Sep 6, 2019
Eateries will have to display hygiene ratings on doors
NEW DELHI: Restaurants and hotels will soon have to display hygiene ratings on their doors. The food regulator is set to make such ratings mandatory for all restaurants along with presence of a food supervisor to monitor compliance of food regulation and ensure safety of food served.
The idea is to raise the standards of dining out, while also ensuring the food served is safe and of good quality. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already started a pilot for rating among online players. It has also trained over 1.7 lakh food supervisors to ensure compliance, chief executive Pawan Agarwal said.
The regulator is in the process of forming guidelines to implement the rating system. Once, it is in place, the regulator will keep a check for compliance and will also serve notice in case restaurants are found violating the norms.
The move is part of a series of regulatory measures taken by FSSAI to support its 'Eat Right India' campaign focused at preventive healthcare measure to trigger social and behavioural change through a judicious mix of regulatory measures, combined with soft interventions for ensuring awareness and capacity building of food businesses.
"India is passing through an epidemiological shift from communicable to non-communicable diseases, and the burden of diet-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity is rising rapidly. The new 'food systems approach' judiciously combines the regulatory and capacity building measures with consumer empowerment initiatives," health minister Harsh Vardhan said.
FSSAI has also brought in regulations to check re-use of cooking oil by repeated frying and avoid use of leftover oil. The regulator has prescribed a maximum limit of 25% for total polar compounds. It has also notified regulations to reduce trans-fatty acid levels to less than 2% of fat in all edible oils.
Govt. launches campaign to promote ‘eat right movement’
‘Crucial measure to trigger social and behavioural change’
“It’s time for India to eat right,” said Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday, kick-starting POSHAN Maah 2019 with a year-long social and mass media campaign on the Eat Right India movement.
Leading with a tweet-a-day focusing on a weekly theme of eating right for the next 365 days, Dr. Vardhan also launched the new Eat Right India logo that represents a healthy plate, an online eat right quiz and online course for frontline health workers.
Preventive health
Stating that the country is in need of a movement on preventive health for all in the backdrop of the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases including diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases, widespread deficiencies of vitamins and minerals and rampant food-borne illnesses, Dr. Vardhan said: “The Eat Right India movement is a crucial preventive healthcare measure to trigger social and behavioural change through a judicious mix of regulatory measures, combined with soft interventions for ensuring awareness and capacity building of food businesses and citizens alike.”
Aligned with plans
This movement is aligned with the government’s flagship public health programmes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anemia Mukt Bharat, Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Swachh Bharat Mission.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also put in place robust regulatory measures under three major pillars: Eat Safe, Eat Health and Eat Sustainably for the programme.
FSSAI has prescribed a limit for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) at 25% in cooking oil to avoid the harmful effects of reused cooking oil.
The Minister said Eat Right India takes a holistic approach to food habits that promote health and sustainability. “Launching this movement on this platform with the support of stakeholders such as the World Health Organization (WHO), along with Ministers and delegates from South East Asian countries, is a landmark event,” noted the Minister.
WHO’s message
Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO, said: “The Eat Right India movement’s message is close to the heart of what the WHO has been saying all along. There has been a shift in the cause of mortality from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer, not only in India, but also across the world. The four main factors to prevent non-communicable diseases are healthy diet, physical exercise, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol. Therefore, the message of ‘Eat Right’ should be promoted everywhere. Citizens should choose healthy food and the food industry should manufacture healthy food.”
Over 1.7 lakh supervisors trained to ensure food safety: Harsh Vardhan
As part of 'Eat Right India' campaign, the Central food regulator - Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has trained over 1.7 lakh food safety supervisors who will spread awareness and sensitise people and food vendors on food safety.
Launching the campaign here on Thursday, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan emphasised upon the need for a "public movement" to spread awareness.
"Our country is in need of a 'Jan Andolan' on preventive and promotive health for all in the backdrop of the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases. The Eat Right India movement with the collaboration of FSSAI will play a crucial role in preventive healthcare," said Harsh Vardhan.
"FSSAI has trained about 1.7 lakh Food Safety Supervisors for capacity building under the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) initiative. They will sensitise people and food vendors on food safety," he said.
Harsh Vardhan added that we have to reach the target of trans-fat free India by 2022. "Hence, regulations to reduce trans-fats to less than 2 per cent in all oils, fats and food products are in place."
FSSAI has put in place robust regulatory measures under three major pillars: Eat Safe, Eat Health and Eat Sustainably.
"By promoting sustainability, FSSAI has removed the restriction on the use of returnable bottles and is promoting the use of bamboo instead of plastics," he said.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, World Health Organization (WHO), said: "The Eat Right India movement by FSSAI now has been put into action. Mortality from non-communicable diseases is not only witnessed in India, but also across the world. The four main factors to prevent non-communicable diseases are healthy diet, physical exercise, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol."
"Therefore, the message of 'Eat Right' should be promoted everywhere.
Food Safety dept. acts tough on erring eateries
Nine units closed down for violation of norms
The Food Safety Department has closed down as many as nine restaurants and one catering unit in the district for alleged violation of food safety norms. It also collected ₹2.55 lakh as fine from 53 other units for violation of yet another set of norms of a lesser category.
Of the total 367 eateries and food manufacturing units inspected from August 22 to September 5, notices were served on 187 units.
The issues identified by the department include failure to ensure proper hygiene and lack of licence for running the units. The drive involving 12 officials will be on till Saturday. Inspections are conducted by a squad of four officials.
The department will also take up civil and criminal cases against owners of erring units, which could lead to even life imprisonment, said Jacob Thomas, Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety. The drive to ensure sale of safe and hygienic food was taken up in view of the Onam season, Mr. Thomas said.
The department will function on all days till Onam. Public can register complaints by calling the toll-free number 1800-425-1125.
Civic body ignores food safety in Cuttack
Cuttack: At a time when roadside eateries are mushrooming in the Silver City here, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has turned a blind eye to the food safety aspect, claimed locals and social activists.
The locals alleged that most of the roadside eateries and many restaurants in the city do not have the mandatory food safety certificates.
According to the locals, the city has witnessed steep rise in the number of roadside food stalls in recent years.
Many vendors usually sell foods like Dahibara-Aludam, Gupchup, Bara, Piaji, noodles, Biryani and Chat by opening makeshift stalls or using trolleys.
Apart from that, many restaurants have come up in the city to cater to the needs of people visiting the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Orissa High Court and many other government and private offices.
The roadside food stalls at Barabati Stadium Square, Link Road, Ring Road, Chahata Ghat, Satichaura Square, Gopabandhu Square, Ranihat, Nuabazar, College Square and Badambadi have been attracting hundreds of people including youths and students since last several years.
