FSSAI NOTIFICATION

ஒரு வாரத்தில் உடல் எடையை குறைக்கும் மருந்துக்கு ரூ. 1120; தூத்துக்குடி உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை சோதனையில் அம்பலம் மருந்துகள் அறைக்கு சீல் வைத்து அதிரடி, சேம்பிள் எடுத்து சோதனை எடையை குறைக்க விஐபிக்கள் சென்ற அதிர்ச்சி தகவலால் பரபரப்பு

தூத்துக்குடி: ஒரு வாரம் சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளை  சாப்பிட்டால் உடல் எடை குறைந்து விடும் என்று கூறி எந்தவித லைசென்ஸ் இல்லாமல் வீட்டில் கிளினிக் நடத்தி வந்ததை உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் கண்டு பிடித்து அதனை சீல் வைத்தனர். இந்த கிளினிக்கிற்கு அதிகாரிகள், வி.ஐ.பிக்கள் வந்து அதனை குடித்து சென்றுள்ள விபரம் தெரியவந்துள்ளது அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியிருக்கிறது.
தூத்துக்குடி சிவன் கோயில் அருகில், அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் உள்ள வீட்டில் ஹெர்பா லைப் என்கிற பவுடருடன் சில மருந்துகளை சேர்த்து சர்பத் போன்று தயாரித்து உடல் எடையை குறைப்பதற்காகவும், ஆரோக்கியமாக இருப்பதற்காகவும் வழங்கி வருவதாக உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகளுக்கு தகவல் வந்தது. இது சம்பந்தமாக டாக்டர் மற்றும் பொதுமக்கள்  சார்பிலும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகளுக்கு புகார் சென்றதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இந்நிலையில் நேற்று முன்தினம் சிவன் கோயில் தெரு அருகே உள்ள இதுபோன்ற இடத்திற்கு உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் சென்ற போது இந்த தகவலை முன் கூட்டியே தெரிந்து கொண்டே அந்த நபர் கடையை பூட்டி விட்டு சென்று விட்டதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இந் நிலையில் நேற்று உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அதிகாரி டாக்டர் ஜெகதீஸ் சந்திரபோஸ் தலைமையில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் சிவபாலன், சந்திரமோகன், ராமகிருஷ்ணன், சண்முகசுந்தரம், டைட்டஸ் பெர்ணாண்டோ, நீதிமோகன் ஆகியோர் கொண்ட குழுவினர்  சாதாரணமாக புகாருக்குரிய வீட்டிற்கு உடல் எடையை குறைக்க டிரீட்மென்டிற்கு செல்வது போல் சென்றனர். நியமன அதிகாரி ஜெகதீஸ்சந்திரபோஸ் மற்றும் இரண்டு அலுவலர்கள் மட்டும் முதலில் வீட்டிற்குள் சென்றனர். மற்றவர்கள் வெளியில் நின்றுள்ளனர்.
உடல் எடையை குறைக்க வேண்டும் என்று ஜெகதீஸ் சந்திரபோஸ் அங்கிருந்த நபரிடம் கூற அவர்கள் ஒரு டம்ளரில் இருந்த சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளை குடிக்க  வேண்டும். ஒரு வாரத்திற்கு தொடர்ந்து குடிக்க வேண்டும். மூன்றாவது நாளிலே ரிசல்ட் தெரியும். ஒரு வாரத்திற்கு மொத்தம் 1120 ரூபாய் கட்டணம் செலுத்த வேண்டும் என்று கூறியுள்ளனர்.
இதனை தொடர்ந்து ஜெகதீஸ்சந்திரபோஸ் சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளில் என்ன சேர்க்கிறீர்கள். இது என்ன வகையான மருந்து என்று கேட்கவும் ஹெர்பா லைப் என்னும் பவுடரில் சில மருந்துகளை
சேர்த்து தயாரித்துள்ளது. ஹெர்பா லைப்பில் என்ன மருந்துகள் சேர்ந்துள்ளது என்கிற விபரம் அதில் எழுதப்பட்டுள்ளது என்று காண்பித்துள்ளார்.
நீங்களே சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளை தயாரித்து உடல் ஆரோக்கியம், எப்போதும் சோர்வு இல்லாமல் இருக்கவும், எடையை குறைக்கவும், தொப்பையை அகற்றவும் இதனை குடித்தால் குணமாகிவிடும் என்று கூறுகிறீர்கள். இதனை எப்படி நம்ப முடியும். இதுபோன்று விற்பனை செய்வதற்கு லைசென்ஸ் எதுவும் பெற்றுள்ளீர்களா, அரசின் அனுமதி எதுவும் இருக்கிறதா, உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தின் கீழ் உரிமம் எதுவும் பெற்றுள்ளீர்களா என்று கேட்கவும் சம்பந்தப்பட்டவருக்கு சந்தேகம் ஏற்பட்டதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இது போன்று நீங்கள் கொடுக்க கூடிய சர்பத் போன்ற பொருள் என்ன  வேலை செய்யும் என்பதை சொல்லுங்கள் என்று கூறவும் குமாரால் சொல்ல முடியாமல் திருதிருவென விழித்தார்.
அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் இந்த கிளினிக் போன்று நடத்தி வரும் ஜான் ஜேக்கப், மெர்சிராணி ஆகியோரிடமும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் துருவி, துருவி விசாரணை மேற்கொண்டனர். அவர்கள் இதனை நாங்கள் நடத்துவதற்கு எங்களுக்கு கம்பெனி அனுமதி கொடுத்திருப்பதாக ஆங்கிலத்தில் பிரேம் செய்யப்பட்ட போட்டோவை காண்பித்தனர். அதனை பார்த்த உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையினர் அதில் உள்ள முதல் பாராவை படித்து அதில் என்ன எழுதியுள்ளது என்று சொல்லுங்கள் என்று கூறினர். ஆனால் அதற்கு அவர்கள் சொல்ல முடியாமல் விழித்ததாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
இந்த கிளினிக்கிற்கு போலீஸ் இன்ஸ்பெக்டர்கள், அரசு அதிகாரிகள், வி.ஐ.பிக்கள் என்று மக்கள் மிக அதிகமாக வந்து சென்றுள்ளது தெரியவந்தது. அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் கடந்த சுமார் 6 மாதமாக இவை செயல்பட்டு வருவதாக கூறப்படுகிறது. எந்தவித லைசென்ஸ் இல்லாமல் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தை மீறி மக்களுக்கு பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தும் வகையில் செயல்பட்டதாக கூறி அந்த கிளிளின்கை சீல் வைக்க முதலில் அதிகாரிகள் முடிவு செய்ததாக கூறப்படுகிறது.
ஆனால் வீடோடு சேர்ந்து இருந்ததால் அந்த மருந்துகளை சேம்பிள் எடுத்த அதிகாரிகள் மருந்துகள் முழுவதையும் வீட்டின் ஒரு அறையில் போட்டு சீல் வைத்தனர். சுமார் ஒன்றரை மணி நேரத்திற்கு மேலாக நடந்த இந்த ஆய்வு, வாக்குவாதம் போன்ற பிரச்னையால் அந்த பகுதியில் கடும் பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.
மருந்து மாதிரி நெல்லையில் உள்ள உணவு பகுப்பாய்வு மையத்திற்கு ஆய்வுக்கு அனுப்பப்பட்டன. ஆய்வு அறிக்கை வந்தவுடன் அந்த அறிக்கையின் பேரில் இதில் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும் என்று உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவித்தன. ஆய்வு அறிக்கை ஒரு வாரத்தில் வந்துவிடும் என்றும் அந்த வட்டாரங்கள் தெரிவித்தன.
இது சம்பந்தமாக உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை நியமன அதிகாரி டாக்டர் ஜெகதீஸ்சந்திரபோஸ் கூறியதாவது;
தூத்துக்குடி அண்ணாநகரில் உடல் எடையை குறைப்பதாக கூறி போலியாக மருந்து வழங்கி வருவதாக டாக்டர் மற்றும் சிலரிடம் இருந்து புகார் வந்ததை தொடர்ந்து அண்ணாநகர் 11வது தெருவில் உள்ள கிளினிக் போன்று நடத்தி வரும் வீட்டில் சோதனை செய்தோம். ஹெர்பா லைப் என்னும் பவுடருடன் சிலவற்றை  சேர்த்து மிக்சியில் அரைத்து சர்பத் போன்றவற்றை மக்களுக்கு கொடுத்து வந்தனர்.
அவர்கள் என்னென்ன பொருட்கள் போட்டுள்ளனர் என்று தெரியவில்லை. அது சம்பந்தமாக விசாரணை செய்ததில் அவர்களால் ஒன்றும் சொல்ல முடியவில்லை. இதனால் இது போலியான சர்பத் போன்ற பொருளாகத்தான் இருக்கும். வாங்கிங் செல்வதும், அளவுக்கு சாப்பிடுதல், உடற்பயிற்சி போன்றவற்றின் மூலம் தான் உடல் எடையை குறைக்க முடியும். இதுபோன்ற சர்பத் போன்ற போலி பொருட்கள் மூலம் எந்த காலத்திலும் உடல் எடை குறையாது. சாப்பிடும் போது ஆரோக்கியமாக இருப்பது போன்ற தோற்றம் ஏற்படும். ஆனால் உடலில் பல்வேறு நோய்களை இதனை சாப்பிடும் போது உண்டாக்கி விடும். இதன் மூலம் உயிர் இழப்பு கூட ஏற்படும். இதுபோன்ற சில இடங்களில் மக்களை ஏமாற்றி உடல் எடையை குறைப்பதாக கூறி கொடுக்கப்பட்ட மருந்துகள் மூலம் சில ஆண்டுகளில் உயிர்இழப்பு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.
இதனால் மக்கள் மத்தியில் விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்பட வேண்டும். யார் எதனை சொன்னாலும் நம்பி வீணாக பணத்தை கொடுத்து நோயை உருவாக்கும் பொருட்களை வாங்கி சாப்பிட கூடாது. தூத்துக்குடியில் பிடிபட்டவற்றை சோதனைக்கு அனுப்பியுள்ளோம். ஆய்வு அறிக்கை வந்தவுடன் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும். அதுவரை கிளினிக் போன்று நடத்த கூடாது. அவர்கள் வைத்திருந்த மருந்துகள் அனைத்தும் ஒரு அறையில் வைக்கப்பட்டு சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவ்வாறு மாவட்ட நியமன அதிகாரி தெரிவித்தார்.

