Supply of Adulterated Milk by Private Dairies

As per the reports received from the State/UT governments, there are occasional instances of supply of sub-standard/adulterated milk. 

The menace of food adulteration and particularly milk adulteration needs to be eliminated through a series of measures including effective implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act by State Government, strengthening of the food safety structures in the country and to the extent necessary, by appropriately amending the laws after consultation with all concerned. While government will take all measures considered necessary for eliminating milk adulteration, even under the existing Food Safety and Standards Act, manufacturing, selling, distributing or importing unsafe food which includes milk, is punishable under Section 59. The penalties provided for in section 59 (iv) of this Act include imprisonment for not less than seven years which may extend to imprisonment for life and also fine of not less than Rs. 10 lakh. 

The Health Minister, Shri J P Nadda stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today. 

Use of Banned Pesticides

Ministry of Agriculture is implementing a program for Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level under which samples of vegetable and fruits are collected and analysed for the presence of pesticide residues. No residues of banned pesticides have been detected in any of the samples collected under this program. 

However, there have been reports in media about use of toxic substances like calcium carbide and oxytocin for early ripening of fruits and vegetables. Clause 2.3.5 of Chapter 2 of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sale) Regulations prohibits sale of fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas commonly known as carbide gas produced from calcium carbide. 

However, use of ethylene gas in low concentration exogenously to trigger ripening of fruits is considered safe. The Commissioners of Food Safety/Food (Health) Authority of States/UTs who are responsible for implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and its Rules/Regulations in their States/UTs have been requested to keep a strict vigil on and take legal action against use of carbide gas and other hazardous chemicals for ripening of fruits. The State Governments have also been advised to educate the public through mass electronic media against consumption of such artificially ripened fruits. 

During 2011-2014, out of 25,664 vegetable samples, 764 (2.9%) samples were found to contain pesticide residues above the maximum permissible residues level (MRL). Out of 7,501 fruits samples, the residues above MRL were detected in 88 (1.1%) samples. However, none of the banned pesticides were detected. 

The Registration Committee constituted under the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968 registers pesticides only after establishing their safety to human, animal and environmental health. Technical reviews are carried out from time to time and continued use of pesticides is permitted only if found safe. 

The Central Govt. through Central Integrated Pest Management Centres of Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage as well as State Department of Agriculture conduct Farmers Field Schools and awareness campaign through print media, electronic media and hoardings, sensitizing farmers regarding safe and judicious use of pesticides, use of bio-pesticides/ bio-fertilizers etc. 

A Grow Safe Food campaign has been initiated to carry the message of safe and judicious use of pesticides to farmers and other stakeholders. A simple message on the five essential principles of judicious pesticide use - application of pesticides on the right crop, against pests for which the pesticide has been approved, at the right time, in approved doses, and as per approved method of application - is sought to be conveyed through hoardings, banners etc. in regional languages in Gram Panchayats and rural areas. 

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture Dr.Sanjeev Kumar Balyan in Lok Sabha today.

Spurious milk products seized from market

LUCKNOW: Nearly 50% samples collected by officials of food safety department were found to be sub-standard in a check conducted on Monday. Most of the adulteration has been reported in dairy products such as mixed milk, khoya and raw milk. Around eight samples of paneer (cottage cheese) too have been found to be sub-standard (prime facie by the department). With almost 12 days left for Holi, the department tested dairy food items being sold in the district.

Some samples of mixed milk found sub-standard were collected from tea shops outside City Station and Badshahnagar station, in addition to a couple of eateries located in the busy Charbagh locality. Some of the private dairies in Alambagh and one shop selling milk in the VVIP locality of Kalidas Marg also came under scanner. A senior official told TOI that out of 80 samples (of various food items) collected by the department, 35 have been found to be sub-standard. The department has also issued a 30-day notice to the owners/management of these food joints/eateries, after which case may be lodged against the erring food joints/eateries and accordingly legal action would be initiated.

In some shops, officials also detected a couple of samples of sweetmeat kalakand with silver foil containing some extraneous material and samples have been sent for elaborate testing. Samples of cooking medium like ghee, sweets such as milk cake, besan and urad daal have also been taken by food inspectors and officials are of the view that prima facie these items violate some provisions of laws pertaining to food safety.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Cat meat being sold as mutton in roadside eateries

Chennai

Meat lovers beware! The succulent lamb chops or spicy roasted mutton pieces at aroadside eatery might be prepared from cat meat.

“In the past few months, there has been a spurt in demand for cat meat,“ says G Arun Prasanna of People for Cattle in India (PFCI). Volunteers have rescued around 40 stolen cats -meant to be slaughtered for meat -from gypsy colonies at Pallavaram, Avadi, Ayanavaram, and Red hills in the last six months.The largest haul (20) was from Red Hills, followed by Pallavaram (14). Recently , a large number of carcasses and cat skins were recovered at Kotturpuram gypsy colony . “A total of seven police complaints have been registered so far,“ said a police officer.

A large polythene bag of cat meat weighing between 2kg and 3 kg costs around `100.It is supplied to small vendors and biriyani stalls across the city . They are then sold to unsuspecting customers as mutton preparations. Similar is the case with the vendors selling `side dishes' near Tasmac outlets in Red Hills, Pallava ram and Avadi, according to Prasanna.

“Mutton 65 prepared from cat meat was a hit among tipplers,“ said Ramesh Kerketta (name changed) from Jharkhand, a former teenage help at a stall near a Tasmac outlet in Pallavaram.

Explaining the modus operandi, S Shanmugham, another volunteer said, the gypsies target cats near MRTS stations and bus depots. These cats are caught with nets, drugged and stuffed in gunny bags. There is another facet which fuels the demand for cat meat. Many people believe that cat meat is an aphrodisiac and has several medicinal properties. Quacks prescribe cat meat for impotency , asthma and arthritis, said animal activist Suchitra Rao.

Also, cat meat is considered a delicacy among gyp sies. A fortnight ago, PFCI volunteers raided a narikaruva wedding. Around 20 cats had been slaughtered for cat biriyani. A video clip (a copy of which is with TOI) shows people admitting that the dish was being cooked for guests.

Attempts to contact heads of gypsy community proved futile. Volunteers conducted a sensitisation camp at Poonamallee gypsy colony in January . “We plan to conduct more camps as according to Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) cat meat is unfit for human consumption,“ said Prasanna.

சாலையோர ஓட்டல்களில் அதிகாரிகள் திடீர் ஆய்வு

தாம்பரம், பிப்.22:

பரங்கிமலை ஒன்றியத்தில் தரமற்ற உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்கப்படுவது குறித்து, தினகரன் நாளிதழில் கடந்த வாரம் செய்தி வெளியானது. இதன் நடவடிக்கையாக, பரங்கிமலை மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு குழுவினர் பெருங்களத்தூர் மற்றும் பீர்க்கன்காரணை பேரூராட்சி பகுதியில் உள்ள ஓட்டல்கள், மளிகை கடைகள், பேக்கரி உட்பட பல்வேறு கடைகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர்.

அப்போது, முகவரி, உற்பத்தி மற்றும் காலாவதி தேதியில்லா பொருள்கள் குறித்து ஆய்வு செய்யப்பட்டது. காலாவதியான 70 லிட்டர் குளிர்பானம் மற்றும் 12 கிலோ பான்பராக் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டன.

மேலும், சாலையோரம் உள்ள துரித உணவகங்களுக்கு தரத்துடனும், பாதுகாப்பாகவும் கடையை நடத்த நோட்டீஸ் வழங்கப்பட்டது.

இதுகுறித்து பரங்கிமலை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் சுகுமார் கூறுகையில், கடைகளில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் உணவு பொருள்களில் உற்பத்தி செய்பவரின் முழுமையான முகவரி, உற்பத்தி தேதி, காலாவதி தேதி கட்டாயம் இருக்க வேண்டும். ஆண்டுக்கு 12 லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்கு கீழ் வர்த்தகம் செய்பவர்கள் எங்களிடம் பதிவு செய்து கொள்ள வேண்டும். அதற்கு மேல் வர்த்தகம் செய்பவர்கள் கட்டாயம் உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும். இதற்கான விண்ணப்பங்களை எங்களிடம் பெற்று கொள்ளலாம். மேலும், உற்பத்தி முகவரி, காலாவதி தேதியில்லாத பொருள்களை பொது மக்கள் வாங்குவதை தவிர்க்க வேண்டும், என்றார்.

