ஆ... நூடுல்ஸ்...மாட்டிக்கொண்டது மேகி மட்டும்தான்!

தற்போது எல்லா ஊடகங்களிலும் பரபரப்பாக விவாதிக்கப்படும் விஷயம்... மேகி நூடுல்ஸ். மனித குலத்தை அச்சுறுத்தும் ஒரு மாபெரும் ஆரோக்கியப் பிரச்னை என்ற பனிப்பாறையின் நுனிதான் இது. பயங்கரமான பல்வேறு விஷயங்கள் இதற்குள்ளே புதைந் திருக்கின்றன!

மேகி நூடுல்ஸில் அப்படி என்னதான் கெடுதல் இருக்கிறது? ஒன்று... ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ என சுருக்கமாக அழைக்கப்படும் ‘மோனோ சோடியம் குளுட்டாமேட்’ (MSG - Monosodium glutamate). இரண்டு... காரீயம் (Lead).

நாம் தற்போது உண்ணும் 80% பதப்படுத்தப் பட்ட துரித உணவுகளில் எம்எஸ்ஜி வேதிப் பொருள் கலந்திருக்கிறது. இது ஒரு கொடிய விஷம் என்று சமீபத்திய ஆராய்ச்சிகள் கூறுகின்றன. இது தரும் சுவை அலாதியானது. நாம் குறிப்பிடும் அறுசுவைகளில் இருந்து வேறுபட்ட இன்னொரு புதிய சுவை சீனாவில் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது. அது யுமாமி. துவர்ப்பு, காரம், புளிப்பு கலந்த சுவை இது. 1908-ல் இக்கிடா என்ற ஜப்பானியர், இந்த யுமாமி சுவையை உலகுக்கு அறிமுகப்படுத்தினார். இரண்டாம் உலகப் போருக்குப் பின், அமெரிக்க ராணுவ அதிகாரிகள் மேலும் இதை பிரபலப்படுத்தினர். யுமாமி சுவைக்கு மூலகாரணம், ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’் என்று விரைவில் கண்டறியப்பட்டது. மீன், இறைச்சி, காளான், உருளைக்கிழங்கு, முட்டைகோஸ், சோயா, தக்காளி மற்றும் தாய்ப்பாலில்கூட இந்த அமிலம் இருக்கிறது.

‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’யின் புனைபெயர்கள்!

குளுட்டாமிக் அமினோ அமிலம், உண்மையில் உடலுக்கு நல்லது. அதில் சோடியம் சேர்க்கும்போது, மோனோசோடியம் குளுட்டாமேட் என்றாகிறது. உணவைப் பதப்படுத்து வதற்கும், யுமாமி சுவை கூட்டு வதற்கும் இது பயன்படுகிறது. இங்கேதான் சிக்கல். இயற்கையாக உணவுப் பொருட்களில் உள்ள குளுட்டாமிக் அமிலம், உணவைப் பதப்படுத்தும் போது ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ ஆக மாறுகிறது. அதாவது, பதப்படுத்தப்படும் அத்தனை உணவுகளிலும் இருக்கிறது.

‘இந்த உணவில் ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ சேர்த்திருக்கிறோம்’ என்று எவரும் வெளிப்படையாகச் சொல்வ தில்லை. மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் ‘நெஸ்லே’ நிறுவனம்கூட, ‘நாங்கள் ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ சேர்க்கவில்லை’ என்று தான் சொல்கிறார்கள். ஆனால், மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் கவரில் அச்சிடப்பட்ட பட்டியலில் முதல் பெயரே ‘ஹைட்ராலைஸ்டு பீநட் புரோட்டீன்’ என்பதுதான். இது சாட்சாத் ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’! இதேபோல் சுமார் 40 வெவ்வேறு புனைபெயர்களில், அஜினமோட்டோ உட்பட, ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ நம் அன்றாட உணவில் நிறைந்திருக்கிறது. லேபிளில் இல்லாவிட்டாலும், ‘இதில் கலந்துள்ள பொருட்கள்’ என்று நீளும் பட்டியலில், வேறு ஏதோ ரசாயனப் பெயரில் இது இருப்பது நிச்சயம்.

‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ உடலில் என்னதான் செய்கிறது?

‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ கலந்த உணவை உண்ட பின் சுமார் 4 - 6 மணி நேரம் கழித்து தலைவலி, படபடப்பு, மயக்கம், அலர்ஜி அறிகுறிகள் தோன்றுவது பலரின் கவனத்துக்கு வந்தது. இதற்கு ‘சைனீஸ் ரெஸ்டாரன்ட் வியாதி’ என்று பிரபல ஆங்கில மருத்துவ இதழ் ‘நியூ இங்கிலாந்து ஜர்னல் ஆஃப் மெடிசின்’ பெயரிட்டது. இன்னும் பல்வேறு வியாதிகள் வருவதற்கும், ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’தான் காரணம் என்று பின்னர் கண்டறியப் பட்டது.

காரீயம் எனும் கொடிய விஷம்!

நூடுல்ஸ்களின் கெடுதல் களுக்கு இரண்டாவது காரணம், காரீயம். இது அதிக அளவில் நூடுல்ஸில் இருப்பதைத்தான் முதலில் கண்டுபிடித்தார்கள். பிறகுதான் ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ பற்றித் தெரிய வந்தது. உணவுப் பொருட்களில் 2.5 பீபீஎம் அளவு காரீயம் இருக்கலாம். நூடுல்ஸ்களில் 17 பீபீஎம் காரீயம் இருக்கிறது. காரீயம் மூளை, நரம்பு மண்டலங்கள், இதயம், சிறுநீரகங்கள் எல்லாவற்றையும் தாக்கும் கொடிய விஷம்.

காரீயம் செயற்கை யாகக் கலக்கப்படுவது தவிர, உணவுப் பொருட்கள் வைக்கும் பாத்திரங்களில், பிளாஸ்டிக் பேப்பரில், அல்லது பழுதடைந்த தண்ணீர்க் குழாய்களின் மூலம் நம் உணவில் கலக்கிறது. தொழிற்சாலைக் கழிவுகள் கலந்த ஆற்றுத் தண்ணீரில் நிறைய காரீயம் உண்டு. அதில் விளையும் காய்கறிகளிலும் காரீயம் நிறைய உண்டு. போதாததற்கு ரசாயன உரங்களும், பூச்சிக்கொல்லிகளும் காய்கறிகளில் கலக்கின்றன.

கோகோ கோலாவில் நிறைய காரீயம் இருக்கிறது என்ற பிரச்னை எழுந்தபோது, ‘அமெரிக்க கோகோ கோலாவில் காரீயம் கிடையாது. இந்திய கோகோ கோலாவில்தான் இருக்கிறது. ஆகவே, உங்கள் ஊர் தண்ணீர்தான் மோசம்’ என்று கூறி அவர்கள் தப்பித்துக்கொண்டார்கள்.

தீர்வு என்ன?

சத்துக்கள் நிறைந்த இயற்கை உணவுப் பொருட்களை பதப்படுத்தும் பெயரில் சிதைத் துச் சின்னாபின்னமாக்கி விஷமாக்குகிறார்கள். முடிந்தவரை, உணவை இயற்கையாக, அஜின மோட்டோ, ரெடிமேட் சுவையூட்டிகள் எல் லாம் தவிர்த்து, பண்டைய முறையில் சமைத்துச் சாப்பிடுவதுதான் சிறந்தது. பதப்படுத்தப்பட்ட உணவுகள், டின்னில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட உணவுகள், துரித உணவுகள் எல்லாவற்றையும் அறவே ஒதுக்க வேண்டும்.

ஆழ்ந்த உறக்கத்தில் இருந்த உணவுப் பொருட் கள் பாதுகாப்புக்கான அரசு நிறுவனங்கள், இப்போது மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் விவகாரத்தில் விழித்திருக்கின்றன. மாட்டிக்கொண்டது மேகி மட்டும்தான். இதுபோல் இன்னும் நூற்றுக்கணக்கான உணவுப் பொருட்கள் இருக்கின்றன. அதனால்தான், பெரிய பனிப் பாறையின் நுனியைத்தான் பார்க்கிறீர்கள்’ என்கிறேன்.

மக்கள் விழித்துக்கொண்டால் மட்டுமே விமோசனம்!

எதில் எல்லாம் ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ ஆபத்து இருக்கிறது?

