Jun 23, 2013

Trivandrum FSO conducts raids at Hotels


14 eateries asked to close down

52 outlets get improvement notices in two-day action

As many as 14 restaurants in the district were issued improvement notices by the Food Safety officials on Saturday for violation of the 30-point regulations for hygiene stipulated by the Food Safety Department. (These 14 hotels would have to be closed down. Others served improvement notices can function but works should be carried out to raise standards). As many as 18 hotels were shut down on Friday. In the two-day action, 52 hotels were served improvement notices. As many as 12 hotels were fined, total fines amounting to Rs.1.20 lakh.
The hotels that were shut down were Hotel Dhanya, Chakka Bypass; Ali Resturant, Manacaud; Hotel Ajanta, Vazhuthacaud; Hotel Aryas, Vazhuthacaud; Hotel Malabar, Statue; Hotel Chandra, Thirumala; Food&Style, Palayam; Mobeena Bakers, Pettah; Hotel Ameenas, Safa Hotel, and A-one hotel and fastfood (all three at Vattiyoorkavu); Hotel Shine, Mannanthala; Hotel Smart, Kaimanam; and Arun Tiffin Centre, Killippalam.

குட்கா, பான்மசாலாவுக்கு தடை கடைகளில் நாளை முதல் ரெய்டு


ஹோட்டல், இறைச்சிக் கடைகளில் திடீர் சோதனை

தருமபுரியில் உள்ள ஹோட்டல், இறைச்சி கடைகளில் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத் துறை அலுவலர்கள் சனிக்கிழமை திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தினர்.
ஹோட்டல்களில் சுகாதாரமற்ற முறையில் உணவு வழங்குவதாகவும், இறைச்சிக் கடைகளில் உரிய வழிகாட்டுதல்களை பின்பற்றுவதில்லை என்ற புகார்கள் வந்ததைத் தொடர்ந்து அனைத்து இடங்களிலும் சோதனை நடத்த மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் ஆர்.லில்லி உத்தரவிட்டார்.
இதன்படி, தருமபுரி மாவட்ட உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத் துறை மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் பி. தினேஷ், உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் சி. கோபிநாத், ஏ.குமணன் மற்றும் உதவியாளர்கள் அடங்கிய குழுவினர் தருமபுரி நகரில் உள்ள அனைத்து ஹோட்டல்களிலும் சனிக்கிழமை திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தினர்.
உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டப்படி உரிமம் பெற்றுள்ளனரா, பாதுகாக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர் வழங்கப்படுகிறதா, சமையல் கூடங்கள் சுகாதாரமாக பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறதா, பணிபுரியும் ஊழியர்கள் மருத்துவச் சான்று பெற்றுள்ளனரா என்பது குறித்து சோதனை செய்தனர்.
இறைச்சிக் கடைகளில் சுகாதாரமான முறையில் இறைச்சி அறுவை செய்யப்படுகிறதா, கலப்படம் இல்லாமல் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறதா, பழைய இறைச்சிகளை விற்பனை செய்கின்றனரா என்பது குறித்து சோதனை நடத்தினர்.
இதுதொடர்பாக, மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் பி. தினேஷ் கூறியது:
மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் உத்தரவைத் தொடர்ந்து தருமபுரியில் உள்ள அனைத்து ஹோட்டல்கள், உணவகங்களில் சனிக்
கிழமை சோதனை நடத்தியுள்ளோம். இறைச்சிக் கடைகளிலும் சுகாதாரமாக வைத்திருக்க அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளோம். குறைபாடுகள் உள்ள கடைகளுக்கு நோட்டீஸ் அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
இந்த நோட்டீஸ் அளிக்கப்பட்ட கடைகளில் 15 நாள்களுக்குப் பிறகு மீண்டும் சோதனை நடத்தப்படும். அப்போது, குறைகள் நிவர்த்தி செய்யப்படாமல் இருந்தால் அந்த நிறுவனங்கள் மீது உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டத்தின் கீழ் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும். உணவுப் பொருள்களை விற்பனை செய்யும் அனைத்துக் கடைகளும் 4.2.2014-க்குள் உரிமம் பெற்றுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்றார் அவர்.

Dinakaran Article


Vada pav by the wayside to get hygienic - Safe Street Food Project

Mumbai among 15 cities chosen by Centre to kick off national project.
Vendors wearing gloves while serving up plates of pani puri or donning a chef’s hat while stirring spicy bhel may soon be a regular sighting to Mumbai’s street food culture.
Street food is set to become certifiably safer with the central government kicking off their Safe Street Food project across fifteen cities in India including Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmadabad, Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow, Varanasi, Dehradun, Bhubaneshwar, Agartala, Jammu, Trivandrum and Chennai. The project will take off in November this year.
Food Safety and Standard Authority of India’s (FSSAI) that launched the Safe Street Food project plans to use officials from the state Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to narrow down food stalls at Juhu and Girgaon Chowpatty as a part of the pilot project.
Prior to the implementation, a detailed project report has been sought by FSSAI from all states. FDA officials are currently seeking information on 80 food stalls in Juhu and 28 stall in Girgaon about their working practices.
“We are closely studying the cooks to see if they maintain hygiene while cooking. We are also observing how they store food and dispose garbage,” said Kamlesh Sankhe, joint commissioner (food), FDA.
Apart from training the street vendors on handling preparation, storage and presentation of food, the central government has instructed the state and BMC to develop an infrastructure at street food hotspots to make them more tourist-friendly.
“We have repeatedly requested the civic and state authorities to provide sheds as protection from the rain and winds. Toilet facilities, waste disposal and drainage facilities should be provided as well,” said Atul Gupta, treasurer, Girgaon Bhelpuri Khadya Peey Vikreta Industrial Products Co-operative Society Limited.