DINAKARAN NEWS

தர்பூசணியில் ஊசி மூலம் மருந்து செலுத்தினால் 5 ஆண்டு சிறை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி எச்சரிக்கை

கடலூர், பிப். 22:

கோடைக்காலம் தொடங்கிவிட்டால் வீதிகளில் கொட்டப்பட்டு விற்பனைக்கு வருகிறது தர்பூசணி. விற்பனையை அதிகரிக்க செய்வதற்காக சிலர், முறைகேடாக சிவப்பு நிறமாக மாற்றும் மருந்துகளான எரித்ரோசின், கார்மாய்சின் ஆகியவற்றை தர்பூசணியில் ஊசி மூலம் செலுத்துவதாக வந்த தகவல், பொதுமக்களை அதிர்ச்சியடைய வைத்தது. நகரங்களில் வியாபாரிகள் ஊசி மூலம் தர்பூசணிக்குள் இந்த மருந்தை செலுத்தி விற்பனை செய்து வருவதும் தெரியவந்துள்ளது. இந்த மருந்து தொடர்ச்சியாக உடலுக்குள் சென்றால் புற்றுநோயை உருவாக்கக்கூடிய அபாயம் ஏற்படும் என கூறப்படுகிறது.

எனவே உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையினர் இது போன்ற முறைகேடான செயல்களை தடுக்க கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுத்து வருகின்றனர்.கடலூரில் நேற்று கடலூர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலகம், மஞ்சக்குப்பம், முதுநகர், செம்மண்டலம் உள்பட பல்வேறு இடங்களில் தர்பூசணி விற்பனை செய்யும் இடங்களில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அதிகாரி டாக்டர் ராஜா தலைமையில் அலுவலர்கள் சுப்ரமணியன், நந்தகுமார் ஆகியோர் ஆய்வு நடத்தினர். அப்போது அவர்கள் லென்ஸ் மூலம் தர்பூசணி பழங்களை ஆய்வு செய்து ஊசி குத்தப்பட்டுள்ளதா என சோதனை நடத்தினர்.

பின்னர் டாக்டர் ராஜா கூறியதாவது: தர்பூசணி இயற்கையான சிவப்பை விட கூடுதல் சிவப்பாக இருந்தால் பொதுமக்கள் விழிப்பாக இருக்க வேண்டும். கடலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட ஆய்வுகளில் தர்பூசணிகளில் ஊசி மருந்து செலுத்தப்படவில்லை என்பது முதற்கட்ட ஆய்வில் தெரியவந்துள்ளது. ஊசி மூலம் தர்பூசணி பழங்களில் மருந்து செலுத்தினால் சட்டபூர்வ நடவடிக்கை பாயும், ஐந்தாண்டுகள் சிறை தண்டனை மற்றும் ரூ.5 லட்சம் அபராதமும் விதிக்கப்பட வாய்ப்பு உள்ளது என்றார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

67 fall ill after suspected food poisoning

KHARGONE: At least 67 people, including 10 children, fell ill after consuming food at a wedding party in Sita Mangal Bhawan here, police said today. 

The incident took place last night following which all the victims were admitted in a district hospital around 2am for suspected food poisoning, Sanjay Bhatt, a senior doctor told PTI today. 

He said that proper medical facilities are being provided to all the victims including groom Sourabh Gupta. 

Many guests had complained of vomiting, loose motion, and nausea after eating dinner, Khargone police station inspector Brijesh Malaviya said. 

The inspector said that police are investigating the matter and food samples are being collected for testing.

MODI BETS ON GM CROPS FOR SECOND GREEN REVOLUTION – REUTERS

NEW DELHI Sun Feb 22, 2015 8:54am IST Link this Share this By Krishna N. Das and Mayank Bhardwaj NEW DELHI (Reuters) – On a fenced plot not far from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home, a field of mustard is in full yellow bloom, representing his government’s reversal of an effective ban on field trials of… Email Print 1 of 4. A scientist points to a patch of genetically modified (GM) rapeseed crop under trial in New Delhi February 13, 2015. 

Credit: Reuters/Anindito Mukherjee NEW DELHI (Reuters) – On a fenced plot not far from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home, a field of mustard is in full yellow bloom, representing his government’s reversal of an effective ban on field trials of genetically modified (GM) food crops. The GM mustard planted in the half-acre field in the grounds of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi is in the final stage of trials before the variety is allowed to be sold commercially, and that could come within two years, scientists associated with the project say. 

India placed a moratorium on GM aubergine in 2010 fearing the effect on food safety and biodiversity. Field trials of other GM crops were not formally halted, but the regulatory system was brought to a deadlock. But allowing GM crops is critical to Modi’s goal of boosting dismal farm productivity in India, where urbanisation is devouring arable land and population growth will mean there are 1.5 billion mouths to feed by 2030 – more even than China. Starting in August last year, his government resumed the field trials for selected crops with little publicity. “Field trials are already on because our mandate is to find out a scientific review, a scientific evaluation,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told Reuters last week. “Confined, safe field trials are on. It’s a long process to find out whether it is fully safe or not.” 

Modi was a supporter of GM crops when he was chief minister of Gujarat state over a decade ago, the time when GM cotton was introduced in the country and became a huge success. Launched in 2002, Bt cotton, which produces its own pesticide, is the country’s only GM crop and covers 95 percent of India’s cotton cultivation of 11.6 million hectares (28.7 million acres). From being a net importer, India has become the world’s second-largest producer and exporter of the fibre. 

However, grassroots groups associated with Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have opposed GM crops because of the reliance on seeds patented by multinationals. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, a nationalist group which promotes self-reliance, has vowed to hold protests if GM food crops are made commercially available. “There is no scientific evidence that GM enhances productivity,” said Pradeep, a spokesman for the group. “And in any case, why should we hand over our agriculture to some foreign companies?” A handful of agrichemical and seeds companies dominate the global market for GM crops, including Monsanto Co., DuPont Pioneer, a unit of DuPont, Dow AgroSciences, a unit of Dow Chemical, and Syngenta. 

SECOND GREEN REVOLUTION Largely agricultural India became self-sufficient in foodgrains after the launch of the Green Revolution in the 1960s, when it introduced high-yielding seed varieties and the use of fertiliser and irrigation. The challenge now is to replicate that success in edible oils and vegetables, which are increasingly in demand. India imports about 60 percent of its edible oil needs at an annual cost of up to $10 billion – its third-biggest import item after crude oil and gold. The trials of the mustard plant, which provides the highest yield of all oilseeds, are being led by Delhi University researchers headed by Deepak Pental, a scientist who returned to India in 1985 from Britain. He has said that he has developed a transgenic mustard strain that raises output by up to 30 percent but that further trials were halted after the moratorium. 

The environment ministry began approving GM field trials in August, although applicants need to seek no-objection certificates from states where the trials are to be conducted. States ruled by the BJP are spearheading the trials: Last month, Maharashtra gave the all-clear to open field trials of rice, chickpeas, corn and aubergine, as well as new varieties of cotton. Punjab, ruled jointly by the BJP and a local party, gave the go-ahead for mustard in October followed next month by Delhi, then indirectly run by the federal government in the absence of a local government. “The (federal) government is, for a change, being decisive,” Pental said, adding his mustard strain could be ready to be released for commercial farming in a year or two. 

Environmental group Greenpeace however remains opposed. “The current government’s rush with open field trials without addressing the fundamental loopholes in the regulatory mechanism is a matter for serious concern,” said Manvendra Singh Inaniya, a campaigner for Greenpeace India. “This leaves us vulnerable to contamination with untested and potentially hazardous GM food. We urge the Union Government to roll back approvals given to open air field trials of GM crops.” 

But the environment ministry official said studies have found no ill effects from GM foods and that local firms should partner with multinationals like Monsanto, which has already licensed its Bt Cotton product to several Indian companies. “Farmers are smart and deserve wider choices,” a spokesman for Monsanto in India said. “They will only reward products, practices and partnerships which create value on their farms.”

