Food labelling norms squeeze imported beer supplies

New norms push foreign brands to pull back India stocks

New Delhi: Sonia Mahajan, an executive at a real estate firm, is not enjoying eating out these days as her favourite Hoegaarden beer has disappeared from most restaurants and pubs. She may have switched to the German brand Erdinger but hopes her preferred beer brand is available soon. 

The unavailability for the last six months is related to the information that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) wants on packaging of products such as beer. FSSAI, which regulates food safety norms in the country, tightened labelling norms on products, pushing several foreign breweries to withdraw stocks from India. 

According to the new food labelling norms, companies must list on the label all the ingredients used in the product in the form of imprints and not stickers. As a result of the new guideline, many imported foods items, including beers such as Stella Artois, Corona, Paulaner and Victoria Bitter went missing from the market. 

“Hoegaarden is among the favourite imported beers for Indians and the non-availability of some of these brands has put us in spot as the customers feel cheated,” said Rahul Singh, founder and chief executive of The Beer Cafe, a chain of close to 20 bars across cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Mohali. 

A top executive at RJ Corp., which holds distribution and marketing rights for InBev’s brands, including Budweiser, Hoegaarden and Stella, in India said that Hoegaarden and Stella are still unavailable in the market. However, he declined to comment when sales will be resumed. 

The Beer Cafe saw a 15% drop in business in the last three months because of erratic supply of imported beers such as Hoegaarden, Stella and Corona. 

“Business has felt the impact of lack of imported liquor brands being available in the market. We have seen customers turn away from our business since we are not giving them what they like,” said Riyaaz Amlani, chief executive and managing director of Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality, which runs a chain of fine-dining restaurants and coffee houses under the brands Smoke House Grill and Mocha. 

The sporadic supply of premium imported beer brands is driving distributors and sellers like Kaama Impex, Cerana Beverages, Hema Connoisseur Collections and The Beer Cafe, run by BTB Marketing Pvt. Ltd to tie up with breweries in countries such as the UK, Belgium and Germany to supply beer which tastes closer to brands that went missing. 

To keep his customers hooked, Singh has recently introduced a new brand called Witlinger, an ale style beer from UK at his bar chain. Witlinger is being brewed especially for use in India by Anuj Pratap, founder of Kaama Impex, an importer of beer brands such as Sol, Heineken and Magners. 

Beer Cafe will be seen offering two more private labels in the country. It is expected to launch a German wheat beer exclusively created for India market by January and a beer from the Czech Republic by March. 

Amlani, meanwhile, is in talks with local breweries to substitute the imported style beer. The restaurant chain is installing taps of locally brewed beers in its restaurants in Mumbai. 

He added that eventually, supply will drift towards microbreweries to supplement demand for certain brands. He has tied up with Mumbai-based Gateway Brewing Co. to set up tap beer at his Mumbai restaurants. According to industry experts, the imported beer category is growing at about 40% annually. The imported beer market in India is nearly half a million cases of which 40% share of the market is held by Corona and close to 10-20% by Hoegaarden. 

Up until six months ago, Hoegaarden enjoyed a larger market share at 20-30%, according to industry estimates. However, the unavailability of the brand has made consumers switch to other premium beers in the market. For instance, sale of German beer Erdinger in India has increased sixfold in the last six months, claims Amit Agarwal, director, Hema Connoisseur Collections Ltd, importer for Erdinger. The overall beer market in India is pegged at $4 billion of the overall $35 billion liquor market. Currently, India’s liquor market is largely dominated by whisky drinkers but with more and more Indians experimenting with speciality and craft beers, companies are seeing a massive opportunity in this category. 

Pratap of Kaama Impex, who has already invested Rs.4 crore behind the Witlinger brand, is expected to introduce a few more beers by next year. According to Pratap, educated and affluent Indians want to experiment with their beers. While these companies are trying to solve the problem of availability by developing their own labels, the move will help distributors to work with better margins too. “It is a smart entreprenuerial thing to do. 

They will be fully integrated at the backend to meet the demand and they can also maximise their profit margins,” said Vikram Achonta, founder Tulleeho, a provider of beverage education and training services in India. Cerana, an importer and distributor of alcohol beverages, is also introducing its private label under the name of Beera 91, a Belgian beer that will be made available through restaurants and bars such as Beer Cafe, Monkey Bar, TGIF and Pint Room. 

“Beer has today become an all day and all year round beverage and consumers are looking for something which is between the imported beer and domestic beer segment,” said Ankur Jain, director, Cerana Beverages Pvt. Ltd. Jain attributes the new launches to a gap in the market for tasty and affordable beer rather than to the shortage due to regulatory hiccups. Mumbai-based Gateway Brewering Co.’s co-founder Navin Mittal explains that there is a gap in the home-grown private labels that have a more international appeal or are more distinct in flavours. In 2014, 

Mittal with his two other partners started a brewing company that supplies kegs to large bars and pubs in Mumbai and Pune. The company’s brands of beer range from Doppelgänger, a German style wheat Beer to a British Ale—Indian Pale Ale. 

“We realized that there was no good Indian beer available in the market, we were stuck with commercially produced beer,” he said. Mittal, who has been brewing beer at home since 2006, currently supplies kegs to bars such as the Blue Frog and Bonobo in Mumbai. “We will service these markets for the next 2-3 years before we look at other states, as tax structures vary dramatically,” he added. The FSSAI’s stance over labelling norms being followed rigorously by food and beverage importers is unlikely to change. “Rules have to be complied by all companies, it’s as simple as that,” said K. Chandramouli, chairman of FSSAI. 

He added that while there was a lot of noise in the market, companies have begun to comply and follow labelling norms as prescribed by the FSSAI. The norms require importers to spell out ingredients on the packaging at the home country, or the country where the product is being imported from. And this has to be done through imprints and not through stickers. Although multiple bodies have been lobbying for further relaxation in the FSSAI labelling norms as beer companies do not wish to take on the additional cost burden for a relatively small market like India, Chandramouli said: “These laws are not made overnight, they are put in public domain and suggestions are sought.”

HRAWI to meet new CM with seven key issues of hospitality sector

The hospitality sector, which is going through one of its worst ever economic downswings, is hoping for a reversal of trends with the formation of the new Government in Maharashtra. It is expecting the introduction of rational policies and stronger infrastructure creation that will go on to boost the tourism and hospitality industry in the State.
The association has identified seven key issues that it would take up with the chief minister on behalf of the hotel industry. The issues include single window clearance for licenses; eliminating duplication of certificates that need to be taken from Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and local bodies, municipality and municipal corporations; rationalisation of room rates by increasing hotel rooms; developing Swachh Bharat and sewage treatment policies for cities and towns; skill development through the ‘Hunnar Se Rozgar’ programme and apprentice harmonisation; rationalisation of entertainment tax and the capital value tax system.
Talking about the industry’s existing scenario Malkani said, “Currently, all kind of direct and indirect taxes are levied on the hospitality industry. Some of the taxes like (entertainment tax and luxury tax) amount to duplication and some like the new property tax valuation system are irrational. For every four nights a tourist stay in Mumbai the tourist pays one additional night stay in taxes alone. This makes staying in Mumbai prohibitive for tourists and they use the city merely as a transit point instead of as a tourist destination like most other cities in the world.”
Another challenge the industry has been facing is that new laws are not replacing existing ones, but duplicating them. Post introduction of the FSSAI Act, it became obligatory on all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to acquire license under this Act. “But this did not trickle down to the local bodies and Municipalities. FBOs now need licenses from both the Health departments and under the FSSAI Act, which amounts to duplication. While we have been appealing to the Government to provide guidelines to the local bodies on the FSSAI Act, the nature of the problem reemphasises the need for Single window clearance for hotels,” elaborated Malkani.
“The hospitality industry is the highest creator of jobs, is the highest tax generating source, one of the highest foreign exchange earners and one whose growth trajectory can outpace the growth of several other industries put together. With a little bit of vision and support from the Government, this industry can easily increase its contribution to the GDP and play a much bigger role in its progress,” concluded Malkani.

