Aug 4, 2017
Adulteration racket busted
Crackdown: Task force police and food safety authorities check the stocks at a medical store in One town on Thursday.
Warehouse, unit seized; owners arrested
Sleuths of the Commissioner’s Task Force along with Food Safety Department officials raided two units and seized huge stocks of adulterated glucose and papads in the city on Thursday. The traders were taken into custody by the police and the samples of glucose and papads were collected by the food safety officials for laboratory tests.
Acting on tip-off, officials raided a warehouse of Swastik Products and Anjaneya Medicals near the One Town fish market and found 27 bags of glucose and a large number of small paper boxes printed with labels of popular brands in the market. Outdated and local-made medicines were also seized.
Dangerous mix
Officials found that the owners have been repacking the glucose they bought at wholesale price into branded sachets and paper boxes and selling them to medical shops and grocery stores in the city.
“Suspecting the presence of rice starch in the powder, we collected the samples and sent them to the lab,” said Assistant Food controller G. Purnachandra Rao.
‘Hazardous papad’
Later, the teams raided a papad manufacturing company at Radha Nagar in the Payakapuram area and found that owner did not have any permission.
“The premises was unhygienic. Also, the manufacturers were using poor quality black gram powder and sodium carbonate to make papads boil quickly and easily. The chemical substance is hazardous to health,” he added. The owners of the units were arrested and the units shut down.
FDA shuts down two canteens at Mapusa, Assagao
Mapusa: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Thursday ordered the closure of the canteen at a design and technology institute at Assagao after it was found to be operating under unhygienic conditions.
Rajiv Korde, senior food safety officer said the inspection carried out by FDA officials revealed the canteen, that was catering to around 600 students, didn't possess a food licence.
The principal of the college assured to comply with FDA's order in the interest of the students, he said.
According to University Grants Comission (UGC), canteens and other food establishments in affiliated colleges must adhere to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, including a mandatory food licence.
In another inspection carried out on Thursday, FDA officials also ordered the shut down of a canteen at Kadamba bus stand at Mapusa. During an inspection two months ago, officials had discovered that the canteen flouted several norms. The restaurant didn't install a water filter, dustbins were found overflowing and utensils were being washed with reused water. The eatery reeked of foul odour owing to the overflowing soakpit.
The canteen contractor Mahesh Narvekar, who was directed to halt all activities, claimed that he has placed his grievances before Kadamaba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) to undertake repairs works of the canteen.
Salim Veljee, FDA director confirmed that two cases have been booked.
The inspection team comprised senior food safety officer (FSO) Rajiv Korde and other members including FSO Flavia D'souza, Madhav Kavlekar, Atul Dessai, Shruti Pilarnekar, and Pradeep Parsekar.
210 kg food in 46 sweet shops destroyed
Vadodara: Food safety officers of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) checked shops selling sweets and savouries in different parts of the city on Thursday. The teams destroyed a large quantity of food items and collected samples for testing.
The officers have gone on an offence to test sweets and other food items in wake of the ensuing Rakshabandhan festival. The teams checked 46 shops and manufacturing facilities in Alkapuri, Akota, Pandya Bridge, Gorwa, Subhanpura and Sayajigunj areas.
The teams destroyed 210 kg of food items including raw material that was not found fit for consumption. Notices were issued to nine establishments and others were given warnings to maintain hygienic conditions. The drive is expected to continue for the next couple of days, officials said.
AMC raids find animal ingredients in farsan
Ahmedabad: If you plan to buy farsan and sweets for the month of Shravan, beware. You may end up eating 'non-vegetarian' items, as the flying squad officials of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Thursday, found worms in gram flour used to make farsan and sweets.
AMC officials raided sweet and farsan stores across the city on Wednesday and Thursday and 194 notices were issued to shops violating the norms of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act.
Standard violations such as vanaspati used in ghee, substandard oil, old flour infected with worms and insects were unearthed by civic body officials.
Suspicious food samples were also collected from 37 such shops in Navrangpura, Satellite, Anandnagar Road, Nikol, Naroda, Naranpura, Stadium Road, Paldi, Sabarmati and Ghodasar among others. These samples have been sent to the public health laboratory for testing.
AMC officials also levied administrative charges of Rs 36,500 on companies violating FSSAI norms. "We found violations in packaging norms, where batch numbers, packaging date, use-by dates and even the list of ingredients were missing from packets," said Rakesh Gamit, food safety officer, AMC.
Aug 2, 2017
Food adulteration in India, the reason you need to be careful with what you eat
There is a good probability that a lot of what you eat is adulterated. Therefore, it becomes essential to cross check the purity of the things you consume
- Food adulteration has been highly rampant in India
- “Some of the most common adulterated foods are milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments”
- The case of food adulteration that took the country by storm was the case of Maggi Noodles, India’s most popular snack
New Delhi, August 1, 2017: The definition of food adulteration according to the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is, “The addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food so that the natural composition and quality of food substance is affected.”
Food adulteration has been highly rampant in India. India, on a usual basis, witnesses a number of cases of people getting affected by consuming adulterated food products.
According to FSSAI, “Some of the most common adulterated foods are milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments, pulses, coffee, tea, confectionery, baking powder, vinegar, besan and curry powder.”