எச்சரிக்கையை மீறிய தனியார் குடிநீர் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனத்திற்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல்

கிருஷ்ணகிரி, அக்.31:
கிருஷ்ணகிரியில் தனியார் குடிநீர் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனத்திற்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல் வைத்தனர்.
கிருஷ்ணகிரி சார்பதிவாளர் அலுவலகம் அருகில் தனியார் மினரல் குடிநீர் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனம் செயல்பட்டு வந்தது. இந் நிறுவனம் ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ புதுப்பித்தலுக்காக விண்ணப்பித்ததன் காரணத்தினால், கட்டட பணி மற்றும் பகுப்பாய்வு கூடம் ஏற்படுத்தும் பொருட்டும், இயந்திரங்கள் பழுது அடையாமல் இருக்க அரை மணி நேரம் முதல் ஒரு மணி நேரம் வரை இயந்திரங்களை இயக்கி கொள்ள அனுமதி வழங்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இதனால் பெறப்படும் தண்ணீரை விற்பனை செய்யக்கூடாது என்று எச்சரிக்கை விடப்பட்டிருந்தது.
இந்நிலையில் அந்த நிறுவனத்தில் கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட்ட தமிழ்நாடு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து கட்டுப்பாட்டுத்துறை மாவட்ட நியமன அலுவலர் கலைவாணி தலைமையில் வட்டார உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் ராஜசேகர், சேகர் ஆகியோர் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர். இந்த ஆய்வின் போது, அங்கு பெறப்படும் தண்ணீரை விற்பனை செய்யப்பட்டது கண்டறியப்பட்டது. மேலும் விற்பனைக்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த 20 லிட்டர் கேன் மற்றும் தண்ணீர் பாக்கெட் மூட்டைகள் இருந்ததையும் கண்டுபிடித்தனர். இதையடுத்து அந்த நிறுவனத்திற்கு சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டது. இந்த சம்பவம் அப்பகுதியில் பெரும் பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது. 

பெண் அதிகாரியிடம் தகராறு ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று இல்லாத வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு "சீல்'

கிருஷ்ணகிரி: கிருஷ்ணகிரியில், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறாமல் இயங்கி வந்த மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைக்க சென்ற உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலரிடம், உரிமையாளர் தகராறில் ஈடுபட்டார்.
கிருஷ்ணகிரி மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள பல மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிகள், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறாமல் செயல்பட்டு வருவதாக வந்த புகாரை தொடர்ந்து மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையினர் அதிரடியாக வாட்டர் கம்பெனிகளில் ஆய்வு செய்து வருகின்றனர்.
பர்கூர் மற்றும் கிருஷ்ணகிரி சுற்றுவட்டார பகுதிகளில், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறாமல் இயங்கி வந்த ஒன்பது மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிகளுக்கு அதிகாரிகள் சீல் வைத்தனர்.
ஒரு மாதத்துக்கு முன், கிருஷ்ணகிரி, சேலம் சாலையில் இயங்கி வந்த பாலாஜி மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனியில் ஆய்வு செய்த போது, ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று இல்லாமல் இயங்கியது தெரிந்தது.
ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெற விண்ணப்பித்துள்ளதாக கம்பெனியின் உரிமையாளர் தெரிவித்தார். இதையடுத்து, தரச்சான்று பெறும் வரை மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பை நிறுத்தி வைக்க அதிகாரிகள் அறிவுரை வழங்கி சென்றனர்.
இந்நிலையில், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., தரச்சான்று பெறமால், பாலாஜி மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனியில் தொடர்ந்து வாட்டர் உற்பத்தி செய்து, விற்பனை செய்வதாக உணவு பாகதுகாப்பு துறைக்கு புகார் வந்தது.
நேற்று மதியம் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் டாக்டர் கலைவாணி தலைமையில், அதிகாரிகள் பாலாஜி மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனியில் ஆய்வு செய்தனர்.
அப்போது, அதிகாரிகளின் அறிவுரையை மீறி அங்கு வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பது தெரிந்தது கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைக்கும் முயற்சியில் அதிகாரிகள் ஈடுபட்டனர். அங்கு வந்த கம்பெனி உரிமையாளர் செந்தில்குமார், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் கலைமணியை ஒருமையில் பேசி, சீல் வைக்க எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்து, தகராறில் ஈடுபட்டார்.
அதிர்ச்சியடைந்த உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை அலுவலர்கள், டாக்டர் கலைமணியை அங்கிருந்து பத்திரமாக மீட்டு, அழைத்து சென்றனர். பின் அதிகாரிகள் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைத்தனர்.

இனிப்பு, காரம் தயாரிப்பாளர்கள் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலகத்தில் பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும் கலெக்டர் வேண்டுகோள்

நாகை, அக்.31:
நாகை கலெக்டர் முனுசாமி விடுத்துள்ள செய்திக்குறிப்பில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:
தற்போது பண்டிகை காலம் தொடங்கி உள்ள நம் நாட்டில் அனைத்து விதமான விற்பனைகளும் சூடு பிடிக்கத் தொடங்கி உள்ளது. முக்கியமாக தீபாவளி போன்ற பண்டி கை காலங்களில் விதவிதமான இனிப்பு பலகாரங் கள், காரங்கள் மற்றும் கேக் போன்ற பேக்கரி உணவு பொருட்களை மக்கள் விரும்பி வாங்கி உண்பது வழக்கம். தீபாவளி பண்டிகையில் இனிப்பு மற்றும் கார பண்டங்களுக்கு சீட்டு நடத்துபவர்கள் உள்பட அனைத்து தயாரிப்பாளர்கள், விற்பனையாளர்களும் உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையில் பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற்று பொதுமக்களுக்கு விநியோகம் செய்வது கட்டாயமாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஸ்வீட், பேக்கரி பொருட்கள் தயாரிப்பவர்கள் தரமான மூலப்பொருட்களை கொண்டு சுகாதாரமான முறையில் தயாரித்து பாதுகாப்பான உணவு பொருட்களை பொதுமக்களுக்கு வழங்க வேண்டும். உணவு தயாரிப்பில் கலப்படமான பொருட்களையோ, அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட அளவிற்கு அதிமான நிறமிகளையோ பயன்படுத்த கூடாது. பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட உணவு பொருட்களுக்கு விவரச்சீட்டு வைக்கும் போது அதில் தயாரிப்பாளரின் முழு முகவரி, உணவு பொருட்களின் பெயர், தயாரிப்பு மற்றும் பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட தேதி, காலாவதியாகும் காலம், சைவ மற்றும் அசைவ குறியீடு ஆகியவற்றை அவசியம் குறிப்பிட வேண்டும்.
உணவு பொருட்களை ஈக்கள், பூச்சிகள், கிருமி தோற்று இல்லாத சுகாதாரமான சூழலில் பொதுமக்களுக்கு விற்பனை செய்ய வேண்டும். பண்டிகை காலத்தில் மட்டும் பலகாரங்கள் தயாரிப்பவர்கள் உட்பட அனைத்து தயாரிப்பாளர்கள், விற்பனையாளர்களும் உடனடியாக உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலகத்தை தொடர்பு கொண்டு இந்திய உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரச்சட்டம் 2006ன்கீழ் தங்களது வணிகத்தை பதிவு செய்து உரிமம் பெற்று கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
பொதுமக்களும் பண்டிகை காலங்களில் பலகாரங்கள் வாங்கும் போது உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறையில் பதிவு பெற்ற நிறுவனங்களில் மட்டும் வாங்க வேண்டும். பேக்கிங் செய்யப்பட்ட பொருட்களை விவரச்சீட்டு இருந்தால் மட்டுமே வாங்கி பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும். மேலும் இது தொடர்பான புகார்கள் ஏதாவது இருந்தால் மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத் துறையின் நியமன அலுவலரை, நாகை மாவட்ட அரசு தலைமை மருத்துவமனையில் உள்ள உணவு பாதுகாப்பு பிரிவு நியமன அலுவலர் அலுவலகத்தை நேரிடையாக தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம். அல்லது 04365 247060 என்ற தொலைபேசி எண்ணை தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம்.
இவ்வாறு கலெக்டர் முனுசாமி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

Health drink centre raided

Food safety officers conducted a raid at a health-food drink centre at Anna Nagar here on Wednesday following complaints from consumers of health problems.