குழந்தைகளுக்குக் கொடுக்கும் பால் பவுடர், குழந்தைகளின் நொறுக்குத் தீனிகள் பிஸ்கட், சாக்லேட், பாக்கெட் சிப்ஸ், ஜாம், சீஸ், சாஸ், கெட்சப், நூடுல்ஸ், பீட்சா, பர்கர், கிரீன் டீ, இத்தியாதி... இத்தியாதி!

என்னென்ன வியாதிகள் வரும்?

முக்கியமாக, பார்க்கின்ஸன், அல்சைமர், மூளைப்புற்று உள்ளிட்ட மூளையைத் தாக்கும் சில கொடிய நோய்கள். இரைப்பை கேன்சர், உடல்பருமன், சர்க்கரை நோய், இதய நோய், ஆஸ்துமா, ஆண்மைக் குறைவு, குழந்தையின்மை, மன அழுத்த நோய் என இதன் விளைவுகள் பலப்பல.

சுகர்ஃப்ரீ ஜாக்கிரதை!

‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’ போலவே எல்லா கெடுதல்களையும் செய்யும் இன்னொரு பொருள்... அஸ்பார்டேம் (Aspartame). இது சீனிக்குப் பதிலாக அறிமுகப் படுத்தப்பட்ட செயற்கை இனிப்பு - சுகர்ஃப்ரீ. உலகெங்கும் கோடிக்கணக்கான மக்களால் உபயோகப் படுத்தப்பட்டு வரும் இந்த வேதிப்பொருள், சர்க்கரையை விட மோசமான விளைவுகளை உண்டு பண்ணும் என்பது நிரூபணமாகி உள்ளது. ஜாம், குளிர்பானங்கள் போன்றவற்றில் சீனிக்குப் பதிலாக இது தாராளமாகக் கலக்கப்படுவது ஊரறிந்த உண்மை. அஸ்பார்டேமும் ‘எம்எஸ்ஜி’யும் சேர்ந்து பல உணவுகளில் கலப்பதால் பக்க விளைவுகள் பல மடங்கு பெருகும். சர்க்கரை நோய், ரத்தக் கொதிப்பு, மாரடைப்பு, மூளை பாதிப்புகள், புற்றுநோய் போன்ற கொடிய நோய்கள் ஏற்படும்.

Beer, whiskey, other alcoholic drinks may come under food regulator lens

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India will come up with a draft notification on the standards of alcoholic beverages in next two months.

After cracking down on noodles and milk, central food safety watchdog FSSAI is now turning to alcoholic beverages with plans to set up standards for drinks including beer and whiskey.

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India will come up with a draft notification on the standards of alcoholic beverages in next two months.

“Work is going on to prepare standards for alcohol and alcoholic beverages, in next two months the FSSAI will come up with draft notification seeking comments from the public,” a senior official told PTI.

Among the drinks, whiskey, vodka, gin, beer and even breezer will come under the proposed standards, the official said.

Earlier this year, a meeting of the Central Advisory Committee had also discussed having standards for alcohol and alcoholic beverages.

It was decided that once standards for alcohol and alcoholic beverages were finalised it shall be intimated to all States and UTs so that they may suitably advise the respective excise departments.

In terms of packaging, FSSAI has already proposed that alcoholic beverages, pan masala and suparimay not be treated as “unsafe food” for recall just because they carry a mandatory warning on their covers.

It is mentioned on pan masala, supari and liquor that their consumption is injurious to health.

The proposal has been made in the Safety and Standards (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations, 2015, which has been put up for public comments.

“In the case of alcoholic beverages, pan masala, supari, the mandatory mention of warning ‘consumption of alcohol/pan masala/supari is injurious to health’ may not be treated as unsafe food as part of any recall plan unless the beverage or food is determined unsafe as per the classification of recall making it injurious to health or even causing death,” the proposal said.

These draft norms were put up for public comments on May 29 and the deadline ends on August 1.

FSSAI is the central body which lays down standards for articles of food and regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

விரைவில் பீர், விஸ்கி, மதுபான வகைகள் மீதும் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு சோதனை

மதுபானங்கள் மீதும் வருகிறது உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணய சோதனை

நாட்டில் விற்பனையாகும் மதுபான வகைகளின் தரநிலைகளையும், பாதுகாப்பையும் சோதனைக்குட்படுத்தும் வரைவு அறிக்கை ஒன்றை இந்திய உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரக்கட்டுப்பாட்டு ஆணையம் 2 மாதங்களில் உருவாக்கவுள்ளது.

மேகி உள்ளிட்ட பெரு நிறுவனங்களின் நூடுல்ஸ் விவகாரம், பால்பொருட்களின் தரநிலைகளை கண்காணிப்பு வலைக்குள் கொண்டு வந்ததைப் போல் பீர், விஸ்கி உள்ளிட்ட மதுபான வகைகளின் தரமும் சோதனையின் கீழ் விரைவில் கொண்டு வரப்படுகிறது.

இது குறித்து உணவுப்பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரக்கட்டுப்பாட்டு ஆணையத்தின் மூத்த அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறும்போது, “அடுத்த 2 மாதங்களில் மதுபான வகைகளைன் தரநிர்ணயத்தை பரிசோதிக்கும் வகையிலான வரைவறிக்கை தயாரிக்கப்படும். மக்கள் இது குறித்து தங்கள் கருத்துகளை தெரிவிக்கலாம்” என்றார்.

பீர், விஸ்கி, வோட்கா, ஜின் அல்லாது பீர்களும் தரச் சோதனைக்குட்படுத்தப் படவுள்ளது. 

மதுபானங்களுக்கான தரநிர்ணய நிலைகள் உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டவுடன், அனைத்து மாநிலங்களுக்கும் இது தெரிவிக்கப்படும். இதனையடுத்து அவர்கள் இதனைக் கவனித்து வரும் குறிப்பிட்ட துறையினருக்கு அறிவுறுத்தலாம் என்று கூறுகிறார் அந்த மூத்த அதிகாரி.

இதன்படி, மதுபான தயாரிப்பு, அவை பாதுகாத்து வைக்கப்படும் குடோன், விநியோக முறைகள் ஆகியவையும் பாதுகாப்பு பரிசோதனை வளையத்துக்குள் வரவுள்ளது.

Ban on gutka goes for a toss in State

Admin blames it on lack of manpower

SHILLONG: While the State Government was quick to take steps to ban Maggi products, there is alleged laxity on its part to crackdown on the sale of the dangerous gutka which is virtually poison.

The manufacture, storage, transport, sale and distribution of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients was prohibited in the State by the Deputy Commissioner of Foods Safety, State Food Safety and Standards Authority last year. However, the same has not hindered the sale of the items in the city.

Even as the Government has cited lack of manpower as a handicap in imposing the ban on the concerned items, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal admitted that unless enforcement wings come into existence, the prohibition will not yield much result.

He further said strict implementation of the prohibition on the sale and transportation of gutka required sufficient manpower.

Shopkeepers across the city are seen openly selling the items in complete violation of the order.

Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills SP M Kharkrang said that the city police, from time to time conducts random checks and raids to ensure that shopkeepers do not sell the prohibited items.

The manufacture, storage and sale of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients are prohibited in the State under sub section (2) of Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

HRAWI advises members to be FSSAI compliant

The Hotel and Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI) has backed the Health Ministry’s proposal to the Union Cabinet for revamping the food regulatory structure in the country. In a recent communication, the association has asked its members to be fully co-operative with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and expedite completing the process of seeking conversions and renewals for existing license or registration. The health Ministry has sent a INR 1,700-crore proposal to the Union Cabinet for a major overhaul of the food regulatory structure. The objectives of the proposal are to strengthen the states’ inspection apparatus, bolster the FSSAI’s manpower, give the FSSAI more powers and ensure that the authority has access to state-of-the-art technology.

Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI said, “The HRAWI has always been a proactive institution when it comes to adopting safety and hygiene standards in the industry. We have always worked as a partner with the government in the interest of hospitality and tourism in the country. There is a big need to reform the regulatory structure because inconsistencies in food safety and standards are serious issues and if not addressed, will negatively affect the image of tourism in the long run. We fully back the health ministries’ proposal and wish to assert its importance to the union cabinet.”