However, most of these food stalls do not have the food safety licences from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), sources said.
According to social activists and intellectuals, most of the roadside stalls do not maintain the food safety standards with regard to their ingredients, water and utensils. Some stall owners also sell stale foods in the absence of any checking by the civic authorities.
“The CMC authorities have no care for the food safety aspect. They have failed to examine the food quality of roadside eateries in city. People are suffering from diseases like jaundice and diarrhoea by eating contaminated and stale foods from roadside vendors,” said Suresh Panda, a local.
It is learnt that the CMC does not have adequate staff to carry out regular raids on roadside food stalls and examine their food quality. “The CMC has only one food safety officer. The person concerned has also been asked to look into food safety aspects for Cuttack, Khurda and Jajpur districts,” said a source in the civic body.
When contacted, CMC health officer Umesh Panigrahi said they are conducting regular raids on roadside food stalls and examining their food quality.
“We are collecting fines from stalls having no licence. We have a special squad to create awareness on food safety norms among the food stall owners,” Panigarhi added.
Sep 5, 2019
Food regulator proposes rating restaurants to ensure quality
In an attempt to raise the standards of dining out, the food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will start hygiene rating to restaurants in Coimbatore.
The initiative will also give a chance for restauranters to obtain FSSAI's rating tag and improve their customer base by displaying the level of compliance to food safety norms.
K. Tamilselvan, Designated Food Safety Officer for Coimbatore, said that the hygiene rating will be accorded to restaurants in four grades such as very good, good, fair, needs improvement and poor for scores ranging from zero to 100.
“The hygiene rating system checks compliance to various food safety requirements, including hygiene of the restaurant and its employees, registration with FSSAI, display of the licence at the restaurant, display of the result of periodical water test and food test from a laboratory accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL),” he said.
The hygiene ratings will start with a self-assessment by the food business operator to check compliance with various requirements. This will be followed by the verification by the food safety officer, who will accord the rating as per the level of compliance.
The tag ‘Responsible Place to Eat’ will be given to restaurants which get a rating of good and very good. The tag will enhance the commercial viability of the restaurant and it can also be used in the restaurant’s profile in food delivery applications like Swiggy, Zomato and Uber Eats.
“There should be a food safety supervisor for every 25 employees in a restaurant to undergo the hygiene rating. These supervisors should be qualified after undergoing Food Safety Training and Certification (FOSTAC) training. The FOSTAC certificate of the supervisors should be displayed at the restaurant. The restaurants should also display the purple colour Food Safety Display Board of FSSAI which contains the 12 golden rules of food safety,” added Dr. Tamilselvan.
Apart from restaurants, other food business operators like manufacturer, retailer and supplier can also undergo the hygiene rating.
Drive to check milk quality during Onam season
Arrangements made to carry out inspections at multiple locations across the State
The Department of Dairy Development is gearing up to ensure the quality of milk supplied to consumers during the Onam festival season which witnesses peak demand necessitating more imports from neighbouring States.
The department has made arrangements to carry out inspections at multiple locations across the State. Apart from the border checkposts at Meenakshipuram and Aryankavu, temporary checkposts functioning round the clock will be established at Walayar, Kumily and Parassala. Laboratories equipped to test the chemical quality and adulteration of milk will also be set up for the special drive.
An official pressnote quoting Minister for Dairy Development K.Raju said milk found to be of substandard quality would be handed over to the Food Safety Department for legal proceedings. The Minister said quality information centres had been set up at all district headquarters to ensure that consumers are supplied with quality milk. The centres would be equipped to test samples of all the milk brands available in the market. Consumers and dairy farmers can make use of the facility to test samples free of cost.
Trader jailed for selling spurious jaggery
The food safety officials registered a case under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, and the trader faced trial in the court
The Nuzvid court on Wednesday sentenced a trader, Veliveti Appa Rao, to undergo six months simple imprisonment for selling substandard jaggery at his provisional store.
A team, led by Food Inspector M. Srinivasa Rao, raided on Srinivasa General Stores, located at Agiripalli in Krishna district in May, 2011, and seized the samples of the jaggery. The food safety officials registered a case under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, and the trader faced trial in the court, said Assistant Food Controller N. Purhachandra Rao. The court imposed a fine of ₹1,000 on the trader. Additional Public Prosecutor Babu Rao argued the case, Mr. Rao said.
Failed illegal transaction deals behind pan masala ban in Bihar, claims JD(U) MLA
The legislator further said the government should “not ruin Bihar just to gain fame and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should reconsider this ban”
Failure of illegal transaction deals led the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar to ban ‘pan masala’, Janata Dal (United) MLA Amarnath Gami told news agency ANI.
The ruling coalition government of JD(U) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state had in August banned 12 pan masala brands in Bihar for a period of one year for containing magnesium carbonate which causes health problems.
The action was criticised by Gami, who claimed the ban was imposed due to “the failure of big illegal transaction deals".
The legislator further said that government should “not ruin Bihar just to gain fame and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should reconsider this ban”.
He further raised concerns of unemployment of those associated with the sale of pan masala, and said the government should have created employment opportunities before announcing the ban.
If the government cannot provide jobs, then it has no right to snatch the livelihood of people associated with the sale of pan masala, said Gami.
The decision was taken by the state government following the presence of magnesium carbonate in all the 20 samples of pan masala collected from nine districts by food safety officers.
Using power under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Food Safety Commissioner Sanjay Kumar banned the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, display and sale of pan masala of 12 different brands for a period of one year from August 30, an official release had said.
Pan masala comes under the category of food items and hence the use of magnesium carbonate in pan masala is a violation of clause 3.17 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011, it added.
The state government had earlier imposed a ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution and storage of gutka and all its variants.
The Bihar government had also enforced the total prohibition on liquor sale in the state from April 5, 2016.
Sep 4, 2019
FSSAI to give hygiene rating Dehradun's food outlets
Dehradun: Soon you will get to know the hygiene and cleanliness standards of your favourite city restaurant as the country's top food safety regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is set to launch a drive to rate the city-based restaurants on the basis of hygiene standards from Wednesday.
Speaking to TOI, district food safety officer (Food and Drug Administration) Ganesh Kandwal said, “Under this drive, city restaurants, cafes, canteen and other food joints, will be awarded 1 to 5 smileys. More smileys will mean better hygiene standards of the eatery.”
The official added that displaying the hygiene rating in the restaurant will be mandated so that the consumers are aware of eatery’s cleanliness standards. “The move aims to help consumers make informed choices. This will also encourage the owners to improve their hygiene standards and thus reduce the chances of food-borne ailments,” Kandwal added.
