Food safety department of HP lacks concern about duties, says state HC

The Himachal Pradesh High Court said that the state food safety department is unconcerned about its duties. In three years’ time, the department collected only 117 samples, and analysed just 65 of them. 

The court stated that despite several complaints of the rampant use of vaccines such as oxytocin in milk, fruit and vegetables, the food safety department was lacking in its approach to deal with the situation. It also observed that the lab to check the presence of such vaccines was ill-equipped.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, passed orders while hearing a petition taken up suo moto by the Court as public interest litigation (PIL) on a report published in a Hindi daily on the misuse of the oxytocin vaccine.

The Court said, “Amicus Curiae Satyen Vaidya submitted that only 11 fruit samples of fruit four vegetable samples, 11 non-vegetarian food samples and 91 milk samples were lifted in the entire state during the last three years, despite the huge paraphernalia of the food safety department and the drug control administration.”

“The concern of the food safety department towards its duties is evident from the fact that 117 samples were collected and only 65 were analysed. The Composite Testing Laboratory (CTL), Kandaghat does not have the facility for detection of oxytocin in food samples,” it added.

The Court said, “It was not specified whether the food samples were sent specifically for detection of oxytocin or not.” 

It also observed that the Amicus Curiae also submitted that the Drug Control Administration had failed to provide data about the steps taken by it to check its abuse and was conspicuously silent about the possibility of drug oxytocin being illegally imported into the state from other parts of the country, and even overseas.

No date was provided to show steps taken by the drug control administration to keep strict vigil and check on the manufacturers and chemists indulging in its sale, barring one seizure in the last three years, when 254 injections of oxytocin for veterinary use were seized.

No prescribed norms

Himachal Pradesh’s health safety and regulations director filed a response in the state High Court to the comments of the Amicus Curiae on the issue of the large-scale use of harmful oxytocin vaccine in milk, fruit and vegetables.

In reply to this, he submitted that the matter, under the present circumstances, pertained more to research rather than the regulations. The state government did not have any mechanism to test the factum of oxytocin in fruit and vegetables, milk and non-vegetarian products injected with the said drug.

The reply added that the government of India had not prescribed any norms, under either the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 or the Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR), 2011, for carrying out tests of oxytocin in foods.

Media reports of the misuse of oxytocin and its harmful effects on human health were not based on any scientific data, and no such ill-effects were reported by the Indian Council on Agricultural Research (ICAR) on the animals on which experiments were carried out.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) had not published a scientific report on the adverse effects of the rapid metabolisation of oxytocin, to undetectable levels, in the liver and kidneys of animals who consume milk containing a high amount of the hormone.

Since the half-life of oxytocin varies between three and 12 minutes, its continued presence in milk, vegetables and fruit is unlikely. 

In humans, oxytocin is not absorbed when taken orally, as the same gets converted into amino acids by peptide digesting enzymes. 

Himachal Pradesh’s health safety and regulations director also submitted that the state regulatory authorities had not received any complaint regarding the illegal import of oxytocin. The Court has directed the Centre to file its reply within six weeks and posted the matter for April 1, 2015.

Health Dept Needs More Teeth to Ensure Food Safety

KOCHI: Even after the full-fledged Food Safety and Standards Act-2006 came into existence, there is no clarity as to which agency should conduct the inspection of the food sold in the State - the Food Safety Department or the Health Department.

Reply to an RTI query submitted on October 16, 2014, shows that the authority to conduct food inspection is vested with the Food Safety Department, not the Health Department.“The lack of clarity in the matter is the primary reason why the Food Safety and Standards Act could not be implemented successfully in Kerala,” says sources in the Health Department.“Call it a paradox. The Health Department, which has around 5,000 staff, carries out all the activities pertaining to food safety, but without any legal backing. Meanwhile, the Food Safety Department, which is legally responsible for such activities, is facing severe staff shortage. The issue could have been easily sorted out if the Health Department officials were given the power to conduct food safety inspections,” they pointed out.

The RTI report says that as per a government circular (66562/RC(3)/2012 LSGD), the role of a Health Inspector is restricted to field inspection. The local bodies issues licence based on the inspection conducted by a Health Inspector. “But, that is a circular, not a law,” said the sources.The RTI report further points out that according to the Food Safety and Standards Act, a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner is mandatory, not the health card issued by the Health Department.

“So, where is the legal backing for the inspections being carried out by the Health Department? Effective checking would be possible only if both the departments go hand-in-hand. In every gramapanchayat, there is one health inspector, and two or more junior health inspectors. Sadly, the government has not been able to utilise their services, and has restricted them to the areas of immunisation, family planning and prevention of non-communicable disease, which do not require strict monitoring,” said the sources.The Health Department has a tendency to follow the Madras Public Health Act-1939 and the Travancore Cochin Public Health Act-1955 quite often. However, reply to another RTI query moved in the Health Department on November 22, 2014, states that Chapter-XII (from Section-114 to 121) that deals with food control, and sections of Madras Public Health Act that gives the Health Department power to tackle food safety issues, had been annulled with the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Directorate of Health Services Director Dr P K Jameela said that the Health Department had the power to intervene everything that has something to do with the well-being of the people. “Both the departments have to go hand-in-hand to make the process successful. Besides, a Unified Public Health Act can settle this issue to a great extent,” she added.