A team led by M. Jagadis Chandrabose, District Designated Officer, enquired those involved in promoting the product on the pretext of herbal medicine.

Dr. Chandrabose said that obese men and women were hoodwinked into buying the product, which had no documentary evidence to market. Moreover, the centre was being manned by persons with no knowledge of health and medicine, Dr. Chandrabose said after the investigation.

The team said it never seemed to have maintained standards for consumption. Hence, the officers had collected samples and sent to testing laboratory in Tirunelveli.

Health department raids sweets shops, seizes adulterated food items

Jamshedpur : Beware of the coloured sweets sold in open market. They may contain harmful chemicals that will affect one’s health.
With Diwali round the corner, the district health department has embarked on a special drive to check the quality of sweets sold at various stalls across the city.
Led by district civil surgeon Jagat Bhusan Prasad accompanied by district food safety officer Mahesh Pandey, raid was carried out at two outlets.The team seized four samples sweets manufactured using milk products like khoa at popular sweet brand ‘Misti’ at Kumharpara in Kasidih.
“We have been receiving complaints of food adulteration from these unit and have collected samples which would be sent to food testing laboratory at Ranchi to- day evening,” said Jagat Bhusan Prasad.
He added that samples were being collected mainly to check adulteration and use of non-permitted colours. “Samples will be sent to the laboratory and based on its report action will be taken,” they added.
Use of harmful synthetic colours, including dyes were not permitted. But small manufacturers use the banned items just to give more colour to the sweets so as to make it attractive, offi- cials said.
Most of the sweets manufactured in the district were from the unorganised sector – houses or group of people joining together to make a fast buck.
Actions against the sweet manufacturer, after lab report would be initiated as per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012) and offenders found indulging in sale of adulterated products found unsafe for health would be liable for hefty fine of anything between Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh.
When contacted Misti partner Achintam Kumar refuted charges of adulteration. “We are in business from 18 years and have been selling products without any report of adulteration.
We have faith that the lab report would come out in our favour,” said Achintam. The team after about an hour-long raid at the manufacturing unit of Misti then moved on to a newly opened outlet ‘Puja Misthan and Rasoi’ at Bhalubhasa. Raids would continue till Diwali (November 3) at other sweet outlets in the city.

Health dept raids sweet shops ahead of Diwali

Beware of the coloured sweets sold in open market. They may contain harmful chemicals that will affect one’s health.
With Diwali round the corner, the district health department has embarked on a special drive to check the quality of sweets sold at various stalls across the city. Led by district civil surgeon Jagat Bhusan Prasad accompanied by district food safety officer Mahesh Pandey, raid was carried out at two outlets.
The team seized four samples of sweets manufactured using milk products like khoya at popular sweet brand ‘Misti’ at Kumharpara in Kasidih. He added that samples were being collected mainly to check adulteration and use of non-permitted colours. “Samples will be sent to the laboratory and based on its report action will be taken,” they added.
Use of harmful synthetic colours, including dyes were not permitted. But small manufacturers use the banned items just to give more colour to the sweets so as to make it attractive, officials said. Most of the sweets manufactured in the district were from the unorganised sector - houses or group of people joining together to make a fast buck. Actions against the sweet manufacturer, after lab report would be initiated as per Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (revised in 2012).
The team after about an hour-long raid at the manufacturing unit of Misti, moved on to a newly opened outlet ‘Puja Misthan and Rasoi’ at Bhalubhasa. Raids would continue till Diwali (November 3) at other sweet outlets in the city.

Ensure food safety

Dimapur, October 30 (MExN): The Directorate of Health & Family Welfare today issued a directive to the CMO and Food Safety Officers of the district “to conduct inspections of Hotels, Restaurants, Bakeries, Canteens- (Office/ College/ School/ Institutions) Tea stalls and other public eating places including Street food vendors under its respective jurisdictions to ensure safety of food at all levels.” 

In a statement by the Principal Director &Addl. Food Safety Commissioner, he informed that this directive was made “in view of festive seasons round the corner and the forth coming Hornbill festival and 50th year of celebration of the Statehood.” Furthermore, it was stated that the inspection be conducted in consultation with district administration and Town council and that the exercise should be completed by November 15, 2013 and to submit the “action taken report” on or before November 20, 2013. 

This directive was issued “in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 30 (3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules 2011, the directive stated.

Ill-equipped health staff struggles to check adulteration Not a single case of adulterated khoya seized reported so far

Jalandhar, October 30
Ill-equipped and toothless, Health Department, has swung into action with skeleton staff to curb the supply of sweets made of adulterated dairy products and synthetic colours on the festival of lights across the district. Though the department has collected 89 samples of adulterated sweets and other raw material since last one month, not even a single seizure of adulterated “khoya” has been made so far.
City is a hub of sweetmeat and used to smuggle adulterated “khoya” from Saharanpur, Gurdaspur and neighbouring states before festive season.
The department has filed four cases under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, in the court against defaulters as of now, claimed District Health Officer (DHO), Dr Balwinder Singh.
The DHO said the smuggling of adulterated, synthetic and substandard raw and finished commodities had nearly stopped with the Punjab Health Department coming down heavily on such traders, some years ago.
He, however, did rule out the possibility if any one smuggles it by using their personal cars and storing it in domestic refrigerators.
The DHO revealed that out of the sample collected, 25 were of milk and dairy products, 15 of sweets while rest of other eatables.
The violators, if found guilty, has to undergo imprison from three to seven years besides a penalty upto Rs 1 lakh, as per provisions of the Act.
The department is cracking down on the violators with skeleton staff of just six employees, including a District Health Officer, two Food Safety Officers, and three class IV employees.
Moreover, the report of samples, collected and sent by the department to a Chandigarh based government laboratory, takes over one month to reach Jalandhar and by then a number of violators got scot-free by mounting pressure on the health authorities, a senior officer revealed.

தரமற்ற எண்ணெய்யால் தயாராகும் இனிப்பு வகைகள் சுகாதாரத்துறை நடவடிக்கை எடுக்குமா?

தேனி, அக். 30:
தீபாவளி பண்டிகை என்றதுமே பெண்கள் மத்தியில் பரபரப்பு தொற்றிக் கொள்வது வாடிக்கை. பெண்கள் வீட்டில் பச்சரிசியை இடித்து மாவு தயாரிப்பதும், கடலை மாவு, உளுந்தம் மாவு தயாரிப்பதுமாக பரபரப்பாக இருப்பர். பெண்கள் வீட்டிலேயே எள்ளுருண்டை, எள்ளுச்சீடை, உளுந்த வடை, பருப்பு வடை, பச்சரிசி மாவினாலான அதிரசம், முறுக்கு வகைகள் உள்ளிட்ட பலகாரங்களை சுத்தமான கடலை எண்ணெய்யில் தயாரிப்பர். இப்பலகாரங்களை அக்கம்பக்கம் உள்ளோருக்கும், உறவினர்களுக்கும், வீட்டிற்கு வரும் நண்பர்களுக்கும் வழங்கி மகிழ்வர். இப்பலகாரங்கள் சுமார் ஒரு மாத காலம் வரைகூட கெட்டுப்போகாமலும், உடலுக்கு ஆபத்தை விளைவிக்காமலும் இருக்கும்.
தற்போது நிலை தலைகீழாக மாறியுள்ளது. பெரும்பாலான வீடுகளில் கடலை எண்ணெய்க்கு பதி லாக சூரியகாந்தி எண் ணெய், பாமாயில் உபயோ கம் அதிகரித்துள்ளது. தீபாவளிக்காக பொறுமையாக மாவு அரைத்து, எண்ணை சட்டி முன்பு அமர்ந்து பலகாரம் தயாரிப்பது வேகமான யுகத்தில் சாத்தியமற்றதாக மாறிவிட்டது.தீபாவளி பண்டிகைக்கு ஏற்படும் கிராக்கியை பயன்படுத்தி பலர் விலை குறை வான பாமாயில், தரமற்ற சூரியகாந்தி எண்ணெய் மூலம் இனிப்புகளை தயார் செய்கின்றனர். இதில் பண்டிகைக் காலத்திற்காக சந்தா நடத்துபவர்கள், உறுப்பினர்களுக்கு இனிப்பு வழங்குவதற்காக தனியார் சிலரிடம் விலைகுறைவாக இனிப்பு ஆர்டர் கொடுக்கின்றனர். ஆர்டர் பிடிப்பவர்களும் தரமற்ற எண்ணெய் மூலம் இனிப்புகளை தயாரித்து வழங்கும் நிலை உள்ளது. தற்போது மழைகாலமாக உள்ளதால், தரமற்ற எண்ணெய்யால் தயாரிக்கப்படும் பலகாரங்களை உண்பதால் சுகாதாரக்கேடு ஏற்பட்டு நோய் பாதிப்பு ஏற்படுகிறது.
சுகாதாரத்துறை தீபாவளி பண்டிகைக்கு தயாரிக்கப்படும் திண்பண்டங்கள் மற்றும் அதனை தயாரிக்க பயன்படுத்தும் மூலப்பொருள்கள் குறித்து ஆய்வு செய்து சுகாதாரமற்ற பொருட்களை தடுக்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என பொதுமக்கள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்.