Article on GM Crops


Curd - Some interesting facts


Jun 22, 2013

Samosas destroyed by the thousands in Goa


While most of the seized samosas will be destroyed according to FDA protocol, samples will be sent for scientific examination to establish contamination.
For representational purpose only.
Here's a shocker for samosa lovers: Thousands of samosas were seized and are set to be destroyed as Goa's Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) found them being made in unhygienic conditions.
The FDA conducted raids in Ponda, 30 km from the state capital, Friday.
FDA officials said that the raids at four manufacturing units yielded nearly 4,000 samosas and several hundred more were seized from sweetmeat shops and eateries, where they had been purchased for retail sale to customers.
"We received complaints that samosas were being manufactured in unhygienic conditions and were being supplied throughout Ponda. We raided four such places and seized thousands of samosas," Food Safety Officer Rajiv Korde said.
While most of the seized samosas, a potato-stuffed fried snack, will be destroyed according to FDA protocol, samples will be sent for scientific examination to establish contamination.
The raids were conducted at Durga Bhatt, Sapna Park, Vithoba Temple and Jai Singh Nagar, all in the Ponda area.
"They manufacture samosas round-the-clock and supply it every hour or two to small restaurants and sweetmeat and savoury stores. In almost all the places we raided, there was rain water leaking from the roof and the conditions were very, very unhygienic," Korde said.
Korde said the four manufacturing units had been issued show-cause notices some months ago, after similar complaints were received, and the units had written back saying they had stopped manufacturing samosas.
"They manufactured three to four thousand samosas everyday," the official said.

Plea to enforce Gutka ban strictly

Hyderabad : State Women Council chairperson Tipuraneni Venkata Ratnam has demanded that the State government enforce Gutka ban strictly.
Speaking at the Sundaraya Kala Nilayam on ‘Gutka Ban in Citizen Society’ on Saturday, where a Round Table Conference was organized by APPA, she said the involvement of police should be increased in the process of Gutka banning.
Sudhakar Rao, Food Safety Commissioner, APPA Director, Srinivas Reddy and others

Epidemics: 18 hotels served closure notice

22nd June 2013 12:16 PM
Food Safety officials served closure notices on 18 hotels during a raid conducted on various hotels in the district, in view of increasing diseases this monsoon.
The hotels were directed to close down as they failed to follow 30 norms put forward by the Food Safety Commissioner.
Food Safety Officer Sivakumar D said that the notices were issued to 59 hotels to improve the hygienic conditions and 10 hotel owners were fined. He also said that the hotels were found alarmingly unhygienic and were asked to close down immediately.
Most of the hotels were found failing to implement public health norms.
The officials also said that raids would continue in a full fledged manner during the coming days.
As many as five special squads were sent to the hotels in various parts of the district.
“Stench from the kitchens were unbearable and waste was piled up inside the kitchen area and the backyard,” the officials said.
A sum of Rs 76,000 was collected as fine from 10 hotels.
Hotel Thaneem, Murinjapalam; Hotel Surya, Medical College Junction; Hotel New Mubarak, Sreekaryam; Cochin Family Restaurant, Murinjapalam; Vasantham Hotel, Medical College; Arathy Hotel, Pazhakutty; Kumar Hotel, Vattapara; Rajeev Fast Food, Karakulam; Hotel Rafi, Balaramapuram; Hotel Jayakrishna, Neyyattinkara; Unnis Hotel, Neyyattinkara; Pranavam Hotel, Neyyattinkara; Thambees Hotel, Neyyattinkara; Hotel Fayas, Kallambalam; Hotel Punartham, Kallambalam; Hotel Venuraj, Attingal; Hotel Al- Raj, Attingal and CSI Medical Mission Hospital Canteen, Kazhakoottam, were the 18 hotels which were asked to close down by the officials.
“Legal notices were also served on these hotels,” the District Food Safety Officer said in a release.

Dinakaran News




Dinamalar


Five hotels in city, 13 in district closed

Five hotels in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation limits were shut down by Food Safety officials on Friday. Thirteen others were ordered to be closed down in Nayyattinkara, Nedumangad and Attingal areas following inspection.
District Food Safety Officer D. Sivakumar said the Food Safety Commissioner had instructed the officials to inspect the conditions in hotels during monsoon, when there was a high possibility of waste water stagnation and prevalence of mosquitoes and flies due to improper disposal of waste.
Inspection
The inspections, carried out by five squads, at 67 eateries in the four regions found 18 hotels guilty of serious violation of the 30-point regulations for hygiene stipulated by the Food Safety Department. Their licence was suspended and orders were issued for immediate shutdown of operations.
These included five hotels in the Corporation limits while the rest were spread across Neyyattinkara, Nedumangadu and Attingal. In all, 59 hotels were served improvement notice, while fines were slapped on 11, the total fines amounting to Rs.76,000.
The hotels that were ordered to be closed down were Hotel Thaneem, Murinjapalam; Hotel Surya, Medical College Junction; Hotel New Mubarak, Sreekariyam; Cochin Family Restaurant, Murinjapalam; Vasantham Hotel, Medical College; Arathy Hotel, Pazhakutti; Kumar Hotel, Vattappara; Rajeev Fast Food, Karakulam; Hotel Rafi, Balaramapuram; Hotel Jayakrishna, Neyyattinkara; Unni’s Hotel, Neyyattinkara; Pranavam Hotel, Neyyattinkara; Thampy’s Hotel, Neyyattinkara; Hotel Fayaz, Kallambalam; Hotel Punartham, Kallambalam; Hotel Venuraj, Attingal; Hotel Al-Raj, Attingal; and the CSI Medical Mission Hospital canteen, Kazhakuttom.
The 11 hotels on which fines were imposed were Hotel Thaneem, Murinjapalam; Hotel New Mubarak, Sreekariyam; Food Palace, Ulloor; Aviram Bakery, Sreekariyam; Indian Coffee House, Medical College; Hotel Rafi, Balaramapuram; Vismaya Hotel, Neyyattinkara; Hotel Indradhanus, Korani; Arathy Hotel, Pazhakutti; K.G. Bakers, Varkala; and Thozhilali Hotel, Pazhakutti.