கன்னியாகுமரி ஓட்டல்களில் அதிகாரிகள் கண்துடைப்பு சோதனை சுற்றுலா பயணிகள் குற்றச்சாட்டு

கன்னியாகுமரி, நவ.21:
சர்வதேச சுற்றுலாத்தலமான கன்னியாகுமரியில் நவ.17 முதல் ஜனவரி 20ம் தேதி வரை சீசன் கால மாகும்.
இந்த காலத்தில் நாட்டில் பல்வேறு இடங்களில் இருந்து சபரிமலைக்கு செல்லும் ஐயப்ப பக்தர்கள் ஆயிரக்கணக்கானோர் கன்னியாகுமரிக்கு வருகின்றனர். இங்கு வரும் பக்தர்கள், மற்றும் சுற்றுலா பயணிகள் உணவு அருந்துவதற்காக உயர்ரக ஓட்டல்கள், நடுத் தர ஓட்டல்கள், சாலையோர சிற்றுண்டி கடைகள் என 100க்கும் மேற்பட்ட உணவகங்கள் உள்ளன.
மேலும் சீசன் கடை களும் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள் ளன. கடந்த ஆண்டு சீசன் காலத்தில் வந்த கேரள ஐயப்ப பக்தர்கள் ஒரு ஓட்டலில் உணவருந்திய போது வாந்தி, மயக்கம் ஏற்பட்டு மருத்துவமனை யில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டனர். இது பெரும் பர பரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியது.
இந்த ஆண்டு அதே போன்ற நிலை ஏற்பட்டு விடக்கூடாது என்பதற்காக முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க உத்தரவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதையடுத்து மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் கன்னியாகுமரியில் உள்ள உணவகங்களில் திடீர் சோதனை நடத்துவதாக கூறி கடை ஊழியர்களிடம் விசாரணை நடத்தினர்.
பின்னர் இங்கு எந்த குறைபாடும் இல்லை என கூறி சென்று விட்டனர். என்றாலும், சில கடைகளில் தரமற்ற உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்கப்படுவதாகவும், காலாவதியான உணவு பொருட்கள் மற்றும், விலை, உற்பத்தியாளர் விவரங்கள் அச்சிடப்படாத உணவு பொருட்கள் அதிகளவில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகின்றன. ஆனால் அதிகாரிகள் எதையும் கண்டுகொள்ளாமல் சோதனை என்ற போர்வையில் கண்துடைப்பு நாடகம் ஆடுவதாக சுற்றுலா பயணிகள் குற்றஞ்சாட்டினர்.இங்கு பக்தர்களும், சுற்றுலா பயணிகளும் வருவதால் நடை பாதை கடைகள், உணவகங்களில் விற்பனை செய்யும் உணவு பொருட்கள் பாதுகாப்பானவை என்பதற்கு உத்தரவாதம் அளிக்கும் வகையில் மாவட்ட நிர்வாகம் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

ADVISORY ON IRON FILINGS IN TEA

DINAMALAR NEWS

Sago factories inspected

Following complaints of adulteration, officials inspected sago factories in Namagiripettai and Mullukurichi and samples were taken here on Thursday.

A team led by K. Tamil Selvan, District Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, and food safety officers inspected 19 sago factories in the area. Nine factories were found to be closed while 10 were functioning.

Samples were taken from seven factories while three factories have just started to function. The officials inspected whether sago was prepared after peeling off tapioca skin and any banned chemicals were used during manufacturing. They added that samples would be sent to the laboratory and if found to be adulterated, action would be taken against the owners.

Users find a way around gutka ban

Over a year after the State government decided to ban gutka, sellers and buyers have found a way to defy the ban by finding a loophole in the law. With gutka packets being seized by surveillance officers entrusted with the task of enforcing the ban, separate packets of tobacco and arecanut are being sold. A roadside tea stall owner said gutka consumers buy both packs, mix them and make their own gutka.

The State government banned the sale and manufacture of gutka and paan masala under the regulations of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011.

Sections of the Act specify that anyone who manufactures, sells, stores or distributes products with an adulterant that is injurious to health will be penalised up to Rs. 10 lakh, and those selling products with an adulterant not injurious to health will be slapped with a penalty of Rs. 2 lakh. The person is liable to a jail term of seven years or even a life term if anyone who consumes the product dies.

However, sources in the Health Department pointed out that sale of chewable tobacco is not covered under the law. “People are taking advantage of this loophole and selling the two separately,” an official said.

Sources also pointed out that the former Union Health Minister Harshvardhan had sent out circulars to Chief Ministers of all States to ban chewable tobacco, and if it is implemented, this lacunae in the gutka ban could be taken care of.

Need for comprehensive ban on advertising Gutkha and Pan Masala

With due respect, I wish to draw kind attention of the concerned authority and general public through your esteemed daily, towards increasing incidents of youth suffering with oral health diseases and cancers. This epidemic is the result of rampant use of Tobacco, pan masala and Areca nut (supari) in different forms.

Tobacco industry has been instrumental in spreading the tobacco epidemic globally through aggressive marketing campaigns. It is the only industry that kills its 5.4 million loyal customers every year.

To protect the general populace from harmful effects of tobacco use, the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 was enacted in India. Section 5 of COTPA prohibits all forms of TAPS (Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship). Despite the existence of TAPS ban in India, exposure to tobacco advertising and promotion is still prevalent.

Even pan masala brands marketed as “tobacco-free” contain high levels of nicotine, as revealed by a study commissioned by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, govt. of India. The laboratory analysis of randomly picked pan masala brand samples by the Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI), Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh has revealed that Rajnigandha pan masala contains 2.26 gm of nicotine per 100 gm of pan masala. This was actually more than Goa 1000 Gutkha brand, which was found to have 2.04 gm of nicotine per 100 gm of the product. Manikchand’s Gutkha RMD contained 1.88 gm nicotine per 100 gm of the smokeless product.

Supari (betel nut or areca nut) is a confirmed cancer causing substances and leads to many other diseases. The epidemic of mouth cancer cannot be curtailed without a comprehensive prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and selling these lethal products freely as packaged mouth fresheners.

I sincerely hope that you will use your good offices to prevent premature deaths in our state by strict implementation of section 2.3.4 of Food safety and standards (prohibition and restrictions on sales) regulation 2011 to ban all flavored and packaged smokeless tobacco product across country. Please prohibit the packaged and misleading areca nut preparation in the form of pan Masala, Supari Mix etc.

I hope civic authorities and civilized people will pay heed to my prayer.

Dr. Temjennungsang Longchari

Post Graduate in Health 

Promotion and Tobacco Control (PHFI, Delhi) President

Indian Dental Association (Nagaland State Branch)

Need for urgent rationalisation of FSSA: FIFI

The imported food business in India grew by 27 per cent in FY 2013-14, says Amit Lohani, Convenor Forum of Indian Food Importers, adding that the fastest growing categories in the Indian food industry in the same period were health foods (including healthy oils), snacks and confectionery.

Speaking at a business meet with foreign trade officials and trade spokespersons from several foreign embassies in New Delhi on November 19th, Lohani noted that while the opportunities in India for foreign foods continue to be immense, ambiguities in the regulations laid down by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have been acting as deterrents in the supply mechanism.

“The Food Safety and Standards Act has several loopholes and confusing directives on labelling, which is enabling officials down the chain to harass importers and delay shipments for flawed reasons. On a macro level, some of these unreasonable regulations are impeding the growth of the category itself,” he pointed out.

“For instance, the Act contains guidelines for corned beef, which is banned for import, and not even produced in India. On the other hand, the Act has no guidelines for a product like mayonnaise, which is manufactured in India,” Lohani added, referring to some of the conflicting regulations laid out by FSSAI.

The Food Safety and Standards Act was legislated in 2006 with the intention of bringing the provisions of seven-odd central acts, beginning with the antiquated Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act of 1995, under one comprehensive, contemporary legal umbrella.

Incepted by the previous government, it was welcomed by all as a salutary initiative, but the mood changed once the rules came into effect in 2011. Among the major criticism of the Act is that its rules are based on the list of 355 edible food products recognised by the PFA Act of 1955. However, the Codex Alimentarius, the Bible of food standards prepared jointly and updated continually by the World Health Organisation and the Food & Agriculture Organisation, lists more than 3,500 categories of edible food products.

With a new government at the helm, Lohani however was hopeful that some degree of rationalisation and simplification of the FSSA would come into effect.”The Prime Minister’s Office has shown a positive orientation towards bringing in greater clarity into some of the ambiguities. For instance, import clearances at some ports in India have already been eased, and we are hopeful of further support,” he said.

NDDB organises national seminar on challenges before cooperative dairy industry

Anand, Nov 20: Anand, 19 November 2014: The National Dairy Development Board organised a two-day national seminaron Challenges before the Cooperative Dairy Industry at NDDB, Anand on 17-18November 2014.Senior officers (MDs and QA/Technical Heads) from State Dairy Federations and prominent milk unions/producer companies participated. The seminar provided a platform for meaningful deliberations among the relevant stakeholders i.e. cooperative dairy industry, food safety regulator (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) and NDDB for a better understanding of the regulations and responsibilities/expectations of different stakeholders towards an effective implementation of the act and its regulations. In addition, the deliberations covered other challenges/opportunities for cooperative dairy sector and facilitated development of a roadmap for the sector's sustainable growth.

In his keynote address, T Nanda Kumar, Chairman, NDDB said that the dairy industry in India plays an important role in the development of Indian economy in general and rural economy in particular. He said that the dairy cooperatives have played a significant role in organising and empowering small milk producers while making optimum use of the available resources and scientific knowledge. The growth of cooperative dairy sector has contributed significantly in poverty alleviation, nutritional security, rural employment and women empowerment.