குடோன்களில் அதிரடி ரெய்டு மினரல் வாட்டர் கம்பெனிக்கு சீல் வைப்பு ரூ.10 லட்சம் புகையிலை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல்

ஈரோடு, அக். 30:
ஈரோட்டில் நேற்று அனுமதியின்றி மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பு ஆலை செயல்பட்டு வந்தது கண்டு பிடிக்கப்பட்டு அந்த ஆலைக்கு சீல் வைக்கப்பட்டது. மேலும் இதே பகுதியில் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை குடோனையும் அதிகாரிகள் கண்டுபிடித்து 10 லட்ச ரூபாய் மதிப்பிலான புகையிலை பொருட்களை பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.
ஈரோடு கிருஷ்ணா தியேட்டர் இந்திராநகர் பகுதியில் அனுமதியின்றி ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ. முத்திரையிடாமல் மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரித்து விற்பதாகவும், இதே பகுதியில் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலைகளை பதுக்கி வைத்து மூட்டை, மூட்டையாக விற்பனை செய்வதாகவும் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர்களுக்கு தகவல் கிடைத்துதது.
இதையடுத்து உணவு பாதுகாப்பு நியமன அலுவலர் கருணாநிதி தலைமையில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் முத்துகிருஷ்ணன், பூபாலன், முருகன் ஆகியோர் கொண்ட குழுவினர் அந்த பகுதியில் அதிரடி சோதனை மேற்கொண்டனர்.
அப்போது சுப்பிரமணியன் என்பவருக்கு சொந்தமான ஒரு மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரிப்பு கம்பெனியில் சோதனை மேற்கொண்டனர். அப்போது ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ. முத்திரையிடாமலும் அனுமதியின்றியும் மினரல் வாட்டர் தயாரித்து விற்பனை செய்தது தெரிய வந்தது. இதையடுத்து அந்த ஆலைக்கு சீல் வைத்தனர்.பின்னர் இதே பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த லோகேஷ் என்பவருக்கு சொந்தமான குடோனில் அதிகாரிகள் ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர். அப்போது தடை செய்யப்பட்ட புகையிலை பொருட்களை ஹான்ஸ், குட்கா, பான்மசாலா போன்ற பொருட்களை பதுக்கி வைத்து விற்பனை செய்தது தெரிய வந்தது. இதையடுத்து அங்கிருந்து ரூ.10 லட்சம் மதிப்பிலான 23 மூட்டைகள் கொண்ட புகையிலை பொருட்களை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

Training of food safety officers concludes

JAMMU: The five days orientation programme for food safety officers notified by the State under the Provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA) concluded at Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM), Canal Road, Jammu in which 88 Food Safety Officers from different parts of the State participated.
The said programme was organised by Department of Drugs and Food Control Organisation in collaboration with FSSAI, Government of India. It is expected that by means of this programme the modern methods of food safety regulation would percolate to the grass root level enabling officials involved in the food safety work to upgrade their skills in tune with the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety, Lotika Khajuria said that this orientation programme will serve as a key component in coordinating strategies among participants i.e Food Safety Officers of the State to perform their legitimate duties as envisaged under FSSAI Act.
The vote of thanks was presented by Assistant Controller Food, J and K, Sanjeev Gupta, who was the Chief Coordinator.

Training with a stipend for rly food vendors

Kochi: How about getting Rs 200 a day to get some tips on cooking?  Faced with the recent barrage of food safety complaints, the railways are wooing vendors to attend its week-long training classes on safe food procedures by providing them stipend.

The classes being held at a three-star hotel in Kovalam since the past one month are open to vendors running railway stalls and pantry cars on a priority basis and for outside parties on availability basis.

“The response for the week-long classes is great as already over 200 vendors attended the programme. Recently, some food poisoning cases in running trains were reported. The training class is part of the vigorous action being taken to control such instances in the future,” a senior railway health official said.

The classes mainly deal with improving the quality of food served, the minimum personal hygiene and that to be followed in stalls and pantry cars besides the best practices to preserve food articles.
Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram division has sought permission of the Railway Board to start more awareness classes among the over 200 staff in 50 pantry cars in trains from the state.

“We plan to allocate more food stalls in the division but there won’t be any compromise in quality. Strict enforcement will be done to raise the standard of foods served as was there in olden days,” DRM Rajesh Agarwal said. 

Railways won't compromise on the quality of food: DRM

DRM Rajesh Agarwal at a seminar on ‘Food Safety and Nutrition’, at Ernakulam Junction Railway Station on Tuesday
Taking into account the insufficient number of vending outlets in the Thiruvananthapuram division, the Railways will set up more food stalls with immediate effect, Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Agarwal has said.
In order to make up for the lack of hygiene and proper standards of the vendors, the division has joined hands with the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Kovalam, to impart one-week training to the vendors who are appointed on contract basis. The initiative started by the Railways two months ago, has already handed over certificates to many vendors at a stipend of `200.
Rajesh Agarwal was inaugurating the seminar on ‘Food safety and Nutrition’ held at Kochi on Tuesday. He said that it was the first such initiative by the Southern Railway to impart an awareness seminar by joining the caterers, food handlers, licensees, vendors of stalls and health inspectors of the Railways. He said that the division would not be lenient on vendors who are slack on serving hygienic and quality food. “We won’t compromise on the orders by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSA) and will punish all those who are found violating the rules and regulations,” he said.
Joint Food Safety Commissioner of the Southern Railway Dr Anil Thomas said that the food safety wing formed by the Zonal Railways in 2012 have started dealing with cases related to inadequate food supply and low quality of the food served on trains and platforms.
So far, the Southern Railway has found 17 non-branded food items and six unsafe food products. A total of four cases have been prosecuted so far. The Railways had recently fined `3 lakh from the contractors, licensees, and vendors who sold unhealthy mango juice on a train, said Designated Officer of Southern Railway Mohan Razan.
According to Anil Thomas, three departments, including the commercial, mechanical and health wings are responsible for proper maintenance of the pantry cars and the quality of food.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager A Sundar emphasised on the need of the vendors to maintain cleanliness and hygienity while food is prepared.
“Gloves and headgear is mandatory while preparing as well as serving food. Menu details of the food products which are being sold on trains should be displayed,” he said.
He expressed dissatisfaction on the qualification of cooks and vendors who are assigned under contract.

Junk food near schools: HC dismisses eatery owners’ plea

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea filed by restaurant owners' associations against a Central advisory committee set up to look into the issue of sale of junk food in and around schools in the capital.
The committee was constituted on the order of the High Court, to assist the government in finalising guidelines to control junk food consumption and unhealthy eating habits among children.
The restaurants' associations had challenged the order stating that such a committee violated the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Dismissing the plea, the court of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog in its order said the purpose of the committee was to look at the dietary habits of children and it was not concerned with the standards of food preparation or food safety, which come under the FSS Act.

The court issued had orders to create the committee after the government had submitted draft guidelines on junk food as directed by the court in a PIL filed in 2010 by the NGO Uday Foundation. The NGO had filed the PIL seeking creation of a policy to regulate sale of junk food in and around schools.
"Concern in the writ petition is not with hazardous food or with a standard of food safety envisaged by the Act. The concern is with a dietary habit and promotion of what is popularly known as junk food amongst schoolchildren and, thus, it would be wrong on the part of the applicants to state that the committee constituted under Section 11 — the Central Advisory Committee — cannot be directed to render an opinion. Any committee could have been directed by us to render an opinion," the bench said.
The restaurants' owners' associations had also raised the objection that the court had overstepped its authority by creating a separate "category" of 'junk food' which was not prescribed anywhere in the FSS Act.
"Our decision does not carve out any exception to the definition of food under the Act. It only makes a reference to a specie food. Thus, if food is a genus, junk food would be specie thereof," the court clarified.
The Central government had submitted draft guidelines on sale of junk food before the High Court last month, following which the court had directed the government to create a central advisory committee to consult experts in public health, especially health of the children, the adolescent and the youth. The court has been monitoring the issue since 2010.