The food department will conduct random inspections in food outlets and hotels to check their hygiene standards and give rating and certificate to the place. “Food outlets will be re-rated once they improve hygiene standards. Also, if we receive a complaint regarding poor hygiene at any food joint, we can conduct random inspections to reassess the ratings of that food business operator,” Kandwal explained.
On Tuesday, the food safety body also conducted a workshop on Food Safety Training and Certification Program (FOSTAC) hygiene in the city. “During the workshop, the food outlet owners were informed that it is a mandatory requirement for restaurants and hotels (with staff up to 25 people) to have at least one food safety supervisor. The 40 participants of the workshop were also provided with the basic knowledge of hygiene and sanitary requirements in the premises,” Ashish Bhargava, training partner with FSSAI, told TOI.
The participants were also told about issues like waste management, pest control, among others. Notably, FOSTAC will be a mandatory certification under Sec 16(3)(H) of FSSA, 2006.
Health Minister stresses on right and healthy nutrition
Dr Harsh Vardhan addresses 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia
Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare recently inaugurated the ‘72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia' in New Delhi.
Stressing on the need for right and healthy nutrition, Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that the government is observing the entire month of September as “Poshan Maah” (Nutrition Month) to sensitize the public towards healthy eating, address the twin issues of malnutrition/undernutrition and problem of obesity in some sections of the population, and intensifying the campaign towards a ‘Malnutrition-Free India’.
Dr Harsh Vardhan further said that unsafe food and poor diet create a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and sick. “India is passing through an epidemiological shift from communicable to non-communicable diseases, and the burden of diet-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity is rising rapidly. I am happy to share with you that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has adopted a “food systems approach” to ensure our citizens have access to safe and healthy food,” he elaborated. He further said that this approach judiciously combines the regulatory and capacity building measures with consumer empowerment initiatives. Citizens are being sensitized through a people’s movement called ‘Eat Right India’. “It’s tagline, Sahi Bhojan. Behtar Jeevan’ – ‘Right diet leads to better quality life’ depicts India’s commitment to preventive and promotive healthcare as an important pillar of our health policy, he mentioned.
“I must take this opportunity to thank our Youth Icon, the cricket superstar Virat Kohli, who has helped us to launch a massive campaign. “Eat Right, Stay Fit, Tabhi India Super Fit”, Dr Harsh Vardhan said. He informed that three days ago, Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the 'Fit India' Movement' coinciding with the National Sports day celebrations. This campaign aims at encouraging people to include physical activity and sports as a routine in their everyday life. This, along with Eat Right India campaign, will help us to fight lifestyle diseases like hypertension, obesity and diabetes effectively, he said.
Sep 2, 2019
New tamarind variety turns food colourful, healthier
Scientists showing the ‘Anantha Rudhira’ variety of tamarind, at the Arid Zone Fruits Research Centre.
Colour extracted from the fruit also brings more income to the farmers
At a time when awareness on using natural products for colouring food and bakery items is high in the country, scientists at the All India Coordinated Research Project on Arid Zone Fruits at Rekulakunta in Anantapur district have come up with a pigment solution that is extracted from ‘Anantha Rudhira’ variety of tamarind.
Anantha Rudhira, developed at the only horticulture research centre on arid fruits for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, was test-grown and nationally released in February 2018 with the pulp vacuoles having a red non-toxic pigment anthocyanin that is soluble in water.
This variety of tamarind has since been in high demand as in addition to being drought-resistant, it was high-yielding providing farmers good returns from the fourth year of planting the saplings raised at the Rekulakunta experimental farm through grafting from its mother plant, Principal Scientist B. Sreenivasulu told The Hindu.
A research team comprising a pathology scientist P. Deepthi, and horticulture scientist B. Vimala along with Mr. Srinivasulu in the ICAR-supported project have been experimenting on sustainable methods of extraction of anthocyanin that is visible when the tamarind pods are 150 to 160 days. The red colour slowly diminishes as the tamarind matures and pulp begins to soften.
Most suitable planting season/time for these saplings is June-July or January-February and the most demand is from Karnataka, A.P, Telangana and Maharashtra, said Mr. Srinivasulu.
10 value-added products
Anantha Rudhira mother plant developed from its ‘champion’ trees from Panthnagar in Uttar Pradesh and Parbani in Maharashtra that had this pigment characteristic, is being used to grow saplings based on indents (currently 15,000). Not stopping at that, the research team recently developed 10 value-added products based on red anthocyanin – syrup, juice, Toffees, lollypops, squash, bakery items and ‘raw tamarind chatni’ (thokku).
They have been very popular at a couple of exhibitions where they were displayed by the research team, said Ms. Deepthi.
The Anantha Rudhira pods are wide, long and attractive, in addition to giving a high yield of six tonne per hectare against three tonne yielded by normal varieties.
Another variety
A second variety developed at this centre is Thettu Amalika, which enables farmers make higher pulp recovery at 50% compared to 30% in normal varieties. The champion tree was identified at Thettu in Chittoor district and provides ₹20,000 income per hectare from the fifth year of planting, while consumers get a product that has better nutritive value, higher doses of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C.
Only these 7 pasta brands have been given green chit by FSSAI after Maggi Mess
New Delhi: Instant noodles and pastas with taste-makers of only seven companies are allowed to be sold in India, the food safety watchdog said on Monday, while also ordering tests on all approved variants and calling for the remaining “illegal” ones to be destroyed.
The seven companies that have approvals for their variants of instant noodles and pastas with taste-makers are:
FSSAI Approved Pastas & Noodles Companies Are:
Ruchi International (Koka) CG Foods (Wai Wai) Glaxosmithkline (Foodles) Nestle (Maggi) AA Nutrition (Yummy) Indo Nisin (Top Ramen) ITC (brand not specified)
“The safety of all other products in these categories has not been assessed as per the product approval procedures. As such, the same are unauthorized and illegal and cannot be intended for human consumption,” said a letter from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Ordering tests on all the approved varieties, the letter written by chief executive Yudhvir Singh Malik to all the commissioners of food safety said that as far as all the remaining food products are concerned, they are advised to “ensure such products are recalled, removed from the market and destroyed.”
Speaking to IANS, the top food safety officer said tests on Nestle’s Maggi and some other similar products had raised serious health concerns and thus it was thought fit to conduct tests on all similar products for which approvals had been granted.
Following tests on some samples of Maggi, the watchdog on Friday had ordered the recall of all the nine variants of Maggi pan-India, and had asked Nestle to halt its production and exports. It had also issued a similar order on Nestle’s oats noodles and taste-maker.
