165 bags of gutka, khaini seized

Around 165 bags of gutka and khaini were seized by policemen of the Special Branch wing and the One Town in a joint operation on Monday. Stocks of the banned products, valued at Rs.21 lakh, were seized from a godown near Poorna Market. The owner had procured the stock from neighbouring Odisha in two lorries and stored them in the godown.

On a tip-off, the police raided the godown and seized the stock, according to Special Branch Inspector B. Ramana. Owner Lakshmana Rao was arrested as gutka and khaini are banned under the Food Safety and Standard Act-2006.

British slaughterhouse owner fined over horsemeat scandal

The owner and manager of a slaughterhouse in northern England were sentenced to fines and a suspended jail term on Monday in the first criminal prosecution related to a horsemeat scandal that embarrassed British supermarkets in 2013.

The owner and manager of a slaughterhouse in northern England were sentenced to fines and a suspended jail term on Monday in the first criminal prosecution related to a horsemeat scandal that embarrassed British supermarkets in 2013.

The slaughterhouse in the town of Todmorden was inspected by a food safety official at the height of the scandal, in which horsemeat was found in food products that were labelled as containing beef, outraging consumers

"Documents produced for this inspection were intended to deceive the inspector and the lack of proper records meant that the source and destination of the horsemeat was untraceable," specialist prosecutor Kevin Hansford said in a statement.

The slaughterhouse owner, Peter Boddy, was fined 8,000 pounds ($11,900) and ordered to pay another 10,442 pounds in legal costs after being convicted of failing to keep adequate records allowing the provenance of meat to be traced.

The manager, David Moss, received a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay costs of 10,442 pounds, after being convicted of falsifying an invoice. "This deception is serious. The absence of proper records means that it is not possible to identify whether the horsemeat may have entered the human food chain," Hansford said.

The horsemeat scandal began in January 2013 when Irish food inspectors said they had found horsemeat in frozen beefburgers being sold by several British supermarket chains. The scandal then escalated and spread to several other European countries and a number of products were recalled.

உயிருக்கு உலை வைக்கும் வகையில் கார்பைட் கல், ஸ்பிரே பயன்படுத்தி மாங்காய் பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை

தாம்பரம்: மாம்பழ சீசன் தொடங்க உள்ள நிலையில், தரமற்ற முறையில் மாங்காய்களை கார்பைட் கல் மூலம் பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை செய்வது அதிகரித்து வருவதால் தடுத்து நிறுத்த கோரிக்கை எழுந்துள்ளது. ஆண்டுதோறும் மார்ச், ஏப்ரல், மே மாதங்கள் மாம்பழ சீசனாக உள்ளது. கடைகளுக்கு சப்பட்டை, கிளி மூக்கு, பஞ்சவர்ணம், கொட்டக்காய், அல்போன்சா உள்பட பல வகையான மாங்காய்கள் விற்பனைக்கு வர தொடங்கியுள்ளன. இந்நிலையில், சீசன் தொடங்கும் முன்பே சில வியாபாரிகள் அதிக லாபம் பார்க்கும் நோக்கத்தில், மாங்காய்களை குறைந்த விலையில் கொள்முதல் செய்து, கடைகளில் குவியலாக வைத்து அவற்றை கார்பைட் கல் மூலம் பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை செய்ய தொடங்கி உள்ளனர். கோயம்பேடு, தாம்பரம், தி.நகர், சைதாப்பேட்டை, எம்ஜிஆர் நகர் உள்ளிட்ட பெரிய மார்க்கெட்டுகள் மட்டுமின்றி, பல்வேறு இடங்களில் உள்ள சிறிய கடைகளிலும் தற்போது, இதுபோன்று முறைகேடாக மாங்காய்களை பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பனை செய்வதாக புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது. இவ்வாறு பழுக்கும் பழங்களின் தோல்பகுதி பளபளப்பாக இருக்கும்.

இது பார்ப்பவர்களை வாங்க தூண்டும். இதேபோல், குவியலாக மாங்காய்களை போட்டு, ஸ்பிரே மூலம் ரசாயன மருந்து அடிக்கப்படுகிறது. கல், ரசாயனம் மூலம் காய்கள் சில நாள்களில் பழுக்கின்றன. இந்த பழங்களை சாப்பிட்டால் வயிற்று வலி, வயிற்றுப்போக்கு ஏற்படும் அபாயம் உள்ளது. இதுகுறித்து பொதுமக்கள் கூறுகையில், ‘கடந்த ஆண்டு சீசனில் உணவுப்பொருள் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாக துறை அதிகாரிகள், பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் உள்ள கடைகளில் அதிரடி சோதனை செய்து, செயற்கை முறையில் பழுக்க வைத்த மாம்பழங்களை டன் கணக்கில் பறிமுதல் செய்து அழித்தனர். கடைகளில் இருந்த கார்பைட் கல், ரசாயன மருந்துகளை கைப்பற்றினர். அதேபோல், இந்தாண்டும் உணவுப் பொருள் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாக துறை அதிகாரிகள் உடனடி நடவடிக்கையில் இறங்கி, செயற்கை முறையில் மாங்காய்களை பழுக்க வைத்து விற்பவர்கள் மீது கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்,’ என்றனர்.

15 of 20 food samples taken in Jan found unfit

Meerut: Out of the total food samples sent to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) in Meerut found 75% of the food samples either unfit to be consumed or wrongfully labled. 

The FSDA had sent a total of 20 samples to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow in January. The reports were made public on Sunday. According to it, 15 samples out of the total 20 failed the test. 

The FSDA conducts anti-adulteration drives whenever festivals are round the corner and to make sure that city residents don't consume food items which are unfit to consume. 

"I am glad that 15 samples from six shops have been caught. The shops under the scanner will think twice before fooling customers," said JP Singh, chief food safety officer. 

Moreover, three court cases were also filed against the shop-owners who were found selling adulterated samples four months ago, sources said. 

"Though 75% of food samples were found substandard, I am glad that the cases came to our notice. Now, the matter will go to court and the accused will be taken to task," said JP Singh. 

A total of five shops were found selling food items unacceptable under the food safety standards. There are Padamshri shop in Mohsinpur, Shop in Lala ka Bazaar and Agarwal & Sons on Surajkund. They failed in six, three and four samples, respectively. While Bittoo Foods in Sports Complex and Arora Foods in Partapur failed in one sample each. 

The shops for which the matter has reached court are located in Brahmpuri, Suroorpur and Achanta village of Meerut. 

No database available on the number of FBOs in Punjab: CAG

There is no database available with Punjab's Health department with regard to the number of food business operators (FBOs) in the state, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). 

In its latest report on social, general and economic sectors, the government auditor found that in the absence of the database, the possibility of FBOs running the business without licenses or registration could not be ruled out. 

The audit of Commissioner's records showed that neither was any survey conducted nor was any database with regard to total number of FBOs in the state available with him, it said. 

While assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 in Punjab, CAG noted that no person shall commence or carry on any food business except under a license under the Act. 

The Act provides that the Commissioner of Food Safety shall carry out survey of industrial units engaged in manufacture or processing of food in the state to find out compliance by such units to the standards notified by Food Authority for various food items. 

Though 10,861 licenses and 85,066 registrations were reported to have been granted up to January 2014, but in the absence of the said database, the possibility of FBOs running food business without licenses or registrations could not be ruled out, it said. 

In its reply, the Health and Family Welfare department said all designated officers in the state were being directed to conduct such survey in the field. 

The auditor also found that department was not maintaining any data in respect of samples collected and analysed in the state of Punjab. 

Monthly targets for collection of samples were not achieved and analysis of adulterated samples from referral laboratory was delayed, as per the report. 

The prosecution against offenders of adulterated samples could not be launched due to non-obtaining of the sanction of Commissioner, it said. 

CAG further found that the Food and Drug Authority could not be set up in the state for want of release of funds during 2012-14 despite the state government's decision to make a budget provision of Rs 5 crore each year for it. 

However, required funds were not released by the Finance Department as a result of which the budgeted provision of Rs 5 crore for 2012-13 and 2013-14 lapsed, the report noted.

