Adulteration of milk and food safety regulation

Adulteration of milk and food safety regulation

Food Adulteration is Social evil, fight it out…

The conservation of the public health is a duty which is not peculiar alone to the medical profession. Among many factors which have a great influence upon the health of the individual there is none more potent than food. Eating is the chief industry of the human race. In our state of Jammu and Kashmir there are about four million wage earners, drawing about sixty four million Rupees a day. Of this vast sum fully three-fourths are applied to the purchase of food and its preparation. It seems to me therefore that a subject which monopolizes three-fourths of the energies of the human race is one which is well worth of discussion, and especially among a body of physicians, Food Safety Professionals (Food Safety Officers & Designated officers) who have banded themselves together. Not particularly for the curing of disease, but for the more beneficent purpose of conserving the public health.

Food adulteration has become a very common practice in our country particularly in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and we are consuming these foods almost every day, which have numerous harmful effects to our health.

Some common test that can done at home to check quality of milk

S.No Adulterant Method of detection

1. WATER

The presence of water in milk can be detected by putting a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface. The drop of pure milk either or flows slowly leaving a white trail behind it, whereas milk adulterated water will flow immediately without leaving a mark.

2. Starch

Add a few drops of tincture of Iodine or Iodine solution. Formation of blue colour indicates the presence of starch.

Note: Iodine solution is easily available in the medical stores.

3. Urea 

Take a teaspoon of milk in a test tube. Add ½ teaspoon of soybean or arhar powder. Mix up the contents thoroughly by shaking the test tube. After 5 minutes, dip a red litmus paper in it. Remove the paper after ½ a minute. A change in colour from red to blue indicates the presence of urea in the milk

4. Synthetic milk 

Synthetic milk has a bitter after taste, gives a soapy feeling on rubbing between the fingers and turns yellowish on heating

5. Detergent 

Shake 5-10 ml of milk with equal amount of water. Lather indicates presence of detergents

6. Test for Glucose/inverted sugar

Milk does not contain glucose /invert sugar, if test for glucose with urease strip found positive. It means milk is adulterated

Milk is an especially touchy subject at moment with prices more than double than 2008, when a liter cost an average of Rs 16/= compared to Rs 35 /=today. The adulteration of milk and milk products is of greater importance, because milk is consumed from a new born , to a patient at death bed. A glass full of milk a day is healthy for overall health but what if it is adulterated? Milk adulteration is increasing day by day and many people are not even aware that they are having adulterated milk.

Milk is most commonly diluted with water and this common adulterant of milk which is often added to increase the quantity of milk by scrupulous milk dealers to earn easy money. Addition of water to milk reduces the nutritive value of milk but if contaminated, it poses a health risk to consumers. Contaminated water can cause infective diarrhea in children which may hamper their growth and development besides providing them fewer calories. Water used for diluting milk is usually obtained from an unsafe inexpensive source of water supply and can be contaminated with pesticides, heavy metals and other microorganisms. If such samples of milk are consumed as milk, it poses a serious risk to its consumers after affecting their overall health.

The other adulterants used are mainly starch, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), sugar, urea, hydrated lime, sodium carbonate, formalin, detergent and ammonium sulfate. Adulterated milk is a sweet poison which though does not kill at once but it slowly makes the body a fertile ground for diseases. It proves deadly for pregnant women and patients suffering from conditions of heart ailment and high blood pressure. It is extremely poisonous for small children. Milk adulterants have hazardous health effects. The detergent in milk can cause food poisoning and other gastrointestinal complications. Its high alkaline level can also damage body tissue and destroy proteins. Other synthetic components can cause impairments, heart problems, cancer or even death. While the immediate effect of drinking milk adulterated with urea, caustic soda and formalin is gastroenteritis, the long-term effects are far more serious. Urea can lead to vomiting, nausea and gastritis. Urea is particularly harmful for the kidneys, and caustic soda can be dangerous for people suffering from hypertension and heart ailments. Formalin can cause more severe damage to the body like liver damage. The health impact of drinking milk adulterated with these chemicals is worse for children. Caustic soda harms the mucosa of the food pipe, especially in kids. The chemical which contains sodium, can act as slow poison for those suffering from hypertension and heart ailments.

From the view point of protecting the health of the consumer, the Government of India promulgated the ‘Food Safety& Standards Act 2006 & Rules/regulation 2011’. The Act came into force from 5th August 2011. It prohibits the manufacture, sale and distribution of not only adulterated foods but also foods contaminated with toxicants.

Under Section 29 of the FSSA 2006, Commissioner Food safety, designated officers and Food Safety Officers are responsible for the enforcement of the Act. The Act under section 40 & 42 empowers the purchaser to get food sample analyzed from public health laboratory Kashmir /Jammu and in case the sample founded adulterated , the purchaser is entitled refund of the testing fee and designated officer/Food Safety Officers are duty bound to initiate the legal action as warranted under the Act against the violators.

The Food Safety & Standards Act under section 51 and 59 provide the quantum of penalty /punishment for supplying sub-standards and unsafe milk to the consumers.

Section 51: Penalty for Sub-Standard Food.

Any person who whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf manufactures for sale or stores or sells or distributes any article of food for human consumption which is sub-standard, shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to five lakh rupees

Section 59: Punishment for unsafe food.

Any person who, whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf, manufactures for sale or stores or sells or distributes any article of food for human consumption which is unsafe, shall be punishable,– shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to ten lakh rupees and life imprisonment in case of death.

The authorities of Jammu and Kashmir Government particularly Gazanffar Husain (IAS) Commissioner Food Safety Jammu and Kashmir is very much proactive in curbing the menace of food adulteration in the state of Jammu & Kashmir and have initiated a process to establish Jammu and Kashmir Food Safety organization which is demand of circumstances. The recent de-notification of Health officers and their replacement by more technical persons of the relevant field is the basic mandate of the Act. To covers the technical aspects of the public health, Food Safety & Standards Act 2006 & rules/ Regulations thereunder provide the qualifications for all the statutory authorities and the Act mandates the establishment of vibrant food safety organization. To treat a disease is different but to understand the complex matrix of food is more technical and enforcement of laws regulating the foods is best implements by person with technical expertise in the field than a doctor.

Reduction test for synthetic milk

Boil some milk on a slow heat while moving it with a spoon till it becomes solid (khoya). Take it off the heat and wait for 2-3 hours. If the produced solid is oily, the milk is of good quality; if it's not, it means the milk is synthetic.

வாழைத்தாரில் ரசாயன மருந்து தெளித்து பழுக்க வைக்கும் விபரீதம் அதிகாரிகள் கண்காணிப்பு அவசியம்

வாழப் பாடி, நவ.15:
வாழப் பா டி யில் ஏலத் திற் காக கொண்டு வரப் ப டும் வாழைத் தார் க ளில், ரசா யன மருந்து தெளித்து செயற் கை யாக பழுக்க வைக் கும் விப ரீ தம் தொடர் க தை யாக உள் ளது. இதனை தடுக்க அதி கா ரி கள் கண் கா ணிப்பு பணியை முடுக்கி விட வேண் டு மென சமூ க நல ஆர் வ லர் கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத் துள் ள னர்.
வாழப் பாடி மற் றும் சுற் றுப் ப கு தி க ளில் பர வ லாக வாழை சாகு படி செய் யப் பட் டுள் ளது. தோட் டங் க ளில் விளைச் ச லுக்கு வரும் வாழைத் தார் களை வெட்டி எடுத்து, மொத் த மாக வாழப் பா டிக்கு கொண்டு வரு கின் ற னர். பின் னர், அங் குள்ள தனி யார் மண் டி க ளில் ஏலத் தின் மூலம் விற் பனை செய் கின் ற னர். இவ் வாறு கொண்டு வரப் ப டும் தேன் வாழை, பூவாழை குலை களை ஏலத் தில் எடுப் ப வர் கள், அதனை சில் லரை கடை க ளுக் கும் மற் றும் பல் வேறு நிகழ்ச் சி க ளுக் கும் மொத் த மாக அனுப்பி வைக் கின் ற னர்.
அப் போது, வாழைக் கு லை க ளில் உள்ள காய் கள் விரை வாக பழுக்க வேண் டும் என் ப தற் காக ஒரு வித ரசா யன கல வையை தெளிக் கின் ற னர். அப் படி செய் தால், அந்த தார் உரிய இடத் திற்கு சென்று சேரும் போது காய் கள் அனைத் தும் நன் றாக பழுத்து விடு வ தாக தெரி விக் கின் ற னர். அந்த ரசா யன கல வை யின் பெயர் என் ன? எங் கி ருந்து கிடைக் கி ற து? என விசா ரித் தால் தக வல் தெரி விக்க மறுத்து விடு கின் ற னர். இந்த ரசா யன கல வை யால் அவர் க ளுக்கு நல்ல வரு மா னம் கிடைத் தா லும், அப் பாவி பொது மக் க ளின் உடல் ந ல னில் விளை யாடி வரு வ தாக குற் றச் சாட்டு எழுந் துள் ளது.
இது கு றித்து பொது மக் கள் கூறி ய தா வது:
ஏலத் திற் காக கொண்டு வரப் ப டும் பெரும் பா லான வாழைத் தார் க ளின் இந்த ரசா யன கல வையை தெளித்து விடு கின் ற னர். இதன் மூ லம் ஒரே நா ளில் பழுக்க வைக் கப் பட்ட பழங் களை சாப் பிட் டால், பல் வேறு உடல் உபா தை கள் ஏற் ப டு கி றது. வாந்தி, மயக் கம், குமட் டல், வயிறு உப் பு சம் உள் ளிட்ட பாதிப் பு க ளால் அவ திக் குள் ளாகி வரு கி றோம். சேலம், வாழப் பாடி, ஆத் தூர், தலை வா சல் உள் ளிட்ட பகு தி க ளி ருந்து வரு ப வர் க ளும், உள் ளூ ரைச் சேர்ந் த வர் கள் இந்த வாழைத் தார் களை ஏலத் தில் எடுத்து விற் பனை செய்து வரு கின் ற னர்.
இது பற்றி அறி யாத சில் லரை வியா பா ரி க ளும் கடை க ளில் வைத்து விற் கின் ற னர். அந்த பழங் களை அப் பாவி மக் கள் வாங்கி உண் ப தால் அவ திக் குள் ளாகி வரு கின் ற னர். எனவே, சம் பந் தப் பட்ட அதி கா ரி கள் கண் கா ணித்து உடல் ந லத் திற்கு கேடு விளை விக் கும் வகை யில் செயற்கை முறை யில் பழங் களை பழுக்க வைக் கும் முறையை கட் டுப் ப டுத்த நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டும்.
இவ் வாறு அவர் கள் கூறி னர்.

