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Saturday, August 13, 2016
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Friday, July 22, 2016
FSSAI to test packaging for toxins release; new packaging standards soon
The apex food regulator FSSAI has sought a surveillance plan from the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) with regards to testing the packaging material used in food products so that the risk of toxins released in the food could be mitigated. Currently FSSAI is examining the plan and will hold discussions for its possible implementation. Further FSSAI has plans to come up with packaging standards apart from the existing BIS standards.
Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI, speaking to FnB news said that it was being done to determine the safety of the material used for food packaging and how the material reacted when it came in contact with the food. “We have asked the IIP to suggest a surveillance plan for checking the safety of the material used for food packs. We’re currently examining the same and soon we will take a decision in the matter,” he said.
This move is in-line with ensuring safety of food and such policy will enable FSSAI to keep an eye on the packaging. Apart from the testing done by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), FSSAI is set to test the packaging standards of foodmakers. Testing will be carried on packets, bottles, cans or wrappers to see whether or not they release toxins into the food under different temperatures and conditions.
According to the officials of FSSAI, this will help FSSAI to bring down the percentage of the food contaminated due to migration from the packaging material. The FSSAI will conduct research before finalising their own set of guidelines.
The officials further stated that the new standards were expected to increase the frequency of checks and make companies more accountable. FSSAI wants manufacturers to make the packaging process more transparent.
FSSAI will also ask the states to follow the norms and domestic and multinational food giants will be checked.
Meanwhile, the industry welcomed the move saying that it would help the industry in checking any contamination while the smaller FBOs will be able to identify better packaging material for their products.
“The industry has experienced the issue of migration since the packaging was developed. There are certain parameters to avoid migration risks. A crucial component which has to be taken care while procuring raw materials for packaging a food product is statement of composition (SoC). This statement has a tabulated format of migration patterns of the material which is supplied. A detailed note of possible migrants is mentioned in the statement. Also, the worst case scenarios are mentioned statistically. There are even other systems to ensure safety, the food product should be taken into consideration while choosing the packaging material,” said Neelakamal Mohapatra, head, food processing technology development, Siegwerk India Pvt. Ltd, Rajasthan.
He added, “The new standards will be helpful for small manufacturers while choosing the materials as the migration levels will be mentioned already in the standards. This is a good move which will help small players on a larger scale. If they will be properly educated it will save their costs in incurred in testing on a larger scale.”
Source:http://www.fnbnews.com
FSSAI to exempt traders supplying farm produce from quality accountability
Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to exempt traders who deal in supply of farm produce (particularly grain and pulses) to the food processing industry from being held responsible for the quality of the produce. In this regard, traders who trade in mandis and procure raw material from farmers had alleged harassment at the hands of food safety officials on account of quality of the raw produce.
However, now, the FSSAI has issued an office order, which states that the apex food regulator has amended the rules with regards to enforcement in mandis wherein a provision has been added to the regulation 2.4.6 of Food Safety & Standards (Food Product Standard and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2016, relating to food grains Clause 15. An additional Clause 16 was proposed to be added with respect to unprocessed whole raw pulses – not for direct human consumption.
FSSAI officials reveal that this proposal has already been operationalised with effect from April 13 this year.
“This would prevent avoidable harassment or prosecution of such traders who are procuring raw agricultural produce directly from farmers and selling the raw agricultural produce for further processing. The analysis of such samples when taken would be tested against the standards of raw produce. This is in line with the belief of FSSAI that sampling of primary food should only be encouraged where the same is being sold for direct human consumption,” states the order.
FSSAI has received several representations from various trade associations against enforcement activities undertaken against traders engaged in procuring raw agricultural produce directly from farmers and selling the same for further processing. The traders in mandis were held responsible for quality of the agricultural commodities produced by farmers.
But FSSAI officials admitted that the authority had limited scope in ensuring best farm practices while the department of animal husbandry, agriculture cooperation and farmers welfare and their respective departments in states had the responsibility to ensure that.
Source:http://www.fnbnews.com
However, now, the FSSAI has issued an office order, which states that the apex food regulator has amended the rules with regards to enforcement in mandis wherein a provision has been added to the regulation 2.4.6 of Food Safety & Standards (Food Product Standard and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2016, relating to food grains Clause 15. An additional Clause 16 was proposed to be added with respect to unprocessed whole raw pulses – not for direct human consumption.
FSSAI officials reveal that this proposal has already been operationalised with effect from April 13 this year.
“This would prevent avoidable harassment or prosecution of such traders who are procuring raw agricultural produce directly from farmers and selling the raw agricultural produce for further processing. The analysis of such samples when taken would be tested against the standards of raw produce. This is in line with the belief of FSSAI that sampling of primary food should only be encouraged where the same is being sold for direct human consumption,” states the order.
FSSAI has received several representations from various trade associations against enforcement activities undertaken against traders engaged in procuring raw agricultural produce directly from farmers and selling the same for further processing. The traders in mandis were held responsible for quality of the agricultural commodities produced by farmers.