The case of food adulteration that took the country by storm was the case of the very loved, Maggi Noodles. Maggi Noodles was found to contain a higher than the permissible level of lead and MSG. The entire nation was shocked to know that India’s most popular snack is not safe for consumption. Nutritionists suggest that consumption of lead for a long period of time can have hazardous consequences on the body.
“The Annual Public Laboratory Testing Report for 2014-15 brought out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) says that of the 49,290 samples of food items it tested, 8,469, nearly one-fifth, were found adulterated or misbranded.” suggests a report in The Hindu.
The worst part is, despite the potential of disastrous consequences of adulteration, the government is very lenient in providing punishment for the crime. Even if the culprit is caught, the system isn’t strict enough and one can easily get away.
“The reason behind the increasing trend in food adulteration practices is the poor ethical framework and lack of values. Government laws have their limits, it is the values in people that automatically resist them to do unethical practices,” says Rahul Gupta who works for the Food Corporation of India. “In regard to milk, the demand and supply gap, and the ease with which it can be handled is what makes it the softest target of adulteration.” he mentioned.
Sections 272 and 273 of the Indian Penal Code deal with the offense of Adulteration of Food and Drink Intended for Sale entailing a punishment of six months imprisonment or payment of Rs. 1000 fine in case of a person adulterating some food or drink, as an attempt to make the food or drink noxious, intending to sell it, or knowing the likeliness of the same being sold as a food or drink.
There is a good probability that a lot of what you eat is adulterated. Therefore, it becomes essential to cross check the purity of the things you consume. The situation is, indeed, grave and one needs to be watchful!. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/food-adulteration-in-india/
To check adulteration, FSDA conducts raid at food manufacturing unit
Meerut: In order to check adulteration in sweets and other eatables ahead of Raksha Bandhan, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) officials raided a food manufacturing unit in Meerut’s Shastri Nagar area on Tuesday. One sample each of besan ladoo, food colour and refined palm oil was taken from the spot and an improvement notice was issued to the owner of the unit.
Archana Dheeran, designated officer, FSDA, said, “We took three samples – one each of besan ladoo, food colour and refined palm oil from Giriraj Food Products – a manufacturing unit in Shastri Nagar area. The samples were collected and sent for inspection at a Lucknow laboratory to ensure that no tampering is done at the local level.”
The samples were collected by a seven-member team. The reports of these samples will take at least a month to arrive after which action will be taken if required.
“Also, since the food was being prepared in unhygienic conditions, an improvement notice has been issued to them. A check will be conducted after one month to see if they followed the directions in the improvement notice – which if not done, will invite an inquiry against them,” said Dheeran.
The raids will continue for the next few days, said officials.
Complaint based on BARC research: NHRC asks for report on levels of bromate in drinking water
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of a Mumbai doctor’s complaint about “high levels” of bromate in packaged drinking water. The complaint is based on a Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) report that found high levels of bromate in packaged drinking water in 27 per cent of the samples they tested in Mumbai. Bromate is known to have carcinogenic effects, reduce weight and affect renal function. While the World Health Organization (WHO) limits bromate concentration to 10 microgram per litre in drinking water, the samples tested had 10.7 microgram per litre.
The report stressed on the need for the Indian government to lay down standards for bromate, chorite, chlorate and bromide concentration in packaged drinking water under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The report was prepared in 2015, but with no action on it in the past two years, a Mumbai doctor on July 7 wrote to NHRC to take congnizance of the research. The NHRC has now asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to submit a report on this in four weeks.
In the report, BARC scientists had analysed 18 samples of 500-ml commercially packaged drinking water. In five samples, they found levels of bromate to be higher than international standards. Levels of chlorate and chlorite were found within accepted range. “When I came to know about this report, I realised people are at risk of carcinogenic chemicals through consumption of packaged water. Government should have acted on the report,” the Mumbai based doctor who filed the complaint said on condition of anonymity.
According to Dr V K Pancham, attached with FSSAI (western zone), the permissions for manufacturing packaged water are currently based on IS document 14543, which lists a series of requirements to maintain turbidity, colour, and chemical composition of water. “We are not aware of the BARC research,” he said.
The state Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which routinely samples drinking water from hotels, hawkers and restaurants, has its own criteria for testing water. “The levels of bromate are mandated by international standards, not Indian standards,” a joint commissioner at FDA said.
If ozonisation is used to disinfect water, intake of bromate may range from 120 to 180 microgram in a day for those who consume it.
Action taken by Centre to stop duplicate mineral water bottle
New Delhi, August 1: Standards for Packaged Mineral Water and Packaged Drinking Water (other than Mineral Water) are prescribed under sub-regulations 2.10.7 and 2.10.8 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 respectively and compliance to these standards is mandatory for any packaged drinking water manufacturer in the country. These products are also under mandatory certification of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
These requirements are to be followed by all manufacturers of packaged water. However, cases of sale of packaged water by unlicensed units and not meeting the prescribed standards have come to the notice of FSSAI. Therefore, FSSAI has been regularly taking up the matter with the Food Safety Commissioners of States/UTs and urging them to undertake regular and effective enforcement action in the matter.
Regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products, including packaged water are being undertaken by the officials of Food Safety Departments of the respective States/UTs to check that they comply with the standards laid down under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules and regulations made thereunder. In cases where the food samples are found to be non-conforming, recourse is taken to penal provisions under Chapter IX of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) from time to time receives complaints regarding quality of BIS Standard marked Packaged Natural Mineral water and Packaged Drinking Water as per IS 13428 and IS 14543 respectively. Similarly complaints are also received regarding misuse of Standard Mark on Packaged Drinking Water/Packaged Natural Mineral water by manufacturers without having valid BIS Licence.