While Nestle continues to contend that its noodles were safe for humans and that the levels of lead were within permissible limits – as opposed to the findings of some tests that purportedly indicated otherwise, several states also became pro-active by issuing their own ban orders.
“Overseas and local manufacturers would be treated equally. More noodle brands including pasta and macaroni products will also start getting tested this week,” Malik said.
On being asked if the brand ambassadors could be taken to task, he said: “As of now, we are not considering any action.”
The regulator also detailed the process involved in the recall of food products.
“Ideally, consumers should be able to return the product at the retail outlet and get their money back if they have the bill with them. It is also Nestle’s responsibility to let the consumers return their products, if they have kept the bill with them,” he said.
The regulator also plans to post a list of all approved noodle products on its web site and advise the state authorities to test them. “We understand Delhi, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have already started testing other brands. We will list all the approved noodle products soon.”
He further said that Nestle had been asked to give the regulator an update on compliance first after three days and then regularly until the end. “Because we understand that it could take 10 days or more, we will be taking regular progress reports from the company,” Malik said.
Gutkha worth Rs 62 lakh seized in Kashimira
Two men, who have been identified as Tuntun Rampravesh Singh (32) and Himmat Singh Moukh Singh (34), both residents of Nallasopara, were taken into custody.
Bhayandar: In a prize catch for the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) officials, a huge consignment of gutkha worth more than Rs 62 lakh was seized from three parked trucks in Kashimira on Friday.
Two men, who have been identified as Tuntun Rampravesh Singh (32) and Himmat Singh Moukh Singh (34), both residents of Nallasopara, were taken into custody.
However, their other accomplices managed to evade the dragnet and are still at large. Based on a specific tip-off from FDA’s intelligence wing, a local team led by Food Safety officer Deepali Totre, Arvind Khadke and other senior officials spotted the suspicious looking trucks near a petrol pump in the Kajupada area of Kashimira.
All the vehicles were found to be carrying hundreds of gunny bags stashed with sachets of tobacco laced and other banned products. While the market value of the seized consignment has been pegged at Rs 62.30 lakh, a case under the relevant sections of IPC and regulations of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations has been registered at the Kashimira police station against six people, including the truck owner and the handlers of the consignment. It may be recalled that the Thane police had seized a consignment of gutkha worth Rs 99 lakh in Mira Road in May 2018.
Although, the authorities have been seizing gutkha and scented tobacco products worth lakhs of rupees in frequently conducted raids, the racket involved in smuggling of banned products into Mumbai and Thane from neighboring states like Gujarat continues unabated. Maharashtra became the first state to ban gutkha in July 2012.
Sep 1, 2019
Feeding the needy with surplus food from hotels
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Coimbatore District Hoteliers Association and No Food Waste organisation have joined together to collect surplus food from hotels and serve the needy.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Coimbatore District Hoteliers Association (CDHA), and No Food Waste have joined hands for a noble cause – collect surplus food from restaurants in the district and distribute it to the needy.
Under the initiative, expected to become operational soon, volunteers of No Food Waste would collect excess food from restaurants in the morning and noon.
Designated Officer of FSSAI, Coimbatore, K. Tamilselvan, said the initiative was proposed to hoteliers during a recent meeting of CDHA.
“Hoteliers have welcomed the initiative and promised to provide surplus food to No Food Waste. No Food Waste will provide a toll-free number to all hoteliers for intimation on food collection. We have requested hoteliers to avoid donating stale food and easily perishable items,” he said.
CDHA would also provide a vehicle and vessels to No Food Waste team for food collection and distribution.
“As of now, volunteers of No Food Waste are feeding around 900 people on normal days and around 2,000 on auspicious days. Under the new initiative, we are expecting to increase the capacity and feed around 3,000 people on normal days and 10,000 on auspicious days,” said No Food Waste founder Padmanaban Gopalan.
“We have asked the requirements of No Food Waste such as vessels needed for collection and distribution of food and other storage facilities,” secretary of Coimbatore District Hoteliers Association M. Sivakumar said.
The FSSAI is planning to convene a meeting of caterers in Coimbatore and make them part of the initiative. The caterers will inform No Food Waste volunteers in advance about marriage functions and intimate when there is excess food.
No Food Waste is part of the Indian Food Sharing Alliance that was formed by the FSSAI with the motto “save food, share food and share joy”.
Canteens of 4 Degree Colleges challanged by Food Safety team
JAMMU: A Food Safety team of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), J&K challaned canteens of four Government Degree Colleges and stopped commercial activities of two of them for violations of Food Safety rules.
To make sure that safe and nutritious food is served in educational institutions, a Food Safety team conducted a special drive in educational institutions within municipal limits of Jammu under the supervision of Commissioner, FDA, J&K.
The inspection team was headed by Dr Parvesh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety, Jammu. During the drive, canteens of four colleges namely SPMR College of Commerce, Jammu, Government Women College, Gandhi Nagar, Government MAM College, Jammu and Government Women College, Parade, Jammu were challanged under Section 56 of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 as food were being cooked and stored there under insanitary and unhygienic conditions.
The commercial activities of canteens of Government MAM College and Government Women College, Parade were also stopped till further orders. The canteen operators were asked to maintain sanitary and hygiene as per Schedule 4 of FSSA 2006.
In order to minimize the cross contamination and food borne diseases, they were asked to maintain storage, processing and washing areas and use good quality raw material for cooking. Further, they were asked to maintain personal hygiene at all levels.
The team was comprised of Food Safety officers, Daleep Singh, Hans Raj Andotra and Ajay Khajuria. Fast, accurate and updated real time local news is available on your smartphone and tablet.
Aug 31, 2019
Food Safety officials begin inspections
The Food Safety Department has begun an intensive awareness and sample testing drive in view of the festival season ahead.
Four squads of food safety officials began inspections from August 22 and will continue it up to September 7 in various places in the district, according to Assistant Commissioner for Food Safety, Ernakulam, Jacob Thomas. Among the food items that find greater demand during festival times are jaggery, green gram, cereals, coconut oil, milk, pappadam, vegetables, and fruits.
Unsafe food will be confiscated and establishments functioning without licences shut down and their operators will be punished under the rules of the Food Safety Act, the official said.
Bihar govt bans 12 pan masala brands
The Nitish Kumar government on Friday banned 12 pan masala brands in Bihar for a period of one year for containing magnesium carbonate which causes health problems, an official said.
The decision was taken by the state government following the presence of magnesium carbonate in all the 20 samples of pan masala collected from nine districts by food safety officers.