But FSSAI officials admitted that the authority had limited scope in ensuring best farm practices while the department of animal husbandry, agriculture cooperation and farmers welfare and their respective departments in states had the responsibility to ensure that.
Source:http://www.fnbnews.com
കോഴിക്കോട് പലഹാരങ്ങള് നിര്മ്മിക്കുന്നത് വൃത്തിഹീനമായ സാഹചര്യത്തില്
Source:http://www.reporterlive.com/
കോഴിക്കോട്: കോഴിക്കോട് നഗരത്തില് പലഹാരങ്ങള് നിര്മ്മിക്കുന്നത് വൃത്തിഹീനമായ സാഹചര്യത്തിലാണെന്ന് ഭക്ഷ്യ സുരക്ഷ വകുപ്പിന്റെ കണ്ടെത്തല്. പലഹാര നിര്മ്മാണത്തിന് ചീഞ്ഞളിഞ്ഞ വസ്തുക്കള് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതായും തെളിഞ്ഞു. കോഴിക്കോട് ഒരു ദിനം നിര്മ്മിക്കുന്നത് ഒരു ലക്ഷത്തോളം പലഹാരങ്ങളാണെന്നാണ് ഭക്ഷ്യ സുരക്ഷ വകുപ്പിന്റെ കണക്ക്.മൊത്തമായി നിര്മിക്കുന്നത് പത്തോളം സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളിലാണ്. പലതവണ അടച്ചു പൂട്ടാന് നോട്ടീസ് നല്കിയിട്ടും പാലിക്കാത്ത സ്ഥാപനങ്ങള്ക്ക് എതിരെ നിയമനടപടി സ്വീകരിക്കാനാണ് ഭക്ഷ്യ വകുപ്പിന്റെ തീരുമാനം.
പാളയത്ത് ബോണ്ടയടക്കം നിര്മ്മിക്കുന്ന കേന്ദ്രത്തില് ചീഞ്ഞ ഉരുളക്കിഴങ്ങുകള് കൊണ്ടാണ് പലഹാരങ്ങള് നിര്മിക്കുന്നത്. ദുര്ഗന്ധം വമിക്കുന്ന ഉരുളക്കിഴങ്ങുകള് കൂട്ടിയിട്ടിരുക്കുകയാണ്.
Silver leaf made from animal parts banned
Fine silver foil or silver leaf, is used to decorate sweets and traditional desserts and spices such as cardamom and sweet paan. They are manufactured mostly in traditional units where the silver is placed between layers of animal intestine obtained from slaughterhouses, and then hammered into a fine foil. "There has to be a clear distinction between silver leaf made in traditional factories and those manufactured using machines," says a senior AMC official.
The FSSAI issued a gazette notification Tuesday that said: "Silver leaf cannot be manufactured using any animal material of animal origin at any stage of manufacturing process." The notification has also fixed norms for thickness, weight and purity of silver. This is to ensure that hazardous aluminium foil is not passed off as silver leaf and supplied to sweet shops in small towns and villages. It has also said that the sheet needs to be of uniform thickness, free from creases and folds; and the weight of silver foil should be up to 2.8g per square metre; and the silver used should of a minimum 999/1000 fineness, the notification says.
"The fines and penalties will be announced soon. The state food regulators will take action against manufacturers who use silver leaf which uses animal parts," said a senior official of the food and drugs department. Modern machinery, according to an AMC health official, is available for the manufacture of silver leaf.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Silver-leaf-made-from-animal-parts-banned/articleshow/53330144.cms
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
പച്ചക്കറികളിലെ വിഷം കളയുന്ന 'വെജ് വാഷി'നെതിരെ കീടനാശിനി കമ്പനികള് രംഗത്ത്
തിരുവനന്തപുരം: പച്ചക്കറികളിലും പഴങ്ങളിലും അടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്ന കീടനാശിനി വിഷാംശത്തിന്റെ തോത് മനസ്സിലാക്കി അത് പരമാവധി ഇല്ലാതാക്കാന് കേരള കാര്ഷിക സര്വകലാശാല കണ്ടെത്തിയ 'വെജ് വാഷി'നെതിരെ ക്രോപ്പ് കെയര് ഫെഡറേഷന് രംഗത്തെത്തി. കീടനാശിനി കമ്പനികളുടെ കൂട്ടായ്മയാണ് ക്രോപ്പ് കെയര് ഫെഡറേഷന്. വെജ് വാഷ് ഭക്ഷ്യോല്പന്നമാണെന്നും അത് ഉണ്ടാക്കി വില്ക്കുന്നതിന് ഭക്ഷ്യ വകുപ്പിന്റെ ലൈസന്സ് വേണമെന്നും കാണിച്ച് ഫെഡറേഷന് വൈസ് ചാന്സലര്ക്ക് നോട്ടീസ് അയച്ചു. വെജ് വാഷിനെതിരെ നടപടി കൈക്കൊള്ളണമെന്ന് കാണിച്ച് ഭക്ഷ്യ സുരക്ഷാ കമ്മീഷണര്ക്കും നോട്ടീസ് അയച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.