Sago units at Puduchatram inspected

Officials of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department carried out inspection in sago units in Puduchatram areas and took away samples of the products here recently.
A team led by District Food Safety Officer T. Tamil Selvan along with officials from Sagoserve, Commercial Taxes department inspected three units in the area while the other nine units were closed. Samples were taken from these units and 101 bags of sago were kept in rooms and locked. Officials said that the samples would be sent to Government Food Laboratory in Salem and after obtaining the results, further action will be taken. The owners of the units were also informed not to sell or use the bags until the laboratory results confirm that the products were not adulterated.

Lesson abound from Nestle’s Maggi crisis

Packets of Maggi noodles hang on display at a roadside stall, in Ahmedabad. Maggi noodles are back on shelves five months after the popular snack was found to contain lead above permissible limits.

Multinational corporations are no saints deserving of hagiography. Corporate history is littered with instances of blunders, misrepresentations and violations by MNCs in markets across the world.
Some of these are harmless, titter-inducing bloopers such as when US package delivery company UPS expanded into Germany in the mid-1970s and realised that the colour of its staff uniforms had to be changed because, er, brown shirts were not really popular in that country after World War II.
And Coors beer found to its chagrin that when its slogan ‘Turn it loose’ was translated into Spanish, it could mean ‘Get diarrhoea’. Or when a British-licensed Iranian razor brand tried to market its shaving products in Qatar and found that its brandname in Arabic slang meant ‘buttocks’.
But MNCs also get embroiled in not so harmless controversies. In India, in recent memory, one such roiled Cadbury when worms emerged from its chocolates; and Pepsi and Coca Cola, traditional archrivals, were both at the receiving end of accusations that their beverages contained very high levels of pesticides.
In the end, all three, Cadbury, Pepsi and Coke, paid dearly for what had happened, losing out with their consumers, slipping in the marketplace, and taking hefty financial hits. But sometimes such hits can be uncalled for. As in the case of Switzerland’s Nestlé, the world’s largest food company measured in terms of revenue. This Diwali, Nestlé re-launched its instant noodle brand Maggi five months after it was forced to withdraw the popular product from the Indian market when tests by various states found lead in the product beyond permissible limits.
The Maggi controversy began in March 2014 when a district food inspector in Uttar Pradesh routinely sent samples of the noodles to a state food-testing lab. The lab found presence of monosodium glutamate (MSG), which enhances the flavour of food by adding an umami taste. MSG was not listed as an ingredient on Maggi packs and Nestlé was served a notice.
After the company appealed, samples were sent for testing to the Central Food Laboratory in Kolkata where the analysis not only confirmed the presence of MSG but also lead in quantities that surpassed “safe” levels.
That’s when things started falling over like a row of dominoes, at least for Nestlé: This summer, various states started testing Maggi, some giving it a clean chit but others blacklisting it and asking for a ban on its sales.
In early June, based on reports from various states, India’s apex food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned Maggi and ordered Nestlé to stop making, selling or exporting the product and all its variants.
The company withdrew Maggi and had to burn 30,000 tonnes of the noodles. Nestlé took a hit of Rs 450 crore; its quarterly profits fell 60%; sales 32%; and it went to court insisting that its noodles were safe, but so did India’s food ministry, which filed a class action suit against Nestlé on behalf of consumers, seeking damages of nearly Rs 640 crore. Two months ago, the Bombay High Court lifted the ban on Maggi noodles. And, after mandatory re-testing, Maggi is now on the way back to shop shelves.
The Maggi case has created ripples. And raised questions: Did the Indian food regulator act in haste when it ordered the ban? How good are India’s food labs, several of which blacklisted Maggi even though food regulators in Britain, Canada and Singapore tested and found Indian samples of Maggi to be fit for consumption?
And, what about the curious instance of a government department filing a class action suit, which is normally filed by consumers seeking damages? Answers to these questions could provide important lessons from the Maggi imbroglio.
As Nestlé readies to re-introduce its popular noodles in India and launch an accompanying marketing blitz that will try and rebuild Maggi’s brand equity, the fate of the class action suit — the first of its kind in India — that is in court will be watched keenly.
Besides, Maggi’s may become a celebrated affair: The Harvard Business School is believed to be working on a case study — one that they may like to name (and I borrow liberally from Lemony Snicket), A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Sanjoy Narayan is Editor-in-chief, Hindustan Times.

What we can learn from #MaggiWapsi

General public is so callous or gullible that they will believe anything that those in authority say.

1. Bullying works – shout out with or without shoddy reports and you can ban what you want in this country.
2. You might be right and the world may say so but you will still have to go around proving that you are right. If anyone raises a doubt.
3. Be prepared to spend time, money energy, and suffer loss of reputation if even a few individuals scream out against y
4. India is about “Bhed chaal”, if one says no, the others will surely follow. So one state says no to Maggi, other states, where it even tested OK, decided to ban it. The typical “I-Do-Too” syndrome.
5. People pulling you down have other intentions than what meets the eye.
6. We love to pull down a success. Be it a brand or a person. We are most happy when somebody finds fault with a successful product, even if we have trusted it for a good 30 years.
7. Trust is easily lost. Time spent with a tradition, habit or culture is meaningless then. So a shoddy report and false rumour can break trust even if you have lived with a tradition for centuries and used a product for three decades. In this country, co-existence even for ages together does not count!
8. General public is so callous or gullible that they will believe anything that those in authority say and be happy to criticise what they’ve trusted all along. The public seldom takes a stand because the public is fickle minded! Mind use is rather taxing and asking questions bothersome!
9. Polluted air is fine. Let’s breathe it because the government does nothing to change our environment for the better. Untreated water causing illness to fellow countrymen is fine because the government turns a blind eye to it. But hell, no, how do we allow a foreign company to continue when faced with a mere doubt! Mischief-makers stay away! Desi dhoka is better than videshi vishwas!
10. Sub-standard ad hoc testing methods are better to continue with rather than raise the bar to meet international standards.
11. Lungpower tops! Democracies must depend on who shouts the loudest and the longest!
12. If you stand your ground the bullies will relent.
13. If you know you are right then stand by it and prove it to the world that you are right.
14. You can’t keep a good thing down and out for too long.
15. Secret ballot is people’s strength. Power is found in numbers. People will go all out to support products when the choice appears. So Maggi is flying off shelves ever since it reappeared in our daily lives!
Baba Ramdev can wait longer to provide us with his version of healthier and happier Maggi as he had promised. For now, we are celebrating Nestle’s big bang comeback! Maggi’s ghar wapsi is a Diwali cracker to cheer for!

Crunchy toast could give you cancer, FSA warns

New study finds high level of cancer-causing chemical in home cooked roast potatoes, chips and toast
A new study has warned that eating crunchy toast could increase your risk of cancer
 

Beware the crispy roast potato and the crunchy slice of toast. Both contain worryingly high levels of a cancer-causing chemical.
A new study by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Government’s food safety watchdog, measured the amount of acrylamide - a cancer-causing toxin - in roast potatoes, chips and toast cooked in the home.
The FSA’s chief scientific adviser said the new research showed the need for roast potatoes and chips to be cooked to only “a light golden colour” and that bread should be toasted to “the lightest colour acceptable”.
Researchers with the FSA discovered that the crispier the roast potato or chip, the higher the levels of acrylamide they contained. The same went for toast.
The chemical, which is a proven carcinogen, is formed from a reaction between amino acids and the sugars and water found in potatoes and bread when they are subjected to temperatures above 120C.
The problem is the roast potatoes and chips that appeared the most mouth-watering - which were darkest in colour and crispiest in texture - contained the highest levels of acrylamide.
The official research, published last week, showed huge variations in levels of acrylamide depending on how long the potatoes or bread was cooked for.
In a batch of chips cooked for longest, scientists recorded 1,052 microgrammes of acrylamide per kilogramme - 50 times higher than in the batch with the lowest levels of the chemical.
In roast potatoes, the FSA recorded 490 micro grammes of acrylamide per kg in the crispiest and most cooked batch - 80 times higher than the levels contained in the palest batch of roast potatoes cooked.
The same was true of toast. The palest, least cooked toast contained just 9 microgrammes per kg while the crispiest toast contained 167 microgrammes - almost 19 times more.
Professor Guy Poppy, the FSA’s Chief Scientific Adviser, said in a report accompanying the study: “The risk assessment indicates that at the levels we are exposed to from food, acrylamide could be increasing the risk of cancer.”