Using power under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Food Safety Commissioner Sanjay Kumar has banned the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, display and sale of pan masala of 12 different brands for a period of one year from today August 30, 2019, an official release said.
People of the state have been requested to cooperate for the enforcement of the ban on pan masala, the commissioner said in the release.
The samples of these brands collected by food safety officers were sent for examination at 'Combined Food and drugs Laboratory' at Agamkuan, Patna where it was found that all the 20 samples contain magnesium carbonate, the release said.
On the basis of scientific studies, it has been found that the use of magnesium carbonate for a long period of time could "cause serious diseases such as cardiac arrest, acute hyper magnesia," the release said.
Pan masala comes under the category of food items and hence the use of magnesium carbonate in pan masala is a violation of clause 3.17 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011, it added.
The state government had earlier imposed a ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution and storage of gutka and all its varients.
The Bihar government had also enforced total prohibition in the state from April 5, 2016.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been pushing for de- addiction ever since prohibition was enforced in the state.
A Problem of Purity
The recent raids against milk chilling units in Madhya Pradesh show that food adulteration is a clear and present danger.
WHAT’S IN THERE? Milk being collected at Van Khandeshwari chilling plant, Morena.
In the last week of July, Special Task Force (STF) sleuths disguised as doodhias (a colloquial term for milkmen) began surveiling the Van Khandeshwari milk chilling plant at Ambah, in Morena, Madhya Pradesh. They had received credible intelligence that the sale of spurious milk in the area had spiked, likely due to the festive season, when demand surges. And when they compared the amount of raw milk being delivered to Van Khandeshwari to the amount leaving it, a huge mismatch had been revealed.
Despite expecting to find adulteration taking place, when cops raided the plant two days later, the scale of the operation they found was stunning. The plant was stocked with hundreds of kilos of chemicals, oils and detergents. Thousands of litres of 'synthetic milk' were being produced and sent on to packaging and distribution units. This packaged 'milk' was then being sold all across the region, including in major cities like the national capital, Gurgaon and Noida.
Allegedly, what the STF found was only the tip of the iceberg. Sources say that both chemical suppliers and local officials are part of the larger racket. Since the state's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials generally spend years posted to the same region, some say that unhealthily cosy relationships have developed between dairy units and the authorities responsible for overseeing them. What is also telling is that those in the Gwalior-Chambal region who can afford to do so generally keep their own cattle for milk-locals are undoubtedly all too aware of the scale of the racket.
A week after the raid on Van Khandeshwari, a state-wide crackdown was launched, with agencies expanding their investigation to include products other than milk. Those arrested in the raids-including those from Khandeshwari and nearby regions, including Morena, Gwalior and Ujjain-have been charged under the National Security Act (NSA). However, these events have led to a number of questions: what are the economics of the racket, and who are the key players? Is the government response adequate, or is it merely a stop-gap arrangement to quell public anger? And, most importantly, why is adulteration thriving in Bhind and Morena?
Bhind and Morena-districts that were once infested with dacoit gangs-have large Gujjar populations that are extensively engaged in cattle-rearing and associated activities, including dairy. Agriculture is not very remunerative, given the undulating, ravine-marked lands of the region. Manufacturing is almost entirely absent. Consequently, milk and dairy products constitute an important part of the rural economy. The Chambal region also has a long-standing reputation for lawlessness and weak governance, leading to rampant corruption.
Adulteration, for instance, is not limited to the dairy industry. The STF is now closing in on a thriving edible oil adulteration racket in the region as well. Since mustard is an important local crop, several oil mills also operate in the area, and there are frequent reports of mustard oil being adulterated with cheap rice bran and palm oil. "Adulterated oil is prepared as per market requirements and depending on the taste that is in demand in a given region," says a worker at one of Morena's oil mills, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Everyone is involved, from inter-state [authorities], the food and drugs department and the police."
HOW IT HAPPENS
The dairy industry begins with cattle farmers and transporters. Transporters collect milk from farmers twice a day, delivering it to local chilling units. Before being accepted, the milk is checked for purity-not regularly, but randomly-using a lactometer. Once accepted, the milk is chilled to about 1 degree Celsius, before being loaded onto tankers and sent to processing units, where it is packaged/ processed into milk powder, etc. Generally speaking, adulteration takes place at chilling units, simply because of the volume of milk passing through these locations. The process by which 'synthetic milk' is made involves the use of refined oil or vanaspati, soap and shampoo, aside from several other chemicals. In tests conducted by lactometers-which measure the fat content of a liquid-this sort of spurious milk passes with flying colours, as a result of the oil mixed into it.
The scale of the problem is enormous. "In Bhind and Morena alone, there are estimated to be more than 200 chilling units," says Amit Singh, superintendent of police, STF, Gwalior. And the seizures made by STF sleuths from such chilling plants have been chilling in their own right. Materials seized from Van Khandeshwari included sacks of sodium citrate, maltodextrin powder and sodium thiosulphate. There were also significant recoveries of detergent and thousands of litres of vanaspati and refined oil. During another search by FDA officials, this one at Maa Kailadevi chilling centre at Ambah, 36,000 litres of synthetic milk, 1,400 tins of refined oil, 550 bags of caustic soda, 17 cans of hydrogenated fats and 550 bags of skimmed milk powder were seized. The milk from these units was bound for Aligarh, Meerut, Kanpur and Agra. In yet another raid, this one at Gopal Ice Factory in Lahar, Bhind district, the STF seized 2,000 litres of synthetic milk, 1,000 kg of mawa and 1,500 kg of synthetic paneer. And the list goes on.
THE COSTS OF ADULTERATION
Right at the beginning of the value chain, cattle farmers earn about Rs 40 per litre of pure milk. After chilling, processing, packaging and the like, milk arrives at households priced at about Rs 48 per litre (and above). Given the vast volumes of milk sold every day, the profits of adulteration can be immense.
"To every 100 litres of raw milk, [milk adulterators] add about two litres of refined oil, 200 gm of detergent, 50 gm of lime and 30 litres of water," says a young man from Morena who claims to have worked at one such chilling unit-an investment of about Rs 200. The combined concoction yields about 150 litres of 'synthetic milk' per 100 litres of pure milk, at a total cost of Rs 4,200. Since 150 litres of pure milk costs about Rs 6,000, that means a profit of Rs 1,800 per 100 litres of pure milk, or Rs 18 per litre-almost 50 per cent per litre.
"A report by the Union ministry for science and technology had stated that a staggering 68.7 per cent of milk sold in the country is adulterated," said Madhya Pradesh minister of health, Tulsi Silawat. "Nationally, in 2017-18, the per capita availability of milk was 375 grams, while consumption was 480 grams per person." These figures also suggest that the excess demand is being met through synthetic milk. And these ill-gotten profits are not just confined to milk. Downstream dairy products such as mawa and paneer also have spurious forms produced using 'synthetic milk'. Just like milk, the demand for these products also rises during festive seasons, leading to bumper profits.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: Samples of mawa seized by state police.
