Jul 18, 2016
Naga Hoho welcomes setting up of SIT, hints at food adulteration too
DIMAPUR, JULY 17: Naga Hoho has welcomed the setting up of SIT by state government in order to set off investigation into fuel adulteration racket in Nagaland and appealed the SIT to deliver acceptable testimony to the people without delay.
Naga Hoho also expressed concern over food adulterations in shops and market and selling of food items beyond expiry date, saying over the years, many people must have died in the state owing to various foods related illnesses though many cases have been kept in the dark.
A press statement issued by Naga Hoho President P.Chuba Ozukum and Secretary Information & Publicity C.Daipao said, “As per the Food Safety and Standards Acts 2006, a Food Business Operator is a person by whom the business is carried out or owned and is responsible for ensuring the compliance to this act, rules and regulations made and are held responsible for the supply of safe food to the consumers.
Every food business operator must compulsorily ensure that the articles of food satisfy the requirements of this act at all the stages of production, processing, import, distribution and sale within businesses under his control as per section 26 (1) of FSS Act 2006. Also, the petty food manufacturer shall follow the basic hygiene and safety requirement, provided in part 1 of schedule 4 of the regulations and get themselves registered.”
In this regard, the Naga Hoho appealed to the state government and concerned authority to perform their duties not only for the sake of salaries and facilities but to monitor timely as per the established Acts of all Food Business Operators like Food retailers, hoteliers, restaurant owners, wholesalers, exporters, importers, warehouse owners, distributors, packaging and blending operators, manufacturers, processors and whosoever is associated with any Food Business for the well being of common people.
On fuel adulteration racket in Nagaland, the Naga Hoho said, it has become a regular phenomenon which is a grave concern for every citizen, organizations and associations whereas the oil business belongs only to a section of people who are rich and influential.
“Off late, oil business is mushrooming in the state that is traceable in every nook and corner particularly in the National Highways. At the same time, the first and pertinent question come to every car owner as and when they go to filling station is – which petrol pump is not adulterated?”
The Hoho lauded organization’s recent initiatives towards discovery of fuel rackets in some petrol pumps at Dimapur wherein few kingpins have been arrested and booked under the law.
The Hoho said, those culprits should not be released on bail under any circumstances and even the lawmakers and any advocates should not try to bail out for the sake of earning considering the plight of the people.
The Naga Hoho felt that fuel adulteration racket in Dimapur is just an iceberg and that needs thorough check in entire districts. “We also wonder as to why the competent authorities and district administration should always wait for the public to find out the adulteration? In spite of the fact that the state government machineries are supposed to check the adulteration rackets from time to time.”
Extra virgin olive oil healthiest for frying fish: study
The frying techniques, the nature of the oil used and the fish species have been shown to exert a great influence on the changes that take place during the process.
Healthiest way to fry fish is using extra virgin olive oil.
The healthiest way to fry fish is to use extra virgin olive oil, especially if this is done in the microwave, a new study has found.
The frying techniques, the nature of the oil used and the fish species have been shown to exert a great influence on the changes that take place during the process.
Researchers from University of the Basque Country in Spain have shown that the choice of cooking oil is hugely important owing to its impact on the lipid profile in the fish and on the possible generation of toxic compounds in the oil during frying, which can influence food safety and human health.
To conduct this research, fillets of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) were shallow-fried in a frying plan and in a microwave oven using extra virgin olive oil and refined sunflower oil.
The changes that took place in the lipid composition of the fish and of the frying oil were studied by means of Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (H-1 NMR).
During the shallow-frying of the fish under domestic conditions, not only do the fish lipids migrate to the frying oil, the components of the oil are also transferred to the fillet of fish.
As a result, the composition of the oil used for frying is modified. It is enriched by the acyl groups (fatty acids) that are present in a higher concentration in the fish fat than in the original oil, and simultaneously it is depleted in the acyl groups present in a higher concentration in the original oil than in the fish fat.
So after having been used for frying, the extra virgin olive oil was richer in omega-3, omega-1 acyl groups, linoleic and saturated fats (from the fish) and poorer in oleic, which is the main acyl group in olive oil.
Likewise, after having been used for frying, the sunflower oil was richer in all the acyl group types (coming from the fish) except linoleic, which is the majority acyl group in sunflower oil.
Both types of oil were enriched by small amounts of cholesterol from the fish. Besides the migration of lipids during frying, because these oils are subjected to high temperatures (170 degrees Celsius) in the presence of oxygen, certain small-scale thermal oxidation may take place in them.
In the extra virgin olive oil used for frying fish, this thermal oxidation reaction did not occur as it is more degradation-resistant than sunflower oil.