Chairman, NDDB said that NDDB is committed towards supply of good quality and safe milk and milk products by the milk unions to the consumers. T Nanda Kumar said that quality could at times be relative but food safety is absolute. He said that there is a need to understand the nitty-gritty of Food Safety Act and educate all concerned in the cooperative sector.

While addressing the participants, K Chandramouli, Chairperson, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) acknowledged NDDB's contribution in the areas of Food Safety and CODEX matters. He gave a background of Food Safety Act and the enormity of the task ahead to implement the Act. Chandramouli said that implementing the provisions of the Act in the unorganized sector is a real challenge. He informed that the authority is trying to harmonise the standards with that of CODEX.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dilip Rath, Managing Director, NDDB said that the seminar on quality and food safety is part of the on-going initiatives to work with the milk unions and federations to ensure all round efficiency in dairy operations. The overall business environment is changing rapidly, both globally and domestically. The emerging free trade and food regulatory environment is posing a number of challenges to our cooperative dairy sector. At the same time, consumers not only expect adequate availability of dairy products at fair price, but also rightly yearn for their safety and quality.In such a situation cooperative dairy industry is required to put in concerted efforts for improving its operations by adopting modern management approach and making use of newer technologies and techniques.

The topics deliberated during technical sessions: Main elements of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and related Regulations; Compliance to the Food Safety Regulations by dairy industry: Experience sharing - problems and issues with special reference to milk and milk products; Licensing and registration of dairy businesses including requirements on hygiene and sanitary practices; Packaging and labelling of dairy products; Quality Mark - an initiative to enhance consumer confidence in cooperative and allied dairy sector; Possible areas of cooperation between NDDB and dairy cooperatives in the area of food safety and quality; ERP system for dairy cooperatives - Alternatives available; Ration Balancing Programme - Expanding coverage for benefit of farmers; Mapping of villages and dairy infrastructure in the Internet based Dairy Geographical Information

System (iDGIS), use of remote sensing in dairy sector; Upgradation/modernisation of existing processing facilities for improved efficiency; Strengthening of Cooperatives - technological up-gradation, increased women participation and financial inclusion; Internet based platform for semen stations; national platform for e-auction of dairy commodities, possibilities of a national milk grid; Human resource in cooperatives - Future requirements and challenges - Indication of gaps.

Experts call for statutory testing of vegetables

A day after the government declared its intention to crack down on sale of unsafe vegetables in the State, experts have called for realistic measures such as regular statutory sample collection and testing as well as steps to trace vegetables sold in the State to their origin.

An official familiar with the developments on Tuesday said the test results cannot be obtained quick enough to prevent the sale of a particular consignment of vegetables. Sure-fire tests take four to five days. The best way, therefore, to ensure safe vegetables in the State is to go back to their origins and take preventive action with the cooperation of the farmers concerned. Once samples from a consignment are found to be contaminated, it is possible to take the help of the Sales Taxes Department to trace the wholesalers and subsequently the farmers, the official said.

An official at Kerala Agricultural University said the most serious problems lay with a few items of vegetables such as curry, coriander and mint leaves, carrot, cauliflower, green chillies and capsicum. These vegetables are mostly got from the neighbouring States. Among vegetables produced in the State, red amanranthus and vegetable cow pea pose the most serious problems of pesticide contamination.

It is learnt that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSA) has launched collection of statutory samples of vegetables. As a first measure, coriander leaf samples were collected in Kochi last week, FSSA sources said. They said that samples of more vegetables would be collected in the coming days.

Traders in Tamil Nadu and Kochi are guarded in their reaction to the government decision to take stern action against sale of pesticide-contaminated vegetables in the State.

ராணிப்பேட்டை, வாலாஜாவில் கடைகளில் காலாவதியான உணவு பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல்

ராணிப்பேட்டை, நவ. 20:

ராணிப்பேட்டை மற்றும் வாலாஜா பகுதிகளில் காலாவதியான உணவு பொருட்களை மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

ராணிப்பேட்டை மற்றும் வாலாஜா பகுதிகளில் காலாவதியான உணவுப் பொருட்கள், குளிர்பானங்கள், அரசால் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட குட்கா, பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுவதாக மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்களுக்கு ரகசிய தகவல் கிடைத்தது.

இதனையடுத்து மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் டாக்டர் செந்தில்குமார் தலைமையில், வாலாஜா ஒன்றிய உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் ரவிச்சந்திரன், பல்வேறு ஒன்றிய அளவிலான உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் பிரபு, ஜெயராமன், செந்தில், பாஸ்கரன், மணிமாறன், தேவராஜன், கவுரிசுந்தர், ராஜேஷ் உள்ளிட்டடோர் ராணிப்பேட்டை, முத்துக்கடை மற்றும் வாலாஜா பகுதிகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர்.

அப்போது அங்கிருந்த ஓட்டல்கள், பங்க் கடைகள், மளிகைகடைகள், ஸ்வீட் கடைகள், குளிர்பான கடைகள், டீ கடைகள் உள்ளிட்டவற்றில் அதிகாரிகள் சோதனை நடத்தினார்கள். இதில் காலாவதி ஆன உணவுப் பொருட்கள், குளிர்பானங்கள், அரசால் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட சிகரெட், பீடி, குட்கா, பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்களை (மதிப்பு ரூ. 10 அயிரம்) பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது. அதிகாரிகளின் திடீர் சோதனையால் பஜார் பகுதியில் பரபரப்பாக ஏற்பட்டது.

ஒவ்வொரு மாதமும் இதுபோன்ற ஆய்வு மேற்கொள்ளப்படும் என மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் செந்தில்குமார் தெரிவித்தார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Hitch in aravana production

Aravana production at Sabarimala was disrupted from Monday afternoon following shortage of raisins. Sources told The Hindu that the aravana plant was shut down from 3.30 p.m. on Monday owing to shortage of raisins, a key ingredient of the ‘prasadom’ at Sabarimala. Food Safety officials had rejected a truckload of the commodity supplied by a contractor to the TDB a week ago, finding it inferior. However, the shutdown had little impact on aravana distribution as the TDB had a buffer stock of 23 lakh cans.

US FDA warns Indian agri-exporters

Wants exporters to register by Dec 31, failing which it will hold consignments

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has said it will hold the consignments of Indian exporters selling agri-commodities at the US port if they fail to register with the administration by December 31. 

While a number of Indian agri-exporters are already registered with the US FDA, some have been exporting commodities from unregistered processing facilities. 

US imports natural honey, guargum and casein and is significant for Indian agri-exporters due to higher realisations. 

Under Section 102 of the Food Safety Modernization Act, all domestic and foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or store food, food ingredients, pet foods or dietary supplements are required to renew their registration with the FDA every other year. 

US Customs and Border Protection states that beginning 1 January 2015 if a foreign food facility required to register with FDA fails to do so, food from that facility that is being imported or offered for import into the US could be held at the port upon arrival. 

“The re-registration is a regular exercise which the USFDA is following periodically. The registration update is required for exporting quality products from India. It has nothing to do with quality of agri-commodities, though,” said A K Gupta, Director, Agriculture and Processed Foods Exports Development Authority (Apeda). 

The main objective of the registration is to determine the location and source of a potential bioterrorism incident or an outbreak of food-borne illness and quickly notify facilities that may be affected.

Emphasis on use of new technologies at Shimadzu seminar on food safety

Shimadzu Analytical (I) Pvt. Ltd, a company known for analytical and measuring instruments,in association with FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Maharashtra, conducted a seminar on food safety here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the seminar, Uday Wanjari, joint commissioner, FDA, Maharashtra, stated, "We encourage the use of new technologies in the sector of food safety, as it is important for our society."

The seminar, which was conducted as part of a series that started in 2012, saw experts speaking on various issues and trends in food safety. They belonged to sectors such as food processing and food safety. Apart from that, officials from FDA, National Research Centre for Grapes (NRCG) and scientists from different fields of food safety attended the event.

The seminar covered topics like regulatory aspects, analytical challenges and different methods used in the process of checking food safety. It discussed various machines and the sophisticated ideas used by laboratories to test presence of adulterants and chemicals in food.

Speaking on the occasion, K U Methekar, FSO (food safety officer), FDA, observed, "There are many unique peculiarities of FSSA, which allow to follow food safety strictly.”

Other officials from FDA, Maharashtra, explained the regulatory aspects of food safety and how it is being tackled in the country. They also looked at recent changes and developments that have been instrumental in harmonising regulations with international standards.

Further, Dr Kaushik Banerjee, director, NRCG, said, "India is a victim of getting agri products rejected due to pesticides residue presence. This is because of very weak regulations with regard to processed foods that are exported.”