Prof Poppy added: “We do not advise people to stop eating particular foods but... when making chips at home, they are cooked to a light golden colour.”
He said that “bread should be toasted to the lightest colour acceptable”.
Scientists are still unclear about what constitutes a safe level of acrylamide and the European Commission is currently considering introducing maximum levels.
There is a regulatory limit of just 0.1 microgrammes per litre for the amount of acrylamide that can be present in drinking water in the EU - a quantity far lower than found in cooked potatoes, toast or other substances including coffee.
The FSA study took samples of cooked potatoes and toast from 50 households, bagging up the samples and then measuring the levels of acrylamide in the laboratory.
Researchers found that none of the householders were aware of the possible dangers of acrylamide lurking in cooked potatoes or toast - and had no idea that prolonged cooking caused the chemical to be produced in higher volumes.
The researchers gave a series of tips on how to reduce the amount of acrylamide in roast potatoes and chips.
Researchers recommended:
Parboiling potatoes first before roasting them - considered the best method for producing crispy ‘roasties’ anyway - because the process reduces the free sugars that generate acrylamides
Storing potatoes in a cupboard rather than fridge. Low temperatures can increase the amount of sugar and sweetness in the potato , leading to more acrylamide when cooked
Cooks should not ‘fluff up’ parboiled potatoes before roasting them because in doing so it increases the surface area which in turn increases levels of acrylamide
The official recommendation to avoid ‘fluffing’ up parboiled potatoes - usually by shaking them in the pan before roasting - will appal professional and amateur cooks alike.
It is widely recognised that the best roast potatoes involve ‘fluffing’ before roasting.
But the report states: “For roast potatoes, the deliberate fluffing up (shaking parboiled potatoes in a pan) that was witnessed on a few occasions is a deliberate attempt to increase surface area. Participants’ aim for this process is for cooked potatoes to be crispier (i.e. through more oil or fat being absorbed). The increased surface area may lead to greater acrylamide generation.”

போதிய அதிகாரம் இல்லாத தர நிர்ணய நிறுவனம்: விதிமீறும் குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதில் சிக்கல்

இந்திய தர நிர்ணய நிறுவனத்திடம் (பிஐஎஸ்) போதிய அதிகாரம் இல்லாததால் விதிமீறல் நிறுவனங்கள் மீது உடனடி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க முடியாத நிலை இருந்து வருகிறது.
தமிழகத்தின் பல்வேறு இடங்களில் குடிநீர் மாசடைந்து வரும் நிலையில், பெரும்பாலானோர் குடிப்பதற்காக கேன்கள், பாட்டில்களில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட குடிநீரையே நம்பியுள்ளனர் இந்நிலையில் சில ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு பாக் கெட், பாட்டில் மற்றும் கேன்களில் அடைக்கப்பட்ட குடி நீரை விற்பனை செய்ய இந்திய தர நிர்ணய நிறுவனம் (பிஐஎஸ்) வழங்கும் ஐஎஸ்ஐ தரச் சான்று கட்டாயம் என்று தேசிய பசுமை தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தரவிட்டது. அதனைத் தொடர்ந்து தமிழகத்தில் இயங்கி வந்த 100-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள் மூடப்பட்டன. பின்னர் ஐஎஸ்ஐ தரச் சான்று பெற்றே இயங்கத் தொடங்கின.
அதனைத் தொடர்ந்து ஐஎஸ்ஐ குறியீட்டை தவறாக பயன்படுத்தி வரும் குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்களை கண்டுபிடித்து, நீதிமன்றத்தின் மூலம் தண்டனை பெற்றுத் தரும் பணியை பிஐஎஸ் நிறுவனம் மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது.
கடந்த சில மாதங்களுக்கு முன்பு காஞ்சிபுரம் மற்றும் திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்டங்களில் சோதனை நடத்திய பிஐஎஸ் நிறுவனம், காலாவதியான ஐஎஸ்ஐ தரச்சான்றை புதுப்பிக்காமலும், வேறு நிறுவனத்தின் ஐஎஸ்ஐ தரச்சான்று எண்ணை பயன்படுத்தியும் சில நிறுவனங்கள் குடிநீர் தயாரித்து விற்பனை செய்ததை கண்டுபிடித்தது.
அந்த நிறுவனங்களிலிருந்து சில குடிநீர் மாதிரிகளை எடுத்துக் கொண்டு, முறைப்படி ஆவணங்களை தயாரித்து சில தினங்களுக்கு பிறகு, நீதிமன்றத்தில் தாக்கல் செய்தனர். நீதிமன்றத்தில் குற்றம் நிரூபிக்கப்பட்டு தண்டனை வழங் கினால் மட்டுமே, நிறுவனத்தின் மீதும், உரிமையாளர் மீதும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும் நடைமுறை அமலில் உள்ளது.
தமிழகத்தில் மாசுக்கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியமோ, வருவாய்த்துறையோ நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதாக இருந்தால், முதலில் நிறுவனத்தின் மின் இணைப்பைத் துண்டித்து, நிறுவனத்துக்கு சீல் வைக்கும். இது போன்ற நடவடிக்கைகளை பிஐஎஸ் நிறுவனங்கள் மேற்கொள்வதில்லை. இதனால் வழக்கை சந்தித்து வரும் நிறுவனங்கள், தீர்ப்பு வரும் வரை தங்கள் உற்பத்தியை தொடர்ந்து மேற்கொள்ள அதிக வாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன.
குற்றம் செய்திருப்பதற்கான முகாந்திரம் உள்ள நிலையில், அந்நிறுவனத்துக்கு சீல் வைக்காதது தொடர்பாக பிஐஎஸ் நிறுவன அதிகாரி ஒருவரிடம் கேட்டபோது, நீதிமன்றத்தில் குற்றம் நிரூபிப்பதற்கு முன்பாக, ஒரு நிறுவனத் துக்கு சீல் வைக்கும் அளவுக்கு எங்களுக்கு மத்திய அரசு அதிகாரம் வழங்கவில்லை என்றார்.
இது தொடர்பாக மாநில குடிமைப்பொருள் வழங்கல் மற்றும் நுகர்வோர் விவகாரங்கள் துறை அதிகாரி ஒருவரிடம் கேட்டபோது, “அந்தந்த மாவட்ட வாருவாய்த் துறை அலுவலர்கள், வழங்கல் அலுவலர்கள் உதவி செய்ய தயாராக உள்ளனர். பிஐஎஸ் நிறுவனம் எங்களை அணுகினால், நாங்கள் விதிமீறல் நிறுவனத்துக்கு சீல் வைப்போம்” என்றார்.
இது தொடர்பாக மீண்டும் பிஐஎஸ் நிறுவன அதிகாரியிடம் கேட்டபோது, “மாநில அரசுடன் இணைந்து நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்வது பற்றி நாங்களே முடிவெடுக்க முடியாது. அதற்கான வழிகாட்டுதலை மத்திய அரசு வழங்கினால் மட்டுமே செய்ய முடியும்” என்றார்.

Fear of adulteration , made most prefer biscuits to traditional sweets

Though the festival of lights - Diwali is synonymous with sweets, fear of spurious ingredients being used in their preparation to meet the festive demand is keeping consumers at bay, highlighted a just-concluded analysis by apex industry body ASSOCHAM.
“If trends are anything to go by, there is a considerable rise of about 30 per cent in demand for assorted cookies, low-cal premium biscuits and bakery products this Diwali as consumers shift away from sweets amid fears of adulteration,” noted a sector-specific analysis aimed at asserting prevailing market trends this Diwali conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
“Growing suspicion about adulteration together with rise in preference for healthy and low-fat products has hit the demand for traditional sweets which has fallen by over 50 per cent especially those made from milk,” said D S Rawat, secretary-general, ASSOCHAM, while releasing the chamber’s analysis.
“Considering there is an emotional value attached to traditional sweets, branded sweets market is doing a brisk business,” he added.
India's traditional sweets market which is worth over Rs 50,000 crore remains largely unorganised and constantly faces threats from rising prices of key raw materials like milk, butter, sugar and dry fruits, therefore, many resort to the use of inferior or adulterated ingredients and in some cases, they may even use chemicals to keep the costs down.
Biscuit hampers are selling like hot cakes and have even surpassed demand for chocolates and fruit juice packs owing to their growing acceptance amid varied Indian palates and are affordable, highlighted the analysis done by the ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation.
ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation had interacted with about 100 leading sweet shops countrywide to seek details on demand for traditional sweets during the festive season in past two weeks.
Majority of sweet shop-owners/representatives reported drastic dip in demand for sweets to the extent of about 25-50 per cent.
Most of the sweet shop-owners said they have started using more of dry fruits and less of mawa and other dairy products which has increased their costs by about 15-20 per cent.
Many of the traditional sweet shop-owners said that considering the growing demand for biscuits/cookies, they have started selling the same under their own brands and are selling other popular biscuit brands to lure customers.
Some of them said there is more demand for branded biscuits compared to chocolates this year.

