Aug 19, 2019
Food safety bans ads, sales of two capsules
The assistant commissioner of food safety department in an order has banned the sale of Jamun and Glucosamine capsules which were sold as food supplements in the state. The ban comes for misleading the people with claims offering medical cure through a food supplement. In the advertisements given by the manufacturers, it was claimed that the capsules offer cure for diabetes, joint pains, varicose vein and various other muscle pains.
The food safety department in its order said that both the manufacturers had violated the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Food Safety and Standards Regulations 2011. The department observed that as per the Act, labels should not use words implying the recommendations made by medical profession. “There shall not appear in the label of any package, containing food for sale the words recommended by medical profession or any words which imply or suggest that the food is recommended, prescribed or approved by medical practitioners or approved for medical purpose,” says the Act.
The order said no advertisement should be made of any food which is misleading or deceiving or contravenes the provision of FSS Act Rules and Regulations made there under.
CAPSULE, the movement under Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad against the magical cure offered by various manufacturers, had approached the food safety department with the complaint.
Upgradation of govt food test labs to be completed in Dec
The laboratories testing food samples in Tamil Nadu, that are located in Madurai and Chennai, are undergoing an upgradation and it is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Chennai:
The laboratories are expected to receive various new facilities, including infrastructure to check for pesticide residue, antibiotic residue, heavy metals and other microbiology tests.
The State government undertook the upgradation considering the increased demand for advanced testing of the food samples. The laboratories require to cater to the needs of advanced testing of food samples as many types of additives and adulterants are difficult to identify. This highlights the need for advanced testing equipment and machinery.
“The government needs to fast-track the work. The civil and electronic works are being undertaken at the laboratories and they are expected to start functioning by December. The Centre is funding the upgradation through Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” said Pawan Aggarwal, chief executive officer of FSSAI.
Meanwhile, private food testing laboratories that are FSSAI notified can be used by the government, he added. The officials pointed out that the renovation of the laboratories is going on at a slow pace and this has increased the load on the laboratories.
Traders had earlier raised the issue of delayed testing of samples that leads to the expiry of food samples before they are tested. Senior officials of the food safety department said that advanced testing methods will ease the process, however, more laboratories are required to meet the greater demands of testing food samples throughout the State.
Aug 18, 2019
These are times that call for a convergence of food and pharmaceuticals
Nutrition experts stress the goodness of ‘food as medicine’
As consumers increasingly reach out for supplements, functional foods and nutraceuticals in their pursuit of staying well, the dependence on drugs seems to be reducing. But there is space for these products to co-exist with modern medicine, say experts, as they distil traditional knowledge to develop an alternative pathway in healthcare.
Exploring the evolution from traditional foods to nutraceuticals is a book edited by Dr DBA Narayana and Dr V Prakash titled Beginning of the journey of Herbaceuticals and Nutraceuticals.” A regulatory expert, Dr Narayana explains that the concept of anna-aushadi (food as medicine ) was integral to the Indian psyche well before Western science said, “let food be thy medicine”.
India’s ancient wisdom
“India and China are the only two countries that have documentary evidence of their traditional medicines,” he says, pointing to the wealth of information that sits in these texts waiting to be tapped for consumer wellness.
In India, nutraceuticals are regulated under the Food Safety and Standards Act. And as consumer consciousness of these products increases, so does the scrutiny of their efficacy and quality, says Narayana. The book seeks to address key areas across food science, herbaceuticals and regulations through the writings of different experts.
To illustrate how one product could lock in multiple health benefits, Narayana points to fenugreek or methi seeds that can be taken as a spoonful with water on an empty stomach to address lipid profile concerns. Taken with curd, it stops diarrhoea. And if roasted a little, powdered and taken twice a day, it can help people with diabetes, he says, adding that there are published studies on this and other such traditional information.
A chapter co-authored by Narayana looks at “describing, deciphering and defending” label claims. Pointing out that claims have more significance than just the mention of therapeutic benefits, he says everything mentioned on a label is a claim. “Whether something was procured from an orchard or the product was triple-refined, it was richer that something else, etc, — all of them are claims,” he says.
About 60 per cent of pharmaceutical ingredients have their origin in herbs or natural material, says Narayana. There is space for traditional medicines, supplements and nutraceuticals to co-exist with modern medicine, he says, addressing the general distrust that remains between them.
A similar theme anchors the book Pharmaceuticals to Nutraceuticals: A shift in disease prevention, by Dilip Ghosh and RB Smarta.
“We believe that there is a convergence between food and pharma. Chronic diseases need more than just traditional pharmaceuticals approach. Our food and nutrition expertise can help create a new industry where nutrition plays a bigger role in helping people who live with difficult chronic medical conditions,” says Smarta.
The global nutraceutical market is pegged at $400 billion and every other multinational company has a nutraceutical wing, says Smarta. “With the ageing population, getting people healthy at the later stage of life is difficult and expensive. Healthcare is going to be in real trouble if we do not start to look at it in a different way,” says Smarta, as the book explores functional foods, looks at scientific evidence on efficacy, discusses combination therapies between pharmaceuticals and food bioactives in disease prevention and treatment, among other things.
Various organizations demand action against senior food safety officer of Lakhimpur
LAKHIMPUR: Various organizations of Lakhimpur submitted memoranda to State Finance, Health and PWD Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarmah, who visited the district on August 15 to take part in the Independence Day celebration, regarding some crucial issues.
Submitting the memorandum, the Lakhimpur district unit of Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti demanded the minister to take immediate steps to construct a bridge over Subansiri connecting Ghunasuti and North Lakhimpur headquarters. According to the organization, over seventy thousand population of Ghunasuti, which is historically famous for the perennial love-story of Jonky and Panei, have suffered a lot year after year due to lack of the bridge. The memorandum stated that the construction of the bridge would cause drastic change in Tourism and many other sectors connected with the area and reduce the distance between North Lakhimpur and Dhakuakhana from 80 km to 30 km.
Further the organization demanded the minister to take action against the Senior Food Safety Officer of Lakhimpur who was in charge of Dhemji district too. Regarding the demand, the organization in the memorandum alleged that the Food Safety officers of the State under his department had not taken any steps against adulterated and unsafe food products. “The Senior Food Safety officer of Lakhimpur has not taken any such effective initiatives and hence the markets of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji have been filled with adulterated and unsafe food products, mostly with those which are popular among children”, the memorandum stated.