He added, “As per EU data, Indian products are on the hit list of rejections. Fruits and vegetables are most rejected due to chemicals found in consignments. Achieving food safety is a shared responsibility of food analysers, government, food businessmen and consumers."

Meanwhile, Senya Imamichi, managing director, Shimadzu Analytical (I) Pvt. Ltd, said, "Shimadzu is celebrating its 140 years of global presence. We are working in India since 2006 through distributors. The company is a one-stop solution provider for food safety services. The company is an expert in producing sophisticated high-end machines to test food safety.”

He further stated, “Shimadzu always wanted to contribute to science and technology development of India. We are delighted to give enlightening lectures through experts about various technologies and applications."

Shimadzu has also launched a new machine named GCMS-TQ8040 for food testing in the Indian market.

Vegetables from other States to be tested

Tests would be done at the farm from where they are sourced

Vegetables procured from other States may soon be tested for pesticide contamination at the farms from where they are sourced.

At a high-level meeting convened here on Tuesday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy mooted the idea of field tests to ensure the quality of fruits and vegetables imported from other States for sale in Kerala.

He suggested that the results of the tests be made available to the public. Mr. Chandy also proposed a campaign to sensitize farmers and farm workers in the neighbouring States to the hazards of indiscriminate use of pesticides. He said contamination of vegetables and fruits would invite prosecution. The meeting decided to constitute an authority to ensure inter-state coordination for the supply of safe-to-eat vegetables and fruits.

To be headed by the Food Safety Commissioner, the authority would comprise officials of the departments of Health, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Sales Tax, as well as representatives of Kerala Agricultural University and Horticorp. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India would be requested to convene a meeting of health secretaries and food safety commissioners of the southern States to discuss the issue.

State to Police Veggies, Keep Them Pesticide-free

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to ensure that only pesticide-free vegetables are imported into Kerala, the government on Tuesday decided to form an authority headed by the Food Safety Commissioner to co-ordinate activities in this regard with neighbouring states.

Selling pesticide-laden vegetables can attract tough penalties including prosecution, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who convened a high-level meet here on the issue, warned.

The new authority will have as its members top officials from the departments of health, agriculture, animal husbandry and sales tax and the Kerala Agricultural University and the Kerala State Horticultural Products Development Corporation (HORTICORP). The meeting decided to ask the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to convene a meeting of the Food Safety Commissioners and health secretaries of the southern states.

The Food safety Commissionerate is planning to step up inspections for pesticide residues in vegetables, Food Safety Commissioner T V Anupama said. “The Kerala Agricultural University, which tests samples for us at its lab, has agreed to reduce the testing rates. Orders have been issued to Joint Commissioner, Food Safety, to begin collecting statutory samples of vegetables for inspection,” she said.

Joint inspections in the farms in other states where vegetables are grown for the Kerala market are also on the cards. “We have already written to Food Safety Commissioners of other states. We are looking at whether combined inspections can be conducted,” Anupama said, adding that action can be taken against the original source of pesticide-laden vegetables as well as retailers who sell them. 

As part of the initiative, the government will soon convene a meeting of wholesale dealers who purchase vegetables from neighbouring states for sale in Kerala. The meeting also discussed the possibility of conducting inspections in farms in other states.

Kerala to screen incoming vegetables and fruits

With increasing reports of pesticide-laden vegetables and fruits entering the Kerala markets from neighbouring states, a new authority under the Food Safety Commissioner would be set up to ensure that safety standards are met, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Tuesday.

Chandy said this while addressing a high level meeting of ministers and officials after several complaints were lodged concerning Kerala receiving pesticide-laden vegetables and fruits from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

"Strict prosecution measures would be taken against those who indulge in bringing in such types of vegetables and fruits. A new authority with members from various departments would be formed to monitor this," said Chandy.

Every day close to 400 truck-loads of vegetables and fruits reach Kerala from the three neighbouring states.

"It's a common practice being followed by the producers from our neighbouring states to apply pesticides to increase the shelf life of vegetables that are sent to Kerala markets," said Lal Kalpakavadi, chairman of the state-owned Horticorp, the major procurement agency of vegetables in the state, to IANS.

"Scientific studies have also proved that this deadly practice is one of the major causes of the increasing incidence of cancer in our state," said Kalpakavadi adding that Kerala produces less than 40 per cent of its needs.

With the rise in complaints of this nature, leading political parties such as the Congress and the CPI-M have decided to popularise and actively campaign for the setting up of kitchen gardens in every Kerala household.

"We are holding a three-day event later this month in Thiruvananthapuram and at Alappuzha to spread the message and importance of taking up agriculture activities, especially to produce vegetables for our needs. Cancer incidence in our state has gone up and through this we expect to reduce this health hazard," said CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

State Congress president V.M. Sudheeran is also on a state-wide yatra to spread the message of organic farming.

வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியில் ரசாயனம் கலந்தால் கடும் நடவடிக்கை விழிப்புணர்வு கூட்டத்தில் எச்சரிக்கை

பரமத்திவேலூர், நவ.19:

இனிவரும் காலங்களில் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியில் சர்க்கரை(அஸ்கா) மற்றும் ரசாயனம் கலப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டால் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு தரநிர்ணய சட்டம் 2011ன்படி கடுமை யான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படுமென விழிப்புணர்வு கூட்டத்தில் எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டது.

நாமக்கல் மாவட்ட வெல்ல உற்பத்தியாளர்களு க்கான விழிப்புணர்வு கூட் டம் கொளக்காட்டுப்புத்தூரில் நடைபெற்றது. மாவ ட்ட கலெக்டர் தட்சிணாமூர்த்தி உத்தரவின்பேரில், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத்துறை நியமன அலுவலர் தமிழ்ச்செல்வன் தலைமையில் இந்த 2ம் கட்ட ஆய்வுக்கூட்டம் நடந்தது. இக்கூட்டத்தில், சர்க்கரை(அஸ்கா) மற்றும் ரசாயன பொருட்கள் போன்றவற்றை கலக்காமல் தரமான வெல்லத்தை தயாரிக்கும்படி அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டது.

ஏற்கனவே, விழிப்புணர்வு கூட்டம் நடத்தப்பட்டு உற்பத்தி ஆலை கொட்டகைகளில் மாதிரி எடுத்து, பகுப்பாய்விற்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டது. இதன் அறிக்கையில் 25 வெல்ல உணவு மாதிரிகள் தரமற்றது என அறிக்கை பெறப்பட்டு, தரமற்ற வெல் லம் உற்பத்தி செய்த உற்பத்தியாளர்களுக்கு விளக்கம் கேட்டு நோட்டீஸ் அனுப்பப்பட்டது. நோட்டீஸ் பெற்றவர்கள் உடனடியாக விளக் கம் அளிக்கும்படி அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டது. இனிவரும் காலங்களில் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியில் சர்க் கரை(அஸ்கா) மற்றும் ரசாயனம் கலப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டால் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு தரநிர்ணய சட்டம் 2011ன்படி கடுமை யான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டது. இந்த கூட்டத்தில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் சிவசண்முகம், இளங்கோவன், சிவநேசன் உள்ளிட்டோர் பங்கேற்றனர்.

நாமக்கல் மாவட்ட வெல்ல உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் கூட்டம் நேற்று நடைபெற்றது. இதில், பங்கேற்ற உற்பத்தியாளர்கள். உள்படம்: கூட்டத்தில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் தமிழ்ச்செல்வன் பேசினார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

அக்மார்க் முத்திரையிட்ட உணவு பொருட்களை பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும் நுகர்வோருக்கு வலியுறுத்தல்

திருச்சி, நவ. 19:

அக்மார்க் முத்திரையிட்ட உணவு பொருட் களை பயன்படுத்த நுகர்வோருக்கு வேண்டுகோள் விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

உணவு பொருட்களில் கலப்படம் அதிகரித்துள்ளது. இந்த கலப்படத்தால் ஏற்படும் விளைவுகளான புற்றுநோய் மூலை யின் பணி முடக்கம், கண் குரு டாதல், இதயநோய், வாதநோய் மற்றும் கருச்சிதைவு போன்றவற்றிலிருந்து பொதுமக்களை காப்பாற்றி தரமான கலப்படமற்ற வேளாண்மை விளைபொருட்களை வழங்குவதற்காக வேளாண் விளைபொருள் தரம் பிரித்தலும் மற்றும் குறியிடுத லும் சட்டம் 1937ம் ஆண்டு இயற்றப்பட்டது. நுகர்வோர் உபயோகப்படுத்தும் உணவு பண்டங்களுக்கு உத்தரவாதம் கொடுத்து பொதுமக்களின் பணத்துக்கு சமமான பயனுள்ள பொருளை வழங்குவது அக்மார்க் திட்டத்தின் நோக்க மாகும். அக்மார்க் என்பது அக் ரிக் கல்சுரல் மார்க்கிங் என்பதா கும். இந்த திட்டம் மத்திய அர சால் மாநில அரசு, வேளாண்மை விற்பனைத்துறையின் தொழில்நுட்ப உதவியோடு தமிழ்நாட்டில் செயல்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. இந்த திட்டம் சென்னை வேளாண்மை விற்பனை மற்றும் வேளாண் வணிகத்துறை இயக்குநரகத்தின்கீழ் திருச்சி மாவட்டத்தில் செயல்படுத்தப்படுகி றது. திருச்சி மாவட்டத்தில் 2 மாநில அக்மார்க் தரம் பிரிப்பு ஆய்வுக்கூடங்கள் மன்னார்புரத்தில் செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது.