The FSSAI has assigned August 4, 2015 as the deadline for obtaining Food Business Operator (FBO)’s license for all food businesses, from roadside eateries to restaurants. The deadline is applicable for FBOs seeking conversions and renewals for existing license or registration under a repealed order.

Malkani added, “We are grateful to the FSSAI to have given FBOs time to comply with the required standards in order to obtain the licenses. It is a herculean task to incorporate the changes in procedures and protocols but we understand the need for it and are doing everything it takes to meet the deadline. In fact to carry out due diligence at the primary level, we have set up a non-commercial food testing laboratory in Vadodara that follows global standards of food safety and hygiene. This benefits thousands of FBOs including bakery federations, catering associations, food retail traders and mithaiwala associations, among others in testing their products. This arrangement provides the kind of service that also helps hoteliers maintain standardised practices and helps keep up with the standards required to be maintained by the food authorities. The end objective is to ensure that there is no negligence with regards to food safety and hygiene. We hope to achieve this standard across the country and will support the food authority in this endeavour.”

Vegetable oil body SEA asks members to comply with food safety norms

 

SEA has started creating awareness among members about the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and its rules.

 

NEW DELHI: With food safety regulator FSSAI stepping up surveillance on packed food items including edible oils, vegetable oils industry body SEA has asked its members to comply with all norms under the FSSAI Act to avoid any difficulties at later stage.
The Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) has started creating awareness among members about the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and its rules.
"The Maggi episode was an eye opener for the entire FMCG manufacturers and suppliers. ...I would like to strongly suggest all the members to comply with each and every regulation prescribed under the FSSAI Act," SEA President Pravin S Lunkad said in a letter.
At present, the oils and fats industry -- mostly run by small and medium scale firms -- lack adequate knowledge of FSSAI norms and legal metrology, he said, adding that steps are being taken to create awareness among members.
SEA has asked members to follow a handbook on 'Regulatory requirements for oil and fats industry' as guidance while complying with various regulatory norms so as to avoid any inconvenience and difficulties at later stage.
The association said that it has retained a former FSSAI officer as an advisor so that members can utilise his services.
Food products have come under the scanner of FSSAI after the Maggi noodles controversy. The regulator has decided to step up quality checks of packaged drinking water, milk and milk products and edible oils as these products are widely consumed.

India: No country for unsafe food

Food safety has suddenly sparked much furore among the government, media and consumers. Thanks to Maggi containing lead above standard norms, government is instrumenting various measures to keep food products under check. However, scrutinizing imported food products being a task and thereby delaying delivery of products to the retail stores, India has decided to do away with the practice of putting each imported food consignment through lab checks and switch to the international norm of random and risk-based inspections.
As per a news report in The Economic Times, the Prime Minister's Office and the cabin secretariat have held discussions on the matter with the ministries and departments concerned.
Under the prevailing mechanism, there have been instances of consignments of Swiss chocolates and other popular food products languishing at Indian ports for days. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), the apex indirect taxes body, also wants checks by various agencies such as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, plant quarantine, animal quarantine, Drug Controller of India and wildlife authorities to be crunched and specified so that the industry knows beforehand the time limit required for clearance of any import consignment.
"The time frame will have to be brought down substantially," an official told the ET. All departments have been told to fix the stipulated time for testing as 12 hours plus the actual time taken for testing, the official said. This will serve as the defined standard operating procedure for clearance of cargo, an exercise that is being undertaken for the first time as the country looks to improve its ranking on the World Bank's doing business index.
At present, clearance of import consignments containing food items could take more than 10-15 days depending on the port. Some ports even lack well-equipped labs, leading to further delays.
The CBEC has created a national level customs clearance facilitation committee as also local committees at local ports, chaired by customs chief commissioner having representatives from these organisations as members, for immediate redressal of any issue that crops up during clearance.
What if the consignment fails safety test?
The national food safety regulator has laid down detailed recall procedures for food companies and said it will be mandatory for every firm to have a detailed recall plan ready and to comply with recall orders, confirms another news report by The Economic Times. If any company refuses to act on a recall order, then the concerned food authorities can take appropriate action, the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has written to food business operators.
"The food business operator shall be liable for violation (of a recall order)," said the note, which has sought suggestions and comments from companies. ET has reviewed a copy of the letter.
"A recall plan must be available in writing and shall be made available to the food authority on request. It shall also be a part of the annual audit of the food business," said the regulator that has ordered a number of recalls recently, including that of the popular instant noodles brand Maggi.
However, some industry insiders feel the regulator is acting a bit too hastily. "Before talking about recall procedures, the regulator should detail its own testing protocols and sample sizes, and allow for a suitable defence from the company," the CEO of a leading foods firm told the financial daily on condition of anonymity.
"Export oriented units also need to have a recall plan in place as there may be food products that can be directed to local consumers in India," it said, adding that food imported into the country will be checked by port authorities.

National food safety regulator lays down stringent recall procedures for food companies

"The food business operator shall be liable for violation (of a recall order)," said the note, which has sought suggestions and comments from companies. ET has reviewed a copy of the letter. 

NEW DELHI: The national food safety regulator has laid down detailed recall procedures for food companies and said it will be mandatory for every firm to have a detailed recall plan ready and to comply with recall orders. If any company refuses to act on a recall order, then the concerned food authorities can take appropriate action, the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has written to food business operators. 

"The food business operator shall be liable for violation (of a recall order)," said the note, which has sought suggestions and comments from companies. ET has reviewed a copy of the letter. 

"A recall plan must be available in writing and shall be made available to the food authority on request. It shall also be a part of the annual audit of the food business," said the regulator that has ordered a number of recalls recently, including that of the popular instant noodles brand Maggi.

Once a recall is initiated, retailers should immediately remove recalled stocks from shelves and return them to the manufacturer, importer or wholesaler, while companies should inform consumers about it by releasing 'food recall notices' through press releases, letters and advertisements, it said. 

Companies also need to keep the authorities up to date by providing "recall status reports" at the least on a weekly basis. 

"The frequency of such reports will be determined by the relative urgency or gravity of the recall," the regulator said. "Recall of food is in the common interest of the industry, government and, in particular, consumers," it said. 

Some industry insiders feel the regulator is acting a bit too hastily. "Before talking about recall procedures, the regulator should detail its own testing protocols and sample sizes, and allow for a suitable defence from the company," the CEO of a leading foods firm said on condition of anonymity. 

"Ordering a recall is a drastic step, especially given the disaggregate nature of trade in the country and can cost companies crores," the person said. RS Sodhi, managing director at Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation that makes Amul brand of dairy products, said, "Defining systematic food recall procedures is a requirement that's much needed for industry. 

But the systems should be practical and feasible, especially given the very complex retail environment of India." FSSAI in its letter said authorities can also initiate recall of food manufactured overseas as well as food meant for exports. 

"Export oriented units also need to have a recall plan in place as there may be food products that can be directed to local consumers in India," it said, adding that food imported into the country will be checked by port authorities. 

The regulator had on June 5 ordered Nestle to recall its two-minute snack Maggi, after tests showed the noodles to contain lead and flavour enhancer monosodium glutamate in excess of permissible limits. Nestle has said that the withdrawal of Maggi — the country's biggest recall exercise to date — will cost the company more than Rs 320 crore. On Monday, FSSAI ordered recall of four health supplements aimed at children —Mulmin Pro, Mulmin Syrup, Mulmin Plus Capsule and Mulmin Drops, all made by Jagdale Industries — with immediate effect, over health and safety concerns.

Why without consumers knowing what safe food is, food safety will remain a half-baked idea

The Maggi controversy is quite queer. Not long ago, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) tested milk nationwide and found 70% milk adulterated. It happened about the same time that China executed people for adulterating milk with melamine in 2008. The 2006 Food Safety Act had just become operational in 2011 and here was one important food item — for rich and poor, young (most importantly children) and old — found to be a vector of all possible microbes and extraneous particles. India was producing what could well be called the most ‘complete milk’: complete with detergents, edible oils, colours, urea, water, you name it. The media, unsurprisingly, went into a frenzy. It seemed the moment of reckoning. No more unsafe milk! No more unsafe food! Then came the machismo: we are not some feeble, effete society of consumers that ‘mundane’ milk could undo us.

Before this, pesticides in soft drinks had received much attention. No machismo but sheer prudence in this case. It was reckoned that the poor do not drink Coca-Cola or Pepsi, and the rich can choose to splurge less. So, overall, it wasn’t a big deal. Did anything change? Not really. Then there was Maggi. This was about beware customer, beware government and beware deceitful Nestlé. The upshot of all this hysteria is that Indian consumers remain woefully unaware and uninformed. This is reflected in facile prudence or dangerous bravado that follows every food safety-related outrage.