The Lakhimpur district unit of All Assam Hindu Youth Council(AAHYC) also submitted the minister a separate memorandum demanding the suspension of the Senior Food Safety officer. According to the memorandum of the organization, the people of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji have to purchase adulterated food items from the market due to the dereliction of the officer concerned during the last fourteen years period. “The black marketeers have run an abated business of adulterated and unsafe food products in both district with indirect co-operation of the Senior Food Safety Officers. The officer is infamous as the most corrupted officers among the businessmen of Lakhimpur”, remarked the memorandum submitted by Lakhimpur AAHYC.
Aug 17, 2019
Ghee, butter as prasad in temples could be ‘inedible’
Chennai: The butter given as ‘prasad’ after prayers at temples may contain cancercausing dyes, mustard oil and vanaspati, say food safety officials.
Worse, some brands of edible ghee risk contamination as they are made on the same production line churning out ‘inedible’ ghee.
Ahead of Krishna Jayanthi, officials on Friday raided more than nine houses in T Nagar that manufacture and sell ‘inedible’ ghee and butter under various names including Vishnu lighting ghee, Sri Krishna deepa ghee, Sri Eshwari ghee and Krishna butter at ₹200 a kg compared to ₹435 per kg of edible ghee by brands such as Aavin.
More than 4,000 tonnes of this ghee and butter is sold to various shops every week besides being supplied to temples, officials estimate.
“The labels clearly mention they are not edible. But we found that people who don’t see the labels eat this butter after it is offered to the god at various temples,” said Chennai food safety officer A Ramakrishnan.
Most manufacturers also make edible ghee and butter on the same assembly line. “This is a complete violation of food safety as there is risk of edible food getting mixed with these chemicals,” another official said. Samples of ghee and butter products were seized from these units and sent for analysis.
“We will be able to find adulterants they use. We can frame charges against the manufacturers if edible ghee is contaminated and if there are labelling issues,” he said. If the charges are proved, it can lead to cancellation of manufacturing licence besides criminal action.
None of the manufacturers reared cows or had dairy farms and bought raw material — white and yellow butter and ghee — from a distributor (name withheld for investigation) in tins. The distributor also gives them 5 litres of a red dye mixed with mustard oil. This goes into ‘white’ butter to give it the colour and texture of cow’s ghee.
The chemicals have also been sent for analysis. Last year, food safety officials in Visakhapatnam found manufacturers mixing synthetic resin adhesive such as Fevicol with ghee.
Consuming ghee or butter mixed with colouring chemicals and vanaspathi is dangerous. While the chemicals can cause digestive disorders and cancer, the effect of vanaspathi is equally devastating.
“It is vegetable ghee that has been hydrogenated and hardened with palmolein. It is high on trans fats, a risk factor for high cholesterol, heart attacks and strokes,” said nutritionist S Bhama.
In 2018, the government said 47 major temples in Tamil Nadu run by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department will get Food Safety and Standards Authority of India certification for ‘prasad’. Food safety officials say they check all temples. “We told temple officials and priests not to use inedible substance as offering,” he said.
Modern Dairy products inspected for quality by FDA
The FDA officials seized a total of 561 kilogrammes of spurious curd, malai, paneer, and fresh cream collectively worth Rs 1,23,691 on Friday
FDA officials said the food items sold at Modern Dairy violated the norms prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and is a serious threat to the public
In a surprise raid conducted on Friday, the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) Pune seized paneer (cottage cheese), curd and cream from Modern Dairy shop located in Camp area, to inspect for quality.
The FDA officials seized a total of 561 kilogrammes of curd, malai, paneer, and fresh cream collectively worth Rs 1,23,691 on Friday.
According to Food And Drug Administration officials, the products would be inspected for hygiene.
Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner, FDA, Pune, said they received a tip-off on which the action was taken
Earlier this month, FDA conducted surprise checks at 100 eateries, creameries, milk establishments across the city. Most of the cases were attributed to unhygienic preparations, usage of acids and other colouring methods.
The officials said that any violations of norms prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a serious threat to the public.
FSSAI implements ban on colistin use
The food regulatory body came up with the draft of the amendment and directed that it be operationalised immediately
NEXT NEWS ❯
Colistin and its tolerance limits will be removed from the list of antibiotics and veterinary drugs for foods.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on August 8, 2019 issued a draft regulation to prevent the use of antibiotic colistin in food, banned by the Union government in July.
Colistin, which is a last resort antibiotic for humans, is used to treat drug-resistant gram-negative infections in critically ill patients.
According to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations 2019, colistin will be added to the list of antibiotics and veterinary drugs that are prohibited for use in processing of meat and meat products, poultry and eggs, sea foods including shrimps, prawns or fish and fishery products.
Also, colistin and its tolerance limits will be removed from the list of antibiotics and veterinary drugs for foods. While the draft will be notified in some time, FSSAI operationalised it from August 8.
The Union government's July notification prohibited the manufacturing, sale and distribution and colistin's formulations for food-producing animals, poultry, aqua-farming and animal feed supplements with immediate effect.
“The regulation to ban colistin is timely reflected in the food law. This will enable necessary monitoring of food by food inspectors,” said Amit Khurana, programme director, food safety and toxins, Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based non-profit.
The World Health Organization (WHO) not only categorises colistin as a highest priority critically important antimicrobial, but also places it under "reserve" category under the AWaRe categorisation.
In 2018, mcr 1 and 3 genes that confer resistance to colistin were reported for the first time in food samples procured locally in India.
Aug 16, 2019
Chhattisgarh: Food department raids sweet shops, seize samples
RAIPUR: Amid festive season, a team of Food and Drug department along with civic body officials conducted surprise inspections at sweet shops across Jagdalpur on Tuesday.
Jagdalpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate GR Markam informed that the action was taken on the instructions of the district collector for prevention of adulteration of sweets during the festive season. He said that the collected samples are being sent to the state food testing laboratory in Raipur for quality check. Strict action will be taken against the concerned sweet shops under Food Safety and Standards Act if any food material is found to be of substandard quality in the test.