SLAUGHTERHOUSES, MEAT SHOPS TO TAKE LICENCE FROM BOTH CENTRE, CIVIC BODY

Slaughterhouses and meat shops in the country will have to have mandatory licences both from the civic bodies and the Central Government. The country’s top Food regulator, Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has issued notices to food safety commissioners and secretaries of urban local bodies across the country in this regard. It has also asked the officials that proper infrastructure and hygiene were maintained in such shops and slaughterhouses.

Asking the food commissioners and secretaries of urban local bodies to ensure compliance with the legal provisions as well as animal welfare measures, the apex body has called for a clear action plan. “It may kindly be ensured that no abattoir or slaughter house operates without a valid licence or registration,” the direction says.

As per the norms under the Food Safety (License and Registration of Food Business) Regulations 2011, all slaughterhouses are required to be licensed and registered with the FSSAI, an autonomous body under the Union Health Ministry.

The FSSAI has also proposed installing CCTV at all strategic positions in the slaughterhouse, which would be an effective deterrent as far as hygiene and ‘stunning’ norms are concerned.

The notice also comes in the wake of the Supreme Court order direction to all states and Union Territories to constitute State committees for slaughterhouses within a specified time and sought compliance by them.

Pointing out that provisions in the Motor Vehicles Act for proper transportation of animals are followed strictly, the FSSAI has also directed the food safety commissioners to ask the local commissioners to ensure that livestock is not ill-treated during transportation. “Stringent action must be taken against the violators under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” says the notice.

The food authority has also asked the food commissioners and urban local commissioners to take necessary steps to prohibit slaughter of animals other than those allowed under the food safety regulations.

Illegal meat shops removed

Following complaints from the members of the public on illegal sale of meat and suggestions to ensure sale of quality meat, the Coimbatore Corporation conducted surprise raids across the city.

According to Commissioner K. Vijayakarthikeyan, five teams at one each a zone were kept ready on Saturday night without being told the task to ensure that the raid yielded maximum result.

And the teams did prevent illegal shops from selling meat by removing the makeshift structures and seizing meat.

In the five zones, the Corporation officials seized 856 kg meat and dismantled 107 illegal shops, almost all of which functioned on weekends out of temporary structures.

The maximum seizure was in Central Zone, where the officials seized 256 kg meat from 39 shops.

The second highest seizure was in the south zone – 245 kg meat.

Officials in the Corporation said that the health workers took the seized meat to the dump yard in Vellalore, doused it in phenyl and then buried it deep in the ground to prevent misuse.

Dr. Vijayakarthikeyan said that the move would continue for the next few days.

China arrests over 110 people for selling contaminated pork

China has arrested more than 110 people, suspected of selling pork from pigs that died from disease, and confiscated more than 1,000 tonnes of contaminated pork in its latest crackdown on food safety violations.

The Ministry of Public Security said on Sunday the people were part of a network made up of 11 groups who, since 2008, had been buying pigs that had died of illnesses from livestock farms at low prices.

The meat was sold off to markets in 11 provinces, including Henan and Guangxi, or was processed into bacon or cooking oil for sale. The accused also bribed food supervisory authorities to obtain quarantine certificates, the ministry said.

eventy-five of the suspects have been prosecuted. Several food quarantine staff have also been sent to prosecutors, said the ministry, which had been investigating the network since the end of 2013.

Food safety remains a major concern in China after a series of high-profile scandals that has involved tainted milk powder as well as donkey meat. The scandals have embroiled foreign corporations such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc and McDonald's

In 2013, more than 10,000 dead pigs were found floating down Shanghai's Huangpu river after the regional government cracked down on criminal gangs that had been selling abandoned carcasses as meat on the black market, fuelling overcrowding on farms.

China's top food watchdog said last Wednesday food and drug safety was "grim" and pledged stronger oversight.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

Hotel Samrat kitchen sealed, Maurya warned

PATNA: The officials of food safety wing raided Hotel Samrat International and sealed its kitchen for operating it without licence. They were also not happy with the kitchen and store of Hotel Maurya but left it with a warning. The operation was conducted as a part of 'an order' to check A-listed hotels in the city.

"The licence of Hotel Samrat lapsed two months back. The hotel administration has applied for the one but has not been issued yet. So, we have sealed the kitchen," food safety inspector Sudama Chaudhary said, adding the kitchen as well as the utensils washing place of the hotel was extremely unhygienic. Samples of 'paneer' and 'haldi' (turmeric) have been collected as they were kept in the open. The ingredients for veg and non-vegetarian items were also not kept separately. The salt was not properly covered," Chaudhary said.

He said the last date of using the black salt and vermicelli found in the kitchen of Hotel Maurya had expired. There was no manufacturing or expiry dates on the sacks of flour and refined flour (maida).

These products were kept in the store, said Chaudhary adding, "However, food safety guidelines say only such products are to be kept in the store which are being used or will be used." The ingredients for vegetarian and non-vegetarian items were also not kept separately. The team also collected samples of food ingredients for test in Kolkata laboratory. "We will take action against the hotel if the ingredients were found adulterated. We have warned them to improve the kitchn and store condition," said another official.

Officials destroy bottles of expired soft drinks

Stern action:Officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department destroying stocks of expired soft drinks in Salem, on Friday.

Shopkeepers warned of severe action for violations

Officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department on Friday night conducted raids in various shops near Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital and seized expired soft drinks of leading brands that were on sale and destroyed the stocks.

