned fruits were disposed at the DMC Dumping Ground by.
“The fruits and the tomatoes tested positive for (calcium) carbide,” said Zhimomi at the fruits and vegetables wholesale market at Dimapur yesterday.
Jul 22, 2018
New mantra for Pepsico, Mondelez: Less salt, sugar
Urban consumers are shifting towards organic foods, which will prompt more firms to cut salt, fat and sugar
PepsiCo India has cut salt content by 13% in Lay’s India’s Magic Masala variant and 15% in the Spanish Tomato Tango variant, the company said.
New Delhi: Snacks and beverage makers are under pressure to shape up. Mondelez International, which makes Cadbury chocolates, and PepsiCo India are responding to changing consumer preferences by cutting salt, fat and sugar.
PepsiCo India, which sells snacks under the Kurkure and Lay’s brands, said on Wednesday it has cut salt by as much as 15% in its Lay’s potato chips brand to counter health concerns.
“Consumer activism against high salt/sugar content is picking up in India with urban consumers shifting towards wholesome and organic foods,” said Rajat Wahi, partner at consulting firm Deloitte India.
“We will see more such companies committing to create well-balanced products with low sugar, salt and fat content,” he said.
PepsiCo India has cut salt content by 13% in Lay’s India’s Magic Masala variant and 15% in the Spanish Tomato Tango variant, the company said. PepsiCo India introduced a healthier ‘multi-grain’ variant of Kurkure in April this year with 21% less salt content.
“We have reduced 5-25% sodium across popular variants of our snacks flagship brands, Lay’s and Kurkure, and we further aim at reducing sodium in 75% of our food portfolio by 2025,” said Jagrut Kotecha, vice-president, snacks category, at PepsiCo India. The firm plans to launch low-fat Baked Lay’s chips in the next two years in India.
Mondelez India, which sells Cadbury Dairy Milk, 5 Star and Perk chocolates, said it is planning to cut sugar content in its offerings. The company, whose chocolate brand Cadbury completes 70 years in India this year, hopes to ride on the increasing awareness and inclination among consumers to buy healthier food and beverages.
“We want to drive balanced indulgence and responsible consumption. In the long term, we are looking at innovations which could offer consumers the opportunity to consume something which has reduced sugar in it,” Anil Viswanathan, director, marketing (chocolates), at Mondelez India, said without giving details.
Mondelez said its current focus is to create products, across categories, in formats like Home Treats (bite-sized chocolates across Cadbury, Perk and 5 Star brands) where portion sizes can be controlled.
Both Mondelez and PepsiCo recently signed up for food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s Eat Right Movement, along with 12 other firms. They have pledged to cut sugar, salt and fat content and launch healthy products over three to seven years.
Owner of gutka unit gets bail
Coimbatore: Amit Jain of New Delhi, the owner of the illegal gutka manufacturing unit at Kannampalayam near Sulur that was raided in April, has obtained conditional bail from the Madras high court.
Police sources said that after submitting surety, he will have to appear at the Sulur police station every day until further order from the court. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officials are also planning to question him in connection with the case.
A special team of the city police had camped in New Delhi for more than a month to nab Amit Jain. But they failed to trace his whereabouts.
Amit Jain had bought a textile mill at Kannampalayam in 2010 and procured machineries to manufacture tobacco products in 2011. After the Tamil Nadu government banned the sales and manufacturing of gutka and other tobacco products, he got the licence to manufacture sweet betel nut from (FSSAI) in 2013. But he manufactured banned tobacco products at the unit and supplied the items across the state in the name of VIP. But police failed to detect the illegal operation for five years. Coimbatore SP Moorthy, who got a tip off in April, had sent a special team to the spot. The police team raided the unit and seized raw materials used for manufacturing gutka. Police also seized 3.24 lakh sachets (648 kg ) of gutka from the unit and 750kg of pan masala.
4,500 kilo jaggery seized on suspicion of adulteration
Erode: Food safety officials raided the jaggery shandy at Chithode here on Saturday and seized 4,500kg jaggery worth 1.5 lakh on suspicion that they might have been . The seized jaggery would be destroyed, if they were found to be adulterated.