As per officials, as many as three different team of food and drug administration, food department and municipal corporation conducted raids at various sweet shops across Jagdalpur district on Tuesday. The team collected samples of various food products including sweets, khoa and namkeens for testing during the raids.
A team constituted under the leadership of sub divisional magistrate GR Markam examined the factory of a sweets and snacks manufacturing company . During the raid, namkeen packets without manufacturer name and content of products on the packaging were seized. Keeping this in view, a case has been prepared under Section 52 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 against the concerned shop.
Similarly, a team constituted under the leadership of Food Safety Officer Zahira Khan raided another sweet shop. During the raid, the team took samples of various sweets including Besan Barfi, Lal Peda, Ras Malai, Chhena Kalakand, Gulab Jamun and Sonpapadi for quality check.
Another team formed under Food Safety Officer Chitralekha Kodopi conducted raid at a famous sweet shop. Samples of Khoa, Besan and Bundi were collected for quality check purpose.
Meanwhile, in wake of festive season, Bastar district collector Ayyaj Tamboli issued directions to conduct inspection of sweet shops to check quality of food.
FSSAI mandates safety audit for FBOs dealing in dairy, meat, other products
New Delhi, Aug 15 Food regulator FSSAI has made safety audit mandatory for licensed food business operators (FBOs) dealing in dairy, poultry, fish, eggs and meat and their products as well as food catering.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an order mandating food safety audit of food businesses holding central licence and falling under high-risk categories.
The regulator has listed six food businesses under high-risk categories -- dairy products, meat and meat products, fish and fish products, egg and egg products, food for infant nutrition and prepared food (catering).
These food companies should get safety audit done by a recognised audit agency at intervals specified by the authority, the order said.
Aug 15, 2019
FSSAI makes third-party audits must for high-risk food-makers
This will reduce the burden of regulatory inspection
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to make third-party audits mandatory for food businesses involving certain high-risk categories.
To strengthen the food surveillance system, the FSSAI has, for the first time, introduced the concept of food safety audits through recognised private agencies.
In its latest directive, FSSAI said that food businesses that hold central licences that involve dairy products, meat and meat products, eggs and egg products, besides fish and fish products, will be subject to ‘mandatory food safety auditing.’
In addition, central licence holders that make food products for particular nutritional purposes such as infant products will also be subject to mandatory food safety audits through recognised third-party agencies.
The order stated that companies involved in prepared foods businesses such as for catering purposes will also need to get their operations audited in a timely manner.
Eligible private agencies
Last year, FSSAI had notified the food safety auditing regulations and, earlier this year, it recognised 24 private agencies eligible to conduct food safety audits of food companies.
Since inspecting and auditing of food businesses and packaged food companies is a huge task, the regulator had decided to introduce the concept of food safety audits through recognised private agencies. It had earlier stated that selected food categories on the “basis of their risk classification will be subject to mandatory food safety auditing.”
The food safety authority believes that satisfactory audits will lead to less frequent regulatory inspections by the Central and State Licensing Authority, except for regulatory sampling.
Reducing workload
The regulator had earlier said that this will reduce the burden of regulatory inspection and encourage a culture of self-compliance among the food business ecosystem.
The regulator has already begun conducting food safety audits of nearly 486 government-licensed slaughterhouses.
Chennai collector warns of action against vendors who pack food in newspapers
CHENNAI: Chennai district collector R Seethalakshmi on Wednesday warned of action against vendors who store, distribute and sell food packed in printed newspaper, plastic bags and sheets sealed with stapler pins.
The sale of food packed in printed newspapers or any inked papers, plastic wraps and bags are not permitted by the Food Safety Act 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011 as they can cause serious health issues due to chemical and microbiological contamination.
“Action will be taken against vendors violating the rules,” Seethalakhsmi said.
Earlier, the health department and food safety officials had issued notices prohibiting the sale of food wrapped in newspapers and plastic bags. They had advised vendors to use stainless steel, fresh or dry leaves to store food. Yet, many vendors violated the rule.
According to a release from the collectorate, eatables like vada, bonda, pakoda and bhaji when packed in newspapers and plastic covers become toxic and should not be consumed. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had said the printing ink contains cancer-causing agents.
Recycled newsprints contain phthalate and mineral oil that should not be mixed with food. They also contain lead and cadmium. Once warm food is placed under newspaper, the printed ink melts and exposes the human body to various health problems, according to the release.
Aug 14, 2019
Need close watch on city restaurants’ hygiene
Trichy: While food safety officers are focussed on the quality of food at the road side eateries, consumer activists insist on keeping a close watch on the restaurants in Trichy to ensure that quality food is served to people.
A surprise raid on May 16 by the food safety team in eight restaurants in Trichy city brought to light the unhygienic and unhealthy ways of keeping cooked food in refrigerator for using them the next day. The raid unearthed cooked mutton, chicken, rice and Parotta which are kept in freezers in all the eight restaurants.
During the raid, the team seized over 15kg of meat kept in cold storages. The food safety officers (FSOs) said that all the shops keep meat in freezers. The officials also cautioned people not to consume stale food as it will lead to food poisoning, vomiting, diarrhoea and other health complications.
There were no such surprise raids in the past three months. Secretary, Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu, S Pushpavanam asked the food safety officers to frequently monitor the restaurants. "Monitoring of kitchens in the restaurants should be tightened, he said while recalling an incident of stacking cement bags in the kitchen of a leading restaurant in Trichy a year ago.
Designated officer, food safety and drug administration department, Dr S Chithra promised that the department will conduct raids at regular intervals. "The surprise raids will start again soon. Offenders will be booked as per the law," she said.
Clean street food hub coming to Trichy
Trichy: Trichittes will soon have a ‘clean street food hub’ with the food safety department working on converting a stretch of VOC Road behind the Central bus stand into one.
Under the permanent project of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the food safety and drug administration department has identified VOC Road as a potential hub for the project.
According to FSSAI, the initiative will help upgrade food streets and build trust among consumers to have a safe and hygienic local eating experience. Most people avoid the roadside eateries only because of its unhygienic conditions. FSSAI also believes that it will make the local food popular among the domestic and international tourists visiting Trichy.