Complaints regarding quality of BIS Standard Marked Packaged Natural Mineral water and Packaged Drinking Water are investigated both at complainant-end and Licencee's premises for redressal.
Complaints regarding misuse of BIS Standard Mark (ISI mark) on Packaged Natural Mineral water and Packaged Drinking Water are investigated. Depending on outcome of the investigation, raids are conducted and cases are filed in the concerned court of law.
FSSAI plans more for ensuring food safety
The central food regulator has been very proactive with regard to issues like safety and standards, including labelling of packaged products and nutrient content, which has led to a sharp rise in the number of notices, orders and guidelines issued by it since 2015.
A series of notifications and guidelines have been issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to safeguard consumer interest as part of the health ministry's plan to strengthen the regulatory regime.
Food regulation in India has mostly been a conflicting turf between the industry, the regulator and the consumer. However, the packaged food industry is rapidly growing, making it all the more important for the government and regulator to set the ground rules in the interest of the industry as well as consumers.
India's diabetes burden and the obesity problem have assumed serious levels. Experts blame these on the consumption of sugary beverages and junk food. The disease burden is also fast increasing among children.
The FSSAI plans to control sourcing of raw materials by restaurants and food manufacturers. So far, vendors of vegetables, spices and other raw materials are not required to have licences from the FSSAI.
Another major area of focus is curbing availability of junk food and those high on sugar, salt and trans-fat in and around schools. The idea is to control incidence of non-communicable diseases among the youth.
Aug 1, 2017
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தர்மபுà®°ி,
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இதுதொடர்பாக துணை போலீஸ் சூப்பிரண்டு காந்தி, இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் ரத்தினகுà®®ாà®°், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் பிà®°ுந்தா ஆகியோà®°் சம்பவ இடத்தை நேà®°ில் பாà®°்வையிட்டு விசாரணை நடத்தினாà®°்கள். இதைத்தொடர்ந்து புகையிலை பொà®°ுட்களை பதுக்கியது தொடர்பாக வழக்குப்பதிவு செய்த தர்மபுà®°ி டவுன் போலீசாà®°், இதில் தொடர்புடைய தர்மபுà®°ியை சேà®°்ந்த லோகாந்தன்(வயது 43), அஸ்கர்அலி(31) ஆகிய 2 பேà®°ை கைது செய்தனர். இதில் தொடர்புடைய à®®ேலுà®®் சிலரை பிடித்து தீவிà®° விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகிà®±ாà®°்கள்.
After HC Rap, Govt Appoints Commissioner Food Safety
A notification in this regard was issued by the government under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and comes two weeks after the J&K high court pulled up the state for remaining behind in appointing the Commissioner.
Srinagar—The State government on Monday appointed Dr Pawan Kotwal (IAS), Principal Secretary to the Government Health and Medical Education Department, as the Commissioner of Food Safety in addition to his own duties.
A notification in this regard was issued by the government under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and comes two weeks after the J&K high court pulled up the state for remaining behind in appointing the Commissioner.
During the suo-moto hearing of a Public Interest Litigation, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, who was present before the court on June 17, had stated that the process of having a “full time” Commissioner of Food Safety was under way. “The proposal is pending with the Finance Department for financial approval,” Kotwal had said, following which the high court had directed the Finance Department to clear the proposal within a week.
The court had stressed that the entire organizational structure envisaged under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 required that all the functionaries should be in place because specific functions have been given to officers of each tier.
The lowest in the ladder is the Food Safety Officer, then Designated Officer, Assistant Commissioner and Commissioner of Food Safety on the top.
In so far as reporting of samples was concerned, the first point is collection and that is to be done by the Food Safety Officer. Thereafter, the samples are forwarded to the Food Analyst through the Designated Officers. It is the Food Analyst who analyses the samples and then, depending upon the seriousness of offence, whether it is a case of fine or sentence or sentence of more than three years, further action has to be taken by the Designated Officer or by Commissioner Food Safety, the court had underlined. “Unless and until the entire manpower is in place, the proper functioning of the Act would not be possible,” the court had said
In so far as Food Safety Officers are concerned, there are 106 sanctioned posts, out of which 70 are filled while 20 FSOs are holding the posts of Designated Officers as Incharge but not in a substantive capacity.
“Once they are granted substantive capacities as Designated Officers, 20 posts of Food Safety Officers would become available which would have to be filled up,” the court had said.
Besides, there are 16 posts of FSOS which are lying vacant and the process in respect of them has been initiated by the government. The government informed the court that the examination in respect of the 16 posts conducted by the J&K Service Selection Board on 6 July this year and its result was awaited.
Jul 31, 2017
FSSAI in high gear to make food safer
The central food regulator has been very proactive with regard to issues like safety and standards, including labelling of packaged products and nutrient content, which has led to a sharp rise in the number of notices, orders and guidelines issued by it since 2015.
A series of notifications and guidelines have been issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to safeguard consumer interest as part of the health ministry's plan to strengthen the regulatory regime (see graphic).