Now, app that will help food business operators understand FSSAI regulations better

New Delhi, March 23 (ANI): Food business operators can now access all the latest updates and notifications regarding Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations plus a self-inspection tool through Food Safety Mobile App.

The application which is being introduced for the first time in India will help food business operators to understand, learn and implement the requirements listed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The mobile application not only provides information on FSSAI compliance needs but also features food safety inspection for business. It helps the food business community, who are intending to operate with the agency's regulations with a traceability system at their premises.

With the food safety inspection tool, one can do the audit through the mobile device, generate automated report, save your cost of hiring a professional firm for Inspection, do the audit anytime you wish to do, cover multiple locations of your food business, identify the gaps in the system and can take corrective action.

The mobile app features the customized checklists for Self Inspection on different industry verticals to identify possible gaps in your system.

Currently the mobile app is available for android phone users.

Judge Defines Best Before, Date of Expiry

CHENNAI:Defining the difference between the phrases ‘Best Use Before’ and ‘Date of Expiry’, the Madras High Court has said there was a clear-cut distinction between them. The meaning attached to “best before” is that the period during which the product shall remain fully marketable and shall retain in specific qualities for which tacit or express claims have been made. Beyond the prescribed date also the food article may still be perfectly satisfactory, Justice S Vaidyanathan said.

The meaning attached to the “expiry date” signifies the end of the estimated period under any stated storage conditions, after which the product probably will not have the quality and safety attributes normally expected by the consumers. As such, the item shall not be sold beyond the expiry date.

“Therefore, it is clear that even after the date of ‘best before’, the product can be consumed as safety would be still intact, however, it may not be as good as what it would have been if used within specified time limit, since after it passes the date of ‘best before’ every day counts and the shelf life of the product will gradually decrease in all respects, such as, quality, taste, potency etc. There is no confusion as regards ‘expiry date’, which is a clear cut and once it passes, the product will lose its value in all respects and cannot be consumed and it is harmful if used. Therefore, it can be analyzed that ‘expiry date’ will come after expiration of ‘best before date’. If a product contains both the dates, normally, best before date will be shown first to that of ‘expiry date’, the judge said.

The judge was dismissing a writ petition from Amrut Distilleries seeking to quash an order dated October 15 last year of the Authorized Officer of Chennai Seaport and Airport, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in Chennai and consequently, send appropriate report to the Deputy Commissioner of Customs to enable it to clear goods covered under the Bill of Entry dated September 26, for home consumption.

Kitchen Towels Top Contamination Hazard List

Although only 9 percent of reported foodborne illness outbreaks occur in the home, researcher and K-State food safety specialist Jeannie Sneed estimate the actual number of incidents is much higher.Research shows a leading cause of cross contamination within the home is actually an object associated with cleaning, the kitchen towel.

A study recently published in the journal Food Protection Trends highlights the work of several Kansas State University faculty and students.

Lead researcher Jeannie Sneed said the study showed some unique observations and areas of weakness when it comes to consumers’ kitchen behavior.

“First, participants were observed frequently handling towels, including paper towels, even when not using them for drying,” Sneed said. “Towels were determined to be the most contaminated of all the contact surfaces tested.”

Video observation showed many participants would touch the towel before washing their hands or used the towel after washing their hands inadequately. Even after properly washing their hands, they reused the towel and contaminated themselves all over again.

Researchers believe this could be one of the most critical findings of the study, because cloth towels can quickly and easily become contaminated at significant levels, including microorganisms that potentially can lead to foodborne illnesses.

Other researchers found that salmonella, bacteria commonly found in raw meat and poultry products, grows on cloths stored overnight, even after they were washed and rinsed in the sink. This is why Sneed recommends washing cloth towels after using them while preparing a meal, or using paper towels and discarding them after each use.

Another observation from the study was cell phone handling during food preparation and the lack of proper sanitation afterward. While electronic devices are useful tools for communication, entertainment and a method of gathering recipes, they add another potential source of contamination.

“We often take our cell phones and tablets into the kitchen,” Sneed said, “but what about all the other places we take them? Think of how many times you see someone talking on their cell phone in places like the bathroom, where microorganisms such as norovirus and E. coli are commonly found.”

If such devices will be used in the kitchen, Sneed recommends treating them as potential hazards and wiping the surfaces with a disinfectant solution frequently. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hopes to conduct further research on the use of cell phones and tablets in the kitchen.

Under the microscope

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service funded the K-State study “Consumer Food Handling Practices Lead to Cross Contamination” to better understand the behavior of consumers with young children and observe the effects of food safety messages.

The 123 participants of the study were randomly assigned to three separate groups. The first group was given an education program on the four national Food Safe Families campaign messages of clean, separate, cook and chill. The second group viewed and discussed the Ad Council public service announcements that focused on the same Food Safe Families messages, and the third group did not receive any food safety education before preparing the meal.

The researchers set up a condominium on the K-State campus to reflect a home kitchen environment and videotaped the participants preparing a recipe using either raw ground beef or chicken and a ready-to-eat fruit salad. The raw meat was inoculated with Lactobacillus casei, a nonpathogenic organism commonly found in yogurt but not naturally present in meat.

The L. casei served as a tracer organism that allowed Randall Phebus, K-State food microbiologist and co-author of the study, to track the levels of meat-associated contamination spread throughout the kitchen while preparing these meals.

Phebus and his team of students found that more than 90 percent of the fruit salads prepared alongside the meat dish were contaminated with the tracer organism, suggesting that if the tracer represented a pathogen such as Salmonella, a high risk of foodborne illness was generated during the meal preparation.

Suggested changes

The study found that all participants, regardless of food safety message group prior to the meal preparation, made mistakes in the kitchen that could lead to foodborne illness.

In addition to high levels of contamination in their cloth towels, about 82 percent of participants also left meat-originating contamination on the sink faucet, refrigerator, oven and trash container.

While the study paints a picture of the objects consumers often leave contaminated, it is important to note common mistakes that occur in the kitchen, which are often difficult to change.

“I think these days a lot of people learn on their own how to cook, so they may not know how to be conscious of cross contamination,” Sneed said. “People are becoming more aware of the hazards in raw meat products, but they may not know how to prevent those hazards through things like separation or raw and ready-to-eat foods and sanitation. I think it’s fairly easy to avoid cross contamination, but it’s also easy to cause it.”

Artificial colours back in snacks

COIMBATORE: Do not trust the Murukku, Omapudi and boondi that sport a bright yellow color. The Food Safety Department has found at least four samples of South Indian savouries collected from bakeries and restaurants in the district to be 'unsafe' and 'not conforming to food safety standards'. However, many restaurants and sweet shop manufacturers say they find it hard to convince their customers about food safety.

The samples found unsafe include a packet of potato chips in a bakery in Annur area, a few Murukkus from a leading bakery chain in the city, Bhajji Bonda served at a shop in Pollachi and some savouries from another bakery on Mettupalayam Road. "All of them were found adding artificial colour to their food," said R Kathiravan, designated food safety officer. "We have issued notices to all of them and have filed a case too," he said.

The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 clearly states that 'unsafe food' is an article in which there is 'presence of any colouring matter or preservatives other than that specified for its category' or if the 'article is being coloured to make it appear better than it really is'. "This point was included in the Act because long-term consumption of such artificial colours is harmful to health, because they often contain colours made of chemicals," said Kathiravan. While colour is permitted to be added to ice-creams, lolly pops, jelly crystal and North Indian sweets, it is banned in South Indian sweets and savouries. "However, in some cases, approved artificial colour is allowed," he clarified.

Though food makers admit that colours do not play a part in the taste, they find it hard to change the public's mindset. "They are used to seeing specific foods in specific colours," said Vivekanand Natraj of Moti Mahal Delux. "So we have tried to work around this by using Kashmiri Chilli which gives the red colour but is not as spicy as our local chillies. We use beetroot to add colour to vinegar soaked onion, so the difference is just 10%," he said. "Even after all this we have irate customers upset over the colour of food served or purchased," said a staff member at Nellai Muthu Vilas Sweets.