"Roadside eateries along the VOC Road could be an ideal choice for implementing the project. Hence, we have chosen the place and started working on it before rolling out the scheme in a month," designated officer (DO) of the department in Trichy Dr R Chithra told ToI on Tuesday adding that the project will be extended to all the 17 blocks under its department in Trichy.
Food safety officers and outsourced private agencies will guide 25 vendors in the stretch to maintain their roadside eateries clean and hygiene. The eateries run by around 75 vendors in three shifts for breakfast from 5 am to 12 pm, lunch from 12 pm to 5 pm and dinner from 6 pm to 12 pm remain popular among the travellers visiting Trichy Central bus stand.
With a slew of guidelines for the location, personal hygiene, solid waste management and several other aspects, the stretch could become a model for all the roadside eateries if they comply with the guidelines. "Our duty is to ensure that the guidelines laid down are being followed by the eateries. Food safety officers will monitor them regularly and sort out discrepancies, if any," said Chithra.
Before the commencement of the project, an agency will conduct an audit in the stretch to check the criteria following which permissions may be granted to the food safety department to have the hub in the area.
Welcoming the move, Trichy District Pushcarts Vendors Association district president R Ganesan said the food safety department should set up a toilet facility for both the workers and the customers besides providing continuous water. "We request the corporation to also maintain cleanliness in the stretch," said Ganesan.
Social worker in Trichy Paul Guna Loganath said that though it is a welcome move in terms of food safety, it will be a hindrance to the buses entering the Central bus stand. "Hygiene of most of the roadside eateries is questionable. The food safety hub could bring about a good change," he said.
Honour for ‘No Food Waste’ founder
Padmanaban Gopalan, founder of No Food Waste, receiving the National Youth Award from Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi on Monday.
Padmanaban Gopalan gets the National Youth Award for the year 2016-17 from Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Kiren Rijiju
Padmanaban Gopalan, founder of No Food Waste, received the National Youth Award for the year 2016-17 at a function held in New Delhi on Monday.
Speaking to The Hindu over phone shortly after receiving the award, Mr. Gopalan termed the award as a “great honour” for volunteers of the organisation, who are mostly youngsters. “I'm just representing [the volunteers],” he said.
The number of active volunteers involved with No Food Waste were around 3,200 spanning across 16 locations in Tamil Nadu and West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Gopalan said. The chapters are present in Chennai, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Tiruchi and Krishnagiri.
Founded in 2014 in Coimbatore, No Food Waste is a food recovery and food waste management network that focuses on collecting surplus food from weddings, parties and other places to distribute among the people in need. In nearly five years since the inception, Mr. Gopalan felt that the awareness regarding prevention of food wastage has increased. “Earlier, we had [to face] a lot of tough situations to recover the food,” he said, as people were not forthcoming to donate the surplus food.
Mr. Gopalan said that the organisation has received support from the government, particularly the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the municipal corporations in the cities where No Food Waste is currently operating. “We are working in parallel with both the government and the community,” he said.
Though focusing on recovering and recycling of surplus food, the organisation is hoping to roll out a technology soon to reduce food wastage “at the production and logistics level,” Mr. Gopalan said. The award was presented by Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju.
Aug 13, 2019
Packaged food products may soon have expiry date; discounts likely
The idea is to empower consumers to make an informed decision and enable them to bargain for products that have crossed their ‘best before date’ but are still safe to consume. Besides, it is also expected to help reduce wastage of food.
In the absence of a policy to tackle the shelf life, retailers often return the stock to companies after they cross the ‘best before date’. Companies are also left with no choice but to destroy such stocks as regulations do not allow their sale.
“Most of such products are still good to eat and safely edible for a reasonably limited period of time. Destroying such stocks leads to sheer wastage of food, while a lot of it is nutritional,” an official said.
On the other hand, retailers try to push products through various schemes just around the ‘best before date’. In such a scenario, the consumer must be aware of what he is buying and for how long it can be used. The consumer must also be able to bargain for such products, the official said.
“Best before” label is the date that indicates the end of the period in which the condition of the food item, under storage, will remain as stated. During this period, the food product is marketable and retains specific qualities which it is understood to have or which have been claimed on the label.
“Expiry/ Use by date” label indicates the estimated end of the stated storage period after which the food item will probably not have the quality and safety attributes normally expected by the consumers and the food shall not be sold.
At present ‘use by date’ is seen only in a few products like breads, packaged dairy products. India is one of the top five markets for packaged food in the world, and the second largest in Asia, with a sales volume of 34 million tonnes.
‘Consumer fora should not be harsh on small businesses’
Chief Executive Officer of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Pawan Kumar Agarwal speaking at a meeting in Madurai on Monday.
Consumer forums should not be harsh on small businesses unless they were habitual defaulters so as to sustain economic growth, said Chief Executive Officer of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Pawan Kumar Agarwal.
Addressing a meeting on Food Safety and Standards Act conducted by Tamilnadu Foodgrains Merchants Association and Tamil Nadu Hotel Owners Association here on Monday, he said, “Business people must take the responsibility of educating the public on unethical practices such as artificial ripening, adding colours as adulterants so that consumers can make an informed choice,
When one of the members of the audience complained that Food Safety officers who collect samples took up to six months to release results of the tests, Mr. Agarwal said the officers should give the results within two weeks even if they needed the service of private labs. To expedite this process, the Central government could have tie-ups with private labs. Tamil Nadu was one of the few States with six laboratories as some States did not even have one lab, he said.
He explained the various layers of food safety standards and said problems need to be resolved step by step. Some issues need to be discussed with the central advisory committee as well. “If we create an ecosystem for food safety, it could serve as a model for other developing countries,” he said.
K. Vanaja, Director and Additional Commissioner of Food Safety, V. Pasupathy, National Advisor, Food Safety, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India, took part in the meeting.
Food traders seek single licence for all linked facilities
Madurai: The Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association urged the chief executive officer of FSSAI, Pawan Kumar Agarwal, to take steps to issue a single licence for all branches and facilities owned by a Food Business Operator (FBO), reducing the owners the hassle of renewing multiple licences whenever needed.
At present, separate licences need to be obtained under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Act for various facilities such as factories, godowns, manufacturing units, vehicles and registered offices, said president of the association S P Jeyapragasan. He read out a charter of demands on the sidelines of a discussion meet held between stakeholders on Monday.