இதுகுறித்து வேளாண் விற்பனை மற்றும் வணிகத்துறை துணை இயக்குனர் சந்திரசேகரன் கூறுகையில், ஆய்வுக்கூடங்களில் விற்பனை மையங்கள் மூலம் உணவு பொருட்கள் அக்மார்க் முறையில் தரம் பிரிக்கப்பட்டு முத்திரை பதிந்த தரச்சான்றுடன் பொதுமக்களுக்கு கிடைக்க பெற்று வருகிறது. அக்மார்க் உணவு பொருட்கள் தரமானது, கலப்படமற்றது.அக்மார்க் தரம் பிரிக்கப்படும் உணவுப்பொருட்களில் எண்ணெய் வகைகள், மசாலாபொடி வகைகள் மற்றும் தேன், கடலை மாவு, கோதுமை மாவு, ரவை, மைதா, ஜவ்வரிசி, கூட்டு பெருங்காயம், எள், புண் ணாக்கு, பதப்படுத்தப்பட்ட தேங்காய்பொடி உள்ளிட்டவை இடம்பெறுவதால் இவற்றில் அக்மார்க் முத்திரையிடப்பட்டுள்ளதா என்று கண்டறிந்து நுகர்வோர் வாங்க வேண்டும் என்றார்.

MRLs have larger impact on tea trade, feels FAO

At a time when the residue level in Indian teas is being debated, the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) Inter-governmental Group on tea has found that, in general, food safety standards might have a deterring effect on trade if exporters fail to comply with regulations.

The implications of MRLs (maximum residue levels) on tea trade were discussed by the Inter-governmental Group at its recent meeting in Indonesia. It is a forum for inter-governmental consultation and exchange on trends in production, consumption, trade and price of tea.

The FAO felt that the MRL standards had a much larger effect on trade than import tariffs, and any cost-related disruption in supply could increase prices, leading to price volatility.

As one of the food safety standards, MRLs set the maximum level of pesticide residue that can be traced in food and food products to ensure food safety.

MRL regulations vary across countries, and there is no international agreement on harmonisation of regulations. The European Union has increased the number of pesticides regulated for tea. The number is now 45.

The FAO study found that China’s export to major European partners decreased significantly after 2000, most likely due to the regulations. The FAO also noted that if the importing country was large enough, prices would rise in that particular import market following the supply-disruption It might also have a negative impact for employment and gender, especially in developing countries.

India recently came under attack from Greenpeace which alleged that Indian teas were laced with banned pesticides.

The Tea Board of India maintains that Indian tea is subject to some of the most stringent standards globally, and 37 Plant Protection Codes (PCC) (chemicals) have been identified as permissible for use in Indian tea growth. MRLs are also in place.

The PPC is a comprehensive document, which lays down the manner in which chemicals are going to be used safely in tea cultivation.

Couple find worms in box of cereal

Couple find worms in box of cereal

Worms in the spoon

Slimy pink worms found in packet that had been bought from a mall in Madiwala

​It was a lazy Sunday morning for Thirukumaran Nagarajan and his wife in their Bommanahalli home. The 30-year-old entrepreneur and IIM graduate woke up late and decided open the new Kellogg's Extra Muesli Crunchy Fruit and Nut that he'd bought two days ago. At around 11:30 am, Thirukumaran's wife served a bowlful of the cereal with warm milk to her husband. However, she shrieked just as he was about to have his first spoonful and told him to stop. 

"We were horrified to find slimy, pink worms in the muesli. It wasn't just one or two -- there were several. Both of us gagged and I ran to check if the milk had gone bad. But it wasn't the milk, so I emptied the contents of the Kellogg's box into a big vessel and began searching for worms," recalled Thirukumaran. 

Though he couldn't spot the worms immediately, Thirukumaran decided to pour hot water into the vessel. As soon as he did so, the wriggling larvae floated to the top, he says. "I was surprised to see that the manufacturing date showed September 12, 2014; and the expiry date was nine months from then. I had bought the box from a mall in Madiwala on Friday, and am now wondering if the rest of the boxes in this batch may also contain worms," the victim said. 

The couple said they were regular consumers of Kellogg's range of breakfast cereals, but this incident has worried them considerably. "Such incidents cannot be ignored, and we want people to know what happened. Big brands have a responsibility towards consumers, and they most certainly cannot take us for granted," Thirukumaran said. 

Revolted by low standards of food processing, he will be shooting off an email to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Chennai, which handles queries and complaints from the southern region of the country. "I have also posted a picture and complaint on the official Kellogg's Chocos India page on Facebook ," he added. 

When BM contacted Kellogg's, they said the consumer had not officially contacted their consumer cell, but they had replied to his FB post asking him to share his contact details. They "regard every consumer query or complaint with utmost importance and look forward to receiving the sample at the earliest". As a responsible organisation, they "address such complaints irrespective of whether they originated in the supply chain or homes."

The A-Z of tetra paks

The A-Z of tetra paks

Did you know that boiling and re-boiling milk on a high flame for an extended period of time affects its nutritional content, particularly the proteins and B group (B1, B2, B12) of vitamins?

These vitamins evaporate as heat increases. A lot of people are unaware of the fact that consumption of fresh milk is always advisable, and just one boil is enough to retain the nutrients of milk. A recent survey conducted by Research Pacific India reveals that 60 per cent mothers are unaware about the nutrition loss in milk due to boiling. Even after the first boil, they continue boiling it for about seven minutes. If you're buying milk from the milkman, the ideal way to consume it is to heat it at 100 degrees Celsius for less than 8 to 10 minutes.

Another great solution is to opt for tetra paks. With rampant adulteration and microbial contamination of milk causing varied health risks, the use of aseptic packaging is a boon for the white revolution. Using either UHT (ultra high temperatures) or HTST (high temperature short time), the milk is heated on a prescribed high temperature for only a few seconds and then cooled down and immediate ly aseptically packed in tetra paks. This not only prevents entry of any microbes but also helps retain the nutritional strength of the packaged product. Once you open the tetra pak, refrigerate it and consume the milk within two to five days.Apart from being environmentally friendly, aseptic packaging increases the shelf life of the product, eases its transportation and also prevents adulteration of any sort.There are many myths surrounding tetra paks. We bust a few elementary ones:

MYTH#1

Tetra pak milk and dairy products have added preservatives: The use of high heat (75 degrees Celsius for 15-20 sec or 138 degrees Celsius for 23 seconds) helps remove all micro-organisms from the milk including bacterial spores. This process, followed by packaging, is conducted in a sterile condition. The packing technique further helps prevent spoilage of the milk. All this together aids preservation and hence no additional preservatives are added.

MYTH#2

Tetra pak products are not nutritious: Heating on a high temperature for a very short time prevents the loss of most nutrients - something that occurs in the conventional method of boiling. Many homemakers repeatedly boil milk for long durations to ensure that all microbes are destroyed but in doing so, there is in turn a loss of all water-soluble vitamins. This is the reason why aseptically packaged milk and milk products have better nutritive value than other forms of bottled milk.

MYTH#3

Tetra pak milk needs boiling: Boiling of tetra pak milk is an unnecessary step that causes loss of many B complex vitamins plus leads to wastage of time and resources. The aseptic packaging involves transferring the UHT treated milk into pre-sterilised packages in a sterile environment, thus there is no risk of contamination and therefore no need to boil the milk before use. You can have it directly or warm it slightly to have it as a hot beverage.

MYTH#4

Tetra pak is not suitable for children: With hygienic packaging of unparalleled quality, tetra pak milk is extremely safe for a child's growth and development. Easy usability, convenient portability, and better nutrient strength - all these factors make it a preferred choice for kids.

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has confirmed that 70 per cent of the milk available in the country is adulterated with detergent, glucose and skim milk powder. Hence, though we consume milk for its protein and calcium which may be retained post boiling too, tetra pak is an ideal option for packaged milk as it eliminates the chances of adulteration due to its absolutely hygienic processing and packaging methods.

