Jul 11, 2017
Chamber plea to clear the air on milk controversy
COIMBATORE, JULY 10:
The Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, has appealed to the TN government to put an end to the controversy over milk adulteration.
The farmers, milk industry and consumers are all under great pressure, said Vanitha Mohan, President, ICCIC.
“It is time to put an end to this controversy which has been going on for weeks now in the interest of all. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 gives enough powers to the state government to set standards for various varieties of milk. It also has the machinery to enforce these standards and issue certificates of compliance,” she said and pointed out that the recent videos on milk adulteration coupled with the Dairy Development Minister’s statement on the issue had increased the apprehensions in the minds of the public.
Money pumped into food testing and standardisation for State
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has agreed to give special assistance of Rs 8.50 crore to the Food and Drugs Administration, Maharashtra to its existing laboratories by procuring new equipment to test food samples as per the FSSAI norms.
The above assurance was given by FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr.Pallavi Darade in a recent meeting of high powered committee held in New Delhi. The FDA has sought an assistance of Rs 10 crore, including Rs 8.2 crore to procure new equipments and Rs. 1.8 crore to strengthen infrastructure. Eventually the FISSI agreed to give Rs 8.50 crore and also permitted the FDA to open separate ban account since this is a special central assistance.
The assistance will be used for procuring three ultra equipments to test the food as per the standards. They will be used to check the metal content in food, component of pesticides, organic content in non-vegetarian food etc. The pesticides are widely used in producing food to control pests such as insects, rodents, weeds, bacteria and fungus.
For testing of Drugs & Cosmetics as stated under section 20 and 33 F of Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 & Rules there under, Maharashtra State has established Drugs Control Laboratory at Bandra(Mumbai) and at Aurangabad, under the Administrative control of the Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra State. The existing capacity of testing food samples is 1200 at Mumbai and 720 in Aurangabad. Both the Laboratories are well equipped with sophisticated instruments.
In addition to FDA’s laboratories in Mumbai and Aurangabad, The food analytical laboratories are in existence also under department of public health, at different places. They include: 1. State Public Health Laboratory, Pune( this is the apex Laboratory of the state & is also declared as Central Food laboratory for state), 2. Regional Public Health Laboratories are at Aurangabad, Nagpur and Amaravati, 3. District Public Health Laboratories at: New Mumbai, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur, Beed, Nanded, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Nashik and Akola. In addition to the BMC also has laboratory in Mumbai.
Public Analysts have been appointed in above laboratories¸ who analyses the samples and deliver report¸within 40 days from date of receipt. The Public analysts are required to verify sealed portion and analyze the food article, keeping in mind that the analysis has been done as per the methodologies laid down by Director General of Health Services.
FSSAI has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. FSSAI has been created for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
FSSAI has been mandated by the FSS Act, 2006 to frame regulations to lay down the standards and guidelines in relation to articles of food and specifying appropriate system of enforcing various standards thus notified, to lay down mechanisms and guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification of food safety management system for food businesses, to lay down procedure and guidelines for accreditation of laboratories and notification of the accredited laboratories, to provide scientific advice and technical support to Central Government and State Governments in the matters of framing the policy and rules in areas which have a direct or indirect bearing of food safety and nutrition, to collect and collate data regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food, residues of various, contaminants in foods products, identification of emerging risks and introduction of rapid alert system and to create an information network across the country so that the public, consumers, Panchayats etc receive reliable and objective information about food safety and food standards.
Food testing labs lack testing parameters, says FSSAI report
Srinagar, July 10: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has highlighted various deficiencies in food testing laboratories, both at Srinagar and Jammu.
Meanwhile, hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a division bench of high court also impleaded FSSAI and observed that various deficiencies highlighted in the report needed to be addressed immediately.
“One of the major concern is that there was no food safety commissioner,” the court according to Kashmir Glory said and directed Commissioner secretary Health to file his compliance report, indicating as to what steps have been taken for appointment of the FSC on next date with his personal appearance.
It compliance to the court’s direction, Chief executive Officer FSSAI had deputed two teams to visit both the laboratories at Jammu and at Srinagar. The report stated as to whether the laboratories fulfil the requirement for testing of samples as required under the FSSA, 2006.
Visiting team comprising Dr Lalitha R Gowda, former chief scientist & Director Referral Food Laboratory Mysore and Shailender Kumar, Assistant Director Quality Assurance FSSAI, New Delhi visited both labs on 27-28 June, and Public health lab, Dalgate, Srinagar on 28-29 June and prepared detailed report viz-a-viz their visiting.
As per the report, both the laboratories are currently equipped with minor equipment, which are in working condition. These include electronic balance, muffle furnace, butyro-refractometer and tintometer etc.
With the available instruments, the labs undertake preliminary food analysis such as moisture, crude fiber, ash, milk analysis using the milkoscan, physical and visual examination, qualitative test for added color, sweeteners and adulterants of milk and spices and BRR of oils and fats. Scrutiny of test reports at both labs illustrate that a wide spectrum of food categories listed in the FSS rules and regulations, are tested, but the testing parameter are limited.
“Both labs do not carry out any tests for contaminant such pesticide residues, heavy metals, veterinary drug residues, crop contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances,” the report said.
Currently, the report said, both the labs neither have in place state-of-the –art equipment necessary for pesticide, heavy metals and drug residues etc nor competent and trained manpower to operate the equipment. A major limiting factor towards fulfilling the requirements of testing of food samples is the non-availability of sophisticated instruments, the report said.
The current analytical facilities and chemical testing capabilities of the labs do not fulfil the requirements of the FSS act and rules as also regulations.
At Jammu lab, the report said a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) with a UV detector as also Gas Chromatograph with a Mass Spectrometer were installed but no samples analyzed due to lack of trained manpower. Besides, the report said, two equipments are not in working condition.