ஆய்வுக்கு அனுப்பி வைப்பு சேகோ ஆலைகளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு; 140 மூட்டை ஜவ்வரிசி முடக்கம்

நாமக் கல், நவ.14:
நாமக் கல் அருகே சேகோ ஆலை க ளில் அதி கா ரி கள் நடத் திய திடீர் ஆய் வில் 140 மூட்டை ஜவ் வ ரிசி முடக் கப் பட் டது. அவற் றின் மாதிரி ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக் கப் பட் டுள் ளது.
நாமக் கல் மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை மாவட்ட நிய ம ன அ லு வ லர் தமிழ்ச் செல் வன், சேகோ சர்வ், வணிக வரித் துறை மற் றும் உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் ராம சாமி, சிவ நே சன், ராமச் சந் தி ரன், நர சிம் மன் ஆகி யோர் அடங் கிய கண் கா ணிப் புக் குழு, புதுச் சத் தி ரம் மற் றும் நாமக் கல் பகு தி யில் இயங்கி வரும் ஜவ் வ ரிசி உற் பத்தி செய் யும் 12 சேகோ தொழிற் சா லை க ளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு செய் த னர். புதுச் சத் தி ரம் பகு தி யில் உள்ள 8 சேகோ ஆலை க ளில் ஆய்வு செய் யப் பட் டது. செல் லப் பட் டி யில் உள்ள 2 சேகோ ஆலை க ளில் 2 உண வு மா தி ரி கள் தனித் த னி யாக எடுக் கப் பட்டு சேலம், உணவு பகுப் பாய்வு கூடத் துக்கு அனுப்பி வைக் கப் பட் டது.
மேலும் அந்த சேகோ ஆலை யில் தயா ரித்து விற் ப னைக்கு வைக் கப் பட் டி ருந்த 101 மூட்டை ஜவ் வ ரிசி தனி அறை யில் வைத்து பூட் டப் பட் டது. உணவு மாதிரி அறிக்கை வரும் வரை, பூட்டி சீல் வைக் கப் பட்ட ஜவ் வ ரிசி மூட் டை களை விற் பனை செய் யக் கூ டாது என அறி வு றுத் தப் பட் டது.
இதே போல ஆவல் நாய்க் கன் பட் டி யி லுள்ள ஒரு சேகோ ஆலை யி லும் உணவு மாதிரி எடுக் கப் பட்டு ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக் கப் பட் டது. அங்கு விற் ப னைக்கு வைக் கப் பட் டி ருந்த 40மூட்டை ஜவ் வ ரி சியை தனி அறை யில் வைத்து பூட் டி ய து டன், அதை பயன் ப டுத் தக் கூ டாது என அதி கா ரி கள் அறி வு றுத் தி னர். ஆய்வு செய் யப் பட்ட ஆலை க ளில் இருந்து எடுக் கப் பட்ட உணவு மாதி ரி யின் ஆய்வு அறிக்கை கிடைத் த வு டன், உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை மூலம் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும் என மாவட்ட அதி காரி தமிழ்ச் செல் வன் தெரி வித் தார். நாமக்கல் மாவட்ட உணவுபாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதி காரி தமிழ்ச் செல் வன் தலை மை யி லான அலு வ லர் கள், புதுச் சத் தி ரம் பகு தி யில் உள்ள சேகோ ஆலை க ளில் திடீர் ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட னர்.

Adulteration takes ‘spice’ out of your life

HYDERABAD: Think twice before you 'spice' up your dishes as spices being sold by your local grocer may be adulterated. Liberal doses of red and black oxide, varnish, paint, glue and other chemicals are being added to low-grade spices to make them attractive before they are packaged, branded and sold by wholesale outlets at Begum Bazaar and other places.
These startling and disturbing details came to light when police started digging deep into the spices adulteration racket being operated from Hussainialam area of Old City. Police came to know that the kingpin of the racket, Rajesh Gupta, had been selling tonnes of spices adulterated with harmful chemicals like red oxide, varnish, glue and wall paint to scores of wholesale merchants, including those operating from wholesale hub Begum Bazaar. Down the supply chain, they then pack these 'spices' under various labels, terming them 'top quality' 'nature fresh' products and sell it to retailers across the state.
"Adulteration of food material with chemicals such as iron oxide, paint and glue may cause cancer as these contain carcinogens. The digestive system gets affected leading to various gastrointestinal disorders," GHMC food safety officer G Vinod Dayal told TOI.
The Hussainialam police along with the Central Zone team of Task Force had raided two godowns at Chandrikapuram and Golla Khidki, operated by Gupta, 60, of Shajahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, two days ago.
Police seized 80 sacks of adulterated spices, including poppy seeds, black pepper and cumin from the two godowns.
Cops also found several chemicals at the godowns and 20 workers mixing the spices with the chemicals, drying them and re-packing them in sacks.
Police then interrogated Rajesh Gupta and the workers. On interrogation, Gupta confessed that he mixed low-quality semolina (suji) in poppy seeds, applies a select shade of popular paint along with a mix of glue to increase its weight and make the final product visually attractive.
After questioning Gupta, police also caught one Bhajrangi Agarwal, who specialises in selling adulterated cardamom.
With the leads given by Gupta and his workers, police so far found five wholesale merchants of Begum Bazaar, who had been purchasing the adulterated spices, packaging them under various labels with fancy descriptions and selling them to retailers across the state.
Cops were now trying to identify people who were selling the harmful chemicals to the adulterators of spices. They have identified a broker who liaises between adulterators and merchants to know the size and scale of the operations and the markets, where the adulterated spices were being sold.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP), South Zone, V Satyanarayana said they were conducting a thorough probe into the spices adulteration racket and soon details would be put in public domain to educate citizens about the fraud.

FDA Finalizes New Food Safety Rules

Farms, importers will be responsible for preventing outbreaks of foodborne illness


FRIDAY, Nov. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- In the wake of wide-ranging outbreaks of foodborne illness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday finalized new rules to help keep contaminated food out of American kitchens. 

These food safety regulations for fruit and vegetable farms and food importers were developed as a result of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011.
"These rules, for the first time, establish enforceable safety standards of production and harvesting of produce, and make importers accountable for the safety of the food they bring into the United States," Michael Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said during a Friday morning news conference.
This is the first time that produce farmers and food importers have fallen directly under FDA regulations, he said.
Taylor said that outbreaks caused by leafy greens, cantaloupes, cilantro and other produce underscore the need for the new requirements.
"A recent outbreak of salmonella in imported cucumbers killed four Americans and sent more than 157 to the hospital," he said. "These outbreaks are just the kind of food safety problems today's rules are meant to prevent."
The establishment of regulations changes the FDA's mission from reacting to outbreaks of foodborne illness to making the food industry responsible for preventing them, Taylor said.
The new farm rule sets requirements for water quality; employee health and hygiene; wild and domesticated animals; compost and manure; and equipment, tools and buildings, the FDA said.
Also, food importers must verify that foreign suppliers are producing foods that meet U.S. safety standards. And the suppliers' facilities must achieve the same level of food safety as domestic farms and food facilities.
The FDA will also empower accredited independent auditors to conduct food safety inspections of foreign food facilities. In some cases, the FDA can require certification that imported food is safe.
To fund the agency's expanded role, the budget currently before Congress requests an additional $109 million, Taylor said. "Without this money, implementation of these rules will be seriously interrupted and delayed," he said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that about 19 percent of the food eaten in the United States is imported. More than half of fresh fruits and 22 percent of fresh vegetables come from other countries, according to an FDA news release.
Two more rules will be finalized next year, Taylor said. One deals with food transportation and the other with intentional contamination of food, he said.
Each year some 48 million Americans -- one in six -- are sickened by foodborne diseases. About 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die from contaminated food, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More information
For more on food safety, visit Foodsafety.gov.

Maggi Needles

Maharashtra won’t pay heed to the clean chits to Maggi from both accredited labs and consumers
Maharashtra’s decision to challenge the Bombay High Court order lifting the ban on Nestle India’s instant-noodles brand, Maggi, in the Supreme Court seems unwarranted and serves to reinforce a negative perception of India’s conduciveness for doing business. What is curious, though, is that news reports a few weeks back suggested that the chief minister didn’t favour challenging the ban. Given that the noodles was cleared for lead and MSG content by three labs (in Jaipur, Hyderabad and Mohali) accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)—in keeping with the high court’s order—there is no reason why the ban should continue. The Maharashtra government, however, believes that since only certain batches have been tested, the rest could still be “potentially dangerous”. A similar, poorly-reasoned stand led to the hasty banning of the product in the first place. Despite many states like Kerala and Karnataka—and countries like the UK and Singapore—clearing the noodles, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered the ban, based on tests carried out by non-accredited labs.
With the ban, Nestle India’s net profits tanked by 60% in the third quarter of its fiscal year. To address the damage done to the Maggi brand by the controversy, Nestle India also ended up spending R40 crore on an ad campaign to reassure the consumer; for perspective, the entire annual advertising expenditure the company incurred in 2014 was just over R440 crore. Given how the relaunched Maggi sold faster than hot cakes just days back—a flash sale on the e-commerce website, Snapdeal, saw 60,000 Maggi “Welcome Kits” clearing out in under five minutes—Maharashtra seems not to have factored in the fact that the consumer stands convinced of the noodles’ safety.

Centre backs Maharashtra attempt to ban Maggi once again

Maharashtra government to challenge Bombay High Court order on Maggi in Supreme Court to seek a ban again.

Maggi might be back in the market setting the sales through e-commerce on fire, but the legal troubles for Maggi seem to worsen with the Centre backing the Maharashtra govt decision to challenge the Bombay High Court order in the Supreme Court.