Food regulation in India has mostly been a conflicting turf between the industry, the regulator and the consumer. However, the packaged food industry is rapidly growing, making it all the more important for the government and regulator to set the ground rules in the interest of the industry as well as consumers.
"Packaged food is the reality of the day but so is the growing burden of disorders like obesity , diabetes and heart ailments. We are trying to ensure food safety by bringing changes in regulations and undertaking other initiatives," an official said.
He added that the FSSAI and the ministry was trying to work with food companies to bring in provisions like nutrient profiling not just for packaged food but also in restaurants. "This will allow consumers to make an informed choice," he said.
India's diabetes burden and the obesity problem have assumed serious levels. Experts blame these on the consumption of sugary beverages and junk food. The disease burden is also fast increasing among children.
The FSSAI plans to control sourcing of raw materials by restaurants and food manufacturers. So far, vendors of vegetables, spices and other raw materials are not required to have licences from the FSSAI.Another major area of focus is curbing availability of junk food and those high on sugar, salt and trans-fat in and around schools. The idea is to control incidence of non-communicable diseases among the youth.
MOBILE FOOD TESTING LAB TO BE LAUNCHED IN STATE
In a bid to prevent adulteration in food items and products, the State Government has decided to flag off a mobile food testing laboratory to examine food samples.
The proposed lab would be launched in coordination with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the State Government to test samples of edible oil, milk and other food items, especially in rural and remote areas.
The decision was made in view of the media reports about food adulteration in urban and rural areas of the State. As food testing labs are not available everywhere, the FSSAI has decided to set up the mobile food testing lab in the States, including Odisha.
As per the decision, a cluster would be made comprising 20 districts of Odisha where there is no facility for food test.. The lab would move for 15 days a month in every district and examine food samples including ghee, khoa, sweet, edible oil, packaged drinking water and spicy and snacks items. If required, samples would be collected from an area and sent to the nearest testing lab.
A total of Rs 35 lakh would be spent for setting up the mobile food testing lab. The Government can operate the lab through any NGO, agency, trust or society. The technicians and other staffs of the lab would be provided training. The employees would be recruited by the Government, said a senior official in the Health Department.
Deadly mix: Brewing faecal bacteria in your coffee cup?
Coffee shops in the city need to up their game where hygiene is concerned.
The recent investigative report by BBC Watchdog that found faecal bacteria in ice samples from the UK outlets of Costa Coffee, Café Nero and Starbucks, could likely put a brake on those bitter desires.
If a caffeine fix at your neighbourhood coffee shop is on top of your daily to-do list, then the recent investigative report by BBC Watchdog that found faecal bacteria in ice samples from the UK outlets of Costa Coffee, Café Nero and Starbucks, could likely put a brake on those bitter desires, hygiene not being a strong point of Indian cafes. Every year in summer there are inspections of ice factories by municipal corporations across the country. The most recent was a raid on three ice factories in Navi Mumbai in May, where 20,000 kg of contaminated ice had to be destroyed by the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because it contained traces of e-coli bacteria.
In fact, 92 per cent of ice samples collected by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation from street vendors across Mumbai were found to be contaminated. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines, ice used by businesses should be prepared with water that is safe for drinking and should be transported, stored and used in a sanitary manner.
“Ice used in restaurants should be made of potable water, free from e-coli bacteria. Also, the temperature required to keep the ice in its frozen form should be maintained properly. We collect and run tests on ice samples, regularly — especially in the summer season,” said an FDA official. For beverages that have multiple ingredients, those who supply the raw material and the café are both responsible for monitoring critical limits of the items through their taste, appearance, textures, odour, mixing time, pH and water levels.
Keeping consumers informed by displaying the names of the ingredients, and indicating possible allergens is also an important part of a cafe’s to-do list. India is traditionally a tea drinking nation, except for the southern states. But the coffee culture has gripped urban India, with coffee cafés sprouting in almost every corner of big cities, both home-grown as well global coffee giants. Of course, this spurt in the growth of cafés is part of the great surge of eating out, again a very urban phenomenon going back a decade or so.
Although the history of cultivation and export of the finest beans can be traced back four centuries, the domestic consumption of the coffee bean is fairly recent. Domestic consumption of coffee in India has increased from approximately 50,000 MT in 1998 to 1,1500 MT in 2011, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.09 per cent, according to India Brand Equity Foundation. So while tea may still be India’s most preferred beverage, coffee is catching on fast.
Jul 29, 2017
DC stays FSSAI notification on ban of Silver content on food items
New Delhi [India], July 28 : The Delhi High Court stayed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) notification, which said that no stage of manufactured silver leaf (chandi-ka-warq), use of animal or animal origin would be permissible, on Friday.
The effective date of enforcement of the impugned notification is set to be August 1.
The court has sought reply from the FSSAI and the Centre regarding the notification as well.
The said notification also said that the food grade should have uniform thickness, free from creases and folds, better weight and fineness.
A petition was filed by around 20,000 small traders against the notification and said that the FSSAI notification has no basis of defining Silver Leaf and has no rational as well.
"It rather appears that the same has been inserted not for any scientific or hygienic reason, but for some extrinsic reason which is essentially connected or related to sentiments," the petition said.
The petitioners also claimed that their products are analysed in a reputed laboratory to ascertain and confirm the standard.