The association demanded exemption from Food Safety Training and Certification, which the FBOs are supposed to undergo for GST reasons. The association also sought the validity of the certificate to be extended from one year to five years. Members of the association demanded that the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, rules and regulations of 2011 be published in all regional languages including Tamil for easy understanding.
They sought the CEO to allow coriander farmers to continue with their traditional way of fumigating the harvest with sulphur, which will give a longer shelf life, till a new fumigation method is found by the department.
The FSSAI was urged to take methods to distinguish pure jaggery and palmyrah jaggery from those mixed with white sugar in the market. “With the sugar content in pure jaggery and palmyrah jaggery not meeting the standards of FSSAI, white sugar is added to them,” a trader said, adding that it was important to differentiate between them with markings.
Another demand put forth by the traders was to mellow down action on unintentional mistakes made while labelling products. “Instead of punishing for the offence, the FBO must be served with an improvement notice. Action should be taken only if the FBO has deliberately committed a mistake,” a member said.
Use pvt labs to test food faster, food safety chief tells officials
Madurai: Responding to grievances of traders that food samples collected were not being tested on time, chief executive officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Pawan Kumar Agarwal, urged officials to make use of recognised private labs to test products if government facilities cannot handle the demand.
Agarwal said this during a discussion on the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, jointly organized by Tamil Nadu Food Grains Merchants Association and Tamil Nadu Hotel Owners Association, on Monday.
Earlier, traders from Madurai city had reported that samples taken from manufacturing units and shops are at times tested after their expiry date, though rules stipulate that products must be tested within 14 days of sampling.
Addressing stakeholders present at the meeting, Agarwal said it was a grave offence to test samples after expiry and initiate action against food business operators (FBO) based on it.
He said Tamil Nadu was fortunate to have six food testing labs, when seven other states don’t have a single such facility. “The facilities in (government) labs may not be adequate. But while the labs are being upgraded, officials have been given permission to get the samples tested in private labs. I am not sure why this is not being done,” Agarwal said.
Saying the process has to be dealt with in a pragmatic manner, the CEO said results produced in private labs were equally valid as that from government labs. “The only thing the labs must have is a qualified food analyst.”
Speaking about future plans in the field, Agarwal explained that the whole philosophy of the new Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is different from the earlier Act that focussed on preventing adulteration. “The focus now is to ensure safe food standards and supply chain. But that spirit is yet to percolate to the field level. Much of the discussion continues to be about penalties and punishment.”
Agarwal added that a five-year plan created by the FSSAI will address this issue and bring to fore the food processing standards that are to be adhered to by FBOs. “The ecosystem for food safety that we are creating comes at very little cost and from meagre resources compared to most developed nations. We will become the food safety model for the rest of the world, particularly for other developing nations,” he said.
Dr K Vanaja, director and additional commissioner of department of food safety and drugs administration, and food scientist V Pasupathy were also present at the meet.
No harmful chemicals in PET bottles, finds CSIR study
The analysis found that no chemcials breached the EU-specified norms.
The CFRTI analysis, commissioned by an industry body, concluded that antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, mercury, selenium and zinc “were below” their detection limits (BDL) of 0.001 mg/kg.
PET bottles are safe, a comprehensive evaluation by the CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore has determined.
For years there’s been a swirling debate internationally on whether PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles, which are the mainstay of plastic bottles and disposable food containers, leach harmful chemicals when exposed to high temperatures.
The CFRTI analysis, commissioned by an industry body, concluded that antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, mercury, selenium and zinc “were below” their detection limits (BDL) of 0.001 mg/kg.
Bisphenol-A was below its detection limit of 0.02 mg/kg.
For their analysis, the researchers collected four different kinds of PET containers and exposed them to different stimuli such as ethanol of varying concentrations, acetic acid and vegetable oil. These were supposed to simulate the kind of chemicals contained in packaged food and drink that could trigger the leakage of metals or other secondary chemicals. They tested these bottles when they were subject to 40C and 60C temperature as well as when test-chemicals were stored in them for 10 days.
Along with metals, the scientists also measured terephthalic acid, Isophthalic acid, Ethylene Glycol, BPA (bis-phenol A) and phthalates. BPA is a synthetic organic compound and used in the manufacture of PET bottles but is now phased out after research found a link between the presence of BPA and the disruption of hormone regulation, as well as breast cancer.
The CFTRI scientists found that the presence of metals, BPA and pthalates were “below detection limit” meaning that they were below the minimum levels required by the instruments and methods employed by the researchers to detect these chemicals.
They were also below the EU (European Union) regulation norms of the “specific migration limit”, which is the maximum amount of a substance that can migrate from a food packaging material or food container into food. In most cases the EU standards are similar to the ones specified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, except for BPA for which FSSAI has not specified standards and zinc, where FSSAI permits 25mg/kg as opposed to the EU’s 5 mg/kg.
The analysis found that no chemcials breached the EU-specified norms.
“The studies further confirmed that antimony does not leach out of PET bottles. These findings further establish that no endocrine disruption happens from the use of PET bottles. The migration studies were at most stringent conditions of time, temperature and accelerated testing environment,” said a statement from Pet Packaging Association for Clean Environment (PACE), the industry body which commissioned the study.
Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR, Govt. of India, said in a statement: “ Of the plastics, PET is a unique and universal packaging material for food, pharmaceuticals, water, edible oils, personal care products, etc...This project is unique, as it investigated not only the leaching aspects, but also examined the composition/chemistry of PET and furthermore, even studied the endocrine disruption potential of PET. In this respect, the findings in these reports would be more relevant than those found in any standalone tests.”
The scientists also studied water stored in PET bottles and checked whether it affected the hormone levels of rats and mice.
“The evaluation found that the experimental male and female rats exhibited comparable blood hormone levels in both cases. This conclusively proved that PET bottles did not cause any Endocrine Disruption activity if used to package water,” a study report concluded.
Thiruvananthapuram: Hoteliers ‘no’ to ID cards for workers
Thiruvananthapuram: The ambitious Subhojanam Scheme, which is being rolled out by the City Corporation aiming at ensuring hygiene at eateries, has faced a set back with the Hotels and Restaurants Association cold-shouldering the decision to mandate ID cards for workers. According to the hotel owners, it’s impossible to get permanent food handlers and workers at eateries. Also the association claimed that the scheme clashed with the programmes of Kerala Commissionerate Food Safety (KCFS).