So profitable is the dairy adulteration industry, in fact, that Gwalior is filled with stories of people who went from selling milk on bicycles to setting up chilling plants-and who now travel around in expensive cars. Taking note of these sudden success stories, the income tax department is also reportedly looking into returns filled by chilling units in these regions in the last few years.
Another angle is the damage that adulterated milk and dairy products cause. Additives can have poisonous consequences, aside from stripping milk of beneficial proteins. As Dr C.C. Chaubal, a noted gastroenterologist from Bhopal, says, "Caustic soda is an alkaline compound that can cause ulcers, erosion of the gastric channel and can even lead to liver cancer." The use of shampoos and detergents can also cause damage to the liver and kidney, he adds. And a major problem is that complications from consuming adulterated milk only show effect after prolonged exposure, by which time significant damage has already been done to the body.
THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE
After the STF raids conducted in late July, the MP government responded swiftly, with Chief Minister Kamal Nath ordering a crackdown and instructing officials to invoke the NSA in such cases. The state FDA has also been instructed to inspect chilling units and dairies and to take samples for testing. On August 19, the state cabinet reiterated its fight against adulteration, adopting the slogan 'shuddh ke liye yuddh (war on adulteration).'
Since the raids at Bhind and Morena, a total of 57 people have been booked by the state police under Sections 51 and 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, as well as under Sections 272, 273, 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code. "We are also going after chemical suppliers," says Ashok Awasthi, additional director general of the STF. However, the government is also grappling with critical issues that hamper such investigations.
For one, of the mandated 275 food safety officer (FSO) positions in the state, 122 are vacant. Though the government has said it will recruit 85 more FSOs, this will take time. Secondly, the state has just one food-testing laboratory, in Bhopal, equipped to handle 6,000 tests per year. After the crackdown, 3,200 samples have already been sent to Bhopal for tests, where they are piling up at this solitary facility for lack of manpower. It takes an average of 10 hours for a sample to be tested-as of August 6, only 428 samples had been tested. Of these, 139 were substandard, 22 were misbranded, eight were unsafe, three were found to have had traces of prohibited material and nine were found to be adulterated. Adulterants found in these samples included urea, pesticide, boric acid and detergent. To ease the burden on this lab, the state government has announced that new labs are to be set up at Gwalior, Jabalpur and Indore, as well as beginning recruitment to existing vacant posts.
Another problem has to do with law-related issues. "Under the FSSA, the police do not have the authority to enter food production premises-only food department officials can," says STF SP Singh. "Further, while there are penal provisions in the FSSA, there are also fines, which enable people to get away." On this count, the state government is looking for possible interventions. "The government is working on a provision to introduce life imprisonment for those found guilty of food adulteration," said state health minister Silawat.
A third issue relates to the state's geography. MP shares borders with five states, all of which have varying laws to deal with food adulteration. Having a porous border doesn't help either.
"Awareness is very important in this battle. Besides the health department, the police and municipal authorities can play an important role in securing information about adulterated products, as they have a large public interface," says Pallavi Jain Govil, state principal secretary for health. The government's stated intentions, however, come under a cloud when one notes how rarely food department officials in Bhind and Morena are transferred, even when there is change of government. Most food inspectors are locals, and maintain their posts through connections to the party in power. Sometimes, they get themselves transferred to nearby towns for short periods of time so that their records show that they haven't been posted in one place for extended periods of time. A perusal of food inspector service records in Bhind and Morena makes it clear that the same individuals appear to keep cycling through regional posts.
The owners of chilling units, however, say the issue is being blown out of proportion. "It is said that the owners of such units are making crores in profits. This is not true. There is barely a margin of 20 paise per litre-but since milk costs more than Rs 40 per litre, and daily volumes are in the lakhs of litres, the turnover goes into crores," says Ram Naresh Sharma of Maa Vaishnav chilling centre in Ambah. He also says that the soap that appears in samples sent for testing is often trace amounts left over from washing storage containers.
"I understand that it is not right to add anything to the milk," he argues, "but many chilling unit owners add harmless skimmed milk powder if the milk doesn't meet fat content standards-which happens sometimes in certain seasons, or due to a poor diet of the dairy animal."
Aug 30, 2019
Packaged Indian foods are unhealthiest in the world, a study claims
A survey has revealed that Indian packaged foods rank as the unhealthiest in the world. Packaged food in the country mainly contains savoury and sweets and has been ranked worst among 12 countries that were surveyed, including US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, China, Chile, etc.
The ranks were conferred on the basis of Australian Health Star Rating System and the study was published in the medical journal ‘Obesity Reviews’.
Ingredients in these food products like fibres, proteins, trans-fat, saturated fat, legumes, calorie value, sugar and sodium content were evaluated for the study. India ranked the lowest at 2.27 while the UK ranked the best with 2.83, on the scale of 0 to 5.
Experts have a mixed view about the outcome of this study and say there is a need for more awareness on the ingredients of packaged foods. Meanwhile, some said that the information is just to malign Indian food brands owing to their huge demand in the international market.
“The reason is that many food items do not have contents or the right ingredients mentioned on them. The present law does not mandate companies to mention nutritional facts like sugar, cholesterol, fat, saturated fat and other crucial ingredients. Awareness needs to be instilled in the minds of consumers as to what they are consuming,” said Sonal Dhingra, deputy programme manager at food safety and toxins, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.
The expert, however, cautioned that quantity of these food items matters equally. “There is no standardisation of the quantities of these packaged food items to be consumed. There is a need to mention the serving figures on the packaging,” Dhingra told Mirror.
Dhingra added the quantities however also have to be realistic. “Having a smaller quantity is not always the best solution. But standardising the serving size couple with literacy can do the needful,” she said.
Meanwhile, some experts have a different opinion and said that the study is to defame Indian foodstuffs in the market. “It would be wrong to term that only Indian packaged food is unhealthy. There are many food items like foreign manufactured chips which have high calorific content, sometimes more than Indian snacks,” says Gurvinder Bindra, a food safety consultant.
Bindra said the quantity of food consumed also matters. “Indian food items have high nutritional value in some instances. All the major companies manufacture food in hygienic conditions and on par with the international manufacturing practices. Many of the international food companies are manufacturing in India too,” he added.
The consultant said that manufacturers need to come together and be more open about the contents and nutrient value.