A major constraint observed by the team is the space required to install high-end equipment of PHL, Srinagar. The required space was available in the adjacent Forensic Science Laboratory that now belongs to Drugs and Food Control Organization.
JK food testing labs substandard: Experts
An expert two-member panel from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed the High Court that state’s food testing laboratories are not functioning to provide desired results.
In compliance to court directions, a team of FSSAI comprising Dr Lalith R Gowda, former chief Scientist and Director Referral Food Lab, Mysore and Shailender Kumar, Assistant, director, quality Assurance, FSSAI, New Delhi visited the two state labs and filed its report in High Court.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation on food adulteration, a division bench of Chief Justice Baddar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey took the report on record.
The report divulges that in both labs-- Public Health Lab Patoli, Jammu and Public Health lab, Dalgate here— do not carry out any tests for contaminant such pesticide residues, heavy metals, veterinary drug residues, crop contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances.
The report unveils that a wide spectrum of food categories listed in the Food Safety and Standard Rules( FSS) and regulations, are tested, but the testing parameters are limited.
The two labs, the report indicates, are with minor equipment which includes electronic balance, muffle furnace, butyro-refractometer and tintometer. “The current analytical facilities and chemical testing capabilities of the labs do not fulfill the requirements of the FSS act and rules”.
The court was informed that currently both the labs have no state-of-the –art equipment necessary for pesticide, heavy metals and drug residues analysis in place nor a competent trained manpower to operate the equipment.
The court was apprised that a major limiting factor towards fulfilling the requirements of testing of food samples is the non-availability of sophisticated instruments.
While the report indicated that a major constraint observed by the team is the space required for installing high-end equipment at Srinagar lab, it added the required space is available in the adjacent Forensic Science Laboratory that now belongs to Drugs and Food Control Organization.
“However, the lab is constrained from using this space owing to the unauthorized occupation by the belt forces,” the report said.
The report indicates that neither of the labs carries out Microbiology testing of foods for any of the hygiene and safety parameters listed by FSSAI.
It says “there exists neither a functional microbiology lab nor a qualified microbiologist to carry out the microbiology testing”.
Another major constraint, the report said, is the lack of a qualified food microbiologist. The FSSAI recommends qualified food microbiologists to be appointed for both the labs at the earliest.
The report, however, indicates that with the available instruments, the labs undertake preliminary food analysis such as moisture, crude fiber, ash, milk analysis and qualitative tests for added color, sweeteners and adulterants of milk and spices and BRR of oils and fats.
At Srinagar lab five Food Safety Officers (FSOs) have been inducted into the lab and there are two certified Food analysts. Both labs have technically competent analysts but insufficient in number to meet the quantum of samples received for analysis.
While the court made FSSAI as party in the PIL, it directed Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education to file compliance on the steps taken for appointment of Food Safety Commissioner FSC on next date of hearing , seeking his personal appearance also.
Jul 10, 2017
'FSSAI' orders hotels and restaurants to handle surplus food carefully
Hyderabad: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has said that surplus food from hotels and restaurants should be handled in a hygienic manner and distributed to the needy. Food businesses are supposed to follow a set of guidelines to ensure that leftover portions are not reused and served to customers.
The FSSAI has issued a notice stating that surplus food is to be distributed to the needy, through organisations, in a safe and hygienic manner. It is keen to implement a set of guidelines in this regard.
Perishable and non perishable foods are supposed to be segregated and packaged properly to avoid contamination during handling and storage.
The FSSAI says that it is the duty of food business operators to give the surplus food distribution companies advance notice to ensure that the food is distributed and consumed within its shelf life.
A senior officer of the FSSAI explains, “Food wastage is a major problem in the food business. According to the United National Development Program, up to 40 percent of the agriculture produce in India is wasted.”
“Cooked food accounts for 30 percent of this wastage. It is becoming increasingly important for us to ensure that surplus food is put to good use.” says the senior officer of the FSSAI.
A volunteer-based organisation called the Robin Hood Army is operational in 42 cities. It coordinates with hotels and restaurants to ensure that leftover food is distributed to the needy.
The strengthening of organisations such as this will go a long way in managing the distribution of surplus food.
KCR direct officials to curb food adulteration, sanctions 26 food safety officers posts
Hyderabad, July. 9 (NSS): Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has given specific instructions to the Police Department for curbing the illegal manufacturing units adulterating the food products in coordination with Food Safety Department.
Special Teams have been constituted for inspection of various food related establishments in GHMC limits with the support of Police personnel.
The GHMC is taking steps to maintain hygiene by the eating establishments and also to control the food adulteration by the eating establishments through the available staff of Food Safety Wing of GHMC duly implementing the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Rules, 2011 and also the provisions of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955 in the limits of GHMC.
The Food Safety Officials, Assistant Medical Officers of Health, Deputy Commissioners and concerned officials are conducting surprise inspections on Hotels & Restaurants. During last three months, ,the officials inspected 373 hotels and collected over Rs 16 lakh as fine for various irregularities.
To meet the shortage of food safety officers, the government has sanctioned 26 food safety officers additionally and the process of recruitment for these posts is being handed over to TSPSC and it is under process.
How safe is the packaged water?
Quality check: Packaged water samples taken at random are periodically tested at designated laboratories.
Experts say the government has not come forward to regulate packaging units
MADURAI
A new fleet of carriers has merged with city transport, often being the cause of traffic bottlenecks. Rickety lorries carry drinking water to the interiors of Madurai. Vehicles with stainless steel tankers distribute ‘mineral water’ on order.
Packaged water is transported in a hurry in bubble top containers. People no more believe that they can get daily supply of potable water at their homes.