Government sources tell India today that Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi has been consulted and will be representing the state of Maharashtra at the apex Court seeking to reinforce the ban on Nestle's most popular product.

The Maharashtra govt had been mulling over a challenge to lifting of ban on Maggi. After clean chit by HC appointed labs, Nestle re-launched Maggi on Nov 9.

All laboratories that conducted earlier tests approved the product. According to the test reports, there was no question of doubting veracity of reports on lead, MSG content.

However, the Bombay High Court refused to consider that lead content was beyond permissible limit. It virtually reviewed its own Maggi order, not permissible.

What are the legal trouble for Maggi according to government sources:

• Maharashtra govt consults Attorney General, Law Ministry over challenge to Maggi.
• Maharashtra govt seeks to reimpose ban on Maggi
• Attorney General, Law Ministry back Maharashtra govt over challenge to Maggi.
• Attorney General likely to appear for Maharashtra govt's challenge to Maggi.
• Maharashtra govt likely to file plea in SC by next week.

Maharashtra govt petitions in Supreme Court:

• Maharashtra govt to seek re-enforcing of Ban on Maggi
• Maharashtra govt to seek stay on Bom HC order quashing ban.
• Maharashtra govt defends powers under Food Safety Act to enforce ban.
• Maharashtra govt to cite lab reports relied on by FSSAI, says veracity can't be questioned.
• Nestle had alternative legal remedy available under Food Safety Act
• Plea before Bombay HC was not maintainable
• Maharashtra govt erred in holding that Nestle right to natural justice had been violated.
• Scope of powers under Food Safety Act allows for ban orders
• Provisions of Food Safety Act not considered in right perspective by Bombay HC.

Maharashtra may challenge lifting Maggi ban

Maharashtra is planning to move the Supreme Court to challenge the lifting of the ban on Nestle India's Maggi noodles, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat said here on Friday.

"Our legal department is examining all aspects, the pros and cons and depending on their (legal) opinion, we plan to challenge the issue in the Supreme Court," Bapat told IANS.

Justifying the move, Bapat said certain batches have been tested and there is a possibility that other batches could cause health issues among the consumers.

"Accordingly, we want the ban on the noodles to continue and shall take a decision on moving the Supreme Court soon depending on the legal opinion, as public health is of utmost concern," Bapat added.

When contacted Nestle India's spokesperson told IANS: "The ban imposed by the Maharashtra government has been set aside by the Bombay High Court order. Maggi noodles is being made available in the states where there is no ban, and for a few where there is a ban, we are engaging with authorities."

Maggi noodles has cleared the required tests ordered by the Bombay High Court and the company would defend itself "vigorously" if required, the spokesperson said, without commenting on Maharashtra's likely move to challenge the revocation of the ban on the popular snack.

To ensure that the government plea is not rejected by the apex court, the state plans to build "a solid case" against Nestle India to seek reversal of the Bombay High Court relief.

Following the successful test results claimed by Maggi, the Bombay High Court withdrew the ban on August 13 and the product hit the markets just before Diwali.

On October 16, Maggi announced 100 percent successful laboratory tests on samples and on November 4 it said results from three labs accredited to the National Accreditation Board for Testing Calibration Laboratories, mandated by the Bombay High Court, also were cleared.

In June, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered a pan-India ban on the company's noodles on the ground that these were "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption due to presence of lead, allegedly beyond permissible limits.

Later, on August 13, the Bombay High Court gave a significant respite to the company by lifting the ban on the sale of the noodles while also ordering fresh tests to be conducted in three separate labs to ascertain that the product complied with the country's food safety norms.

Maharashtra govt to move SC seeking Maggi noodles ban...

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Thursday decided to move the Supreme Court against a Bombay High Court order that allowed Maggi noodles to restart their sales in India.

Reports said that the Maharashtra government will seek a ban on the noodle again in the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, it took just 5 minutes for 60,000 welcome kits of Maggi to be sold out on Snapdeal as consumers thronged the e-commerce platform to lap up their 2-minute instant noodles.

Earlier this week, Snapdeal had announced that it would sell Nestle's Maggi via a unique 'flash sale model' as the noodles brand made a comeback after a gap of five months.

Maggi was banned after it was allegedly found to have lead content beyond permissible limits.

A new batch of Maggi 'Welcome Kits' will be on sale from November 16.

Maggi has been relaunched in 100 towns through 300-odd distributors and is being rolled out in a staggered manner across the country, except in eight states where it is still not allowed.

The popular brand of noodles had passed tests by three government-accredited laboratories, as ordered by the Bombay High Court which in August had lifted ban on the instant noodles that was imposed by food safety regulators.

Maggi was banned in June by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which stated that it was 'unsafe and hazardous' for consumption due to presence of lead beyond permissible limits. The company had withdrawn the noodles brand from the market.

Chemical-laden carcinogenic 'sabudana' products under regulatory lens soon

Most sago or sabudana, the favourite ‘fasts’ food for Indians, is processed using carcinogenic chemicals like phosphoric acid and sodium hypochlorite and hence may come under the regulatory scanner shortly.
In this regard, a Tamil Nadu tapioca farmers’ body Kalkurichi Vellalapatti Vevasaikal Munnatra Sungam is all set to file an implead petition seeking testing of sago from across the country for presence of chemicals. This action will be sought further to an earlier PIL filed in the Madras High Court by the farmers who have been suffering heavy losses as demand in sago-eating states like Maharashtra waned ever since murky details on use of chemicals came out in the open.
“We will be filing a new implead petition in the Madras High Court on November 16 demanding inspections of sago at all India level. We will also be seeking a request for referral laboratory, Pune, for inspections to be conducted at all India level. This will enable us to know, how much adulterated sago is in circulation,” states R Chandrasekaran, secretary and petitioner, Kalkurichi Vellalapatti Vevasaikal Munnatra Sungam, Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, while revealing details on the way ahead.
Meanwhile, a tapioca farmer from Salem, Tamil Nadu, informed, “Some 95% of total sago produced in Tamil Nadu is adulterated with harmful chemicals, which is being contemplated by court. The units are lacking awareness on food safety and are not having proper technology for processing sago. The final hearing on the petition is on November 17, 2015. As a farmer I hope court takes stern action against the units violating the law.”
Chandrasekaran points out, “Today world has started looking for ‘organic’ everywhere, however, all sago industries are using bleaching agents to manufacture the sago.” It is this blatant use of chemicals, which prompted the Sungam to file a PIL, according to him. Chandrasekaran stresses, “Sago should be produced in an organic way. It should be tested in a referral lab to check if there is any adulteration. Sago should be tested in a lab and then it should go for selling in the market.” He adds, “Natural sago is the best sago.”
A farmer from Salem, rues, “Currently farmers like me are facing huge loss in tapioca. The tapioca produced by us is not being accepted by units because of decrease in demand in the northern market. But it is they who should understand that the decrease in demand is due to adulteration of sago with harmful chemicals.”
He shares further details, “Adulteration is taking place in Erode, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Salem and two other districts. While processing tapioca to sago starch and the latter to pearls, harmful chemical like calcium hypochlorite, phosphoric acid, and sodium hypochlorite are used for bleaching. These chemicals can cause cancer and kidney diseases.”
Inspection, collection of samples
Earlier Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department (TNFSDAD) raided several processing units in the state. This led to discontent among the processors. However, farmers were happy with the move. Hence, while farmers continued sending truckloads of tapioca to processors, the latter, as a mark of protest, kept the units closed and refused to accept the deliveries.
Commenting on the inspections, Kumar Jayant, commissioner, food safety, Tamil Nadu, states, “This is a routine activity carried out by us. To ensure food safety, sampling and inspection happens on daily basis. After the test, if the product is not as per the standards, they are punished as per the stated law.”
When asked about the protests, he clarifies, “ Sago as a product has huge commercial value to farmers as well as processing units. Whenever government intervenes or questions commercial businesses and entrepreneurs such instances happen.”
Decreasing demand
With regard to fall in demand in northern states, especially Maharashtra, Arul Murugan, chairman, Sagoserve, a cooperative society for sago industry in Tamil Nadu, explains, “We have ample production of tapioca and the demand from northern states deteriorated affecting the sago business in Tamil Nadu. The fall in demand is seen largely in the state of Maharashtra due to rise in preference for sago substitute Mordhan or Bhagar in Maharashtra.”
Murugan confirmed that Sagoserve will be conducting research to find out the reasons behind the decreasing demand. Sagoserve will run advertisements in northern states to fetch more business and market.
Speaking on food safety precautions taken at Sagoserve, Murugan states, “We ensure whatever goes out in the market from Sagoserve is suitable for consumption. Government has prescribed three tests but to ensure safety we have additional six tests which makes it nine in total.”
On a concluding note, both farmers’ association and Sagoserve sought support from all concerned to replace chemically processed sago with organic sago, which is recommended for human consumption.
Chemicals Used in Sago Processing

Bleaching Agents

Calcium hypochlorite

Sodium hypochlorite

Acids

Sulphuric acid

Hydrochloric acid

Phosphoric acid

Artificial Whitening Agents

2-B-Con or Tinopal

கரூர் நகரில் சாலை யோர கடை க ளில் சுகா தா ர மற்ற உண வு கள் அதி கா ரி கள் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க கோரிக்கை

கரூர், நவ.13:

சாலை யோர உணவு கடை க ளில் சுகா தா ர மற்ற முறை யில் உணவு பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கின் றன.
கரூர் பகு தி யில் டெக்ஸ் டைல்ஸ், கொசு வலை, பஸ் பாடி கட் டு தல் போன்ற தொழிற் சா லை க ளும், மற்ற வர்த் தக நிறு வ னங் க ளும் செயல் ப டு கின் றன. வேலைக் காக தின மும் 50 ஆயி ரத் திற் கும் மேற் பட் ட வர் கள் கரூர் வந்து செல் கின் ற னர். ஓட் டல் பண் டங் க ளின் விலை அதி க மாக இருப் ப தால் கூலி வேலைக்கு செல் ப வர் கள் கையேந்தி பவன் களை உண வுக் காக நாடு கின் ற னர். காலை யில் டிபன், மதி யம் கலவை சாதங் கள், இரவு நேரத் தி லும் டிபன் என தள் ளு வண் டி கள் மற் றும் சி றிய அள வி லான ஓட் டல் க டை க ளில் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கின் றன. கையேந்தி பவன் க ளும், ஓட் டல் க ளும் பக லில் இயங் கி னா லும் பெரும் பா லும் மாலை தான் திறக் கப் ப டு கி றது. இரவு வரை செயல் ப டு கி றது.
கரூர் பேருந்து நிலை யப் ப கு தி யில் இரவு முழு வ தும் டிபன் கடை கள் செயல் ப டு கின் றன. மேலும் கோவை ரோடு, உழ வர் சந்தை, ஆஸ் பத் திரி அரு கில், சர்ச் கார் னர், வெங் க மேடு, ராய னூர், பசு ப தி பா ளை யம், காந் தி கி ரா மம் போன்ற பகு தி க ளில் இர வு நேர உண வுக் க டை கள் உள் ளன. மேலும் டாஸ் மாக் கடை க ளின் அரு கில் ஏரா ள மான தள் ளு வண் டி க ளில் உணவு விற் பனை நடை பெ று கி றது. சாலை யோ ரம் உள்ள டிபன் கடை க ளில் சுகா தா ர மற்ற முறை யில் உணவு ெபாருட் களை விற் பனை செய் கின் ற னர்.
சுகா தா ர மான குடி நீர் இல்லை. இலை களை போடு வ தற் காக ரோட் டோ ரம் சிறிய பிளாஸ் டிக் டப் பாக் களை வைத் துள் ள னர். அது நிறை யும் பட் சத் தில் அப் பு றப் ப டுத் து வ தில்லை. விலை குறை வாக இருப் ப தால் சாலை யோ ரக் கடை களை அதி கம் பேர் நாடு கின் ற னர். சுகா தா ர மாக உண வு பொ ருட் கள் இருப் ப தில்லை. நோயா ளி கள் சாப் பிட முடி வ தில்லை என பலர் கூறு கின் ற னர். சுகா தார அதி கா ரி கள் இதனை கண் கா ணித்து சுகா தார முறை யில் உண வு பொ ருட் களை தயா ரித்து வழங் கு வ தற் கும், கழி வு களை உட னுக் கு டன் அகற் று வ தற் கும் வழி வகை செய்து உரிய நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டும் என எதிர் பார்க் கின் ற னர்.
இது கு றித்து பொது மக் கள் கூறு கை யில், வெளி யூர் க ளில் இருந்து பல வே லை க ளுக் காக கரூ ருக்கு வந் து செல் கின் ற னர். பெரும் பா லும் இரவு 10மணிக் கு மேல் சைவ ஓட் டல் கள் மூடப் பட்டு விடு வ தால் கையேந்தி பவன் களை நாடு கின் ற னர். ஆனால் இங்கு சுகா தா ரம் பேணப் ப டு வ தில்லை. எண் ணை யில் தயா ரிக் கும் பல கா ரங் கள், மீன், சிக் கன் போன்ற அசைவ உண வு கள் பல நே ரங் க ளில் சுகா தா ரக் கேட்டை ஏற் ப டுத் து கின் றன. இத னால் உடல் உ பா தை கள் ஏற் ப டு கி றது. பல் வேறு கார ணங் க ளுக் காக மாத் திரை தொடர்ந்து சாப் பி டு ப வர் கள் இத னால் பாதிக் கப் ப டு கின் ற னர். இரவு நேரங் க ளில் பலர் காலி மது பாட் டில் களை ரோட் டோ ராம் போட் டு விட்டு போய் வி டு கின் ற னர். காலை யில் அப் ப கு தி யில் கடை தி றக்க வரு ப வர் கள் தான் இதனை அப் பு றப் ப டுத்த வேண் டி ய தி ருக் கி றது. குப் பை க ளை யும் ஆங் காங்கே கேரி பேக் கு க ளில் போட் டு விட் டுப் போய் விடு கின் ற னர். அடுத் த நாள் தான் இவை அப் பு றப் ப டுத் தப் ப டு கி றது. எனவே நக ராட்சி நிர் வா கம், சுகா தார பிரிவு நிர் வா கம் இதில் உரிய நட வ டிக்கை மேற் கொள் ள வேண் டும். சில்லி போன் ற வற்றை தயா ரிக்க ரசா யன பவு டர் கள் பயன் ப டுத் தப் ப டு கின் றன. உணவு வழி யாக நோய் கள் பர வு வதை தடுக்க உணவு தயா ரிக் கும் பாத் தி ரம், குடி நீர் இவை அனைத் தும் சுத் த மாக இருக்க வேண் டும். மேலும் உணவு தயா ரிப் ப வ ரின் தன் சுத் தம், முக் கி யம். காபி,பால், தேநீர், வடை, பஜ்ஜி, போண்டா, இட்லி,தோசை, பிரி யாணி, புரோட்டா, இறைச்சி, மீன், உள் ளிட்ட உண வு களை சுகா தா ர மற்ற முறை யில் விற் பனை செய் யக் கூ டாது. சாலை யோர உண வ கங் க ளில் ஓரி ரு முறை பயன் ப டுத் திய சமை யல் எண் ணையை திரும்ப பயன் ப டுத் தக் கூ டாது போன் ற வற்றை கண் கா ணிக்க வேண் டும்.
உண வி னைக் கையா ளும் போது பீடி சிக ரெட், வெற் றிலை பாக்கு புகை யிலை போன் ற வற்றை பயன் ப டுத் து கின் ற னர். சாக் கடை வாரு கால், கழி வு நீர் ஓடை கள் இல் லாத இடங் க ளில் உணவு கடை கள் இருப் ப தால் சுகா தா ரக் கேடு ஏற் ப டு கி றது. இர வில் வியா பா ரம் முடிந் த தும் உண வுக் கழி வு களை சாலை யில் கொட் டி விட்டு செல் வது போன்ற நட வ டிக் கை களை தடுக்க கண் டிப் பாக அதி கா ரி கள் நட வ டிக்கை மேற் கொள்ள வேண் டும் என் றார்.

கும்பகோணத்தில் சுகாதாரம் இல்லாத ஓட்டலுக்கு சீல் வைக்க வர்த்தகர்கள் எதிர்ப்பு

கும் ப கோ ணம், நவ. 13:
கும் ப கோ ணம் கொட் டை யூர் பகு தியை சேர்ந் த வர் வேத கிரி (62). கும் ப கோ ணம் காந்தி பார்க் வடக் கு வீ தி யில் ஓட் டல் வைத் துள் ளார். இந்த ஓட் டல் சுத் த மா க வும், சுகா தா ர மாக இல் லை யென உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் க ளுக்கு புகார் கள் சென் றது.
இதை ய டுத்து அந்த ஓட் ட லுக்கு தஞ்சை மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் தட் சி ணா மூர்த்தி தலை மை யில் கும் ப கோ ணம் உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் மகேஷ் உள் ளிட் டோர் சீல் வைக்க சென் ற னர்.
இது கு றித்து தக வல் அறிந் த தும் வர்த் த கர் கள் திரண்டு வந்து ஓட் ட லுக்கு சீல் வைக் கக் கூ டாது. மீறி சீல் வைத் தால் போராட் டம், கடை ய டைப்பு நடத் து வோம் என்று தெரி வித் த னர். இதை ய டுத்து இந்த ஓட் டலை சுத் தம், சுகா தா ரத் து டன் வைப் ப தற்கு நாங் கள் பொறுப்பு என்று வர்த் த கர் கள் தெரி வித் த னர். இதை தொ டர்ந்து ஒரு வாரத் துக் குள் ஓட் டலை சுத் தம், சுகா தா ரத் து டன் வைக்க வேண் டும். இல் லை யென் றால் ஓட் ட லுக்கு சீல் வைத்து விடு வோம் என்று எச் ச ரிக்கை விடுத்து உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் சென் ற னர்.

