Apr 4, 2013
International Food Safety News - Expired food case accused held guilty
The Muscat Primary Court yesterday issued its verdict convicting those accused of selling expired food products. The accused were sentenced to a term of imprisonment, ranging from one to two years; fines; and deportation.
The judgments are as follows:
1. Jiartna Cindrella George, Jai Singh Dwarkadas, Ranjit Kumar Dwarkadas, and Ratan Singh Dwarkadas Kalyanji, all Indian nationals, were charged with selling expired and rotten food products that are harmful to human health. They were aware of the condition of the food products and the fact that they were violating the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law and its executive regulations.
The court sentenced them to two years of imprisonment and fined them OMR400 each, upon convicting them of storing food products in inappropriate conditions that were contrary to the requirements of the FoodSafetyLaw. It also convicted them of violating the Omani Labour Law for hiring non-Omani labourers without a licence, for which the court charged them OMR4,000 each and demanded that they pay the travel expenses for deporting the 8th and 9th convicts—Shandan Kumar Teluk, Bangladeshi national, and Mohammad Na'eem Abdulqadir, Pakistani national—to their home countries.
The penalties for each crime were combined, and the convicts will be deported from Oman after they have served their prison terms. While the rotten food products have been confiscated, their shops will be closed. The accused have been pronounced innocent of the offence criminalised by Article 294 of the Penal Law.
2. Of the remaining five accused in the case, Samir Sen Sunil Sen, Bangladeshi national; Nirmal Kumar Baliwal, Indian national; Pigo Balet Milan, Bangladeshi national; Shandan Kumar Teluk, Bangladeshi national; and Mohammad Na'eem Abdulqadir, Pakistani national, were charged with participating in the crime of selling expired and rotten food products and violating the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law and its executing regulations.
The court sentenced Samir and Mohammad to one year of imprisonment and fined them OMR400 each; Nirmal, Pigo, and Shandan were sentenced to two years of imprisonment and were fined OMR400 each. Shandan and Mohammad were found guilty of violating the Omani Labour Law by illegally working for an employer other than their sponsor and were sentenced to one month of imprisonment—a penalty that will be combined with that of their other crime before they are permanently deported along with Samir, Nirmal, and Pigo.
The group was pronounced innocent of the other charges brought against them.
The judgements were pronounced in the presence of all the accused except for Jiartna Cindrella George, who received his judgement separately.
The judgments are as follows:
1. Jiartna Cindrella George, Jai Singh Dwarkadas, Ranjit Kumar Dwarkadas, and Ratan Singh Dwarkadas Kalyanji, all Indian nationals, were charged with selling expired and rotten food products that are harmful to human health. They were aware of the condition of the food products and the fact that they were violating the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law and its executive regulations.
The court sentenced them to two years of imprisonment and fined them OMR400 each, upon convicting them of storing food products in inappropriate conditions that were contrary to the requirements of the FoodSafetyLaw. It also convicted them of violating the Omani Labour Law for hiring non-Omani labourers without a licence, for which the court charged them OMR4,000 each and demanded that they pay the travel expenses for deporting the 8th and 9th convicts—Shandan Kumar Teluk, Bangladeshi national, and Mohammad Na'eem Abdulqadir, Pakistani national—to their home countries.
The penalties for each crime were combined, and the convicts will be deported from Oman after they have served their prison terms. While the rotten food products have been confiscated, their shops will be closed. The accused have been pronounced innocent of the offence criminalised by Article 294 of the Penal Law.
2. Of the remaining five accused in the case, Samir Sen Sunil Sen, Bangladeshi national; Nirmal Kumar Baliwal, Indian national; Pigo Balet Milan, Bangladeshi national; Shandan Kumar Teluk, Bangladeshi national; and Mohammad Na'eem Abdulqadir, Pakistani national, were charged with participating in the crime of selling expired and rotten food products and violating the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law and its executing regulations.
The court sentenced Samir and Mohammad to one year of imprisonment and fined them OMR400 each; Nirmal, Pigo, and Shandan were sentenced to two years of imprisonment and were fined OMR400 each. Shandan and Mohammad were found guilty of violating the Omani Labour Law by illegally working for an employer other than their sponsor and were sentenced to one month of imprisonment—a penalty that will be combined with that of their other crime before they are permanently deported along with Samir, Nirmal, and Pigo.
The group was pronounced innocent of the other charges brought against them.
The judgements were pronounced in the presence of all the accused except for Jiartna Cindrella George, who received his judgement separately.
Dealers selling packed water bottles on double rates without BSI mark; posing threat innocent lives
Nagpur faces the brunt of scorching heat right from the month of March which decreases only in the month of July with the onset of rains. During summer, not only heat but scarcity of water bothers Nagpurians and with this the sale of bottled water had increased with a rocket speed in past few years. Thus, it has attracted a large number of investors in the business. But, Shiv Sena City Vice President Ashok Zinghare claimed that most of the packed water is sub-standard and have no BSI (Bureau of Indian Standards) marks on them. He claimed that most of the companies do not attain permission from BSI and continue selling this packed water playing with the lives of innocent people. These bottles, which actually cost Rs 5.50 and after including cooling and electricity charge which costs Rs 7.50 are sold in the market with double or triple the actually cost.
Zinghare said that there was no authorized dealer of bottled water in Orange city. There are seven to eight companies active in this business in Nagpur but how many of them have authorization is a question still unanswered. He further said that the procedure to get permit certificate from BSI is a lengthy procedure and it includes many rules and then the verification process is very intense which may not offer immense profit from the business. Thus, these companies opt for the easier option and do not apply for permit certificate.
He said that seeing tons of profit in this business, even retailers never question about the BSI mark and sell this bottled water without bothering for the lives of people. It is to be mentioned that a dozen of these packed water bottles cost Rs 65 to the retailer which means Rs 5.50 per bottles and after adding the cooling and electricity cost the prices goes to Rs 7.50, but the bottles are sold at the cost of Rs 20 which goes unnoticed by the consumers.
He wronged consumers and said even buyers fail to check the BSI mark on the bottles and indirectly causing threat to their own lives. This inattentive and irresponsible behavior from consumers provokes the retailers and these companies to continue their money at the cost of innocent lives. Zinghare further zeroed Food and Safety Department on its working and allowing to continue this business.
Consumers to note
Zinghare said that consumers should check the BSI mark before buying any of the packed water bottles. They should also check the company name on the bottle. Retailers should check whenter their has permit certificate from BSI or not. This packed water include 10 ltr jars, 5 ltr, 1 ltr water bottles or even the waters packets available. Every item must contain BSI mark on them otherwise they are considered an unhealthy to use. Any dealer selling packed water without the permit certificate is liable for punishment. He appealed consumers to complaint with Food and Safety Department if they find such bottles.
Corporation to issue licence to soft drink vendors in Thiruvananthapuram
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Wayside vendors turning up with make-shift stalls for selling cool
drinks this summer will have to go through a licensing procedure soon.
The health wing of the city corporation will issue a directive making
licence mandatory for those vending cool drinks like butter milk,
lemonades, water melon and other chilled, sweetened liquid concoctions.
The decision comes in the wake of reports from health inspectors of various circles about appalling hygienic standards maintained by most of the street vendors. "It has come to our notice that the vendors pay scant regard to the sources from where they collect water. Already the city is facing a severe drought and clean, natural reserves are a rarity these days. So, we need to find out the places from where they source the water," a senior health official said.
The health standing committee will convene a meeting of health inspectors from various health circles as part of issuing the directive. "Cool drink stalls are mushrooming in the city. We are not against the conduct of business or source of livelihood. We just need to make sure that they run their business without compromising on hygiene and health of their customers. The meeting will be held this week itself," said health standing committee chairperson S Pushpalatha.
According to the health officials, focus will be mainly on nine health circles spread around the city. As per the directive, the vendors will have to indicate their source of water, place of business and hygienic standards maintained by them and have to get it certified by the corporation's health wing. The licence will be issued on a temporary basis.
"There are a lot of people who have been conducting this business for the past few years. However, of late we have noticed emergence of new vendors. Everybody will be put under the scanner and those who fail to meet the standards will be asked to shut their business," a health official said.
Also, the civic body will conduct inspection drives among the eateries set up by the road side to ensure hygiene. The corporation had earlier directed the vendors to procure glass enclosures for food items and that they shouldn't keep the food open. An official admitted that the corporation failed to monitor the directive and resultantly the vendors have disregarded it. "All street vendors will be issued reminders to store food items in glass enclosures and they will be fined upon non compliance," the official said.
The decision comes in the wake of reports from health inspectors of various circles about appalling hygienic standards maintained by most of the street vendors. "It has come to our notice that the vendors pay scant regard to the sources from where they collect water. Already the city is facing a severe drought and clean, natural reserves are a rarity these days. So, we need to find out the places from where they source the water," a senior health official said.
The health standing committee will convene a meeting of health inspectors from various health circles as part of issuing the directive. "Cool drink stalls are mushrooming in the city. We are not against the conduct of business or source of livelihood. We just need to make sure that they run their business without compromising on hygiene and health of their customers. The meeting will be held this week itself," said health standing committee chairperson S Pushpalatha.
According to the health officials, focus will be mainly on nine health circles spread around the city. As per the directive, the vendors will have to indicate their source of water, place of business and hygienic standards maintained by them and have to get it certified by the corporation's health wing. The licence will be issued on a temporary basis.
"There are a lot of people who have been conducting this business for the past few years. However, of late we have noticed emergence of new vendors. Everybody will be put under the scanner and those who fail to meet the standards will be asked to shut their business," a health official said.