A team led by District Designated Officer T. Anuradha and officials inspected the shops and found the expired soft drinks kept for sale.

Instead of seizing the items, officials destroyed them by emptying the soft drinks on the spot.

Shopkeepers were also warned by the officials not to sell expired products as they would face severe action if they did so.

Though adulterated food items, expired products and food items are kept in the open and sold in eateries in the city, no action has been taken against the shopkeepers.

Consuming the products continues to cause health issues to the consumers.

பொங்கல் பண்டிகையை முன்னிட்டு வெல்ல உற்பத்தி ஆலைகளில் உணவு பாதுகாப்புதுறை சோதனை கலப்படம் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டால் நடவடிக்கை

சேலம், ஜன.10:

பொங்கல் பண்டிகையை முன்னிட்டு சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் வெல்ல உற்பத்தியாளர்கள், வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியை தீவிரப்படுத்தியுள்ளனர். இதையொட்டி, வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியில் கலப்படத்தை தடுக்க உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் ஆலைகளில் சோதனையிட்டு வருகின்றனர்.

சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் ஓமலூர், தேக்கம்பட்டி, வட்டக்காடு, கருப்பூர், மூங்கில்பாடி, காமலாபுரம், தின்னப்பட்டி, தீவட்டிப்பட்டி, முத்துநாயக்கன்பட்டி, தும்பல், பாப்பநாயக்கன்பட்டி உள்பட பல பகுதிகளில் 2 ஆயிரத்திற்கும் மேற்பட்ட வெல்ல உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் உள்ளனர். இங்கு தயாரிக்கப்படும் வெல்லத்தை உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை வெல்ல மண்டிக்கு ஏலத்திற்கு கொண்டு வருகின்றனர்.

இங்கு சேலம், மதுரை, தேனி, திண்டுக்கல் உள்பட பல மாவட்டங்களை சேர்ந்த வியாபாரிகள் வெல்லம் ஏலம் எடுக்கின்றனர். இவ்வாறு ஏலம் எடுக்கும் வெல்லத்தை வியாபாரிகள் தமிழகம் மற்றும் கொல்கத்தா, மும்பை, கர்நாடகா, கேரளா உள்ளிட்ட மாநிலங்களுக்கு அனுப்பி வருகின்றனர். இதன்மூலம், சேலம் செவ்வாய்பேட்டை வெல்ல மண்டியில் தினந்தோறும் லட்சக்கணக்கான ரூபாய்க்கு வர்த்தகம் நடைபெற்று வருகிறது.

கடந்த செப்டம்பரில் சேலம் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் நடத்திய சோதனையில் வெல்லத்தில் ரசாயனம் கலந்து இருப்பது தெரிய வந்தது. இதையடுத்து வெல்லம் தயாரிப்பில் அதிகாரிகள் பல்வேறு கெடுபிடிகள் விதித்தனர். இதையடுத்து கடந்த இரு மாதமாக உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை ஆலோசனைப்படி வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்து வருவதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.

இந்நிலையில் இன்னும் ஓரிரு நாளில் பொங்கல் பண்டிகை வருகிறது. இதையொட்டி சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் ஆலைகளில் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியில் தீவிரமடைந்துள்ளனர். வெல்லத்தில் கலப்படத்தை தடுக்க உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் ஆலைகளில் சோதனையிட்டு வருகின்றனர்.

இது குறித்து உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை சேலம் மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் டாக்டர் அனுராதா கூறியதாவது:

சேலம் மாவட்டத்தில் பரவலாக வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்பட்டு வருகிறது. கடந்த காலங்களில் வெல்லம் வெளிர் மஞ்சள்நிறத்தில் வர அதிக ரசாயனம் கலப்பு, கரும்புசாறுக்கு பதிலாக சர்க்கரையை பயன்படுத்தி வந்தனர். இது சோதனையின்போது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. இதையடுத்து கடந்த சில மாதங்களாக வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை சார்பில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ள விதிமுறைகளை கடைப்பிடித்து வந்தனர்.

இந்நிலையில், பொங்கல் பண்டிகையையொட்டி வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியை அதிகப்படுத்தி உள்ளனர். ஆலைகளில் கலப்படத்தை தடுக்க உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர்கள் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் இடங்களுக்கு நேரடியாக சென்று சோதனை செய்து வருகின்றனர். இந்த சோதனையில் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்பட்ட வெல்லம் மாதிரி சேகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மேலும் சோதனையின்போது உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்களிடம் கலப்படம் இல்லாமல் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று எச்சரிக்கைவிடுத்துள்ளனர். மேலும் வெல்லத்தை சிமெண்ட் மூட்டையில் கட்டி, திறந்த வெளியில் கொண்டு வரக்கூடாது என்று கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. வெல்லம் மூட்டைகளில் வெல்லம் தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட தேதி, உற்பத்தியாளர் பெயர், முகவரி உள்ளிட்ட தகவல் இடம் பெற்று இருக்கவேண்டும் என்று அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த விதிமுறைகளை பின்பற்றாத வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவ்வாறு டாக் டர் அனுராதா கூறினார்.