(By Pooja Makhija, Consulting Nutritionist & Clinical Dietician)

Youth swoons after consuming bottled drink

Twenty-five-year-old Raja of Santhaiyadiyur swooned after he allegedly consumed ginger beer, a bottled drink from a petty shop in Seidunganallur, on Monday. Based on a complaint by M. Ramasamy, Tahsildar of Srivaikuntam, a team of Food Safety officers arrived at the scene and took the beverage sample for testing. But the youth is said to be safe. He was treated as an out-patient in a hospital, M. Jagadis Chandrabose, District Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Act, said. The bottled drink was not labelled with essential details, including its shelf life. Licence of Nambirajan, the beverage manufacturer, was seized and a 21-day improvement notice was served on him. A colouring agent kept in the production unit at Karungulam was destroyed.

Officials collected raw materials of the beverage from the unit and despatched them for quality testing. Based on sample report from the lab, necessary action would be taken against the manufacturer. Other shops at Seidunganallur were also raided, Dr. Chandrabose added.

Safety under the rays

CHENNAI, NOV 17: 

Ever wondered how the insect got inside the mango seed or the worms in a sealed packet of wheat flour? Well, they were born there. The mother laid eggs on the mango flowers, or on the flour before it was packed.

The food we consume has these unwanted organic matters in lots, not to speak of microbes. This is also why fruits and vegetables rot.

The way to combat this menace is, of course, to kill them. The traditional Indian method has been to sun-dry everything. We even put up beds on the roofs to get rid of the bugs.

However, a more modern way is to irradiate stuff to sterilise them.

Providing irradiation services is good business and the Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT), part of the Department of Atomic Energy, is trying to develop entrepreneurs who would take up this business.

India has 15 such irradiation facilities today–woefully inadequate for a country of its size.

Three of the 15 are owned by BRIT, which operates them on not-for-profit basis. These three are reference plants for high, medium and low dose radiation – high for sterilisation of medicines and syringes, medium for the likes of spices, pet feed and cosmetics and low for onion, potatoes, to prevent them from sprouting.

The other 12 are owned by industries and entrepreneurs. Dr A K Kohli, Chief Executive of BRIT, says that the Board is working towards raising the number to at least 50 by 2020. BRIT also provides radio-active isotopes for industrial applications such as non-destructive testing, testing for leaks in pipes and cracks in columns and radio-medicine. The Board earns Rs. 80 crore a year selling these, again, on not-for-profit basis.

Setting up irradiation facilities for third party use is good business, says Dr Kohli. It seems so, going by the experience of Universal Medicare Ltd, which owns two such facilities in Gujarat. Eight years back, the company set up its first unit of a capacity of 1,000 KCi (kilo curies, which is a measure of radiation) at a cost of Rs. 6 crore. “Twenty-five per cent for our own use, and 75 per cent for outsiders,” says Jagdish Patel, Managing Director of Universal Medicare. Today, the business fetches profits of Rs. 5-6 crore a year, Patel told Business Line. Two months ago, Patel started his second unit, in Gujarat.

Radio-active substances ‘decay’, or lose their power, about 1 per cent a month. So these units will have to keep adding ‘pencils’ (in which form isotopes such as Cobalt 60 or Iridium 192 are supplied). It costs Rs. 65 lakh for 100 KCi.

In future, food safety requirements will make irradiation mandatory, observes Dr Kohli. Exports of foods to the developed countries will surely require irradiation and the mangoes that go to the US first pass through the rays. Irradiation also enhances shelf-life of foods, so farmers can store them till they get better prices. “You can process 20 tonnes of onions per hour and it will cost 20 paise per kg,” Dr Kohli said.

குடிதண்ணீர் பாட்டிலில் எட்டுக்கால் பூச்சி நாகர்கோவிலில் திருமண வீட்டில் அதிர்ச்சி

நாகர்கோவில், நவ.18:

நாகர்கோவிலில் மூடிய தண்ணீர் பாட்டிலில் எட்டுக்கால் பூச்சி கிடந்ததால் திருமண வீட்டினர் அதிர்ச்சியடைந்தனர்.

திருமணம் உள்ளிட்ட விசேஷ நிகழ்ச்சிகளில் தற்போது உணவுகள் தாயாரி ப்பை விட மெஸ்களில் ஆர்டர் செய்து சப்ளையர்கள் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள கல்லூரி மாணவர்கள் மூலம் பரிமாறுவது வாடிக்கையாகிவிட்டது. இதில் சிறிய பாட்டில்களில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இதே போல் நாகர்கோவில் வடசேரி பகுதியில் உள்ள திருமண வீட்டில் விருந்து பரிமாறப்பட்டது. இதில் நாகர்கோவிலை சேர்ந்த நிறுவனத்தின் 300 மில்லி அளவு கொண்ட குடிநீர் பாட்டில் கள் வழங்கப்பட்டன.

இதில் ஒரு தண்ணீர் பாட்டிலில் எட்டுக்கால் பூச்சி ஒன்று இறந்து கிடந்தது. இதனால் பாட்டில் வைக்கப்பட்ட உறவினர் அதிர்ச்சி யில் கத்தியுள்ளார். இதில் அவர் நீண்ட நாட்களாக மன வருத்தத் தில் இருந்துவிட்டு அப்போது தான் திருமணத்திற்கு வந்திருந்தாராம். பின்னர் அவரை சமாதானப்படுத்திய திருமண வீட்டினர். இதுகுறித்து தங்களது வழக்கறிஞர் மூலம் சம்மந்தப்பட்ட நிறுவனத்தின் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வலியுறுத்தி வழக்கு தொடர உள்ளனர்.

இதுகுறித்து வழக்கறிஞர் சுரேஷ் பாபு கூறுகையில், சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட தண்ணீர் என நம்பித் தான் இதனை வாங்கி அருந்துகின்றோம். ஆனால் இந்த தண்ணீரிலும் சுத்தமின்றி காணப் படுவது அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.

இதே நிறுவனத்தின் 20 லிட்டர் தண்ணீர் கேன்களையும் வாங்கி பயன்படுத்தி வருகிறோம். தற்போதைய சம்பவத்திற்கு பின்னர் இந்த தண்ணீரை குடிக்க அருவருப்பும், தயக்கமும் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. பெரும் பாலும் பாக்கெட் மற்றும் பாட்டில் தண்ணீர் கள் சுத்தமின்றி வருவதால் தண்ணீரை கொதிக்க வைத்து குடிப்பதே நல்லது. மேற்கண்ட தண்ணீர் நிறுவனம் மீது நீதிமன்றம் மூலம் நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ளப்படும். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

ஆலம் கலந்த தண்ணீர்

கன்னியாகுமரி பகுதியில் உள்ள பாட்டில் மற்றும் பாக்கெட் தண்ணீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனம் தண்ணீரில் ஆலம் என்கிற ரசாயனத்தை கலக்கிறது. இதனை கலந்த உடன் கலங்கிய தண்ணீர் தெளிவாகிவிடும். பின்னர் அதனை சரியாக சுத்தம் செய்யாத கேன்களிலும், பாக்கெட்டுகளிலும் அடைத்து விற்பனை செய்வதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.

* 20 லிட்டர் கேன்களை 50 தடவை மட்டுமே பயன்படுத்தலாம் என மாசுக்கட்டுபாடு அதிகாரி ஒருவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். ஆனால் தற்போது தண்ணீர்கேன்கள் 100க்கும் மேலாக பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டு பொழிவிழந்து, உருவிழந்து மேடு பள்ளங்களுடன் அழுக்கும் பழுப்பும் கலந்த நிறமாக காணப்படுகின்றன.

* பெரும்பாலும் 20 லிட்டர் கேன்களை பணியாளர்கள் மூலம் பெயரளவிற்கு கழுவி விட்டு பின்னர் மீண்டும் தண்ணீரை அடைப்பதால் சுகாதாரம் கேள்விக்குறியாகி உள்ளது. அதிலும் பாக்கெட் வாட்டர் நிலைமை மிகவும் மோசம்.

* உணவு பாதுகாப்புத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் இதுபோன்ற நிறுவனங்களை கண்காணித்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். ஆனால் அவர்கள் எப்போதாவது சில கடைகளில் மட்டும் பெயரள விற்கு நடவடிக்கை எடுத்துவிட்டு பின்னர் கண்டு கொள்ளாமல் விட்டுவிடுவதால் தண்ணீர் மற்றும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு என்பது கேள்விக்குறியாகிவிட்டது.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAKARAN NEWS

பழநி நகரில் அதிகரிக்கும் சாலையோர உணவு கடைகள் சுகாதாரம் கண்காணிக்கப்படுமா?