46% of food sold in school canteens is junk, says study
A cross-sectional study of 300 children aged between 10 and 12 was carried out at seven government and 13 private schools early this year. It shows that nearly 46% food items sold in canteens are HFSS, including choices such as burgers and chips in private schools and samosa and wada pav in their public counterparts. In stalls outside schools, the percentage of HFSS food jumped to 73%. Worse, 65% of children carried HFSS food even in their lunch boxes. The share of children carrying fruits or vegetables was marginally higher in private schools than in government ones.
Investigators have called the study findings “appalling” and demanded stringent food regulations in and around campuses. The research carried out by Vithaldas Thackersay College of Home Science also found that boys studying in private schools had higher body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference.
“It is shocking that 60% of canteen menus across these schools only offer junk food. Such unhealthy food choices are posing a risk of early development of metabolic disorders in an entire generation,” said Dr Jagmeet Madan, principal of the college and president of the Indian Dietic Association. She said, “Fat is the factory of hormones. And when one develops hormonal imbalance, it throws the entire metabolic health in a disarray, giving rise to the threat of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, insulin resistance, PCOD and hypertension, among others.”
A peek into the tiffin boxes showed most contained biscuits, wafers, chakli or plain bread and butter or rotis with ketchup. “Fruits or a full meal such as roti, sabzi were a rarity,” said Panchali Moitra, assistant professor. Research scholar Rashmi Bhatt found that most preferred junk food, which in turn also drove canteens to offer them. And 90% of schools didn’t have canteen management to check that.
FDA commissioner Pallavi Darade said the fact that sweetened and carbonated beverages were available in all government schools would be checked in the ongoing ‘Eat Right’ drive.
Food Safety Department conducts enumeration drive
Officials from the Food Safety Department are conducting an enumeration drive with the help of college students here to identify food businesses without Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence in the district.
The Food Safety Department has formed 40 teams with 80 students to conduct the drive here. At present, the teams are visiting all food related businesses, including hawkers, street vendors, restaurants, hotels and other eateries.
The teams are also checking for necessary licences for vehicles transporting food products.
According to officials, the teams are currently visiting outlets within the Salem Corporation. In the drive that began on August 21, the teams have visited 783 businesses in Hasthampatti zone, 888 in Sooramangalam zone, 785 businesses in Ammapet zone and 776 in Kondalampatti zone.
According to earlier statistics, there are 6,500 licensed food businesses within the Corporation limits.
Dr. R.Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety, said that businesses without licences were identified and they were given awareness pamphlets.
He added that special licence issuing drives were also being conducted to issue licences to identified businesses.
The Department conducted the special drive here on August 26 and 29 and received 236 applications for FSSAI licence. Dr. Kathiravan said that operating food related businesses without licence was punishable under section 51 and section 63 of Food Safety Act and offenders could face up to to 6 months of imprisonment and fine of ₹5 lakh.
Officials said that the drives would continue and it would be extended to the blocks in the district once its over in the Corporation limits.
Six Chennai hotels get ‘Hygiene Rating’ from TN Food Safety Dept
Chennai: The next time you order on the popular food delivery platforms or walk in to a restaurant, look out for ‘Hygiene Rating’ that lets you make informed choices.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come up with the initiative where the restaurant will be rated based on the norms prescribed.
Within three months of implementation, State Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration Director and Additional Commissioner, Dr K Vanaja informs that six Food Business Operators (FBOs) from Chennai have obtained the credential. That apart, eight and six restaurants from Namakkal and Kanchipuram, respectively, have the rating.
Interestingly, even the consumers can visit the kitchen in the hotels that have obtained hygiene rating.
“The restaurants have to rate themselves based on the criteria on their own interest and conduct pre-auditing who will be accompanied with an official from the Food Safety Department where the owners would be given guidelines. Based on which, the operators have to correct, maintain and sustain it. According to the consistence, the restaurant would be starred which can be displayed on their premises,” stated Vanaja.
After obtaining the rating, the restaurant will be inspected and validated by a Food Safety Officer (FSO).
The mandatory requirements are: possession of FSSAI licence, ensuring the food being served to the consumers is of good quality and safe to eat, training all good handlers and appoint a certified ‘food safety supervisors’, mandatory display of food safety boards on the premises and periodic testing of food samples.
A few of the criteria include licensing, maintaining cleanliness, staff with authentic medical certificate, waste management and abiding with Good Hygiene Practices (GMP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
Lab tests by FSSAI find food materials supplied to Anganwadis in Karnataka to be 'unsafe'
A report by FSSAI has found that food materials supplied to Anganwadi centres in Karnataka were of substandard quality, even 'unsafe'. Officials have been booked and a fine levied in this regard.
Anganwadi centres serve thousands of children in Karnataka
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Food materials supplied to anganwadis substandard, even unsafe: FSSAI
- Concerned MSPTC officials booked under Section 56 of FSS Act, 2006
- A fine of ₹20,000 has also been levied on the concerned officials by FSSAI
Bengaluru: Months after Mirror Now exposed the sorry state of affairs of food material supplied to Anganwadi centres in the state of Karnataka, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has concluded that material of substandard quality was being used in the process. Concerned officials have also been booked in this regard under relevant sections of the FSS Act.
As the result of an independent examination, FSSAI's lab reports found out that sampled food items such as peanuts, soya mix, red chillies and mustard being supplied to Anganwadi centres were of substandard quality and even unsafe for consumption. For the same, concerned officials of the Mahila Supplementary Nutrition Production & Training Centres (MSPTC) have been booked under Section 56 of the Food Standards and Safety Act, 2006.
In addition, a fine of ₹20,000 has also been levied on the officials responsible for facilitating food materials to Anganwadi centres in Karnataka. The lab report also found out that the packing of these materials was done in a negligent and unscientific manner by MSPTC employees.
At the time, then Karnataka Women and Child Development Minister Jayamala had denied the claims made about the quality of food materials supplied by MSPTC to Anganwadi centres in the state. However, the FSSAI report has now established beyond a doubt that food materials used to cook meals for thousands of children were substandard and even unsafe for human consumption.
Meanwhile, malnutrition continues to be a problem in Karnataka which scores the worst in South India on several key parameters related to nutrition according to the National Family Health Survey, 2016. A 2018 report by the Centre for Policy Research had revealed that 26 per cent of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) beneficiaries in Karnataka were malnourished at the time.
Similar reports had surfaced in 2014 when the Public Health Institute had warned the then Karnataka government that as many as 29 of the 287 samples of food grains collected from various Anganwadi centres were 'unsafe'. While eight of these substandard, 115 were misbranded. In 2014, about 34000 children in the state were severely malnourished.