இந்நிலையில், பொங்கல் பண்டிகையையொட்டி வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியை அதிகப்படுத்தி உள்ளனர். ஆலைகளில் கலப்படத்தை தடுக்க உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அலுவலர்கள் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் இடங்களுக்கு நேரடியாக சென்று சோதனை செய்து வருகின்றனர். இந்த சோதனையில் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்பட்ட வெல்லம் மாதிரி சேகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மேலும் சோதனையின்போது உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்களிடம் கலப்படம் இல்லாமல் வெல்லம் உற்பத்தி செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று எச்சரிக்கைவிடுத்துள்ளனர். மேலும் வெல்லத்தை சிமெண்ட் மூட்டையில் கட்டி, திறந்த வெளியில் கொண்டு வரக்கூடாது என்று கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. வெல்லம் மூட்டைகளில் வெல்லம் தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட தேதி, உற்பத்தியாளர் பெயர், முகவரி உள்ளிட்ட தகவல் இடம் பெற்று இருக்கவேண்டும் என்று அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த விதிமுறைகளை பின்பற்றாத வெல்லம் உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று எச்சரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவ்வாறு டாக் டர் அனுராதா கூறினார்.

Officials warn against adulteration in milk

MILK TRADERS WARNED

Officials of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department have warned traders against selling adulterated milk to consumers.

Based on complaints, a team led by District Designated Officer K. Tamil Selvan inspected private food selling shops in Sandaipettai Pudur and Periyapatti.

The officials inspected whether water was mixed with milk or any other adulteration is done and sold to consumers.

Also, health officials of the Namakkal Municipality inspected roadside

eateries and told the sellers not to use banned chemicals or artificial colouring agents.

Food served on New Year’s Eve upto the mark; FDA Maharashtra satisfied

Mumbai

The samples collected by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra officers from restaurants and bars on New Year’s Eve were found to be upto the mark, contrary to popular belief that the food consumed by those ringing in the new year at these eateries is of poor quality.

The state FDA collected 32 samples from 22 eateries across Mumbai. It was found that one of these, which was collected from an eatery in Kandivali, contained sunset yellow, whose use in cooked food has been prohibited by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. 

Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner, Greater Mumbai, FDA Maharashtra, informed that the establishment would be served a notice shortly. He added that the colour could, however, be used in bakery products and ice cream. 

Annapure said, “If the colour was consumed in large quantities, it could lead to the deposition of chemicals in the kidneys. Its prolonged consumption could cause harm to the organs. But the quantity found in the sample that was seized was less than 100 parts per million (ppm).”

“The rest of the samples collected included those of alcohol, bakery products and raw materials. They were found to be of standard quality,” he added, reiterating that FDA Maharashtra was happy that on New Year’s Eve, the standard of food served at most eateries and parties was maintained.

Pepper-cleaning move evokes protest

Walayar residents fear pollution, water depletion

Resentment is brewing among the residents of the border village of Walayar in Palakkad district against an attempt by the Food Safety Department (FSD) to wash and clean about 60 lakh kg of seized adulterated pepper, which presently commands a market price of Rs.384 crore, using the facilities of a private factory located close to the Coimbatore border.

People fear the cleaning process using heavy doses of detergent and huge amounts of water would pollute their surroundings apart from exploiting the region’s already depleting water resources.

“The whole process seems unscientific as the chances of bringing back the original character of the seized pepper through washing and cleaning using detergents remain very low. Experts have recommended safe disposing of the adulterated pepper. The then head of the FSD Biju Prabhakar himself recommended the disposal of the stock,” P.S. Panicker of voluntary organisation Janajagratha says.

According to department officials, the pepper coated with cancer-causing mineral oils such as liquid paraffin and burnt diesel oil was seized from six warehouses in Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts two years ago.

“Walayar is facing acute drinking water scarcity now. In spite of the grim situation, the pepper stock will be taken here next week for washing and cleaning using detergents. We fear both pollution and exploitation of our remaining ground water resources,” Ravikumar of Walayar Action Council Against Polluting Factories says.

He says earlier tests have found the pepper stock as carcinogenic. The seized pepper is over five years old and the sole intention behind using mineral oil was to ensure its longevity so as to sell it later at a higher price when demand went up, he says.

The procuring price that time was Rs.60 per kg and now the price has touched Rs.1,000 per kg.

Mineral oil lends more weight and a dark black colour to pepper, it is said. “The pepper will be brighter and it will have a longer shelf life if mineral oil is used. But the process will have severe health impacts,” says M.A. Pushparaj, The pepper will reach the private factory within a week.

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60 lakh kg of adulterated pepper seized 5 years ago

It now commands a market price of Rs.384 crore

வியாபாரமும் சுகாதாரமும்!

இந்தியாவில் அதிவேகமாக வளர்ந்து வரும் தொழில்களில் ஒன்று சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர். 25 லிட்டர் கேன்களிலும், பாட்டில்களிலும், சிறிய பிளாஸ்டிக் உறைகளிலும் பரவலாக விற்கப்படும் குடிநீர் தொழிலின் ஆண்டு விற்று வரவு ஆயிரம் கோடி ரூபாய்க்கும் அதிகம். அதுமட்டுமல்ல, ஆண்டொன்றுக்கு 40% முதல் 50% வரை வளர்ச்சி காணும் வியாபாரமாகவும் இது மாறிவிட்டிருக்கிறது.