വളരെ നാളത്തെ ഗവേഷണത്തിലൂടെ സര്വ്വകലാശാല വികസിപ്പെച്ചെടുത്ത പദ്ധതിയാണ് വെജ് വാഷ്. പച്ചക്കറികളില് അടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്ന വിഷത്തിന്റെ തോത് മനസിലാക്കി അവയെ വിഘടിപ്പിച്ചു കളയാന് കഴിയുന്ന പദാര്ത്ഥങ്ങള് ഉള്പ്പെടുത്തിയാണ് വെജ് വാഷ് ഉണ്ടാക്കിയിരിക്കുന്നത്. വെജ് വാഷ് ചേര്ത്ത വെള്ളത്തില് പച്ചക്കറികള് കുറച്ചു സമയം മുക്കി വച്ചശേഷം നന്നായി കഴുകിയാല് വിഷാംശം പൂര്ണമായി ഇല്ലാതാകുമെന്നതാണ് സര്വ്വകലാശാലയുടെ അവകാശവാദം. ഈ സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യ ഉല്പ്പാദിപ്പിച്ച് വില്ക്കാന് ആവശ്യമായ പരിശീലനവും സര്വകലാശാല നല്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. അതിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തില് സംസ്ഥാനത്ത് ധാരാളം കമ്പനികള് ഈ വിദ്യയിലൂടെ ലായനി ഉണ്ടാക്കി വില്ക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. പച്ചക്കറികളിലെ വിഷാംശത്തിന്റെ പട്ടിക പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ചപ്പോള് മുതല് ക്രോപ്പ് കെയര് ഫെഡറേഷന് പ്രതിഷേധവുമായി രംഗത്തുണ്ട്. വെജ് വാഷിന്റെ ഉത്പാദനം നിര്ത്തണമെന്നാണ് ഫെഡറേഷന്റെ ആവശ്യം. എന്നാല് സര്വകലാശാല അതിന് തയ്യാറാകാതിരുന്നതോടെയാണ് നിയമനടപടിയുമായി മുന്നോട്ട് പോകാന് കീടനാശിന് കമ്പനികള് തീരുമാനിച്ചത്. പച്ചക്കറി കഴുകാനുപയോഗിക്കുന്ന ലായനി എങ്ങനെയാണ് ഭക്ഷ്യവസ്തു ആകുന്നതെന്നാണ് സര്വകലാശാലയുടെ സംശയം. ജനങ്ങളുടെ സുരക്ഷയെ മുന്നിര്ത്തി എടുത്ത തീരുമാനം കീടനാശിനി കമ്പനികളെ അസ്വസ്തമാക്കുന്നതെങ്ങനെ എന്നും സര്വകലാശാല ചോദിക്കുന്നു.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Food safety lab machines inaugurated
The government is taking steps to strengthen the
laboratory facilities for checking for the presence of pesticides and
other heavy metals and lead, in all food items, including fruits and
vegetables across the State, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar has said.
Inaugurating
the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry machines installed in
Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam Government Analysis Labs (GAL) here on
Thursday, Mr. Sivakumar said that the GC-MS machine would be installed
at the GAL in Kozhikode.
A sum of Rs.1 crore had been
allocated for purchasing Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission
spectroscopy (ICP-AES) machines for detecting trace metals and arsenic
in food at the labs at Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam, he said.
Food
Safety offices were being set up in all 140 Assembly constituencies and
134 posts had been created towards the same. The GALs in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Ernakulam were completing the final
processes of securing NABL accreditation. The lab staff and scientists
in these institutions would be given training at the CFTRI lab at
Mysuru. He said that because of the stringent actions taken by the State
the entry of pesticide-ridden vegetables from other States had
decreased considerably.
Food Safety Commissioner T.V.
Anupama said that the results of pesticide tests on vegetables and
fruits would be available within three days.
Chief
Government Analyst S.T. Thankachan, Directorof Public Health Lab S.
Sunija, State Drugs Controller P. Hariprasad, and other senior officials
were present.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Hotels told to display MSG use
The Commissioner of Food Safety has issued orders that
all hotels, restaurants, bakeries, and other eateries which use
monosodium glutamate (MSG or ajinomotto) in food items should display
this information clearly on their premises.
“In the
case of packaged foods, food manufacturers are expected to give clear
label information that the food item contains MSG, with the warning that
it should not be consumed by children below 12 months of age. We are
insisting that the hotel industry should comply with the same regulation
by declaring that food items contain MSG,” senior Food Safety officials
said on Monday.