The government is overstretched. Today, India’s command-and-control approach to food safety has severe limitations, given the lack of physical, human and institutional capital for administering food safety. India needs a paradigm shift from relying solely on supply-side food safety and develop demand-pull systems for it. Demand-pull systems work with consumers demanding quality and safety attributes in food and forcing the supply side to fall in line, else face punitive market response. A true demand-pull system includes government and its agencies in the ambit as culpable if found wanting.

When food is not a lemon

Food safety in a product is a credence attribute. Hence, it faces issues of asymmetric information between sellers and buyers. This asymmetry can lead to market failures akin to the ‘lemons market’ — a ‘lemon’ being a defective used car — in the classic work of Nobel laureate George Akerlof. The solutions that fellow Nobel winners prescribed for correcting such market failures — such as signalling (Michael Spence) and screening (Joseph Stiglitz) — apply here too.

The message to take home in this is that the government needs to intervene not only as a controller but also as an agency to facilitate signalling and screening mechanisms. Without this, there will be a ‘lemons market’ for milk, Maggi and a lot more. However, the signalling or screening mechanisms are contingent on consumers having a minimum level of knowledge and awareness.

As of now, consumers do not know what is ‘safe food’ and how and where to get it. Hence, the government needs to create a credible, commonly accepted and acknowledged system of third-party food certification and educate the consumers about it in a mission mode.

The FSSAI has created labels for some processed food. But these are hardly recognised. How far such labelling has made consumers aware about the certification and its elements also remains unclear. Also, a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification system for fresh products that is more urgently needed remains an unfinished business.

A credible certification system is a double-edged sword if it informs about what the certification entails. It not only tells the consumer how good the certified product is, but it also tells her how bad the uncertified product could be.

Consumers would know adequately about food safety only if it is taught from a young age in schools. Not teaching them young has first-order consequences, as the epidemic disregard for standing in a queue in India will testify.

Let’s be real here. The task of ensuring food safety with such diverse value chains is a gigantic one for even the most well-meaning government. The government can undertake massive awareness campaigns and signal intent with severe strictures for laxity in food safety. Unless this happens, there will be many more Maggis to boil. What is surprising is not that Maggi has been indicted but that onlyMaggi has been picked out.

Rejoice Over Spilt Milk

The news on food safety awareness is disappointing. As part of a study to assess awareness of urban dairy consumers in Pune, we asked consumers about the changes they made following the news about food safety failure in milk. ‘Almost none’ to ‘very little’ were the common responses.

Less than half among educated and comparatively high-income consumers in Pune did not know that it’s important to have pasteurised milk. More than 80% did not know about adulterants in milk other than water. For zoonotic diseases — which can be passed from animals to humans — the awareness was near zero. If only consumers knew what to look for and where to get it, they would be able to do the right thing by demanding food safety. The seller, in turn, would have to respond by getting its house in order.

(The writer is research fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute)

Raj yet to react to FSSAI alert on food & water adulteration

JAIPUR: Following complains of adulteration and labeling violations, the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) of India has released a nationwide alert on milk, water and edible oil packs. Though it has clearly asked the states to increase surveillance, Rajasthan is yet to react to the central call.

FSSAI is a central food safety regulator which has put milk, packaged drinking water and edible oils under its scanner and have urged various states to "increase surveillance" on these products.

According to sources, earlier labelling violations had been seen in some of the items. "We have issued directives to the food commissioners across the country to collect more samples of these products and send them for comprehensive testing. The directive is not just for a specific brand," said an official.

However, the state public health and food safety department is not yet clear on how to go about it.

"I am yet to go through the directives of FSSAI and after seeing it we will certainly chalk out the modalities," said BR Meena, director, public health, food and safety.

Sources said that in some time the random samples of edible oils, milk and water would be taken from various places. "If such directives have come from FSSAI, we will certainly abide by them and start collecting the samples," said a senior officer.

In Rajasthan, the campaigns against food adulteration is only confined to the festivals, as ahead of festivals, officials collect samples but seldom the reports of tests are made public.

It may be recalled that sounding a countrywide alert on adulteration of food commodities, the central food safety regulator has to collect more samples of these products and send them for comprehensive testing, the official said, adding, the directives were given to food safety enforcement agencies in a recent meeting.

"State food departments have been asked to be more vigilant and to increase surveillance activities, especially on milk, water and edible oil. Serious violations of labeling requirements have been observed," the official said.

To create consumer awareness on food adulteration, FSSAI has also directed food inspectors to keep a close watch on products that are consumed in "huge quantities" by large segments of the population.

In last 4 yrs, FSSAI blocked less than 1% of food products entering India

Though the FSSAI did not provide details of items that were rejected, sources said a substantial number of these came from European Union countries.

Only 0.66 per cent of the food and fruit products tested by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at ports and international airports in the last four years were found to be of inferior quality and not allowed into the country.

Responding to an RTI application filed by The Indian Express, the FSSAI said it had tested 2,60,457 samples of fruit and food products between 2011 and 2015, out of which only 1,720, or 0.66 per cent, were found to be of inferior quality.

“The imported products not complying with FSS Act 2006… were not allowed into the country. Hence, no penalty (was) imposed against foreign companies for supplying inferior food/fruit products and no action (was) taken against companies whose imported products were found to be of inferior quality,” FSSAI’s assistant director (imports) Sabita Jaiswal said.

Though the FSSAI did not provide details of items that were rejected, sources said a substantial number of these came from European Union countries.

Items not allowed to enter the country include garlic powder, white onion powder, fruit drinks, chocolates and dietary supplements, including a popular brand of protein powder. Also on the list are soybean oil, spices, additives, fruits, peach syrup, jack cheese (an American semi-hard cheese) and a gummy candy brand.

After the FSS Act was enacted in 2006, authorities started examining consignments in 2011 at international airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin and Chennai, seaports in Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin and Chennai, and at Inland Container Depots in Delhi’s Patparganj and Tughlakabad.

DFCO lifts samples of noodles, pasta, macroni

JAMMU: Taking a serious note over the health concerns on various test results on Maggi and other similar non-standardized food products like noodles, pastas and macroni with excessive amounts of Mono Sodium Glutamate and lead (tastemakers) than the prescribed limits, a team of Food Safety Officers including Rakesh Gupta, Munish Gupta and Subash Chander Sharma of Drug & Food Control Organisation (DFCO) under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner/Designated Officer Food Safety District Jammu (Rural), Ajit Singh conducted on the spot inspections of various business establishments.

Improvement notices were issued to number of Food Business Organisations to improve their conditions within stipulated time frame. Six samples of macroni, pastas and noodles from different outlets of various companies like Nestle India, ITC, Indo Nissin Foods, Bambino, Savour and Goldi were lifted and sent to laboratory for ascertaining their standards. Shopkeepers were further impressed upon to stop the sale of products under question and maintain hygienic and sanitary conditions in their premises. They were also asked to follow all the parameters of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations, 2011 in letter and spirit.

Maggi fails test in Andaman; LG asks traders to stop selling Maggi

Maggi noodles samples test, lifted by the Food Safety Officers, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, were conducted in the laboratory at mainland as per the direction received from the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).

According to official sources, the results reveal that the samples do not satisfy the standards prescribed under FSS Act, 2006 and were found unsafe and unfit for human consumption.Further as per the order of FSSAI, all the nine approved variants of Maggi instant noodles are to be withdrawn and further production would be stope. Moreover, the FSSAI has also desired to withdraw and recall the Maggi oats masala noodles with taste makers as the product approval was not granted by FSSAI.In view of this, the Lt Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands has desired that all the traders should not store, distribute and sell Maggi noodles in the food safety, security and larger interest of general public

.The general public of Andaman and Nicobar Islands have also been cautioned not to buy any Maggi noodles manufactured by Nestle India.Further, all the District Commissioners and Superintendent of Police have been informed to take necessary steps to prevent import, storage, distribution and sale of Maggi noodles manufactured by Nestle India under FSS Act 2006, a statement from Andamans IP Division said here.