Ironically, this has happened this summer in a city which was found to indulge in frugal use of water by a 2005 study of Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The TISS study found that a Madurai household consumed a minimum of 370.9 litres of water a day, against the average of 408.6 litres.
Successive monsoon failure, depleting storage in Vaigai dam and reduction of the Vaigai into a flood carrier have narrowed down the choice of source to the ground. Surface water has become a luxury in a city where only waste water flows on the surface in many places.
Water packaging units have multiplied with most of them choosing villages like Manthikulam, Kathakinaru, Keezhamathur, Melakkal, Kallandiri, Poigaikkaraipatti and Sembianendal Vilakku to source water. A family of four consumes one water can of 18-litre capacity in two days on normal days and one can a day in summer.
“The government has not even thought of providing quality water free or at subsidised rates. It has not come forward to regulate packaging units. Packaged water has entered all households, irrespective of the stratum, today,” says R. Murali, former Principal, The Madura College.
A. Kodiswaran, a water vendor in Ayyavu Thevar Nagar, raises doubts over the quality of water supplied in tankers. How many times do they clean the container before filling it daily? Even in the case of non-branded water supplied in containers, he says his customers want the processing units to be regulated. The government should fix a standard price and ensure that they supply hygienic water.
The Bureau of Indian Standards has prescribed two sets of standards for packaged water – IS: 13428 relates to mineral water, water drawn from a natural source and bottled without altering standard composition; and IS: 14543 is for bottled water with altered composition through any process of filtration and disinfection.
Generally, the process of reverse osmosis is employed to alter the composition of water. Big brands, researchers say, add minerals after processing water drawn from natural sources to retain their composition. “Branded water is by and large safe and does not contain any harmful chemicals or microbiological organisms during their shelf life,” says K. Ramesh, water analyst.
But the RO process, used by smaller units that sell water in bottles, cans and bubble tops, tends to bring down total dissolved solids (TDS) from the standard 500, points out S. Rajamohan, Managing Director, Enviro Care India, a laboratory for testing quality of food and water, accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
“The TDS in groundwater in many areas of Madurai is very high due absence of recharge and high atmospheric temperature. After RO process, it comes down considerably. In a particular case, the TDS was 163. This has an adverse impact on one’s immune system,” cautions Mr. Rajamohan.
The Bureau of Indian Standards and Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration undertake periodic collection of drinking water available in the market at random. These samples are subjected to tests for their physical and chemical properties and presence of heavy metals, pesticides and microbiological organisms.
The unit’s licence is suspended if any deviations are detected. What is of concern is the presence of micro organisms, which is a reflection of compromise on safety standards at the filling area of packaging units. Another area of concern is the absence of expiry date in many containers.
“We do not look at the expiry date of water bottles bought from shops on highways,” says Mr. Rajamohan.
“The containers look ugly and we do not know whether they are washed before water is filled. There is also the menace of plastic bottles getting littered. The government should nationalise water business, scientifically process water, standardise prices and eliminate plastic containers. Simultaneously, existing water sources should be protected,” says Mr. Murali.
What is the way out? The best way is to use water available at home. “Consume water supplied by the civic body or drawn from the bore well at home after boiling and filtering it,” says Mr. Rajamohan.
LIQUID NITROGEN: Visual drama, medical trauma?
AFTER HEARING ABOUT HOW A MAN WAS HOSPITALISED AFTER CHUGGING A COCKTAIL INFUSED WITH LIQUID NITROGEN, MANY ARE NOW HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY. RESTAURATEURS SAY IT IS POPULAR BECAUSE THE SMOKE EFFECT MAKES THE DISH LOOK GOOD.
CT ASKS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO CLEAR THE SMOKE AROUND IT
For those who were impressed by the use of fancy dishes and drinks served on the table emanating smoke that soon evaporates, the news that a liquid nitrogen drink burnt a hole in a businessman's stomach came as a shock. A party with friends in Gurugram went downhill for a Delhi businessman, who gulped down a drink prepared with liquid nitrogen before the smoke coming out of his drink could evaporate. The doctors had to remove a part of his stomach after he was rushed to the hospital complaining of uneasiness.
His blood tests revealed severe lactic acidosis, which refers to the presence of high level of lactic acid in the blood, resulting from oxygen deprivation in the body .
The incident has not only left people shocked, but has also highlighted the flip side of the growing fad of molecular gastronomy that has been picked up even by city restaurants. Staff members' lack of training and poor knowledge on the use of liquid nitrogen or other such additives can lead to disaster, say restaurateurs.
PRESENTATION OVER QUALITY?
Presentation of food was always an important aspect for restaurants, but over the years, the presentation of a dish has become a priority to impress those who are more interested in taking pictures of the dish and sharing it on their social media pages even before tasting it. One of the reasons why molecular gastronomy or the use of chemicals in food became a trend at restaurants is that it makes the dish look more presentable and fancy.
However, culinary expert Dr chef Damu disagrees, and says, "I am against adding any kind of chemicals to food.It's harmful to the health. We can pres ent the food in a very appealing way using our own traditional ingredients and there's no need to resort to these gimmicks."
Known for his adherence to traditional ways of cooking and encouraging the same, he says, "I believe in parambaryam.Food is medicine and medicine is food.Addition of any kind of chemical ingredients should be discouraged."
Saying that he does not see such fads as a long-lasting one, Damu adds, "Molecular gastronomy is making some inroads into our restaurants. But the ingredients used to create the effect, do not add any taste to the food. It's used only for fashion. One should have a passion for cooking but not add fashion to food."
Bengaluru-based chef and restaurateur Abhijit Saha says most restaurants use liquid nitrogen for two reasons -one, to cool the food rapidly and two, to create visual drama. "Liquid nitrogen is used to cool food rapidly . It is usually used to create ice creams, mousse and sometimes used in cocktails,"he says. But how safe it is to use liquid nitrogen is, we ask."Liquid nitrogen is as safe as water and as harmful as fire. We all know what fire can do but that doesn't stop us from using fire while we cook. Similarly , it is safe as long as all necessary precautions are taken and as long as it evaporates from the dish or the drink," he adds.