Also, the civic body will conduct inspection drives among the eateries set up by the road side to ensure hygiene. The corporation had earlier directed the vendors to procure glass enclosures for food items and that they shouldn't keep the food open. An official admitted that the corporation failed to monitor the directive and resultantly the vendors have disregarded it. "All street vendors will be issued reminders to store food items in glass enclosures and they will be fined upon non compliance," the official said.
MCC drive to check hygiene at restaurants
Taking no chances:Mysore City Corporation authorities inspecting a restaurant on Wednesday
The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) on Wednesday conducted
random checks at a few hotels and restaurants in the city to ensure
hygiene.
The authorities also cracked down on
roadside vendors selling cut fruits, as a precautionary measure to
prevent the outbreak of gastroenteritis, which is common during summer.
Restaurant
owners were pulled up for low standards of hygiene in storage and
preparation of food. They were directed to supply boiled and cooled
water to customers.
The MCC drive will cover the entire city over the next few days.
Eateries
not complying with cleanliness and hygiene norms in storage,
preparation and serving of food would risk penalty or cancellation of
licenses.
Administration waits for official directive to enforce gutkha ban
The district administration is still waiting for an official
directive for enforcing the ban on the sale and production of gutkha in
the state capital. The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA)
department, which is supposed to enforce the ban, however said there was
no need for a directive when the notification had already been issued
six months ago.
“Unless we get a written directive from the government, there is nothing we can officially do about it. It’s only after the directive, which is expected any time in the next two days, we are certain that we will start implementing the ban,” said Arun Kumar, city magistrate, Lucknow.
On October 4, 2012, the UP government had issued a notification banning the sale of gutkha from April 1, 2013 after the Allahabad high court asked the state government whether it could ban the product on the central government’s directive prohibiting sale and distribution of gutkha across the state.
“The notification clearly says the ban would come into effect from April 1, 2013. So anyone found involved in sale or manufacture of gutkha would be booked under the IPC,” said Pravir Kumar, principal secretary, FDA.
On Monday, the Supreme Court deferred the state government’s plea seeking an extension of the March 31 deadline to April 8. While issuing the ban order on October 4, 2012, the government had said it had given six months’ time so that lakhs of employees and labourers engaged in the long existing industry could find alternative employment.
Amidst the ‘ban or no ban’ confusion, gutkha sale continued unabated in the city on Tuesday. Though most of the shops refrained from displaying the sachets, there was no check on the sale. Sources, however said, that the administration was geared up to enforce the ban in the city as soon as a formal directive comes. “We have identified seven/eight factories functioning in Lucknow. We will seal the units besides ensuring that gutkha is not sold in the market,” an official said.
The manufacturing and sale of gutkha is a major source of revenue for both UP’s commercial tax department and the central excise department. According to a rough estimate, in Lucknow alone, at least one lakh people earn their bread and butter from manufacture and sale of gutkha.
“Unless we get a written directive from the government, there is nothing we can officially do about it. It’s only after the directive, which is expected any time in the next two days, we are certain that we will start implementing the ban,” said Arun Kumar, city magistrate, Lucknow.
On October 4, 2012, the UP government had issued a notification banning the sale of gutkha from April 1, 2013 after the Allahabad high court asked the state government whether it could ban the product on the central government’s directive prohibiting sale and distribution of gutkha across the state.
“The notification clearly says the ban would come into effect from April 1, 2013. So anyone found involved in sale or manufacture of gutkha would be booked under the IPC,” said Pravir Kumar, principal secretary, FDA.
On Monday, the Supreme Court deferred the state government’s plea seeking an extension of the March 31 deadline to April 8. While issuing the ban order on October 4, 2012, the government had said it had given six months’ time so that lakhs of employees and labourers engaged in the long existing industry could find alternative employment.
Amidst the ‘ban or no ban’ confusion, gutkha sale continued unabated in the city on Tuesday. Though most of the shops refrained from displaying the sachets, there was no check on the sale. Sources, however said, that the administration was geared up to enforce the ban in the city as soon as a formal directive comes. “We have identified seven/eight factories functioning in Lucknow. We will seal the units besides ensuring that gutkha is not sold in the market,” an official said.
The manufacturing and sale of gutkha is a major source of revenue for both UP’s commercial tax department and the central excise department. According to a rough estimate, in Lucknow alone, at least one lakh people earn their bread and butter from manufacture and sale of gutkha.
Day 1: Food safety wing raids 62 shops, seizes items worth 15,500
A TOI report on Tuesday said fake soft drinks firms were flourishing in the city and duplicating several branded items.
Officials said a special team would carry out inspections in shops across the city in the next few days. “We have found that several vendors are selling spurious drinks with label and logos of branded items,” said a senior official. The department is also planning to spread awareness among vendors about spurious drinks.
“Raw material used in making these fake drinks is harmful to health. But many vendors are unaware about the hazards. So we are now planning to conduct awareness among the vendors instead of penalising them” said an official. Health experts say spurious soft drinks can cause hepatitis, stomach diseases and typhoid, especially in children.
Consumer activists welcomed the department’s move, but urged officials to raid manufacturing units. “They should conduct frequent raids and publish the names of the violators. They should inspect the manufacturing units too,” said Consumer Association of India trustee R Desikan.
Manufacture and sale of fake cold drinks are on the rise due to huge demand in summer. Complaints can be made to the food safety department at 044-23813095 or emailed to commrfssa@gmail.com.
Manufacture and sale of fake cold drinks are on the rise due to huge demand in summer
Spurious soft drinks, buttermilk seized
A team of officials from the food safety and drug
administration department seized 200 bottles of misbranded soft drinks
and 1,875 unhygienic water and buttermilk sachets on Wednesday.
The
raid was part of the department’s attempt to crackdown on all kinds of
spurious beverages, which generally surface in large numbers in the
summer.
The items were seized from various shops in areas such as T. Nagar and Teynampet.
According
to officials, the raids will be held in other areas of the city on
Thursday, as several complaints have been received by the food safety
department regarding spurious drinks.
“Many of the
retail outlets in the city have been found selling spurious soft drinks.
More raids will follow to identify the source of such beverages,” said
an official.
“During the raids we observed that even
the 20-litre drinking water cans are unfit for consumption. Such water
is being supplied at affordable rates of Rs. 10 in some commercial areas
and is used by many food business operators such as fruit juice
outlets. We will organise another raid to prevent the sale of such cans
soon,” the official added.
Officials said the spurt
in water-borne diseases, seen during the summer months, is usually
caused by consumption of such unhygienic water and beverages.
Earlier,
the Chennai Corporation was tasked with seizing unhygienic drinking
water, fruit juice and buttermilk sachets from the city’s retail
outlets.
Under the Prevention of Food Adulteration
Act, 1954, the civic body had to take action against all retail sellers
and manufacturers if the results of their analyses reveal any
contamination in any of the food or beverage samples seized.
After
the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 came into force on August 5,
2011, licenses issued to traders under the 1954 act expired. Action
against traders selling spurious soft drinks will now be taken as per
the provisions of the Food Safety Act.
However, many
food businesses are still not aware that they need to acquire fresh
licenses under the new Act. The task of issuing licenses is yet to be
completed on account of resistance from most traders.
Food
safety officers, whose responsibility it is to inspect outlets and look
into complaints, are now focussing on information, education and
communication campaigns.
Food safety dept. begins crackdown on unhygienic products sold in commercial outlets
Sea Cherry Mackerels Sowkar banned in state
Imphal, April 03 2013:
The State Government has banned selling of Sea Cherry Mackerels Sowkar
(In Brine) manufactured by M/s Sowkar Canning Company, Udyavara, which
is being marketed in the state by its sole agent at Imphal, M/s Y
Krishna Singh & Sons, Wahengbam Leikai.
According to an official order issued by Commissioner of Food Safety Ram Muivah, who is also the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, on March 25, 2013, selling of the specific tin fish product has been banned in the whole state with immediate effect after finding it unsafe for human consumption.
The order mentioned that the particular brand of food was found rotten and unfit for human consumption as it contained high percentage of yeast and mould.
As it violates regulation no.2.6.1 (8) (Note II) (Fish & Fish Products) of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) regulations, 2011, the order said that the food item in question is unsafe and sub-standard under Section 3(1) (ZX) & (ZZ)(i)(ii) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 .
The order further mentioned that the food item does not follow the mandatory regulations of Lot/Code/Batch indentification as given under Regulation no.2.2.1 (8) (General Requirement of Labelling) under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011 .
Citing the above reasons, the order restricted selling of the Sea Cherry Mackerels Sowkar (In Brine) food item in the state with immediate effect and until further order in the interest of public health under the provisions of Section 23 & 27 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 .
The order further explained that violation of the order is liable to be punished as per the law of the land.
Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao in this regard, Deputy Food Safety Commissioner Tekcham Brojendro Khaba Meetei said that seizure of the particular food product started from January 17 after it was found being sold in violation of the norms of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.The seized products were sent to a notified laboratory under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on January 22 for necessary testing.
The laboratory, in its report on February 9, stated that the particular food product is unsafe for human consumption and it contain high percentage of yeast and mould.
Following the report, selling of the particular food product has been banned in the whole state.
He also appealed to the people of the state to report to the District Food Safety Officer, Designated Officers of Food Safety or Deputy Food Safety Officer at the Directorate of Health Services if they found anything suspicious in the food products available in the market.
Instead of discarding the unsafe food products, public should brought them to the authorities concerned for further necessary action, the officer informed.
According to an official order issued by Commissioner of Food Safety Ram Muivah, who is also the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, on March 25, 2013, selling of the specific tin fish product has been banned in the whole state with immediate effect after finding it unsafe for human consumption.
The order mentioned that the particular brand of food was found rotten and unfit for human consumption as it contained high percentage of yeast and mould.