Dinakaran


உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையும் களத்தில் குதிப்பு : மாநிலம் முழுவதும் குடிநீர் மாதிரி சேகரிப்பு

மத்திய அரசின் பரிந்துரையை அடுத்து, குடிநீர் தர பரிசோதனைக்காக, தமிழகம் முழுவதும், குடிநீர் மாதிரி எடுக்கும் பிரத்யேக பணியில், உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறையும் களத்தில் குதித்துள்ளது.
சென்னையில் உள்ள குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்களில் இருந்து விற்பனைக்கு அனுப்பும் குடிநீர், தரமில்லாதது தொடர்பான வழக்கு, பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் நடந்து வருகிறது. தீர்ப்பாய உத்தரவை அடுத்து, மாசுக் கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம், அனுமதியில்லாத நிறுவனங்களை மூடுதல், மாதிரி எடுத்து பரிசோதித்தல் என, பல கட்ட முயற்சிகளில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகிறது.
சென்னை மட்டுமின்றி, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள, குடிநீர் உற்பத்தி நிறுவனங்களில் குடிநீர் மாதிரிகளை எடுத்து வருகிறது. இவை பரிசோதிக்கப்பட்டு, அடுத்த கட்ட நடவடிக்கைகள் இருக்கும் என, தெரிகிறது.
இந்நிலையில், உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறையும், திடீரென களத்தில் குதித்துள்ளது.
"மாவட்டங்கள் தோறும், குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்களின் மாதிரிகளை பரிசோதித்து அறிக்கை சமர்பிக்க வேண்டும்' என, மத்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை, மாநிலங்களுக்கு அறிவுறுத்தப் பட்டுள்ளது. இதன்படி, உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை, குடிநீர் மாதிரிகளை எடுத்து வருகிறது.
இதுகுறித்து உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது:
மத்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை பரிந்துரைப்படி, மாநிலம் முழுவதும், எல்லா மாவட்டங்களிலும் குடிநீர் மாதிரிகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. நிறுவனத்தின் உற்பத்தி இடம், வெளியேற்றும் பகுதி என, தலா இரண்டு மாதிரிகள் என, இதுவரை, 310 மாதிரிகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.
இன்னும் சில மாவட்டங்களிலும், மாதிரிகள் எடுக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. மாதிரிகள் எடுத்து முடித்து, பரிசோதிக்கப்பட்டு, அதன் முடிவுகள் மத்திய அரசுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்படும். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Jun 21, 2013

Dinakaran News



TNFS Dept. - Salem Dist. News


புகையிலைப் பொருள்களை விற்றால் குற்றவியல் நடவடிக்கை

தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலைப் பொருள்களை விற்பனை செய்தால், குற்றவியல் நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ளப்படும் என்று, சேலம் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் க.மகரபூசணம் எச்சரித்தார்.
தமிழ்நாடு உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத் துறை சார்பில், சேலத்தில் வியாழக்கிழமை நடைபெற்ற விழிப்புணர்வுப் பேரணியில், பான்மசாலா, குட்கா உள்ளிட்ட புகையிலைப் பொருள்களுக்கு அரசு தடை விதித்துள்ளது தொடர்பாக மாணவ, மாணவிகள் விழிப்புணர்வை ஏற்படுத்தினர்.
பேரணியை தொடக்கி வைத்த பின்னர், செய்தியாளர்களிடம் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் மகரபூசணம் கூறியது:
மனிதர்கள் பயன்படுத்தும் புகையிலைப் பொருள்களால் புற்றுநோய் ஏற்படும். இதுகுறித்து பொதுமக்களிடம் விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்தவே இந்தப் பேரணி நடத்தப்படுகிறது. தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருள்களை கடைகளில் விற்பனை செய்யக் கூடாது என உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறை சார்பில் அறிவுரை வழங்கப்படுகிறது. தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருள்களை ஜூன் 22-ஆம் தேதிக்குள் அகற்ற வேண்டும். இந்த உத்தரவை மீறி கடைகளில் புகையிலைப் பொருள்களை விற்பனை செய்பவர்கள் மீது குற்றவியல் நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ளப்படும் என்றார் அவர்.
மாநகராட்சி ஆணையர் மா.அசோகன், மாவட்ட வருவாய் அதிகாரி செல்வராஜ், உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் மருத்துவர் அனுராதா உள்பட பலர் பேரணியில் கலந்து  கொண்டனர்.