Reasons you should go organic

We all have a decision to make about what we choose to eat, whether it's conventional, chemically grown food or natural, organic produce. There are lots of reasons to choose organic, but here are five of the best:
For your health: No chemical fertilizers, pesticides or other toxic substances are used in organic farming or during handling, storage, and processing, which means organic food is safe to eat from the moment you buy it. Many chemicals used in Indian farming are banned globally, and due to uncontrolled usage, are applied to crops at levels far over safe or legal limits. These are known to cause serious health problems, including cancers, neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, autism, especially for infants and children.
For the soil: We don't think about it very often, but the dirt where we grow our food is its own world of nutrients, organisms, and crops working closely together. Conventional farming throws this world out of sync by overloading it with a few basic chemicals, destroying the soil's health. Organic farming uses only natural, local nutrient for fertilizer, keeping the soil, and everything growing in it, healthy. For long-term food security, it is crucial that we take care of our soil, which is depleting at an alarming rate.
For Farmers: Since chemical fertilizers and pesticides destroy soil health, farmers who rely on them need more and more every year to grow the same amount of crops. These rising costs can trap farmers in inescapable debt. Ironically, farmers buy in retail and sell in wholesale! Various research studies have linked the resulting debt from industrial agriculture practices directly to farmer suicides. Organic farmers rely directly on their own land and make their own inputs, and hence don't need to buy new chemicals and fertilizers every year. This makes organic farming economically sustainable as well.
For the environment: Organic farming isn't just good for farmers and their land, it's better for the earth. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides run off into local water systems, threatening people's health and destroying plant and animal life. These toxins, which have become omnipresent in the environmental ecosystem, are inevitably making their way into our bodies as well. Conventional agriculture along with its allied activities is the single largest contributor to carbon emissions. Going organic is a major way to help reduce global warming, and ensuring long-term health for our planet and it's inhabitants.
For biodiversity: Large agribusinesses usually own the rights to certain types of seeds that are resistant to their own brands of pesticides. This can lead to the extinction of thousands of natural varieties of different fruits and veggies that make food more delicious, more exciting, and more unique. Organic farmers help preserve unique local varieties of fruits and veggies for the rest of us to enjoy.
By Ashmeet Kapoor, CEO/Founder - I Say Organic.

1,724 bottles of imported beer seized in raid

They were up for sale after expiry date

Beer bottles that were stocked beyond expiry date being seized by the Food safety officials at Mettupalayam near Coimbatore on Friday.

The sale of imported beer on ‘buy one get one free’ offer has landed a bar attached to a leading resort near Mettupalayam in trouble.

The Designated Officer of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department’s Food Safety Wing, R. Kathiravan, who led the team that conducted a surprise raid in the bar, said that 1,724 bottles of beer in 86 cases with expiry date of February 20, 2015, were seized.

Mr. Kathiravan told The Hindu that the raid was conducted based on a complaint received via email from a lawyer based at Chennai.

The officer said that the product on sale was a Russian brand manufactured on February 20, 2014.

“But, the consignment of 2,000 bottles had reached the bar only on the date of expiry,” he said.

The bar authorities had tampered with the hologram seal on the bottles and had also concealed the expiry date with a sticker. After inspecting the bar and the warehouse where the bottles were stored, the officer said that the bar had already sold 276 bottles - priced at Rs. 300 each - and that the remaining stock worth Rs. 5.17 lakh was seized during the raid that went on for more than three-and-a-half hours.

“Samples of beer will be sent to the Food Analysis Laboratory in Coimbatore for testing,” he said and added that the result was expected in two weeks. Based on the outcome of the analysis, legal action would be initiated against those found guilty. Officials who conducted the raid include Food Safety Officers S. Rajeshwaran, K. Chandran and Gerald Sathya Punithan.

‘Samples of beer will be sent to the Food Analysis Laboratory in Coimbatore for testing’

Fake gutka worth over Rs 6.40 lakh seized in Thane Dist

The officials of Food and DrugAdministration have seized packets of different brands ofgutka and pan masala worth over Rs 6.40 lakh during a raidon a godown in Bhiwandi town of the district.

Acting on a tip-off, the FDA officials last eveningraided the godown of one Shaikh Israr Mohamamad and seizedduplicate brands of banned gutka and paan masala includingthat of Vimal worth Rs 6,41,800 during the raid, sources inFDA said. Taking the advantage of darkness, he tried to flee fromthe spot but was arrested by the officials. The arrested accused was manufacturing the banned gutkaand was repacking it in small pouches in a unit within the godown. 

The FDA team also seized a packing machine and a pickupvan from there. Offences under Sections 328, 420, 468, 471, 188, 272,273 of the Indian Penal Code and also Sections 26 and 27 ofthe Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 have been registered with the local police against the alleged accused, sources added.

New GMO potatoes, apples approved for US market

Potatoes that are genetically engineered to withstand bruising and produce less of a harmful chemical when fried, along with two kinds of browning- resistant apples were approved for the US market today. 

"These foods are as safe and nutritious as their conventional counterparts," said a statement by the Food and Drug Administration. 

The ruling applies to six varieties of potatoes, known by the trade name Innate potatoes, genetically engineered by J R Simplot Company in Idaho. 

The potatoes not only resist bruising, they also produce less acrylamide, a chemical that can form in some foods during high-temperature cooking or frying, and has been found to be carcinogenic in lab rats. 

The FDA also approved two kinds of apples engineered to resist browning from cuts and bruises, known as Arctic apples, made by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc. In Canada. 

The FDA said it "has no additional food safety questions at this time concerning food from these plant varieties," after a review of the data that included safety and nutritional information provided by the companies that make the products. 

"The consultation process includes a review of information provided by a company about the nature of the molecular changes and the nutritional composition of the food compared to traditionally bred varieties," said Dennis Keefe, director of the FDA's Office of Food Additive Safety. 

"This case-by-case safety evaluation ensures that food safety issues are resolved prior to commercial distribution.

Govt raises the steaks; beef to no longer be rare

PANAJI: Not only will BJP-led government in Goa not join Maharashtra and Haryana in banning beef, an essential part of cuisine of the minority Christian and Muslim communities, but has taken adequate steps to import beef to mitigate any shortage due to the crisis in the state arising out of some NGOs raising a heckle on transportation of bulls, chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar told TOI on Friday.

Parsekar reiterated the state government's stated position that the BJP government will not ban sale of beef in Goa and made it clear he would not follow other states.

The CM said that eating beef is a part of the minority communities' food habit and his government does not want to betray the trust of Christians and Muslims, which BJP took several years to earn in the state.

There has been a shortage in beef supplies in the state after some NGOs blocked transportation of bulls into the state and the government machinery cracking a whip on stalls which were unhygienic and not possessing licences to operate, as reported in TOI.

Parsekar said "beef will continue to be sold in Goa. At present, Goa gets beef supplies from Belgaum in neighbouring Karnataka to overcome the shortage due to closing down of some illegal stalls". The CM said that the state government will monitor the supply of beef to Goa, keeping in mind that beef hygiene is not compromised and Goa's minorities get good quality beef at their door step.

He said that the state-owned Goa meat complex (GMC) is being modernized and as soon as the upgradation is complete, operations will commence.

Recently, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) conducted a special inspection of meat stalls and shops across the state and found 77 shops operating without a food safety licence. Parsekar said that meat stalls have to comply with FDA norms and run their business. "The government cannot exempt beef stalls from obtaining licences," the CM added.

Two weeks ago, traders stopped getting oxen and bulls following monitoring by some NGOs along with the state government. Meat traders alleged that the state government machinery has started harassing meat traders while bringing bulls in the state. Following the trader's decision to stop the meat and bulls import, there was shortage of beef in Goa, as reported by TOI.

Meat complex chairman Lyndon Monteiro said that they are the facilitators to obtain beef from other states to overcome the beef shortage. "Currently, there is no beef shortage in the state," he claimed.

Monteiro said that on Saturday the meat complex will import 10 tonnes of beef from Karnataka for supplies in Goa. He said that the meat complex is ready for slaughtering and as and when traders bring animals, they can start slaughtering.

Identification of Food Products and Their Markets

The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Commerce, has identified product specific production clusters in different States to encourage export oriented production. APEDA has also commissioned a study on augmenting export of value added food products from India. 