As it violates regulation no.2.6.1 (8) (Note II) (Fish & Fish Products) of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) regulations, 2011, the order said that the food item in question is unsafe and sub-standard under Section 3(1) (ZX) & (ZZ)(i)(ii) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 .
The order further mentioned that the food item does not follow the mandatory regulations of Lot/Code/Batch indentification as given under Regulation no.2.2.1 (8) (General Requirement of Labelling) under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011 .
Citing the above reasons, the order restricted selling of the Sea Cherry Mackerels Sowkar (In Brine) food item in the state with immediate effect and until further order in the interest of public health under the provisions of Section 23 & 27 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 .
The order further explained that violation of the order is liable to be punished as per the law of the land.
Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao in this regard, Deputy Food Safety Commissioner Tekcham Brojendro Khaba Meetei said that seizure of the particular food product started from January 17 after it was found being sold in violation of the norms of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.The seized products were sent to a notified laboratory under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on January 22 for necessary testing.
The laboratory, in its report on February 9, stated that the particular food product is unsafe for human consumption and it contain high percentage of yeast and mould.
Following the report, selling of the particular food product has been banned in the whole state.
He also appealed to the people of the state to report to the District Food Safety Officer, Designated Officers of Food Safety or Deputy Food Safety Officer at the Directorate of Health Services if they found anything suspicious in the food products available in the market.
Instead of discarding the unsafe food products, public should brought them to the authorities concerned for further necessary action, the officer informed.
Six eating joints raided
Jalandhar, April 3
To implement the Food Safety and Standards Act-2006 effectively, a team of the district Health Department conducted raids on six eating joints, including a newly opened restaurant-cum-bar, and collected samples.
Led by Dr Ashwani Sondhi, District Health Officer (DHO), the team paid a surprise visit to fast food joints in Model Town, Buta Mandi, Nakodar Road, near TV Tower, and a bakery in the city.
Dr Sondhi said the food quality in the restaurant was found to be good, while samples of raw and prepared food items were collected from other business establishments.
The samples were sent to a health laboratory in Chandigarh for test. He said the eating joint owners were not following the guidelines of the Act. Action would be taken against those found guilty.
Meanwhile, a team of the Health Department today raided a dairy located in Guru Nanak Pura and confiscated drugs being sold by its owner Davinder Singh in violation of the norms.
Dr Sondhi revealed that acting on a tip-off, a raid was conducted on Ghuman Daily and drugs (medicines) were recovered from its counter. He said the dairy owner was selling medicines without having any licence and qualification.
To implement the Food Safety and Standards Act-2006 effectively, a team of the district Health Department conducted raids on six eating joints, including a newly opened restaurant-cum-bar, and collected samples.
Led by Dr Ashwani Sondhi, District Health Officer (DHO), the team paid a surprise visit to fast food joints in Model Town, Buta Mandi, Nakodar Road, near TV Tower, and a bakery in the city.
Dr Sondhi said the food quality in the restaurant was found to be good, while samples of raw and prepared food items were collected from other business establishments.
The samples were sent to a health laboratory in Chandigarh for test. He said the eating joint owners were not following the guidelines of the Act. Action would be taken against those found guilty.
Meanwhile, a team of the Health Department today raided a dairy located in Guru Nanak Pura and confiscated drugs being sold by its owner Davinder Singh in violation of the norms.
Dr Sondhi revealed that acting on a tip-off, a raid was conducted on Ghuman Daily and drugs (medicines) were recovered from its counter. He said the dairy owner was selling medicines without having any licence and qualification.
File compliance report on gutka ban, SC asks States
Centre’s order not being implemented effectively, says ASG
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed 23 States and five Union
Territories to file a compliance report in four weeks on implementation
of the ban on gutka and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine.
A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and Kurian Joseph directed the others
to explain why they had not imposed the ban so far and to indicate a
time frame for doing so. The Bench passed this order after Additional
Solicitor-General Indira Jaising brought to its notice an August 12,
2012 circular issued by the Centre advising all States and Union
Territories to ban gutka and pan masala. She said though 23 States and
five Union Territories had imposed the ban, the order was not being
implemented effectively.
Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the HFM Trust, and Shri Vishnu Behari
Tewari, appearing on behalf of the Indian Dental Association, demanded a
nationwide ban on all forms of chewing tobacco products. Mr. Bhushan
said the ban was not being properly enforced as there was no control
over manufacturing units.
During the hearing, the Bench remarked that manufactures were misleading
people and creating confusion, and selling gutka and pan masala in
separate sachets.
Already 23 States — Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Maharashtra, Himachal
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Punjab,
Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Delhi, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Nagaland,
Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh —
and five Union Territories including Chandigarh, Dadar Nagar Haveli,
Daman & Diu, Andaman & Nicobar have banned the sale, manufacture
and distribution of gutka, khaini and pan masala containing tobacco,
based on the regulation issued on August 1, 2011 by the Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India, a statutory body under the Health
Ministry. In a connected matter, the Bench, after hearing Additional
Solicitor-General Mohan Jain, issued notice to the Central and State
pollution control boards seeking to know how they handled and disposed
of plastic waste.
Justice Singhvi, after going through data, observed: “We are becoming a
time bomb. When it happens, all valleys will go. The data is frightening
and steps needed to be taken as plastic waste will affect not only this
generation but generations to come.”
The Bench said it would first examine the disposal system in the cities
of Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Agra, Jaipur and Faridabad, and issued
notice to their Municipal Commissioners asking them to file their
responses.
Mr. Mohan Jain, in a note submitted to the court, said the total
quantity of plastics manufactured in the country as per a 2008
estimation was eight million tonnes per year. As per a survey conducted
by the Central Pollution Control Board in 60 major cities, the average
plastic waste generation was 843.2 tonnes out of the total municipal
solid waste of 50,592 tonnes per day.
Toxic industry dyes found in Indian sweets
The illegal colours found in some Indian sweets are used in the paper, textiles and leather industry © ShutterstockMukul Das at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, and colleagues found that while there has been an overall decline in the use of illegal colours in recent years, they are still widely used. The team detected illegal and potentially toxic colours in around 16% of sweets and savouries tested. They also found that even with sweets that contained safe colours, 58% exceeded the cap of 100 mg/kg determined by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The scientists found six banned dyes in the sweets tested: rhodamine B, orange II, metanil yellow, malachite green, quinoline yellow and auramine. These are mostly used by the paper, leather and textile industries. FSSAI rules allow only eight colours to be used in food, and all the others are classed as non-permitted colours (NPCs).
Das says that a major problem with vendors and shops selling sweets and savouries is that they're not aware of FSSAI standards, and end up using more of them than are permitted. ‘But they know which colours should not be used and are lured into buying the non-permitted dyes because they are cheaper than the approved ones,’ he says.
Rhodamine B – a tracer dye – was the most commonly used illegal colour, picked up in 30% of samples. Levels of the dye varied from 36.9 to 542mg/kg. For orange II, metanil yellow and malachite green, the ranges were 23.8 to 456mg/kg, 36.8 to 256mg/kg and 57.4 to 231mg/kg, respectively.
‘All these dyes are harmful and can cause diseases like cancer upon chronic consumption,’ says V Sudershan Rao, a food safety expert at National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India. ‘But since these quantities are not sufficient to cause any acute health problems, the real impact of these dyes on consumers' health cannot be assessed.’ Research at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, found that chronic exposure to metanil yellow causes neurotoxicity in rats.2 The dye is commonly found in a popular Indian sweet dish called jalebi.
The survey was the largest of its kind in the country, and serves as a wake-up call to regulators. Rao says added vigilance is needed by the government to stop the use of illegal, toxic dyes. ‘The study should help policy makers revisit the quantities of permitted colours used in various foods,’ Rao says. ‘Right now, there's a uniform upper limit of 100mg/kg, and 200mg/kg in a few cases, for all permitted colours. The cap for food dyes should be reset according to their individual toxicity potential.’
Apr 3, 2013
COMPLAINTS UP - Fake soft drinks leave a bad taste in mouth
5% Of Fizzy Drinks Are Spurious, Pet Bottles Are Easiest To Copy
With summer round the corner, the demand for soft drinks is set to rise. Food safety experts warn that at least 5% of soft drinks that come with a branded label are fakes.Sources said that several illegal soft drink manufacturing units are flourishing. They manufacture duplicates of brands such as Coke, Pepsi, 7Up and Mirinda, often filling other liquids in mostly 200ml used bottles of branded drinks. Some others print fake labels on bottles.
Spurious soft drinks can cause hepatitis, stomach diseases and typhoid, especially in children, said health experts. “They undermine our brand value but the government does not check manufacture of fake drinks,” said the sales representative of a leading cola firm.
A senior food safety official said: “We have been receiving several complaints about expired and fake soft drinks, but we are short of staff and cannot conduct raids.” The food safety department does not have any data on the number of complaints, raids conducted, samples collected, or test results on samples.
Spurious drinks are usually sold outside schools and colleges, bus and railway stations, markets and in Tasma shops. Some of the 'filling units' are located in Medavakkam, Padur, Nanmangalam, Keelkattalai and Kovilanchery in Kancheepuram and Poonamallee, Chenerkuppam, Veetalathottam, Alapakkam, Padianallur and Red Hills in Tiruvallur. Sources said many such units start manufacturing soda and switch to cool drinks.
Small shop owners say selling fakes is more profitable than the real thing. “If we sell a branded soft drink, we get only 30p to 1 per bottle as commission. Local manufacturers pay us Rs 1 to Rs 3,” said a retailer from Teynampet on condition of anonymity.
“Authorities should regularly inspect both shops and manufacturing units,” said Consumer Association of India trustee R Desikan.