The orders issued by Commissioner of
Food Safety T.V. Anupama said that all eateries should display a public
notice which declared that “this establishment uses MSG as a flavouring
agent in the following food items. These food items should not be given
to children below 12 months of age.”
Food Safety officials said they wanted all hotels and eateries to comply with this regulation.
“We
decided to bring in this regulation as MSG is being used
indiscriminately by many eateries. In one of our recent inspections, in
one eatery we found that table pepper was mixed with MSG,” an official
said.
MSG is a naturally occurring chemical
glutamate, which though has no flavour of its own, enhances other
flavours and imparts added taste to the food and is a widely used as
food additive.
No limit for ‘added MSG’
State
Food Safety officials said that as far as the food additive MSG was
concerned, the food regulatory authorities in the country had not fixed
any limit for “added MSG.”
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Government mulls Rs 1,750 crore proposal for FSSAI, state food regulators
Faced with criticism from industry over approval system for food
products, the government is mulling a Rs 1,750-crore proposal to
strengthen central food regulator FSSAI as well as state bodies.
Addressing a CII conference, Health Secretary Bhanu Pratap Sharma said there is shortage of manpower and skill at both the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as well as the state food & drug departments.
The government is working on strengthening the FSSAI and state FDAs through capacity building that includes setting up of new testing laboratories and upgrading the existing ones, he said, adding that the focus is also on increasing awareness about the importance of food safety.
"We have formulated a scheme for that (capacity building) and that scheme was for both food and drug. The drug part has been approved by the Cabinet recently in the month of August and there is a similar proposal for the food which is likely to be approved by the competent authority soon enough," Sharma said.
He said the proposal, once approved, would definitely give a strong fillip to the capacity building of the laboratories and other food regulatory set-ups.
According to sources, the Health Ministry has moved a proposal for granting Rs 1,750 crore, which includes about over Rs 800 crore for the FSSAI and the remaining amount for the state food regulators.
The Secretary said there are about 160 labs for testing of food in the country, out of which 72 are in the government sector and 80 odds are private accredited labs
The ministry has evaluated all the government's labs to find out the deficiencies, Sharma said.
Sharma also mentioned that the FSSAI only sets standards for different food products and the implementation is done by the state governments.
The states give licences and they enforce the Act and all the prosecutions, he added.
The FSSAI has come into limelight after it imposed the ban on Maggi in June this year, which was later lifted by the Bombay High Court. In August this year, the Supreme Court junked the FSSAI's advisory that asked manufacturers to get clearance for products even if the ingredients were already approved or deemed safe.
After Maggi ban, industry as well as Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal criticised the FSSAI.
Badal had said that the FSSAI's decision created "fear psychosis" in the food processing industry.
Food regulator FSSAI, which comes under ambit of Health Ministry, lays down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-government-mulls-rs-1750-crore-proposal-for-fssai-state-food-regulators-2150783
Addressing a CII conference, Health Secretary Bhanu Pratap Sharma said there is shortage of manpower and skill at both the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as well as the state food & drug departments.
The government is working on strengthening the FSSAI and state FDAs through capacity building that includes setting up of new testing laboratories and upgrading the existing ones, he said, adding that the focus is also on increasing awareness about the importance of food safety.
"We have formulated a scheme for that (capacity building) and that scheme was for both food and drug. The drug part has been approved by the Cabinet recently in the month of August and there is a similar proposal for the food which is likely to be approved by the competent authority soon enough," Sharma said.
He said the proposal, once approved, would definitely give a strong fillip to the capacity building of the laboratories and other food regulatory set-ups.
According to sources, the Health Ministry has moved a proposal for granting Rs 1,750 crore, which includes about over Rs 800 crore for the FSSAI and the remaining amount for the state food regulators.
The Secretary said there are about 160 labs for testing of food in the country, out of which 72 are in the government sector and 80 odds are private accredited labs
The ministry has evaluated all the government's labs to find out the deficiencies, Sharma said.
Sharma also mentioned that the FSSAI only sets standards for different food products and the implementation is done by the state governments.
The states give licences and they enforce the Act and all the prosecutions, he added.
The FSSAI has come into limelight after it imposed the ban on Maggi in June this year, which was later lifted by the Bombay High Court. In August this year, the Supreme Court junked the FSSAI's advisory that asked manufacturers to get clearance for products even if the ingredients were already approved or deemed safe.
After Maggi ban, industry as well as Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal criticised the FSSAI.
Badal had said that the FSSAI's decision created "fear psychosis" in the food processing industry.
Food regulator FSSAI, which comes under ambit of Health Ministry, lays down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-government-mulls-rs-1750-crore-proposal-for-fssai-state-food-regulators-2150783
Friday, November 6, 2015
IAS officer triggers organic food drive in Kerala
When a young IAS officer in Kerala took the powerful pesticide lobby and food adulterators head on, little did she knew that she was triggering a healthy food campaign across the state.