Yet in the sunflower oil used for frying fish in the frying pan, secondary oxidation compounds (aldehydes) were formed; some of them are regarded as potentially toxic depending on the concentration in which they are found.
It should be pointed out that these compounds did not form in the sunflower oil in the microwave oven.
Therefore, in view of the results obtained and bearing in mind the generation of these compounds that are potentially harmful for health, the healthiest option for frying is to use extra virgin olive and fry in the microwave, researchers said.
The study was published in the journal Food Research International.
Jul 17, 2016
A move away from bad fats
“In the Indian context, the repeated use of fat/oil at high temperature in the preparation of certain food items would lead to an increased consumption of trans fat.”
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India regulation to reduce trans fat content in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils will help meet the WHO limit
Beginning next month, manufacturers in India of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVOs) will be required to reduce the trans fat level from the current 10 per cent limit to 5 per cent, says the Chairman of the Scientific Panel on Oils and Fats, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Dr. R.B.N. Prasad. This downward revision is in keeping with FSSAI’s revised trans fat regulation of December 2014. In July 2013, FSSAI brought in regulations to limit the trans fat content to 10 per cent in PHVOs like vanaspati.
In India, vanaspati, desi ghee, butter and margarine are the main sources of trans fat. Vanaspati is favoured by the industry as it prolongs a food product’s shelf life and is cheap. However, it has adverse health effects and is more harmful than saturated fat. This is because it increases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) or bad cholesterol and decreases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) or good cholesterol. These changes in the lipoprotein cholesterol content increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Risk of heart disease, diabetes
According to a July 2015 paper (BMC Public Health) a 2 per cent increase in energy intake from trans fat has been associated with a 23 per cent increase in the risk of heart disease. Trans fat intake has also been linked to increased insulin resistance and a risk of diabetes, which is why the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended an upper limit of less than 1 per cent of total energy intake through trans fat.
A report by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition says that if a person consumes 2,000 kcal of food that has 20-30 per cent vanaspati every day, the energy intake from trans fat will be in the range of 0.9-1.35 per cent. So, limiting the trans fat content to 10 per cent will still lead to more than the WHO-recommended level of less than 1 per cent. FSSAI’s downward revision of the upper bound of trans fat to 5 per cent will help meet the WHO limit and go a long way in reducing adverse health effects of trans fat.
A June 2016 paper in Food Chemistry found that repeated heating/frying led to an increase in trans fat content. This increase was seen even when oil that did not contain any trans fat was heated to 180°C. The formation of trans fat during food frying is closely related to the temperature and duration of heating the oil.
In the Indian context, the repeated use of fat/oil at high temperature in the preparation of certain food items would lead to an increased consumption of trans fat, the authors warn.
Oil reuse findings
“FSSAI clearly states that oil should not be reused more than 2-3 times,” says Dr. Prasad. Polar compounds are formed due to oxidation, hydrolysis and some other chemical reactions of oils during frying.
Some countries have regulations that fried oil should not be used if it contains more than 25 per cent of polar compounds. “If you fry any oil continuously for about two hours then it is better not use this oil for the second time for frying. The oil should instead be used for cooking, like curry preparation, that does not involve frying,” he says.
Yet, there is no way of monitoring reuse of oil or limiting the amount of trans fat in food items prepared in restaurants and by roadside vendors. According to the BMC Public Health paper, oils samples collected from street vendors contained high levels of trans fat — 0.1-30 per cent of total fat. As a result, 4 per cent of people in rural areas and 13 per cent in the urban areas were consuming trans fat that is much higher than the WHO-recommended level, the paper says.
Though packaged food products are required to label trans fat content, most local products do not have it on the label. “Even if trans fat [content is] quoted, these are based on raw ingredients and not the finished product,” writes the first author of the Food Chemistry paper, Swati Bhardwaj from the University of Delhi.
In 2004, Denmark became the first country to limit trans fat to 2 per cent of total fat in all food items. According to a January 2016 paper in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the number of deaths in Denmark caused by cardiovascular disease reduced on average by 14.2 per 1,00,000 population per year due to the regulation. Following Denmark’s example, many other countries too have limited the trans fat content in food items.
prasad.ravindranath@thehindu.co.in
Banning Junk Food Is Not The Fix-All For India's Childhood Obesity Problem
Recently, while strolling in an upscale Delhi mall with a friend, I spotted a young mother with a crying child. Then I overheard the flustered woman saying in Hindi, "Don't cry... I'll fetch you a burger right now." Soon, the kid was quiet, gobbling down a burger and swigging a cold drink. Oh, and I forgot to mention: the mother was obese. Such scenes are not uncommon in urban environments. We think nothing of it when we see toddlers and young children munching on chips or other junk food.