Punjab Health Department raids Ludhiana factory for making fake dietary supplements

Ludhiana, June 23 (ANI): The Punjab Health Department on Tuesday raided a factory in Ludhiana involved in making fake dietary supplements using the names of prominent international manufacturers.

A health department team found fake health supplements worth lakhs of rupees being manufactured illegally in large quantities by an unregistered company.

"A team raided the factory and found ingredients in large numbers being stacked. They contain starch, milk powder, flavours of vanilla and chocolate. A few empty jars of medicines have also been found. We assume that food supplements are being prepared by mixing all these ingredients. Today we are collecting the samples for examination," said drug inspector Anil Khosla.

Khosla stated that the factory did not have a valid registration and license from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and added that the future course of action will depend on the samples' result.

"We will examine the samples after which the report will come. Based on the report, an enquiry will be initiated and as the investigation proceeds, further required action will be taken," he said.

The supplements were being sold to several gyms and it was found that allopathic medicines were also used as ingredients in the making.

The team carrying out the raid also recovered medicines to increase the appetite and weight gain or loss powders.

Demand for ‘pesticide-free’ vegetables climbs

Not all 'organic' products are pesticide-free

Organic vegetables sold by a residents association in Thiruvananthapuram

With increasing awareness of the health hazards of consuming vegetables cultivated in a polluted environment, residents who have no option to grow veggies at home have started turning to outlets that sell ‘pesticide-free’ vegetables grown using organic manure. A number of shops have sprung up in the city that claim to sell organic vegetables.

What was considered a passing fad a few years ago is slowing and steadily becoming a trend, a manager of an outlet that sells organic products, including vegetables, said.

100 customers

“In the beginning, I never had more than 100 customers a month wanting organically grown vegetables, but today I get more than 100 customers a day. We even have a database of customers with whom we are in touch on a regular basis through phone call and SMS. We inform them about the arrival of fresh stocks so that they can make purchases at the earliest,” he said.

The trend of buying organically grown products was not restricted to the higher income class; even the middle class was willing to pay extra to buy ‘safe’ vegetables, the manager said.

However, the Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety has a word of caution for people who shop for organic vegetables.

A senior official in the Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety, Thiruvananthapuram Circle, said not all products sold in these shops were produced organically.

“It’s not true that products sold in these outlets are completely free of pesticides and are grown organically. We have warned the outlets using the tag organic products for marketing. A popular outlet near Kuravankonam was denied licence as the owner refused to remove the organic tag,” the official said.

Act to be amended

The Food Safety Act needed to be amended to bring in more clarity on what constituted an organic product, he said.

According to Jayakumar of Thanal, a third-party certification was a must for a product to claim that it was produced as per standards prescribed by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements.

Output of a process

“The challenge in organic vegetables is to understand that ‘organic vegetable’ is not a product but an output of a process. Organic farming guarantees worldwide that the farmer/producer has followed the pre-agreed verifiable standards. Kerala is not generally seeing organic farming in the above detail and is rather caught up at a different level,” he said.

Pesticides lobby accuses Kerala of scaremongering

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ரசா ய ன பவு டர் கலந்த பஞ் சு மிட்டாய் பறி மு தல் உண வு பாது காப் புத் துறை அதி காரி அதி ரடி

பெரம் ப லூர், ஜூன், 24:

பெரம் ப லூ ரில் ரசா ய னப் பவு டர் கலந்து விற் கப் பட்ட நூற் றுக் க ணக் கான பஞ் சு மிட்டாய் பாக் கெட்டு களை உண வுப் பாது காப் புத் துறை அதி கா ரி கள் பறி மு தல் செய்து அழித் த னர்.

பெரம் ப லூர் மற் றும் சுற்று வட்டா ரப் பகு தி களில் உள்ள கிரா மங் களில் வெளி மாநில இளை ஞர் க ளா லும், உள் ளூர் இளை ஞர் க ளா லும் திரு வி ழாக் காலங் களி லும், பள் ளி கள், அங் கன் வாடி மையங் கள் அரு கே யுள்ள தெருக் களி லும் பஞ்சு மிட்டாய் விற் கப் ப டு கி றது. வெறும் சர்க் க ரையை சூடு ப டுத் தித் தயா ரிக் கிற இந்த பஞ் சு மிட்டா யில் கவர்ச் சிக் காக பல் வேறு வர் ணங் கள் சேர்க் கப் ப டு கின் றன.

இதில் குறிப் பாக பச்சை, ஆரஞ்சு நிறங் க ளால் பாதிப் பு கள் ஏது மில்லை. ஆனால் பெரும் பா லும் ரோஸ் நிறத் தில் விற் கப் ப டும் பஞ்சு மிட்டா யில் ரோட மைன் பி எனப் ப டும் உண் ணத் தகு தி யற்ற ரசா ய னப் பவு டர் கலந்து வர் ணம் சேர்க் கப் ப டு கி றது. இது சிறு வர் சிறு மி யரை எளி தில் கவ ரும் என் ப தால் இந்த ரசா ய னப் ப வு டர் சேர்க் கப் ப டு கி றது. இந் தப் பவுட் ரில் குழந் தை களின் வயிற் றில் கேன் சர் வரை பாதிப் பு களை ஏற் ப டுத் தக் கூடிய நச் சுத் தன்மை உள் ளது. இதற் காக ரோட மைன் பி கலந்த உண வுப் பொ ருட் களை விற் கத் தடை விதிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. இந் நி லை யில் நேற்று பெரம் ப லூ ரில் உண வுப் பாது காப் புத் து றை யின் மாவட்ட நிய மன அதி காரி டாக் டர் புஷ் ப ராஜ் தலை மை யில், உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி கா ரி கள் அன் ப ழ கன், ரவி, அழ கு வேல், சின் ன முத்து ஆகி யோர் கள ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட போது நூற் றுக் க ணக் கான பஞ் சு மிட்டாய் பாக் கெட்டு க ளைப் பறி மு தல் செய்து, அவற்றை சாலை யோ ரங் களில் தீயிட்டு அழித் த னர்.

இது போன்ற ரோஸ் நிற பஞ் சு மிட்டாய் களை விற் கக் கூ டா தென் றும், அதனை யாரும் வாங்கி சாப் பிட வேண் டா மெ ன வும் பெரம் ப லூர் மாவட்ட உண வுப் பா து காப் புத் துறை சார் பாக எச் ச ரிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது.

Action against private dairies continues

Food safety officials inspected a milk dairy at Krishnampalayam on Tuesday and found discrepancies in dates printed on the plastic packets.

Designated Officer for Erode District, Food Safety and Drug Administration, G. Karunanidhi who led the inspection team said the dates printed on the plastic packets were not in consonance with the production schedule. On his instructions, milk samples have been taken for testing.

Food safety officials said they have been conducting inspections on milk dairies and checking loads moving out of district for conformity to safety standards. Action has been taken against three dairies for shortcomings, Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Food safety officials raid milk dairies

Milk packets with advance manufacturing date were seized from a private dairy during surprise raids conducted by food safety officials in and around the city today, a senior official said. 

The routine raids were conducted in five dairies and an unspecified number of milk packets with manufacturing date mentioned as "25.6.2015" instead of today's date seized from one of them at Krishnampalayam here, District Food Safety Officer Karunanidhi told reporters here. 

Officials also collected milk samples from the five dairies and these would be sent to a laboratory in neighbouring Coimbatore to check for adulteration, he said. 

He said such raids were conducted regularly by the department to prevent adulteration.

அதிகாரிகள் அதிரடி ரெய்டு ஈரோடு தனியார் பால் பண்ணையில் சுகாதார குறைபாடு கண்டுபிடிப்பு

ஈரோடு, ஜூன் 24:

ஈரோட்டில் உள்ள தனி யார் பால் பண் ணை யில் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் அதி ரடி ரெய்டு நடத்தி மாதி ரி களை ஆய் வுக் காக அனுப்பி வைத் துள் ள னர்.

ஈரோடு மற் றும் சுற் று வட்டார பகு தி களில் செயல் பட்டு வரும் பால் பண்ை ண களில் சுகா தா ரம் மேம் ப டுத் தப் ப டா மல் உள் ள தோடு பாக் கெட்டு களில் குறிப் பி டப் பட்டுள்ள படி சத் துக் களின் அளவு இருப் ப தில்லை என்று உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி களுக்கு புகார் சென் றது.