A recent report had revealed that as many as a dozen MLAs and two dozen MLCs currently serving the people of Karnataka have not even spent a paisa of area development funds for the betterment of their constituents. These funds are used for the construction of Anganwadi, schools and health care centres along with water conservation and other important civic issues.
'Prasad' at Indore's Khajrana temple gets FSSAI certificate
The certification aims to ensure that prasad distributed by temples is safe for consumption.
Recently the FSSAI conducted a detailed audit of the prasad and other food items served to devotees at the Khajrana temple, Indore's Chief Food Safety Officer Manish Swami said on Thursday.
Indore: The `bhog' or `prasad' (offering) distributed at the famous Khajrana Ganesh temple here has received `Blissful Hygiene Offering to God' (BHOG) certification by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The certification aims to ensure that prasad distributed by temples is safe for consumption.
Recently the FSSAI conducted a detailed audit of the prasad and other food items served to devotees at the Khajrana temple, Indore's Chief Food Safety Officer Manish Swami said on Thursday.
They were found to be as per the authority's food safety and hygiene parameters, he said.
Amul wants natural fortification of milk: GCMMF chief
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Wednesday said it has sent notice to dairy major Amul for "disparaging" the fortified milk segment.
Amul wants natural fortification of milk: GCMMF chief
Mumbai: The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which sells milk and milk products under the Amul brand, on Thursday said it is not against the fortification of milk but would prefer it to be natural. Responding to FSSAI's allegation of disparaging the fortified milk segment, Amul said it is not in favour of synthetic or artificial fortification of milk.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Wednesday said it has sent notice to dairy major Amul for "disparaging" the fortified milk segment. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been spearheading milk fortification and the food regulator said Amul though it has fortified two products, has reservations against the synthetic fortification of milk and the limits for the same. "We are not against fortification. FSSAI is doing a wonderful job. We are helping the food industry to grow. There can be a difference in opinion. We want natural fortification and want this where it is required," GCMMF managing director R S Sodhi told reporters at the FICCI Foodworld India event here.
"In milk, 10 per cent of the sector is organised. If I give you chemicals and synthetic where it is not required then it will become toxic," he added. FSSAI chief executive Pawan Agarwal on Wednesday had said "It (fortification) is not so far mandatory. If you don't want to do it, don't do it. Why do you have to go out and disparage the entire sector and create confusion among the public?".. We have issued them a notice and they have to respond to that."
Sodhi said for the brand Amul it is eyeing a turnover of Rs 53,000 crore and for the Federation around Rs 40,000 crore for the year. Last year the revenue for Amul was around Rs 42,000 crore, he said. On Amul which has ventured into sweetmeats, Sodhi said, "We will be focusing on the sweets business as it is a large market. We already have a few products but we want to get into the fresh local sweets market, which will have a shelf life of at least 40 days. We plan to set up plants in various places including Mumbai, Surat, Delhi, Kolkata among others to offer the local delicacies there."
"Mumbai's sweets market itself is worth Rs 1,700 crore so you can understand the scope of this business. We will invest in setting up the facilities but it will not be very significant," he added.
AAP tests fish in South Goa, finds formalin
Margao: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday said that fish samples tested by them from various places in South Goa using testing kits over the last two days were found positive for formalin.
Siddharth Karapurkar of AAP told reporters that fish was tested at different places like Margao wholesale market, Colva market, Quepem market and Loutolim on Tuesday and Wednesday. “In all these places, the fish was found to be positive for formalin,” he said.
“The government should come clear on whether formalin is bad for health or whether there is any permissible limit.,” said Ramiro Mascarenhas, AAP treasurer, South Goa unit.
AAP also criticized the government for its failure in setting up a laboratory to test fish as promised. “The government claims that fish is checked regularly at borders but there is fish being transported by railways—who is checking that?” party spokesperson Richard D’Sa said.
AAP further pointed out that Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) Act, 2006, as well as the rules and regulations thereunder do not prescribe any limits for formaldehyde in fish and fish products.
No licence for milk chilling centre in Patiala
Owner a repeat offender, say Health Department officials
The owner of the centre was caught producing spurious milk and milk products on August 17.
Patiala, August 28
The request for food licence by the Singla Milk Chilling Centre was rejected by the District Health Department here today.
The decision came a week after the food samples collected by the Health Department failed to meet the quality standards. The owner of the centre said he had applied for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence immediately after he was caught producing spurious milk and milk products on August 17 this year.
Notably, the food licence of the centre was cancelled last year after the authorities found a cache of spurious products during a raid. Since then, the centre had been running without a licence.
Last week, the centre was found operational by the Patiala police and the Health Department had to reseal it.
Patiala District Health Officer Satinder Singh said the department was waiting for lab reports to reject the request for the licence.
He said: “The owner of the centre is a repeat offender and we are rejecting his request. He has been caught twice by the department, therefore, there was no point in considering his request.”
Meanwhile, DSP AS Aulakh said that they had already added attempt to murder section in the case after receiving the lab reports because the doctors have informed that the centre’s works were life-threatening. He added: “We are investigating other plants where adulterated cottage cheese was being supplied by the centre.”
Aug 29, 2019
Kerala Food safety raids to be recorded
Thiruvananthapuram: With the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) pulling up food safety authorities for irregularities during food safety raids in the state, the Kerala Commissionerate of Food Safety has made video-graphing or mobile recording mandatory for every food safety raid to ensure transparency.
For ensuring best hygienic practices at eateries and the availability of safe food during Onam festival season, the Commissionerate has launched special drive across the state.
The commissioner of food safety has given strict instructions to the squads to record the raids to avoid complaints. According to officials, they would continue inspection till September 14.
The squads would ensure the quality of milk, edible oil, pappadam, payasam mix, Jaggery, ghee, vegetables, fruits, meat, tea and cereals. Special squads will carry out night-time inspections at check posts.
"Normally we don't film every raid we carry out. If the conditions of the restaurant are worse or if there is any dispute we shoot and keep a video record on the raid. Keeping a visual record would help improve transparency and avoid allegations later," said an official.
The official said that strict action would be taken against eateries operating under unhygienic conditions or without a license or registration.
"The list of such eateries ordered to be closed down by the squads would be provided to the nearest police station," said the official.
The Commissionerate has also granted permission to hire an adequate number of vehicles to facilitate the special squad.
In the first phase of the special drive launched last week, the squads inspected 1,334 food business establishments and collected fine to the tune of Rs 5, 72,500.
The squads served improvement notices to 563 eateries and collected 72 statutory samples and 122 surveillance samples.
Around 22 eateries were shut down for non-compliance of food safety rules.
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