The next date of hearing in this matter is set to be August 29
Hotels may have to give details of oil, fat used in cooking food items
Proposal part of FSSAI’s efforts to ensure food safety across the country by bringing changes in regulations and undertaking other initiatives
As part of its agenda to ensure safe food across India, FSSAI also wants to control sourcing of raw materials by restaurants. Photo: iStock
Hotels, restaurants and other food outlets may soon have to declare what kind of oil or fat is being used in cooking each of the food items on their menus, according to a proposal by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
“Hotel, restaurant and other food stall shall mark or indicate exclusive desi ghee items to customer and whenever vanaspati or oil or fat is used, shall also be mark (marked) or indicate (indicated) to customer,” the food regulator said in a proposal to change licensing conditions for entities selling prepared food items.
Riyaaz Amlani, president of lobby group National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), termed the proposed demand as “a fair ask”.
FSSAI has been trying to ensure food safety across the country by bringing changes in regulations and undertaking other initiatives on its own and jointly with private companies in the food space. It earlier said that restaurants should declare calorific and nutritive values of the food they serve on their menus because consumers should know what they may be eating, Mintreported on 10 February.
That’s not all. As part of its agenda to ensure safe food across India, FSSAI also wants to control sourcing of raw materials by restaurants. “The restaurants shall buy food raw materials only from licensed or registered vendors and maintain record thereof,” FSSAI said in its proposal.
So far, vendors of vegetable, spices and other raw materials are not required to have licences from FSSAI.
FSSAI also proposes that restaurants should “employ at least one technical person or Food Safety Supervisor” trained by FSSAI. This may increase operations’ cost for restaurants, especially smaller ones. “It will increase cost. But it is a small price to pay for the health and well-being of our customers,” said Amlani, who owns Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd that runs popular restaurant and bar and café chains such as Smoke House Deli and Social.
“FSSAI has been doing a commendable job in ensuring food safety, there might be some issues, but FSSAI is always open to dialogue with the industry. The NRAI is working closely to ensure training of the supervisors,” said Amlani.
FSSAI has also proposed that food business operators such as hotels, restaurants and others should have a Food Safety Display Board, prominently visible to consumers, that talks about food safety and hygiene practices followed by them at their premises.
India’s food services market is projected to grow to Rs4.98 trillion by 2021, expanding at an annual average rate of 10%, from Rs3.09 trillion in 2016, according to a joint study by NRAI and consulting firm Technopak published last year.
Kolkata municipalty suggests coloured industrial ice to stop indiscriminate use
The matter was revealed after a Kolkata Municipal Corporation health department officials conducted a raid in the New Market area a couple of times on June 22. Tons of industrial ice were seized from fruit or sarbat sellers and destroyed. The raid was followed by a surprise visit to a large ice factory in south Kolkata. The team of the KMC health department officials led by Atin Ghosh, the member, mayor-in-council overseeing the KMC health found that two types of ice--industrial and edible-- were being manufactured in the same factory.
As the KMC authorities took up the matter with Bengal food safety commissioner's office, the latter advised the civic body to take up the issue serious as the Centre was also worried over the quality of ice being sold in different states. On Friday a panel of food safety experts expressed concerns over use of industrial ice in food items. "The use of industrial ice in juice sarbat is a matter of great concern and we need to deal it with utmost seriousness. Even we should no longer allow use of industrial ice for preservation of fish. Such ice contains coliform bacteria and can pose serious health threat," said Jagabandhu Chakraborty, the former director of Central food laboratory. Chakraborty was one of the speakers who spoke at length against industrial ice at a panel discussion on uses of ice held at the KMC headquarters. Godhuli Mukherjee, state's food safety commissioner also gave her opinion against use of industrial ice in preservation of fish or in food items and drinks. Atin Ghosh, said that a committee would be formed to suggest ways and means to ban use of industrial ice in food and drinks or for preservation of fish.
Mayor Sovan Chatterjee later said that the civic body would be forced to take stern action if the ice manufacturers or businessmen failed to take adequate steps to ensure that industrial ice was being used in food and drinks.
Minister files report on private milk brands
Furnishes certificates issued by laboratory to High Court
The State Dairy Development Minister K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji on Friday filed a report in the Madras High Court stating the quality of milk supplied by three private suppliers were substandard.
Low fat content
On behalf of Mr. Bhalaji, the Additional Government Pleader submitted the certificates of analysis issued by the Referral Food Laboratory in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, during a hearing on three civil suits filed by the Dodla, Arokya and Vijay dairies came up before Justice CV Karthikeyan.
The certificates said that the milk samples of these companies were tested between July 18 and 26 and they were found to be sub-standard under Section 3(1) (zx) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. They did not conform to the standards laid down in table under Regulation No.2.1.1:1 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 as they showed fat content below the minimum prescribed limit. On July 10 last, the court had restrained the Minister from making allegations against the three private milk manufacturers without documentary proof.
The judge adjourned the matter to August 1.
Jul 28, 2017
FSSAI seeks to revise norms for restaurants
NEW DELHI, JULY 27:
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) , which has been pushing various initiatives for safe and nutritious food, is looking to make changes in the licensing conditions for restaurants.
So far, food business operators were mandatorily required to display the FSSAI licence number at food premises, especially in restaurants. The Authority felt that the number is not visible to the consumers.