தேயிலை வாரியம் எச்சரிக்கை கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் விற்பவர்கள் மீது கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்

குன்னூர், பிப். 21:

தென்னிந்தியாவில் நீலகிரி மாவட்டத்தில் தான் தேயிலை உற்பத்தி அதிகளவில் மேற்கொள்ளப்படுகிறது. இங்கு 63 ஆயிரம் சிறு குறு விவசாயிகள் உள்ளனர். இம்மாவட்டத்தில் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் தேயிலை தூள்கள் ஏல மையங்கள் மூலம் விற் பனை செய்வது போக மீத முள்ள தூள்கள் பாக்கெட்களில் அடைக்கப்பட்டு சில்லறை விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகிறது. ஒரு சில தொழிற்சாலைகளில் இரு ந்து சமவெளி பகுதிகளை சேர்ந்த பலர் தேயிலை தூளை மொத்தமாக வாங் கி சென்று அதில் கலப்படம் செய்து கொள்ளை லாபம் ஈட்டி வருவதாக புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது. இன்னும் ஒரு மாதத்தில் கோடை சீசன் துவங்க உள்ளதால் இதனை மைய மாக வைத்து கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் விற்பனை யை அதிகரிக்க ஒரு சிலர் தீவிரமாக முயற்சி மேற் கொண்டு வருகின்றனர். இதுபோன்ற காரணங் களால் நீலகிரி தேயிலை தூளின் தரம் குறையும் அபாயம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனை தடுக்க சம்மந்தப்பட்ட துறை அதிகாரிகள் பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகள் மேற்கொண்டாலும் இதுவரை எவ்வித பயனும் இல்லை.

இதுகுறித்து தென்னிந்திய தேயிலை வாரிய செயல் இயக்குநர் அம்பலவாணன் கூறியதாவது: தரமான தேயிலை தூளை விற்பனை செய்ய தேயிலை வாரியம் பல்வேறு நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது.

கலப்படகாரர்கள் மீதும் நடவடிக்கை எடுத்துள்ளோம். கடந் தாண்டு கோவை, நீலகிரி, ஈரோடு, திருப்பூர், பொள் ளாச்சி உள்ளிட்ட மாவட்டங்களில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட அதிரடி சோதனை யில் 7 டன் கலப்பட தேயிலை பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது. மேலும் சம்பந்தப்பட்டவர்கள் மீது உணவு தடுப்பு பிரிவு சட்டத்தின் கீழ் வழக்கு பதிவு செய்துள்ளோம். தொடர்ந்து அனைத்து பகுதிகளிலும் இதுதொடர்பாக கண்காணிப்பு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க மாநில சுகாதார துறை அதிகாரிகளின் ஒத்துழைப்புடன் சோதனை நடத்தப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

டீ கடைகள் மற்றும் பேக்கரிகளில் அதிகளவில் கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் பயன்படுத்துவதாகவும் புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது. மேலும் சுற்றுலா தளங்களிலும் கலப்பட தேயிலை விற்பனை அதிகரித்து வருவதாக தெரிய வருகிறது. இதனால் இம்மாத இறுதிக்குள்ள நீலகிரி மாவட்டத்திலுள்ள அனைத்து சுற்றுலா தளங்கள் மட்டுமில்லாமல் டீ கடைகள், ஓட்டல்களில் சுகாதார துறையினருடன் இணைந்து அதிரடி ஆய்வு செய்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க உள் ளோம். கலப்பட தேயிலை தூள் விற்பனை குறித்து தக வல் ஏதேனும் கிடைக்கும் பட்சத்தில் பொதுமக்கள் உடனடியாக தேயிலை வாரிய அலுவலகத்திற்கு தகவல் தெரிவித்து புகார் கொடுக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் ஆய்வு

சிதம்பரம், பிப். 21:

கடலூர் மாவட்டம் முழுவதும் டெங்கு காய்ச்சல் தடுப்பு நடவடிக்கைகள் தீவிரப்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன. சிதம்பரம் நகரில் டாஸ்மாக் பார், உணவகம் மற்றும் சத்துணவு கூடத்தில் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரி ராஜா, அலுவலர்கள் பத்மநாபன், அருண்மொழி ஆகியோர் நேற்று காலை அதிரடியாக ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

பஸ் நிலையம் அருகே உள்ள டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் உணவு பொருட்களை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கு பின்புறம் கொட்டப்பட்டிருந்த காலி பாட்டில்களை ஆய்வு செய்த போது சில பாட்டில்களில் லார்வா இருப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. அங்கிருந்த பாட்டில்களை உடனடியாக அப்புறப்படுத்த உத்தரவிட்டனர். மேலும் பஸ் நிலையத்தில் உள்ள ஒரு உணவகத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தார். அங்கு பாத்திரங்களில் தண்ணீர் தோங்காமல் பார்த்து கொள்ளுமாறு அறிவுறுத்தினார். சிதம்பரம் மாலைகட்டி தெருவில் உள்ள நகராட்சி நடுநிலைப்பள்ளியில் சத்துணவு கூடத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அங்கு மாணவர்களுக்கு வழங்குவதற்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த முட்டைகள் காலாவதியாகாமல் உள்ளதா? என ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கிருந்த குடிநீர் தொட்டியில் ஏறி தொட்டி சுத்தமாக பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறதா என்றும் தொட்டியில் கொசு புழுக்கள் உள்ளதா என்றும் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

சிதம்பரம் பஸ் நிலைய டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் கிடந்த மது பாட்டிலை, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

பஸ் நிலையம் அருகே உள்ள டாஸ்மாக் பாரில் உணவு பொருட்களை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கு பின்புறம் கொட்டப்பட்டிருந்த காலி பாட்டில்களை ஆய்வு செய்த போது சில பாட்டில்களில் லார்வா இருப்பது கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. அங்கிருந்த பாட்டில்களை உடனடியாக அப்புறப்படுத்த உத்தரவிட்டனர். மேலும் பஸ் நிலையத்தில் உள்ள ஒரு உணவகத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தார். அங்கு பாத்திரங்களில் தண்ணீர் தோங்காமல் பார்த்து கொள்ளுமாறு அறிவுறுத்தினார். சிதம்பரம் மாலைகட்டி தெருவில் உள்ள நகராட்சி நடுநிலைப்பள்ளியில் சத்துணவு கூடத்தை ஆய்வு செய்தனர். அங்கு மாணவர்களுக்கு வழங்குவதற்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த முட்டைகள் காலாவதியாகாமல் உள்ளதா? என ஆய்வு செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கிருந்த குடிநீர் தொட்டியில் ஏறி தொட்டி சுத்தமாக பராமரிக்கப்படுகிறதா என்றும் தொட்டியில் கொசு புழுக்கள் உள்ளதா என்றும் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.

ARTICLE ON SUGAR

DINAMALAR NEWS

Restaurants, eateries directed to have CCTV cameras

The district administration has directed the Food Safety Wing to ensure that restaurants and eateries have closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras before issuing licences.

District Collector Archana Patnaik gave the direction in response to a demand made by the Commissioners of Valparai, Mettupalayam and Pollachi Municipalities during the first Steering Committee meeting of Food Safety held here recently.

Designated Officer of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), R. Kathiravan, is the convenor of the Committee, which has been formed to implement the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Trade bodies had requested the district administration to train entrepreneurs on norms and guidelines of the Food Safety Act. The Food Safety Officials also requested the Project Officer of ICDS to properly store samples of the food being prepared at their centres for each meal.

According to officials who took part in the meeting, Ms. Archana Patnaik directed the Food Safety Officers to conduct as much raids in super markets and big outlets as in small shops. Responding to a request from consumer organisations, she also directed them to check the quality of foods given as ‘annadhanam’ in temples.

In the 24 temples where the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department offered annadhanam (free food distribution) in Coimbatore, the kitchens had the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India licence, said sources in the department.

The administration in Coimbatore had applied for the licence a couple of years ago and as of 2014, the Department had renewed the licence as well. To cook food, the Department procured groceries on a monthly basis and vegetables on a daily basis so as to ensure that only fresh vegetables were used.

The Department no longer used firewoods in the kitchens. It used LPG cylinders. The Department managed 254 listed (big) temples and 1,290 non-listed (small) temples in the district.