Aravind Raj, who recently purchased a soft drink from a shop in Tambaram noticed that the cap of the bottle was damaged. “There was no mention of the MRP or expiry date on the bottle. It tasted different but the vendor refused to listen my complaint,” he said.
Chennai food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said: “Action will be taken against violators based on complaints.” Complaints can be made to the food safety department at 044 -23813095 or emailed to commrfssa@gmail.com.
Apr 2, 2013
Even Small Indulgences in Junk Food can Negatively Affect Health
A new study conducted by researchers at University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) suggests that indulging in even small amounts of junk food could lead to significant changes in gene expression which can negatively impact physiology and health.
A.J. Marian Walhout, PhD, co-director of the Program in Systems Biology and professor of molecular medicine at UMMS, and team described how metabolism and physiology are connected to diet.
Using C. elegans, a transparent roundworm often used as a model organism in genetic studies, Dr. Walhout and colleagues observed how different diets produce differences in gene expression in the worm that can then be linked to crucial physiological changes.
Walhout said, "Worms fed a natural diet of Comamonas bacteria have fewer offspring, live shorter and develop faster compared to worms fed the standard laboratory diet of E. coli bacteria."
Walhout and colleagues identified at least 87 changes in C. elegans gene expression between the two diets. Surprisingly, these changes were independent of the TOR and insulin signaling pathways, gene expression programs typically active in nutritional control. Instead, the changes occur, at least in part, in a regulator that controls molting, a gene program that determines development and growth in the worm.
This connection provided one of the critical links between diet, gene expression and physiology detailed in "Diet-induced Development Acceleration Independent of TOR and Insulin in C. elegans."
Strikingly, Walhout and colleagues observed that even when fed a small amount of the Comamonas bacteria in a diet otherwise comprised of E. coli bacteria, C. elegans exhibited dramatic changes in gene expression and physiology. These results provide the tantalizing possibility that different diets are not "healthy" or "unhealthy" but that specific quantities of certain foods may be optimal under different conditions and for promoting different physiological outcomes.
"It's just as true that a small amount of a 'healthy' food in an otherwise unhealthy diet could elicit a beneficial change in gene expression that could have profound physiological effects," said Walhout.
Additional research by the Walhout Lab further explored the possibility of using C. elegans as a model system to answer complex questions about disease and dietary treatment in humans.
Detailed in the "Integration of Metabolic and Gene Regulatory Networks Modulates the C. elegans Dietary Response," Walhout and colleagues found that disrupting gene expression involved with C. elegans metabolism lead to metabolic imbalances that interfered with the animal's dietary response; a result that may have a direct correlation to the treatment of a class of human genetic diseases.
According to Dr. Walhout, it may be possible to use this genetic regulatory network in C. elegans to compare how certain dietary regimens can be used to mitigate these metabolic diseases. It may also be used to screen for drugs or other small molecules that can produce the same results as dietary treatments.
Though Walhout and colleagues started out asking a fundamental dietary question in the worm, what they got was an answer directly related to disease and treatment in humans, thus establishing C. elegans as a model system for elucidating the mechanisms for dietary responses, inborn metabolic diseases and the connections between them.
The findings are described in a pair of papers published in Cell.
A.J. Marian Walhout, PhD, co-director of the Program in Systems Biology and professor of molecular medicine at UMMS, and team described how metabolism and physiology are connected to diet.
Using C. elegans, a transparent roundworm often used as a model organism in genetic studies, Dr. Walhout and colleagues observed how different diets produce differences in gene expression in the worm that can then be linked to crucial physiological changes.
Walhout said, "Worms fed a natural diet of Comamonas bacteria have fewer offspring, live shorter and develop faster compared to worms fed the standard laboratory diet of E. coli bacteria."
Walhout and colleagues identified at least 87 changes in C. elegans gene expression between the two diets. Surprisingly, these changes were independent of the TOR and insulin signaling pathways, gene expression programs typically active in nutritional control. Instead, the changes occur, at least in part, in a regulator that controls molting, a gene program that determines development and growth in the worm.
This connection provided one of the critical links between diet, gene expression and physiology detailed in "Diet-induced Development Acceleration Independent of TOR and Insulin in C. elegans."
Strikingly, Walhout and colleagues observed that even when fed a small amount of the Comamonas bacteria in a diet otherwise comprised of E. coli bacteria, C. elegans exhibited dramatic changes in gene expression and physiology. These results provide the tantalizing possibility that different diets are not "healthy" or "unhealthy" but that specific quantities of certain foods may be optimal under different conditions and for promoting different physiological outcomes.
"It's just as true that a small amount of a 'healthy' food in an otherwise unhealthy diet could elicit a beneficial change in gene expression that could have profound physiological effects," said Walhout.
Additional research by the Walhout Lab further explored the possibility of using C. elegans as a model system to answer complex questions about disease and dietary treatment in humans.
Detailed in the "Integration of Metabolic and Gene Regulatory Networks Modulates the C. elegans Dietary Response," Walhout and colleagues found that disrupting gene expression involved with C. elegans metabolism lead to metabolic imbalances that interfered with the animal's dietary response; a result that may have a direct correlation to the treatment of a class of human genetic diseases.
According to Dr. Walhout, it may be possible to use this genetic regulatory network in C. elegans to compare how certain dietary regimens can be used to mitigate these metabolic diseases. It may also be used to screen for drugs or other small molecules that can produce the same results as dietary treatments.
Though Walhout and colleagues started out asking a fundamental dietary question in the worm, what they got was an answer directly related to disease and treatment in humans, thus establishing C. elegans as a model system for elucidating the mechanisms for dietary responses, inborn metabolic diseases and the connections between them.
The findings are described in a pair of papers published in Cell.
Ban on smokeless tobacco products remains ineffective in Ambala
A complete ban on manufacturing, storage, distribution and sale of gutkha and other tobacco products imposed by the state government in July, last year, has hardly proved to be a deterrent for those involved in the trade.
The state government had issued strict instructions to the officials to implement and enforce a blanket ban on manufacture, stock, sale and use of all tobacco products in the state. The ban was imposed under the Food Safety and Standard Act of 2006. However, the sale of gutkha and other tobacco products still goes on unabated and these products can easily be bought at small vends operating on streets and outside the Ambala railway station.
Ironically, while the ban failed to bring down the sale of tobacco products, it helped sellers of these products earn handsome profit as the cost of one pouch of gutkha rose by almost five times after the ban. With the gutkha lovers not hesitating from paying dearer prices to get their daily dose of tobacco, the business seems to be flourishing like never before.
The officials, however, maintain that strict action was taken against the defaulters in the cases that were brought to their notice, but the reality is far from it. Balbir Singh, a local resident, said the officials concerned had failed to conduct regular surprise checks to keep a tab on the sale and purchase of gutkha. “If they had done so, there would have been no sale of any tobacco products in the district,” he said.
He said it was not without a reason that the country was topping the list of smokeless tobacco users in the world with nearly 83 per cent consumers.
Local retailers in the city said the ban had resulted in black marketing of the tobacco products and there had been no reduction in its use. One of the retailers, on the condition of anonymity, said the wholesalers were providing them with tobacco products at an inflated rate on the pretext that exorbitant prices was being paid to top officials to keep the business running.
While some retailers do not display the product for the fear of being caught by the authorities, there are others who show no fear of the law and display the tobacco products (see picture) openly. Another retailer said he continued to sell around 2,000 to 2,500 packs of gutkha per day and there was hardly any shortage of the stock.
Why say 'no' to GM
There are labelling requirement in several countries which gives the
consumers information on whether the food item is made using genetically
modified plant genes or not. Some countries require that the
commodities which have transgenic protein traces can be labelled as they
had been genetically modified in origin.Some countries require that all
genetically modified products (if GM origin elements had been used in
production process) have to be labelled. This is to protect the consumer
in making an informed choice. Genetically modified genes cause kidney
damage and liver damage and cause high mortality rates. Genetically
modified plants are toxic as they were designed to keep away insects.
What is GM? Genes of plant species are genetically modified by crossing
with another species to make a stronger species which is resistant to
insects(pests) and plant diseases. This increases the toxicity of
the genetically modifying the plant several times.
The genetically modified plant becomes more and more robust, and gives
bigger harvests. But the consumers suffer because of the toxicity of the
products.Why were such foods made? Super bugs invaded big farms and to
control them became impossible. To combat the super bugs(like locusts)
monster seeds were invented by genetic engineering. And thus came GM.
Instead of this we could have introduced insect eating birds and it
would have been the ecologically correct alternative.
In India, only one GM crop has been is allowed to grow and that is 'bt
cotton'. It was allowed as cotton is not used in food (as thought
previously). But the cotton seed is used to extract oil which is
combined in making other edible oils. And cotton seed cakes are fed
to dairy animal(cows) whose milk has toxic content of the GM crops. Now
legislation has to be made for this. Whether we label such products as
GM or not, they have GM elements in them. Even if the consumer is given
choice, is the consumer knowledgeable enough to understand what is GM ?
It is up to the government to ban it, as it can cause damage to the
health of the consumer. Now we are leaving up to the farmer to make the
choice of using the genetically modified seeds or not. Farmers should
debate on whether to use GM technology. The farming community may not
be knowledgeable enough to understand the damage that GM can cause. Even
consumers do not know "what is GM", whather we labe or not. There is
no awareness of this. Imported pickles also have corn, canola, soybean
which are grown from GM seeds, and these are used in exotic urban
restaurants in India.Unknowingly people are consuming GM products,
without realising the potential hazards.