TNFS Dept. - Erode Dist. News



TNFS Dept. - Cuddalore Dist. News



Dinakaran News



Panel to monitor ban on gutka

A district-level monitoring committee headed by the Collector has been formed to monitor the implementation of the ban on gutka, pan masala, and other nicotine-based food products.
Officials of police, revenue, education, social welfare, local bodies, commercial tax, transport, and health departments form part of the committee which will have the designated officer of food safety as coordinator and executive officer. The first consultative meeting of the meeting was held on Thursday. Speaking at the meeting, Collector Jayashree Muralidharan said the deadline for shopkeepers to remove all stocks of the banned items will expire on June 22 after which food safety officials will inspect shops. If the banned products were found at the shops they will be seized and destroyed. S. Rajeswari, Superintendent of Police, Abhinav Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (law and order), T. Thiyagarajan, District Revenue Officer, V.P. Thandapani, Corporation Commissioner, and A. Ramakrishnan, Designated Officer (Food Safety), attended the meeting, a release said.

Rally against use of tobacco


To create awareness among the people about the ill-affects of tobacco and to disseminate information about its ban in the district, more than 300 school students took out a rally here on Thursday.
It was organised by the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department. District Collector K. Maharabushanam flagged off the rally at Collectorate.
Students held placards that explained the benefits of quitting tobacco and the ill-effects of passive smoking.
The district administration has recently banned the manufacturing, storing, and selling of gutkha, panmasala, and other food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredient. A District Level Monitoring Committee under the chairmanship of the District Collector was formed for implementing the ban.
Mr. Maharabushanam told reporters here that traders were already instructed not to sell the banned items. “They were given time till June 22 to comply with the law. Thereafter action will be taken,” he added.
District Designated Officer T. Anuradha; Chief Educational Officer R. Eswaran; members from NGOs and students participated. If people came across shops selling the banned items, they can contact 94435-20332 or 0427-2450332.


Dinamalar




Dinathanthi News

Tobacco products seized

The police on Thursday seized banned tobacco products from a godown in Indira Nagar on Thursday. The godown owner, G. Yogesh (29), has been picked up for inquiry.

குட்கா, பான்மசாலா வைத்து இருந்தால் சட்டப்படி நடவடிக்கை கலெக்டர் எச்சரிக்கை

திருச்சி,
குட்கா, பான்மசாலா வைத்து இருந்தால் சட்டப்படி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று கலெக்டர் ஜெயஸ்ரீ முரளிதரன் எச்சரிக்கை விடுத்து உள்ளார்.
குட்கா, பான்மசாலா
குட்கா, பான்மசாலா, புகையிலை மற்றும் நிக்கோடின் ஆகியவற்றை மூலப்பொருட்களாகக் கொண்ட உணவுப்பொருட்கள் தயாரிக்கவோ, இருப்பு வைக்கவோ, விநியோகிக்கவோ, விற்பனை செய்யவோ கூடாது என தமிழக அரசு கடந்த மே மாதம் தடை விதித்து அரசாணை பிறப்பித்து உள்ளது.
கண்காணிப்பு குழு
இந்த ஆணையின்படி திருச்சி மாவட்ட கலெக்டர் தலைமையில் மாவட்ட அளவில் புகையிலை பொருட்கள், குட்கா, பான்மசாலா, புகையிலை மற்றும் நிக்கோடின் ஆகியவற்றை மூலப்பொருட்களாகக் கொண்ட உணவுப் பொருட்களை தயாரித்தல், இருப்பு வைத்தல், விற்பனைக்காக வைத்திருத்தல், விற்பனை செய்தல் ஆகியவற்றை கண்காணிக்க மாவட்ட அளவில் கண்காணிப்புக்குழு அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
 இக்குழுவில் காவல்துறை, வருவாய்த்துறை, கல்வித்துறை, சமூக நலத்துறை, உள்ளாட்சி துறை, (மாநகராட்சி மற்றும் நகராட்சி) வணிகவரித்துறை, போக்குவரத்துத்துறை மற்றும் சுகாதாரத்துறை ஆகியவற்றின் மாவட்ட அளவிலான அலுவலர்கள் உறுப்பினர்களாகவும், மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர்கள் (உணவு பாதுகாப்பு) அவர்கள் ஒருங்கிணைப்பு மற்றும் செயலாக்க அலுவலராக செயல்படுவார்கள்.
சட்டப்படி நடவடிக்கை
இந்த குழுவின் முதல் ஆலோசனைக்கூட்டம் திருச்சி மாவட்ட கலெக்டர் அலுவலகத்தில் நடைபெற்றது. கூட்டத்துக்கு கலெக்டர் ஜெயஸ்ரீ முரளிதரன் தலைமை தாங்கி பேசினார். அப்போது அவர் பேசியதாவது:–
குட்கா, பான்மசாலா, புகையிலை மற்றும் நிக்கோடின் பயன்படுத்துபவர்களுக்கு குறிப்பாக பசியின்மை, மயக்கம், நரம்புத்தளர்ச்சி, மாரடைப்பு ஏற்படுவதோடு புற்றுநோய் அதிகஅளவில் வருவதற்கு வாய்ப்பாக இருக்கின்றது. எனவே. இப்பொருட்களை முற்றிலும் தடைசெய்ய தமிழக அரசு கடந்த மே மாதம் 23ம் தேதி அன்று தடைவிதித்து ஆணை பிறப்பித்துள்ளது. மேலும், இப்பொருட்களை அப்புறப்படுத்துவதற்கு ஒரு மாதகாலம் அவகாசம் கொடுத்துள்ளது. அந்த காலக்கெடு 22.06.2013 (நாளையுடன்) முடிவடைகிறது.
தமிழக அரசால் தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட இப்பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்தல், தயாரித்தல், இருப்பு வைத்தல், விநியோகம் செய்தல் போன்ற செயல்களை கண்காணிப்புகுழு அலுவலர்கள் திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டு இப்பொருட்களை பறிமுதல் செய்து உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை மூலம் அழிக்கப்படுவதோடு, சம்மந்தப்பட்ட நபர் மீது கடுமையான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்.
இவ்வாறு அவர் பேசினார்.
போலீஸ் சூப்பிரண்டு
மாவட்ட போலீஸ் சூப்பிரண்டு ராஜேஸ்வரி, துணை கமிஷனர் அபிநவ்குமார், மாவட்ட வருவாய் அதிகாரி தியாகராஜன், மாநகராட்சி ஆணையர் தண்டபாணி, மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர்(உணவு பாதுகாப்பு) ராமகிருஷ்ணன், உதவி ஆணையர்(கலால்) மீரா பரமேஸ்வரி மற்றும் அதிகாரிகள் கலந்து கொண்டனர்.