- The WHO estimates that as per the current trend, 70 million young children will be overweight or obese by 2025.
This year, I had the privilege of attending the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva, where the World Health Organization (WHO) passed a momentous resolution on ending childhood obesity. The proposal, sponsored by the delegations of Australia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Thailand and Zambia, received overwhelming endorsement. It was indeed a historic moment for the world to take cognizance of the alarming trend in child obesity.
Childhood obesity is excessive fat accumulation in infants and children up to 19 years of age. The WHO estimates that as per the current trend, 70 million young children will be overweight or obese by 2025. One widely prevalent assumption is that obesity is a manifestation of affluence or than only rich people can be afflicted by it. This is wrong. The situation is actually worse in developing countries. India falls in this category.
The resolution includes a comprehensive set of recommendations to tackle childhood obesity, including: promoting intake of healthy foods and physical activity, integrating non-communicable disease guidelines with the pre-conception and antenatal programmes, providing support to inculcate healthy eating habits, implementing comprehensive programmes promoting healthy school environments, health and nutrition education and physical activity, and providing family-based counselling services for children and adolescents who are obese.
The most striking recommendation with respect to India involves promoting healthy school environments for which Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, proposed a ban on sale of junk food in school canteens, as well as within a radius of 200 metres by private vendors and hawkers during school hours (7am-4pm). This move came after Uday Foundation, a non-government organization in India filed a Public Interest Litigation in 2011 seeking a ban on junk food and carbonated drinks in the schools and also for its sell within a radius of 500 yards. Finally, in 2015 the High Court ordered strict implementation of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines for making available wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic food to schoolchildren in India.
- Any right-thinking Indian will concede that the need of the hour is to focus more on nutrition promotion and education.
The guidelines classify certain foods as high in fat and sugar (HFSS) -- such as chips, fried foods, carbonated beverages, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, potato fries, confectionery items, chocolates, candy, samosas, bread pakoras etc.). A circular was issued to all schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education in India in this regard, this year in January. It directed the schools to also constitute a canteen management committee with 7-10 members to decide the type of food to be prepared, ensure food safety, study infrastructural gaps in implementation, design physical activity programs, avail services of health experts, and develop awareness resource material pertaining to nutrition and health. In addition, it recommended the celebration of Nutrition Week, regular monitoring of body mass index, inspection of lunch boxes and doing community outreach programmes for the promotion of physical activity. The circular also suggested that parents "may be" involved by raising their awareness levels and that children be taught about a healthy lifestyle in the curriculum. Although the intent of the government is noble, it is the implementation of these guidelines that will determine their success.
Certain issues continue to remain fuzzy and need to be addressed:
• Lack of clarity on how to put these guidelines into action. A detailed strategy is required on what to do, how to do it, and who will do what. A time line and measurable indicators to monitor and evaluate implementation is also necessary.
• The terminology may pose problems in the Indian scenario. The guidelines classify chips in the HFSS category but what about aloo bhaji?
• With the country experiencing a rise in the number of international schools where children from different nationalities and ethnicities study, the guidelines fall short. For instance, it has noodles in the HFSS category but for some nationalities such as Japanese/Korean/Chinese, noodles are staple.
• The guidelines seem superficial in terms of not addressing healthy alternatives to the existing food items. They advise banning burgers, but what if a burger is made of a wholegrain bun and has a soy patty?
• Nothing is mentioned regarding the consequences of non-compliance with these guidelines by schools.
If we need to curb childhood obesity, we require concerted efforts from the government, schools, parents as well as children instead of working in silos.
Any right-thinking Indian will concede that the need of the hour is to focus more on nutrition promotion and education, which after all is the bedrock of such social change. Such an orientation included in the "may be" category appears misconceived. Leave alone children, not many parents are aware of the concepts of healthy or unhealthy eating. Even teachers may be lagging in such knowledge. The government needs to take a cue from the food and beverage industry on their marketing skills for these unhealthy foods and beverages directed at children. I don't think I have seen advertisements on choosing healthy foods, barring a couple on eggs and milk. If we need to curb childhood obesity, we require concerted efforts from the government, schools, parents as well as children instead of working in silos. Mere banning of junk food alone may not be the solution that we need.
VMC to provide food safety licences online
Vadodara: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has informed all food business operators in the city that they can get themselves registered on the VMC's official portal. They need to do so before August 4 as per the latest directives from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
A release here stated that the VMC's website has detailed information regarding the registration procedure. The applicants can fill in the details online and even pay the stipulated fee there.
After doing so, the applicants will have to submit a file with the necessary documents to the nearest Jan Seva Kendra of the civic body started at ward offices. Once the licence is ready the officials will intimate the applicant and he can collect it.