உலக அளவில் 120 கோடி மக்கள் சுத்தமான குடிநீர் கிடைக்காமல் அவதிப்படுகிறார்கள் என்கிறது ஐ.நா.சபையின் அறிக்கை ஒன்று. உலகிலேயே மிக அதிகமான நோயாளிகள் தண்ணீர் மூலம் பரவும் நோய்களால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு சிகிச்சை பெறுபவர்களே.

இத்துடன் நின்றுவிடவில்லை அவலம். தினந்தோறும் ஏறத்தாழ 6,000 குழந்தைகள் குடிதண்ணீரில் பரவும் கிருமிகளால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு மரணமடைகிறார்கள். இந்தியாவை எடுத்துக்கொண்டால், நாளொன்றுக்கு 1,600 பேர் மாசுபட்ட தண்ணீரால் ஏற்படும் தொற்றுநோய்களால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு உயிரிழக்கிறார்கள்.

இனி சென்னையின் நிலைமைக்கு வருவோம். சமீபத்தில் சென்னை மாநகராட்சியால் நடத்தப்பட்ட ஆய்வு, வட சென்னையில் குடிநீர் வடிகால் வாரியத்தால் வழங்கப்படும் குடிநீர், உபயோகத்திற்குத் தகுந்ததல்ல என்று கண்டறிந்திருக்கிறது. குடிநீர் வாரியம் விநியோகம் செய்யும் குடிநீரில் தொற்றுநோய் ஏற்படுத்தும் பல நச்சு நுண்ணுயிரிகள் இருப்பது தெரிய வந்துள்ளது.

மாதவரம், திருவொற்றியூர், மணலி, ராயபுரம் ஆகிய பகுதிகளிலிருந்து எடுக்கப்பட்ட மாதிரிகள் பரிசோதனைக்கு அனுப்பப்பட்டன. 22 மாதிரிகளில் 12 மாதிரிகள் உபயோகத்திற்கு உகந்ததல்ல என்று கண்டறியப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. தண்டையார்பேட்டை கோட்டத்திலுள்ள தண்ணீர் குழாய்களிலிருந்து 2014-15

நிதியாண்டில் இதுவரை எடுக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் 499 மாதிரிகளில் 157 மாதிரிகள் உபயோகத்திற்குத் தகுந்ததல்ல என்று தெரிய வந்திருக்கிறது.

தண்டையார்பேட்டை மாநகராட்சி தொற்றுநோய் மருத்துவமனையில் நோயாளிகள் தொடர்ந்து வர நேர்ந்தபோதுதான் மாநகராட்சி விழித்துக் கொண்டு, குடிநீர் விநியோகக் குழாய்களில் உள்ள தண்ணீரை சோதனையிடத் தீர்மானித்தது. தண்ணீரில் நோய்க் கிருமிகள் காணப்படுவதற்கும் நச்சு நுண்ணுயிரிகள் உருவாகி வளர்வதற்கும் முக்கியமான காரணம், குடிநீர்க் குழாய்களில் கழிவுநீர் கலப்பதாகக்கூட இருக்கும். மண்ணுக்கடியில் புதைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் குடிநீர் விநியோகக் குழாய்கள் 50 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முற்பட்டவை. இந்த இரும்புக் குழாய்கள் துரு பிடித்திருப்பதற்கான வாய்ப்புகள் மிக மிக அதிகம். குடிநீர் வடிகால் வாரியத்தால் இந்தக் குழாய்கள் உடனடியாக மாற்றப்பட வேண்டியது மிகமிக அவசியம் என்று தெரிவிக்கிறார்கள் மாநகராட்சி அதிகாரிகள்.

குடிநீர் வாரியக் குடிநீர் விநியோகம் ஒருபுறம் இருக்க, தனியார் துறையினரால் புற்றீசல்போல ஆங்காங்கே தயாராகும் பாதுகாப்பான, சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீரின் நிலைமையும் பாராட்டும்படியாக இல்லை. ஓராண்டுக்கு முற்பட்ட புள்ளிவிவரப்படி, தமிழகத்தில் ஏறத்தாழ 937 சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள் செயல்பட்டு வந்தன. அவற்றில் 153 நிறுவனங்கள்தான் முறையாக அரசின் ஒப்புதல் பெற்றவை.

இந்த நிறுவனங்கள் மத்திய நுகர்வோர் பாதுகாப்புக்கான அமைச்சகத்தின் கீழ் இயங்கும் இந்திய தரநிர்ணயக் குழுவின் (ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ.) அனுமதி பெற்று பிளாஸ்டிக் கேன்களில் சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட தண்ணீரை விற்பனை செய்பவை. அப்படி அனுமதி பெற்று சுத்திகரிப்பதாகக் கூறிக் கொள்ளும் நிறுவனங்களில், 805 நிறுவனங்களின் மாதிரிகள் சோதனைக்கு உள்படுத்தப்பட்டபோது அவற்றில் 563 நிறுவனங்கள் மட்டுமே பாதுகாப்பான குடிநீரை வழங்குவதாகத் தெரிந்தது.

மதுரை (34), அம்பத்தூர் (30), சிவகங்கை (20), மறைமலை நகர் (19) ஆகிய இடங்களில் தயாரித்து விநியோகம் செய்யப்படும் சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர், "மிகவும் தரமற்றது' என்று பரிசோதனைச்சாலைகளால் நிராகரிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கின்றன. அதாவது, தமிழகத்தில் விற்பனையில் ஈடுபட்டிருக்கும் சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களில் 30% நிறுவனங்களின் தண்ணீர் பாதுகாப்பற்றது.