Food Safety Officials requested Project Officer of ICDS to properly store samples of food prepared at the centres for each meal

The amicus curiae recommends banning junk food in schools to the Delhi High Court

Suggestions were filed by the amicus curiae; the stakeholders are expected to reply within the next hearing

The amicus curiae (friend of court) in the junk food case currently being heard by the Delhi High Court has made some recommendations to improve the draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food in schools.

The hearing that took place in the court of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw was in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Delhi-based non-profit Uday Foundation, seeking ban on sale of junk food in schools. 

Amicus curiae Sanyat Lodha has suggested, among other things, using the term “junk food” along with the term “high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS)”, as a layperson can identify with such food and the term has been in use since the filing of the PIL. It is to be noted that the respondents in the case had earlier applied to seek the deletion of the term “junk food” as it was not a scientific term and was not a category of food as defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar — including pizzas, burgers, and sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated beverages are termed as HFSS. Food categories, therefore, could be colour coded — foods which must be rarely eaten (HFSS foods), foods which can be eaten sparingly and foods which must be mostly, could be used. The amicus mentions that similar bans on HFSS foods are in place in countries like Canada, Costa Rica and UK. He has further recommended a ban of HFSS food within school premises and their sale to be restricted within 100 metres outside school premises.

Referring to the World Health Organization (WHO) in its “Set of recommendations on the Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverage to Children”, Lodha calls for restrictions on marketing of HFSS foods. He suggests that the guidelines must define the age group for which the restrictions are applicable, the marketing techniques and the communication channels, what constitutes marketing according to factors including products, timing, placement and content of marketing message are suggested to be covered by marketing restrictions. The amicus also mentions that restrictions on advertisements are in place in countries like Canada, France and Sweden.

Monitoring is a must

Lodha has also suggested including details on how the guidelines will be implemented. Implementation of these guidelines should be charted out with a responsible nodal body or person. Monitoring and enforcement mechanisms with timelines should be charted out. Deterrents for non-compliance and incentives for adherence could also be considered at the same time.

The amicus suggests that canteen contracts in schools should include clauses prohibiting the sale of HFSS/junk food (including sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated drinks) on the school premises.

The next hearing is scheduled for February 25, 2015 when stakeholders will file suggestions on the draft guidelines.

Uday Foundation had filed the PIL in 2010 seeking directions/orders to be issued to the respondents to immediately ban junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools and schools under Central and state government and local municipality in Delhi; to initiate measures to discourage the availability of “fast food”, unhygienic food and foods with unhealthy ingredients within 500 yards of the schools in Delhi; to further direct the respondents to develop a comprehensive school canteen policy which emphasises healthy nutrition among school going children and to ban junk food and carbonated drinks advertisements in media as well as in the television through any means.

Delhi HC seeks suggestions on guidelines on junk food

The Delhi High Court today sought suggestions from various stakeholders on draft guidelines of an expert committee on regulation of sale of junk food and aerated drinks in and around school premises in the country. 

"Draft guidelines framed by expert committee have been placed on record. The suggestions of those who want to respond to the draft guidelines may be filed within a weeks," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said while posting the matter for next hearing on February 25. 

During the hearing, advocate Sanyat Lodha, appearing as an amicus curiae, submitted his suggestions on the draft guidelines of the expert committee appointed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). 

Earlier, the expert group came out with a slew of guidelines on the subject of "making available quality and safe food in schools" and suggested the availability of food high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) contents be restricted in schools and area "within 50 metres". 

The report said the kids are not "the best judge of their food choice" and moreover, the schools are not the right place for promoting HFSS food. 

It had termed "chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages" etc as HFSS foods and suggested "the school management must ensure regulation of such food through canteen policies that promote healthy, wholesome and nutritious foods..." 

It also suggested there are food items such as 'samosa' and other fried items and a nationwide programme can be started to find out as to which can be termed as HFSS food. 

The panel has also suggested a canteen policy to provide nutritious food in school be developed to ensure that such canteens are not treated as "commercial outlets". 

The court was hearing the PIL filed by Uday Foundation seeking an immediate ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in all unaided and private schools.

400 kg of illegal meat found at Vasco rly station

An unclaimed consignment containing unhygienic beef, pork and mawa, weighing nearly about 400 kg was found in a luggage compartment of Goa-bound Hazrat Nizamuddin (Goa Express) passenger train, which arrived at platform No 2 of the Vasco railway station from Delhi early Thursday morning.

As per information provided by Animal Rescue Squad member Gaurav Kumar, the consignment was being transported illegally and supposed to be unloaded at the Margao railway station. However, it was transported further to the Vasco railway station as he had alerted the railway authorities and police at Margao in the morning.

Kumar said that neither did the consignment carry any official receipt or certificate of transportation nor was there any mention of the animals slaughtered for the purpose of consumption and added that the meat was transported in an unhygienic condition and hence unfit for consumption. He also claimed that similar consignments have been loaded onto a train in Delhi and are expected to be delivered either at the Margao or Vasco railway station on Friday morning.

Officials of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) inspected the meat, but failed to seize the consignment or book an offence against unknown persons due to restrictions over jurisdiction. FDA inspector Shivdas Naik said that they cannot seize the consignment lying within the premises of Vasco railway station. “We can only register a case under Food Safety Standard Authority of India but we don’t have any powers to book a case against unknown persons involved in illegal transportation of beef,” he said.

When contacted, manager of the Vasco railway station M Thamarai Selvan said that the Vasco railway authorities can neither hand over the parcel (containing beef, pork and mawa) to any government authority, nor are they entitled to allow any person to touch the parcel as the consignment was supposed to be delivered at the Margao railway station. He clarified that the parcel reached Vasco station as the door of the luggage compartment had failed to open at the Margao railway station during the early morning hours on Thursday when the train had reached Margao. “We are now sending the parcel back to the Margao railway station in a Collem-bound passenger train. Once in Margao, the consignee would be revealed,” he said.

Finally, the consignment was sent back to the Margao railway station in the afternoon, where the parcel was seen lying on platform till late in the evening.

Railway authorities at the Margao station informed the police, who, in turn, summoned officials of FDA and animal husbandry and veterinary services department. However, no offence has been registered against unknown persons.

“We told the police and Railway authorities to conduct the panchanama of the consignment and collect a sample and give it to us for checking the quality of meat at our laboratory. But the authorities were reluctant to do it,” said an FDA official. Team of animal husbandry officials along with a doctor checked the meat and found it to be unhygienic.

Margao railway police station in-charge Santosh Desai said that since the property was of Railways, they (police) had no role to play. “If the Railways gives to us in writing that the meat was being transported illegally, we can act,” he said. Interestingly, the railway authorities refused to provide details of the sender and receiver of the consignment.

Public relation officer of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited Baban Ghatge said that such transportation of meat is permitted in trains but hastily added that it should be packed properly in refrigerated containers. He also said that the Railway Protection Force officials had already informed the South Goa Superintendent of Police about the meat consignment. The meat is presently in the possession of the Railway authorities at Margao. It is learnt that Railways has been advised to dispose off the meat since it is unhygienic.

Meanwhile, animal activist Gaurav Kumar said that post the deadly assault on animal activist Amrut Singh, consignments of beef, pork and mawa are transported illegally to Goa on a large scale on a daily basis by the Goa Express train, either from Delhi or Belgaum. He said that such consignments were earlier transported by road, but after the assault, people involved in the illegal trade are now more vigilant. Kumar also said that four groups – Govansh Raksha Abhiyan, Animal Rescue Squad, Shiv Sena and Gau Gyan Foundation – are collectively making efforts to stop the illegal trade and killing of animals. He also demanded strict action against the people involved in transporting meat illegally by slaughtering animals.

Food Safety Deptt to Lift Samples of Suspected Food Articles

Port Blair, Feb 20: Ensuring availability of safe & whole some food to each & every citizen is the duty of the state. To achieve this, collection of food samples and its analysis for the compliance of law is a mandatory requirement. In the absence of Food Analyst & functional laboratory in A&N Islands this requirement was not exercised for last several years but now the Govt. of India has notified several accredited laboratories for this purpose and as a result any suspected sample of food article can be analysed.

The Food Safety department of this Administration has started this exercise and shall continue to lift samples of suspected food articles. Hence all Food Business Operators are requested to cooperate.