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the various regulations made thereunder lay down the food quality and safety standards in India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, a statutory body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is in the process of harmonizing the existing food products standards with CODEX international food standards. APEDA has developed web-based traceability system for tracing, tracking, product recall under a single window clearance system for peanuts, grapes, pomegranate and organic products. Exports of these products are routed through this online system. 

Encouraging exports of food products is a continuous process. The Government is taking steps to encourage exports of food products through measures and incentives under Plan schemes of the Commodity Boards and Export Promotion Councils. Besides these measures, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has put in place various schemes namely Market Development Assistance (MDA), Market Assistance Initiative (MAI), Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE), Vishesh Krishi and Gram Upaj Yojana (VKGUY), Focus Product Scheme, Focus Market Scheme, Town of Export Excellence, etc. to provide assistance to encourage exports. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of 14 scheduled products. APEDA participates in several international trade fairs every year to promote the export of agro products from India. APEDA also works with the regulatory bodies in the importing countries to negotiate and achieve market access for Indian agro products. To enhance the capabilities of the exporters, APEDA extends financial assistance for market, quality and infrastructure development to registered members under the plan scheme Agriculture Export Promotion Scheme. 

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

Labels on packaged food products should not mislead consumer

Accepting the stand of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that there was a distinction between 'Best Before' and 'Expiry' dates related to pacakaged food products, the Madras High Court has said printing the same date for both would mislead consumers. 

The court was dismissing a petition by Amrut Distilleries Limited challenging the refusal of concerned authorities to test samples of imported active dry yeast as the 'Best Before' and 'Expiry' dates on the label of it were same. 

Noting that the company had on an earlier occasion too imported product with the same problem and gave an undetaking that it would not repeat the mistake, Justice S Vaidyanathan dismissed the petition with a cost of Rs 30,000.

The Judge made it clear that pacakaged food products which were not marked and labelled in the manner as specicified by Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) 2006 shall not be sold or distributed. 

"The label should contain specific information by which, the consumer should not be misled. If both the dates, viz., 'best before' and 'expiry' are mentioned with same date, it would certainly mislead the consumers since they would be under impression that till the expiry date, the product will be best in all respects, which is practically unacceptable," the Judge said. 

The matter related to the import of Active Dry Yeast on September 26, 2014 by the company and the consignment was referred by the Customs Department to FSSAI Chennai for clearance. 

FSSAI refused to draw samples stating that the "Best Before" and "Expiry" date on the packages were one and the same and this was in contravention of rules and provisions of FSSA and the guidelines issued on January 24, 2013. 

The company had termed as arbitrary the refusal to draw the sample and moved the court. 

In the counter-affidavit, FSSAI submitted that there was a distinction between 'best before date' and 'expiry date', whereas, the 'best before date' signifies the duration for which the product shall remain marketable and retain its specific qualities if stored in appropriate conditions and on the other hand, 'expiry date' is the date from which it shall not remain marketable. 

A product may be best before a specific date but shall expire only on another specified date.

`Expiry date' and `best before date' are distinct: HC

Chennai:

A consumer's right to know the shelf-life of packaged food stuff got a shot in the arm, as Madras high court has held that the terms `best before date' for use and `expiry date' meant two distinct things, and hence manufacturers must clearly mention two different dates if they choose to print both details on their products.

Justice S Vaidyanathan, refusing to come to the aid of a private packaged food company which had imported goods showing the same date as `best before date' as well as `expiry date,' said: “Even after `best before' date, a product can be consumed, as safety would be still intact though it may not be as good as what it would have been if used within specified time limit. There is no confusion as regards `expiry date', which is clear-cut and once it passes, the product will lose its value and cannot be consumed.“

The court also imposed a cost of `30,000 on the company , and directed it to pay `15,000 each to Schizophrenia Research Foundation (India) in Anna Nagar, and Banyan Adaikalam in Mugappair West within a month.

Adistilleries company had imported active dry yeast as a food item in September 2014 for home consumption. Customs and Chennai seaport and airport authorities refused to lift samples for clearance saying it did not comply with food safety and standards. The product labelling was not as per norms, they said, adding that the material carried same date for both `best before date use' and `expiry date'.

The company rushed to the court to quash the October 15, 2014 rejection order saying there was no requirement to declare `use by date' or `expiry date', and that mentioning same date for both is not in violation of the regulation.

The authorities, however, cited the statutory guidelines governing wholesale packages containing `best before date' and `expiry date'. The company had committed a similar violation on an occasion, and it was allowed to continue the trade after it gave an undertaking that it would comply with norms in future consignments.

Finding nothing wrong with the rejection orders, Justice Vaidhyanathan said: “It is clear manufacturers shall not sell or distribute any packaged food products not marked and labelled in the manner as specified by regulations. The labels shall not contain any statement, claim, design, device, etc., which is false or misleading in any particular concerning the food product or quantity or nutritive value.“

The judge said the company had violated its own undertaking given on th earlier occasion, and said the present case deserved to be dismissed with `30,000 as costs.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

IIT fined for low-quality chilli in hostel food

The Haridwar district court has slapped `3 lakh as fine on the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee for preparing food with sub-standard chilli powder. 200 students had fell sick after eating the food.

According to the food safety department, Haridwar-based additional district magistrate (ADM) Ravneet Chima penalised the IIT-R on March 12.

On September 10, 2013 around 200 students, living in Rajendra Bhawan hostel, complained of stomach ache and vomiting after consuming meals cooked at the hostel mess.

The food safety department took notice of the incident and made a surprise inspection of the hostel’s canteen on September 19.

“We gathered samples of edible items from the canteen and after inspection, it was found that the food items were unhygienic. We then served a show-cause notice to the institute authorities asking why they had not taken a licence from the food safety department,” said food safety officer Dilip Jain.

The chilli powder, one of the collected food samples, was later sent to the food and drug testing laboratory at Rudrapur on March 10, 2014 where it was found to be of sub-standard quality.

It was again sent to the Pune-based national food and drug testing laboratory that said in its report that the chilli powder sample was not pure and harmful if consumed.

“On the basis of the Pune laboratory’s report we registered a case before the ADM court on August 23, 2014 against three different authorities of the institute under various sections of the food safety and safety act (FSSA), 2006,” added Jain.

The authorities who were penalised include the chairman of the coordinating committee of hostels, chairman of the central purchase committee of the institute and chairman and chief warden of the mess working committee.

“The court slapped a fine of `1 lakh each on them,” said Jain.

Norms issued for running juice shops

The Commissioner of Food Safety has issued a set of guidelines to be followed by all food business operators running juice shops across the State.

The Commissioner said that guidelines were issued in the wake of increasing cases of food poisoning being reported centred around juice shops. Majority of these shops were using milk, ice, and water, the quality of which was highly suspect.

All juice shops should have FSSA licence or registration, which should be displayed prominently. The water and ice being used in these shops should be safe and of the prescribed quality.

The fruits, sugar, nuts, and other additives used to make juices or milk shakes should be bought only from shops or outlets or traders who have a FSSA licence and the purchase bills should be kept. All packed food items should have the necessary label information. The details of purchase — name of the shop/trader, quantity, price, etc — should be entered in a register systematically and should be produced whenever officials come for inspection.

The water being used in juice-making should be from a source of impeccable quality and the quality of the water source should be tested every six months at a government-approved analytical laboratory. These reports should be kept for perusal in the shop.

All food items, including water, in the shops should be stored in proper food containers of food-grade quality and these should be kept covered.

The fruits should be of good quality, and there should not be any trace of fungus in these.

The fruits should be washed and stored in refrigerated condition. Ice should not be stored in thermocol boxes, but should be stored in the freezer or in proper ice boxes. Prepared juice should not be stored for long in refrigerators.

Food poisoning: Barpeta bans sale of grams, moong

Guwahati: The Barpeta district administration on Thursday issued prohibitory orders regarding the sale and distribution of different varieties of grams and moong beans across the district following Wednesday's food poisoning incident that claimed three lives, including that of a 10-year-old girl.

On Thursday, postmortems were conducted on the deceased.