Kerala’s food safety commissioner TV Anupama opened a Pandora’s box when she conducted raids across the state and banned products of an established food brand citing that it contained alarming levels of non-permissible substances.
Thanks to the startling facts that the raids threw up, jolting Keralites into realising the need to have home-grown vegetables, the state that used to buy 70% of vegetables for consumption from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka now produces 70% on its own.
The state government pitched in by providing grow bags, seeds and saplings home-delivered free of cost. It also provided subsidy to install drip-irrigation facility and bio-gas plants in homes, paving way to a silent organic revolution of sorts.
“She is a bold and committed officer. Her continuous pursuit for safe food items has started yielding results,” said legislator VT Balram.
After taking over 15 months ago, Anupama conducted random checks in markets and checks posts and seized adulterated products. At least 6,000 samples were collected from various farms in a year and 750 cases were registered against defaulters. This awakened the conscience of people, who started growing vegetables without pesticides.
“We were shocked to hear that some fruits and vegetables carried 300% pesticide residues than the permissible limit. She opened our eyes,” said Vijayalakshmi Nair, a retired teacher, who now has an organic garden on her terrace.
“We realised the importance of the chief election commissioner when TN Seshan took over. Similarly, we realised such a post existed after Anupama,” said another homemaker.
“I did my duty. The government and people stood with me in my endeavour,” is all the 2010-batch IAS officer (she was the fourth-rank holder) had to say.
Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com
Synthetic food colours pose health risk
Survey in north Kerala reveals need for more regulations
The sweetmeats inside the glass counter look tempting in
their many hues but the colours that make them appealing could be
hiding a toxic cocktail. A recent survey conducted in northern Kerala
revealed excessive use of synthetic colours in sugar-based confections,
posing a serious health risk, especially for children.
The
survey found the use of two non-permitted colours, Amaranth and
Rhodamine, underlining the need for more stringent food safety
regulations.
Of the 14 samples collected from various
locations, 97 per cent were found to contain permitted colours while
three per cent contained a combination of permitted and non-permitted
colours.
The analysis also showed that 82 per cent of
the samples exceeded the prescribed limit of 100 ppm (parts per
million) for permitted colours. Tartrazine was the most widely used
permitted colour, followed by sunset yellow.
Commonly used
It
was noticed that though the Food Safety and Standards Authority of
India (FSSAI) permits eight colours to be added to specific foods, only
six, namely Tartrazine, Sunset yellow, Carmoisine, Ponceau 4R,
Erythrosine and Brilliant blue FCF, were commonly used. Brilliant blue
was mostly used in combination with Tartrazine to impart a green shade
to sweets, instead of using Fast Green, says R.Subburaj, Junior Research
Officer, Food Safety Department, who presented a paper on the survey at
the World Food Day celebrations here earlier this month.
Studies
on animals have indicated that Brilliant blue induces liver damage,
renal failure, and asthma while Tartrazine is responsible for Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Sunset yellow causes adrenal
tumor and hypersensitivity.
The survey found that indiscriminate use of colours in sweets was prevalent in small-scale industries and homestead units.
Non-permitted
colours were not used in reputed brands of sugar boiled confectionaries
but all the eight permitted colours were used in different
combinations, ignoring the cumulative health effects caused by mixing
synthetic food colours.
Joint Commissioner of Food
Safety K. Anilkumar said there was scientific evidence to support the
impact of synthetic food colours on human health. Pointing out that a
campaign launched by the Bakers Association to avoid the use of
synthetic colours had collapsed due to lack of response from buyers,
Mr.Anilkumar stressed the need for a sustained consumer awareness drive.
Source:http://www.thehindu.com
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Sting exposes FSSAI officials giving nod to unsafe products for bribe
Responding to India Today Television's sting operation, which showed
Food Safety and Standard Authority (FSSAI) officials willing to give nod
to unsafe food products for a bribe, the government on Wednesday
ordered a probe.
Health Minister JP Nadda has directed officials of his department to take strict action against the errant food inspectors, who were shown in the sting operation quoting their rates for passing off bogus food product as safe for human consumption.
Soon after the sting operation was aired on India Today TV on Wednesday, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan demanded that the food inspectors must be jailed for breaking the trust of consumers.
India Today TV's sting had exposed how illegal approval of unsafe food products goes unchecked under Food Safety & Standard Authority (FSSAI) with its food inspectors subtly encouraging bribery.
The investigation team reached out to Pilkhuwa in the western Uttar Pradesh district of Hapur, 60 kilometers away from the national Capital.
The team posed as entrepreneurs willing to launch a namkeen brand - Sharmaji Ki Bhujia. The team requested Ramesh Chand, food inspector, FSSAI, Pilkhuwa, for help because their product had excessive amount of lead in it, following which, Inspector Chand assured them that excess lead would not be a problem.
In the very first meeting, Chand not only agreed to pass the samples, but he also promised to do so without conducting any tests. However, he demanded a fixed price - only Rs 20,000 a year - a nominal sum is all it takes for an FSSAI food inspector to bypass tests and let deadly and dubious food samples pass.