சென்னை மாநகரில் பயன்படுத்தப்படும் சுத்திகரிக்கப்பட்டு விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் குடிநீரில் 80% பிளாஸ்டிக் கேன்களில் வழங்கப்படுபவை. சென்னைக்கும் சுற்றுப்புறத்துக்கும் மட்டுமே நாள்தோறும் 2 கோடி லிட்டர் தண்ணீர் தனியார் நிறுவனங்களால் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறது. சென்னை, திருவள்ளூர், காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டங்களில் 400-க்கும் அதிகமான நிறுவனங்கள் குடிதண்ணீர் வியாபாரத்தில் ஈடுபட்டிருக்கின்றன.

இந்தக் குடிநீர் வியாபாரிகளால் நிலத்தடி நீர் அளவுக்கு அதிகமாக உறிஞ்சி எடுக்கப்படுகிறது. நல்லவேளை, சென்னை கடற்கரை நகரமாக இருப்பதால் தண்ணீரில் உப்பு கலந்தாலும்கூட நிலத்தடி நீரின் அளவு குறையாமல் இருக்கிறது. அதுவல்ல பிரச்னை. முறையான சுத்திகரிப்பு செய்யப்படாமலும், நச்சு நுண்ணுயிரிகள் அகற்றப்பட்டதா என்பதை உறுதிப்படுத்தாமலும், அவரவர் இஷ்டத்திற்குத் தண்ணீரை கேன்களில் அடைத்து விற்பனை செய்வது என்பது மிகப்பெரிய சுகாதாரப் பிரச்னையாக உருவெடுத்துவிடக் கூடும் என்பதுதான் கவலைப்பட வேண்டியது.

சுத்தமான குடிநீர் வழங்குவது அரசின் கடமை. அதைச் செய்யாவிட்டாலும், குறைந்தபட்சம், தனியார் நிறுவனங்கள் விற்பனை செய்யும் குடிநீர் சுத்தமானதாக இருப்பதையாவது அரசு உறுதி செய்ய வேண்டும். விலை கொடுத்து வியாதியை வாங்கும் அவலத்துக்கு மக்கள் தள்ளப்பட்டுவிடாமல் தடுக்க வேண்டியது அரசின் உடனடிக் கடமை.

Pesticides in food: HC slams Agri Min over vague report

The Delhi High Court today slammed the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation for placing a "vague" report on its website regarding the extent of pesticides in fruits and vegetables.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw directed the ministry to file a detailed report regarding the steps taken by it to regulate use of pesticides in vegetables and fruits while posting the matter for further consideration on February 11.

"The report placed on your website is very vague. There is no mention of the samples and the name of the pesticide is missing as well," the bench said.

It also directed Delhi government to file an affidavit with regard to lapses pointed out in the report.

During the proceedings, advocate Meera Bhatia, appearing for the ministry, submitted a status report of pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables samples collected from Delhi during the period April 1, 2013 to October 31, 2014 in which out of 1319 samples tested 43 were found to contain pesticides above precribed level as per Food Safety and Standards Authority of India norms.

"Department of Agriculture & Cooperation is implementing a Central Sector Scheme 'Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at national level' since 2006 to monitor pesticide residues in agricultural commodities through a network of 24 laboratories in India.

Samples of fruits, vegetables, cereals, spices, pulses, milk, etc. are analysed to detect and monitor presence of pesticide residues and the data generated is shared with state governments for prompt corrective action," the ministry said in its report.

Earlier, taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, the court had directed the ministry to set up a committee and frame guidelines to prevent use of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.

The Centre had constituted the committee comprising experts and government officials but the guidelines are yet to be framed.

The move had come after some NGOs submitted survey reports that vegetables and fruits sold in the city's markets contain pesticides capable of causing cancer and harming the nervous system and liver.

The NGO Consumer Voice, one of the petitioners in the court, has said the quantum of pesticides in fruits and vegetables in India, especially those sold in Delhi markets, was as much as 750 times the European standards.

It had claimed that of the five internationally-banned pesticides, four were found to be common in vegetables sold here. They included a central nervous system toxin endrin which causes nausea and dizziness and heptachlor that can damage the liver and decrease fertility.

FDA stops 14 food stalls at Mapusa zatra

PANAJI: Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in its special inspection drive on Wednesday at Bodgueshwar zatra in Mapusa, inspected 38 food stalls dealing and selling food items, and operations of 14 food stalls was stopped immediately.

FDA director Salim Veljee said food safety inspectors Rajaram Patil, Flavia de Souza, Sharadha Kuttikar, Shailesh Shenvi and Nelson Fernandes inspected the foods stalls at the zatra along with sanitary inspectors from the urban health centre, Mapusa for sanitation and cleanliness.

He said 14 food stalls were found to be preparing and serving food in filthy conditions. These food vendors were immediately told to stop their operations to avoid possible cases of food poisoning.

Twenty-four food stall owners were issued improvement notices for various observations such as leaving food items exposed during sale.

He said the FDA will continue surveillance of food stalls in the following days and create awareness among food vendors at the zatra.