இதை ய டுத்து, கடந்த வாரம் ஈரோட்டில் சாஸ் தி ரி ந கர், கள் ளுக் க டை மேடு, மணல் மேடு, கொல் லம் பா ளை யம் உள் ளிட்ட பகு தி களில் செயல் பட்டு வந்த 5 தனி யார் பால் பண் னை களில் அதி கா ரி கள் ரெய்டு நடத் தி னர். இதில் 3 பண் ணை களில் பாக் கெட்டு களில் குறிப் பி டப் பட்டுள்ள கொழுப்பு சத வீம் மாறு பட்ட நிலை யில் இருந் த தை ய டுத்து 3 பால் பண் னை கள் மீதும் அதி கா ரி கள் வழக்கு பதிவு செய் த னர்.

இந் நி லை யில், கர் நா டக மாநி லத் தில் கடந்த வாரம் அம் மா நில சுகா தா ரத் துறை யி னர் தமி ழ கத் தில் இருந்து வந்த பாலை சோதனை செய்த போது தர மற்ற நிலை யில் இருந் த தும் அந்த பால் ஈரோட்டில் இருந்து அனுப் ப பட்ட தும் தெரி ய வந் தது. இது தொடர் பாக நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கும் படி ஈரோடு மாவட்ட நிர் வா கத் திற்கு கர் நா டக மாநில அரசு நோட்டீஸ் அனுப் பி யது. இதை ய டுத்து நேற்று கலெக் டர் பிர பா கர் உத் த ர வின் பேரில் ஈரோடு மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் ஈரோடு கருங் கல் பா ளை யம் போலீஸ் ஸ்டே சன் அரு கில் செயல் பட்டு வரும் தனி யார் பால் பண் ணை யில் அதி ரடி சோதனை நடத் தி னர். அப் போது சுகா தா ர மற்ற முறை யில் வெண் ணெய், தயிர், மோர் உள் ளிட்ட பால் பொருள் தயா ரிக் கப் ப டு வது தெரி ய வந் தது. இத னை ய டுத்து பால் பொருட் களின் மாதி ரி களை சேக ரித்த அதி கா ரி கள், ஆய் வுக் காக கோவை யில் உள்ள பரி சோ தனை மையத் திற்கு அனுப்பி வைத் த னர்.

மேலும் சுத் தம் மற் றும் சுகா தா ர மற்ற நிலை யில் பால் பண்ணை செயல் பட்டு வந் த தை ய டுத்து நோட்டீஸ் வழங் கிய அதி கா ரி கள், சுகா தா ரத்தை மேம் ப டுத்த 15 நாள் அவ கா சம் வழங் கி னர். இது குறித்து உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கரு ணா நிதி கூறி ய தா வது:

ஈரோடு மாந க ரில் ரயில்வே ஸ்டே சன் ரோடு, கள் ளுக் க டை மேடு, கிருஷ் ணம் பா ளை யம் உள் ளிட்ட பகு தி களில் இயங்கி வரும் பால் பண் ணை களில் ஆய்வு நடத் தி னோம். 5 பால் பண் ணை களில் சுகா தா ர மற்ற முறை யில் பால் பொருட் கள் தயா ரிப் பது கண் டு பி டிக் கப் பட்டு, பால் பண்ணை உரி மை யா ளர் களுக்கு அப ரா தம் விதிக் கப் பட்டது.

தற் போது கருங் கல் பா ளை யம் அருகே உள்ள பால் பண் ணை யில் ஆய்வு நடத்தி பால் பொருட் களை மாதிரி எடுத் துள் ளேம். அதனை கோவைக்கு ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப்பி முடி வு கள் வந் த தும் இந்த பால் பண்ணை மீது நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும். இவ் வாறு கூறி னார்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

நூடுல்ஸ், நொறுக் குத் தீ னி யைத் தொடர்ந்து பால், பேக் கேஜ் குடி நீர், எண் ணெய் மாதி ரி களை ஆய்வு செய்ய முடிவ இந் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு ஆணை யம் உத் த ரவுு

புது டெல்லி, ஜூன் 24:

நூடுல்ஸ், நொறுக் குத் தீ னியை தொடர்ந்து பால், பேக் கேஜ் குடி நீர், சமை யல் எண் ணெய் ஆகி ய வை யும் இந் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு ஆணைய கண் கா ணிப்பு வளை யத் துக் குள் வந் துள் ளன.

மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் களில் உடல் நலத் துக்கு கேடு விளை விக் கும் காரீ யம் மற் றும் மோனோ சோடி யம் குளுட்டோ மேட் ரசா யன பொருள் அதி கம் பயன் ப டுத் திய விவ கா ரத்தை அடுத்து, இந்த நூடுல்ஸ் களுக்கு நாடு முழு வ தும் தடை விதிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. அனைத்து நூடுல்ஸ் க ளை யும் கடை களில் இருந்து திரும் பப் பெற்று வரு கி றது நெஸ்லே. இந்த சர்ச் சையை தொடர்ந்து உணவு பொருட் கள் மீதான கண் கா ணிப்பை இந் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தர நிர் ணய ஆணை யம் (எப் எஸ் எஸ் ஏஐ) தீவி ரம் காட்டி வரு கி றது. சில தினங் களுக்கு முன்பு நொறுக் குத் தீ னி களை ஆய்வு செய்ய இந்த அமைப்பு முடிவு செய் தி ருந் தது. அதா வது, அதிக கொழுப்பு, உப்பு, சர்க் கரை நிறைந்த பாக் கெட் உண வு கள் மற் றும் ஓட்டல், கேட்ட ரிங் தயா ரிப் பு களை ஆய்வு செய்து தடை விதிக்க 11 பேர் கொண்ட குழுவை இந்த அமைப்பு அமைக் கி றது. இதில் மருத் து வர் கள், டயட்டீ ஷி யன் கள் உட் பட பலர் இடம் பெ று கின் ற னர்.

இதற் கி டை யில், பால், பேக் கேஜ் குடி நீர் மற் றும் சமை யல் எண் ணெய் ஆகி ய வற்றை ஆய்வு செய்ய எப் எஸ் எஸ் ஏஐ முடிவு செய் துள் ளது. சமீ பத் தில் நாடா ளு மன்ற நிலைக் குழு அளித்த அறிக் கை யில், பாலில் டிடர் ஜென்ட் கலப் ப டம் குறித்து கவலை தெரி வித் தி ருந் தது. இந் திய விவ சாய ஆராய்ச்சி மையம் கலப் ப டம் கண் ட றி யும் தொழில் நுட் பத்தை கண் டு பி டித் துள் ளது. இதை பர வ லாக் கி னால் இதை தடுக்க முடி யும் என்று விவ சா யத் துக் கான இந்த நிலைக் குழு அர சுக்கு ஏற் கெ னவே அளித்த அறிக் கை யில் பரிந் துரை செய் தி ருந் தது.

இந்த தொழில் நுட் பம் எளி மை யா னது. அது மட்டு மின்றி பால் கொள் மு தல் நிலை யங் களில் இந்த தொழில் நுட் பத்தை நிறுவ வேண் டும். இதற்கு ஒரு சோத னைக்கு சுமார் 40 காசு கள் மட்டுமே செல வா கும் என்று இந்த குழு வலி யு றுத் தி யி ருந் தது.

இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, பால், பேக் கேஜ் குடி நீர், சமை யல் எண் ணெய் மாதி ரி களை ஆய்வு செய் யு மாறு அனைத்து மாநி லங் களுக் கும் இந் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தர நிர் ணய ஆணை யம் உத் த ரவு பிறப் பித் துள் ளது. இது குறித்து அதி காரி ஒரு வர் கூறு கை யில், ‘‘மக் க ளால் அதி கம் உப யோ கிக் கப் ப டும் பால், பேக் கேஜ் குடி நீர், சமை யல் எண் ணெய் ஆகிய இந்த மூன்று பிரி வு களில் உள்ள தயா ரிப் பு களை நாடு முழு வ தும் சோத னைக்கு உட் ப டுத்த வேண் டும் என்று உத் த ர வில் கூறப் பட்டுள் ள து ’’ என்று தெரி வித் தார்.

Several top leaders not in favour of Maggi ban

Sources According to government sources, several top leaders are not in favour of imposing bans on food products. They have, however, been asked not to speak out of turn on the issue of the Nestle product, which is under scanner over presence of lead and MSG.

the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) order banning the production and distribution of nine variants of Maggi seems to be having a major impact on the investor sentiment in the country. 