பழநி, நவ. 17:

சபரிமலை சீசனை முன்னிட்டு பழநி அடிவாரப் பகுதியில் சாலையோர உணவுக் கடைகள் அதிகரித்து வருகின்றன. இங்கு சுகாதாரமற்ற முறையில் உணவுப்பொருட்கள் வழங்கப்படுவ தால், பக்தர்கள் நோயில் சிக்கும் ஆபத்து உள்ளது. எனவே சுகாதாரத்துறை கண்காணிக்க வேண்டு மென பக்தர்கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

கார்த்திகை மாதத்தில் பழநி கோயிலுக்கு ஐயப்ப பக்தர்களின் வருகை அதிகமாக இருக்கும். இவர்களை குறிவைத்து அடிவாரப் பகுதியில் ஏரா ளமான தற்காலிக உணவு கடைகள் மற்றும் பொம் மைக் கடைகள் முளைக்கத் தொடங்கியுள்ளன.

இங்கு வரும் பக்தர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படும் உணவுப் பொருட்கள் பிளாஸ்டிக் தட்டுகளில் பிளாஸ்டிக் பேப்பர் வைத்து வழங்கப்படுகிறது. உணவுப் பொருட்கள் சூடாக இருப்பதால் பேப்பர் உருகி நோய் ஏற்படும் அபாயம் உள்ளது. பிளாஸ்டிக் பேப்பர்களில் உணவு வழங்க தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.

ஆனால் இந்த விதிமுறைகள் இங்கு கண்டுகொள்ளப்படுவதில்லை. பிளாஸ்டிக் பேப்பரிலேயே பிரதானமாக வழங்கப்படுகிறது. மேலும், எச்சில் தட்டுகளை முறையாகக் கழுவாமல் அப்படியே மற்றவர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படுகிறது.

இங்கு வந்து சாப்பிடும் பக்தர்கள் அந்த இடத்திலேயே கை கழுவுகின்றனர். மேலும், எச்சில் இலைகளை அங்கேயே போட்டு விடுகின்றனர். இவற்றை குறி வைத்து அடிவார பகுதி முழுவதும் ஏராளமான ஆடு, மாடு, நாய்கள் சுற்றித்திரிகின்றன. இதனால் போக்குவரத்து பாதிப்பு ஏற்படுகிறது. இட்லி போன்றவை வெண்மையாகவும், இலகுவாகவும் இருக்க வேதிப்பொருட்கள் கலக்கப்படு கின்றன. வடை போன்றவற்றிற்கு தரமற்ற எண்ணெய் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றது.

இதனால் பக்தர்களின் உடல்நலம் கேள்விக்குறியாகி உள்ளது. எனவே, நகராட்சி நிர்வாகம் உணவு பொருட்களின் தரத்தை அடிக்கடி ஆய்வு செய்து உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டுமென பக்தர்கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

இதுகுறித்து பழநி உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் மோகனரங்கத்திடம் கேட்டபோது, �தொடர் ரோந்து பணி மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகிறது. உணவுத்தட்டுகளில் பிளாஸ்டிக் பேப்பர் பயன்படுத்தாமல் இலை பயன்படுத்த அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. உணவுப்பொருட்களில் வேதிப்பொருட்கள் கலந்தால் கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்” என்றார்.

ரசாயனம் கலந்த ஜவ்வரிசிக்கு வெளி மாநிலத்தில் வரவேற்பு: இயற்கை ஜவ்வரிசி உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் கவலை

நாமக்கல்: ரசாயனம் கலந்த ஜவ்வரிசிக்கு, வெளி மாநிலங்களில் வரவேற்பு உள்ளதால், இயற்கை முறையில் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்பட்ட ஜவ்வரிசி, ஆயிரக்கணக்கான மூட்டைகள் தேக்கம் அடைந்துள்ளது. நாமக்கல், சேலம் மாவட்டங்களில் ஏராளமான சேகோ, ஸ்டார்ச் ஆலைகள் இயங்கி வருகிறது.

வடமாநிலத்தில் வரவேற்பு:

இங்கிருந்து ஜவ்வரிசி மற்றும் கிழங்கு மாவு, வட மாநிலங்களுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்படுகிறது. அதன் மூலம் சேமியா, சிப்ஸ் உள்ளிட்ட, 64 வகையான உணவு பொருள் தயார் செய்யப்பட்டு, விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறது. ஈரப்பதமான ஸ்டார்ச் விற்பனை செய்யவும், மற்றும் ரசாயனம் கலந்த ஜவ்வரிசியை உற்பத்தி செய்து விற்பனை செய்யவும் தடை விதிக்க, இயற்கை ஜவ்வரிசி உற்பத்தியாளர் சங்கத்தினர், சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்கு தாக்கல் செய்தனர். இரண்டு மாதத்துக்கு முன், இயற்கை முறையில் உற்பத்தி செய்த ஜவ்வரிசிக்கு, வடமாநிலங்களில் வரவேற்பு கிடைத்தது. அதன் மூலம், வரலாறு காணாத விலை ஏற்றம் பெற்று, 90 கிலோ கொண்ட மூட்டை, 7,335 ரூபாய்க்கு விற்பனை செய்யப்பட்டது. இந்நிலையில், சேலத்தில் உள்ள ஜவ்வரிசி வியாபாரிகள், ரசாயன ஜவ்வரிசியை ஊக்குவிப்பதால், இயற்கையான ஜவ்வரிசியை வாங்க ஆளில்லாத நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

வீழ்ச்சி அடையும்:

இயற்கை ஜவ்வரிசி உற்பத்தியாளர் சங்கத்தினர் கூறியதாவது: ஜவ்வரிசி உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் அரசு அதிகாரிகளுக்கும், அரசு சட்ட திட்டங்களுக்கும் கட்டுப்படுவதா அல்லது வியாபாரிகள் கட்டளைக்கு கட்டுப்பட்டு ரசாயனம் கலந்த ஜவ்வரிசிரி உற்பத்தி செய்வதா என தெரியாமல், 75 சதவீதம் ஆலைகள் இயங்காத நிலையில் உள்ளன. இதனால், அறுவடைக்கு தயாராக உள்ள, பல லட்சக்கணக்கான ஹெக்டர் மரவள்ளிக்கிழங்கை கொள்முதல் செய்ய ஆள் இல்லாத நிலை உருவாகி உள்ளது. இதே நிலை நீடித்தால் மரவள்ளி விலை படுவீழ்ச்சி அடையும் அபாயம் உள்ளது. ஜவ்வரிசி வியாபாரிகள், கொள்முதலை புறக்கணிப்பதாக கூறி, ஆலைகளில் இருந்து, நேரடியாக ரசாயனம் கலந்த வெள்ளை நிற ஜவ்வரிசியை மட்டும் வெளிமாநிலங்களுக்கு அனுப்பியதால், தற்போது மகாராஷ்டிரா, குஜராத், மத்தியபிரதேசம் போன்ற மாநிலங்களில், ரசாயனம் கலந்தாலும், வெண்மை நிற ஜவ்வரிசி கேட்கின்றனர்.

மூட்டைகள் தேக்கம்:

அதனால், இயற்கை முறையில் தயாரித்த பழுப்புநிற ஜவ்வரிசியை வாங்க ஆளில்லாமல், 1,000ம் கணக்கான மூட்டைகள் தேங்கிக் கிடக்கின்றன. தமிழக அரசு உடனடியாக இப்பிரச்னையில் தலையிட்டு, மரவள்ளி விவசாயிகளையும், இயற்கை ஜவ்வரிசி உற்பத்தியாளர்களையும் காப்பாற்ற நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் தெரிவித்தனர்.

Flood-hit items worth Rs 10 lakh seized

SRINAGAR: A team of food safety officers of Drugs and food control organisation headed by Assistant Commissioner Food Safety district Srinagar on a specific information regarding storage of flood hit items inspected Godowns at Bemina and Batmaloo areas of Srinagar city. Huge quantity of flood hit food items which included products of Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd and ITC companies of Rs. 10 lakh were found in these godowns.

The proprietors of these godowns were loading these flood hit items for sending it back to the concerned manufacturing companies. There was every apprehension that the same consignment could have been reused / recycled. These items were kept in safe custody of the Food Business Operators and surety bond was executed from them, so that these items are properly destroyed.

MAALAI MALAR NEWS

JMFC convicts food vendors from TN for unsafe pappadams

The Court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class (JMFC) Ponda, has convicted two food vendors' from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu for selling pappadams declared unsafe and fined them Rs 20,000 and a default of 60 days simple imprisonment.

The duo were convicted for manufacturing and selling pappadams declared 'unsafe' under the Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules/Regulations, 2011.

Food Safety Officer, Rajiv R Korde, of the Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration, Bambolim, had filed a prosecution case against the accused Mohammad Ameen of Limra Traders in Coimbatore and Nizam Umar Farooq of Merces in Tiswadi, for selling the unsafe pappadams at the Goa Shopping Festival at Aguir Grounds, Ponda.

The snack was declared unsafe by the Director of the Referral Laboratory in Mysore, due to presence of non-permitted colour which was above permissible limit of 100 p.p.m.