Source:http://indiatoday.intoday.in
Health Minister JP Nadda has directed officials of his department to take strict action against the errant food inspectors, who were shown in the sting operation quoting their rates for passing off bogus food product as safe for human consumption.
Soon after the sting operation was aired on India Today TV on Wednesday, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan demanded that the food inspectors must be jailed for breaking the trust of consumers.
India Today TV's sting had exposed how illegal approval of unsafe food products goes unchecked under Food Safety & Standard Authority (FSSAI) with its food inspectors subtly encouraging bribery.
The investigation team reached out to Pilkhuwa in the western Uttar Pradesh district of Hapur, 60 kilometers away from the national Capital.
The team posed as entrepreneurs willing to launch a namkeen brand - Sharmaji Ki Bhujia. The team requested Ramesh Chand, food inspector, FSSAI, Pilkhuwa, for help because their product had excessive amount of lead in it, following which, Inspector Chand assured them that excess lead would not be a problem.
In the very first meeting, Chand not only agreed to pass the samples, but he also promised to do so without conducting any tests. However, he demanded a fixed price - only Rs 20,000 a year - a nominal sum is all it takes for an FSSAI food inspector to bypass tests and let deadly and dubious food samples pass.
Source:http://indiatoday.intoday.in
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
നിറപറ ഉത്പന്നങ്ങളുടെ നിരോധം റദ്ദാക്കിയതിനെതിരെ സർക്കാർ അപ്പീലിന്
കൊച്ചി: 'നിറപറ' ബ്രാൻഡിന്റെ മുളകുപൊടി, മല്ലിപ്പൊടി, മഞ്ഞൾപ്പൊടി
എന്നിവയ്ക്കുള്ള നിരോധം റദ്ദാക്കിയ ഹൈേക്കാടതി സിംഗിൾ ബെഞ്ച് ഉത്തരവിനെതിരെ
ഡിവിഷൻ ബെഞ്ചിനെ സമീപിക്കാൻ സംസ്ഥാന സർക്കാർ തീരുമാനിച്ചു. പൂജ അവധിക്കു
ശേഷം അപ്പീൽ ഫയൽ ചെയ്യും. മായം ചേർന്നതാണെന്ന് കണ്ടെത്തിയതിനെത്തുടർന്ന്
സപ്തംബറിലാണ് ഉല്പന്നങ്ങൾ നിരോധിച്ച് ഭക്ഷ്യസുരക്ഷാ കമ്മിഷണർ
ഉത്തരവിറക്കിയത്.
ഈ ഉത്തരവിനെതിരെ നിറപറ ഉടമകൾ ഹൈക്കോടതി സിംഗിൾ ബെഞ്ചിനെ സമീപിക്കുകയും
കോടതി, നിരോധം റദ്ദാക്കുകയും ചെയ്തിരുന്നു. ഇതിനെതിരെയാണ് സംസ്ഥാന സർക്കാർ
ഡിവിഷൻ ബെഞ്ചിനെ സമീപിക്കാനൊരുങ്ങുന്നത്.
പിഴ ഈടാക്കിയിട്ടും മായം ചേർത്ത ഉല്പന്നങ്ങൾ തുടർച്ചയായി വിൽക്കുന്നു
എന്ന് കണ്ടതിനെത്തുടർന്നാണ് നിറപറയുടെ ഉല്പന്നങ്ങൾ നിരോധിക്കാൻ
ഭക്ഷ്യസുരക്ഷാ കമ്മിഷണർ തീരുമാനിച്ചത്. ഫുഡ് സേഫ്റ്റി ആൻഡ്
സ്റ്റാൻഡേർഡ്സ് നിയമപ്രകാരം അതിനുള്ള അവകാശം കമ്മിഷണർക്കുണ്ട്.
നിയമത്തിൽ നിർദേശിച്ചതിനു വിരുദ്ധമായി ഏതു ഭക്ഷ്യവസ്തു ഉണ്ടാക്കിയാലും സൂക്ഷിച്ചാലും വിറ്റാലും കമ്മിഷണർ ചുമതലപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുള്ള ജില്ലാ ഓഫീസർക്കു തടയാമെന്ന് നിയമം അനുശാസിക്കുന്നു. ജില്ലാ ഓഫീസറുടെ നിരോധം അതത് ജില്ലയിൽ മാത്രമാകുമെന്നതിനാൽ സംസ്ഥാന വ്യാപകമായി നടപ്പാക്കാനാണ് കമ്മിഷണർ നിരോധ ഉത്തരവ് പുറത്തിറക്കിയതെന്നും അതിന് കമ്മിഷണർക്ക് അധികാരമുണ്ടെന്നുമാണ് സർക്കാറിന്റെ നിലപാട്.