As it is, soy oil (which is imported) has GM elements in it. In 2006, we
tried to amend the Prevention of Food Adulteration(PFA) Act of 1955 to
label GM mandatory. Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 was dealt
under Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) Bu still
labelling of GM foods has not been done. After this came Biotechnology
Regulatory Authority of India Bill which had said that all living
modified organisms and foods derived from them had to be dealt by them.
But even then GM remained under FSSAI. Food Safety Standards Regulation
Act of 2011 covered even irradiated food which had to be labelled but GM
was not covered(therefore labelling was not mandatory) When issue of
'bt brinjal' was discussed, it has been banned in India, but what about
issue of 'bt cotton'? Whether banned or not GM has entered our food
chain by' bt cotton'. Milk products like yogurt(curd) butter, cheese,
chocolate, cakes and milk sweets have GM elements in them. We have
consumed them now. It is irreversible now, we cannot reverse food chain.
We must do ecological farming for surviving now,so that native species
can be grown and gene pool is protected. Only then India will have a
future.We must learn more about the genetically modified genes and
modify our laws to ban them.
Students tackle milk safety
The Student Mentorship Program teams laboratory scientists with junior high and high school students who need lab assistance in completing a science project. Through previous mentorship projects, students measured levels of estrogen and other pharmaceuticals in ground water, tested for pesticides in plant roots, and assessed the amount of bacteria on toothbrushes.
This year's recipients worked with Hygienic Lab staff in Coralville, Ankeny and Lakeside Lab to complete projects that may benefit people in Iowa and around the world. The program also was supported by the Iowa local section of the American Chemical Society and the Friends of Lakeside Laboratory.
A safe system to remove dangerous adulterants
Ankita Chatterjee, an eighth-grader at Callanan Middle School, Des Moines, hopes to improve the safety of milk in developing nations where contamination from chlorine, iron and pesticides is a common problem.
Ankita Chatterjee with mentor Megan Mekoli, Ph.D.
Last year, Chatterjee designed a simple method to detect contaminants in milk. She applied to the Student Mentorship program for laboratory support to expand her method to include detection of melamine.
Melamine is an organic compound, used to create fire-resistant materials, that is sometimes used illegally to falsely elevate protein content in foods. In 2008, melamine-tainted infant milk sickened thousands of babies and spurred a World Health Organization investigation.
"I would like to experiment with various substances that could either filter or absorb the majority of these contaminants," Chatterjee said in her Student Mentorship application. "My ultimate goal is to create a low-cost, effective, and safe system to remove dangerous adulterants, including melamine, which could be utilized in developing countries."
Chatterjee's lead mentor is Megan Mekoli, Ph.D.
Nothing wrong with import of arecanut, says traders’ body
Mangalore, April 1:
Refuting charges of importing arecanut at zero import duty, a trade
association has said that Customs duty to the tune of Rs 245 crore was
paid during 2012-13.
The Kolkata-based Calcutta Kirana (Spices) Merchants’ Association was reacting, in an e-mail sent to Business Line, on a report of 50 MPs seeking ban on arecanut import.
Kamalesh Kumar Gupta, Secretary of the association, said that an
estimated import duty of approximately Rs 245 crore has been paid by
importers at Petrapole land customs station during 2012-13 for imports
of arecanut under SAPTA (SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement).
He said that “not a single kg of arecanut has been imported in India
from Bangladesh under the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area)
agreement.”
In one of the press conferences in February, K. Padmanabha, President of
Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative
(Campco) Ltd, said that arecanut was being imported into India from
Bangladesh, taking advantage of SAFTA.
On the allegations of MPs memorandum to the Union Agriculture Minister
that inferior quality of arecanut was imported, Gupta said that the
Centre has established the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India,
and has mandated it to draft rules for import of all food products.
“Authorised officers from plant quarantine, in presence of Customs
officers, collect samples of the consignments of arecanut imported and
send them for laboratory testing to the Central Food Laboratory and the
Export Inspection Agency before clearing them for entry for consumption.
Therefore, the claim of inferior quality of products flooding the
markets does not stand,” he said.
On the demand MPs that minimum tariff price for import of arecanut be
fixed at Rs 125 a kg, Gupta said that the cost of cultivation is a
variable factor depending upon several things such as cost of land,
fertilisers, labour, electricity, interest rates for loans to farmers,
size of farm land, climatic conditions, the socio-economic living status
of farming community, etc.
“Therefore, if the cost of cultivation of arecanut by farmers of the
southern States is high as a result of culmination of these
above-mentioned factors, the farming community elsewhere cannot be
blamed,” he said.
Drive to ban gutkha, pan masala kickstarts
VARANASI: The drive to put a complete check on the sale of gutkha
will be visible in the district from today. Speaking to TOI, district
magistrate Prajal Yadav said, "The process of constituting teams of
officials to carry out this drive effectively has started. Apart from
officers of district administration, officials and staff of other
departments including food, safety and drugs administration and police
will be responsible for making this drive a success."
In October 2012, office of commissioner of food safety and drug administration department, UP, had issued a notification which said, "Whereas, Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sales) Regulation, 2011, made by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, in exercise of the powers conferred by clauses of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006), prohibits articles of food in which tobacco and nicotine are used as ingredients as they are injurious to health."
In pursuance of the same regulation, manufacturing, storage, sale and distribution of gutkha and pan masala, containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, was prohibited in UP in the interest of public health from April 1, said the notification. It was expected that the gutkha and pan masala would be unavailable from betel kiosks and other shops from Monday morning but ground reality remained totally contrary to the notification of food safety and drug administration department.
When some staff members of this department's local office were contacted, they failed to tell the reasons for turning a blind eye to the order. Though, some of them revealed that guktha and pan masala manufacturers had taken shelter from court against this order. But now, the DM has made it clear that these manufacturers and traders have not got any stay order or relief from any court so far, hence, the drive is going to launch with immediate effect to ensure compliance of the notification issued in October 2012.
In October 2012, office of commissioner of food safety and drug administration department, UP, had issued a notification which said, "Whereas, Regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sales) Regulation, 2011, made by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, in exercise of the powers conferred by clauses of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006), prohibits articles of food in which tobacco and nicotine are used as ingredients as they are injurious to health."
In pursuance of the same regulation, manufacturing, storage, sale and distribution of gutkha and pan masala, containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, was prohibited in UP in the interest of public health from April 1, said the notification. It was expected that the gutkha and pan masala would be unavailable from betel kiosks and other shops from Monday morning but ground reality remained totally contrary to the notification of food safety and drug administration department.
When some staff members of this department's local office were contacted, they failed to tell the reasons for turning a blind eye to the order. Though, some of them revealed that guktha and pan masala manufacturers had taken shelter from court against this order. But now, the DM has made it clear that these manufacturers and traders have not got any stay order or relief from any court so far, hence, the drive is going to launch with immediate effect to ensure compliance of the notification issued in October 2012.
Apr 1, 2013
Mar 31, 2013
Eat nutritious food to stay healthy: judge
Instead of consuming nutritious food, which is essential for good health, people are in the habit of consuming junk food, Principal District and Sessions judge Srinivas Harishkumar has said.
Inaugurating a one-day workshop on Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 organised by the zilla panchayat, the District Health and Family Welfare Department and the district administration here on Saturday, Mr. Harishkumar said that the food that people consumed had a direct impact on their mind as well as body.
‘Ascertain quality’
“Instead of being taken in by advertisements, people should ascertain the quality of food before consuming it,” he said.
Presiding over the programme, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Mahalingappa said that people should have a clear idea about what they were consuming.
“If wealth is lost, it can be earned again, but if the health is lost, it cannot be regained,” he said.
District Surgeon Vijaykumar, Information Officer Maheshwariah and Hotel Owners’ Association secretary Arun Kumar were among those present.
Inaugurating a one-day workshop on Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 organised by the zilla panchayat, the District Health and Family Welfare Department and the district administration here on Saturday, Mr. Harishkumar said that the food that people consumed had a direct impact on their mind as well as body.
‘Ascertain quality’
“Instead of being taken in by advertisements, people should ascertain the quality of food before consuming it,” he said.
Presiding over the programme, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Mahalingappa said that people should have a clear idea about what they were consuming.
“If wealth is lost, it can be earned again, but if the health is lost, it cannot be regained,” he said.
District Surgeon Vijaykumar, Information Officer Maheshwariah and Hotel Owners’ Association secretary Arun Kumar were among those present.
Mar 30, 2013
Ripe enough, but not fit for consumption yet
In spite of being a major health hazard, Food Safety authorities admit it is a difficult proposition stopping chemically-ripened mangoes from flooding the markets of the State.
The best option for consumers is to identify such mangoes and avoid them in the larger interests of health. Apart from causing a wide range of health problems, such mangoes are also carcinogenic because they are artificially ripened through treatment with calcium carbide (CaC2). But when these mangoes reach the markets they are washed clean of all CaC2 traces. With the existing facilities of the State Food Safety Commission, no traces of CaC2 will be revealed if these mangoes are subjected to any chemical analyses.
In such a situation, seizure or action against sale of mangoes ripened by CaC2 treatment will get branded as bureaucratic harassment, said the State Food Safety Commissioner Biju Prabhakar. And for that matter, fruit vendors and traders of the State are well organised and capable of countering and crying foul if chemical analyses of any seized lot fail to prove the presence of CaC2, said Mr. Prabhakar Talking toThe Hinduhe, however, said that the Food Safety authorities will not stand mute spectators to the situation.
Drive to check quality of food
Rajahmundry: Food safety authorities are going to take up a drive to keep check on quality of various kinds of food items including edible oils, dal, milk and milk products, packaged drinking water, spices, tea powder and others in East Godavari shortly.
In a recent meeting held in Hyderabad by the food safety commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah with all the senior officials, she learnt to have instructed the officials to conduct inspection on all food items and expedite the efforts to penalise the guilty by imposing penalty in case of minor violation and also to file cases for major violations.