Duo gets jail for selling ‘unsafe’ pappadams

PONDA: A judicial magistrate first class (JMFC), Ponda, recently convicted two food vendors and sentenced them to undergo simple imprisonment for 60 days and to pay a fine of 20,000, for manufacturing and selling 'pappadams' declared as unsafe for consumption under the Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Rules/Regulations, 2011.

Mohammad Ameen of Limra Traders, Coimbatore, and Nizam Umar Farooq, from Merces, Tiswadi, were found selling 'pappadams' at the Goa Shopping Festival at Ponda during a raid conducted by food safety officers attached to the directorate of food and drugs administration (FDA).

FDA officials collected samples of the 'pappadams', which were tested and declared unsafe for consumption by the director, referral laboratory, Mysore, due to the presence of colour which was above the permissible limit of 100ppm.

Rajiv R Korde, a food safety officer of the FDA, had filed the case against the duo for selling the unsafe 'pappadams'. The court found them guilty, the officials said.

Mah: Water dept, FDA granted authority for employees' transfer

In a move to decentralise power, Maharashtra Government today granted authority to Water Resources Department and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to transfer their officers.

Water resources department has several A and B grade officers and employees, a press release issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' office said. 

In water resources department, authority to transfer executive engineers lay with the Chief Minister. Now, Principal Secretary (water resources) can take the decision. 

Transfer of deputy engineers can be cleared by the chief engineer instead of the Water Resources Minister now. 

Decision to transfer unit engineers, junior engineers, assistant engineers can be taken by the chief engineer in consultation with superintending engineer. 

Earlier, the powers rested with the Minister of State for Water Resources. 

Similarly, transfers of drug inspectors can now be done by the FDA Commissioner. Drug inspectors, scientific officers, food safety officers and administrative officers transfers authority has been given to the commissioner. Earlier, the powers were with the FDA Minister. 

There are 161 posts of drug inspectors, 265 posts of food safety officers. 

Fadnavis expressed hope that decentralisation of transfer policy would yield good results in the long run and bring transparency and expedite administration.

Notices issued to 20 eatery owners

Ludhiana, November 14

Eatery owners are on the radar of the Health Department.

Those, who are yet to apply for licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA)-2006, are being issued notices.

“We have issued notices to 20 owners of sweetmeat shops, food joints and departmental stores. Those, who do not have licences, will not be spared. During raids, we make it a point to check licences and other papers,” said Dr Abnash Kumar, District Health Officer.

He said the notices were issued on the spot. “Owners have been told to apply for licences online within 15 days, failing which challans will be sent to the court for further action.”

Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, food business operators with a turnover of up to Rs 12 lakh have to obtain “registration certificates” while those having a turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh have to obtain “licences” from the state government.

The Centre issues licences to businessmen having a turnover of Rs 20 crore.

It is learnt that in Ludhiana, there are 14,750 registered eateries and 2,150 owners have licences.

Sustaining food security from the streets Mass training of street food vendors on food safety and hygiene

More than 500 street food vendors on Monday joined the consultation and mass training program on food safety and hygiene and vowed to build their capacities towards ensuring sustainability of food security, health and nutrition. A large number of livelihood, health, nutrition and development experts including the representatives of World Health Organization, International Labour Organization, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Delhi Food Safety Department and the municipal executives and health officers of Delhi government also participated in the consultation to emphasize on the critical significance of sustaining food security from streets in a systematic and professionalized way.

The consultation passed a resolution which reads, “Social determinants of health, such as employment and descent work, housing and sanitation, education and social protection, must be addressed adequately while undertaking regulatory programs for the capacity development of working poor like street food vendors. India needs to have a transparent and participatory model of policy development to address the social determinants of health. Once such determinants are addressed, the street entrepreneurs would have the capabilities to build their enterprise and contribute to the sustainability of food security, health and nutrition programs.”

The consultation and training was organized by the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) with support from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the occasion of World Food Day, the foundation day of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Inaugurating the consultation and training, the FSSAI chairperson K. Chandramouli called for multi sectoral synergy for achieving the results in the required areas of food safety, hygiene and health. Mr. Chandramouli said, “The unorganized food operators constitute approximately ninety per cent of the total food business operators of the country and coordinated efforts should be made to protect their rights. We have to ensure administrative sensitivity and responsiveness towards street food vendors as they also have equal stakes in overall mission of food safety and security.” He stressed on the importance of registration and training of street food vendors and said that the food safety department of every state should have simple Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Manual and trained food vendors must adhere to it.

The FSSAI chairperson said that the FSSAI had notified the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations under which food and beverage firms, manufacturers and vendors including companies in the unorganized sector had to be registered and licensed and the regulations had helped street food vendors get legitimacy in several cities. He, however, added, “a lot still have to be done. We admit that the implementation is a huge challenge and multi sectoral synergies are needed to professionalize the street vended foods.”

Mr. Chandramouli said that food and health are very much related to each other. “The taste of food prepared by street food vendors is unbeatable and if it gets accompanied by hygienic practices, then it has no match, even 5 star hotels cannot beat it”, he added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) expert on health promotion, social determinants of health and development Dr. Suvajee Good said that organization like NASVI should strengthen capacity of communities of street food vendors towards getting right to health and access to information. Reiterating the WHO perspective, she said, “The unequal distribution of health damaging experiences is not in any sense a natural phenomenon, but is the result of a toxic combination of poor social policies, unfair economic arrangements and bad politics.” Dr Good said that the street food vendors had a big responsibility of providing hygienic food to all. We have millions of street vendors and each vendor provides food to at least 200 people daily, so there is a huge population whose responsibility is on the food vendors. .

The joint secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Sujaya Krishnan said that the Ministry of Health was committed to address the occupational health issues of large sections of informal workers which also include street vendors. She said that inter ministerial and multi sectoral convergence on health and nutrition security had been the hard pressed need of the country.

Ms Krishnan said, “The whole food chain needs to be understood in order to prevent the diseases. Food vendors should get proper knowledge of better food hygiene practices including knowledge of raw materials. Food handlers should keep proper precautions so that they themselves don’t lead to contamination. The organization must be very sensitive towards this and work regularly in these directions. To do this a lot of awareness building is required. I congratulate NASVI to bring forward the issues of street vendors as a whole. The process of organizing and capacity building should go on.”

The India country director of the ILO Tine Staermose said that the street vendors are an integral part of the economy in India and in other countries. The space is an important part of the livelihood of vendors. She quoted a report that says each weekly market provides daily transaction of twenty lakh rupees.

Earlier in the day, speaking on the perspective and purpose of the consultation and training NASVI national coordinator Arbind Singh said that building commitment among key stakeholders to capacitate and professionalize street food in an era of high marketization, shrinking formal food distribution system and growing concerns for hygiene and health is the need of the hour. He emphasized on organizing the disorganized street food vendors, training them on hygiene and health and providing them legitimate urban space to vend.

Mr. Singh said, “ though late, but in recent years a great churning has begun in India on how to professionalize the age old street foods and tap their potentials in mitigating poverty, creating employment, ensuring food security and health standards, and boosting economy and tourism.” “Though the taste of street foods rules the cities representing multi cultural fabric of traditional and ethnic culinary traditions, but the conditions under which the street food vendors operate are unsuitable for the preparation and selling of foods. The place of preparation is not always clean, well lit and with proper sanitation facilities. This is a major reason behind street food vending considered as important public health issue. These circumstances cause microbial contamination leading to food poisoning and other food and water borne diseases and badly impact not just health of consumers, but also livelihood of street food vendors. Hence, a comprehensive strategy is needed to tackle the issue of safe food”, NASVI coordinator remarked.

Post- consultation, the training of street food vendors progressed in three sessions. The sessions witnessed three groups of street food vendors taking hands on training on health and hygiene as well as tips on how to make and serve delicious, healthy and nutritious foods to the consumers and demonstrating the training to the other participating food vendors. The themes of the training include personal hygiene practices, unit hygiene, water treatment and use, cooking, storing, displaying, wrapping and serving of foods, washing utensils and maintaining equipments, use of towels and knowledge of health hazards and food risks.

Noted food and nutrition expert Professor Salila Thomas presided over the training sessions and interacted with the street food vendors. The sessions were conducted and moderated by NASVI street food program coordinator Shashank Pandey.

Several development experts, health and hygiene officials, municipal executives and rights activists including FSSAI director Dr. Vinod Kotwal and assistant director Dr. Manisha Narayan joined the consultation and training.

A presentation on NASVI Street Food Advocacy Campaign was also made in the program.

NASVI has long been championing the causes of street food vendors. Organizing the food vendors, developing their capacities, advocating their issues with the government authorities and celebrating the street food festivals have been major activities of NASVI in recent years. Currently NASVI is engaging with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health, Government of India, for getting street food vendors registered, developing street food zones and training food vendors on hygiene and health.