പരിശോധിച്ച ഉല്പന്നങ്ങളിൽ ആരോഗ്യത്തിന് ഹാനികരമായ വസ്തുക്കൾ ഉൾപ്പെട്ടതായി കമ്മിഷണറുടെ ഉത്തരവിൽ പറയുന്നില്ലെന്നും അതിനാൽ നിരോധം നിലനിൽക്കില്ലെന്നുമായിരുന്നു സിംഗിൾ ബെഞ്ചിന്റെ ഉത്തരവ്. എന്നാൽ ഫുഡ് സേഫ്റ്റി ആൻഡ് സ്റ്റാൻഡേർഡ്സ് നിയമത്തിലെ 26-ാം വകുപ്പിൽ പറയുന്നത് ആരോഗ്യത്തിന് ഹാനികരമായ വസ്തുക്കൾ വിൽക്കാൻ പാടില്ലാത്തതു പോലെ തന്നെ നിലവാരം കുറഞ്ഞതും വിൽക്കാൻ പാടില്ലെന്നാണ്. ഈ നിയമമനുസരിച്ചാണ് കമ്മിഷണർ നടപടിയെടുത്തതും. കമ്മിഷണർ ദുരുദ്ദേശ്യപരമായാണ് തങ്ങളുടെ ഉല്പന്നങ്ങൾ നിരോധിച്ചതെന്ന നിറപറ ഉടമകളുടെ ആരോപണം സിംഗിൾ ബെഞ്ച് തള്ളിക്കളഞ്ഞത് സർക്കാറിന് നേട്ടമായി.
നിയമത്തിൽ നിർദേശിച്ചതിനു വിരുദ്ധമായി ഏതു ഭക്ഷ്യവസ്തു ഉണ്ടാക്കിയാലും സൂക്ഷിച്ചാലും വിറ്റാലും കമ്മിഷണർ ചുമതലപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുള്ള ജില്ലാ ഓഫീസർക്കു തടയാമെന്ന് നിയമം അനുശാസിക്കുന്നു. ജില്ലാ ഓഫീസറുടെ നിരോധം അതത് ജില്ലയിൽ മാത്രമാകുമെന്നതിനാൽ സംസ്ഥാന വ്യാപകമായി നടപ്പാക്കാനാണ് കമ്മിഷണർ നിരോധ ഉത്തരവ് പുറത്തിറക്കിയതെന്നും അതിന് കമ്മിഷണർക്ക് അധികാരമുണ്ടെന്നുമാണ് സർക്കാറിന്റെ നിലപാട്.
പരിശോധിച്ച ഉല്പന്നങ്ങളിൽ ആരോഗ്യത്തിന് ഹാനികരമായ വസ്തുക്കൾ ഉൾപ്പെട്ടതായി കമ്മിഷണറുടെ ഉത്തരവിൽ പറയുന്നില്ലെന്നും അതിനാൽ നിരോധം നിലനിൽക്കില്ലെന്നുമായിരുന്നു സിംഗിൾ ബെഞ്ചിന്റെ ഉത്തരവ്. എന്നാൽ ഫുഡ് സേഫ്റ്റി ആൻഡ് സ്റ്റാൻഡേർഡ്സ് നിയമത്തിലെ 26-ാം വകുപ്പിൽ പറയുന്നത് ആരോഗ്യത്തിന് ഹാനികരമായ വസ്തുക്കൾ വിൽക്കാൻ പാടില്ലാത്തതു പോലെ തന്നെ നിലവാരം കുറഞ്ഞതും വിൽക്കാൻ പാടില്ലെന്നാണ്. ഈ നിയമമനുസരിച്ചാണ് കമ്മിഷണർ നടപടിയെടുത്തതും. കമ്മിഷണർ ദുരുദ്ദേശ്യപരമായാണ് തങ്ങളുടെ ഉല്പന്നങ്ങൾ നിരോധിച്ചതെന്ന നിറപറ ഉടമകളുടെ ആരോപണം സിംഗിൾ ബെഞ്ച് തള്ളിക്കളഞ്ഞത് സർക്കാറിന് നേട്ടമായി.
Source:http://www.mathrubhumi.com
State food safety department to alert FSSAI on safety act snags
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The food safety department will write to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the statutory body to ensure safe food, on the loopholes in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The move follows the high court decision to lift the ban on manufacture and sale of three Nirapara products earlier this week.
The lack of a proper act to deal with repeated offences has spoiled many efforts of the department to prevent adulteration. In the Nirapara case, food safety commissioner T V Anupama had decided to ban three of its spice products - chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder - after finding that it repeatedly committed 34 offences without rectification. The department had found the presence of sub-standard starch in these products.
The department had imposed fines - ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh - on Kalady-based KKR Food Products, the manufacturers, several times but it continued to sell the adulterated products. "It's a sad situation if you cannot take strong action against a repeated offence. We will soon write to the FSSAI on the situation," Anupama said.