Food safety display boards
To change consumer perceptibility about it, FSSAI has been pushing the idea of Food Safety Display Boards at various food businesses especially restaurants , retail stores, milk booths, vegetable and fruit retail, meat shops, street food vendors, among others.
Food Safety Display Boards will primarily display food safety and hygiene practices to be followed by these food businesses at their premises prominently, according to the FSSAI website. The Authority has now released a draft notification proposing revision of conditions of licences which proposes to replace the existing requirement of displaying FSSAI licence number with Food Safety Display Board. The FSSAI believes that these display boards will not only make registration/licence number visible but will also inform the customer and the food handler about the important food safety and hygiene practices required to keep food safe. It also believes these display boards will help in enabling a more effective consumer feedback.
Raw materials purchase
In addition, it has proposed that restaurants should at least have one technical person or food safety supervisor trained by FSSAI, in their staff, as one of the conditions that need to be fulfilled for FSSAI licence. It has sought feedback from various stakeholders on these proposed changes. The Authority has been holding various sessions to train food business operators.
Other new conditions being proposed for restaurants include buying food raw materials only from licensed or registered vendors and maintaining a record of these purchases. Besides, it has proposed that restaurant and other food sales should indicate or mark exclusive desi ghee items and vanaspati, oil or other fats used in preparation of items.
FSSAI issues red flag against pepper imports from Vietnam via Sri Lanka
Authorities say the imports may be contaminated with a high dosage of pesticide residue
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has instructed various nodal agencies and its offices across the country to check the import of pepper into the country. The authority feels pepper coming from Vietnam may be contaminated.
Raj Kumar, FSSAI’s joint director (imports), in a note to the various nodal agencies, said the authority had received information from the Department of Commerce that Vietnamese pepper, contaminated with high pesticide residue, may be diverted to India via Sri Lanka. He has asked officials to be vigilant about such imports.
The development comes at a time pepper growers have raised concerns over cheap and low-quality imports. The industry has requested the government to fix a minimum import price (MIP).
Nishant R Gurjer, an executive committee member of The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (Upasi) and a leading pepper planter, said while production had stagnated, domestic demand was growing. Domestic demand was growing at four per cent annually, with the current demand estimated at 60,000 tonnes per annum.
To utilise this opportunity, cheap pepper is coming from Vietnam through Sri Lanka, with whom India has signed a free trade agreement (FTA). Cheap Vietnamese pepper coming into the system could be sold as Indian pepper, Gurjer said. According to reports, pepper imports in general attract a duty of 70 per cent. Under an Asean agreement, a duty of 54 per cent is levied on pepper imported from Vietnam. But pepper from Sri Lanka attracts a duty of just eight per cent, since it is a part of Safta (South Asian Free Trade Area).
FSSAI working in tandem with railways to ensure food security, says Pawan Agarwal
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Pawan Agarwal said his organization and the Railways are working in the most systematic manner to ensure absolute food safety for passengers.
?We have appointed executive directors of health, along with additional food safety commissioners to work as per the railway eco-system,? said Agarwal while commenting on complaints filed by passengers over staple pins being found in eatables.
Agarwal further stated that food safety officers have been designated and are being trained to ensure robust functioning of the railways.
?Our standards for food supplements have been collectively assembled by our panels in two to three years and it is a continuously evolving process. If they feel it needs to be changed, the scientific panel is examining. The new standards will be applied from January 1. However, we are hoping before that, all the discussion materialises and we can bring the required changes,? he added.
?Doping substances have been under stress. We are working in tandem with the National Anti-Doping Agency, wherein we have advised them to collect samples for testing for NADA to evaluate,? he added while commenting over collection of drug samples in various states.
The FSSAI has banned the use of staple pins in tea bags from January next year as it can cause serious health hazards, Agarwal said.
As per the FSSAI order, at present, there are two types of tea bags available in the market, namely stapled tea bags and knotted tea bags.
Chemically treated ‘parwal’ seized in Kheri district
Shahjahanpur: In a raid conducted by the food safety team and Singahi police, seized about 15 kg of “parwal” (pointed goard) that had been chemically treated to look fresh and green at Takiyapurva village of Lakhimpur Kheri district on Thursday morning. The chemicals are harmful for consumption.
While the accused managed to flee from the spot, police recovered a motorbike which belongs to one of the accused. The vegetable sample will be sent to the lab for testing. The chemical used for colouring the vegetables is suspected to be copper sulphate. Police seized it as well.
After a tip-off received by the food safety department that green vegetables were being treated with chemicals before being supplied to the market by a local supplier, food safety officer Rakesh Kumar Singh conducted a raid with the help of the station officer of Singahi police station.
Station officer of Singahi police station Ram Kumar Yadav said, “We have seized a bike from the spot, the owner of which is the prime suspect in this case. The vegetables will be sent for testing and further action will be taken iafter we receive the test results.
“Vegetables are immersed in a solution prepared by mixing water and the chemical to give them a fresh and green look. We are looking for the owner of the godown. and the others who managed to flee when we arrived,” added Singh.
FDA PROHIBITS MIXING OF LIQUID NITROGEN WITH DRINKS, FOOD ITEMS
Chandigarh, July 27
The Food and Drug Administration today prohibited flushing or mixing of liquid nitrogen gas with any drink or food article. The order comes after a recent incident where a man was left with a gaping hole in stomach after he consumed an alcoholic drink topped with liquid nitrogen in Gurugram.