It is learnt that the Commissionerate has launched FoSTaC (Food Safety Training and Certification) as mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for ensuring a trained food safety supervisor trained in good hygiene and manufacturing at every eatery in the state.
The corporation’s plan is to launch the scheme this week. However, according to sources, there would be a slight delay in the launch of the programme because of the floods.
The Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association district secretary B Vijayakumar told DC that the scheme of the corporation is highly impractical. “It’s impossible to get permanent workers. Majority of them are migrant workers and they stick on only for short term and they move to other places. It’s hard to get permanent workers and to always make the ID card for them,” said Mr Vijayakumar. He said that the training programme of the Commissionerate is easier and practical to implement. “The corporation is planning to set up lab facility for checking food and water quality which is designated responsibility of the food safety,” Mr Vijayakumar added.
With the hotel owners’ cold-shouldering the decision, the civic body has decided to enforce ID cards for food handlers and hotel employees. “Every eatery including thattukadas would be brought under the scheme. Hotels should hire only certified food handlers and workers and else we would take action,” said the official.
The official said the food safety is understaffed and they don’t have the infrastructure to ensure food safety.
“They have one officer to cover an entire constituency. But we have the human resources and infrastructure to implement the scheme,” the official added.
Food safety dept seize 1000 kg spurious khoya
With Rakshabandhan just around the corner, Delhi’s food safety department seized around 1,000 kgs of spurious khoya during a surprise check at the khoya mandi near Kashmere gate early Monday morning.
The officers collected six samples to be tested in the laboratory; the rest was taken to the Gazipur landfill and destroyed.
“Every morning, people carry khoya in the flat bottomed vessel we call parat to sell it at the Mandi. When we reached the market today, there were several vendors sitting with their wares. As soon as they spotted us, they abandoned everything and fled. We could not catch anyone, but we confiscated all the spurious khoya. Only a few regular vendors had genuine products,” said Ranjeet Singh, designated officer, Food Safety Department.
The officers could recognise spurious and unsafe khoya on visual inspection.
“We have years of experience and can tell the real khoya from the fake just by visual examination; the spurious ones were whiter than what khoya actually looks like, most of them also smelled of refined oil, which is usually added when vendors make khoya with milk powder. Milk powder is usually make of skimmed milk with less than 0.5% fat, the khoya made from it is very dry and oil is added to improve the consistency. Real khoya is made by drying out the milk till only the fat and solid not fat is left,” the official said.
Some of the samples also smelled bad, were ridden with flies, and wrapped in dirty gunny bags.
The spurious and unhygienic khoya starts coming into the market during the festive season.
“This month there was Teej and now Rakshabandhan when most families give each other sweets made of khoya. The demand for khoya again goes up during diwali. It is best to avoid sweets made of khoya during the festive season,” said Singh.
Aug 12, 2019
OPEN HOUSE: HOW TO ENSURE THAT ROADSIDE VENDORS SELL HYGIENIC FOOD? Need for more awareness on food safety norms
Street food vends on the roadside in Ludhiana.
Nowadays, traveling through the streets we came across a fair amount of street vendors selling different types of junk food without ensuring its hygiene. They do not understand that their unhygienic food can become a health hazard. Customers should avoid food from vendors, and if they want to buy, they should ensure its hygiene. The government should tackle the problem by making laws that pressurises street vendors to sell hygienic food.
Lavanaya Sood
Vendors should cover food items
As far as hygiene of street food is considered, the standards are very poor. The authorities concerned are turning a blind eye to this issue. The vendors do not cover their food items which attract flies and germs. It also leads to many health problems such as diarrhoea. The least a vendor can do is cover the food items and wear gloves too. Proper waste management should be in place and the authorities should lay down regulations regarding food safety and cleanliness. Heavy penalty should be imposed on vendors who flout rules.
Deepnayan Bahl
Check Waste disposal system
Roadside vendors often sell food prepared in unhygienic conditions. The Health Department should conduct seminars and provide training to these vendors. FSSAI should provide certificate to those vendors who fulfil certain laid-down conditions. These certificates should be displayed at shops and rehris. Sanitary conditions and waste disposal system should be strictly checked. They should use gloves while preparing food.
Ritu Priya
Role of government organisations
The need to ensure hygiene of food sold by vendors has become the need of the hour. Municipalities and food organisations can play their part by recruiting officers to examine the quality of food. The responsibility also lies with the consumer, who should avoid consumption of these products if they are unaware of the conditions it has been prepared in.
Japkirat
Avoid uncovered food
Many roadside vendors do not cover food items which attracts flies and germs. So the consumers should avoid uncovered food. It should be made compulsory to cover the food so that they are not exposed to insects. Vendors should ensure that every food item they serve is prepared in hygienic conditions. They should voluntarily adopt hygienic measures to improve the quality of the food served.
Devna Munjal
Training should be given to vendors
Habits of food vendors such as not washing their hands, not covering their hair, use of contaminated water, slime layer on poorly cleaned utensil and improper handling of food should be brought under check by the legislation. Every street food vendor, helper and food handler should undergo a basic training in food hygiene and safety. The training should include the procedure to prevent food contamination, risk of food-borne pathogens, maintaining personal hygiene and cleaning of utensils.
Ravi Chander Garg
Guilty should be fined
It is a matter of serious concern that some fruit sellers sell fruits kept in the open for long. Each fruit seller should obey the norms and precautions given by an expert team of doctors and other municipal officials. Vendors who violate the norms should be penalised. There should be a regulatory body to keep a vigilant eye on them. Each fruit seller must be provided a license to sell fruits and salad.
Dr Mohd Saleem
Unhygienic method of preparation
Most of the street food vendors do not practice hygienic method of preparing food. The present conditions, in which most of the street food vendors cook and sale, are unsuitable. Food is exposed to flies, birds and rodents, which cause food-borne pathogens. Street food vendors also lack proper food handling and waste disposal training.