Soon, a policy to keep a tab on food trucks
Gurgaon: The MCG has prepared a policy to govern mobile food trucks in the city and will soon invite public suggestions before finalising it. There are a number of food trucks in the city but they are not governed by any policy at present.
"All food businesses or community groups that sell food must comply with food laws, including the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and are legally responsible to ensure that food sold or prepared for sale is safe to eat and free from contamination," said a senior MCG official. "These are the basic and compulsory requirements for ensuring safety of the food manufactured in any premise and food business operators (FBO) are supposed to continuously try to improve the sanitary and hygienic conditions," the official added.
The authorities say that right now there are practically no checks and balances on these food trucks and a policy is the need of the hour. "
Jul 16, 2016
FSSAI launches FSKAN framework for scientific cooperation in food safety
New Delhi
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched its new initiative, FSKAN (Food Safety Knowledge Assimilation Network), a framework for scientific cooperation in the area of food safety and nutrition, at a workshop held here recently.
The workshop was attended by over 100 scientists and researchers across the country. It identified areas where further research in food safety and quality is required.
According to a press release issued by FSSAI, the network would facilitate the establishment of a scientific cooperation framework by exchange of information and coordination of research activities across the country.
Earlier in response to an expression of interest notice, FSSAI received about 90 research proposals from various scientific institutions for taking up R&D studies in the areas of food safety and nutrition. Out of the proposals received, 44 projects were identified in the first level of inhouse screening. These proposals were discussed during the workshop in five groups with project investigators in each group making a presentation on their proposals.
After detailed deliberations, each group identified the projects which fell within the objective and responsibilities of FSSAI and therefore should be taken up for funding. Thirteen research proposals, with an outlay of nearly Rs five crore, were recommended for funding. This would involve engaging scientists, experts, research institutions, research funding agencies and industry R&D through exchange of information and expertise, creation of affinity groups, implementation of joint projects and best practices in the fields within the authority’s responsibility.
A logo on the FSKAN initiative depicting a network engaged in scientific research in the area of food safety was also launched.
Jul 15, 2016
Food Interrupted
Disruption is throwing up new-fangled ways in which we negotiate food consumption. The city has its version
If it’s disruption the world is seeking – to bring in change and solution, a reinvention, to tide over existing stupor – then some initiatives in the local food scene are part of that bigger picture.
And I am not invoking fat tax. Troubling as it may be in a scenario that relishes fried and fast foods, it manages to train light on health, which is an equally keen obsession. It is quite another thing that the Minister may have the last laugh over the tax, but food has been clever bait. The food-health connect which earns him brownie points, is not new and has been growing in Kerala. Not only is the common availability of organic products in stores a pointer to a burgeoning consumer base, but also its large scale cultivation a sign of conscious disruption. If large tracts of land have changed to grow pesticide-free crops and are producing organic food then closer, in the city, this transformation is seen, beating urban blues in the greening of terraces, balconies and gardens. Grow bags are bywords throwing up seasonally, tomatoes, brinjals and what have you. The health food factor has caught on and today even organic milk is available.
If that, food wise, is replacing the old existing order then a few other initiatives too are disrupting the hackneyed scene. And gladly so.
Concept Stores
The opening of a frozen food convenience store, Buffet, in Panampilly Nagar that offers experiential tasting before purchase marks in more ways than one our changing mindset about the way we now consume food. It projects a clientele that is accepting of frozen products, as much as it is of fresh foods, being organic converts. It also signals the existence of a clientele that is rushed for time and needs quick-fix meals. The freshness of foods is critical and is ensured by scientific freezing.
When Wild Fish, a seafood boutique, opened late last year, it ushered the trend. Today the store, open seven days a week, has sales that any fresh catch fish stall may envy. The store has managed to provide the fastidious fish lover catch, cleaned, cut, deveined and also with options to cook it in a recipe of choice.
Farmer’s Market
The farmer’s market held on second Friday of each month at Gourmet House in Konthuruthy began as proprietor Cheeran Vargehse says, “because of demanding customers.” The idea common in the west and in some Indian metros the farmers’s market offers a chance to showcase local, Indian and imported food and related products. It is a meeting point for producers, brand exhibitors, customers, offering an opportunity to taste and buy, to inform and retail. This face-to-face meeting place of all stakeholders in the chain is enabling the movement of food in a way that it has not seen before. It is encouraging homemakers, SMEs, food start-ups, big banners et al to leverage the opportunity that has its origin in the traditional Indian ‘haat’ (weekly market) concept. Verghese says that almost 80 brands have registered with him ad that every month 20 are rolled on to the floor. Hence new products, big and small, imported, Indian or locally made, home made all find space.