Dr Saket Kumar, Commissioner (Food Safety) in the FDA, Haryana, In his orders issued today under section 34 of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has cited an expert medical opinion as the reason for the ban.
“Any food article the preparation of which involves flushing or mixing of liquid nitrogen is harmful for humans, as due to low temperature liquid nitrogen can be extremely damaging to body tissues, causing frostbite and cryogenic burning on contact,” the orders said.
“If ingested, the gas can lead to severe internal damage, destroying tissues in the mouth and intestinal tract. Furthermore, as it evaporates, liquid nitrogen releases a large volume of gas, which means it can burst the stomach if ingested in sufficiently large quantities,” the order further said.
A 30-year man from Delhi was recently rushed to a hospital in Gurugram after he drank liquid nitrogen hoping it would make him high, but it had left a hole in his stomach.
Narinder Ahooja, Joint Commissioner, FDA, explained that Liquid nitrogen is used to instantly freeze food and drinks, since it has a very low temperature of minus 196 degree Celsius.
Being an inert gas, it does not cause any poisonous effect on the human body.
“However, with an expansion ratio of 1:694 at 20 degree Celsius, one litre of the liquid gas can expand to 694 litres at 20 degrees causing the stomach to burst,” he said.
Ahooja said that after the incident that occurred earlier this month, teams of FDA had raided various bars and pubs to see if they were using liquid nitrogen for instant cooling and considering the harmful effects it can have, the flushing or mixing of food with liquid nitrogen gas has been banned today.
EAC Chumu directs food business dealers
EAC cum Administrator Chumukedima Town Council Thejavizo Nakhro has directed all concerned food business dealers viz., hotels, restaurants, bakeries etc operating under CTC jurisdiction to register and obtain FSSAI license under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 from the office of the CMO, Dimapur at the earliest.
He also warned that non-compliance of the order shall invite penal actions as per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Nagaland Municipal Act 2001.
Three gyms raided by FDA for checks on food supplements
GURUGRAM: Authorities are tightening the noose around those who illegally recommend or sell food supplements. On Monday, raids were conducted in gymnasiums in Gurgaon, and samples were collected by officials for testing.
Officials of the District Food and Drug Administration and district food safety officer K K Sharma raided gyms in the city on the directions of the state's drugs controller and joint commissioner of food.
Three gyms — Gold Gym, and The Hype on MG Road and Energy Gym in old judicial complex — were investigated. Also, Vardhman Nutrition in Sector 14, a shop that sells dietary supplements, was raided.
None of the gyms was found to be selling any form of food supplement. However, Gold Gym was found to be serving protein supplement without any licence, an official said.
At Vardhman Nutrition, the drugs control officer collected three samples, and the food safety officer collected two samples.
"The raids are conducted to check for use of any adulteration or use of any steroidal drug in such food supplements. We have sent the samples for laboratory testing," said Amandeep Chaudan, district drug control officer.
FSDA conducts raids at restaurants, dairies in Meerut, seizes 600 kg vegetable sauce
Meerut: To keep a check on adulteration in milk ahead of Raksha Bandhan, the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) on Wednesday conducted raids at various city restaurants, sweet shops and dairies.
The FSDA seized 600 kg of suspected adulterated vegetable sauce, milk samples from nine outlets and a sample each of vegetable sauce, chilli sauce and white vinegar.
FSDA officer Archana Deeran said, “We took 12 samples from different locations on Wednesday and we suspect that these are unfit for consumption.”
FSDA’s seven-member team raided 12 shops at Jail Chungi area, Partapur, Delhi Chungi, Kankerkhera and Gesupur Datawli. The sealed samples have been sent to the Lucknow laboratory to avoid any tampering in the city. The reports will take at least a month to arrive and accordingly action will be taken.
“The sauce that has been seized will remain in our custody until the reports arrive. If the sample fails the lab test, it will be destroyed and a case will be registered against the accused,” Deeran said, adding that with Raksha bandhan around the corner, shopkeepers start tampering with milk-based products.
The raids will continue till celebrations are over so that sweet shop owners are alert.
Jul 27, 2017
Steroid check: FDA collects protein supplements
GURUGRAM: The district authorities are tightening noose around those illegally recommending or selling the food supplements. Raids were conducted on gymnasiums in Gurugram, and samples have been collected by the officials.
On Monday, officials from district Food and Drug Administration and district Food Safety Officer KK Sharma raided the gyms in the city. The raids were conducted on the directions of State Drugs Controller and Joint Commissioner, Food, Haryana.
The officials investigated three gyms — Gold Gym and The Hype on MG Road and Energy Gym in Judicial Complex. Also, a shop selling the dietary supplements - Vardhman Nutrition in sector 14 was raided too.
None of the Gyms were found to be selling any form of food supplement. However, the Gold Gym was found to be serving the protein supplement without any licence. The officials recovered one open box of the protein supplement at the spot. The Pro 07-Muscle Blaze contained around 600 gms of the protein sample.
At Vardhman Nutrition, the drug control officer collected three samples, and the Food Safety Officer collected two samples.
"The raids are being conducted to check for use of any adulteration on food part, or use of any steroidal drug in such food supplements. We have sent the samples for tests," said Amandeep Chaudan, district drug control officer.