Over 500 people, including women and children, fell ill after consuming adulterated prasad at a religious ceremony in Nasattra, a village in the district, on Monday evening. Most people who attended the ceremony complained of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ailments and dehydration.

On Thursday, the shops from which the grams, moong beans and other food items for the ceremony were purchased were raided and the remainder of the supplies was seized by the district administration. The actual source from which the items were purchased is yet to be identified. Officials on Thursday said the ceremony was a public one and many people from outside the district also brought food items as offerings.

Barpeta DC Varnali Deka on Wednesday ordered an inquiry and constituted a committee, comprising the district joint director of health, the circle officer and food safety officer, among others.

"Section 144 has been imposed and there can be no sale and distribution of grams and moong beans across the district till further notice. This has been issued in view of public health and safety. Grams and moong beans have been seized from the concerned shops," Deka said.

"It is difficult to trace the original source of the items. People brought edible offerings from Bongaigaon and Nalbari districts also. We believe the contaminated food came from multiple sources," added Deka.

On Wednesday evening, close to 80 patients were referred to Gauhati Medical College Hospital for further treatment. On Thursday, the joint director of health said most of the patients admitted in Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College Hospital were responding to treatment and had stabilized.

Samples of the adulterated food have been sent to the food safety department laboratory in the city. Vomit and stool samples from the patients have also been collected for tests. The samples have also been sent to the forensic department to determine the presence of toxins.

The pushback against junk food gains momentum

The demand for junk food has to come down so that the demand for refined sugar also comes down 

Here are some unrelated issues in the food and agriculture business. Please join the dots. 

First, the Delhi High Court has delivered a judgement on the issue of junk food being sold in and around schools. The salient features are -

• Most common junk foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar such as chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages, sugar sweetened non-carbonated beverages, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, potato fries and confectionery items should be restricted in schools and 50 meters nearby.

• Advertisement and promotion of such foods targeted at children is to be regulated through a framework that includes all types of media, celebrity endorsements and promotional activities.

• A canteen policy should be implemented based on colour coding. Green category foods -- the healthy food options -- should constitute about 80 per cent of available foods. Red category of select most common junk foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar should not be sold or served in schools. Suggested, healthy menu options should include fruit salad, fruits, paneer / vegetable cutlets, khandvi, poha, uthappam, upma, idlis and kathi rolls, low fat milk shakes with seasonal fruits and no added sugar, fresh fruit juice and smoothies with fruits, fresh lime soda, badam milk, lassi etc.

• The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) should fix limits of unhealthy ingredients such as transfats to 5% at the earliest. 

• Schools should promote nutrition education and awareness for children. A well-structured curriculum on balanced diet and its health impacts should be introduced.

• Labelling regulations must be strengthened by the FSSAI to enable complete and transparent information on the amount of fat, salt and sugar with reference to recommended daily allowed limits. 

Second, the sugar industry is once again apparently in the doldrums and seeking handouts from the taxpayer. In the bargain, farmers have not been paid for the last 2 or even 3 years and have therefore, in some cases shifted to cash crops of shorter growth cycles, also because of rapid and drastic climate change. One of the largest customers for the refined sugar industry is the junk food industry, be it carbonated sweetened colas and other soft drinks, bakery products or even simple buns and pizza bases-and they do not like this shift away from sugarcane by the farmers.

This junk food industry is by default, therefore, demanding that the taxpayer subsidise its insatiable appetite for sugar. While the incentive to grow more useful seasonal cash crops, vegetables and lentils is either removed or farmers are simply not allowed to grow and sell them further. You have to understand the economies and pressures of rural India to appreciate this - where poor farmers or large land-holders alike are forced to grow sugarcane and sell it only to the sugar mills in their areas. 

Sugarcane is a strange crop-traditionally associated with slavery. Mainly because it does not provide anything of value to the people growing it other than cash in lumpsum. That cash in lumpsum is not happening and landowners are rapidly, therefore, becoming enslaved and dispossessed of their own lands because of debt. Meanwhile, they are economically weakened and unable to resist the demand to grow even more sugarcane.

Sugarcane farming is where the term "indentured labour", a polite word for bonded labour or slavery, was coined.

General Sales Tax to permit free and easy movement of fresh produce between States is still not in position. Meanwhile, small but very important indicators like the delayed or even non-arrival of butterflies because of the unseasonal heavy rains in India this year have caused major worry on subjects as diverse as the spread of swine-flu to lack of pollination.

In turn, the cost of seasonal vegetables and other cash crops is likely to go shooting through the roof, as farmers are stuck between growing more sugar-cane in the hope that previous debts will be cleared and growing more vegetables as well as cash crops including fast-growing lentils to meet the demand.

This is going to impact your and my home budgets in a way that we cannot even begin to imagine right now.

One part of the solution lies in our hands as responsible citizens as well as in the larger interest of our own health. The rampaging demand for junk food of all sorts - from colas to fast foods to other unhealthy consumption - has to come down so that the demand for refined sugar also comes down.

The High Court judgement addresses one part. Making young people aware is the bigger part.

Just like there was a "Say no to fire-crackers" movement, we need to start working on a "Say no to Junk Food" movement and awareness programme aimed at young people. The Delhi High Court judgement is already covering the schools. We now need to also cover the weekends and holidays.

Expecting the junk food industry to voluntarily scale down consumption on weekends and holidays is like a pipe dream, not likely to happen, in fact heavy resistance can be expected. The only way to do it is by ourselves.

SAY NO TO JUNK FOOD TODAY, ESPECIALLY ON A HOLIDAY!

People are encouraged to get this message across to the purveyors of junk food by whatever legitimate means available at their disposal. Start today!

Food safety licence must for tankers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The food safety department has reissue guidelines making food safety licence mandatory for all tanker trucks supplying drinking water in the state.

Under the Food Safety and Standards Regulation, 2011, tankers should carry the licence-bearing the registration number-besides displaying 'drinking water' or 'not for drinking purposes' in both English and Malayalam.

The department has also asked all trucks to use protective and permissible coating to prevent corrosion of water tanks.

"Water sources other than that of Kerala Water Authority must have licences. Water must be tested in NABL accredited labs every six months," food safety commissioner T V Anupama said.

The tankers supplying water must at all times have all documents, such as licence, lab reports of water, capacity of tanker, coating, etc.

The department has also asked consumers to buy water only from licensed suppliers. "Hotels, restaurants, hospitals, etc must keep a register containing the details of water supply. Details such as source of water, copy of the report of water quality analysis, details of licence, etc., must be included in the register," the guidelines said.

The guideline was originally issued in January 2013. It was reissued considering the possibility of spread of water-borne diseases during summer.

Would you like camel milk with your breakfast?

Mumbai: Drinking milk fads have ranged from coconut to soya milk and even almond milk, but a new alternative is going to be added to supermarket shelves by diary giant Amul — camel milk. This offering comes with significant health benefits since they are higher in Vitamin C and Calcium and lower in lactose and cholestrol than cows milk.

According to a report in Business Standard, Amul camel milk is awaiting a nod from the Food Safety and Standards Association of India (FSSAI) and the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation’s (GCMMF) Sarhad Dairy, based in Kutch is thinking of processing it.

Milk from the 'ship of the desert' however has a salty taste and its shelf life is low. Reportedly. Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF) had ground-tested by launching camel milk under the Saras brand a few years earlier. The milk is expected to be lapped by health-conscious urban dwellers, as well as patients of chronic ailments.

Milk purists might swear by cows milk and point our camels spit, kick, smell and grunt, but wait till camel milk become the health trend and flood the supermarket shelves!

Can food be safe at 2022 Olympics, if held in Beijing?

Beijing, March 19 (IANS) The idiom 'Bread is the staff of life' holds especially true for China -- a country with infinite love for food.

As a candidate for the 2022 Winter Olympics, China's capital city Beijing is eager to show off a wide variety of cuisines to visitors from all over the world. But wait before being served -- what about the safety of your food?

A recent survey by China Youth Daily showed that food safety has become one of the public worries as well as one of the government's major concerns, reports Xinhua.

In its report on China's economic, social development plan, the government listed improving food supervision system as one of the 'major tasks for economic and social development in 2015'.