Accordingly, the officials are working out a plan of action to inspect edible oil refineries, packaged drinking water supply plants, milk dairies, manufacturing units of tea powder and other food items.
They are also going to keep a close watch on stockists, wholesale and retail dealers of the food items.
The officials will be touring all over the district to collect samples of food items and send them for analysis to the State Food Laboratory in Hyderabad.
The authorities at the lab are supposed to send the report within 15 days after receiving the samples to the concerned authorities.
The food safety authorities based on the nature of violations including misbranded, sub-standard, not of standard quality, unsafe and sale of prohibited items, will file such cases with the adjudicating authority like the joint collector in the district. The JC’s court is having the authority to penalise the guilty. However, in case of serious violation of the food safety and standard rules, the authorities will file case in the competent court.
Food safety designated officer B.V.S.R.K. Prasad said, “We appeal to people to alert us in case they find food items of substandard quality being sold to help us take the culprits to task.” Meanwhile, the food safety authorities are facing shortage of man power and vehicles to carry out the drive.
In a recent meeting held in Hyderabad by the food safety commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah with all the senior officials, she learnt to have instructed the officials to conduct inspection on all food items and expedite the efforts to penalise the guilty by imposing penalty in case of minor violation and also to file cases for major violations.
Accordingly, the officials are working out a plan of action to inspect edible oil refineries, packaged drinking water supply plants, milk dairies, manufacturing units of tea powder and other food items.
They are also going to keep a close watch on stockists, wholesale and retail dealers of the food items.
The officials will be touring all over the district to collect samples of food items and send them for analysis to the State Food Laboratory in Hyderabad.
The authorities at the lab are supposed to send the report within 15 days after receiving the samples to the concerned authorities.
The food safety authorities based on the nature of violations including misbranded, sub-standard, not of standard quality, unsafe and sale of prohibited items, will file such cases with the adjudicating authority like the joint collector in the district. The JC’s court is having the authority to penalise the guilty. However, in case of serious violation of the food safety and standard rules, the authorities will file case in the competent court.
Food safety designated officer B.V.S.R.K. Prasad said, “We appeal to people to alert us in case they find food items of substandard quality being sold to help us take the culprits to task.” Meanwhile, the food safety authorities are facing shortage of man power and vehicles to carry out the drive.
Adulterants seized from ‘rice mill’
They are used to mix with tea, coffee
Officials inspecting the tea and coffee adulterants seized at a unit near Kodumudi in Erode on Friday.— PHOTO: M.GOVARTHAN
Officials have detected a large unit producing the substances used for adulterating tea and coffee, near Kodumudi here, on Friday.
Acting on a tip off, a team of officials led by District Supply and Consumer Protection officer Durga Moorthi conducted a surprise check at a rice mill in Karumandampalayam village near Kodumudi.
The team found the mill being used to produce adulterants for tea and coffee.
“We found large quantities of tamarind seed powder, saw dust, soda ash, and chemical colouring agents in the mill. These materials were blended and processed at the mill to produce adulterants for tea and coffee,” Ms. Durga toldThe Hinduover phone.
Officials seized 26 bags of tea and coffee adulterants and a little over 270 bags of raw materials including tamarind seed powder, saw dust and colouring agents used for producing the adulterants.
“The owner of the unit went underground. He had taken the rice mill for rent stating that he was going to manufacture footwear polishing materials. What we found inside the mill are tea and coffee adulterants. These substances are harmful to human health,” said District Revenue Officer S. Ganesh after inspecting the unit.
Mr. Ganesh said that the district administration had not given any licence or approval for the functioning of the unit.
“It has been functioning illegally,” he said.
An investigation is on to find out those who were buying adulterants from the unit.
“The process of adulteration is not being carried out at the unit. It seems to be done in different places. So we are going to find out the customers of the unit,” Mr. Ganesh said.
Officials said they would register a complaint against the owner of the unit with Kodumudi police and initiate action under the Essential Commodities Act.
They are mixed with tea, coffee
Probe on to find out customers
போலி டீத்தூள் தயாரித்த ஆலைக்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல்
மொடக்குறிச்சி, மார்ச் 30:
மொடக்குறிச்சி அருகே கருமாண்டாம்பாளையத்தில் போலி டீத் தூள் தயாரித்த ஆலைக்கு அதிகாரிகள் அதிரடியாக சீல் வைத்தனர்.
ஈரோடு
மாவட்டம் மொடக்குறிச்சி அடுத்த நடுப்பாளையம் வடுகனூரைச் சேர்ந்தவர்
தனவேல் (40). இவருக்கு சொந்தமான வெங்கடேஸ்வரா அரிசி ஆலை,
கருமாண்டாம்பாளையம் அருகில் உள்ளது. கடந்த 2 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு,
விருதுநகர் மாவட்டத்தைச் சேர்ந்த காமராஜ் என்பவருக்கு அரிசி ஆலையை லீசுக்கு
கொடுத்துள்ளார்.
ஆலையை காமராஜ் நடத்தி
வந்த நிலையில் சில மாதமாக பூட்டிக் கிடந்துள்ளது. இந்த நிலையில் கடந்த
ஜனவரி மாதம் முதல் அரிசி ஆலைக்கு மூட்டை மூட்டையாக லாரிகளில் லோடு
வந்திறங்குவதும் ஏற்றிச் செல்வதுமாக இருந்துள்ளது. சந்தேகம் அடைந்த
பொதுமக்கள் விசாரித்தபோது போலி டீத்தூள் தயாரிப்பதாக தகவல் அம்பலமானது. இது
குறித்து மாவட்ட நிர்வாகத்துக்கு பொதுமக்கள் தகவல் அளித்தனர்.
இதனைத்
தொடர்ந்து மாவட்ட வருவாய் அலுவலர் கணேஷ், மாவட்ட வழங்கல் அலுவலர்
துர்காதேவி, ஈரோடு தாசில்தார் சுசீலா, விஏஓ சபாபதி ஆகியோர் நேற்று மதியம்
அந்த அரிசி ஆலைக்கு சென்று திடீரென சென்றனர். கொடுமுடி இன்ஸ்பெக்டர்
சண்முகம், மலையம்பாளையம் இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் சிவகுமார் தலைமையில் போலீசாரும்
விரைந்து வந்தனர். அப்போது ஆலையில் யாருமே இல்லை.
அதிகாரிகள்
சோதனை நடத்தியதில் அங்கு போலி டீத்தூள் தயாரித்து வந்தது தெரியவந்தது. தலா
50 கிலோ எடை கொண்ட 24 போலி டீத்தூள் மூட்டைகள் விற்பனைக்கு தயாராக
இருந்தது.
மேலும் போலி டீத்தூள் தயாரிக்க
பயன்படுத்துவதற்காக வைத்திருந்த அரப்பு தூள், மரத்தூள், சலவை சோடா, வெனைசட் என்ற ரசாயன பொருள் தலா 50 கிலோ கொண்ட 256 மூட்டைகள் பதுக்கி
வைக்கப்பட்டு இருந்தன. அனைத்தையும் அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.
போலி
டீத்தூள் தயாரிக்க அரிசி ஆலையின் அரவை இயந்திரம், களம் உள்ளிட்டவற்றை
பயன்படுத்தியுள்ளனர். பின்னர் போலி டீத்தூள் தயாரிக்கும் பணி நடந்த அரிசி
ஆலைக்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல் வைத்தனர்.
விஏஓ
சபாபதி புகாரின்பேரில் மலையம்பாளையம் போலீசார் வழக்குப்பதிவு செய்து
விசாரணை மேற்கொண்டனர். அரப்புத்தூள், மரத்தூள் உள்ளிட்டவற்றை அரைத்து
வைத்திருந்த கலவை தூள், பார்க்க அசல் டீத்தூள் போலவே தோற்றமளித்தது.
ஒரு
மடங்கு தரம் குறைந்த ஒரிஜினல் டீத்தூளுடன் பல மடங்கு இந்த தூளை கலப்படம்
செய்து டீத்தூள் என மாநிலம் முழுவதும் விற்பனை செய்து வந்தது
தெரியவந்துள்ளது.
கலப்பட டீத்தூள் எந்த
இடத்தில் தயாரித்து பேக்கிங் செய்யப்படுகிறது என்பது குறித்து போலீசார்
தீவிர விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர். தலைமறைவாக இருக்கும் காமராஜை போலீசார்
தேடி வருகின்றனர்.
ஈரோடு மாவட்டம்
மொடக்குறிச்சி அருகே கருமாண்டாம்பாளையத்தில் போலி டீத்தூள் தயாரிக்கும் ஆலை
கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. மாவட்ட வருவாய் அலுவலர் கணேஷ், மாவட்ட வழங்கல்
அலுவலர் துர்காதேவி ஆகியோர் திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தி ஆலைக்கு சீல் வைத்தனர்.
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FSSAI reconstitutes nutraceutical panel; Anantha Narayana member again
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country's apex food regulator, has reconstituted its scientific panel for functional foods, nutraceuticals, dietetic products and other similar products. This is the third reshuffle of the panel set up to provide scientific opinions to the authority. This will be the third term on the panel for D B Anantha Narayana, expert member, Indian Pharmacopeia Commission.