Ajit Bangera, senior executive chef of ITC Grand Chola says that molecular gastronomy should not be used just for the sake of adding drama to the food. It should add some value to the food and for that you should have a trained set of staff members, he says. "We apply the principles of molecular gastronomy in our restaurant as well but we do so with all the precautions. In food, mere drama is not enough, taste is ultimately important. We have a well-travelled team, that has been trained properly . Every dish that reaches the customer's table is tried, tested and validated by me."
Emphasising that safety has to be the first priority, he says, "I don't validate what other people are doing. I don't validate mixing liquid nitrogen with alcohol.You cannot entrust the job of food safety to the customer, it should be the job of the chef and his team to ensure that food is tasty and safe."
Arasu Dennis, brand consultant for a number of restobars, says that mixing liquid nitrogen in alcoholic beverages is yet to catch up in the city . "I know that it's a big fad in other cities but we Chennaiiites are very conservative when it comes to spending money . Implementing molecular gastronomy techniques means an additional cost for the consumer and they seldom prefer it."
TRAINING FOR RESTAURANT STAFF A MUST
He adds that such experiments in food and beverage should be done under expert supervision. "If I have to implement it in the restobars I am a consultant for, I would definitely bring in an expert to create awareness and teach how to go about the process. In addition to the restaurant staff, we need to educate the customers too, as to how to consume it, which is a very critical aspect of it," he says, adding, "We should never blindly copy a fad just for the sake of it."
CUSTOMER SPEAKS
Though this incident has raised concerns among restaurateurs, some customers say that it won't deter them from eating out."The incident definitely puts a doubt in my mind, and has made me more aware of the food practises one can adapt to Indian working conditions. I will be cautious about what I order from now on, but I also expect the restaurant to inform me if such an ingredient is being used by them," says Rohan Palkar, a software professional.
Dr Wasim, preventive and wellness consultant and a food blogger says, "It's wrong to mix molecular gastronomy and liquid nitrogen. The extensive use of liquid nitrogen should not deter or bring a bad name to molecular gastronomy." He adds, "I have strong reservation when it comes to the use of liquid nitrogen in food, especially in combination with alcohol. I have seen chefs use it very carelessly in many places. In order to create theatrics and mimicry, safety should not be compromised. I am a fan of molecular gastronomy if done well." Anusha Vincent, a writer and foodie, says that she is never fascinated by the `science in food.' "I believe that food should be a product of love, not a product of science! I do not want to eat food that looks like it was manufactured in a biotech laboratory . You could say I am more of a Jamie Oliver gal than a Heston Blumenthal one! Give me a real mango any day over mango in gel or paper form," she concludes.
Jul 9, 2017
KCR directs police to curb food adulteration
A special team has been constituted for inspection of eateries in the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday instructed the police to curb food adulteration in coordination with Food Safety Department. A special team has been constituted for inspection of eateries in the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
The GHMC is taking steps to ensure hygiene in the eating houses and also to curb food adulteration. The GHMC is determined to enforce the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules, 2011 and also the Provisions of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955.
The Food Safety officials, Assistant Medical Officers of Health (AMoH), Deputy Commissioners and other officials concerned are conducting surprise inspections on hotels and restaurants. The officials had so far inspected as many as 373 hotels between March 3 and June 3. Penalties to the tune of 16,77,700 were imposed on 208 hotels.
The special teams are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the premises of hotels are kept in hygienic condition and staff are neat and tidy. Eateries have been directed to see that kitchen rooms are tidy and proper ventilation. They have also been asked not to keep the food in refrigerators.
GHMC to check out hotels
Special teams are being constituted for inspection of various establishments dealing with food in GHMC limits with the support of the police.
Hyderabad: The police has been directed by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to curb illegal manufacturing units adulterating food products, in coordination with the food safety department. Special teams are being constituted for inspection of various establishments dealing with food in GHMC limits with the support of the police. GHMC is taking steps to maintain hygiene by the eating establishments and to control the food adulteration.
GHMC said that till July 3, it had inspected 373 hotels and imposed Rs 16.78 lakh penalties on 208 of them. GHMC inspectors looked for hygiene of the place, quality of water and cleanliness and ventilation in the kitchen. They also checked if food was being stored in the fridge, and whether date-expired food stuffs were being disposed of. They also checked whether meat was obtained from licenced slaughterhouses. The teams checked for separate rooms and toilets for staff, and whether the workers were wearing uniform.
Drugs and illegal food disposed
THOUBAL| July 8
Under the supervision of SP, district police Kakching, W. Singhajeet, a team of police lead by SDPO, Thingam Deeshorjeet disposed yesterday, various drugs and illegal food products seized from many areas of kakching and Hiyanglam. The seized items were disposed of by burning them at Kakching, Urok Chingkhong. The disposal was carried out under the presence of the councillors of Kakching Municipal Council, the SDC of central kakching, officials of food safety, police officers and personnel of Kakching and Hiyanglam.
The disposed drugs and illegal food products would amount to approximately Rs 28,000 in the local market.
Jul 8, 2017
Is liquid nitrogen even healthy for you? Here's the downside of the latest Indian food trend
While this chemical adds a lot of drama to our food and drinks, it also poses major health and safety hazards
A drink or dessert that has cold smoke billowing from it looks so cool! It's just the sort of drama foodies across the world have been going crazy about for the past few years, and the trend has picked up in a major way in India as well.
But behind the drama is a volatile chemical called liquid nitrogen, and no, it's not the safest thing in the world. Not only does whipping up that 30-second instant ice cream pose a threat to the health of the chef or bartender, but also to the consumer.