According to government sources, several top leaders are not in favour of imposing bans on food products. They have, however, been asked not to speak out of turn on the issue of the Nestle product, which is under scanner over presence of lead and MSG. 

Meanwhile, the food safety regulator has issued a nationwide alert, asking all the states to keep a strict watch on milk, edible oils and packaged drinking water.

Food majors welcome FSSAI alert with caution

Move comes after samples of Mother Dairy milk in Uttar Pradesh last week were found contaminated with detergent powder

The nationwide alert on adulteration of food by India's apex food regulator has been welcomed cautiously by companies operating in the space. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked all states to keep a close watch on milk, packaged water and edible oil in view of violations including mis-labelling, branding and availability of spurious products.

The move comes after samples of Mother Dairy milk in Uttar Pradesh last week were found contaminated with detergent powder. Mother Dairy has denied its quality control measures were breached, saying the samples were drawn before they reached its chilling centre.

Following the episode, however, FSSAI has asked food commissioners across the country to collect more samples of essential commodities and send them for comprehensive testing.

While packaged food & beverage majors have welcomed the move, they argue it is unlikely to curb manufacturing of spurious products - the bane of the business. A recent Assocham report pegs the packaged food & beverage market in India at $30 billion (Rs 1.8 lakh crore). However, industry sources say 60-70% of this market is unorganised, with products manufactured by small players who do not follow any norms or standards. Weak enforcement, they say, has allowed these manufacturers to flourish.

"Do you know how many licences have been issued to manufacture packaged water in India? The number is 12,000. What is the screening process when issuing these licences? No one knows. Look around you and see the number of local brands available in packaged water in every nook and corner. How do you monitor all this?" asks Ramesh Chauhan, chairman & managing director, Bisleri International, one of the leading makers of packaged water in India.

Executives from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, makers of the Kinley and Aquafina brands of packaged water, were not immediately available for comments. But two senior officials from Cargill and Adani Wilmar, both edible oil makers, say that such alerts while welcome typically see food inspectors chasing larger than smaller brands. "Checking adulteration in essential commodities is a must. Alerts such as these are a good move. There is no denying that. But the larger brands don't violate norms as it is made out to be. Unfortunately, the Nestle episode has resulted in most packaged foods in the country being viewed with suspicion. In all this, the real culprits, smaller, unorganised players go scot free," said one executive.

According to the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE), packaged food & beverage makers, whether big or small, have taken food safety norms too lightly in India. "When popular cola brands were first found to contain high levels of pesticides in them, our findings were contested very heavily. But the government ultimately came around to believing us that we were not incorrect in what we had detected. This led to the setting up of a joint parliamentary committee under Sharad Pawar," said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director-general, CSE, talking about the 2003 pesticide-in-cola episode.

Since then, CSE has done a number of studies including a second round of testing of cola brands, where high levels of pesticides were again detected (in 2006) and a more recent study of popular fast food brands. In the latter, Nestle's Maggi noodles, McDonald's, KFC, Haldiram's aloo bhujia and PepsiCo's Lay's potato chips, among others, were found to contain high levels of trans-fats, salts and sugar, which was not communicated to the public on their labels. FSSAI last week said it would set up an expert group to regulate salt, sugar and fat in food products following a Delhi High Court order.

Extend ban on import of Chinese milk, chocolates for one year: FSSAI

New Delhi: Food safety watchdog FSSAI has recommended for extending the ban on import of milk and milk products including chocolates from China for one year till June 23, 2016.

India had first imposed the ban in September 2008 due to presence of melamine, used for making plastics and fertiliser.

India, however, does not import milk products from China, but as a preventive measure, it has imposed the ban.

The ban has been extended multiple times so far by the Department of Foreign Trade (DGFT) till June 23 this year.

"Ban on import of milk and milk products, including chocolates and chocolate products and candies/confectioneries/ food preparations with milk and milk solids as ingredients from China may be extended for a period of one year, upto June 23, 2016.

"..Unless the safety risk assessment is undertaken based on availability of credible reports and supporting data in respect of the said products, whichever is earlier," Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said in its latest order.

Last week, a meeting on this issue was also chaired by the FSSAI CEO Yudhvir Singh Malik.

The committee unanimously decided to recommend that the ban on import of dairy products from China may be extended for a further period of one year or until credible evidence or representation to the contrary was made available, FSSAI added.

FSSAI bans sale of Mulmin vitamin drops

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Tuesday directed manufacturers to totally withdraw from the market "Mulmin vitamin drops" prescribed for one-year-old children.

In a notice issued on June 19 to the company, the FSSAI asked the manufacturers to stop manufacture, sale, distribution and import of Mulmin drops and asked the company to recall the existing products from the market with immediate effect.

According to the FSSAI, the scientific panel for functional foods, nutraceuticals, dietetic products, had earlier asked the company to submit safety information and rationale for "pine bar" addition to the product, including the level of minerals in the product.

Significantly, the panel which considered the application along with the information supplied by the company recently observed that the applicant had reduced the composition of ingredients. Moreover, experts also noticed that the applicant had reduced certain nutrients like zinc in the process.

The scientific panel also observed that the product is meant for children of one year age and that unsupervised use of the product raises "safety concerns" for younger children.

It also noted that the product is a combination of synthetic vitamins and minerals. Accordingly, the scientific panel recommended "rejection of the product" with immediate effect.

"The panel noted that the Mulmin Drops was meant for children of one year and observed that unsupervised use of the product may cause health problems among infants," FSSAI director (product approval) Sandhya Kabra told IANS.

The no-objection certificate (NoC) was issued by the FSSAI for the product in 2012 for a period of one year. The scientific panel later asked the firm to declare ingredients as per serving size and to revise the label declaration so as to be compliant with food labelling regulations.

However, keeping in view the changes made by the company in the product, the FSSAI withdrew the NoC and directed the company to stop manufacturing, sale, import and distribution of the product with immediate effect.

The FSSAI has also asked for recall of all the existing products from the market, citing that it does not recommend approval of the product.

MAALAI MALAR NEWS

Milk, packaged drinking water and edible oil under FSSAI scanner

The food safety regulator has already asked state food commissioners across the country to test samples of milk, drinking water and edible oil

On 16 June, the Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration said it found detergent in one sample of Mother Dairy milk. The allegation was rejected by the company the next day. 

New Delhi: In a move to keep a close tab on the quality of product categories that are widely consumed, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to step up quality checks of packaged drinking water, milk and milk products and edible oil.

The move comes in the wake of the standing committee of Parliament for consumer affairs expressing concern over reports of milk adulteration. The issue was first discussed in January during the 13th meeting of the Central Advisory Committee of FSSAI, according to a document prepared by the enforcement body and reviewed by Mint.

FSSAI has already asked state food commissioners to test milk, drinking water and edible oil for adulteration as these three products are widely consumed. “All packaged food items in these three categories will be inspected and evaluated across the country,” said an FSSAI official, who did not want to be named.

On 16 June, the Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration said it found detergent in one sample of Mother Dairy milk. The next day, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd managing director S. Nagarajan rejected allegations of adulteration of its packaged milk, saying the samples in question were collected before they reached Mother Dairy plants.

On June 19, FSSAI said it would constitute an expert group to regulate salt, sugar and fat in food products following a Delhi High Court order. With this, several food categories such as noodles, pizzas, burgers and carbonated drinks will come under its scrutiny.

On 5 June, FSSAI had asked Nestle India to “stop further production, processing, import, distribution and sale” of all nine variants of Maggi noodles as they had been found unsafe for human consumption. Since 5 June, Nestle India is in the process of recalling about 27,420 tonnes of Maggi noodles over the alleged presence of monosodium glutamate and high levels of lead.

FSSAI had also ordered testing of other instant noodle brands but is yet to notify the results of the tests.

FSSAI enhances packaged water, milk and edible oil surveillance

FSSAI has also asked the commissioners to create awareness among the consumers regarding the standards and labelling requirements for packaged drinking water.

Amid rising concerns over safety of food items, central food regulator FSSAI has asked states to increase surveillance and act against entities selling contaminatedpackaged drinking water as well as adulterated milk and edible oils.

Following the Maggi fiasco, the authorities have started clamping down on those entities which are found to be non-complaint with the food safety norms.

"States have been asked to enhance the surveillance activities in respect of packaged drinking water, milk and milk products and edible oil. If required, the state food safety commissioners can also take action," a source said.