Food safety Act goes for a toss

Ludhiana, June 20
Roadside vendors in the city are violating the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with impunity.
Most of the vendors selling golgappas do not wear gloves. They do don't maintain hygiene and cleanliness.
Flies and mosquitoes are seen hovering around the food. Rakesh Kumar, a street food vendor at Model Town, said officials of the health department visited the area at whims.
"All this is happening right under the nose of the health department and the district administration," said Sadhna, a Dugri resident.
"The government should take a serious note of the hygiene at such vends as it poses a threat to the health of the residents," he said.
District health officer Dr Avinash Kumar said the department was doing its best. "Efforts are on to maintain the quality. The department collects food samples on a regular basis," he said.

Health officials destroy substandard food items

Jagraon, June 20
With the aim of preventing water borne diseases during the rainy season, a team of Health Department officials conducted a surprise checks at several shops located in the various parts of the town today. The team members led by Jagraon Civil Hospital senior doctor Harinder Sharma also destroyed the eatables being soled in unhygienic conditions.
The team visited a cold drinks factory in Fili Gate area of the town, where the team members found the cold drinks were kept in highly unhygienic conditions. The team members destroyed the drinks from the factory. Though no action was taken against the owner of the factory and he was let go with the warning. The Health Department officials warned the factory owner to maintain proper hygiene while filling the bottles in the future otherwise an action would be taken against him.
Later on, the team visited Old Sabzi Mandi Road where they found a large number of vendors selling fruits and vegetables in highly unhygienic conditions. The team members destroyed the vegetables and fruits kept in open by the vendors and instructed them not to keep vegetables, fruits and other eatables in open.
Apart from Old Sabzi Mandi Road, the Health Department team also examined shops at Tehsil Road, Raikot Road, Kamal Chowk, Sadan Market and some other areas of the town. The team members primarily focused on shops that were selling sweets, fruits, vegetables and other eatables and wherever the team found eatables kept in unhygienic conditions, it destroyed these eatables.
Civil Hospital Jagraon Senior Medical Officer Dr Balwinder Singh said that raid was conducted for creating awareness to prevent an outbreak of water borne diseases during the ongoing rainy season.
"This drive would continue and regular inspections would be conducted in the area. We would not allow anyone to play with the health of the people. Though this time the team only issued warnings to the shopkeepers who were found selling eatables in unhygienic conditions, next time if any shopkeeper is found selling eatables in unhygienic conditions, a strict action would be taken against him", said Dr Balwinder Singh.
He also appealed the common people to keep their surroundings clean and prepare vegetables and other eatables in hygienic conditions to stay away from various water borne diseases.

Jun 20, 2013

TNFS Dept. - Salem 'Dist. News



Dinakaran News






Strict quality check to ensure export tag for Indian tea

The move comes at a time when Indian tea is facing competition in the world market from Kenyan tea.
The move comes at a time when Indian tea is facing competition in the world market from Kenyan tea.

KOLKATA: Foreign buyers can now rest assured about the quality of Indian tea. Tea Board of India has put in place a system of random testing of teas meant for exports to ensure that only the varieties that comply with the standards set by Food Safety & Standard Authority of India enter global markets.
The measure comes at a time when Indian tea is facing competition in the world market from Kenyan tea.
Talking to ET, MGVK Bhanu, chairman, Tea Board of India, said: "Tea Board has taken firm steps to protect and enhance the image of Indian tea globally, and to ensure that the tea worthy of the tagline 'Indian tea' is exported. This comes on the backdrop of various quality issues that have cropped up in recent years."
In 2012-13, India exported 220.46 million kg of tea at a total consideration of Rs 3,962.92 crore. The country imported 17.88 million kg of tea in FY13.
Tea Board of India has established two councils -- one for north India and the other for the south that will monitor the online tracking system of all exports and imports and ensure that quality norms are enforced. The mechanism has been developed by by NSE.IT, which has also developed the e-auction platform for tea.
Industry officials said foreign buyers sometimes raise concerns about quality. Generally, Tea Board receives complaints from countries like Libya and Iran. Tea Board chairman said that Indian exporters need to be more focussed on quality because foreign buyers are increasingly pushing hard on this issue.
According to the scheme, a permanent exporter or importer will have to log on to a web address designed by NSE.IT two days ahead of the shipment date. In the case of a temporary exporter or importer, the person will have to log in 10 days ahead of the shipment. The system will randomly select the application and an inspection agency will inspect the samples. The inspection agency, which in this case is the Tea Research Association, will take a call on the quality.
"If the tea does not conform to the food safety standards, the exporter or importer will be tagged as 'exporters/importers under warning'. And that sort of a tag is not desirable," said an official of Calcutta Tea Traders Association.
Anshuman Kanoria, chairman, Indian Merchant Tea Exporters, said the new mechanism will help bolster the image of Indian tea in the world market. "However, this year exporters will face difficulty as the Kenyan production is almost up by 50 million kg and the African country is offering tea to the world market at a cheaper price," he said.