Recently, a 30-year-old man drank a liquid nitrogen-chilled drink at a Delhi bar, and ended up with a big hole in his stomach! While this is the first such accident in India, a girl in Lancaster lost her entire stomach lining back in 2012 thanks to a liquid nitrogen-infused cocktail at her 18th birthday party.
So don't just buy into the drama of this food trend. Consider its negative effects as well, for the sake of your health and safety. A little bit of knowledge can go a long way, so here's everything you need to know about liquid nitrogen.
The coolest chemical in town
Liquid nitrogen is actually nitrogen gas, but in the liquid state at an extremely low temperature. It has been used in the global food industry since the 1800s to freeze food products and preserve them quickly. While it isn't likely to catch fire, it is extremely cold, and can freeze anything in an instant.
Nowadays, liquid nitrogen is used to chill drinks, desserts, ice creams, and glasses. It's used in the food packaging industry because it delays foods from turning rancid. This cryogenic property has led to the use of liquid nitrogen in the packaging of meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, microwavable meals, pasta and bakery products, milk and milk products.
Caution is key
"The use of liquid nitrogen is good until used in limited extent and carefully. A bit of carelessness may create major problems," says Dr. Saurabh Arora, the founder of foodsafetyhelpline.com.
"The beneficial freezing property of liquid nitrogen is also its dangerous effect. The vapor of liquid nitrogen could immediately freeze skin tissues and also cause cold burns. If a person swallows a bit of it, it may cause expansion of liquid nitrogen in the stomach. This results to severe health issues or death," he adds.
While the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has permitted the use of liquid nitrogen since 2011, it has only recently trickled down to restaurants and ice cream parlous in India's leading metropolitan cities. It's a big trend in Delhi, with chefs and mixologists using it in everything to add drama.
The problem is that the same chemical that's used in the manufacturing and food packaging industries is being used to make these dishes. And while we all seek a little delicious drama in life--and our mixologists are willing to give it to us in most bars and restaurants in the city--most people handling the chemical aren't trained, or even cautious.
There's a reason you can see contestants and chefs on MasterChef Australia wearing protective gloves and goggles while using liquid nitrogen. There's a reason why the judges are careful about consuming it. The reason is simple--better safe than sorry.
Enjoying food and the drama that goes with it is important, but when a trend is more dangerous than enjoyable, maybe we should just do without it--or depend on certified, trained chefs and mixologists. Given the fact that not all chefs, ice cream makers and bartenders in India are trained, it's probably best to just give this trend a miss.
Concern over quality of bottled water
When consumers buy bottled water, they assume it to be safe and healthy. Bus stands, railway stations, picnic spots and cricket stadiums are making roaring business in selling water, the cost of which is more than the cost of milk.
The turnover of the bottled water industry is estimated to be around Rs 3,000 crore. But seldom consumers think about the quality of the bottled water. It appears that there is no end for exploiting the consumers in the name of supplying safe packaged drinking water.
Ever since the packaged or bottled water industry started functioning, there is a series of studies by the government and independent laboratories which have highlighted the dangers of bottled water. Despite making it mandatory for bottled water manufacturers to obtain the ISI mark from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and stringent quality measures prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), consumers continue to be sold with impure and unsafe water.
Some years ago, the Ahmedabad-based Consumer Education and Research Centre had published a report on quality of bottled water and found several discrepancies. In 2015, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc) team tested 90 samples of bottled water and found 27% of the samples contained bromates, a salt containing bromide in excess of the limits permitted by the WHO.
The latest study by the Voluntary Organisation in the Interest of Consumer Education (Voice), a New Delhi-based consumer organisation, has found that some brands of packaged drinking water is microbiologically unsafe.
The Voice tested a dozen brands of packaged drinking water including popular brands like the state owned Rail Neer, McDowells, Bisleri, Aquafina etc, for the presence of undesirable substances and microbiological organisms, pesticide residues, toxic/heavy metals, turbidity and colour. The samples were drawn from the open market and tested against the standards prescribed by BIS, in a National Accreditation Board of Laboratories (NABL) accredited laboratory.
Micro organism like E coli, coliform found in the environment can contaminate water. They can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps. The laboratory tests has confirmed that total viable colony count was high in brands like Aquafina, Bailley, Royal Blue and A4X and thereby unsafe.
Aquafina contained yeast and mould. However, in respect of undesirable substances, all brands passed the tests. Drinking water can contain Nitrate to a maximum of 45 mg/litre. Except for Aquafina, Kinley and More, all brands contained nitrate, but within the prescribed limits.
The tests were also conducted to ascertain contents of fluoride, silver, chloride, sulphate and other chemicals. Fortunately, all brands were found to contain fluoride within the permissible limits of 1 mg/litre. Silver was not detected in any of the brands. Chloride is not harmful, unless it exceeds the limit.
The maximum permissible limit for chloride is 200 mg/litre and chloride was within the limits in all brands. Presence of pesticides residues has been a major concern with bottled water. However, the present test found that none of the brands contained pesticide residues in excess of the permitted standards.
Purification systems
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are the amount of minerals, salts or metals dissolved in a given volume of water. It is directly related to the purity of potable water and the quality of water purification systems. Rail Neer was found to contain the highest quantity of TDS and Aquafina the lowest.
Consumers rarely read labels and take things for granted. Bottled water contains the letter pH which stands for potential. A measurement below seven indicates presence of acid and above seven indicates alkalinity. The BIS requires it to be between 6.5 and 8.5. All brands complied with these requirements.
The labelling requirements were also met with. Based on the overall test findings, Rail Neer is the top performer followed by McDowells and Bisleri. Even in terms of cost, Rail Neer is the cheapest at Rs 15 a litre against Rs 20 for other brands. However, the above tests have not gone well with Aquafina. They have raised certain issues which are replied by Voice.