Food wrapped in newspapers harmful, DFCO warns

‘Hot food items packed in newspapers are contaminated with newsprint colors’ 

 
Waking up from deep slumber, the Drug and Food Control Organization (DFCO) on Thursday warned people against taking food wrapped in newspapers, saying it could be hazardous for their health.
This is apparently for the first time that the Organization—mandated with enforcing food safety regulations—has come out with such an appeal amid reports that it is ignoring food safety norms in broad daylight.
On Thursday, an advisory issued by the DFCO warned of strict action under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 against people found selling food items in newspapers.
“Hot food items packed in newspapers contaminate these with newsprint colors seeping in,” the advisory reads, warning of “serious health implications due to consumption of newsprint ink.”
DrShahnawaz Mir, an endocrinologist at SMHS hospital here, said: “We definitely need to watch what we are consuming, but are our organizations and labs in a position to ensure safety of our food items?”
He expressed concern over what he called “our collective lethargy and complacence” to food safety.
“People as well as authorities need to be aware of what they are being served. Are we watching what our kids are eating at schools or outside?” he asked, urging that a body needs to be formulated to “examine the food practices prevalent in schools.”
DrAltaf-ur-Ramzan, Head of Neurology department at SKIMS said: “A lot of our food is packed and stored in polythene. And when the same food is cooked, it causes a huge health risk.”
He said plastic bottles, polythene bags and other hydrocarbon-based items release hydrocarbons at high temperatures “and these particles have been linked with various cancers.”
Explaining further, he said, “Formaldehyde, another known carcinogen, is widely present at low-levels in plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate.”
“It is quite common for us to have ‘kehwa’ and tea in a disposable plastic glass or have hot popcorn in a polythene bag. Many of these are not even food grade items. What are the implications of these? Is anyone watching this?” he said.
Newsprint ink has also been linked to many cancers. It comes under a class of organic chemicals called arylamines, which are associated with high risks of bladder and lung cancers.
Assistant Food Commissioner, Food Safety, said the fresh step has been taken to spread awareness about hazardous chemicals that can be present in our foods. “We do such initiatives from time to time in spite our small staff size. This is a warning. It will be followed up by action,” he said.

DINAMALAR NEWS

 

Maggi’s first advertisements after crisis aimed at mothers

Campaign, estimated at Rs 40-50 crore, looks to reassure consumers that Maggi has always been safe to consume


New Delhi: Backed by an advertising blitzkrieg estimated by media buyers at Rs.40-50 crore, Maggi, the popular instant noodle brand from Swiss multinational Nestle SA’s portfolio, is back in the market.
In its advertising films, Maggi—estimated by media buyers to be worth over Rs.1,000 crore in brand value—stresses on its safety record. The comeback campaign aims to reassure consumers that the brand is safe to consume.
On Monday, Nestle announced the relaunch of Maggi at retail outlets across the country, barring eight states where it is still banned. The company said it is engaging with these eight states for specific directions.
The product was back on shelves earlier this week and the Maggi ads with #LetYourMomKnow went on air from Sunday. One ad shows a mother narrating a tale about her son tip-toeing at night to cook Maggi. She lets him cook, relieved that he won’t go to bed hungry. However, when questions were raised about the product’s safety, she wondered if she did the right thing. But after Maggi cleared all the safety tests, she felt she had passed a test too.
“The brief was simple: to keep it simple. Re-assure consumers that ‘Maggi is safe and always has been’. We were clear that we need to connect with the consumers and state the facts in a simple, authentic way,” said Maarten Geraets, general manager (foods), Nestle India.
The first few films focus on mothers as protagonists.
“We would like to re-assure the mothers about the safety of Maggi noodles today and always. Now with the NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited labs clearing 100% samples of Maggi Noodles (both previous stocks and newly manufactured stocks) we want to reach out to the consumers and allay any fear or doubt they may have about Maggi,” he added.
The instant noodles, which accounted for about 30% of Nestle India’s revenue in 2014, were pulled from the market, starting 5 June, after the country’s food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ordered the company to withdraw all nine variants of Maggi, calling them unsafe and hazardous for human consumption. It cited excess lead content and traces of monosodium glutamate, a flavour enhancer, as reasons.
Putting its worse nightmare behind itself, Nestle has released three Maggi ads on television. “There is more to come. However, this re-launch campaign will be more than just the traditional media or television, press and radio. There will be a lot happening on digital and on ground activation,” said Geraets.
But television will still get the lion’s share of visibility. The Maggi ad films have been created by McCann Erickson under the leadership of Prasoon Joshi. Joshi did not respond to Mint’s calls and text messages.
“Television continues to be the key medium to achieve reach of messaging in India and Maggi being a widely distributed and consumed brand, we will use the television medium to convey our message,” explained Geraets.
“At the same time, digital and social media via e-tailing tie-ups, Facebook, Twitter and apps will be significant in reaching out to the younger audiences,” he added.
The company has already partnered with e-commerce firm Snapdeal to roll out online offers to mark the relaunch. A news report by Press Trust of India said 60,000 welcome kits of Maggi were sold out on Snapdeal as consumers flocked to the e-commerce platform. Earlier this week, Snapdeal had announced that it will sell Nestle’s Maggi via a unique “flash sale model” as the noodles brand made a comeback after a gap of five months.
While registrations for Maggi’s welcome kit (containing 12 packs of Maggi, a 2016 Maggi calendar, a Maggi fridge magnet, Maggi post cards and a ‘Welcome Back’ letter) opened on 9 November, the sale began on 12 November on Snapdeal.
On-ground activation to rapidly connect with not just consumers but also dhabas, canteens and street vendors of Maggi noodles will be key, said Geraets.
Soumitra Karnik, national creative director at advertising agency Dentsu, said the Maggi ads so far seem predictable and do not play around with the huge anticipation the product had among consumers. “I know people who are planning Maggi comeback parties, right from kids to families to people within the same complex/compound. That’s the kind of waiting the product has. These ads don’t seem to reflect that excitement, they are feel-good and play it safe,” he said.
A Maggi fan himself, Karnik has worked on creatives for Nestle’s chocolate portfolio, including KitKat, in the past, while he was at JWT.

60,000 Maggi kits sold out in 5 mins on Snapdeal

It took just 5 minutes for 60,000 welcome kits of Maggi to be sold out on Snapdeal as consumers thronged the e-commerce platform to lap up their 2-minute instant noodles.
Earlier this week, Snapdeal had announced that it will sell Nestle's Maggi via a unique flash sale model as the noodles brand made a comeback after a gap of five months.
Maggi was banned after it was allegedly found to have lead content beyond permissible limits.
While registrations for Maggi's welcome kit (containing 12 packs of Maggi, a 2016 Maggi calendar, a Maggi fridge magnet, Maggi post cards and a 'Welcome Back' letter) opened up on November 9, the sale began today on Snapdeal.
Snapdeal sold out the first batch of 60,000 Maggi Welcome Kits within 5 minutes of Maggi Flash Sale going live today.
"There has been much anticipation for the return of one of the favourite Indian brands and we have witnessed a phenomenal response to this sale from customers across the country," Snapdeal Senior Vice-President (Partnerships and Strategic initiatives) Tony Navin said.
Flash sales or deal-of-the-day is an e-commerce business model in which a website offers a single product for sale for a limited period of time.
Potential customers have to register to avail of the deal. A new batch of Maggi WelcomeKits will be on sale from November 16.
Maggi has been relaunched in 100 towns through 300-odd distributors and is being rolled out in a staggered manner across the country, except in eight states where it is still not allowed.
The popular brand of noodles had passed tests by three government-accredited laboratories, as ordered by the Bombay High Court which in August had lifted ban on the instant noodles that was imposed by food safety regulators. Maggi was banned in June by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which stated that it was unsafe and hazardous for consumption due to presence of lead beyond permissible limits. The company had withdrawn the noodles brand from the market.

FDA calls for cap on sugar intake

Says Limit Consumption To 50gDay
For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has recommended a cap on sugar consumption for Americans.
The goal is to limit added sugar to no more than 10% of daily calories, according to the proposed guidelines. For someone older than 3, it means eating no more than 12.5 teaspoons, or 50 grams, of it a day .That's about the same amount of sugar found in a can of Coke.
But for most people, giving up sugary drinks will not be enough to meet the recommendations. Caloric sweeteners are also lurking in foods with health appeal, like lowfat yogurt, canned fruit and wholegrain breads. “There is a lot of hidden sugar in our food supply ,“ said Dr. Frank Hu.
Currently , nutrition labels on food packaging reveal only the total amount of sugar in a product. The FDA has said it wants to change the labels to help consumers distinguish between the amount of naturally occurring sugar and the amount of added sugar. “Fruit yogurts could contain a tiny amount of real fruit in there and an awful lot of added sugar, or lots of fruit and dairy and little added sugar, and the consumer cannot distinguish between the two,“ said Susan Mayne, the director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the FDA.
Critics have balked at the sugar cap and the new label requirements, saying the new labels will only confuse shoppers. “Metabolically speaking, our bodies don't differentiate between added and natural sugars,“ said Kris Sollid, a dietitian and director of nutrients communications for the International Food Information Council. If people are watching their weight, he said, “it's more important to look at total calories.“
The 10% cap by FDA was derived from modeling different kinds of healthy diet patterns -American, Mediterranean and vegetarian -and determining how many discretionary calories are left over for sugar after an individual gets the nutrients he or she needs.
Sugar makes up about 13.5% of Americans' caloric intake, so public health experts think the goal of 10 percent is attainable. But that's an average figure: Younger people, blacks and the poor tend to consume higher amounts of sugar and would need to make deeper cuts to reach the goal.