Food department destroys eatables in unhygienic condition

RAIPUR: The food and drug administration department collected samples of Amul ghee and gathia from a sweet shop and destroyed over 25kg of mixtures and savouries including samosas that were kept in unhygienic conditions.
A team led by food safety officer Dr Ashwani Dewangan conducted checks on various sweet shops including Khodiyar sweets, Fafadih, Santa sweets, Bilaspur road and Amul outlet, Gokul Super bazar, Pandari.
According to officials, the team collected four packs of 200ml each (Amul ghee) and destroyed some food articles that were exposed to dust and flies. The action was initiated under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
The team directed the shop owners to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in accordance with the norms of the Food Act.

Dirty hostel mess, bad food blamed

As many as 127 students of Kerala University, two wardens and two cooks were taken to hospital following food poisoning late on Tuesday night, shortly after they had dinner at the mess of the Ladies’ Hostel on Kariavattom campus.
According to students, after having food at the mess, many started complaining of stomach ache, nausea and giddiness. They were rushed to the hospital in as many as 30 ambulances by the police, university staff and students. However, after primary medication, all the students are now in a stable condition, except seven, police officials said.
 Some students were admitted to the hospital around 10 pm, while others were rushed in later. Most of them have recovered. The affected students, from the University Hostel, blamed improperly cooked food for the problem. The students said that they had complained to the in-charge of the mess about the poor quality of food while having dinner itself, around 7.30 pm. Within minutes, many developed stomach problems and started vomiting.
 Usage of contaminated water for preparation of food or the entry of some foreign bodies is suspected to have caused the food poisoning.
 The hostel was shifted to a new building only two weeks ago. According to the students, the mess was not being run in hygienic conditions.
 Sreekariyam sub-inspector of police V Rajesh Kumar said  Food Safety Authority officials have collected the samples of food and water. “As the students reported abdominal pain, the reason might be the entry of some foreign body,” he said.
 Meanwhile, the District Medical Officer (DMO), along with other medical officers and food inspectors, inspected the Ladies’ Hostel mess and collected samples of rice, curries, tamarind, cooking oil, cud and drinking water and sent them for analysis to the Food Laboratory. They also said that the unhygienic condition of the kitchen and the low quality of the items used for cooking were the reasons for the food poisoning.
 The police officials said a notice will be sent to the Kerala University regarding the issue and that a detailed inquiry would be conducted into the issue.
 The hostel kitchen, meanwhile, has been sealed by officials

JMC organises hygiene awareness camp

Jammu, June 19: To generate awareness about new Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and to improve the standards of hygiene, quality of food, ahead of Amar Nath pilgrimage, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Wednesday organized camps here at various places.
The camp was organised at Shiv Market, Railway Station Jammu for Food Business operators like Dhaba- Walas, restaurants, shopkeepers, juice shops, meat shops, Rehri and Phari walas dealing with sale of food items.
 Under the leadership of Dr. Vinod Sharma and Food Safety Officer of the concerned area shopkeepers were made aware about the hygienic conditions they have to maintain in their premises.
The eating point owners or rehri walas were directed to get their licenses or registrations from the office of the Health Officer JMC Jammu.
The cook of the eatable points or rehri walas must wear mask, apron, cap, gloves etc. They have to use only portable filter water to the customers.
The JMC officials also impressed the use of two types of covered dustbins i.e. green and blue colour to separate bio-degradable and non bio-degradable garbage.
After the awareness camp the team also visited the market and checked the eating points.
The Food Business operators assured the authorities that the irregularities will be removed within a short span of time.

Eating out: insist on hot food, boiled water

Hoteliers told to follow food safety hygiene standards
The Food Safety officials have issued a public health warning that those eating from restaurants, wayside eateries and canteens should insist on consuming only hot food and boiled drinking water as there could be an increase in water-borne diseases during the monsoon season.
Mandatory standards
All hoteliers and food business operators should ensure that the 30-point mandatory hygiene standards drawn up by the Food Safety wing earlier are being followed without fail. Suspension of licence, issue of closure notice and other criminal prosecution measures will be adopted by the Food Safety wing if food outlets are found to be functioning in violation of the hygiene standards or other specific directives of the Food Safety Officers.
Any complaints of the public regarding the poor hygiene standards of eateries, hostels, canteens or food stalls may be conveyed to the designated Food Safety Officers in districts or the toll-free number of the Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety.
Dial to complain
The phone numbers of District Food Safety Officers are: Thiruvananthapuram (89433 46181); Kollam (89433 46182); Pathanamthitta (89433 46183); Alappuzha (89433 46184); Kottayam (89433 46185); Idukki (89433 46186); Ernakulam (89433 46187); Thrissur (89433 46188); Palakkad (89433 46189); Malappuram (89433 46190); Kozhikode (89433 46191); Wayanad (89433 46192); Kannur (89433 46193), and Kasaragod (89433 46194).The phone numbers of mobile vigilance squads are: Thiruvananthapuram (89433 46195); Ernakulam (89433 46196); Kozhikode (89433 46197).