Besides, a 22-month crackdown on food and drug, and environmental crimes will be launched by China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) to keep the momentum from an eight-month campaign of the sort last year.

As the Chinese government is making more efforts, food safety for the general public, hopefully, can be removed from the list of concerns in the years to come. And for athletes who have higher standards for food, Beijing already has a lot of experience from hosting the 2008 Olympics to make sure their needs are met.

Back in 2008, the Olympic Food Safety Action Plan was in place and Beijing also mapped out a preparedness plan to cope with any possible emergencies in food safety during the Games.

Food for athletes was produced in compliance with strict standards, delivered in a unified way and carried electronic labels recording the whole process from the producer to the eaters. Even white mice were said to be used to test food including milk, alcohol, salad, rice, oil, salt and seasonings, 24 hours before they were used in cooking or served to athletes.

As Beijing's bid committee pledged an "athletes-centred" Winter Olympics, the hosts would exert themselves to ensure food safety for athletes, coaches, officials and visitors from all over the world should they win the bid.

Zhangjiakou, co-host city some 200 km northwest of Beijing, has already started to raise the level of supervision in food safety.

What FBOs must do to ensure food safety?

What FBOs must do to ensure food safety?

The food business, like all other businesses, must be operated with sincerity, responsibility, transparency, and accountability. Importantly, the Food Business Operators (FBOs) must realize that they too have a major responsibility in society, since the food they supply or serve has a direct bearing on the health of the citizens. With this in mind, the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 have clearly stipulated that all FBOs must have a valid license/registration in compliance to FSS Act, 2006.

It is to be noted that FBOs include any of the following: hotel, restaurant, catering, permanent/temporary stall holder, hawker (mobile food vendor), home based canteens/dabba wallas, petty retailer of snacks/tea shops, manufacturer/processor, packaging/re-packaging, food stalls/arrangements in religious gatherings, fairs etc., milk producers (who are not members of dairy co-operative society)/milk vendor, dhaba, fish/meat/poultry shop/seller, distributor/supplier, as well as others that may not strictly fall within the above classification.

The Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, clearly identifies what the FBOs need to do in order to maintain high standards of food safety. The regulations indicate that all FBOs must maintain general hygienic and sanitary practices. This applies to petty FBOs; FBOs engaged in manufacture, processing, storing and selling of milk and milk products; FBOs engaged in manufacture, processing, storing and selling of meat and meat products; and FBOs engaged in catering/food service establishments.

Since the last category i.e. catering and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, snack bars, canteens, rail and airline catering, hospital catering, neighborhood tiffin services/dabba wallas, etc. come in contact directly with the public-at-large, this category is discussed in detail below.

The following guidelines should be followed by the FBOs:

• Food preparation areas must be clean, and properly ventilated. Separated and designated sinks to be provided for washing raw food and cleaning cooking utensils.
• Food areas and equipment between different tasks, especially after handling raw food should be cleaned.
• There should be adequate number of hand wash basins, along with soap and water, and clean dry towels/tissue papers for the customers.
• Facilities for staff to change their clothes, where necessary must be provided.
• Raw materials shall be purchased from reliable and known dealers and checked for visible deterioration and off-odor.
• Whole fruits and vegetables should be washed in potable water before being cut, mixed with other ingredients.
• Raw meat and processed meat should be separated from other foods, items and surfaces.
• Separate items (e.g. cutting boards, dishes, knives) and preparation area for raw meats and poultry and marine products should be used to avoid cross-contamination of food.
• Hands should be thoroughly washed before switching from preparing raw meat or poultry or marine products to any other activity.
• Ensure proper cooking of all non-vegetarian products.
• The vehicle/transportation being used to carry cooked/prepared/processed food should be clean and, dedicated for this purpose and should not carry anything else.
• Time required for transportation should be minimum, to avoid microbial growth.
• Fresh fruits/vegetables cut or juiced should be used immediately; however, short storage should be only under refrigeration in sanitized and properly covered vessels.
• Water used in beverages should be potable.
• Ice used should be made of potable water only.
• Prepared confectionery products should be kept in airtight containers and displayed hygienically (no flies please!)
• Cream to be used should be stored covered under refrigeration.
• Good quality, packaged/branded oils/fats should be used for food preparation, frying etc.
• Use of oils with high trans-fats (like Vanaspati) should be avoided as far as possible.
• Ingredients added to the cooked food should be thoroughly washed/cleaned.
• Garnishes etc., if added, should be prepared using fresh, thoroughly washed and freshly cut vegetables and used immediately.

Keeping in mind the theme of “Food Safety” for the upcoming World Health Day on April 7, 2015,the World Health Organization (WHO) has come-up with an ingenious idea for spreading awareness about food safety amongst food handlers that applies not only to homes and private canteens, but also to commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants and dhabas. WHO has developed a poster highlighting “Five Keys to Safer Food”. 

In essence, the five keys are:

• Keeping clean, both oneself as well as the cooking area while preparing food.
• Separating raw food from cooked food in order to prevent cross contamination.
• Cooking the food thoroughly in order to kill all germs that may be present.
• Keeping the food at safe temperatures: hot food hot (140°F+), cold food cold (41°F or lower), especially during buffet service.
• Using safe water and raw materials for cooking.

Having set out instructions for the FBOs, the responsibility for enjoying good food does not end there. Some of the responsibility has to be shared by the consumers as well, especially while eating outdoors. When eating out, there is a special need to protect oneself and one’s family. Make sure that the restaurant is clean. Confirm that tables, floors, and utensils are clean. See that the waiters serving food are wearing clean clothes and maintaining basic personal hygiene (not coughing, sneezing, touching nose, smoking or chewing tobacco products etc.). Ensure that there are no insects like cockroaches or rodents like rats roaming about on the floor. Check that your food is cooked thoroughly. Meat, fish, poultry, and eggs should be cooked thoroughly to kill germs. If food is served undercooked or raw, send it back.

If you decide to take your leftovers, remember to refrigerate it within 2 hours of eating out. If food is left in a hot car or temperatures above 90°F, refrigerate it within 1 hour. Eat leftovers within 3-4 days and throw them out if they smell bad or there are visible signs of deterioration. Following these simple instructions will ensure a safe, healthy, and enjoyable eating experience for all.

Single kitchen for veg, non-veg stirs up storm with food safety department

COIMBATORE: Sixty-five-year-old Red Fields-based Raghunathan S and his family walked out of a North Indian restaurant in Race Course because their Achaari Paneer smelled different. An innocent waiter also admitted that they sometimes use the same grill and kebab sticks for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. 

A majority of the mid and small level restaurants in the district say they find it economically unviable to use different vessels for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. This is despite clause 2 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 clearly stating that 'separate cutting boards, knives, dishes and preparation area should be provided for raw meats, poultry and marine products. ' 

Mainstream restaurants say it is impossible to follow the system unless you are a fast-food joint. "During peak hours when we serve 15 tables with a menu of 150 dishes, there is a lot of pressure in the kitchen," said Pradheesh Narayanaswamy, owner of the Mexican restaurant Mexitoes. "Having a double kitchen system is too big an investment," said the owner of a continental food restaurant in Race Course. "Though we keep the tawas, oils and cutting board separately, we never assure customers of using separate dishes, refrigerators and ovens" said Narayanasamy. 

"We try our best to have separate dishes for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food for every cuisine we serve, because we do not want the flavor or smell of any dish to get affected," said the Continental food restaurateur. "But many sauces or gravies that is served with both meat and vegetable can't be cooked twice," he said. 

Many Jains and Brahmins though feel that it is against their religious sentiments when the same vessels are used to cook vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. "We are afraid that some flavor or part of the meat will enter our food," said Coonoor-based resident Urmila Chordia. 

Religious sentiments aside, there is a risk of food contamination, say food scientists. "When raw meat and raw vegetables come into contact with each other before they are cooked, there is a risk of cross contamination because both types of food have a completely different set of bacteria," said food scientist Janani Sundararajan. 