Continental Vegetarian
Kerala’s love for non-vegetarian fare – beef, mutton, chicken, fish, and pork – is an established one but the foodies here are partial to vegetarian food too. It is seen in the existence of some vegetarian restaurants, in the city, for over several decades. These pure vegetarian outlets serving traditional Kerala fare – veg.meals, thali, have thrived and continue to do so. But alongside this we can see, in the last few years, the rise of North Indian chaat, a vegetarian snack, growing in its growing visibility and familiarity. In this backdrop Satish Menon began Ledhi, on South Janatha Road, Palarivattam, that serves continental vegetarian with tagline – ‘Veg is not that veg anymore’ and ‘Veg for non vegetarians’. Ledhi serves five different veg. cuisines – Italian, Pan-Asian, West-Asian, European and Indian.
Food online
If one was sceptical about ordering food online and door delivery, then it is high time we realise that the system is working well. Masala Box and Yummy Kitchens, to name a few, were pioneers in the trend of establishing a network of home chefs and connecting them with customers, offering quality and tasty fare. Daily Fish, an online seafood store has seamlessly fitted into the changed scenario and offers ‘as good as live’ ready to cook products.
Health food outlets
The city has had its tryst with health food outlets that began and shut shop. But they were ahead of the times. Santhosh Narayanan’s Jhivras in Kakkanad serves curated veg. food, which he terms ‘intelligent food’. It is mainly for working people, for corporates because their lifestyle requires that they eat healthy. The concept is having people eat out of their hands. Blend It, a juice outlet, offering a concoction of customised healthy juices has added to the trend.
The Baker’s revolution
One can almost feel the heaving dough as the city witnesses a flurry of home bakers produce and supply different types of breads, healthy and tasty to customers asking for more. The good old bread has become an instrument of disruption.
GM crops: Are they safe?
ANTI-GM crop campaignA Crop Circle created by Greenpeace on the outskirts of New Delhi in protest against GM crop in 2013.
While genetic engineering is an evolving field, there is no clear-cut idea about the impact of GM crops on human health and the ecosystem. Subsequently, the safety concerns over consumption of food from GM crops is the subject of a long-standing debate
The debate on GM crops or genetically modified crops is one of the longest-running ever since, the transgenic Flavr Savr tomato was approved by the FDA for marketing in the U.S. in 1994. While most scientists endorse the crops to be safe for consumption, activists and farmers have opposed the whole idea. While science argues that food from genetically modified crops is not inherently riskier to human health than conventional food, public concern is related to safety and regulation. Anything that goes against Nature is treated with caution.
Recently, more than 100 Nobel laureates wrote to Greenpeace, a non-government environmental organization, to stop the anti-GMO campaign. They specifically drew support to the Golden Rice, which is said to have the potential to reduce or eliminate much of the death and disease caused by a vitamin A deficiency (VAD). It is said to have the greatest impact on the poorest people in Africa and Southeast Asia
What are GM crops?
The crops whose DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species, is called a GM crop. Genes carry the instructions for all the characteristics that an organism inherits.
The first genetically modified plant was produced in 1983, using antibiotic-resistant tobacco. In the case of the transgenic Flavr Savr tomato, it was instilled with the quality of delayed ripening. Research and development of GMOs have been going on for more than 30 years.
Why modify?
One of the main objectives is to improve crop protection, through the introduction of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses. Resistance against insects is achieved by incorporating the gene for a toxin production into the food plant. This toxin is currently used as a conventional insecticide in agriculture and is safe for human consumption, according to WHO.
The concerns
Allergic effects, gastronomical effects due to gene transfer and migration of genes are some of the concerns. The need for safety testing is widely felt.
Advantages
Genetically modified crops can improve yield, as they are disease-resistant. They are also resistant towards adverse weather condition and the crops can be modified to improve nutritional value.
Some of the food items created from GM crops include corn, soybean, sugar beets, potatoes, tomato, salmon and oils.
The Indian story
Bt cotton is the only genetically modified crop allowed in India. Cotton yield more than doubled in the first decade since its introduction in 2002. But the researches have found that the farmers did not find it to be that successful. Bt brinjal was cleared for commercialisation in 2009. But nothing came of it, as moratoriums were imposed by then Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh and his successor Jayanthi Natarajan following opposition from civil society groups and brinjal-growing states.
Pizza got nailed, chuckles parotta
The ubiquitous Kerala parotta, considered equally bad but conveniently ignored as they are "poor man's food".
Desi snacks and savouries that widen girth need to be taxed too, say health experts
KOCHI: Kerala 'fat tax' on pizzas, burgers and doughnuts with an aim to up tax revenue and improve health is being lauded as the first step by a state in India to check on junk food culture. Even as 'videshi' junk food is being taxed, people continue to devour desi high-calorie snacks and sweets made in bakeries and the ubiquitous Kerala parotta, considered equally bad but conveniently ignored as they are "poor man's food".