Panel on junk food in schools to stay

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Tuesday rejected objections by the food and beverages industry and refused to modify its earlier order constituting a panel to frame guidelines on sale of junk food in school canteens.
A division bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog highlighted that their September 4 order "brings out that the concern in the writ petition is not with hazardous food or with a standard of food safety envisaged by the Act" and refused to scrap the committee.
It pointed out the concern is with a dietary habit and promotion of what is popularly known as junk food among schoolchildren and thus it would be wrong on the part of the representatives of food and beverages industry to state that the "committee constituted under Section 11, i.e. the Central Advisory Committee, cannot be directed to render an opinion. Any committee could have been directed by us to render an opinion".
The representatives had sought review of the order on the ground that the high court had carved out a new term "junk food" as the Food Safety Act doesn't make any differentiation on this ground. However, HC brushed aside the objections, saying the PIL raises the issue of sale of what is popularly known as junk food in the canteens of the schools, resulting in not only child obesity but also in other critical disorders and diseases.
The PIL, filed by Uday Foundation, also highlighted that various states in USA have already banned junk food sale in schools until at least after lunch. Similarly it cites a decision in England where fast food takeaway joints near schools have been declared unlawful.
The bench also argued that its order notes that the Act does not contemplate regulation of what may be called a 'junk food' since junk food is referred in the context of an eating habit i.e. consumption of junk food becoming a dietary habit.

சுகாதாரமற்ற இறைச்சி விற்பனை நகராட்சி அதிகாரிகள் மெத்தனம்

ஆத்தூர்: ஆத்தூர், நரசிங்கபுரம் நகராட்சிக்குப்பட்ட கறிக்கடைகளில், சுகாதாரமற்ற முறையில், இறைச்சி விற்பனை செய்து வருகின்றனர்.
ஆத்தூர் மற்றும் நரசிங்கபுரம் நகராட்சி பகுதிகளில், 100க்கும் மேற்பட்ட கறிக்கடைகள் உள்ளன. நகராட்சி பகுதிக்குள் கறிக்கடை வைக்க, நகராட்சி நிர்வாகத்திடம் உரிய அனுமதி பெறவேண்டும்.
இறைச்சி வெட்டுதல் மற்றும் கையாளும் பணியில் ஈடுபடும் கடை உரிமையாளரும், உரிமம் பெற்றிருக்க வேண்டும். கறிக்கடையில் வெட்டப்படும் எலும்பு உள்ளிட்ட கழிவு பொருட்களை, மூடியுள்ள தொட்டியில் போட்டு வைக்கவேண்டும். ஆடு, மாடு மற்றும் கோழிகளை ரோட்டில் வெட்டக் கூடாது. நகராட்சிக்குட்பட்ட இறைச்சி கூடாரங்களில் தான் வெட்ட வேண்டும்.
ஆனால், நகராட்சி அனுமதி பெறாமல், சுகாதாரமற்ற முறøயில் பல இடங்களில், இறைச்சி விற்பனை செய்கின்றனர்.
ஆத்தூர் கிரைன்பஜாரில், 10 லட்சம் ரூபாய் மதிப்பீட்டில் கட்டப்பட்ட ஆடு அடிக்கும் தொட்டி, திறக்கப்படாமல் மூடிக்கிடக்கிறது. இதனால், ஆடு, மாடு, கோழிகளை சாலைகளில் அறுப்பதால், சுகாதார சீர்கேடு ஏற்படுகிறது.
இது குறித்து, நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டிய நகராட்சி அதிகாரிகள் மற்றும் சுகாதார அலுவலர்கள் கண்டுகொள்வதில்லை.

Govt revokes ban on sale of loose edible oil

AURANGABAD: The state government on Monday issued a notification revoking ban on the sale of loose edible oil. The government said that the lack of infrastructure required for packing edible oil is not in place and it will take another year for doing so.
The ban had forced the oil industry to hike the prices as they had to spend money on packing edible oil.
Besides, people from the weaker sections of society were also forced to purchase oil packs of 500 grams as oil with smaller packing was not available.
In August 2011, the state government had imposed a ban on the sale of oil in loose form as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (prohibition and restriction on sales) Regulations, 2011. According to the regulation, no person was allowed to sell or expose for sale, distribute, offer for sale, dispatch or deliver to any person edible oil in loose form.
Following the directions, the Food and Drug Administration officials had started penalizing shop owners and firms between Rs 25,000 and Rs 1 lakh for violating the orders.
In its notification on Monday, a copy of which is with TOI, the government stated that the decision to revoke the ban has been taken in 'public interest'. It stated that the food business operators do not have the necessary infrastructure for packaging edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams. It also stated that the tin plates required for packing edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams capacity are not available in sufficient quantity. It will take at least a year for making available such provisions, the notification stated.
Highly placed sources at the secretariat said that since the ban came into place, the prices of edible oil kept on increasing as the manufacturers were charging packing cost on the final product, which directly percolated to the common man. Thereafter, the government was under constant pressure to take measures to control the rising prices.
After failing to do so, the government finally decided to revoke the ban, sources said.
The notification also states that most of the people in the state are farm workers and small and marginal farmers. Besides, many people in urban areas of the state reside in slums and are mostly labourers and workers, it stated.

Gutka seized, illegally run packaged water unit sealed

Illegal goods:Gutka products worth Rs. 10 lakh that were seized from shops at Indra Nagar in Erode on Tuesday.

Officials of Food Safety department confiscated Rs. 10 lakh worth pan masala, gutka, and Hans from shops, and sealed an illegally run packaged water unit, at Indra Nagar in the city on Tuesday evening.

G. Karunanidhi, District Officer for Food Safety and Drug Control, who led the operation, said the banned items were confiscated from shops in Laskhmi Narayanan street. They would be destroyed on Wednesday, the official said. Shops found indulging in surreptitious sale of these products would be dealt with severely, he said.The illegal functioning of the packaged water unit, was noticed during the course of the clampdown on the shops, Mr. Karunanidhi said.

The unit was issued a notice a month back for not having secured Indian Standards Institution (ISI) certification.The unit did not comply with the regulations of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi. Hence it had to be sealed, said the offical.

Safe food on the plate

For scores of students staying in hostels, bachelors and many families, the wayside “Thattukadas” have remained a favourite, despite the innumerable fashionable joints that have sprung up in various parts of the city.

Food served hot and tasty and affordable and safe — because it is prepared in limited quantities inside homes — has been the USP of these eateries. Despite occasional complaints, the small-time vendors have for long served a requirement for cheap and tasty dinners for night owls and film-goers.

With the Food Safety and Standards Act being strictly implemented in the State, food safety officials have managed to register a good number of these vendors as food business operators. “The food served by ‘Thattukadas’ is safer than what is served in many other eateries because no storage is involved. They serve food cooked on the spot and finish off whatever raw materials or food prepared for cooking that they bring with them every evening. The problem is not with their food but with the environs in which it is cooked and served,” Commissioner of Food Safety Biju Prabhakar says.

“Most of them set up shop near some waste dump or over open drains, because it is convenient for them to throw away waste water. Cooking in unhygienic environs is a violation of the Act. Another potential problem is with regard to the safety of the water they provide to customers, for drinking as well as for washing. There are also issues in the case of bigger wayside eateries, where the food handlers and those engaged to serve food often do not follow hygienic practices,” he says. Food safety officials have initiated awareness classes for “Thattukada” owners on food safety issues and how food should be handled safely. The vendors were brought together with the help of SEWA, and more such classes would be held.

Most of the small “Thattukadas” serve standard home-cooked fare while less than five per cent of these joints serve non-vegetarian fare. Eggs are an integral part of the fare offered by all, and one complaint which reached food safety officials was about the quality of the eggs.

One idea that Mr. Prabhakar has put forth is that safe zones be created for wayside vendors of food. The government can earmark areas where good lighting and safe water can be provided, where the vendors can set their carts and sell food. He suggests that Chala is one area, which can remarkably be turned around into a food street as in say, Bangkok, by evening, as most businesses here shut shop by the end of the day and the area is practically empty.

He has mooted that mobile fast food vendors be encouraged to be more hygienic and a stamp of approval be given to those units which follow the 30-point guidelines drawn up under the Food Safety Act.

500 kg of pan masala product seized

A team of officers from the Food Safety Authority (FSA) seized more than 500 kgs of a pan masala product, which is reported to contain magnesium carbonate, an inorganic salt and mono sodium glutamate (ajinamoto), sometimes used as a food additive.
Laboratory test
An FSA official said that 520 kgs of a brand of pan masala product was seized from a godown in Paathalam, west of Kalamassery and statutory samples sent to the Regional Analytical Laboratory for further tests. The godown in which the substance was stored has been sealed, the official said.