Coimbatore Corporation to initiate action against eateries encroaching on parking space

Councillors are of the opinion that eateries near Nehru Stadium and V.O.C. Park should not be allowed to occupy parking space. Photo: K. Ananthan
Councillors are of the opinion that eateries near Nehru Stadium and V.O.C. Park should not be allowed to occupy parking space.
The need to regulate roadside eateries in the city came up for discussion at the Coimbatore Corporation Council meeting on Tuesday. The issue was not about the quality of food served at the eateries. But the way they encroached upon the parking space.
The opening salvo was by the North Zone Chairman P. Rajkumar, who said that there was near zero parking space around the Nehru Stadium and near V.O.C. Park because the owners of the eateries spread out stools on roads, eating away parking space.
With the police regulating the parking of vehicles on Nanjappa Road, the city’s residents were left with little choice but to drive to the area around the Stadium to park.
Most of the vendors had 10 to 15 stools each and when spread over they occupied space that could otherwise accommodate two or three cars.
The quality of food they served needed to be verified if it was good, he said and also sought attention on the leftovers the eatery owners dump there. When they shut shop, they dumped food waste in the vicinity. The food so dumped attracted stray dogs.
The area around the Stadium and Park had seen an increase in the dog population and that threatened the elderly to went there for walking and sports persons who used the stadium around dawn.
Mr. Rajkumar wanted the Corporation to regulate the shops in such a way that they did not occupy parking space. A few other Councillors also joined him.
In doing so the Corporation should keep in mind that those who run the eateries were people from the lower strata of society and that their livelihood should not be disturbed, said S. Balan (Ward 62). Whether or not the eateries served quality food was a different issue. But they encroached upon the parking space and they needed to be regulated, said J. Sasirekha (Ward 72).
The issue regarding the roadside eateries comes after the Corporation initiated a few moves to regulate their activities. One was earmarking locations for them. The Corporation with help from the IC Centre for Governance began talking to the eatery owners by conducting a series of meetings to understand their concerns. But those proved to be half-hearted measures.
Even as the Corporation began talking to them, the authorities from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also engaged them to improve the quality of food.
Sources in FSSAI said that the department officers had educated a number of roadside eatery owners on safety practices to be adopted, how to ensure quality in food and what to avoid. The department had given certificates and licences to a few.
But with the Union Government extending to February 2014 the deadline for making registration and license mandatory, the officer were engaged in conducting awareness programmes.
A.L. Raja, a CITU leader associated with the food vendors’ association, said that the allegation against the vendors that they encroached upon parking space was true to an extent because in their bid to attract more customers, each vendor place more stools than his competitor.
In the process, the entire stretch was occupied by stools.
The vendors association, affiliated to the CITU, had taken a few initiatives in the past for self regulation. It would again do so.

IICT to host three-day demonstration on protocol for new CBE detection


The Indian Institute for Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, will host a demonstration on the newly-developed protocol for the detection and quantification of cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) in chocolate formulation from vegetable sources by IICT and PI.
The demonstration, commencing June 24, 2013, will conclude on June 26, 2013. It will be attended by representatives from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and industry.
Atanu Purkayastha, joint secretary, ministry of agriculture, said, “Indigenous natural vegetable fat sources, such as sal, kokum, mango kernel, cheura, mahua and dhupa, can be used as cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) in chocolate formulation at a maximum concentration of five per cent.”
“However, provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 (which preceded the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006) prohibit the use of any vegetable fat other than cocoa butter (CB). European Parliament has permitted the use of five per cent vegetable fats other than CB in chocolate,” he said.
Purkayastha said no protocol was available for the detection and quantification of CBEs in chocolate formulation, hence the Mumbai-based SEA approached the NOVOD Board and FSSAI for the development of such protocol and the amendment of the PFA Act.
“K Chandramouli, chief executive officer, FSSAI, had suggested that a protocol be developed for the detection and quantification of cocoa butter equivalents in chocolate formulation from vegetable sources and its demonstrated to all the directors of central food laboratories for routine analysis by their public analysts,” he said. The task for developing the project was assigned to IICT, Hyderabad.
“Now, R B N Prasad, chief scientist and head, IICT and PI, has informed that they have developed a protocol for detection and quantification of CBEs in chocolate formulation, and would conduct a three-day demonstration of the protocol in their institute,” Purkayastha said, adding that representatives from fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) players like Britannia, ITC, Parle, Cadbury, etc. are likely to attend the demonstration.

SIRD hosts lecture programme on Food safety & Standard


Dinamalar News






Licence of Indian Coffee House outlet in Thiruvananthapuram, suspended

Action came on the heels of a complaint lodged by the parents of a seven-year-old girl, who had a glass of rose milk from the popular outlet and started vomiting soon after.

Food Safety officials suspended the licence of the Indian Coffee House outlet at Spencer Junction here on Tuesday, asking the outlet to down shutters from Wednesday till further notice, following a complaint that stale beverages were being sold there.
According to District Food Safety Officer D. Sivakumar, the action came on the heels of a complaint lodged by the parents of a seven-year-old girl, who had a glass of rose milk from the popular outlet and started vomiting soon after. She had to be taken to a hospital.
An inspection of the outlet revealed that beverages, including rose milk, cold coffee, and juices, were made and preserved in unhygienic conditions, with the kitchen stated to be in an ‘appalling’ condition. Officials have sent a sample of the rose milk for laboratory analysis, and have served a notice on the outlet for temporary suspension of the licence under Section 36 (3A) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, asking the outlet to shut down from Wednesday and to make necessary rectifications. Further operations would be allowed only after another round of inspections.
The officials said the outlet was allowed to remain open on Tuesday after the inspections in order to avoid cooked food from being wasted. They said the issue appeared to be only with the beverages and the manner in which they were made and stored. However, the standard of hygiene in the kitchen was ‘pathetic,’ with the deep freezer in which the beverages were stored being rusted and corroded, the dish-washing corner being dirty, with flies all over. There were no fly-traps, nor was the floor clean.
This is the second outlet of the Indian Coffee House in the city to face such action after the outlet at Thampanoor was closed for nearly two months last year. The situation in that outlet at that time too was ‘appalling,’ according to officials, who pointed out that the proximity of the kitchen to a drainage outside had given ‘unrestricted access’ to rats, flies, and even crows to the kitchen and the food there. The outlet’s licence was cancelled and was allowed to function after it took about 45 days to rectify the shortcomings.