Further, it is brought to the notice of all consumers, NGOs and Consumer Organisations that they can also collect samples of food articles and send it for analysis to any notified laboratories and if the sample is found to be adulterated/misbranded or not within the norms, the entire expenditure towards collection & analysis shall be reimbursed to them and legal action shall also be initiated against vendors. For any assistance please contact the Food Safety department which is functioning in the Directorate of Health Services.

Report confirms poisoning after MDM

PATNA: It has now been confirmed that 65 children, who fell ill after consuming midday meal (MDM) at Rajkiya Madhya Vidyalaya, Sinduari, in Vaishali district on Thursday, suffered from poisoning. A report to this effect has been submitted by the Vaishali district epidemiologist and sent to State Surveillance Officer in State Health Society of Bihar.

The report says, "After investigation, it has been found that all children and cook were affected from suspected poisoning." The reason of poisoning is yet to be verified but since the children fell ill immediately after consuming food, experts suspect it was food poisoning.

All the victims were given conservative treatment and discharged. However, such midday meal scare has been in news quite often. The children of Rajkiya Madhya Vidyalaya started vomiting and nauseating while many others complained of abdominal pain and dizziness.

Noted paediatrician Dr Nigam Prakash Narayan said it appears that children suffered from a mild infection. "But had the extent of infection been large, they could have suffered from toxic gastroenteritis which is very dangerous." If the children are given stale rice, they can suffer from starch infection.

Child Rights and You (CRY) spokesperson Saradindu Bandyopadhyay said such and other midday meal accidents in Bihar are a grim reminder of the tragedy that struck a Saran school in which 23 kids died due to consumption of food containing pesticide in July, 2013. He said, "Though the government has taken some measures like construction of separate kitchen sheds for cooking meals and arrangements for safe drinking water, these are confined only to a few schools."

As per the study conducted in 2013 by Bihar Lok Adhikar Manch (BLAM) in collaboration with CRY in 210 primary schools of the state in 21 districts, 26% respondents said though MDM programme was more or less regular, the quality was not at all satisfactory. The same report also said 58 per cent schools surveyed didn't even have a dedicated kitchen shed, hence the cooking environment is not at all satisfactory.

The Vaishali incident comes about a month-and-half before World Health Day, whose theme this year is Food safety. WHO says "unsafe food" causes deaths of 2 million people annually, including children. Food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances is responsible for more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, WHO says.

Among its five recommendations, WHO suggests hand washing to keep food-borne diseases at bay. However, availability of safe water remains an issue in most of the schools in the state, Bandyopadhyay said. Keeping clean, separation of raw and cooked food, cooking food thoroughly and keeping food at safe temperature are the other four recommendations.

Soft drink consumers at a higher risk of cancer

People who consume one or more cans of cold drinks per day are exposing themselves to a potential carcinogen, warns a new study.

The ingredient, 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) - a possible human carcinogen - is formed during the manufacture of some kinds of caramel colour. Caramel colour is a common ingredient in colas and other dark soft drinks.

"Soft drink consumers are being exposed to an avoidable and unnecessary cancer risk from an ingredient that is being added to these beverages simply for aesthetic purposes," said Keeve Nachman, senior author of the study.

Building on an analysis of 4-MEI concentrations in 11 different soft drinks first published by Consumer Reports in 2014, researchers estimated exposure to 4-MEI from caramel-coloured soft drinks and modelled the potential cancer burden related to routine soft drink consumption levels in the United States.

"This unnecessary exposure poses a threat to public health and raises questions about the continued use of caramel colouring in soda," Nachman of Johns Hopkins Center for a Liveable Future (CLF).

Results indicated that levels of 4-MEI could vary substantially across samples, even for the same type of beverage.

While there is currently no federal limit for 4-MEI in food or beverages, Consumer Reports petitioned the Food and Drug Administration last year to set limits for the potential carcinogen.

"This new analysis underscores our belief that people consume significant amounts of soda that unnecessarily elevate their risk of cancer over the course of a lifetime," said Urvashi Rangan, executive director for Consumer Reports' Food Safety and Sustainability Center.

The results were published online in the journal PLOS One.

New deadline is Aug 4 but FBOs keen on FSSR amendment

Even as most food and beverage industry representatives and bodies are wary of the efficacy of another extension to the deadline for obtaining licence and securing registration by FBOs under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, in completion of the process, CAIT, the body spearheading the movement against implementation of FSSR, 2011, in its present state, is confident of finding a solution to the issue in the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament.

While the new deadline is August 4, 2015, entailing an extension of six months, starting from February 4, 2015, the previous deadline, a review of the FSS Act, 2006, and FSSR, 2011, is currently underway. It is expected that this review, which is being done as per the ground realities in India with regard to climatic and other conditions, will make the Act and Regulations more industry-friendly and the same will be adopted in the form of an Amendment to the Regulations during Budget 2015-16.

Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general, CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders), explains, “There would not be any need to further extend the deadline as the subject of licensing and registration would be duly deliberated in course of the review of FSS Act and Regulations, in the second half of the Budget session and a remedy would be forthcoming in the form of an Amendment.” 

Interestingly, the latest extension is the fifth since the implementation of FSS Act, 2006, and the subsequent FSS Regulations, 2011, in the country on August 5, 2011. Thus, though the regulations are in vogue for about four years, the rate of licensing and registration completed so far in the country, stands at approximately six per cent - around 30 lakh out of five crore FBOs completed the procedure.

In this regard, an analysis of the number of licensing and registrations completed in the recent past shows how the pace has been slow all along. FSSAI, in a reply, stated that as on January 15,2015, a total of 23,57,047 FBOs (food business operators) got registered and 5,45,653 got licensed under the Regulations, on December 24,2014, it had granted 17,775 Central licences, while states / UTs granted 5,45,065 licences and registered 23,53,083 FBOs.Even on October 15, 2014, the figures do not have much difference - procedure for obtaining 520,867 licences and securing 22,72,018 registrations was completed. Clearly the pace is sluggish.

Further, in Delhi, till January 31, 2015, 7,213 licences were distributed, a number that was marginally higher than the previous tally - 6,736 licences on January 23. In the latest figures, the number of licences obtained online was marginally up - 5,941 from the previous of 5,464 licences. 

While, according to industry experts who are not counting on the Amendment to FSSR, the current extension, which is fifth, will not be sufficient to complete the process of licensing and registration.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMANI NEWS

IPA envisions FDA for better enforcement

INDIA- The central government of India has been urged by the Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA); to create a separate Department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in India, which can be governed by the ministry of health and family welfare. This model has been adopted in Goa, Maharashra and Gujarat, and resulted in better coordination with agencies to deal with food and drugs laws.

According to a media report; IPA president Abhay Kumar has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi, saying that creation of a separate department of FDA in appropriate ministry and similar structures should be made mandatory in all states and Union Territories for uniform implementation of food and drugs laws throughout the country. 

Kumar in his letter said that at present Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and recently Punjab government have created the FDA department with food and drugs divisions functioning effectively under a senior level secretary. At present, the food law is implemented Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the health ministry and drug laws like D&C Act, DPCO, Pharmacy Act are implemented by different ministries. He further suggested that the implementation of the food and drugs laws should be handed over to professionally trained personnel who can efficiently manage, as there is no dearth of manpower from the food and drugs sectors.

In the states and Union Territories the food and drug laws are by and large enforced by directorate of health services with poor infrastructure and lack of professionally trained enforcement personnel, results in poor implementation of these laws. In most of the states even the full time regular drugs inspectors who are the main instrument for implementation of Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1948 are not posted and the drugs control department runs on ex-officio staffs.

Further, he expressed the need to create a new department independent from health department with inter-sectoral coordination especially with health, agriculture, veterinary, consumer affairs, fertilizers, chemical departments/ministries, which can function as an apex body of the food and drugs authorities under the ministry of health and family welfare or under appropriate ministry.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Centre wants 'hand-washing' in school time-table

All elementary schools in the country covered under Midday Meal (MDM) scheme will henceforth have to allocate "enough" time for "hand-washing" to ensure that all students and teachers get adequate time to wash their hands "with soap" before having food. The new set of guidelines on food safety and hygiene issued by the Ministry of human resources and development (MHRD) also stipulates that the temperature of the mid-day meal, while being served, should be maintained at 65°C. Only 'double-fortified salt' and packed dals, salt, spices, condiments and oil with AGMARK stamp can be used to prepare midday meals at clean and hygienic kitchen. And food must be free from adulteration, contaminants, pest and infestation.