The panel also comprises V Prakash, former director, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), distinguished scientist, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and director, JSS Technical Institution Campus, JSS Centre for Management Studies (JSSCMS), Mysore; K Madhavan Nair, scientist, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad; Anuja Agarwal, head, dietician, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS); Premendra Dhar Dwivedi, principal scientist, Food Toxicology Division, Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow; Kumar Bhatia, chief consultant, post-harvest management and marketing, ministry of agriculture and cooperation; Bikash Chandra Ghosh, principal scientist, Dairy Technology Section, National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Bengaluru; Partha, Roy, assistant professor, department of biotechnology, IIT Roorkee; A G Appu Rao, CSIR scientist emeritus, University of Mysore; S Venkata Rao, former area coordinator and head, department of nutrition and food safety, CFTRI, and Sandhya Kulshreshtha, consultant, directorate general of health, New Delhi.
The panel also comprises V Prakash, former director, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), distinguished scientist, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and director, JSS Technical Institution Campus, JSS Centre for Management Studies (JSSCMS), Mysore; K Madhavan Nair, scientist, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad; Anuja Agarwal, head, dietician, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS); Premendra Dhar Dwivedi, principal scientist, Food Toxicology Division, Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow; Kumar Bhatia, chief consultant, post-harvest management and marketing, ministry of agriculture and cooperation; Bikash Chandra Ghosh, principal scientist, Dairy Technology Section, National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Bengaluru; Partha, Roy, assistant professor, department of biotechnology, IIT Roorkee; A G Appu Rao, CSIR scientist emeritus, University of Mysore; S Venkata Rao, former area coordinator and head, department of nutrition and food safety, CFTRI, and Sandhya Kulshreshtha, consultant, directorate general of health, New Delhi.
Mar 29, 2013
Blocked in UK, Complan & Horlicks feed on kids’ exam fears here
“Yeh history, geography badi bewafa, raat ko rato kal safaa.”
“Yeh zaalim maths ke formulae, ghar mein yaad rahe exam mein bhule.”These are two ditties from a milk supplement advertisement currently playing on television. Companies marketing products pegged to season have now latched on to the one that holds households in grip around this time of the year: the exam season. What they are counting on is the nervousness and anxiety of intended consumers to sell their wares — based on dodgy “studies.” A Horlicks commercial on these lines, ‘Taller, Stronger, Sharper’, which has been running on Indian television for years, incidentally had to be withdrawn in the UK after the advertising standards authority objected.After raising the bogey of history, geography and maths, an advertisement has a voice-over asking parents: “Do your children forget things they learn for their exams?” The reason, it says, “could be incomplete nutrition”. To fill the gap, the advertisement adds, what is needed is “Complan memory”. “Make your children drink it at least twice a day. It has five brain chargers that will charge your children’s brain and improve their ability to retain what they learn.”“It is such a crafty move,” says Bejon Mishra, former member of the Food Safety Authority of India and the founder of non-profit organisation Healthyyou. “You sell your product playing on your target audiences’ insecurities and anxities and instill a sense of guilt.”Heinz India, the company that owns the Complan brand, did not respond to phone calls and email sent by The Indian Express.However, Complan isn’t the only one playing on the fear of exams. With a tagline ‘Exams ka bhoot bhagao’, a Horlicks ad features “ghosts” reminding children of exams. The voice in the background directs children to drink two cups of Horlicks every day to be “exam ready”. It adds that Horlicks “builds up attention, concentration and makes children stronger by making both the brain and the body ready for exams”.In an email response to The Indian Express, Jayant Singh, Marketing Director, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH), the company that owns the brand Horlicks, said: “The claims on our products are backed by extensive scientific evidence and research. Stringent tests and scientific reviews are conducted on the product prior to it being released commercially.”He further cites a study on micronutrient fortified beverage conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition that works under the Indian Council of Medical Research. According to him, the study was reviewed and approved by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.Misra challenges the validity of such studies. “There are several issues. One, any fortified nutrient will have benefits over non-fortified food, so to say a product is better than others is stating half truth. Secondly, such studies are not representative and are commissioned on a small, closed set of subjects. Their results, therefore, cannot be universal.”While he was a member of the Food Safety Authority of India, Misra says, he had suggested that the scientific committee of the authority be reconstituted to include people with a proper scientific background and that all studies on nutritional benefits of products be validated by it.Misra also points out that “Horlicks or Complan will not be allowed to air such ads in any of the developed countires whatever be the basis of their study”.In 2008, the Advertising Standards Authority of the UK had forced Horlicks to withdraw an ad on ‘Taller, Shaper, Stronger’ lines that claimed that a test done on 869 children had shown that the group among them that was fed Horlicks was better at all kinds of activities than the rest.Horlicks’s official defence in the case was that the ad was not meant for the UK market and was aired by mistake. GlaxoSmithKline’s Singh doesn’t deny that the same ad now runs in India. “The ‘Taller, Stronger, Sharper’ claim on Horlicks is restricted to the Indian subcontinent. GSK has not authorised anyone to air this advertisement outside the Indian subcontinent,” he says, arguing that claims in ads are decided by the relevance for their geography.The counterpart of the British authority in India, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), says it has not taken any action against the two brands because there has been no complaint. “There has been no complaint against the ads in question of the two brands,” says Allan Collaco, secretary general of ASCI.Misra, who is a member of the Consumer Complaints Council of the ASCI, says therein lies a loophole. “Consumers rarely file any complaints. Most complaints that come to the ASCI are from rivals, but when rivals are partners in crime, how could there be any complaint?”
“Yeh zaalim maths ke formulae, ghar mein yaad rahe exam mein bhule.”These are two ditties from a milk supplement advertisement currently playing on television. Companies marketing products pegged to season have now latched on to the one that holds households in grip around this time of the year: the exam season. What they are counting on is the nervousness and anxiety of intended consumers to sell their wares — based on dodgy “studies.” A Horlicks commercial on these lines, ‘Taller, Stronger, Sharper’, which has been running on Indian television for years, incidentally had to be withdrawn in the UK after the advertising standards authority objected.After raising the bogey of history, geography and maths, an advertisement has a voice-over asking parents: “Do your children forget things they learn for their exams?” The reason, it says, “could be incomplete nutrition”. To fill the gap, the advertisement adds, what is needed is “Complan memory”. “Make your children drink it at least twice a day. It has five brain chargers that will charge your children’s brain and improve their ability to retain what they learn.”“It is such a crafty move,” says Bejon Mishra, former member of the Food Safety Authority of India and the founder of non-profit organisation Healthyyou. “You sell your product playing on your target audiences’ insecurities and anxities and instill a sense of guilt.”Heinz India, the company that owns the Complan brand, did not respond to phone calls and email sent by The Indian Express.However, Complan isn’t the only one playing on the fear of exams. With a tagline ‘Exams ka bhoot bhagao’, a Horlicks ad features “ghosts” reminding children of exams. The voice in the background directs children to drink two cups of Horlicks every day to be “exam ready”. It adds that Horlicks “builds up attention, concentration and makes children stronger by making both the brain and the body ready for exams”.In an email response to The Indian Express, Jayant Singh, Marketing Director, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH), the company that owns the brand Horlicks, said: “The claims on our products are backed by extensive scientific evidence and research. Stringent tests and scientific reviews are conducted on the product prior to it being released commercially.”He further cites a study on micronutrient fortified beverage conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition that works under the Indian Council of Medical Research. According to him, the study was reviewed and approved by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.Misra challenges the validity of such studies. “There are several issues. One, any fortified nutrient will have benefits over non-fortified food, so to say a product is better than others is stating half truth. Secondly, such studies are not representative and are commissioned on a small, closed set of subjects. Their results, therefore, cannot be universal.”While he was a member of the Food Safety Authority of India, Misra says, he had suggested that the scientific committee of the authority be reconstituted to include people with a proper scientific background and that all studies on nutritional benefits of products be validated by it.Misra also points out that “Horlicks or Complan will not be allowed to air such ads in any of the developed countires whatever be the basis of their study”.In 2008, the Advertising Standards Authority of the UK had forced Horlicks to withdraw an ad on ‘Taller, Shaper, Stronger’ lines that claimed that a test done on 869 children had shown that the group among them that was fed Horlicks was better at all kinds of activities than the rest.Horlicks’s official defence in the case was that the ad was not meant for the UK market and was aired by mistake. GlaxoSmithKline’s Singh doesn’t deny that the same ad now runs in India. “The ‘Taller, Stronger, Sharper’ claim on Horlicks is restricted to the Indian subcontinent. GSK has not authorised anyone to air this advertisement outside the Indian subcontinent,” he says, arguing that claims in ads are decided by the relevance for their geography.The counterpart of the British authority in India, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), says it has not taken any action against the two brands because there has been no complaint. “There has been no complaint against the ads in question of the two brands,” says Allan Collaco, secretary general of ASCI.Misra, who is a member of the Consumer Complaints Council of the ASCI, says therein lies a loophole. “Consumers rarely file any complaints. Most complaints that come to the ASCI are from rivals, but when rivals are partners in crime, how could there be any complaint?”