Drive to ensure food safety

Step follows State-level order

With the State School Arts Festival and the National Games around the corner, food safety squads have intensified inspection of restaurants and wayside eateries

With a mission to prevent the trade of unhygienic food during the State School Arts Festival and the National Games, special squads of the Health Department have intensified inspections of hotels, restaurants, and wayside eateries in the city.

The move follows a State-level directive to avert all possibilities of food poisoning and to prevent the entry of junk food traders without trade licences or authorisation from the authorities concerned.

In the last three days, over five hotels were served notice after inspections to improve the situation. It includes a prominent three-star hotel in the city.

Officials say that the searches will continue in the days to come. Squads currently under the control of the health wing of the city Corporation will lead the inspections.

Along with the health squads, the food safety authorities too will carry out inspections of eateries within the city limit. Licences of establishments caught for violation of hygiene norms will be suspended with immediate effect.

According to official sources, most of the wayside eateries on the Government Medical College premises here have been closed down already after conducting detailed inspections and finding serious slips. Though the closure of the outlets has affected several patients and bystanders as they depend on these suppliers when major hotels remain closed during the night time, permission to reopen them is yet to be considered by the Health Department.

Inspections by health squads under the Safe Kerala Clean Kerala campaign last month had exposed the unhygienic conditions in several restaurants, juice parlours, and wayside eateries.

Four eateries had been closed down after noticing the trade of unhygienic food items.

Traditional food festival

A three-day traditional food festival was scheduled to be organised here from January 15. The programme would be organised on the Pearl City beach under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, Collector M. Ravikumar said here on Tuesday.

The organisers visited the venue and took stock of the facilities. Traditional food items such as Tuticorin fame macaroon, ‘Muthalur’ mascoth halwa, snack bites of Keela Eeral, ‘Kadambur’ boli, Kovilpatti fame peanuts, food items made of millets and other eatables would be displayed.

The Collector convened a consultative meeting with programme organisers and food safety officers.

DINAMALAR NEWS

FDA Thane conducts hygiene awareness programme for fish and meat shops

Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Thane (Konkan) Division recently conducted a three-day awareness programme for mutton, chicken and fish shops in Thane district, following the Maharashtra government’s directive to mobilise hygiene in them. 

It deployed several food safety officers (FSO) to visit both registered and unregistered meat and fish shops. The squad visited and taught lessons on hygiene at 612 shops (172 on the first day, 231 on the second, and 209 on the third).

Speaking to FnB News, Pradip Raut, assistant commissioner, FDA Thane (Konkan) Division, said, “We would be revisiting and inspecting the shops at the end of this month. If we find shops continuing to flout the guidelines, we will take strict action against them.”

When quizzed whether such initiatives were being planned across the state, K B Sankhe, joint commissioner, food, FDA Maharashtra, said, “Yes. Similar initiatives are taking place across the state.”

What does the Irradiation of a Food Product mean?

What does the Irradiation of a Food Product mean?

Irradiation of Food 

Food irradiation is a technology that uses radiation to control food spoilage by destroying foodborne pathogens. Since the results are similar to pasteurisation it is also called “cold pasteurisation.” The difference is that pasteurisation uses heat to kill microorganisms, bacteria and viruses that may be present in the food whereas irradiation uses ionizing radiation.  The application is used to inhibit sprouting, delay ripening, and improve re-hydration.

Ionizing radiation damages DNA so that

• microorganisms stop growing and can no longer continue their pathogenic activities
• spoilage-causing micro-organisms cannot continue their activities
• insects do not survive, or become incapable of proliferation
• plant ripening or ageing process is delayed

How is food irradiated?

When bulk or packaged food passes through an irradiation chamber on a conveyor belt food is irradiated. The food does not come into contact with the radioactive material but passes through a radiation beam much like torchlight. The amount of irradiation depends on the type of food and the specific purpose for which irradiation is being used. The conveyor belt is important as the speed of the belt controls the exposure time to the food. The actual delivered dose is measured by dosimeters within the food containers. Cobalt-60 is the most commonly used radionuclide for food irradiation. However, there are also large cesium-137 irradiators and the army has also used spent fuel rods for irradiation.

Effects of ionizing radiation on food

• Causes disruption of internal metabolism of cells
• Causes DNA cleavage (also called spitting of DNA strands)
• Formation of free radicals
• Disrupts chemical bonds

Sources of Irradiation 

1. Electron irradiation beam uses electrons, accelerated in an electric field, to a velocity that is close to the speed of light. Electrons are particulate radiation and have cross section many times larger than photons. Electron beams do not penetrate the product beyond a few inches, depending on product density. 

2. Gamma radiation is radiation of photons in the gamma part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The radiation is obtained through the use of radioisotopes, generally Cobalt-60. Food irradiation using Cobalt-60 is the preferred method by most processors, because the deeper penetration enables administering treatment to entire industrial pallets or totes, reducing the need for material handling. 

Applications

The irradiation process has a wide range of uses and works with both large and small quantities of food. For example,

• a single serving of poultry can be irradiated for use on a space flight
• or a large quantity of potatoes can be treated to reduce sprouting during warehouse storage

Irradiation is most useful in four areas

Preservation 

Irradiation can destroy or inactivate organisms that cause spoilage and decomposition so self life increases.  Irradiation is an energy efficient food preservation method and has more advantages than traditional canning. Irradiated products resemble fresh state closely as the texture, flavor, and color are almost the same. Using irradiation to preserve foods does not require any additional liquid, nor does it cause the loss of natural juices. Food can be irradiated after being packaged or frozen.