All elementary schools in the country covered under Midday Meal (MDM) scheme will henceforth have to allocate "enough" time for "hand-washing" to ensure that all students and teachers get adequate time to wash their hands "with soap" before having food. The new set of guidelines on food safety and hygiene issued by the Ministry of human resources and development (MHRD) also stipulates that the temperature of the mid-day meal, while being served, should be maintained at 65°C. Only 'double-fortified salt' and packed dals, salt, spices, condiments and oil with AGMARK stamp can be used to prepare midday meals at clean and hygienic kitchen. And food must be free from adulteration, contaminants, pest and infestation.

Is it part of the time-table?

According to the 15-page document, uploaded on MHRD website, "there should be a dedicated time within the daily time-table that will allow enough time for all children, cooks and teachers to wash their hands with soap."

Will this ensure safety?

The guideline also stipulates high level of hygiene and safety be followed in procurement of food ingredients, storage, preparation and serving, apart from water and food ingredient testing.

Any norms for cooks?

The cooks and helpers should wash hands after coughing, sneezing, using telephone, coming from toilets, smoking etc. They should "avoid certain hand habits like scratching nose, running finger through hair, rubbing eyes, ears and mouth, beard, parts of bodies," it says.

MDM, whom it covers?

Over 11 crore children from 12 lakh government and private-aided schools across country are covered under the Central-funded MDM scheme, which is world's largest school feeding programme.

What are the hiccups?

Says Prashant Redij of Maharashtra State School Principals' Association: "Though washing hands with soap is a nice idea, it would require more water. A large number of schools in the drought prone areas Vidarbha and Marathwada region of Maharashtra don't have that much water."

Why the new norms now?

Several cases of deaths and students falling ill, due to adulterated midday meal, were reported from across the country, prompting the MHRD to come out with stringent guidelines.

Centre wants 'hand-washing' in school time-table

The new stringent guidelines by the Ministry of human resources and development (MHRD) to schools serving mid-day meals are primarily based on provisions of the Food Safety and Standards, Regulations 2011 and also include earlier guidelines issued time to time. The states have been directed to conduct training for the school staff to sensitise them about implementing the guidelines.

Schools are also expected to have "zero energy cool chambers" which can be constructed "easily" with materials like brick, sand, bamboo, khus-khus/straw, gunny bag etc. "The chamber can keep the temperature 10-15 degree cooler than the outside temperature and maintain 90% humidity which is good to keep food safe in summers, states guidelines." Also, if cooks are down with fever, diarrhea or have skin or other infectious diseases, they must not cook food.

According to Prashant Redij of Maharashtra State School Principals Association says, "Nothing better than being provided with packaged grains and spices. We welcome this."

A principal from a Uttar Pradesh Zilla Parishad school, says, "It is unclear whether schools would be allocated money to buy soaps. This must be clarified as government and aided schools are not allowed to collect any fee from children."

Figure it out

* 10.45 crore children covered under MDM in 11.58 lakh schools

* More than 25.70 lakh cook-cum-helpers engaged by states/UTs

* 35,000 schools, 84 lakh children covered under MDM in Maha

Committee formed for finalising food safety, hygiene guidelines for Mid Day Meal scheme

The Empowered Committee, headed by Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, on Friday constituted a body for finalising the guidelines for food safety and hygiene under the Mid Day Meal scheme.

According to an official statement by the HRD Ministry, the committee has had deliberations with experts from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and other agencies in the field and have developed a draft.

The guidelines aim to ensure basic standards of food safety and hygiene in school kitchens and address both the operational as well as infrastructural aspects.

The guidelines will also help states and union territories to focus on the procurement, storage, preparation, serving and disposal of food items.

Unhygienic conditions prevail in Talab Khatinkan meat market

Unhygienic conditions prevail in the meat market at Talab Khatinkan here and food safety authorities are not taking action against the erring shopkeepers.

There is no proper management in place and stray dogs roam in and around the market whole day.

The meat market in Talab Khatinkan is the biggest “halal” meat market in the city, but it has never been maintained properly. Hygiene is a thing of past in the market and people are being sold meat which doesn’t meet the basic parameters of hygiene.

“I used to buy meat from Talab Khatinkan market five years back, but after seeing the unhygienic conditions there, I stopped buying meat from the area. The district administration hasn’t taken any step to meet the basic requirement of hygiene in the area,” said Khurshid Ahmed, a resident of Gujjar Nagar.

Most of the restaurants in Jammu are buying meat from the area only and customers don’t know the condition of shops from where the meat is brought. The unhygienic conditions in the meat market pose the danger of food poisoning for hundreds of cunsumers.

The food safety wing of the drug and food control organisation of Jammu is not able to teach a lesson to these meat suppliers.

“Many a times we have penalised these shopkeepers, but they are not learning lessons. Elsewhere meat suppliers are maintaining hygienic conditions, but the problem lies in Talab Khatinkan only,” said Madan Magotra, designated officer, food safety wing.

He said they would surely take action against these shopkeepers soon.

Food safety systems are challenged by hygiene related problems: Experts

Indian food safety systems are challenged by the rapidly growing population, hygiene related problems, incidences of residues of antibiotics and heavy metals, food-borne pathogens, incidence of infectious diseases in food producing animals and anti- microbial resistance.These observations were made by experts addressing the recently-held National Symposium on Food Safety of Animal Origin, arranged during the XIII Annual Conference of Indian Association of Veterinary and Public Health.

Expressing his views at the symposium, Prof. Suresh S Honnappagol,animal husbandry commissioner, Government of India, stated, “The traditional production, processing and waste handling systems coupled with unhygienic practices in particular have tainted and tarnished the image of the Indian meat industry.” 

Further, a panel of experts pointed out that population and income growth were driving enormous increases in demand for foods of animal origin. Livestock production systems are facing increasing demands for livestock feeds relative to availabilities. Accurate assessments of current and future supplies and demands for livestock feed are needed for national food and feed security policy and planning. The development of National Feed Assessment Systems (NFASs) is suggested to support sustainable livestock sector growth. 

Dr C Renukaprasad, vice-chancellor, KVAFSU, Bidar,stated,“There is need to have extensive knowledge about the main health hazards associated with consumption of meat, poultry and eggs and their epidemiology in animals and humans. In addition, the risk analysis and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). There must be an awareness of international regulation concerning the safety of meat, poultry and eggs and related trade issues.There is also need to put in risk-based inspection procedures.” 

Considering these facts, the department of livestock products technology, Veterinary College, Bengaluru, along with the Indian Association of Veterinary Public Health Specialists (IAVPHS) is now focussing on bringing awareness on food safety. 

According to the department of livestock products technology, zoonoses are human diseases that can be acquired from animals. A disease that starts as a zoonoses may have the potential to develop into a major human communicable disease, leading to significant morbidity and mortality as in cases of avian flu and swine flu. 

Sixty percent of the pathogens that cause diseases in humans are of animal origin including zoonoses, which can be transmitted by domestic or wild animals. Animal diseases that are transmissible to humans, and must imperatively combated at every level. The most effective and economical solution to protect humans is to combat all zoonotic pathogens through their control at the animal source. 

This is where ‘The One Health Concept’ facilitated by a formal alliance between the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), which is a global strategy to expand collaborations for healthcare of humans, animals and environment. It is aimed at preventing and controlling pathogens at the level of animal populations, at the interface between humans, animals and the environment.Implementation of these policies places not only veterinarians and animal owners in the front line but also people who regularly come into contact with wildlife and environment besides fishing. It involves new mechanisms requiring all these stakeholders to inform one another and act in a concerted manner, in association with public health managers. The joint action is for rabies, which still kills nearly 70,000 annually, zoonotic influenza viruses causing avian influenza and antimicrobial resistance,according to experts.

21 officers withdrawn from food safety wing

The designated officers used to monitor and lead the inspections to check if food items were within the parameters of the Food Safety and Standards Act.

In a move that could affect food safety surveillance, the Department of Health and Family Welfare has relieved 21 senior medical officers from holding the posts of designated officers of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) in the State and repatriated them to the department in respective districts.

The reason: shortage of doctors in the department.

The food safety officers had been asked to look after the affairs of the food safety wing until the posts of designed officers were filled. The department had been entrusted with the task of implementing FSSA in every district.