A team led by T Kalaivani, designated food safety officer of Erode district, conducted the search based on a tip that manufacturers were mixing chemicals, including sodium hydrogen sulphate, lime (Calcium oxide), sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, superphosphate and alum, into jaggery.
“Sodium hydrogen sulphate, a bleaching agent in textile industry, is used to whiten jaggery. The chemical should not be used in jaggery manufacturing,” said Kalaivani, adding, “Sugar is mixed into jaggery to enrich sweetness. It is harmful to people, especially ones with diabetics.”
Officials have collected samples and sent them to a government lab. “Strict action will be initiated against manufacturers if samples were found to be adulterated,” she said.
Officials have also seized nattu sarkarai to check whether it was mixed with sugar.
Kerala to strengthen monitoring of fish
Move to impound vehicles carrying contaminated fish
In the wake of seizure of 5,000 kg of formalin-laced fish from Vadakara here, the Kerala Food Safety Department is seeking the help of the police and the Motor Vehicles Department to impound vehicles carrying adulterated fish. Food safety officers heading various circles in the district will work as a team to expose the traders who collude with suppliers in Tamil Nadu to get stock at cheaper rate and sell it at higher margins in local markets. Efforts are also on to track the stock that had reached the city from Tamil Nadu. The officers suspect attempts to hide the contaminated stock using cold-storage facilities or convert it as dry fish to make profit. Regional squads will trace such stocks procured secretly and destroy them, an officer said.
Network of informers
“We are allowed to conduct vehicle checks on getting information about movement of adulterated fish by road. Our network of informers is broader now and we are confident of instantly tracking such suspected vehicles,” P. Jithinraj, an officer attached to the squad, said.
Keeping safety factors in mind, the conventional practice of sending back the suspicious stock to the suppliers has been stopped.
Following the latest directives from the Food Safety Commissioner, fish, if found adulterated after tests, will be destroyed on the spot. The officers say the move will prevent efforts to push the adulterated consignment again into the market.
Since the detection of formalin-laced fish from the other States in the local market, local fish traders have been experiencing a setback in business and a steep decline in their income.
Annoyed by the trend, some of the vendors have come out in support of the Food Safety Department’s drive against the unsafe stock.
Fish merchants at the Nadakkavu market say they take the stock directly from the local fishers as most of the buyers are interested only in the local catch.
Cong files police complaint against FDA director
PANAJI
The Congress party on Saturday filed a complaint at the Agacaim police station against food and drugs administration director Jyoti Sardesai seeking her arrest for misleading the people of Goa over the ‘formalin-in-fish’ row.
The lone Opposition party in the state asked the police to register an FIR against the director, who has been under fire after the FDA blew hot and cold over the results of fish samples drawn for testing formaldehyde.
“Jyoti Sardesai should be booked under various sections of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Act, and also under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. We have filed a complaint with the police… we demand that an FIR should be registered immediately and she should be arrested,” said North Goa Congress district president Vijay Bhike while addressing a press conference in Panaji.
The Congress alleged that Sardesai tampered with the evidence found by the designated officer at the Margao wholesale
fish market and twisted the reports of the fish samples “in favour of certain politicians and fish mafia”.
The party also accused Sardesai of not following the sampling and testing procedures prescribed under the FSSAI Act.
Raising doubts as whether Sardesai was qualified to hold the post of the FDA director, Bhike asked the government to “discharge” her from the services immediately.
“If she continues to hold the position of the FDA director then I feel that there could a danger to the public health, as under her tenure the FDA has restricted itself to pharmaceutical companies overlooking the matter of food safety in Goa,” he claimed.
Former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes demanded that all the people in the state who have been eating fish for the past many years should be screened for cancer.
“The government is well aware of the people who are involved in the fraudulent practice of lacing fish with formalin. And if the government fails to take action and arrest them then we will move the High Court,” he warned.
Jul 21, 2018
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