Health experts and dieticians who welcome the government 'fat tax', are of the view that if people's health is the prime concern, the state government should also focus on taxing desi junk food, besides ensuring that healthy food is available at a subsidized rate. There is also a need to create awareness on what is healthy.
"Desi junk food is as bad as non-desi counterpart. Calories are more or less the same. A problem with several food items here is that they are cooked in oil heated several times and hence not healthy. As for bakery goods, most of them are made with maida, which is not healthy," said Dr Susan Itty, chief clinical nutritionist, Aster Medcity, Kochi.
"A taxation plan on junk food is a good beginning. But the ideal situation would be when government taxes all high-calorie and high-sugar foods. Further, to motivate people to eat the right food, the amount earned as taxes from junk food should go towards subsidising healthy food," said Dr Sreejith N Kumar a diabetologist.
Kerala ranks third after Punjab and Gujarat in terms of obese population, according to health experts. In the case of diabetes too, Kerala tops other states in sale of drugs and insulin. Concerned over the neglect of food safety in terms of chemical, biological and nutrient content, the Indian Medical Association, Kerala State Branch, in 2015 came out with guidelines on safe and healthy food.
"There is an alarming increase in the rate of lifestyle diseases notably diabetes, obesity, hypertension and cancer. There is a very disturbing upward trend in cardio-vascular diseases like heart attack and stroke. Water and food-borne communicable and toxin related diseases are also still prevalent. Food preference is undoubtedly playing a huge role in this regard. Scant attention is being paid to food safety and child nutrition," states a note by IMA, Kerala.
The state health department is toying with the idea of creating awareness about healthy eating habits. "It is important that people know the exact calorie content of what they are eating. We will work out a plan by which this awareness can reach people," said health minister K K Shailaja. Endocrinologist Dr RV Jayakumar said that nothing will change until government ensures that the prices of healthy food is subsidised.
"You get to eat junk food at a much cheaper rate than healthy food. Two Kerala parottas in the morning will ensure that a person doesn't feel hungry the whole day. When you look at the economics, having unhealthy food is a better option than healthy food like fruits. Till the government brings down the prices of healthy food and ensures that it reaches everyone, 'junk tax' will only remain a means for the government to earn extra revenue".
Why FBOs need to control hair contamination
According to food regulators the term food includes foods, beverages, bottled water and nutritional and functional products so none of these products can contain hair.
When eating out at a restaurant if you find human hair in your food you are likely to be disgusted. You will lose your appetite and straight away leave the restaurant and never return. The same applies to finding human hair in processed or packaged foods. You are likely to dump the entire contents into the dustbin no matter how expensive. Human hair is made up of the protein keratin, which also makes up the outer layer of the skin and nails. In itself keratin might not pose a problem but the truth is that besides feeling nauseated hair can lead to contamination in foods and of course finding hair in food casts a shadow on the reputation of the brand.
To ensure food safety FSSAI has established hygiene and sanitation guidelinesas per Schedule 4 of the regulations which mentions that human hair must be controlled from falling into exposed foods in eating establishments as well as in food processing and manufacturing plants. According to food regulators the term food includes foods, beverages, bottled water and nutritional and functional products so none of these products can contain hair.
How hair causes contamination
You will be surprised to note that hair is one of the most commonly found ‘foreign bodies’ in food. Foreign body means any extraneous matter found in food which is not a part of the ingredients. Therefore any foreign body found in food means that the food is contaminated and not fit to eat. Human hair is termed a physical as well as a microbiological contaminant because besides being extraneous matter, it can also lead to the growth of microorganisms in the food. Oil, sweat, residue of hair treatment chemicals and shampoos, dyes or any other organic matter sticking to the hair becomes a breeding ground for pathogens when left in processed foods for long periods of time. A report published by the National Institute of Science, Technology, and Development Studies, New Delhi on human hair waste states that hair could contain a number of toxic chemical contaminants. These contaminants reach hair from the environment and so these same toxic substances can reach food from human hair.
Risk involved
Hair in food also poses a physical risk as a person can choke on it, it can get stuck in the throat or cause nausea and vomiting. However, besides the physical aspect hair is a potential route of Staphylococcus aureus contamination from the human scalp. Human hair can transmit ringworm as well as fungal infections if a person is infected by these. Staph aureus, as it’s often called, is a type of bacteria that can be found on the skin and hair as well as in the noses and throats of people and animals. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that the most common way for food to be contaminated with Staphylococcus is through contact with food workers especially when foods are prepared by hand and not cooked. Hair in salad or cut fruits, sandwiches and chutneys could pose a problem as hair can remain in these foods for hours. There is a heavy stigma attached to any food that contains hair, be it at a restaurant or in home-made pickles. The popular sun dried chips &papads can easily be contaminated with foreign matters including hair as they are left to dry in open, but finding human hair in the restaurant food would be due to the lack of good personal hygiene practices.