Though consumer groups are bringing out test reports of many products, the response from consumers is not encouraging, unlike in the West. Similarly, manufacturers come forward to get their products tested by these consumer groups because a favourable report enhances their sales. Consumer movement in India is in need of a new philosophy.
Ice cream vs frozen dessert war hots up
What's the difference between an ice cream and a frozen dessert? And does it matter?
Yes, if the battle between giants is any indication.
India's largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, Hindustan Unilever, had last month filed a case against the country's largest ice-cream maker, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, in the Bombay High Court, successfully obtaining an injunction against an advertisement for Amul ice cream which "disparaged frozen desserts."
Amul's ad had said that people should eat real ice cream made from milk, rather than frozen dessert made from "Vanaspati." The court said the ad was "guilty of disparaging a rival product" – Unilever's Kwality Walls, which is a leader in frozen desserts.
So what's the difference between the two? An ice-cream is made from milk fats while a frozen dessert is made from vegetable oil fats. Vanaspati is a hydrogenated vegetable oil used in cooking, a cheaper substitute for ghee or butter. But it's not used in frozen desserts, say manufacturers.
Every summer, a battle of sorts resumes between ice-cream and frozen dessert makers. Often, consumers are unaware about the difference. "It becomes very difficult to convince people that we make ice-cream, and not frozen dessert.
The approach that we have decided to undertake is to educate the consumers by pointing them to the differentiation which the government of India has made," Chaitanya Rele, Vice President and Head of Marketing at Havmor Ice Cream, told IANS.
Gujarat-based Havmor claims itself to be the second-largest dairy-based ice-cream maker, after Amul. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorised ice-creams under "dairy based desserts/confections", further categorised as plain, medium fat and low fat depending on the percentage of total solids, milk fat and milk protein used.
The food regulator defines "frozen dessert/frozen confection" as a product obtained by freezing a pasteurized mix prepared with milk fat and/or edible vegetable oils and fat. The milk fat is used in such dessert for freezing.
According to ice-cream manufacturers, frozen desserts have captured a market share of 40 per cent of the Rs 1,800 crore market with a growth of approximately 10-12 per cent every year.
"We have recently come out with a campaign on print and digital mediums talking only about the goodness of our product – that they are made from rich, creamy milk," said Randhir Kumar, General Manager, Marketing (Dairy Products) of Mother Dairy.
But are both the products same from the health viewpoint?
Sunita Roy Chowdhury, Chief Dietician at BL Kapoor Hospital, said that frozen desserts have more trans-fat as compared to ice-creams. "Trans fatty acids are not good. I believe trans fatty acids are used in frozen desserts because the normal oil does not freeze. I would suggest ice-creams are better than frozen desserts," Chowdhury asserted.
Nitin Arora, Chief Executive Officer of Creambell – which markets a combination of ice creams and frozen desserts – said awareness should be raised on the virtues of vegetable oil compared to those of dairy fat.
"The cooking medium in our houses remains vegetable oil or mustard oil. This is the same ingredient that goes into the making of frozen dessert. The fact remains that nobody uses 'vanaspati' in frozen dessert," Arora told IANS.
He said that most of the single serves are ice creams, while for catering and banqueting packs they use frozen desserts. "If we sell a frozen dessert, it is very clearly labelled. We cannot camouflage a frozen dessert as ice-cream or vice versa," he said. He said that 10 per cent fat that goes into ice-cream is dairy fat, whereas that 10 per cent going into frozen dessert is vegetable oil fat.
Havmor's Rele says it's a question of consumer awareness. "At the end of the day is frozen dessert a bad thing? No, it's not a bad thing, but there are differences. Importantly, a consumer has a right to know," he said.
Dispute between ice cream and frozen dessert makers spices up
FMCG company, Hindustan Unilever, had last month filed a case against the country's largest ice-cream maker, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, in the Bombay High Court, successfully obtaining an injunction against an advertisement for Amul ice cream.
What’s the difference between an ice cream and a frozen dessert? And does it matter?
Yes, if the battle between giants is any indication.
India’s largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, Hindustan Unilever, had last month filed a case against the country’s largest ice-cream maker, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, in the Bombay High Court, successfully obtaining an injunction against an advertisement for Amul ice cream which “disparaged frozen desserts”.
Amul’s ad had said that people should eat real ice cream made from milk, rather than frozen dessert made from “vanaspati”. The court said the ad was “guilty of disparaging a rival product” — Unilever’s Kwality Walls, which is a leader in frozen desserts.
So what’s the difference between the two? An ice-cream is made from milk fats while a frozen dessert is made from vegetable oil fats. Vanaspati is a hydrogenated vegetable oil used in cooking, a cheaper substitute for ghee or butter. But it’s not used in frozen desserts, say manufacturers.
Every summer, a battle of sorts resumes between ice-cream and frozen dessert makers. Often, consumers are unaware about the difference.
“It becomes very difficult to convince people that we make ice-cream, and not frozen dessert. The approach that we have decided to undertake is to educate the consumers by pointing them to the differentiation which the government of India has made,” Chaitanya Rele, Vice President and Head of Marketing at Havmor Ice Cream, told IANS.
Gujarat-based Havmor claims itself to be the second-largest dairy-based ice-cream maker, after Amul.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorised ice-creams under “dairy based desserts/confections”, further categorised as plain, medium fat and low fat depending on the percentage of total solids, milk fat and milk protein used.
The food regulator defines “frozen dessert/frozen confection” as a product obtained by freezing a pasteurized mix prepared with milk fat and/or edible vegetable oils and fat. The milk fat is used in such dessert for freezing.