Angel Arora
Consumers equally responsible
Consumers should not buy any eatables from vendors who do not keep their food in hygienic conditions. The MC and local health department should regularly conduct raids to make sure that all roadside vendors adopt hygienic methods of preparing food, especially in rainy season. Consumers should make sure that vendors have gloves on while serving food, the utensils from which food is served should be clean and the food items must be covered.
Bir Devinder Singh Bedi
Dust and smoke make food unhygienic
The food sold by roadside vendors becomes more unhygienic as the day goes by because of dust and smoke emitted by passing vehicles. Vendors also use sub-standard oil and butter to make food. Consumers should prefer to eat at places which use disposable plates and maintain hygiene.
Karanpreet Kaur
Training must be compulsory
The MC should make it a rule for vendors to undergo training in food handling to ensure hygiene of food. The dust and smoke released by vehicles make roads the worst place to sell food. The cut and uncovered food is easily attacked by micro-organisms and insects which spread diseases. It is better to avoid such food, especially raw vegetables and fruits, for a healthy body.
Vaishnavi Kharbanda
Assure quality of fruits
To assure the quality of vegetables and fruits, a mechanism should be brought in place to check chemical residues on the surface of these goods. The government should make standard policies to check, test and assure the quality of food being sold by vendors.
Insha Hanif
Food Safety Department must take food samples
Eating unhygienic foods often lead to various food-borne diseases. Vendors must keep in mind that tasty food is not the only parameter customers look for and if they serve food prepared in unhygienic conditions, customers will fall sick and it they will lose their customers. Hygienic and healthy food should be served to make permanent customers. The Food Safety Department must conduct regular checking and take food samples of street vendors to ensure the quality of food. Customers must be aware of what is being served to them.
Rattandeep Singh Oberoi
Vendors should keep eatables covered
Health is considered to be the most important part of the wellbeing of human beings. One needs to take balanced diet and hygienic food to stay healthy. But in various parts of the city, rehriwalas, vendors and other temporary eating joints along the roadsides are selling eatables which are not always hygienic. Rules must be formulated for these sellers. There must be an agency which issues licences to sell street food. Designated zones must be allotted to them. Vendors should keep eatables covered.
Farzana Khan
Impose heavy penalties on defaulters
As roadside vendors cater to a large number of customers on a daily basis, it becomes important to ensure that the food they serve is hygienic. Both the authorities and consumers need to play a proactive role to ensure the quality. Since it is not possible to keep a check on each vendor, the authorities should start allotting designated vending zones. The authorities should impose specific norms applicable to all vendors regarding cleanliness such as wearing caps and gloves, using good quality items and impose heavy penalties for non-fulfillment of the same. The major role is of the consumers who should question what is actually being served to them and remind the vendors of the norms. Well-informed consumers can ensure implementation of rules possible because if they will not allow the vendors to deceive them, the vendors will ultimately be forced to serve accordingly.
Akrita Budhiraja
More mobile testing labs should be launched
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will implement a ‘clean street food hub programme’. Wolfing down pani-pooris being served by a street vendor can become more relishing if the food safety regulator has its way. Vendors should be encouraged to comply with certain standards and those meeting the criteria would get a “clean street food hub certificate”. Such certified street vending zones will provide safe, tasty and affordable eating options for consumers. More mobile testing labs should be launched to ensure that customers relish quality street food. New benchmarks should be set for hygiene and sanitary conditions to ensure safety and hygiene among street food vendors. The authorities should raise health and safety standards of street foods.
Shubhangi Sofat
Awareness drives on hygiene should be held
Getting hygienic food from roadside vendors is quite difficult due to lack of proper supervision by the government agencies for food safety standardisation of these facilities. Vendors should be made aware of the diseases caused due to unhygienic food they serve to their customers. Time-to-time, awareness drives regarding the methods of maintaining hygiene and cleanliness during cooking and serving food should be organised. Areas should be earmarked for food vendors so that there can be proper check on hygiene maintained by them with minimum inconvenience. It can also solve the problem of traffic jam-like situations near roadside food vendors. Some type of licencing for food quality standards for roadside vendors can also be a solution for quality assurance and if they fail to comply with the standards, their licence should be cancelled.
Vandna Malik
Licence of defaulters should be cancelled
In Ludhiana, where food is an emotion, keeping a hold over ever-increasing number of food vendors and the quality of food being served under a scanner is an arduous job. The administration has to play a proactive role. Regular and surprise visits by the Food Safety Department should be there. Licence of defaulters should be cancelled. A particular area should be assigned to vendors where a plaque displaying FSSAI certificate should be put up. This would ensure people that the food served is hygienic and affordable.
Neeti Marwaha
Training programmes on food safety be held
Food sold by roadside vendors is often unhygienic because they use unhygienic methods to prepare food. Before preparing the food, they don’t wash their hands. They don’t even cover the food after prepping it which allows flies and insects to sit on it. The district Health Department should organise training programmes on food safety norms for roadside vendors to ensure that food or snacks sold at roadside vends are manufactured in line with food safety norms and served in hygienic conditions.
Ravleen Kaur
Provide safety kitsto vendors
Proper food safety norms must be formed and training must be provided by the government departments concerned for the protection of the interest of the public. The Health Safety Department must ensure that food or snacks sold by roadside vendors are manufactured within the food safety norms and served in hygienic conditions. Customers often unaware of the food being served under unhygienic conditions become vulnerable to numerous diseases, especially during the summer season. The Health Department should organise programmes to spread awareness among residents about unhygienic street foods.
Manpriya Kaur
Govt should set standard norms for vendors
Street foods are perceived to be a major public health risk. The government should set standard norms which have to be followed by each vendor before selling his product to public. Consumers themselves should be aware of their health and ask the vendor to wear gloves and mask while preparing food. The Health Department should regularly visit these vends and inspect the basic infrastructure of services, potable water used, utensils etc. and should charge heavy penalty if vendor doesn’t follow the set standards. Street plays can be organised by students to make public aware about the hazardous effects of street food.
Cheshta Vohra
Norms of hygiene should be set for vendors
With the onset of summer, diet plays an important role in keeping one healthy. With many preferring street food to satiate their taste buds, it is important to focus on hygiene in order to stay fit. Consumers should avoid eating uncovered food .Vendors often use water from roadside taps which is not clean. Consumers should avoid drinking such water. The Health Department must set certain norms of hygiene which each vendor should follow. It should be necessary to cover the food so that they are not exposed to flies and insects. The MC authorities should organise hygiene training for street vendors and issue licences to vendors.