However, few restaurants like Avinashi Road-based Yolo follow this rule to the dot. "We have separate burners and cutting boards for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food," said owner-S Harsha Vardhan. "We also color code our dishes, knives, tawas and kettles, green (vegetarian), yellow (egg) and red (non-vegetarian), so even at the end of the day the dishes are not mixed up," he said. 

The Food Safety Department said that they do reiterate this rule every time they conduct a camp for restaurants that have applied for and have been issued a license. "However, we can't monitor them every minute," said designated food safety officer R Kathiravan.

Officials seize tobacco products worth Rs. 1.60 lakh

Food Safety Officers seize tobacco products from shops on Thomas Street, near Town Hall, in Coimbatore on Wednesday.

Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing) officials seized more than 850 kg of tobacco products from shops here on Wednesday.

Team

A team of nine Food Safety Officers led by Designated Officer R. Kathiravan conducted inspections at shops in Town Hall area.

During the course of the inspection, banned tobacco products were seized from shops on Thomas Street and RG Street.

The total value of the seized products was estimated to be around Rs. 1.60 lakh. The officials have taken samples of the product. It would be tested at the Government Food Safety Laboratory here. Once the tests confirm the seized items were banned tobacco products, it would be destroyed at the Corporation Compost Yard at Vellalore.

The ban on ghutka, pan masala, and other products containing tobacco and nicotine was in force since May 8, 2013.

DINAMALAR NEWS

கோவை குடோன்களில் ரெய்டு 850 கிலோ புகையிலை பொருள் பறிமுதல்

கோவை, மார்ச்.19:

கோவை தாமஸ் வீதி பகுதிகளில் உள்ள குடோன்களில் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் தொடர்பாக மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு பிரிவு அதிகாரிகள் நேற்று அதிரடி சோதனை நடத்தினர். இதில், 850 கிலோ புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டது.

தமிழகத்தில் பான்பராக், குட்கா, புகையிலை போன்ற போதை பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்ய தடைவிதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்நிலையில், கோவை மாவட்டத்தில் பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் விற்பனை அதிகரித்துள்ளதாகவும், குடோன்களில் கிலோ கணக்கில் புகையிலைகளை வியாபாரிகள் பதுக்கிவைத்துள்ளதாகவும் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு பிரிவு அதிகாரிகளுக்கு புகார் வந்தது. இந்த புகாரின் அடிப்படையில் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவர் கதிரவன் தலைமையில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் ஜெரால்டு, சுருளி ஆகியோர் அடங்கிய குழுவினர் கோவை தாமஸ் வீதி பகுதியில் உள்ள குடோன்களில் தீவிர சோதனை நடத்தினர். இந்த சோதனையில் கல்கத்தா பான் ஹவுஸ் குடோனில் 500கிலோ, மீனாட்சி குடோனில் 350கிலோ புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பதுக்கிவைத்து விற்பனைக்கு வைக்கப்பட்டு இருந்தது கண்டறியப்பட்டது.

இதனை தொடர்ந்து புகையிலை பொருட்கள் அனைத்தையும் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு பிரிவு அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

இதன் மதிப்பு சுமார் 1.5 லட்சம் இருக்கும் என அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனர். மேலும், கல்கத்தா பான் ஹவுஸ் குடோனை சீல் வைத்தனர்.

இது குறித்து நியமன அலுவலர் கதிரவன் கூறுகையில் கோவையில் புகையிலை விற்பனை அதிகரித்துள்ளதாக தொடர் புகார் வந்தது. இதன் அடிப்படையில் குடோன்களில் ரெய்டு நடத்தினோம்.

இந்த ரெய்டில் இரண்டு குடோன்களில் இருந்து 850 கிலோ புகையிலை பொருட்களை பறிமுதல் செய்துள்ளோம். ஒரு கடையை சீல் வைத்துள்ளோம். தொடர்ந்து பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் உள்ள குடோன்களிலும், பெட்டிகடைகளிலும் ஆய்வு மேற்கொள்ள முடிவு செய்துள்ளோம் என்றார்.

WHO’s ‘5 keys’ for safe food

Stating that food safety is a major determinant of health, diseases and productivity as it affects the survival, well-being and functioning of individuals and societies, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released ‘five keys’ to safe foods.

The ‘five keys’ include – keep clean, separate raw and cooked food, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperature and use safe water and raw material.

“It is essential to keep clean like washing hands often during food preparations, after going to toilets, wash and sanitize all surface and equipment used in food preparations and protect from inspects pests and other animals,” noted WHO in its release.

Meanwhile, WHO stated that recognising the high relevance of food safety it has selected ‘food safety’ as the theme for World Health Day 2015 on Tuesday April 7.

From ‘Farm to Plate, Make Food Safe’ campaign emphasises the full spectrum of food safety issues from production to end-users. The campaign aims to spur governments to improve food safety through public awareness campaigns.

Food adulteration will be checked, says Sivakumar

Reports of adulterated food items in market

The government will strengthen all measures to prevent adulteration of food items in the market, including rice, coconut oil, fruits and vegetables, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar has said.

There was no need for panic regarding rumours about plastic content in the rice available in the market as scientific tests of several samples of rice across the State had failed to detect the presence of such contamination, he added, following a high-level meeting convened at the Secretariat here on Wednesday. He was referring to recent media reports on plastic contamination in rice sold in the State.

Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob were present at the meeting.

The Secretaries of the departments concerned had been asked to formulate specific action plans to check adulteration of food items. Following complaints about plastic content in rice, the Food Safety Department had examined over 25 samples of rice from various parts of the State, but had found the allegations to be untrue.

The public could test samples of rice to check for adulteration or plastic content at the analytical labs of the government in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode directly or through the Food Safety officials.

2,000 samples tested

Coconut oil adulterated with mineral oils had not been detected anywhere in the State in the past two years, though the Food Safety Department had tested over 2,000 samples. Some 300 samples of coconut oil were found to have been contaminated with edible palm oil and palm kernel oil and action had been initiated against the manufacturers and distributors.

• No reason to panic, people told
• Public can test rice samples at State analytical labs

Strict Norms for Drinking Water Supply in Tanker Lorries

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Laying down strict guidelines for the supply of drinking water in tanker lorries, the Food Safety Commissionerate on Wednesday stressed that only persons having a valid Food Business Operator (FBO) licence issued under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011 can supply water in the state. The Commissionerate also urged the public to stop taking potable water from tanker lorry operators who do not possess the licence. Food Safety Commissioner T V Anupama issued the guidelines in the wake of complaints pouring in regarding the poor quality of water supplied in tankers.

The guidelines are applicable to both water suppliers as well as their customers such as hotels, restaurants and hospitals. The food safety licence is mandatory for water sources used by the tankers as well.

The food safety licence number should be displayed prominently on the tanker lorry. Suppliers who use hired vehicles for distributing/selling water also should obtain the licence. Tanker lorry operators should get the water tested once every six months by a government lab or an NABL-accredited lab and maintain certificates of the same. 

Tankers used for supplying drinking water should have the label ‘Drinking Water’ displayed on them. If the water is meant for other purposes, such as construction, the vehicles should have a ‘Not for Drinking Purpose’ label displayed on them.

“The water will be considered as being transported for drinking purposes if the purpose is not mentioned, Anupama said.

The interior of the tank used for transporting drinking water should have a bitumen coating or any other permitted coating. 

All tanker lorries transporting drinking water should carry the Food Safety and Standards licence, the lab report on water quality, details of the tanker capacity, and certification on the coating used in the interior of the tanker. 

Absence of such documents can invite legal action, the Commissioner said. 

BEWARE OF CONTAMINATED WATER

Drinking water falls within the definition of ‘Food’ as per Section 3(j) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The Food safety Commissionerate has introduced the guidelines following complaints that water supplied in tanker lorries was unfit for consumption.milk, lassi etc.

• The FSSAI should fix limits of unhealthy ingredients such as transfats to 5 per cent at the earliest. 

• Schools should promote nutrition education and awareness for children. A well-structured curriculum on balanced diet and its health impacts should be introduced. 

• Labeling regulations must be strengthened by the FSSAI to enable complete and transparent information on the amount of fat, salt and sugar with reference to recommended daily allowed limits.