Packaged water, milk and edible oils came under the lens of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) after it decided to strengthen surveillance activities on such products.

Earlier this year, in a meeting with state food safety commissioners, the FSSAI CEO Yudhvir Singh Malik had shared concerns raised by the Parliamentary panel on consumer affairs regarding widespread incidences of milk adulteration.

"The milk, water and edible-oils were three big ticket items which were consumed by almost all sections of consumers and there is a need for increased surveillance of the safety of these items across all the states/UTs in the country," Malik had said.

FSSAI has also asked the commissioners to create awareness among the consumers regarding the standards and labelling requirements for packaged drinking water.

Earlier this month, the food safety watchdog has formed a 11-member panel for regulating salt, sugar and fat in food products sold or served at eating joints in the country.

On June 5, the FSSAI had banned Nestle's Maggi saying it was 'unsafe and hazardous' after tests found presence of lead and Monosodium glutamate above permissible limits.

Nestle India had also withdrawn the instant noodles brand from the market. Later, FSSAI also ordered testing of noodles, pastas and macaroni brands such as Top Ramen, Foodles and Wai Wai sold and manufactured by seven companies, to check compliance with the norms.

The questions raised by the Maggi crisis

The real story is of a regulator that has lacked the resources and know-how to safeguard public health

Whether or not a product should be approved for sale and consumption is based almost entirely on scientific analysis provided by the manufacturers themselves. 

There’s a crisis in the packaged food market after Hindustan Unilever Ltd followed Nestle India Ltd in pulling its instant noodles off the shelves. Tata Starbucks Ltd, too, has withdrawn some of its products.

The crisis has raised several questions.

Are we consuming food that is not safe? How can companies launch food products without requisite approvals? And, at a larger level, who is responsible for food quality in India?

Apart from the manufacturers, until 2006, a myriad laws and regulatory bodies were responsible for determining and enforcing quality and health standards.

Those were replaced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which, since becoming operational in 2011, became the central regulatory authority responsible for food safety in India, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, that consolidated all the existing laws.

FSSAI’s job, in its own words, is to lay down “science-based standards” for the manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food in India.

But a big problem is that there might not be enough science to go around.

Gatekeeper

FSSAI is responsible for approving all new food products coming into the Indian market, but since it has only been operating for a few years now, the procedure also applies to those products which were already in the market before that time and to imported products.

FSSAI has laid down an online process for applications by companies seeking approval for their products. The application requires the manufacturer to give detailed information, such as the ingredients used, the manufacturing process, place of manufacture and source of raw materials, including water. FSSAI has also released detailed regulations laying down permissible levels of toxins or additives such as lead and MSG (monosodium glutamate) in different kinds of food products.

However, the practical process of obtaining approval for a food product can be a bit of a nightmare.

According to Gowree Gokhale, a partner at Nishith Desai Associates, delayed approvals are a frequent feature with FSSAI and a major cause of frustration for companies. In fact, the entire procedure of approval is a subject of great confusion, and FSSAI itself gives the impression that it is a work in progress, with frequent announcements of changes and alterations in procedure on its website.

Despite all the detailed guidelines, the law does not make testing of food products before approval mandatory.

How the system works is that a person seeking approval fills in a detailed application form, including a variety of undertakings and affidavits regarding all the ingredients used, processes employed and other relevant information. This application is then either approved straightaway, or, depending on the product and the details furnished by the manufacturer, sent for scrutiny before one of the “scientific panels” of FSSAI.

These panels are supposed to conduct a “risk assessment” of the product. In this assessment, the panel may call for a laboratory test, but that is neither mandatory nor the usual practice.

“What I keep hearing from the industry is that at the government-identified labs or regulators’ labs, there is no equipment available and even if equipment is available, people are not trained (in their use),” adds Gokhale.

Whether or not a product should be approved for sale and consumption is based almost entirely on scientific analysis provided by the manufacturers themselves, and not on that done by FSSAI.

Gokhale adds that the problem does not end with testing (or the lack of it). For instance, even if a product is tested at the time of approval, that itself is no guarantee that the next batch of the same product will be of the same quality.

She notes that in the case of drugs and cosmetics, the law mandates that each batch of pharmaceutical product be tested before coming into the market. One needs to examine what could be the best method of ensuring consistent quality of food products. “And if a batch is found to be in non-compliance with FSSAI standards, a robust recall mechanism needs to be established, given the vastness of our country,” she says.

Other licences, such as domestic manufacturing licences that need to be renewed and reviewed every one to five years also impose certain requirements on food makers, focusing on manufacturing processes, machinery, manuals and procedures. Companies that want to export food ingredients to other countries may also have to comply with global regulations, and require certification by independent standards bodies.

Even the “peeling of paint on the walls” was considered non-compliant during one such audit, explains Gokhale, but all those tests are also often insufficient to pinpoint every possible problem of adulteration because they focus on manufacturing processes and procedures.

Lab rats

The law does provide for random inspections and raids where samples can be seized (or acquired), and sent for lab testing (as was done with Maggi noodles in more than 20 states recently).

“Often the government regulators work on tips,” explains Gokhale, noting that often disgruntled employees or competitors are suspected as the source.

If any irregularities are found, the penalties (mostly in the form of fines and recalls) can be steep. The idea is that the fear of being caught automatically ensures compliance with food safety regulations, but the system is not foolproof. And even where testing is done, there is no way to be completely sure.

According to Vivek Kathpalia, a Singapore-based partner with Nishith Desai Associates, who has researched food laws, the real question is not about the frequency of lab tests, but the standards themselves. “We need to take a look at the standards laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Act regarding quality of food in India and see whether they are up to international standards or not,” he says.

Enforcement issues

Another major issue is that FSSAI virtually has no enforcement mechanism to speak of. Not only does it have no way of ensuring that projects rejected by it are properly recalled, it also doesn’t have any way of ensuring that products never approved by it do not get to the market in the first place.

For instance, on 8 June, FSSAI sent a notice to the commissioners of food safety of all states, with a list of 33 food products under the category of “noodles, pastas and macaroni with tastemaker” which had been approved by it.

It asked the commissioners to take samples of all these products for lab testing in view of the contaminants allegedly found in Maggi noodles. As for any products which were not on the list, the notice said such products are “unauthorized and illegal and cannot be intended for human consumption…” and the state regulators were “advised to ensure that such products are recalled, removed from the market and destroyed”.

That’s easier said than done, and while it has prompted Hindustan Unilever to recall its Knorr noodles—which have never been approved by FSSAI—from the market, it highlights the fact that companies were not only openly selling unapproved food products, but were also carrying out massive advertising campaigns for them without the food regulator taking any action.

While delayed product approvals are a major issue in the industry, as discussed above, this does not seem to be the case here as Hindustan Unilever had applied for approval of Knorr instant noodles only in February 2015, according to its official press release.

Indeed, it would appear to be common practice to apply (for approval) and simultaneously launch the product. Or maybe even launch the product ahead of applying for approval.

A product recall in a market as large as India is almost impossible in practice. “If you’d ask me to recall (a brand of) biscuits tomorrow, how would you be able to? Can you even reach some parts of India to even recall those items?” asks Gokhale, doubting that an effective machinery and system exists.

Food regulation is not completely novel—milk adulteration probes by FSSAI have been common for years now—but the rise in regulatory activity in the food sector is novel. “If you just see the last couple of years, the Maharashtra FDA on the drugs and cosmetics side has been extremely active,” recounts Gokhale. “That was more on the drugs and cosmetics side—now is the time of food.”

One concern regarding FSSAI’s new-found enthusiasm in the food space is the risk of over-regulation, she fears. “The crisis happens one time but the regulation happens thereafter—we need to figure out (how) to strike the right balance.”

Once a brand is found to have violated food safety procedures by FSSAI, there’s not much recourse available.

The FSSAI appeal procedure is entirely internal and departmental and not very effective, Gokhale says, and even a legal challenge via a writ petition, such as that attempted by Nestle in the Bombay high court, is usually too slow to be effective except in rare cases, because courts are often extra-cautious in questions affecting public health and safety.

But such instances of brands being pulled up are still (despite the increased activism on the regulator’s part) few and far between. The real story is of a market that has mostly escaped heavy regulation from a regulator that has traditionally lacked the resources and know-how to effectively safeguard public health and standards.