Dinakaran News

FDA cracks down on food carts

MARGAO: The directorate of food and drugs administration (FDA) conducted a special surveillance drive in South Goa- Margao, Colva, Utorda, Betalbatim, Benaulim --on Saturday and cracked a whip on several food outlets found operating without proper registration from the licensing authorities.
Sources in the FDA said that 11 sugarcane carts, two kulfi, four ice-cream and four bhel puri stalls were directed to stop their activities until they obtain necessary food licenses from the FDA.

"The public should refrain from procuring sugarcane juices as well as kulfi and other ice-based food articles from such unhygienic food carts, which are fully exposed to flies, etc. as it can lead to health-related hazards," Salim Veljee, FDA director said, adding that such drives will be conducted on a regular basis.

Bee-harming pesticides banned in EU

Europe will enforce the world’s first continent-wide ban on widely used insecticides linked to serious harm in bees, after a European Commission (EC) vote on Monday.
The landmark suspension is a victory for millions of environment campaigners concerned about dramatic declines in bees, who were backed by experts at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). But it is a serious defeat for the chemical companies, who make billions a year from the products and also two U.K. ministers, who both argued that the ban will harm food production.
Neonicotinoids have been widely used for more than decade and are used as seed treatments rather than sprays, meaning the insecticide pervades the growing plant, as well as its nectar and pollen. They are less harmful than some of the sprays they replaced, but scientific studies have increasingly linked them to poor bee health.

Food Import Regulatory Standards Forum to be Held on May 24

Apr 30, 2013

Food Import Regulatory Standards (FIRS) Forum, a much-awaited strategic initiative focusing on the most critical issues pertaining to the food import regulations, will provide solutions to the current regulatory challenges, sampling & analysis ambiguity, custom clearance hurdles and labelling issues, which the food industry is facing currently. FIRS Forum will be held on 24 May 2013 at The Hilton Hotel, New Delhi, India.
Food Import Regulatory Standards India has on board eminent speakers such as Vinod Kotwal, Director Imports, The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), Krishna Kumar Joshi, Head Regulatory Affairs Department, ITC Foods, Rajendra Dobriyal, Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager, Unilever, Prabodh Halde, Head Regulatory, Marico, A Savitri, Head Regulatory affairs, Britannia and Raghu Guda, General Manager, National Institute for Smart Government, among other industry experts, all of whom are at the centre stage of developmental of import regulations in India.
This forum will bring together regulators, importers and supply chain heads from food & beverage manufacturers, ingredient manufacturers, packaged food importers and ingredient suppliers. This initiative will help to increase awareness about the new FSSAI regulations on food imports and will provide practical insights to streamline the food import process with the FSSAI regulations to boost the import of food and ingredients in India. To know more about Food Import Regulatory Standards (FIRS) India 2013

Edible Oil Manufacturers Show-Caused by the FDA for Publicizing Products With Misleading Ads

Facing major allegation for falsified claims and misleading ads, the big shots in manufacturing edible oil were show-caused by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In fact, this was not an isolated incident, almost 10 or more manufacturers throughout the industry got show cause notices from the FDA for giving wrong product information on their package labels. Topping the chart are the Adani Wilmar Ltd and the Agro Tech Foods Ltd holding their forte in cooking oil manufacturing. Making claims of offering the best solutions for cholesterol and heart related problems, these two brands were in for a rude jolt as the FDA stated right away that they cannot make such baseless claims that have not yet been proved. The Adani Wilmar Ltd, with their hefty claim of providing the healthiest cooking oil in the world, was slapped with the allegation that this claim of theirs is made without a scientific proof. FDA on the other hand was clear with its agenda of sending show-cause notices to the edible oil giants to make sure that they rectify their mistakes at the earliest as their ads with the are swarming everywhere starting from the internet to radio and TV.
FDA officials observed that the probabilities state that this is some publicity tactic in attracting more consumers in buying edible oil since the hike in prices of oil is sure to cause a fall in their sales. Additionally, some oil packets have been seized by the FDA to send them for scientific tests to determine adulteration signs if any. Agro Tech Foods Ltd, with similar claims about Sundrop Heart Oil ads got a notice from the FDA for claiming to be the most effective solution in controlling cholesterol in a month's time. To add to their miseries, FDA imposed an additional allegation on them for having the image of a heart on their packaging. This is something strictly banned by the FDA according to the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. The ATFL officials simply declined from commenting on this. According to the Section 24 of the FSSA, 2006 Food safety & standards act publicity about food items cannot be based on false claims.
Businesses cannot indulge in unfair trading procedures for promoting their products through false information about ingredients, usefulness or guarantee that has not been proved scientifically. Adani Wilmar with their prestigious Fortune Rice Bran Oil project received a rude shock as their claim of being the best Refined Rice Bran Oil across the world was negated outright by the FDA. The Adani Wilmar officials stated that they got a notice from FDA asking them to rephrase their statement and they have responded suitably to it. They also revealed that the Advertising Council Of India had similar complaints and that issue has also been handled smoothly. Adani Wilmar Group stated that with a qualified team of scientists, Fortune Oil has been tried and tested for every situation before being concluded as the best product.

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However, the FDA had a different story up the sleeves as it claimed that no responses have come from the Adani Wilmar Group.
If you want to know the original fact of this over populated cooking oil, check this link.
Fortune Rice Bran Oil

New Guidelines Issued by FSSAI

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a new advisory on 11th December, 2012 relating to sale of new or existing proprietary food products. As per Section- 22 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA), “no person shall manufacture, distribute, sell or import any novel food, genetically modified articles of food, irradiated food, organic food, foods for special dietary uses, functional foods, neutraceuticals, health supplements, proprietary foods and such other articles of food which the Central Government may notify in this behalf”. As on date, there is no standard for these food items in India. Hence, new advisory has been issued in this regard. This advisory has been drafted after detailed consultations.

This information was given by the Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

மார்க்சிஸ்ட் கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி உறுப் பினர் நாகை மாலி சுகாதாரத்துறை மானியக்கோரிக் கைகள் மீது நடைபெற்ற விவாதத்தில் பேசியது

சென்னை, ஏப். 29-மாநிலம் முழுவதும் அரசே மருந்து கடைகளை திறந்து மருந்துகள் குறைந்த விலையில் கிடைக்க ஏற்பாடு செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று சட்டப்பேரவையில் மார்க்சிஸ்ட் கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி உறுப் பினர் நாகை மாலி கேட்டுக்கொண்டார்.சட்டப்பேரவையி
ல் மக்கள் நல்வாழ்வு மற்றும் சுகாதாரத்துறை மானியக்கோரிக் கைகள் மீது நடைபெற்ற விவாதத்தில் அவர் பேசியது வருமாறு:

இந்தியா முழுவதும் அமல் படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ள உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தரச்சட்டம் 2006மற்றும் விதிகள் 2011ஐ அமல்படுத்த தமிழகம் முழுவதும் 520க்கும் மேற்பட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு ஆய்வாளர்கள் வட்டாரம், நகரம் மற்றம் மாநகராட்சிகளில் உணவு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத்துறையில் பணிபுரிந்துவரு கிறார்கள். அவர்களுக்கு அரசு ஆணைப் படி சம்பளம் இன்றுவரை வழங்கப்பட வில்லை. நீண்ட தொலையில் பணியாற்று வோருக்கு இடமாறுதலை கவுன்சிலிங் மூலமாக முடிவு செய்யவேண்டும்