Cyanide traces in bottled drinking water

Sangrur, June 19
Cyanide was detected in a sample of bottled drinking water collected from a manufacturer in Sangrur district.
In light of this, Commissioner, Food Safety, Punjab, has directed designated officer (Food Safety) of Sangrur district to initiate proceeding against the manufacturer in court. The sample of Naina Packaged Drinking Water has been declared unsafe and misbranded under Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA)-2006 by Referral Food Laboratory, Government of India, Ghaziabad. The sample was collected by the Health Department in December 2012 from the premises of Shri Sai Mineral Corporation, Sunam.
The report states there is cyanide in the sample and iron is above the maximum prescribed limits. When contacted, Dr Surinder Singla, District Health Officer (DHO)-cum-Designated Officer (Food Safety), Sangrur, said they would take action against the manufacturer as soon as they received sanction from Commissioner, Food Safety, Punjab.

Over 8,000 held in China for food adulteration

Beijing, Jun 19 (PTI) More than 8,200 suspects have been held in China since a campaign to crack down on food safety crime was launched in January this year amid public uproar over recurring cases of food adulteration.
Police uncovered more than 4,500 cases involving food safety offences and held more than 8,200 suspects on food safety crime since January.
They closed about 6,300 workshops and markets that produced or sold illegal food products, Ministry of Public security said in a statement.
Police confiscated more than 1.50 lakh illegal products, including fake cooking oil, meat, spices and seasonings, health care products, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and illegal additives, the ministry said in a report.
The Ministry said fight against food safety crime remains onerous, as offences in some areas are prone to reoccur.
A series of scandals over baby food adulteration and marketing gutter oil to restaurants have eroded public confidence with majority of Chinese preferring to buy foreign food products for their children.
In 2008, at least six children died and 300,000 others fell ill after consuming milk powder contaminated with melamine.
Recent scandals involving adulterated mutton, lime-preserved eggs processed with copper sulphate and ginger grown with highly toxic pesticide have aggravated public concerns over food safety.

குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களுக்கு முறையான அனுமதி? தமிழகம் முழுவதும் கணக்கெடுப்பு துவக்கம்

தமிழகம் முழுவதும், குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள், முறையான அனுமதி பெற்றுள்ளதா என்பதை கணக்கெடுக்கும் பணியை, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம் துவங்கியுள்ளது.
சென்னையில், குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்களில் இருந்து, விற்பனைக்கு அனுப்பப்படும் குடிநீர், பாதுகாப்பற்றது என, தெரிய வந்ததால், தென்மண்டல தேசிய பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம், தாமாக முன் வந்து, வழக்கு பதிந்து விசாரித்து வருகிறது. சென்னை, காஞ்சிபுரம், திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்டங்களில், அனுமதியின்றி செயல்பட்ட, 92 குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் மூடப்பட்டு உள்ளன. இதில், 85 நிறுவனங்களின் மாதிரிகள் பரிசோதிக்கப்பட்டு, அறிக்கை பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. இதை ஆய்வு செய்த பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம், 51 நிறுவனங்களைத் திறக்கவும், மீதமுள்ள, 41 நிறுவனங்களில், குடிநீர் மாதிரிகளை மீண்டும் பரிசோதிக்கவும் உத்தரவிட்டு உள்ளது. தமிழகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள, குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள், முறையான அனுமதி பெற்றுள்ளதா என, ஆய்வு செய்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கவும், தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தரவிட்டது. இதன்படி, பரிசோதனையில் தேறிய, 51 நிறுவனங்களை மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம் திறந்துவிட்டது. 41 நிறுவனங்களிலும், மாதிரிகள் எடுத்து, பரிசோதனை நடந்து வருகிறது. அடுத்த கட்டமாக, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள, குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் குறித்த கணக்கெடுப்பு துவங்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.
இதுகுறித்து, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது: தமிழகத்தில் செயல்பட்டு வரும் குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் குறித்தும், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., அனுமதி, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அனுமதி பெறாமல் இயங்கும் நிறுவனங்கள் குறித்தும் கணக்கெடுப்பு நடந்து வருகிறது. மாவட்ட பொறியாளர்கள், இரண்டு நாட்களாக ஆய்வில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளனர். 10 நாட்களில் ஆய்வு முடியும். இதுப்பற்றிய அறிக்கை, ஜூலை, 2ம் தேதி தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்படும். இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார். தமிழக குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பாளர் சங்கத்தில், 869 நிறுவனங்கள் பதிவு செய்து உள்ளன. இதுதவிர, குடிசைத் தொழில்போல், எந்த அனுமதியுமின்றி, ஏராளமான நிறுவனங்கள் செயல்பட்டு வருகின்றன. மொத்த குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களின் எண்ணிக்கை, ஆயிரத்தைத் தாண்டும் என, கூறப்படுகிறது.