Mehakpreet Kaur
Conduct random checks on roadside stalls
Often vendors engaged in selling snacks, beverages and other food items are unaware of awareness the food safety norms. As a result, customers often become their victim when food prepared by venders in unhygienic conditions is served to them. The Food Safety Department should conduct random checks on roadside stalls to ensure that vendors maintain hygienic conditions. The stall from where you eat your snacks should be clean. There should be bins placed for garbage disposal.
Tanvi Gulati
Never drink water from open sources
In India, food which is prepared and sold on the roadsides is usually unhealthy and unhygienic. We should be cautious and eat only clean and fully cooked food. Pre-cut fruits and salads should be avoided at all times. We should check the cleanliness of the stall. Stay away from chutneys and sauces kept in open places. Never drink water from open sources.
Pavneet Kaur
Awareness programmes should be organised
Improved safety of street foods can be achieved through awareness programmes involving several partners such as local authorities, government departments and NGOs. The government agencies must also ensure that the food quality is maintained at the farm level. These agencies should keep a check on any misuse of agro chemicals, including pesticides and other veterinary drugs, which have harmful effects on human health. Good agricultural practices should be applied to reduce chemical hazards. The government should promote organic farming techniques.
Gurleen Kaur
Penalties should be imposed on violators
Roadside vendors often don't cover the food items which attract flies and germs and water they use is also not clean, which invites many diseases. The MC should ensure that all vendors follow certain norms of hygiene. Heavy penalties should be imposed if the authorities find any roadside vendor violating food safety norms and serve food which is prepared in unhygienic conditions. Clean and safe drinking water should be used for cooking purposes. It should be compulsory to cover the food items so that they are not exposed to insects.
Anushka
Conduct surprise checks on roadside vends
The authorities concerned should conduct surprise checks on roadside vends to ensure quality food is served to customers. People should not consume the uncovered food and also report about the same with the Food Safety Department. Students must be aware of the harmful effects of eating food prepared in unhygienic conditions.
Ashu Tiwari
Regular inspection of vends should be done
People get enticed to the reasonable price of street food but they are not aware of the conditions such food is prepared. Often such food is prepared in utterly unhygienic conditions. To ensure that vendors are selling hygienic food, a regular inspection of street vends should be done. Use of artificial colours and flavours should be prohibited.
Pratham Singla
Punish culprits
Regular raids should be conducted on roadside vends by the Health Department. Vendors often prepare food in unhygienic conditions and play with our health. A heavy fine should be imposed on those who follow unhealthy practices.
Priyanka
Provide training to vendors in hygienic practices
There is a need to ensure that vendors must sell hygienic food. The Health Department should organise training programmes to train vendors to prepare food items in hygienic conditions. Organise formal training for vendors to improve on their personal and food hygienic practises.
Mehak Bajaj
Make vendors aware about food safety norms
Consuming street foods often cause food poisoning and food-borne disease as these foods are prepared in unhygienic conditions. To ensure roadside vendors serve hygienic street food, the government agencies need to organise training programmes on food safety norms for vendors. This will ensure that food or snacks sold at roadside vends are manufactured in line with food safety norms and served in hygienic conditions.
Deeksha
Food should be prepared in hygienic conditions
To find vendors who violate food safety and hygiene norms, the foodies themselves should be aware of food safety norms. Consumers must check if their food is prepared in hygienic conditions or else they can become vulnerable to numerous diseases, especially during the summer season. The Health Department should organise trainings for vendors to ensure that they follow food safety norms.
Ananya Sharma
Proper waste management should be in place
We often see miscellaneous roadside vendors who don't follow sanitary practices and just focus on making profits. They should be penalised. The authorities concerned must ensure that these vendors adopt hygienic practices to serve quality food. Proper waste management should be in place and the authorities should lay down regulations. Trainings should be organised for vendors. Penalty should be imposed on errant vendors.
Gurleen Kaur
Vendors should use good ingredients
The government should provide vendors training in proper working and cooking of healthy food. Roadside about ingredients should also take care of ingredients when they cook food. If the ingredients used are good, there are less chances of getting ill.
Niranjan Kaur
Place of preparation of food should be clean
Various measures should be adopted to ensure hygienic street food in Ludhiana such as regular inspections by the Public Health inspectors. Ingredients, especially water, used by vendors should be hygienic. Youth should be made more conscious about health hazards by eating junk food. In addition to this, place of preparation of food should be properly cleaned. These small efforts would make a huge difference in ensuring hygienic supply of street food.
GURVIR KAUR
Place dustbins near stalls
Street vendors often don't take care about hygiene which leads to many food-borne diseases. Vendors should maintain cleanliness by using clean and fresh water for food. They should also use disposable plates. There should be dustbins near stalls. Spitting near stalls should be prohibited. Vendors should be given proper training. Regular inspections must be conducted. Don't eat from such food stall vendors who don't follow the hygiene practices.
Abhilasha Singh
Be aware of what you eat
It is the responsibility of vendors to provide hygienic food to their customers. They should use clean water and good ingredients while cooking food. It is also the responsibility of people to be concerned about the quality of food. A committee should be established to keep an eye on the activities of vendors and punitive measures should be implemented on those who don't pay attention on the hygienic preparation of food items.
KAMALDEEP KAUR
QUESTION
How can the schools educate children about the importance of civic duties?
OPEN HOUSE COMMENT
Minna Zutshi
Regular checks must on quality of food provided by vendors
There can be physical, biological and/or chemical contamination in food. The FSSAI has laid down certain food safety and hygiene requirements for Food Business Operators (FBOs). There are around 25,000 FBOs registered in the state. There are also around 10,000 street vendors across the state. Apart from training street vendors on food safety and hygiene, regular checks on the quality of food provided by them are a must. Vendors have to adhere to the norms of food safety and hygiene. Any laxity on their part should invite a strict action. On the part of consumers, awareness and vigilance are equally important. Consumers have the right to demand absolute adherence to food safety and hygiene. Anything less than this poses a risk to their health and wellbeing. Street food should be safe as well as hygienic.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)