According to ice-cream manufacturers, frozen desserts have captured a market share of 40 per cent of the Rs 1,800 crore market with a growth of approximately 10-12 per cent every year.
“We have recently come out with a campaign on print and digital mediums talking only about the goodness of our product — that they are made from rich, creamy milk,” said Randhir Kumar, General Manager, Marketing (Dairy Products) of Mother Dairy.
But are both the products same from the health viewpoint?
Sunita Roy Chowdhury, Chief Dietician at BL Kapoor Hospital, said that frozen desserts have more trans-fat as compared to ice-creams. “Trans fatty acids are not good. I believe trans fatty acids are used in frozen desserts because the normal oil does not freeze. I would suggest ice-creams are better than frozen desserts,” Chowdhury asserted.
Nitin Arora, Chief Executive Officer of Creambell — which markets a combination of ice creams and frozen desserts — said awareness should be raised on the virtues of vegetable oil compared to those of dairy fat.
“The cooking medium in our houses remains vegetable oil or mustard oil. This is the same ingredient that goes into the making of frozen dessert. The fact remains that nobody uses ‘vanaspati’ in frozen dessert,” Arora told IANS.
He said that most of the single serves are ice creams, while for catering and banqueting packs they use frozen desserts. “If we sell a frozen dessert, it is very clearly labelled. We cannot camouflage a frozen dessert as ice-cream or vice versa,” he said.
He said that 10 per cent fat that goes into ice-cream is dairy fat, whereas that 10 per cent going into frozen dessert is vegetable oil fat.
Havmor’s Rele says it’s a question of consumer awareness. “At the end of the day is frozen dessert a bad thing? No, it’s not a bad thing, but there are differences. Importantly, a consumer has a right to know,” he said.
RO water sellers knock HC’s door
Nagpur: The RO Chilled Water Manufacturers Association knocked judiciary's doors challenging Foods and Drugs Administration's (FDA) action of prohibiting them from selling their products without Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification.
A division bench comprising justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Rohit Deo, on Friday, issued notices to the respondents, including Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), asking them to reply before August 1. FDA's Mumbai office along with its designated officers and assistant commissioners (Food) in Nagpur, Akola and Bhandara, and BIS are other respondents in the case.
About 16 petitioners from these three cities moved to Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court through counsel Harnish Gadhia after FDA teams raided their premises in last couple of weeks. Immediately after that, the respondents under FSS Act, 2006, issued orders prohibiting the sale of chilled water, being sold openly by them. TOI, in a series of reports, had exposed on how chilled water sellers allegedly sell products in most unhygienic conditions.
The petitioners earlier made various representations to respondents and also raised the issue at various other forums, but nothing moved in their favour.
According to Gadhia, the centre made some amendments in 'Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011' on November 16 last year and published a notification in the Official Gazette of India on March 1.
In a reply to RTI query, the city-based FDA office informed that it's necessary to obtain the licenses under the Act only for sale of packaged drinking water . The BIS informed that its licenses are granted against an Indian Standard, but since it wasn't formulated for drinking water supplied in jars, those can't be granted.
The petitioners prayed for quashing or staying various prohibition orders issued by FDA officers in three cities. They also insist on asking respondents not force them to obtain a license from BIS to sell the water.
FOOD FORTIFICATION – THE WAY FORWARD
In the recently formulated National Health Policy, the Government acknowledged fortification as a key strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies in India. Food fortification should be a vital element of health programmes. Oil is widely consumed by all population groups in India, thus it can be a potent vehicle for fortification with vitamin A and vitamin D
Primarily caused by dietary deficiencies of vitamins A and D, micronutrient malnutrition is emerging as a silent epidemic. Commonly called “hidden hunger”, it does not create hunger pangs but strikes at the core of growth and development. It is a global phenomenon affecting infants, young children and adults of all ages. More than 2 billion people in the world today are affected by micronutrient malnutrition.
Micronutrient malnutrition contributes greatly to the global burden of diseases and is more severe in developing countries. Although India has made significant strides in healthcare in the last decade, it still has a high prevalence of malnutrition, which impedes the socio-economic development. More than 57 per cent of children suffer from Vitamin A deficiency and the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency is as high as 70 per cent in some areas, hence making it more difficult to tackle, but all the more urgent to address.
Micronutrients are dietary components which are vital to development, disease prevention and the well-being of all. Its deficiencies can have far reaching and devastating consequences. Micronutrient deficiencies not only lead to cognitive impairment and increased incidence and severity of infectious illness, but also have far reaching effects on economies through physical and mental disabilities as well as reduced immunity and work productivity, perpetuating poverty and deprivation among people. It also increases mortality and morbidity rates among vulnerable groups. It is estimated that the short-term economic cost of micronutrient malnutrition in India amounts to 0.8 per cent to 2.5 per cent of the gross domestic product.
Although these deficiencies are not physically visible, they are widespread. The Indian Constitution guarantees its citizens the fundamental Right to Life which includes the right to adequate food, shelter and clothing. The very existence of malnutrition and hunger is violation of the Constitution and the Right to Life. Our goal should be to end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms.
There are various approaches to dealing with micronutrient malnutrition. According to the World Bank, food fortification is one of the simplest, proven, cost-effective complementary strategies. Food fortification aims at addition of essential micronutrients like vitamins and minerals into daily consumed food items. In the case of vitamin A and D, these fat-soluble vitamins can easily be introduced into Indian vegetarian diets through the means of oil fortification, milk and non-dairy soy milk fortification, providing the masses easier access to essential micronutrients and helping in fighting vitamin A and D deficiency-related diseases.