City lab found lead levels in Maggi within permissible limits

HYDERABAD: At a time when the Swiss major Nestle India Private Limited is making a comeback into the `two-minute noodles' segment with the relaunch of Maggi, it has now surfaced that the popular `snack' was given a clean chit by city-based Vimta Labs Ltd in October.
The city lab, accredited by both NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI), tested five samples. They found that the lead content in Maggi's noodles and tastemaker was below 0.05 parts per million (ppm) as against 2.5 ppm, the maximum permissible limit fixed by FSSAI.
While confirming that they had undertaken the quality analysis for five freshly-manufactured Maggi stocks before it hit the market on Monday , a representative from the business development wing of Vimta Labs Ltd told TOI that they entered the scene following B o m b ay H i g h C o u r t 's August 13 order directing Nestle to conduct fresh tests before re-launching its products.
"The company did not approach us on its own. It acted on the Bombay High court's order to check whether the lead level in the five Maggi Masala noodles samples that were manufactured in October were within permissible limits or not," said a representative from the lab.
In fact, Nestle representatives maintained that similar quality analysis -to detect lead levels -was conducted by two other laboratories - the Mohali-based Punjab Biotechnology Incu bator and CEG Test House & Research Centre Pvt Ltd in Jaipur.
A copy of the summary of test results of Maggi Masala noodles (available with TOI) shows that all the samples that were picked up by the food safety officer, Moga, on October 26, before sending them for testing at the three different labs showed lead content to be less than 0.05 ppm in both the noodles and tastemaker.
Surprisingly, however, the test results made available by Nestle on its website coinciding with the relaunch of Maggi on Monday, did not make any mention of the presence or absence of monosodium glutamate (MSG) used as flavour enhancer.
It may be recalled that not just the Delhi-based FSSAI, even the state food laboratory in Nacharam had accused Nestle of resorting to misbranding after they found MSG in most of its samples in June. This, de spite the "no added MSG" written on the packets.
When contacted, Rum jhum Gupta, senior manager, corporate communications, Nestle India Ltd maintained that "artificia MSG is never added to Mag gi products but is naturally present in some ingredients like hydrolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour that are used in preparation of the product" "However, to be techni cally correct without sound ing misleading in the firs place, packets of all new Maggi products do not have the phrase "no added MSG" this time," she added.

SNACKING UP - Maggi ban: Sandwich makers gain

Bengaluru: Sandwich makers, popcorn makers and bread were the big gainers from the Maggi ban, and now, as Maggi returns to store shelves, these categories might return to their traditional rates of growth.
Data shared by e-tailer Flipkart showed that sales of snack makers -products like toasters, sandwich makers, popcorn makers and other small kitchen appliances -rose 50% month-onmonth from June, a huge leap from the 10% month-onmonth growth in the one year prior to June. The Maggi ban started taking effect from Ju ne 5, after food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered the company to withdraw all variants of the brand, calling them unsafe for human consumption.
Flipkart's data also showed that while the unprecedented growth in snack ma kers was visible across the country , student towns like Manipal and Vellore and hill stations like Dehradun, Shimla and Ooty were the biggest sales drivers. Maggi was known to be enormously popular in colder climes, and with college students, especially those that stayed in hos tels. “Every noon I used to have a bowl of Maggi in the college canteen. After it was banned in May , I switched to sandwiches,“ says Valida Mendonca, a final year student of radiation therapy in Manipal, a university town that is home to nearly 11,000 students from around the world. Anant A, a civil engineering student at the Manipal Insitute of Technology , said that several of his friends had bought sandwich makers following the Maggi ban. “Since we study late into the night, some light snacks or food is necessary to keep us awake,“ he says.
Information from online grocer Bigbasket appeared to corroborate this trend. On a request from TOI, the e-tailer did some data crunching of 500 big Maggi consuming households. The analysis found that bread and eggs were among the three items that saw an increase during the period for those customers who sharply reduced their purchase of Maggi and similar products. The third item was fruits.
With Maggi now back in stores in some states, will the growth in these other products slow down? “It might be tough for Maggi to grow the overall noodles category sales to the level that existed before the ban during this calendar year,“ said Hari Menon, co-founder & CEO of Bigbasket.

2-minute comeback: 500 online orders a minute for Maggi

Making a comeback after five months, Maggi noodles are witnessing explosive sales this Diwali, with as many as 500 people placing online orders for it every minute
Here’s a Diwali sale with a difference: if you can’t find Maggi noodles at the local supermarket, you can now register for it online and get a few freebies to boot.


Maggi noodles are back on the shelves five months after they were banned for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible levels.

Five months after it disappeared off shelves, Maggi finally made a comeback on Monday, but it is on the online marketplace Snapdeal that sales have been particularly explosive, with upto 500 people per minute registering to buy the noodles. 

“The response to Maggi’s comeback has been phenomenal. At the peak, we saw over 500 registrations per minute today. We will start shipping Maggi out from November 12,” said a spokesperson from Snapdeal, which has limited stock of the noodles. 

Snapdeal saw as many as 500 people registering per minute for the Maggi 'welcome kit'
In a statement, Nestle said: ‘This partnership with Snapdeal will strengthen our ability to reach Maggi Noodles to our consumers across India.’
The ban
In June, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had found Maggi noodles unsafe for human consumption.
The product was banned across the nation, but the Bombay High Court lifted this ban in August. The HC had then instructed the state to conduct fresh tests, after which it was found that the noodles were safe to eat.
“More than 2,700 samples of Maggi noodles have been tested by laboratories in India and abroad in recent months, and each test confirmed the level of lead to be ‘far below permissible limits’,” said a statement released by Nestle earlier.
Comeback
The noodles will now return to the market in phases, and is currently available in select stores in the city. However, those who have been unable to get their hands on a packet can turn to Snapdeal, which has tied up with Nestle to offer a special welcome kit to noodle aficionados.
The noodles are being sold in what is called the flash sales format, also known as the ‘deal of the day’, in which a website offers a single product for sale for a limited period of time.
Potential customers have to register to avail the deal. Registrations for this kit of 12 packs of noodles, along with freebies, will close as Diwali comes to an end, by 11 pm tonight. Dinesh R Honaje, a college student, was among the several people who registered for the welcome kit.
“I am a Maggi lover, and after it has passed various tests, I find no reason to not to trust the noodles,” he said. However, a few people, particularly mothers, still seemed reluctant to buy the product due to the earlier ban.
Once bitten, twice shy
Post the Maggi crisis, which cost Nestle India R450 crore, managing director, Suresh Narayanan said the company will diversify its product portfolio and also focus on dairy, coffee and beverages as well as chocolates and confectionery, in order to avoid over-dependence on a single product.
FDA speak
The state Food and Drug Administration commissioner Harshdeep Kamble was unreachable, but mid-day asked the joint commissioner (food), Suresh Annapure, whether the food safety watchdog will check samples of the stock being sold online.
He responded saying, “I have been out of town and will be coming back after a week. As of now, I don’t know about the online sales and how this was allowed. As soon as I am back, I will review the situation and decide the plan of action.”
Mothers speak
Nilima Salunkhe, mother of one
In matters of health and safety, even a potential hazard must be avoided. So whether Maggi is banned or not, I am certainly not going to offer it to my kids because it was hard to change get them to move from the tempting noodles to homemade healthy Indian food.
Jyoti Pandey, mother of one
I have been eating Maggi since childhood and have been loyal to the brand, but as of now, I would not serve it to my child. Only after I hear reviews declaring it safe to eat, will I allow my child to have it.
K Vijalakshmi, mother of one
Better avoid something that has been doubted once. Noodles are not good for health, as they contain maida. The food authorities had found high amounts of lead in it, hence, I would not want my daughter to have it.
Mrudula Katdare, mother of two
As long as Maggi has cleared all the FDA-mandated tests, I don’t mind buying and serving it to my children. One cannot forget that the brand has served us all since childhood.

2 Filthy sweet shops sealed in Bus stand

FDA seizes edible oil stored in old tins

PUNE: Food and drug administration (FDA) officials on Monday seized edible oil worth Rs 69,238 stored in old tins from a packaging unit in Dehugaon.
Recycling tins to store oil is not allowed under the new Food Safety and Standards Act. "During a routine inspection, our officials found the oil packed in old tins. We seized 508kg refined soyabean oil worth Rs 45,456 and 298kg imported palmolein oil worth Rs 23,872," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.
Food safety officials Sachin Adhav and Nilesh Khose carried out the action under the guidance of Shivkumar Kodgire, assistant commissioner (food), FDA.tnn
"The unit owner would import palmolein oil in bulk and would manage branding, labelling and packaging at his unit located Dehugaon," said Kodgire.

Sweet shops in Sectors 21, 23 inspected; samples of khoya, petha sent for analysis

Measures to prevent food adulteration during festive season.
Chandigarh: Food Safety Officers Surinder Pal Singh and Bharat Kanojia raided sweets shops. Under the supervision of Dr Rajinder K Sharma, Designated Officer and in-charge Food Safety Administration, Chandigarh Health Department, Chandigarh, a joint team of Food Safety Officers Surinder Pal Singh and Bharat Kanojia raided sweets shops here on Monday at Sectors 21 and 23 of Chandigarh for inspecting sweets manufacturing units in the said area.
All the four manufacturing units in Sectors 21 and 23 Chandigarh were inspected. Along with this the sweet shop in the area of Sector 45, Burail and Sector 44, Chandigarh were also inspected. Two samples including Khoya Burfi, Petha Sweet and Khoya were taken and sent to Food Analysis Laboratories, Chandigarh for analysis and examination.
The Food vendors were also instructed to keep hygiene and quality standards according to Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It was brought to the notice of all shop owners that manufacturing, selling, storing of food articles in unhygienic condition, substandard food, adding any adulterant in food, stale food, unsafe food, which is injurious to health of the general public will be fined a sum of Rs ten Lakh and imprisonment up to seven years. The consumers and general public are made aware of safety and standards of food materials.