Chlorinated chicken overshadows U.S.-U.K. trade talks
Coming home to roost:Europe’s principal reasoning for the ban is the claim that the use of chlorine to wash chicken lowers safety standards.AP
U.S. wants to export cheaper poultry washed in chlorine to Britain, which is now banned under EU rules
This week, Britain and the U.S. commenced talks on the potential for post-Brexit trade, though the talks have been overshadowed by concerns in Britain particularly over whether Britain would be forced to lower its food standards to accommodate U.S. demands.
The U.S.-U.K. Trade and Investment Working Group’s first meeting took place in Washington D.C. earlier this week. Rather like the working group set up between Britain and India to explore post-Brexit opportunities, the meetings cannot involve negotiations on a free trade deal, but can explore the potential of what could happen after Britain exits.
Striking such deals will be crucial for the government to be able to push forward with its plans to leave the EU Customs Union, which creates an area-wide tariff free zone, but requires member states to come to joint trading arrangements.
Latest controversy
The latest controversy over food standards — and in particular U.S. demands to allow the export of cheaper poultry washed in chlorine — highlights the difficulties of this process. The government, eager to show that it was “taking back control”, does not want to simply capitulate to demands of stronger nations just to secure trade deals.
Chlorine-washed chicken is currently banned under EU regulations, and public concern about such chicken coming to the U.K. remains high.
Europe’s reasoning for the ban is not because of the impact of the chlorine per se, but because the use of chlorine to wash the chicken leads to laxer safety standards, with poultry producers relying on this to “clean” the chicken.
“The issue of access to European poultry markets is a long-standing one for the U.S. and its vast chicken exporting industry,” wrote the Adam Smith Institute in a recent report, in which it said that to “nimbly” negotiate the trade deals it wanted post-Brexit, it would have to “compromise in allowing potential partners access to parts of its economy that the EU would never have accepted… Some of the country’s most influential lobbyists have made clear that they are keen on pressing for chlorinated chicken to be part of any U.S.-U.K. trade deal.”
Split within govt.
Trade secretary Liam Fox has dismissed concerns about chlorine-washed chicken as a “detail” at the very end of a sector of a potential free trade agreement, though Britain’s Environment Secretary Michael Gove said on Wednesday that Britain would not allow any lowering of standards in trade deals sought, including chlorinated chicken, highlighting the split within the U.K. government on the issue.
The British Poultry Council, which represents the sector, warned on Tuesday against the import of chlorine-washed chicken, warning it would be a “betrayal” to British farmers and an action that would “throw away British farming... a secure post-Brexit deal must be about Britain’s future food security and safety”.
While it may appear a small issue, it is reflective of wider concerns about a relaxation of standards and changes as Britain seeks to step up trade globally.
The British Medical Association and others have warned the government about the need to protect the NHS from privatisation in the event of a U.S.-U.K. trade deal, while there are fears that by relaxing its standards on a range of things, it will be harder for Britain to trade with the rest of the EU, which will maintain rigorous standards.
5,403 food samples checked from 2014-17: Railways
On a day the Indian Railways came under fire over serving a dead lizard in one of its meals, the ministry said that 5,403 food samples were checked in the last three years.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain said that "regular inspections are done by food safety officials" to maintain the quality of food served on trains and railway stations.
"Regular inspections are done by food safety officers and joint food safety commissioners. Food samples are collected and sent for analysis in accredited laboratories under the Food Safety and Standards Act by food safety officers. Surprise checks and special drives are also carried out by joint food safety commissioners," he said.
The minister informed the House that from 2014-15 to 2016-2017, 4,828 food samples were checked, while 575 samples were scrutinised in the current financial year of 2017-18 (up to June 2017).
In reply to a separate question, Gohain informed the House that the railways had received 27,782 complaints relating to catering services during the same period (2014-17), with 648 of them about lack of hygiene.
The national transporter serves a record 11 lakh meals a day.
The railways had received a slew of complaints last year regarding the quality of food served on trains, forcing the ministry to bring out a revised catering policy.
Railway Board Member (Traffic) Mohd Jamshed today said that catering services in all trains with pantry cars will now be handed over to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) by the year-end to improve food quality.
Contraband tobacco seized from Garacharma, jetty at M’bunder
Port Blair
On a specific inputs on sales of contraband tobacco products in Garacharma area on Wednesday, the District Food Safety Officer, South Andaman along with Food Safety Officers immediately reached the premise of Lalit Debnath, Prop. of Lalit Debnath Pan and Tea Stall and recovered seven tins of sealed and one tin of loose Shiv data zarda each tin of 45 gm and 11 pouches of Bagbhan zarda of 40 gm each. The shop was immediately sealed and the contraband products seized and taken into possession and carried to office for further legal action.
Meanwhile, as per the report received from the Additional Commissioner(Food Safety)/Deputy Commissioner (North & Middle Andaman), the ship MV Nicobar on arrival at Mayabunder Wharf on Tuesday off loaded bulk cargo at Mayabunder, the Food Safety officials on their inspection for contraband tobacco products were inspecting the cargo on Wednesday and found 119 kgs of processed tobacco from the possession of Pulak Paul, son of Mr Nikhil Paul, Ward No. 2, Subash Gram, Diglipur, who is the clearing agent of the cargo unloaded at Mayabunder. The processed tobacco products were immediately seized and taken into possession. Necessary actions are being taken under the relevant rules of Food Safety & Standards Act 2006.
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