Iron dust in tea and brick powder in chilli!

KOCHI: Frequent warnings and raids seem to have little impact on rampant food adulteration in the district. Over the last six months, food safety officials registered 45 cases against producers and shopkeepers for selling adulterated packed food following complaints and random raids. 

The adulteration was mainly reported in tea powder, coconut oil, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, peas dal, chips and many spices sold in the district. 

For colouring grocery, many producers were found to be using non-permissible colours such as coal tar dyes. The most startling find was the presence of powdered iron even in branded tea powder packets. Officials have registered four cases in this regard. 

During inspections, they sub-standard oil mixed with coconut oil, non-permissible starch in coriander and turmeric powder, coal tar dyes in peas dal, yellow colour in chips and sudan dye used for colouring chilli powder. 

"We found 4 to 5% adulteration in food items during our inspections. Iron powder is mixed while tea leaves are processed following the crush, tear, curl (CTC) method. The presence of coal tar dyes in food can even result in cancer. Spices such as cardamom are dipped in synthetic dyes to give it green colour. As we don't have the required manpower, it is difficult to control the practice of contaminating food items. There are only five people currently in the department, leaving nine posts vacant," said food safety officer K Ajith Kumar. 

He said the public can inform food safety officials if they detect any adulteration in food items by calling the toll-free helpline number 1800 - 4251125 at the commissionerate office in Thiruvananthapuram. 

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, stipulates stricter punishment of up to 10 years of imprisonment and hefty penalties for adulteration. 

According to gastroenterologist Dr Rajeeve Jayadevan, exposure to iron powder in tea for a long period of can result in heart failure. "Excessive iron getting deposited in parts of the body will also lead to bronze diabetes," he said. 

"Adulteration in food items will affect the endocrine system. Authorities should test samples of food products before they are packed. The certification label of the agency that tested the sample should be on the packet for public information," said city resident Vijay Dileepraj.

CSE welcomes Delhi High Court order on junk food

• Delhi High Court orders to regulate junk food consumption among school children across India. Asks the food authority to enforce its guidelines on wholesome and nutritious foods
• Foods high in fat, salt and sugar such as chips, fried foods, and sugar sweetened beverages should be restricted in schools and nearby; advertisement and promotion of such foods targeted at children is to be regulated 
• CSE says the judgement is significant, as it recognises the fact that this kind of food is bad for children. Could prove to be a milestone in combating diseases like obesity and diabetes among children in India 

New Delhi, March 18, 2015: “We welcome the Delhi High Court order in the junk food case, in which it has directed strict implementation of the guidelines for making available wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic food to school children in India,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), responding to the judgement which came on March 16.

“We would have liked a complete ban on the sale of junk food in schools, but what the Court has ordered is also very significant: restriction is an important step in recognition of the fact that this kind of food is bad for children, and must not be allowed in schools,” Narain added. 

The Court order has come in a public interest litigation of 2010 on the availability of junk foods to school children. In its order, the Court has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to implement the ‘Guidelines for making available wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic food to school children in India’. These guidelines were developed by a committee constituted by the FSSAI as directed by the Court.

The guidelines provide a scientific background on how consumption of junk foods high in fat, salt and sugar is linked with growing non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension among children. Some of the key principles behind these guidelines are ‘benefits of balanced, fresh and traditional food cannot be replaced, ‘schools are not the right places for promoting foods high in fat, salt and sugar’ and ‘children are not the best judge of their food choices’. 

The Court has directed that the guidelines be given a form of regulations or directions as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 within a period of three months to enforce their implementation across the country.

Narain said: “The guidelines are scientific, comprehensive and well establish the harmful effects of junk foods. The essence throughout the document is to not allow the availability of such foods in schools. If well implemented maintaining the spirit of it, the guidelines will help avoid the looming health crisis in this country”.

She added: “The Court has emphasised on time-bound enforcement across the country and has put immense faith in the FSSAI. It could prove to be a milestone development towards addressing the growing burden of obesity, diabetes and heart disease -- among other non-communicable diseases -- in the Indian context.”

For schools in Delhi, the Court has asked the Administrator, Delhi to consider issuing directions under Rule 43 of the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973 to follow the guidelines and ensure their compliance. The Court has suggested not waiting for regulations or directions from the food authority and taking necessary action by the end of April 2015. 

For schools outside Delhi and those affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Court has directed CBSE to consider this issue, take a decision on it and if possible see if it can include abidance with the guidelines or similar directions as a condition for affiliation or continued affiliations of the schools with CBSE.

What do the guidelines recommend?

• Most common junk foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar such as chips, fried foods, sugar sweetened carbonated beverages, sugar sweetened non-carbonated beverages, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, potato fries and confectionery items should be restricted in schools and 50 meters nearby.

• Advertisement and promotion of such foods targeted at children is to be regulated through a framework that includes all types of media, celebrity endorsements and promotional activities.

• A canteen policy should be implemented based on color coding. Green category foods -- the healthy food options -- should constitute about 80 per cent of available foods. Red category of select most common junk foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar should not be sold or served in schools. Suggested, healthy menu options should include fruit salad, fruits, paneer / vegetable cutlets, khandvi, poha, uthapam, upma, idlis and kathi rolls, low fat milk shakes with seasonal fruits and no added sugar, fresh fruit juice and smoothies with fruits, fresh lime soda, badam

Enforce norms restricting junk food availability: Delhi HC to FSSAI

Chips, fried foods, carbonated beverages and pizzas may no longer be available in school canteens and within its vicinity with the Delhi High Court directing the food safety authority to enforce guidelines on restricting sale of junk food in and around schools.

Chips, fried foods, carbonated beverages and pizzas may no longer be available in school canteens and within its vicinity with the Delhi High Court directing the food safety authority to enforce guidelines on restricting sale of junk food in and around schools.

Under the guidelines, food high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) cannot be sold within 50 metres of school premises.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw refused to direct Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to use the word "junk" instead of HFSS to describe the unhealthy food articles like chips, fried foods, carbonated beverages, pizzas, etc, saying the word 'junk' has diverse meanings in different areas. It directed FSSAI to turn the guidelines into directions or regulations and to take appropriate steps for ensuring their enforcement within three months.

In order to ensure that the guidelines are adhered to and any violation is actionable under Delhi Schools Education Act, the court directed the Administrator, Delhi to consider, by April 30, whether to issue instructions under the Delhi School Education Rules to follow the FSSAI guidelines.

To ensure adherence by schools outside Delhi, most of which are affiliated to CBSE, the bench directed the Board to consider including compliance of the guidelines as a condition for being affiliated with it.

"We direct CBSE to, on or before April 30, 2015, consider the said aspect and take a decision thereon and if possible, include the condition aforesaid (adherence to guidelines) in the conditions for affiliation / continued affiliation prescribed by it," the bench said in its 22-page judgement.

The FSSAI guidelines require formulation of a canteen policy to provide nutritious, wholesome and healthy food in schools, setting up of a school health team as well as promotion by the schools of nutrition education and awareness though various tools such as posters.

The court's February 25 order came on a PIL flagging the issue of easy availability of junk food and carbonated drinks to children and the harmful effects thereof and seeking a ban on such food items in schools.

The guidelines also lists "sandwiches, fruit salad, fruits, paneer or vegetable cutlets, khandvi, poha, uthapam, upma, idlis and kathi rolls etc. as healthier menu options and low fat milk shakes with seasonal fruits, no added sugar, fresh fruit juice and smoothies with fruits, fresh lime soda, badam milk, lassi, jaljeera etc. as healthy beverage options".

The FSSAI guidelines said there should be colour coding of foods, regulation of promotion of HFSS food among school children by Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and other relevant bodies, review of labeling regulation to enable disclosure of all relevant information as well as controlling of intake of trans fatty acids (TFAs).

The court refused to tinker with the guidelines, saying "an expert body constituted for this very purpose and in performance of its statutory duties has framed the guidelines, without there being any specific challenge thereto".

"We therefore do not feel the need, either to ourselves make changes to the guidelines, or to suggest the same to FSSAI and which axiomatically will have to consider the said suggestions by following the procedure as followed for framing the guidelines," it also said.