Enjoy sweets but watch out for adulteration

ALLAHABAD: If you have a sweet tooth, especially during Deepawali, better watch out. The juicy and sweet gulab jamun you love to enjoy may have boiled potatoes. Same could be true for delicious pista barfi too even though it may have the requisite green colour due to peas and not pista.
With the festive season round the corner, adulteration is at its peak as the consumption of sweets, spices, fruits and other eatables is on the rise. Various teams of food safety and drug administration department are conducting raids in various markets to check the menace.
However, in comparison to the magnitude of adulteration and high demand for sweets, their efforts seem to be miniscule. Their task is arduous as five festivals would be celebrated from November 1 (Dhanteras) to November 5 (Bhiaya Duj) and suppliers are well aware of the potential high demand in coming days.
"Sweets with fancy price tags can pose a health hazard if rampant adulteration and poor hygienic conditions prevailing in kitchens and workshops are any indication," said head department of MLN Medical College's gastroenterology department Prof Manisha Dwivedi. Since, adulteration was on the rise, one must be cautious while buying favourite sweet, she added. Soaring prices of ingredients complicate the problem as manufacturers use sub-standard oil along with banned toxic food colours and flavours, said the expert.
Similarly, Prof Jagdamba Singh of the department of Chemistry of Allahabad University said that bright pink, green and yellow sweets look attractive but these colours could be harmful. The sweet makers make excessive use of colours.
"Food grade colours like tartarazine, indigo carmine, fast green and sunset yellow are found in many food items. The situation can be alarming as against the prescribed norm of 100 parts per million (ppm), some of the colours have up to 200 ppm," said Prof Singh.
Chief of department of food safety and drug administration, Hari Mohan Srivastava, who is closely associated with raids on various vendors, be it khoya, paneer (cottage cheese), sweets, oil, spices or vegetables, said "It's better to go for light coloured sweets or more better if you simply go for sweets made of Besan (gram flour) and Chhena as there is less chance of these ingredients being adulterated. For Chhena it is easier to see the symptoms in terms of sweets being stale and moreover it is preserved in refrigerator. But refrain from paneer and sweets made from khoya. If you want to savour khoya sweets then try to purchase it from a reputed shop."
Regarding purity of khoya and paneer, the official said that any product made from milk had to be a bit sweet in taste. Adulteration of any kind would add tartness to the taste. Likewise, for testing purity of khoya, simply rub it on your palm. If it is pure, rubbing would leave your palm oily, he added.
"During sample collection, we have found either turmeric powder or refined oil in sweets. Fat content has been found to be less than prescribed limit in pure ghee sweets. Refined oil has no odour and can be used in place of ghee without detection," he added.
"Toxic colours are easily available and cheaper. Above all they make sweets look attractive. This entices consumers, especially children. However, they could be carcinogenic. Similarly, milk is commonly adulterated with water and may even be contaminated with urea, vanaspati and starch," he added.
"Leave alone adulteration in khoya or sweets made from it, spices too are being adulterated. Papaya seeds are mixed with black pepper, brick dust in chilli powder, synthetic colouring in dried red chillies, rice husk in jeera and garam masala, coloured chalk powder in turmeric powder and ordinary tree bark in Cinnamon. These are only some of the ways to adulterate spices," said another officer.
Unhygienic conditions in which sweets are produced to cater to Diwali demand is another health hazard. "While buying milk and milk products, consumers should ensure that the products are fresh with good flavours and texture," said Dr Manisha Dwivedi.
"Given the possibility of adulteration in sweets that I may be distributing in family, many of my friends have opted for dry fruits. Although they are a bit costlier but more nutritious," said Urmila Upadhayay.

600 kilos sweetmeats destroyed, 33 adulterated khoya samples seized

The teams constituted by the UT Administration to check adulteration in food items has destroyed 600 kg of sweetmeats and has seized 33 number of samples on suspicion of adulteration till now in Chandigarh.

Aimed at preventing food adulteration during this festive season, the UT Administration had initiated an intensive drive on October 14 to check adulteration in food items in Chandigarh. UT Home Secretary-cum-Commissioner Food Safety Anil Kumar on Tuesday in a meeting with designated food safety officers reviewed the ongoing drive against adulteration of sweetmeats in the city.

During the meeting, it was informed that about 600 kg of sweetmeats (Mithai) prepared under unhygienic conditions/exposed to dust and flies were destroyed and 33 number of samples were seized on the basis of suspicion of adulteration of khoya/khoya products in Chandigarh. UT Commissioner Food Safety Anil Kumar called upon the manufacturers to prepare the sweetmeats under most hygienic conditions and to maintain all standards of Food Safety, failing which they will be liable for action under Food Safety and Standards Act.

As spurious khoya and desi ghee are supplied to the market during festive season, the Administration is making efforts to ensure that unadulterated eatable items reach the city markets. The Administration has already issued warning to shopkeepers and vendors to refrain from such activities. If any shopkeeper or vendor is found selling adulterated food, strict action will be taken against them under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and under Section 2 of  the epidemic diseases Act  1897 (Central Act No.III of 1897).

Eliminating poison

October 29, 2013,

The high levels of pesticide and insecticide residues in food articles are a serious public health hazard in the country. Many food items being sold in the market are also known to contain unacceptable levels of veterinary and anti-biotic drugs which contaminate food items at the time of production of crops or later.
 This is different from the deliberate adulteration of food items and is more difficult to control. The Supreme Court has told the Central and state governments and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to conduct periodic checks of fruit and vegetable markets and monitor the contents of soft drinks. Harmful substances are present in many of these items of common consumption. The order was in response to a public interest litigation which sought better regulatory control over chemical content in  them. The court has held that the availability of safe food is part of the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution and so the authorities had the responsibility to ensure the supply of uncontaminated food.
India is among the largest users of pesticides in Asia. The levels of use are much higher in the Green Revolution states than in others.  Many pesticides which are banned in other countries and are notified as harmful by the World Health Organisation are freely used in the country. Even those which are prohibited by the government are used. When they enter the food chain they create many health problems and disorders. The serious consequences of the use of endosulfan are well-known as they have been studied and recorded. The application of pesticides and insecticides keeps increasing also because more and more quantities  have to be used when pests and insects develop resistance  to them. They also upset the balance of life in nature by eliminating some species of insects.

Farmers have to be made aware of the harmful effects of using chemicals-based pesticides. Organic farming has not taken off in the country and its products are very costly also. Studies should be made of alternatives to chemical pesticides and they should be made available. The authorities should also ensure that the laws which are meant to avoid contamination of food articles with pesticides are implemented effectively. The government told the court that the Food Safety and Standards Act has provided a regulatory regime to take care of all fears in this respect. But its claim is hard to accept.

Supreme Court turns down plea to ban PET bottles, packaging

Environmentalists say fresh studies suggest they may be harmful to health

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal against the decision of the Madhya Pradesh High Court which had dismissed a public interest petition seeking ban on PET (thermoplastic polymer, polyethylene terephthalate) in packaging food, drugs and beverages.

The petition was filed by Prani Mitra Samiti (Pramisha), a non-governmental organization (NGO). While dismissing the special leave petition, the apex court upheld the high court verdict, which based its order on the fact that under the Food Safety Act, PET packaging had been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) 26 years ago.

Environmentalists say scientific studies by independent groups show chemical elements in PET bottles react with chemical components in drugs and cause leaching in different temperature conditions. These companies might have BIS clearances, but the government should reconsider use of PET bottles in the light of fresh studies, they say.

Public interest petitions were filed in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, saying PET polluted beverages and caused environmental hazard; several courts have rejected petitions on the subject. NGO’s approached the health ministry for a ban on PET packaging for medicines, saying leaching can have a carcinogenic impact.

Health ministry sets up expert committee

The health ministry set up an expert committee to look into the matter after two Dehradun-based NGOs intensified protests against PET bottles and demanded complete ban on its usage. Coloured and uncoloured PET bottles are used as primary packaging material in pharmaceutical liquid orals, suspensions and dry syrups. The expert committee has submitted its observations to the Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB) and it is scheduled to be discussed in next meeting.

The bench of Chief Justice P Sadashivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi rejected the plea outright last Friday. The bench observed that the petitioner should have presented scientific studies or details in his plea against PET packaging. The bench then asked the petitioner's advocate Gautam Awasthi to read the Madhya Pradesh High Court order in detail before dismissing the case.

The high court judgement stated that PET bottles have already been certified by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and there is no specific study by any recognised institution to show otherwise that such packaging is hazardous to the health of consumers or the environment. Further, the high court order took cognisance of the pollution control board's response that PET bottles are recyclable and are not harmful to human beings.

Mithaiwallas hit as HC refuses to stay ban

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday refused to stay a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) circular banning the use of edible silver leaves (varq) for sweetmeats, in a setback for mithaiwallas.
A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel heard a petition by Shree Mumbai Misthan Vyavasai Sahakari Mandal Ltd challenging the October 24 circular to regulate the sale of mithai during Diwali, particularly the use of the edible foil.
Advocate Anjali Purav argued that the BMC could not have issued the circular when the sale of food was controlled by the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA). She said the BMC was usurping the competent authority's power under the act. "If I am not able to sell these sweets, who is responsible for the loss?'' Purav asked. She said crores worth of business would be lost and lakhs of employees would suffer, affecting their fundamental right to carry out trade and business. She said that the circular favoured those against Indian sweets and would impact Diwali sales.
BMC advocates Suresh Pakle and Trupti Puranik submitted that the civic body, by exercising its powers under BMC Act, "had power to issue the circular in public interest and no defect and deformity could be attributed to it".
The judges said the issue whether provision of the BMC Act would prevail over the FSSA required consideration and admitted the petition. They said they could not grant interim relief to the petitioner as prima facie BMC has the power to act and safeguard public health through the sale of food articles through shops it issued licences to.
They said the authority which granted licences had powers to ensure conditions are complied with, and if there was a breach to ensure consequences are visited. They also said the fundamental right to carry out trade and business was subject to reasonable restrictions.