Along with timely intervention of this strategy it is very important to make policymakers, caregivers and families aware of the need for food fortification. While this alone cannot address micronutrient deficiencies, it is definitely one of the critical strategies to address micronutrient deficiencies. In India, food fortification efforts have been scattered and there needs to be a clear strategy from the Government to promote large-scale fortification of food. New investments are needed to build, improve and sustain fortification programmes across the country to reduce the prevalence of diseases caused by nutritional deficiencies.
As a step in this direction, I am glad to note that in the recently formulated National Health Policy, the Government acknowledged fortification as a key strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies in India. Food fortification should be a vital element of health programmes both at the national and State level and needs to be scaled-up at all levels.
In an effort to address the issue, last year, food regulatory body, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), released a set of standards for fortification of various food items such as rice, wheat flour, salt, milk and oil. Oil is widely consumed by all population groups in India, thus it can be a potent vehicle for fortification with fat soluble vitamins — vitamin A and D. Also the process involved is simple, cost-effective and affordable. Some States in India, like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, have already begun fortifying oil for their welfare schemes like mid-day meals. The Gujarat and Rajasthan Governments are early adopters and have taken a huge leap in fortification by selling fortified oil in the entire State to address micronutrient deficiencies. It is high time other States followed suit. Micronutrient interventions are critical to achieve the nutrition targets of Sustainable Development Goals. Our investments towards other interventions will have a greater impact on health outcomes of our country if we are successful in tackling nutritional deficiencies.
1.5 tonnes of tobacco products seized
Coimbatore: Tirupur food safety officials seized 1.5 tonnes of tobacco products hidden at a house near Avinashi on Friday morning.
Based on a tip-off, Tirupur designated food safety officer Thamilselvan and team raided small and large tea shops, petty shops and bakeries in the area and warned them not to sell tobacco products.
Based on yet another tip-off, they also raided a house on P S Sundaram Street and found 1.5 tonnes of tobacco products valued at around Rs 5 lakh. The seized products included packets of hans, gutkha and tobacco leaves. Officials said they would continue to investigate the entry, distribution and sale of tobacco in the district, and crackdown on people involved in the trade.
Jul 7, 2017
Open to changes in new standards for food supplements: FSSAI
NEW DELHI, JULY 6:
Food regulator FSSAI today assured the food supplements and nutraceuticals industry that it is open to making changes in the new standards to support growth of the sector, but without compromising on consumers interest.
The Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations was issued last December. The Food Business Operators (FBOs) need to comply with these standards by January 1, 2018.
Addressing a Assocham conference on nutraceuticals, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal expressed concern over the increasing number of spurious food supplement products in the market.
“We released standards on food supplements and nutraceuticals few months ago. There were some concerns from the industry but we went ahead and released the standards. But our effort is not to cast them in stone as these are evolving standards,” Agarwal said.
“I want to assure the industry that if there are concerns, we are still open to change that. We have five-six months time before this regulations come in force. So, hopefully, we will iron out differences,” he said.
On the sidelines, the FSSAI CEO said that it has got many representation from the industry seeking some changes in the regulations related to inclusion of ingredients.
“Food supplements is a difficult sector to regulate. But for us consumers interest is paramount and non-negotiable,” he said, asking manufacturers to be cautious in declaring any claims about the products.
The FSSAI has set up a technical panel, which includes representation from industry as well, to prepare a framework for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
FSSAI panel to address concerns on health supplements, nutraceuticals
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Thursday said it is in the process of addressing concerns raised by the industry on new standards for eight categories of products, including health supplements and nutraceuticals, which were notified in 2016.
"These standards will come into force for compliance from January 1, 2018, so we have a little time at hand before these come into compliance and hopefully we will be able to iron out those differences and concerns which will be addressed within the next 5-6 months that we have," Pawan Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI, said while addressing an 'Assocham National Symposium on Nutraceuticals'.
The FSSAI chief said the standards of nutraceuticals were released by the food regulator a few months ago after very prolonged deliberations by the scientific panel, scientific committee and then the authority.
"There are associated standards and regulations, and the key amongst them being labelling regulations, claim regulations for which again the draft will soon be available on our website and we will be very happy to get feedback from the industry on those drafts," he said.
Agarwal added that these are also quite contentious issues considering that consumers' interest for any regulator is primary. "I think that is non-negotiable. So any food supplement manufacturer giving any kinds of claims has to be extra cautious and as a regulator we have to ensure that those claims are substantiated with evidence."
On the labelling, he said there may not be too many issues, however, adding that FSSAI has been getting reports from the field that increasingly large number of spurious products are available in the market today.
"The challenge with the food supplements is that there is no robust framework for testing of food supplements products. There are also issues about good manufacturing practices around food supplements and nutraceuticals sectors," said the FSSAI chief.
He said that FSSAI had set up a technical panel with representatives from food supplement companies to put together the framework for goods manufacturing practices (GMPs) for nutraceuticals and food supplements.
Agarwal said though there are many companies that import food supplements, the FSSAI intends to provide them a level-playing field. But considering the 'Make in India' campaign of the government, their focus is on promoting much of processing and manufacturing within India.
The FSSAI chief added that it is imperative for both the industry and government to work together to provide a more robust framework for growth of food supplement and nutraceuticals sector in India.
J.P. Meena, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), stressed upon the need to make the food supplements and nutraceuticals affordable as about 43 per cent children across India remain malnourished while the sector mainly caters to the middle and upper-middle class consumers.
Meena said the MoFPI has particularly been focusing on making farmers/growers partners in the growth story of food processing sector.
"Unless the benefits to some extent are passed on to the farmers, I see that the future of industry will not be very stable and we may not be able to face challenges which will emerge in the future on account of health concerns," he said.
He also said that with regard to capacity expansion and creating new capacities, MoFPI has come out with a new scheme, 'Kisan Sampada', whereby the government will be investing Rs 6,000 crore over the next three years, which should bring an investment of about Rs 35,000 crore in the food processing sector as a whole.
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