Human hair is shed constantly
According to Hair Foundation, Queen’s College, Oxford University, England every human being with hair on their heads, sheds between 100-150 hairs every day at a constant rate. Therefore a person doing an eight hour shift will lose around 33-50 hairs. Multiply this by the number of personnel working in the restaurant or manufacturing plant and you can calculate the pathogen risk to food. This figure is attributed to only hair from the head but hair can reach foods from the arms, beards, moustaches and even from the chest. Hair from the arms can travel into baked products from flour that has to be kneaded with the hands. Anything that enters food from the body parts of human beings is a potential contaminant. Therefore people working in restaurants, bakeries and food processing units have to follow strict hair control measures.
Preventing hair contamination
FSSAI has strict guidelines for following good hygiene and sanitation practices including wearing of nets and caps to prevent hair from entering foods. In most countries, people working in the food industry are required to cover their hair because it can contaminatefood. Complete capture hairnets are now available that has led to the decrease of hair falling into foods. Some countries even have rules for wearing beard and moustacherestraints especially for those with long beards and moustaches as people tend to touch them absentmindedly which could cause hair to fall into foods. Good manufacturing practices advise that all personnel wearhairnets, headbands, caps, beard covers or other effective hair restraints so hair does not come into contact with exposed foods.
Is your food safe?
When consumers find hair in foods they are likely to wonder what other possible contaminant the food could contain and if it is safe to eat. Hair in food is like a sign which tells consumers about the poor hygiene standards maintained by the Food Business Operator (FBO). It brings the restaurant, product or brand adverse publicity which could result in loss of sales. FBOs need to ensure food safety, by complying with FSSAI regulations so their brand is protected. To gain consumer trust in their products they have to take all measures to prevent any kind of contamination.It is therefore important to address all personal hygiene issues because in food preparation and food manufacturing plants there are a number of personnel who can transfer contaminants to food. Contaminants can be transferred from the body, skin, mouth, hands or hair to the product or from clothing, footwear, utensils and other tools used in daily food preparation activities.
Food safety: FSSAI unveils initiative for scientific cooperation
NEW DELHI, JULY 14:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has launched a new initiative called the Food Safety Knowledge Assimilation Network, which will be a framework for scientific co-operation for food safety and nutrition.
Information exchange
In an official statement, FSSAI said that the network will establish a framework for scientific co-operation by exchange of information and co-ordination of research activities in the country. The regulator has got about 90 research proposals from various scientific institutions for taking up R&D studies in the areas of food safety and nutrition.
At a workshop held in Delhi and attended by nearly 100 scientists, 44 proposals were discussed and 13 projects were identified which fell within the objective and responsibilities of FSSAI and will be getting an outlay of ₹5 crore.
Five dangerous food additives that are banned in many countries, except India!
Not long ago the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned use of potassium bromate as food additive in wake of a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study flagging their harmful effects on health, including causing cancer.
Yet, the buck doesn't stop here, it is said that more than 3000 different chemical additives are being used in food processing, which create havoc on your health. Busy lifestyle and rapid industrialisation have spurred demand for packaged foods, widening the array of proccesed foods that are loaded with artificial additives available in your supermarkets.
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or improve its taste and appearance. Unfortunately many of these enhancers are also known to cause cancer.
Here are some food additives that are being used in India, despite banning them in many countries due to side effects .
Propyl gallate
A common food additive that acts as a preservative can be found in edible fats, oils, baked goods, meat product, chewing gum and ready-to-make soup mixes as well as in cosmetics. Research has shown that this additive may be carcinogenic and also an endocrine disruptor. It is banned in many countries.
Artificial food dyes
Artificial dyes, which are added to foods to enhance their color, can be found in thousands of foods, including breakfast cereals, cakes, sports drinks and even candies. Basically made from chemicals derived from petroleum, food dyes can cause brain cancer and cell damage. Artificial dyes may also have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. Banned in Norway, Finland, Austria, UK, France these dyes are being used in India.
BHA and BHT
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), banned in the UK, Japan and many other European countries, are widely used by the food industry as preservatives. Although assumed to be safe in low doses, they may contribute to carcinogenicity. These preservatives are found in cereal, baked goods, packaging, cosmetics, snack foods, chewing gum, meats, butter, dehydrated potatoes, beer and many more.