HC refuses to stay circular banning silver leaf on sweets

Ahead of Diwali festival, the Bombay High Court today refused to stay a municipal circular banning silver foil coating on sweets.
Mishtann Vyavasai Sahakari Mandal, an association of sweets sellers, had sought a stay on the October 24 circular issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) banning use of silver leaf on sweets.
Refusing to grant interim relief, Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel said, "BMC issues licence with certain conditions and has the powers to check. If the civic body finds that the conditions are being violated then it has all the powers to stop it in larger public interest."
BMC counsel Suresh Pakale and Trupti Puranik argued that the civic body had not imposed a blanket ban on the use of silver foil coating on sweets. There is a regulation on use of silver leaf for health purpose, they told the court.
"There are traders who use material other than silver. This is harmful to public health," said Pakale.
Anjali Yajurvedi, advocate for the petitioner, claimed that the circular was issued just before the Diwali festival to create panic among the general public. Even earlier, the BMC had issued such a circular with regard to 'mawa' (sweet).
Opposing the circular, the petitioner claimed that such "last minute" circulars cause losses to the traders as they have already accepted orders from customers before the Diwali festival. The customers would not then want to buy the sweets which would cause them heavy losses, it claimed.
The petitioner further alleged the order was a ploy to stop the sale of Indian sweets.
The petitioner also claimed the civic body had no powers to regulate the sale of sweets. As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the BMC health officials do not have the power to conduct inspection, the petitioner contended.
The high court said it would deal with all the aspects of the petition during next hearing after Diwali vacation. Meanwhile, interim relief to stay the circular was refused.

KAALAI KATHIR NEWS

Diwali is almost here and so are the adulterated sweets but wait, we have alternatives

Call them impure, contaminated or adulterated (they all are synonyms), they have a major role in your sickness.
Yes, India’s most popular festival, the festival of lights Diwali/Deepawali is almost here and this means, all the sweets shops are having a gala time. Actually, we all know India is a very vivid country and we Indians like to celebrate each and every day as a festival, which also means; the sweets business is a sweet business throughout the year. Anyways, the festivals have a major impact on the actual sale of sweets and other sweet products and items in India and Shimla is no different.



You may argue, the presence of other edible gift items like packed chocolates, candies, biscuits, canned sweets, soft drinks and even savoury chips and stuff (pardon us if we missed something, we assume you get the point) have taken over India’s typical handmade sweets (the Gulab Jamuns, Rasgulaas, Barfi and the likes ). It’s a common trend to save yourself from standing in a queue at a sweets shop, we rather like to visit our general store, get the alternatives, pack them in colourful wrappings and gift. But exactly, why do we do that?





Well, there are a few valid reasons. The first one would be our love for easy food. We at SB won’t call candies, biscuits, soft-drinks, chips and chocolates as junk food items (come-on half the world is eating all this, and they all can’t be wrong?). The second would most definitely be our laziness. In order to buy sweets, you need to find a sweets shop, these sweets shops aren’t so general like your general items/daily needs shop around the corner. The third and perhaps, the biggest reason for the decline of our old skool sweets shop is the fear of buying impure or contaminated sweets. During the festival season, there’s always a risk of buying and consuming polluted sweets. In order to make quick cash, the sweet makers or the Halwai’s in India are tempted to use non recommended products for their sweets. This poses a serious threat for your general well being and health.
Like we said, Shimla is no different and it’s important to have a thorough inspection of the sweets before buying them. Of Course! We don’t have the equipment to check for impurities but, we do have eyes, nose and tongue moreover, the health department of Municipal Corporation Shimla is already active.
If you find something suspicious, complain
The Shimla Municipal Health team has been visiting sweets shops in the different areas of the city and they have been proactively tightening the leash on those who are trying to play with the health of people. The team has been inspecting sweets shops and fruit vendors for impure sweets and rotten fruits under the guidance of Shimla Municipal Health Officer, Umesh Bharti and he has assured that strict actions have been taken against suspected sweet shops.
Speaking of actions, Under the Food Safety and Standard Act-2006, if a shopkeeper/sweet-maker is found guilty of making or selling infected, contaminated sweets, there’s a minimum penalty of Rs 1lakhs and a maximum fine of Rs 10lakhs with life imprisonment (applicable only if some dies due to consumption of infected food item). If the Municipal Health team finds a certain shop or place to be dirty and unfit as per the standards, the shop keeper can be fined upto Rs 1Lakh and if the shopkeeper doesn’t have his valid license to run the shop and the food items are unsafe, he can be fined Rs 5lakh with a maximum imprisonment of up to 6 months.
So, this goes out to all our friends in Shimla and everywhere else, if you plan to buy sweets, do have a thorough inspection of the items and if you find anything suspicious, stand up and register your voice.

Food and Drug Administration seizes 19kg edible oil during raids in Thane

THANE: With the festival of lights round the corner, the Thane unit of Food and Drug Administration (FDA), decided to raid the producers and wholesalers selling loose edible oil (unpacked) to retailers. Selling of loose edible oil is prohibited under the food safety standard, fearing large-scale adulteration, especially during Diwali.
A special squad of FDA, Thane conducted simultaneous raid on violators of food safety norms on Sunday and seized a huge amount of loose oil at various places in Thane district. During the drive, FDA seized 19, 132kg including mustard, refined and groundnut oil worth Rs 19, 24, 258. As many as nine traders were trapped by the squad encompassing Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kongaon, Bhiwandi, Ambernath, Mira and Bhayndar.
"The demand for edible oil increases manifold during Diwali and suspecting a large scale adulteration we decided to raid various places. The raid was planned based on a tip-off," said S K Shere, joint commissioner of FDA (Food), Konkan Division, Thane.
Those trapped include, Sumit Enterprises, Turbhe, Gautam Enterprises, Vashi, Heena Oil depot, Ambernath, Indra Sales Agency, Kongaon, JJ Trading Company, Kongaon, Ganesh Oil depot, Bhiwandi, Sohan Traders, Bhiwandi, Amrut Oil Agency, Bhayandar and Vinayak Traders, Mira Road.
According to the rule a producer or trader is not allowed to sell loose oil to the retailer. In case the sample found to be sub-standard and unsafe for consumption after through test conducted in the laboratory the violator is liable to pay a fine upto Rs 5 lakh and imprisonment from six months to six years.
"We have sent the samples for testing and further action will be initiated once the reports come in. We will continue the raid for one more week to put an anchor on violators of food safety rule," said Shere.

Readers mail - Unkempt mutton stalls

Mutton shops in the North Devi Street, Srirangam, are an eyesore. Butchers wash the animals with water and improperly remove the dust from hair and hoof. A battalion of swarming flies in and around and stray dogs waiting for meat presents a pitiable sight. Action should be taken against vendors who abrogate themselves from following hygiene norms prescribed under Food Safety Act. I urge the authorities concerned of the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration to take action against such mutton shops.

K. Aravind, Srirangam.

Milma sachets to sport new look from November

New Milma packets will display the tagline, 'Let's grow'.

Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (Milma) has decided to remove the imprint ‘fresh and pure’ from its milk sachets with effect from November 1. Milma will market its product with a brand new packaging from that date and will display a new tagline, ‘Let’s grow’.

The cooperative milk marketing body was directed by the High Court a few months ago to remove the phrase ‘fresh and pure’ from its packaging after a consumer took up a case on the issue, contending that Milma milk contained skimmed milk powder. Milma had claimed that milk powder was being added to maintain the SNF (solid not fat) content in the milk as required by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The milk, produced by different breeds of cattle and procured from various centres, did not conform to the stipulated SNF norms. Milma authorities had also explained that the tagline ‘fresh and pure’ had been displayed as part of the National Dairy Development Board marketing scheme.

Along with the introduction of the new packaging, Milma has decided to withdraw its Jersey brand of milk from the market. A senior official of the milk marketing body said that the step was being taken as it was difficult to sell milk belonging to jersey breed of cattle alone. The Ernakulam region of Milma will introduce homogenized toned milk in the market, at Rs.35 per litre. The particular variety was not available in the region earlier.

Officials take sweets samples for lab test

Food Safety Officers collecting samples from a sweets manufacturing unit at R.S.Puram in Coimbatore on Monday.

Food Safety Officials on Monday began taking samples from sweets shops across the district ahead of the festival season of Deepavali.

Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing) Designated Officer R. Kathiravan said that this was part of measures to check the quality of sweets, since this period witnessed a huge surge in sales. The spurt in demand could lead to deterioration in quality, he said.The samples will be tested at the Government Food Analysis Laboratory here. If the tests revealed the quality to be unsatisfactory, improvement notices would be served on the shops, he said.

Samples will be taken till Deepavali.

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

DINAMALAR NEWS

ஓட்டலில் கலர் பொடி கலந்த கோழி இறைச்சி பறிமுதல் தர்மபுரி

Food safety licence must for food grain godowns

PANAJI: Goa civil supplies department has stated that all its godowns across the state have to obtain a food safety licence to ensure that quality of food grains is maintained.
The department has also asked for a monthly report from joint mamlatdars about damaged, inferior or infested grains found in godowns from where the grains are supplied to fair price shops through the public distribution system. The directions are mentioned in a circular issued by director of civil supplies Vikas Gaunekar
The joint mamlatdars will also have to educate fair price shop owners about maintaining quality of grains and to take measures to prevent pest infestation. There are more than a dozen godowns in the 12 talukas.