Sterilization Foods that are sterilized by irradiation can be stored for years without refrigeration just like canned (heat sterilized) foods. With irradiation it is possible to develop new shelf-stable products. It is cold sterilization.

Control sprouting, ripening, and insect damage: Irradiation offers an alternative to chemicals for use with potatoes, tropical and citrus fruits, grains, spices, and seasonings. However, since no residue is left in the food, irradiation does not protect against re -infestation unlike insect sprays and fumigants.

Control of food pathogens Irradiation can be used to effectively  eliminate those pathogens that cause foodborne illness, such as Salmonella.

On the basis of the dose of radiation the application is generally divided into three main categories as detailed under. (The dose of radiation is measured in the SI unit known as Gray (Gy). One Gray (Gy) dose of radiation is equal to 1 joule of energy absorbed per kg of food material. In radiation processing of foods, the doses are generally measured in kGy (1,000 Gy)

Low Dose Applications (up to 1 kGy) for

• Sprout inhibition in bulbs and tubers 0.03-0.15 kGy
• Delay in fruit ripening 0.25-0.75 kGy
• Insect disinfestations including quarantine treatment and elimination of food borne parasites 0.07-1.00 kGy

Medium Dose Applications (1 kGy to 10 kGy) for

• Reduction of spoilage microbes to prolong shelf-life of meat, poultry and sea foods under refrigeration 1.50–3.00 kGy
• Reduction of pathogenic microbes in fresh and frozen meat, poultry and sea foods 3.00–7.00 kGy
• Reducing the number of microorganisms in spices to improve hygienic quality 10.00 kGy

High Dose Applications (above 10 kGy) for

• Sterilisation of packaged meat, poultry and their products which are shelf stable without refrigeration. 25.00-70.00 kGy
• Sterilisation of hospital diets 25.00-70.00 kGy
• Product improvement as increased juice yield or improved re-hydration

Advantages of Food Irradiation

• There is little or no heating of food
• Packaged or frozen foods can also be treated
• No chemicals are used for preservation of fresh foods
• Low energy requirements
• There is no comparable change in nutritional value
• High automation

Disadvantages of Food Irradiation 

• High capital costs
• Possible development of resistant MO
• Inadequate analytical procedures to detect irradiation in food
• Public resistance

Legal Status 

U.S.A. has approved irradiation for packaging material, spices, vegetable seasoning, poultry and ground beef. Another 35 countries have approved some form of food irradiation but the biggest hurdle is consumer acceptance. Many consumers have misconceptions about the technology and believe that it makes food radioactive. However, this is not so because food does not become radioactive with irradiation.

Potential uses of Food Irradiation

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Type of Food	Effects of Irradiation
Meat, poultry	Destroys pathogenic organisms, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Trichinae
Perishable foods	Delays spoilage; retards mold growth; reduces number of microorganisms
Grain, fruit	Controls insect vegetables, infestation dehydrated fruit, spices and seasonings , Reduces rehydration time
Onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, ginger	Inhibits sprouting
Bananas, mangos, papayas, guavas, other non-citrus fruits	Delays ripening avocados, natural juices

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How does irradiation affect the food itself? 

Ionizing radiation breaks some of the chemical bonds within the food itself. The effects of chemical changes in foods are varied. These effects are the result of radiolysis. Whether the products of radiolysis in food are all harmless from a human health perspective is still debated. However, from years of experience in food irradiation it is seen that there are no identifiable health problems. Some changes in foods may not be good but others can be. Examples of some food changes are:

• changes in structure of certain foods too fragile to withstand the irradiation, for example, lettuce and other leafy vegetables turn mushy
• slowed ripening and maturation in certain fruits and vegetables lengthens shelf-life
• reduction or destruction of some nutrients, such as vitamins, reduces the nutritional value (the effect is comparable to losses in heat pasteurisation)
• alteration of some flavour compounds
• formation of compounds that were not originally present requires the strict control of radiation levels
• generation of free radicals, some of which recombine with other ions.

Labelling 

As per FSS Act (2006) regulation 2.4.4 describes the labelling of irradiated food. The labelling of pre-packed irradiated food shall be in accordance with the provisions of FSS (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations. Also, the provisions of the atomic energy (control of Irradiation of Food) Rules, 1991, under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 should be followed.

All packages of irradiated food shall bear the following declaration and logo, namely: –

PROCESSED BY IRRADIATION METHOD……………………………………………………. DATE OF IRRADIATION………………………………………………………………………….

LICENSE NO of Irradiation Unit…………………………………………………………………PURPOSE OF IRRADIATION…………………………………………………………………….

In India, the standard guidelines for Irradiated Food Products have been defined under Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.

Irradiated foods require proper food handling 

Food irradiation can only be used if it fulfills a technological need or is necessary for food safety or food hygiene. It cannot replace the need for correct food handling practices in the food industry. Some bacteria may survive the irradiation of food, for example meat, so if meat is left unrefrigerated or not handled according to food safety norms, these bacteria could multiply and cause food poisoning. Irradiated foods need to be stored, handled and cooked in the same way as foods that are not irradiated and according to good food handling practices.