The decision, according to sources in the department, could slow down the food safety drives since the designated officer used to monitor and sometimes lead the inspections/raids to check if food items were within the parameters of FSSA. The absence of a “team leader” could have a bearing on spreading the importance of food safety.

According to the norms, the post of the FSSA designated officer should be held by a sub-divisional officer or a medical officer who has put in more than ten years in the department or a person with post-graduation in subjects such as chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry with the rank of a sub-divisional officer.

As the department could not get the officers of sub-divisional rank in the organisation, they appointed 21 senior medical officers doctors to the posts in the State, the sources said.

In some places, designated officers were looking after more than one district as the department could not fill all the designated officers’ posts when the Act came into existence.

Now, citing shortage of medical officers, the department has withdrawn the officers without replacing them.

Since January, the food safety wings in the State have been under the control of the food safety officers.

Sources said food safety officers do not have powers to proceed with certain legal matters but can conduct raids. The officers can renew the licences under FSSA but they do not have prosecuting powers in case of food adulteration. Also, they have no power to impose the penalty up to Rs. one lakh in case of food adulteration.

In Mysuru, extensive food safety drives have already taken a backseat following the shortage of food safety officers. As against the sanctioned post of 10 in the district, only three had been appointed.

Food samples for tests are collected based on complaints, suspicion, and random inspection.

It is mandatory to collect four food samples in case of complaints or suspicion. If food is found to be unsafe for consumption, a case is booked against the parties who are liable for punishment and a heavy penalty.

Since the Act came into existence about two years ago, 38 cases had been registered and two had been recommended for prosecution in Mysuru district.

Anganwadi workers sensitised on food safety

Anganwadi supervisors were sensitised on maintaining safety and hygiene while preparing food for children aged up to 6 years at a workshop on ‘Food Safety and Standards Act’. The workshop was organised jointly by the office of the designated officer, Food Safety wing, and the Department of Women and Child Development on Friday.

District Malaria Officer Chidambar S. spoke about the Act and how to confirm the safety of food products supplied to the anganwadi centres.

ICDS medical officer Thibbe Gowda C.D. said cases of nutritional deficiencies among children aged up to 6 years had dropped substantially in the district.

சாலையோர தள்ளுவண்டி கடைகளில்தரமற்ற உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்பனை

கிருஷ்ணகிரி:கிருஷ்ணகிரி நகரில், மாலை நேரங்களில் தள்ளுவண்டி கடைகளில் தரமற்ற சில்லி சிக்கன், மீன் வறுவல் போன்ற உணவு வகைகள் விற்பனை மீண்டும் அதிகரித்துள்ளதால், இதனை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர்கள் ஆய்வு செய்து தடைசெய்ய வேண்டும் என்று, பொதுமக்கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

ஹோட்டல்கள், சாலையோர டிபன் கடைகள், சில்லி சிக்கன் கடைகள் போன்றவற்றில் தரமான, சுகாதாரமான உணவுப்பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்ய உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமண அலுவலகத்தில், கடை உரிமையாளர்கள் அனுமதி பெற வேண்டும்.

இவ்வாறு அனுமதி பெற்ற கடைகளில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் உணவுப்பொருட்கள் தரமாகவும், சுகாதாரமாகவும் இருப்பதை உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையினர் கண்காணிக்க வேண்டும்.கிருஷ்ணகிரி நகரில், பெங்களூரு சாலை, கார்னேசன் திடல் ரோடு, சந்தைபேட்டை ரோடு, சென்னை சாலை, பழையபேட்டை, லண்டன்பேட்டை, ராயக்கோட்டை ரோடு ஆகிய பகுதிகளில், மாலை நேரங்களில் தள்ளுவண்டி கடைகளில் சில்லி சிக்கன் கடைகள், டிபன் கடைகள் மற்றும் மீன் கடைகள் வைக்கப்படுகிறது.இந்த கடைகளில், தரமற்ற எண்ணெய் கொண்டு உணவு பொருட்கள் தயாரிக்கப்படுகிறது. இந்த உணவு வகைகளை தயாரிக்க பயன்படும் இதர பொருட்களும் தரமற்றதாகவே உள்ளது. இவ்வாறு தரமற்ற உணவு பொருட்களை வாங்கி உபயோகிக்கும் பொதுமக்கள், பல்வேறு இன்னல்களுக்கு ஆளாகி வருகின்றனர்.குறிப்பாக, இந்த உணவு வகைகளை சாப்பிடுவோருக்கு வயிறு சம்மந்தமான நோய்கள் தாக்கி வருகிறது. அப்போதைக்கு ருசியாக உள்ளதாலும், காரமாக உள்ளதாலும் இரவில் மது குடிப்போர், இவ்வாறான உணவு வகைகளை, அதிகம் விரும்பி வாங்கி செல்கின்றனர்.இரவில் சாப்பிட்டுவிட்டு, அடுத்த நாள் காலையில்தான், இவர்களுக்கு அந்த உணவின் தரம் குறித்து தெரியவருகிறது. இந்த பகுதியில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் சில்லி சிக்கன், மீன் ஆகியவற்றை, தொடர்ந்து சாப்பிடுவர்களுக்கு, விரைவில் அல்சர் வருகிறது.இது குறித்து, நகராட்சி கூட்டத்தில், பொதுமக்கள் சார்பில், கவுன்சிலர்கள் புகார் தெரிவித்ததை தொடர்ந்து, நகராட்சி சுகாதார அலுவலர்கள் மற்றும் உண்வு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர்கள் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டு, பல தள்ளுவண்டி கடைகளை அப்புறப்படுத்தினர். ஆனால், தற்போது மீண்டும் சாலையோரங்களில் தரமற்ற உணவு பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்யும் கடைகள், கிருஷ்கிரி நகரில் அதிகரித்துள்ளது.எனவே, கிருஷ்ணகிரி நகரில், இரவு நேரங்களில் சாலையோரங்களில் உணவு பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்வோர், முறைபடி உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமண அலுவலர்களிடம் இருந்து அனுமதி வாங்கியுள்ளார்களா என்பதையும், தள்ளுவண்டிகளில் விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் உணவு வகைகள் தரமானதாகவும், சுகாதாரமாகவும் உள்ளதா என்பததையும் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டு, தரமற்ற உணவு வகைகளை விற்பனை செய்யும் கடைகளை மூடவேண்டும் என்று, பொதுமக்கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

உப்புக்கு வந்த சோதனை

"உப்பிட்டவரை உள்ளளவும் நினை', "உப்பில்லாப் பண்டம் குப்பையிலே'- இது போன்ற பழமொழிகள் பலவற்றை நீங்கள் கேட்டிருக்கலாம். எனினும், உப்புக்கும் அதை உற்பத்தி செய்து விற்பவர்களுக்கும் வந்த சோதனைகளைப் பலர் அறிய வாய்ப்பில்லை.

நாடு விடுதலை அடைந்த பின் உப்புத் தொழில் மிகுந்த வளர்ச்சி கண்டு வெளிநாடுகளுக்கு ஏற்றுமதி செய்யும் அளவு முன்னேற்றம் அடைந்துள்ளோம். நாட்டில் உப்பு உற்பத்தியில் முதலிடம் வகிப்பது குஜராத் மாநிலமே.

தமிழ்நாட்டில் தூத்துக்குடி உப்பு உற்பத்தியில் முதன்மை பெற்று விளங்குகிறது. ஆனால், குஜராத்தை போல கோடிக்கணக்கான முதலீட்டுடன் செய்யப்படாமல் இங்கு சிறு சிறு உப்பளங்களாகப் பாத்திகட்டி உப்பு உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படுகிறது.

இந்தியாவின் மொத்த உப்பு உற்பத்தி ஆண்டுக்கு இரண்டு கோடி டன். இதில் குஜராத் மாநிலத்தின் பங்கு ஒரு கோடியே ஐம்பது லட்சம் டன். ராஜஸ்தான் மாநில உற்பத்தி இருபது லட்சம் டன்.

தமிழ்நாடு, ஆந்திர கடலோரப் பகுதிகளில் உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் உப்பின் அளவு முப்பது லட்சம் டன்.