Food Safety Audit to start in city

Srinagar, Oct 25: In a view to ensure safe and protected food to be sold in market, The Public Health
Department of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) will be conducting a Food Safety Audit (FSA) of all food establishments of Srinagar City.
The FSA which will be started day after tomorrow would include Sanitation and cleanliness of the food establishments, Pest and rodent control methods adopted health and hygiene of the all food handlers along with their medical and health status and adoption of dress code including uniform, gloves, and Head gear.
According to officials any food establishment which would be caught against the said necessities and
failed to comply FSA would be liable to cancellation of food licences along with fine up to one lakh
rupees and imprisonment up to 6 months under the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006.
Health Officer SMC Dr Shafqat Khan said that they will be taking strict actions especially against the top and leading food establishments running in the city.
“I am warning those food outlets which practise unhygienic methods in making food items to be cautious enough as I will be taking hard actions against them if found guilty,” he said.
The FSA will be starting from Monday and the concerned department has given one day time to food
outlets for meeting the audit rules provided by the department.

Street vendors launch catering service for ensuring safe, hygienic food

In order to provide a safer and hygienic alternative to people consuming food on the street, the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), in a first-of-its- kind initiative, has launched a catering service, which will be run and managed by street vendors. Interestingly, some international companies are also interested in investing in the initiative.
Arbind Singh, president, NASVI, explained, “The catering service which we have launched will be run and managed by street vendors. The street vendors will have to stand united if they want to be taken seriously. This new initiative will give street vendors an opportunity to expand their base. And through this the NASVI can also keep a check on the quality of food served and hygiene standards maintained by street vendors.”
Singh informed, “We want to improve the livelihood of street vendors. So in order to make them more organised, we are not only creating awareness among the street vendors but also giving them information about hygiene and cleanliness. Now, the street vendors are coming ahead themselves to ensure acceptable standards of food quality and hygiene. Instead of organising seminar, conferences and interactive session for street vendors, we are organising street food festival from last two years and getting huge attention.”
He added, “In 2011, when we first started the festival, many street food vendors participated and there were thousands of visitors. While in 2012, it was mega hit with double the number of street vendors’ and visitors’ participation. Meanwhile we also organised the street food festival in Patna and Hyderabad.”
He pointed out, “We, in association with civic bodies, FSSAI and other government officials, are planning to promote street food in 14 states of the country. If the street food vendors start following hygiene they will not only attract more customers but can also increase their earnings. NASVI will be going to start a campaign across the country from November 4 to get police out of extortion in order to protect the street food vendors from harassment.”
Singh further stated, “It is a compulsion for the street vendors and not a trend to be organised. We have been providing mass training to street vendors in Delhi as well as other states of the country so that they can be organised. We have peer leaders and our members across the country for follow-ups and to provide repeat training to the street vendors. Our groups are also working on minimising the issue of garbage disposal. Big companies from America and Korea are showing interest in investing in India and making street vendors as stakeholders. If the street vendors continuously follow safety and hygiene, we can start a food court in the city for street vendors and people should start having confidence in them. If everything goes well we can also beat the big chains and outlets.”
On a concluding note, another NASVI member, stated, “We have also started an initiative to check food safety in markets and for this peer leaders have been appointed in all important markets. This people will be ensuring that all the food vendors in the market adhere to norms. Our members have also put banners in the market providing all related information on food safety.”

Food safety wing steps up vigil

Food safety teams in Madurai district have stepped up inspections of sweet shops ahead of Deepavalai festival to prevent selling of adulterated sweets to the public.

While surprise checks were being carried out in urban and rural areas, special teams have been deputed to act on specific complaints against sweet shops. J.Suguna, Designated Officer for Food Safety, said on Sunday that notices have been issued to 12 sweet shops for violating food safety norms.

She said that major complaints were regarding the reuse of oil for preparing the sweets.

Quality was compromised, especially in shops dealing with bulk orders for Deepavali sweets.

Dr.Suguna warned sweet makers to maintain hygiene and quality to avoid departmental action.

“We found that some sweet shops which were engaged in supplying orders through Deepavali funds were not meeting the required standards. Sweet stalls in Jaihindpuram, Kamaraj Salai and near bus stands in the city are under our scanner as several complaints were received from these areas,” she added.

Food safety teams will carry out raids till the festival and public can make complaints on mobile number 98423-03625 if they suspect the quality of sweets.

Areas under focus include Tirumangalam, Melur and Usilampatti.

Now, blended oil under scanner

JAIPUR: Blended oil is under health authorities' scanner ahead of Diwali as they are inspecting shops to collect samples and also seize packets if complete information on content is not provided.

"Such edible oil will come under the category of misbranding, which is an offence under the food safety and standard Act 2006," a health department official said.

Recently, the health department had seized a sizeable amount of edible oil packets for misbranding. "The packets had pictures of olive but the percentage of olive oil in the blended oil was very less and it was blended with rice bran oil. The ratio of the rice bran oil was much higher, even more than 50%. But on the packet, it was mentioned in small letters that it was blended oil," the official said.

In a similar action, the health department had collected samples from Chand Pole areas. From the packaging it looked like that it has peanut oil only but in small letters there was a mention that it was blended oil. The other content was sunflower oil. But, the packet had photos of peanuts and in small letter there was a mention of sunflower oil and blended oil.

The health authorities claimed that in the past few years, a lot of companies launched blended oil. There are some from the state also, which are producing blended oil.

The health department claimed that if manufacturers are producing blended oil, it should be mentioned on the packaging prominently. Also, there should be a mention of the ratio of oil used.

The health department has launched a campaign in the state against adulteration in food items and also to check misbranding of products and to prevent the sale of stale food items in the interest of the customers. The campaign was launched on October 14 and will continue till November 5.

The health department claimed that edible oil is one of the items which are covered in the campaign but mawa and other milk products are also in the list of items which the health authorities are checking so that customers get quality food items during the festive season.

Three food outlets fined for adulteration ahead of Diwali

GURGAON: Think before you give in to temptation for sweets this Diwali. Keeping in view the increase in food adulteration around the festival of lights, the Haryana department of food and drug administration recently fined three food outlets for selling sub-standard food items. The move follows the testing of food samples at various popular outlets in Gurgaon by the department.

Recently, officials had collected 30 food samples, including those from different outlets in the various malls and markets. The samples were then sent to Chandigarh for testing. "We recently imposed heavy penalties on three food outlets - Six Ten store in Chakkarpur, an outlet in DT Mega Mall and a Mother Dairy kiosk - for selling sub-standard food. The three outlets have been fined Rs 15,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively. Food items including Malai Ka Mixture, aginomoto and several milk products were found to be sub-standard," said K K Sharma, food and safety officer, Gurgaon.

Experts, however, say the department does too little to maintain the quality of food being sold in the city. "Very few hotels and catering companies meet the international food safety standards," said Ajay Grover, former consultant for the 2010 Commonwealth Gamescatering and dining facilities and a Garden Estate resident.

"It has to be ensured that sweet shops have health trade licence, which is granted only when they have proper sewer and water connection besides meeting the prescribed sanitation norms. A number of sweet shops are operating without a licence. The ingredients need to be checked. Khoya could be stale or adulterated with potato paste, rabdi could be adulterated with blotting paper. Harmful colours and chemicals may be used to make sweets look more attractive," said Pavan Choudhary, chairman, CII-Medical Technology Division.

More random checks are being conducted at food outlets across the city.

No spurious sweets this Diwali, FDA tells vendors

PANAJI: With Diwali around the corner, the food and drugs administration has issued guidelines to sweet manufacturers and vendors, hoping to keep adulterated and poor-quality festival goodies out of the market.

Addressing a meeting of 40 sweet vendors from across Goa, FDA chairperson Salim Veljee warned them against using 'mava', 'khoya' or 'kalakanand' (milk sweets used as a base for other delicacies) transported to Goa without refrigeration. "The vendors were also directed to purchase only properly packed and labeled raw ingredients from licensed FSSAI vendors," added Veljee.

Veljee also recalled a few complaints received by the FDA, about sweets like 'pedha' and 'barfi' that got spoiled the very next day after purchase, revealing the use of stale ingredients . "The vendors were also warned not to indulge in the 're-cycling process' of mixing the stale, unsold sweets into the preparation of fresh sweets, which is the main reason why sweets start getting rancid /sour immediately, emanating a foul smell or changing colour," said Veljee, warning that such cases would be severely dealt with.

The FDA also issued guidelines as to the maximum permissible limit of artificial coloring used in sweets, to safeguard the health of the consumer. The vendors were asked to be vigilant in differentiating the decorative 'silver leaves' from aluminum leaves, which is not permitted under the law.

"This Diwali, our food safety officers will step up surveillance and conduct surprise raids across the state toensure that only high quality products are sold in the market," added Veljee.