Arsenic
As per WHO, arsenic is a natural component of the earth’s crust and is widely distributed throughout the environment in the air, water and land. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. And rice has higher levels of inorganic arsenic than other foods. It is banned only in the European Union. While the arsenic content in white basmati rice from California and India is much lower than other types, it has been linked to cancer, skin lesions, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity and diabetes.
Olestra
Olestra is a 'fake' fat found in foods like chips and french fries. It can have a harmful effect on your health by negating the body's ability to absorb essential vitamins. This fat substitute is banned in the UK and Canada.
Jul 14, 2016
Child rights panel concerned over junk food sale in private schools
LUDHIANA: Taking serious note of serving of junk food, which is easy to cook but harmful for health, in some private schools, Punjab State Child Rights Protection Commission chairman Sukesh Kalia has directed Secretary, Punjab School Education Board and DPI (Primary and Secondary) to take a self-declaration certificate from all schools mentioning that they would not allow serving or sale of junk food in their premises.
While mentioning a letter received from National Child Rights Protection Commission, New Delhi, Sukesh Kalia stated that as per the letter, the secretary of Punjab School Education Board and DPI (primary and secondary) would get self-declaration certificates from all schools of the state (from all education boards) mentioning that they would not allow serving as well as sale of junk food (which has salt, sugar and fat in large quantity) in their premises.
Kalia said that consumption of junk food amongst children leads to serious implications towards the child's health. That is why there is an increasing need to check this trend amongst children. He said that the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India has already issued some guidelines to the schools, which should be followed by all schools.
Sukesh Kalia has also written a separate letter to Food Safety Commissioner, Punjab, mentioning that the Commission would carry surprise checks in different schools on regular basis. And that is why, the commissioner should send names of technical experts and food inspectors so that their services can be taken during surprise checks. Kalia said that the commission would take strong notice of any news that comes to their notice regarding serving or sale of junk food in private schools.
Tea Board may cancel licence of traders selling adulterated tea
Harmful brew:Adulterated tea powder seized by the officials of the Food Safety Department in Ayanavaram on Tuesday.
Officials have sent the seized samples to laboratory for tests
With a rise in tea adulteration in the city, the Food Safety Department has decided to write to the Tea Board to cancel licences of traders responsible for adulteration.
Following a raid in Ayanavaram, Chennai Food Safety Department’s Designated Officer R. Kathiravan said the licences issued by the Tea Board would be cancelled after the lab report of samples was obtained. “Legal samples have been sent to the King Institute, Guindy. We will file a case and write to the Tea Board to cancel licences of the traders,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Food Safety officials seized 2.3 tonnes of adulterated tea packets from a wholesale tea trader in Ayanavaram. Many of such traders reportedly purchase substandard tea and mix sunset yellow colour. The chemical causes damage to liver and the digestive system. Most of the shops in low income neighbourhoods buy the product. One kilogram of the adulterated tea was sold at Rs.150 as against the market price of Rs.450, said Food Safety officials.
The different kind of labels seized on Tuesday did not have the address and batch number.
120 SAMPLES OF EDIBLE ITEMS IN STATE FAIL TO MEET STANDARDS
Many edible items like noodles, milk, condensed, sweets, and cooking oil being sold in the State capital do not conform to the standards. The office district food safety department had sent 120 samples of food items collected from various places in Dehradun district to State food and drug laboratory in Rudrapur and the report suggests that 24 samples have failed. These samples were collected from July 2015 to May this year.
The District Food safety officer, Anoj Thapliyal informed The Pioneer that the samples of many top noodle manufacturing companies failed as they were found to have traces of Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG).
This according to Thapliyal is not serious as in a recent order, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSAAI) has clarified that the MSG of food chain origin is permissible. He informed that the some milk and condensed milk samples were found to have less fat percentage than minimum required.
Thapliyal however added that none of the failed sample had any harmful chemical detrimental to the health of the user. He informed that the sample of a popular edible oil manufacturing company failed to meet the standards. This edible oil was found to have less than prescribed Iodine number of Soapnification value.
Food safety checks to be strengthened
The government will strengthen food safety inspections across the State and to this aid, three mobile food safety laboratories are being planned, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja said in the Assembly here on Wednesday.
One of these mobile units would be readied for functioning before Onam season, she added. Four regional food safety labs in the State were being prepared for the NABL accreditation process and almost 95 per cent of the work was over. A sum of Rs.6.15 crore had been allocated for strengthening the laboratories
Jul 13, 2016
The official logo for the Food Safety Knowledge Assimilation Network (FSKAN)
The official logo for the Food Safety Knowledge Assimilation Network (FSKAN) was unveiled yesterday at a workshop at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. FSKAN is a new initiative by FSSAI to build a network of research organisations that will facilitate exchange of information & expertise, scientific collaborations and joint projects.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)