தமிழ்நாட்டின் தூத்துக்குடியில் கடற்கரையிலிருந்து ஒன்றரை கிலோ மீட்டர் தூரத்தில் ஆழ்குழாய் அமைத்து நீர் இறைத்து பாத்திகளில் தேக்கி சூரிய ஒளியில் உப்பு படிந்து வாரப்படுகிறது.

முழுக்க முழுக்க இயற்கையை நம்பியே இந்த உப்பு விவசாயம் செய்யப்படுகிறது. உப்பு விளைந்து வாருவதற்குத் தயார் நிலையில் இருக்கும்போது மழை பெய்தால் உப்பு உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் பெரும் நஷ்டம் அடைவார்கள்.

தமிழகத்தில் உப்பு உற்பத்தி மற்றும் வணிகத்தில் ஒரு லட்சம் தொழிலாளர்கள் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளார்கள். நேரடியாக உப்பளங்களில் பணிபுரியும் தொழிலாளர்கள் 40,000 பேர். பொட்டலம் இடுதல் மற்றும் வாகனங்களில் ஏற்றி இறக்கும் தொழிலில் ஈடுபட்டுளோர் 60,000 பேர்.

ஆண்டாண்டுகாலமாக இவ்வாறு உற்பத்தி செய்யப்படும் உப்பை உணவுக்குப் பயன்படுத்தித்தான் நம் முன்னோர்கள் வாழ்ந்தார்கள்.

அத்தகைய உப்பைப் பயன்படுத்தியதால் அவர்கள் ஆரோக்கியம் கெட்டுவிட்டதாக எந்த சான்றும் இல்லை. இந்நிலையில், அரசு சில சட்டதிட்டங்களை இயற்றி உப்புத்தொழிலை நசுக்கச் செய்யும் முயற்சியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளது.

உப்பில் அயோடின் கலந்துதான் விற்பனை செய்ய வேண்டும் என்ற சட்டம் இயற்றி பல ஆண்டுகளாகிவிட்டன. அதை எதிர்த்து உச்சநீதிமன்றத்தில் தொடரப்பட்ட வழக்கு நிலுவையில் உள்ளது.

நீதிபதிகள் இந்தச் சட்டப்பிரிவு செல்லாது என்று தங்கள் கருத்தைப் பதிவு செய்துள்ளபோதிலும் இறுதித்தீர்ப்பு இன்னும் வழங்கப்படவில்லை. இதுகுறித்து அஷோக் டி. ஜெய்சிங்கானி என்ற சத்துணவு ஆராய்ச்சியாளர் கூறுவதைச் சுருக்கமாகக் காண்போம்.

"அதிக அளவு அயோடின் உட்கொள்வது எய்ட்ஸ் நோய்க்குக் காரணமாக அமைகிறது. அதன் காரணமாக அகால மரணம் சம்பவிக்கிறது. பெரும்பான்மையான இந்திய மக்களுக்கு அவர்கள் அன்றாடம் உண்ணும் உணவிலிருந்தே அவர்களுக்குத் தேவையான அயோடின் சத்து கிடைத்துவிடும். அதற்கு அயோடின் கலக்காத சாதாரண உப்பே போதுமானது.

உஷ்ணப் பிரதேசமான நமது நாட்டில் தொடர்ந்து அயோடின் கலந்த உப்பை உண்பது, ஹைப்போதைரோயிடிசம், வயிற்றுப்போக்கு, கூடுதல் வியர்வை சுரத்தல், நீர்வற்றிப் போதல், விரைவாக எடை குறைவது, ஆஸ்துமா போன்ற மூச்சுத் திணறல், சர்க்கரை நோய், சிறுநீரகக் கல், தோல் புற்றுநோய் போன்ற பல்வேறு வியாதிகளுக்கும் காரணமாகிவிடும்.'

இந்நிலையில், உச்சநீதிமன்றத்தில் நிலுவையில் உள்ள வழக்கை ஏன் நமது அரசு விரைந்து முடிக்கத் தயக்கம் காட்டுகிறது என்று விளங்கவில்லை.

உப்பில் கலப்படமா? முன்பிருந்த கலப்படத் தடைச் சட்டத்திலும் தற்போது அமல்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ள உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரச்சட்டம் 2006}லும் உப்பிற்காகக் குறிப்பிட்ட தரம் இல்லையெனில், அது கலப்படம் செய்யப்பட்டதாகக் கருதப்பட்டு தண்டனை வழங்கப்படும். 

இயற்கையாக விளையும் உப்பில் அரசு நிர்ணயித்த தரம் இல்லையெனில், யாரைக் குற்றம் சொல்வது? சட்டப்படி உணவுக்கான சாதாரண உப்பில் சோடியம் குளோரைடு என்ற வேதிப்பொருள் 96 விழுக்காடு இருக்க வேண்டும்.

ஆனால், தூத்துக்குடியில் உற்பத்தியாகும் உப்பில் பெரும்பாலும் 92 விழுக்காடுக்கு மேல் இருப்பதில்லை. அதிலும் வடக்கு அளத்தில் ஒரு விகிதமும் தெற்கு அளத்தில் ஒரு விகிதமும் இருப்பதைக் காணலாம். இந்த வேறுபாட்டுக்கு அங்கு பயன்படுத்தப்படும் நிலத்தடி நீரின் அடர்த்தியும் பாத்தியில் உள்ள மண்ணின் தன்மையுமே காரணமாகும்.

சோடியம் குளோரைடு 96 விழுக்காட்டுக்குக் குறைவாக உள்ள உப்பை விற்பனை செய்யும் வணிகர்மீது கலப்படம் செய்த குற்ற வழக்கு தொடரப்படும். ஒரு விவசாயிபோல் இயற்கையை நம்பி உற்பத்தி செய்யும் உப்பைக் கலப்படம் செய்ததாகக் கூறி வழக்குத் தொடர்வது நியாயமா?

சரி, 96 விழுக்காட்டுக்குக் குறைவாக இருந்தால் அதை உட்கொள்ளும் நபர் எவ்வாறு பாதிக்கப்படுவார் என்ற வினா எழுப்பினால் அதற்குப் பதில் கிடையாது.

இதில் விந்தை என்னவென்றால், தென்கொரியாவிலிருந்து 85 விழுக்காடு சோடியம் குளோரைடு மட்டுமே உள்ள உப்பு வேண்டும் என்று ஆர்டர் வந்தும் நமது நாட்டுச் சட்டப்படி 96 விழுக்காடுக்குக் குறைந்த உப்பு ஏற்றுமதி செய்யக்கூடாது என்ற தடையிருப்பதால் நமது ஏற்றுமதி வணிகம் பாதிக்கப்பட்டது.

தூத்துக்குடி பகுதியில் உப்பு உற்பத்தி செய்யும் உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் மொத்தம் சுமார் 7,000 ஏக்கர் பரப்பில் ஆண்டுக்கு 8,88,300 டன் உற்பத்தி செய்கின்றனர். அவர்களால் கண்டிப்பாக 96 விழுக்காடு சோடியம் குளோரைடு உள்ள உப்பை உற்பத்தி செய்ய இயலாது.

என்று தணியும் இந்த உப்புக்கு வந்த சோதனை?

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

Amma canteen at Salem GH awaits inauguration

The Amma canteen at Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem.

‘Hard-earned money spent on travel, treatment’

The Amma canteen, constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.9 crore on Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital premises, is lying idle for the past five months.

Since it is a referral hospital for patients from five districts, over 10,000 people visit the hospital everyday. But only two canteens serve the needs of the people. Hence, to cater to the needs of the visitors, the foundation stone was laid in July and work was completed in September-end.

The spacious dining hall could accommodate more than 100 people at any time. But the facility created in three months is lying idle and is waiting for inauguration.

On the other hand, it was alleged that inferior quality ingredients were used in preparing food material and sold in the existing two canteens. Also, when officials of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department inspected the canteens on Wednesday, sub-standard items were used in preparing food.

Also, the food is not prepared in hygienic environment and unprotected drinking water is served to the people. Poor people who visit the hospital said that spending too much on food is not possible for them and hence demanded that the Amma canteen be opened immediately. “Our hard earned money is spent on travelling and on treatment. If the canteen is opened, we can get the food at affordable cost”, they added.

Corporation officials pointed out that orders have to come from Chennai for running the canteen.