KKR Food Products had argued in court that the food safety department could only ban products as per Section 34 of the Act, if it is unsafe for human consumption. Only adulterants that come under the 'unsafe' category warrant a ban.
The food safety dept has invoked the following provisions while moving against Nirapara: Section 29 (3) which stipulate that the authorities shall maintain a system of control and other activities appropriate to the circumstances, including public communication, on food safety risk, food safety surveillance and other monitoring activities covering all stages of food business. Section 30 (2) (d) which says the commissioner of food safety shall ensure an efficient and uniform implementation of the standards and other requirement as specified and also ensure a high standard of objectivity, accountability, practicability, transparency and credibility. Section 26 (2) (ii), according to which no food business operator shall himself or by any person on his behalf manufacture, store or distribute any article of food which is misbranded or substandard or contains extraneous matter. Section 36 (3) (b) which states designated officer can prohibit the sale of any article of food which is in contravention of the provisions of the Act.
However, the high court considered the argument of KKR Food Products that as per Section 34, that commissioner of food safety must do emergency prohibition only if the product poses a health risk.
Another recent high court order too proves that the Food Safety and Standards Act is toothless. A Kannur-based cinnamon farmer Leonard John had approached the high court recently seeking a directive to ensure that cassia is not sold in Kerala. He had claimed that low-cost cassia is sold as cinnamon in the state.
Cassia has a high presence of coumarin, which is unsafe for human consumption. John said that the official website of FSSAI had featured reports that said coumarin is toxic to liver and kidney. Even after getting a directive from the high court, the food safety department could not take a strong action against the sale of cassia.
"Cassia is a food product and action can be taken only for selling sub-standard products or misbranding. Hence, the issue is now being dealt with by the district-level food safety officials," said Anupama.
The department had sent several letters to FSSAI demanding amendments in the Act. "We had come across several such cases. For example, during the Maggi controversy, it was found that the act does not specify the permissible level for MSG. We had informed FSSAI about such issues," she said.
MLA V T Balram had written a letter to chief minister Oommen Chandy seeking the intervention of the advocate general, so that food safety department could function effectively.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The food safety department will write to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the statutory body to ensure safe food, on the loopholes in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The move follows the high court decision to lift the ban on manufacture and sale of three Nirapara products earlier this week.
The lack of a proper act to deal with repeated offences has spoiled many efforts of the department to prevent adulteration. In the Nirapara case, food safety commissioner T V Anupama had decided to ban three of its spice products - chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder - after finding that it repeatedly committed 34 offences without rectification. The department had found the presence of sub-standard starch in these products.
The department had imposed fines - ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh - on Kalady-based KKR Food Products, the manufacturers, several times but it continued to sell the adulterated products. "It's a sad situation if you cannot take strong action against a repeated offence. We will soon write to the FSSAI on the situation," Anupama said.
KKR Food Products had argued in court that the food safety department could only ban products as per Section 34 of the Act, if it is unsafe for human consumption. Only adulterants that come under the 'unsafe' category warrant a ban.
The food safety dept has invoked the following provisions while moving against Nirapara: Section 29 (3) which stipulate that the authorities shall maintain a system of control and other activities appropriate to the circumstances, including public communication, on food safety risk, food safety surveillance and other monitoring activities covering all stages of food business. Section 30 (2) (d) which says the commissioner of food safety shall ensure an efficient and uniform implementation of the standards and other requirement as specified and also ensure a high standard of objectivity, accountability, practicability, transparency and credibility. Section 26 (2) (ii), according to which no food business operator shall himself or by any person on his behalf manufacture, store or distribute any article of food which is misbranded or substandard or contains extraneous matter. Section 36 (3) (b) which states designated officer can prohibit the sale of any article of food which is in contravention of the provisions of the Act.
However, the high court considered the argument of KKR Food Products that as per Section 34, that commissioner of food safety must do emergency prohibition only if the product poses a health risk.
Another recent high court order too proves that the Food Safety and Standards Act is toothless. A Kannur-based cinnamon farmer Leonard John had approached the high court recently seeking a directive to ensure that cassia is not sold in Kerala. He had claimed that low-cost cassia is sold as cinnamon in the state.
Cassia has a high presence of coumarin, which is unsafe for human consumption. John said that the official website of FSSAI had featured reports that said coumarin is toxic to liver and kidney. Even after getting a directive from the high court, the food safety department could not take a strong action against the sale of cassia.
"Cassia is a food product and action can be taken only for selling sub-standard products or misbranding. Hence, the issue is now being dealt with by the district-level food safety officials," said Anupama.
The department had sent several letters to FSSAI demanding amendments in the Act. "We had come across several such cases. For example, during the Maggi controversy, it was found that the act does not specify the permissible level for MSG. We had informed FSSAI about such issues," she said.
MLA V T Balram had written a letter to chief minister Oommen Chandy seeking the intervention of the advocate general, so that food safety department could function effectively.
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