Alcohol content in wine, beer, whiskey set to be regulated in India
For the first time, India's food regulator FSSAI has finalised draft standards for all categories of alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, whiskey, rum, gin and vodka to set the maximum permissible limits of alcohol in these drinks and thus, mandate safety standards.The draft standards will come up for final discussions at the forthcoming meeting of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the apex food regulator, which plans to notify these by July 1.So far, there was no benchmarking in place for prescribing safe and permissible limits of alcohol in drinks.The new standards will apply to practically all branded alcoholic beverages that are permitted for sale in India as per the current licencing regulations. Sources in the FSSAI said the new draft food standards finalised for alcoholic drinks would prescribe standards for the content of alcohol, grains and water in drinks.“These standards have already been approved by the FSSAI scientific committee and are expected to be taken up at the Authority's forthcoming meeting before their final approval.After approvals, these will be put in the public domain and objections will be invited,” FSSAI officers said.The move has a potential to impact sales of the alcohol industry, a major revenue earner for states, with the total annual sales pegged at over USD 10 billion in the country.The industry is stiffly resisting any move from the food regulator to set standards on alcohol content in branded drinks.The current levels in India allow a maximum of 45.5 per cent alcohol content in distilled spirits such as whisky, rum, gin or vodka, 12 per cent for wine and 8 per cent for beer.While the FSSAI says setting of standards for food products is part of its mandate by law, alcoholic beverage manufacturers say the Authority has no such power and the state governments alone had the legislative competence to govern the manufacture and sale of these products. Citing the existing state laws governing the manufacture and sale of liquor under the Excise Act, the manufacturers of alcoholic drinks under the banner of Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies have moved the Bombay High Court challenging FSSAI's move to set alcohol content standards.Liquor manufacturers have also moved the Jabalpur High Court challenging the inclusion of alcoholic drinks in the definition of food under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which was implemented last year in August. The Act says anything consumed would be considered as food.FSSAI officers maintain they have the requisite powers under the FSSAI Act to set standards for anything consumed by humans as food or drink items and ensure that whatever is consumed is fit for human consumption. “We are simply trying to tell consumers what is fit for their consumption. These standards are directed to safeguard public health,” an FSSAI official said.Developed countries have safety standards for all alcoholic drinks and these are enforced strictly in the interest of public health. The FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 as a statutory body to lay down science- based food safety standards and regulating manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food so as to ensure safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Food licence must for operating liquor shops
Excise department makes it compulsory for liquor shop owners seeking renewal to attach a copy or issuance receipt of food licence, as alcoholic beverages are now included under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
In order to ensure that liquor shops owners in the district are registered with the Food and Drug Administration, the excise department made it mandatory for those seeking new licences or renewal to attach a copy of food licence or its issuance receipt, as alcoholic beverages are now classified under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Time for renewal: A wine shop in Camp. Representation Pic
While the officials from the excise department claimed that circulars to inform shop owners were issued in January itself, a few of the shop owners claimed ignorance about reading or hearing of any such circular.
Taken by surprise
“We were unaware that a food licence is required to run a liquor shop. When we approached the excise department for renewing our licence, its officials asked us to first get a licence from the FDA. This surprised us. The excise officials said renewal will be processed only if we attach a copy of the licence or its issuance receipt along with the application,” Mahesh Punde, owner of Arya Beer Shoppee, said. While there were few who claimed ignorance about the circular, there were others who applied for a food licence from the FDA.
Prior knowledge
Vicky Mulchandani, owner of Khushboo Wines in Karvenagar, said, “I knew about the requirement of food licence for running a liquor shop so I applied for one and got it. I have now applied for the renewal of the liquor licence with the excise department.”
Owner of Antique Wines in Pimple Saudagar said, “We recently came to know about submitting a copy of food licence or the receipt of application why applying for renewal of our liquor licence.”
A senior official from the excise department said the FDA officials had approached the department and requested them to help spread awareness about the importance of having a food licence for running a liquor shop.
“Based on their request, the department informed liquor shop owners in the district about it. We told them to get a food licence before applying for renewal of liquor licence,” the officials said.
When asked whether it was compulsory to have a food licence, a few of the excise officials said it was the FDA’s decision and they were helping it to get liquor shop registered under the FSSA Act.
Officialspeak
FDA Joint Commissioner (Food) Shashikant Kekare said, “Though alcoholic beverages are now included in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, very few liquor shop owners are aware of it and are registering with the FDA. So we approached to the excise department and requested them to spread awareness amongst shop owners. Based on our request, they circulated the information.”
Repeated calls to Superintendent of Excise Department A B Chaskar went unanswered.
Mar 28, 2013
Ice from fast food restaurants dirtier than toilet water
Washington: Ice from fast food restaurants is dirtier than toilet water, a school science project by a 12-year-old found.
Jasmine Roberts collected ice samples from five restaurants in South Florida for her award-winning project-from both self-serve machines inside the restaurant and from drive-thru windows.
She then collected toilet water samples from the same restaurants and tested all of them for bacteria at the University of South Florida.
In several cases, the ice tested positive for E. coli bacteria, which comes from human waste and has been linked to several illness outbreaks across the country, ABC News reported.
"These [bacteria] don`t belong there. It`s not cause for panic, although it is alarming because what she found is nothing new. You`re not more likely to get sick now. But she`s done us a favor by sounding the alarm," Dr. David Katz, medical contributor to `Good Morning America` said.
Both Roberts and Katz said that the ice is likely dirtier because machines aren`t cleaned and people use unwashed hands to scoop ice.
Toilet water is also surprisingly bacteria-free, because it comes from sanitized city water supplies.
Roberts got interested in the project after reading a newspaper article about bacteria in airplane water and decided to do something similar. Plus, she said, all of her friends chew on ice, and it drives her crazy.
To stay in shape, junk fast food, exercise
Weight gain is a result of chemical imbalance in the body and getting the balance right holds the key to a perfect shape.
Weight gain is a result of chemical imbalance in the body and getting the balance right holds the key to a perfect shape.
Research has found automation in job, decreased exercise due to easy transportation has dramatically reduced calorie-burning. This, coupled with consumption of high-calorie food in excess is making us obsese.
To shape up, changing lifestyle is the way. Reduce calorie intake, choose home-cooked food over processed food, cut down on hours spent watching TV or working on PC, maintain a balanced diet of nutrients , learn to manage stress, relax and meditate and last but not the least, exercising an hour daily to get your dream shape. Easy, isn’t it? Start now.
- Tanushree Amrute, std IX–C
In the absence of a healthy mind, a healthy body is useless. A person with a fit body can work long hours and complete multiple tasks in quick time.
‘Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise’.
Indeed, proper rest is essential for physical fitness. A balanced diet and exercise are also equally important. We should avoid junk food because it has excess calories and anything in excess is bad. A glutton can never be healthy.
Happiness comes from the heart and mind. If we are happy we will definitely be in shape. A healthy mind and healthy body keep us happy.
- Anjali Ved, 8–A
Lady Ratanbai and Sir Mathuradas Vissanji Academy
Health is important than wealth. A brisk walk and other exercises are a way to fitness. One should maintain a balanced diet, avoid junk food and sleep well. Many people say one must eat to live rather than live to eat.
These days, fast food joints have cropped up everywhere and the food they serve has excess calories. Excess calories are not good for the heart and health in general. One should realise it is quality, not quantity, that matters.
Going to the gym and aerobics keep muscles and joints in shape.
Yoga helps in weight management and keeps one stress-free. Keeping fit is not an option but a necessity for a happy and healthy life.
- Palak Vesmawala, 8–A
Lady Ratanbai and Sir Mathuradas Vissanji Academy
A healthy mind in a healthy body is my motto. But it requires self-discipline to practice what we preach. An important way of keeping in shape is consuming a healthy and balanced diet and adequate amount of water. We need to look at quality, not quantity, of the food we eat. Say no to junk food as it adds unnecessary calories without nutrition.
Stress contributes to obesity as a stressed man is not able to keep track of how much he eats.
A growing child needs to concentrate on studies. Leisure time should be spent doing yoga, meditation and playing outdoor games. Going to the gym strengthens muscles and bones.
However, excessive obsession is not healthy. One must accept body type and respect it.
“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.”
— Spanish proverb
- Sanaya Shenoy, VIII C, 11,
Lady Ratanbai and Sir Mathuradas Vissanji Academy
Staying in shape is all about making a good diet choice and following it. It is a simple combination of a healthy diet and good exercise. We need to pick up good habits and maintain them.
A brisk walk every day for around 45 minutes takes care of your body. It helps manage stress and reduce weight. Let us stay away from junk food. “We eat to live, not live to eat”.
Let us motivate our family and friends to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Let us take advice/guidance from a fitness instructor. Yes, it would be difficult to start with but once we see the improvement in health, there is no looking back. Let us not forget, health is wealth.
- Shruthi Prasad, VIII-B
Lady Ratanbai and Sir Mathuradas Vissanji Academy
A tired body and a tired mind make a person uneasy, unhealthy and unfit to enjoy the good things of life. Often, we find people irritated and getting hyper and going bla bla bla.
These are symptoms of tiredness of mind and body that require ample rest.
I make sure I get adequate sleep as sleep time is when the body rejuvenates. A good sleep ensures energy to face everyday challenges of life.
- Vashi eshwar Iyer, Father Agnel
Laughing relieves stress.
Of late there have been clubs that call one and all to come out in the open and laugh out loud. This is an exercise which keeps the mind calm and in control.
I have joined a laughter club in my colony which gives me lots of happiness. It is my way of staying in shape.
- Avani, Rawal International School
A fit mind and body are what you need to be a good dancer that I am.
I have been passionate about dancing right since childhood. I used to take part in school programmes and win traditional dance competitions. Later, I leant bharatanatyam.
Without a healthy mind and body one cannot perform this art form that requires energy and mental agility.
To be fit and strong I take good food which is devoid of fat and has iron content. To keep my mind in shape I enjoy the company of nature early morns by jogging and listening to good music.
- prakriti iyer , Sri Ma Vidyalaya
We live to eat, not eat to live. Eating is the most enjoyable part in our daily routine that gives us satisfaction and delights both our stomach and mind. A good diet full of nutrients will give us the energy required to be mentally and physically fit.
Children of today are exposed to junk food early and relish it too. But this deteriorates health and makes one tired, angry and irritable.
Home-made food is the best children can have to keep fit and strong.It is not that they should refrain from hamburgers, pizzas and chips.
They should limit this food and eat it in moderation. Green vegetables , fruits give us a lot of vitamins and keep us healthy.
- Vashi Vinayak Pake, Father Agnel
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