TNFS Dept. - Salem 'Dist. News

Dinakaran News

Strict quality check to ensure export tag for Indian tea

The move comes at a time when Indian tea is facing competition in the world market from Kenyan tea.

KOLKATA: Foreign buyers can now rest assured about the quality of Indian tea. Tea Board of India has put in place a system of random testing of teas meant for exports to ensure that only the varieties that comply with the standards set by Food Safety & Standard Authority of India enter global markets.
The measure comes at a time when Indian tea is facing competition in the world market from Kenyan tea.
Talking to ET, MGVK Bhanu, chairman, Tea Board of India, said: "Tea Board has taken firm steps to protect and enhance the image of Indian tea globally, and to ensure that the tea worthy of the tagline 'Indian tea' is exported. This comes on the backdrop of various quality issues that have cropped up in recent years."
In 2012-13, India exported 220.46 million kg of tea at a total consideration of Rs 3,962.92 crore. The country imported 17.88 million kg of tea in FY13.
Tea Board of India has established two councils -- one for north India and the other for the south that will monitor the online tracking system of all exports and imports and ensure that quality norms are enforced. The mechanism has been developed by by NSE.IT, which has also developed the e-auction platform for tea.
Industry officials said foreign buyers sometimes raise concerns about quality. Generally, Tea Board receives complaints from countries like Libya and Iran. Tea Board chairman said that Indian exporters need to be more focussed on quality because foreign buyers are increasingly pushing hard on this issue.
According to the scheme, a permanent exporter or importer will have to log on to a web address designed by NSE.IT two days ahead of the shipment date. In the case of a temporary exporter or importer, the person will have to log in 10 days ahead of the shipment. The system will randomly select the application and an inspection agency will inspect the samples. The inspection agency, which in this case is the Tea Research Association, will take a call on the quality.
"If the tea does not conform to the food safety standards, the exporter or importer will be tagged as 'exporters/importers under warning'. And that sort of a tag is not desirable," said an official of Calcutta Tea Traders Association.
Anshuman Kanoria, chairman, Indian Merchant Tea Exporters, said the new mechanism will help bolster the image of Indian tea in the world market. "However, this year exporters will face difficulty as the Kenyan production is almost up by 50 million kg and the African country is offering tea to the world market at a cheaper price," he said.

Food department destroys eatables in unhygienic condition

RAIPUR: The food and drug administration department collected samples of Amul ghee and gathia from a sweet shop and destroyed over 25kg of mixtures and savouries including samosas that were kept in unhygienic conditions.
A team led by food safety officer Dr Ashwani Dewangan conducted checks on various sweet shops including Khodiyar sweets, Fafadih, Santa sweets, Bilaspur road and Amul outlet, Gokul Super bazar, Pandari.
According to officials, the team collected four packs of 200ml each (Amul ghee) and destroyed some food articles that were exposed to dust and flies. The action was initiated under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
The team directed the shop owners to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in accordance with the norms of the Food Act.

Dirty hostel mess, bad food blamed

As many as 127 students of Kerala University, two wardens and two cooks were taken to hospital following food poisoning late on Tuesday night, shortly after they had dinner at the mess of the Ladies’ Hostel on Kariavattom campus.

According to students, after having food at the mess, many started complaining of stomach ache, nausea and giddiness. They were rushed to the hospital in as many as 30 ambulances by the police, university staff and students. However, after primary medication, all the students are now in a stable condition, except seven, police officials said.

 Some students were admitted to the hospital around 10 pm, while others were rushed in later. Most of them have recovered. The affected students, from the University Hostel, blamed improperly cooked food for the problem. The students said that they had complained to the in-charge of the mess about the poor quality of food while having dinner itself, around 7.30 pm. Within minutes, many developed stomach problems and started vomiting.

 Usage of contaminated water for preparation of food or the entry of some foreign bodies is suspected to have caused the food poisoning.

 The hostel was shifted to a new building only two weeks ago. According to the students, the mess was not being run in hygienic conditions.

 Sreekariyam sub-inspector of police V Rajesh Kumar said  Food Safety Authority officials have collected the samples of food and water. “As the students reported abdominal pain, the reason might be the entry of some foreign body,” he said.

 Meanwhile, the District Medical Officer (DMO), along with other medical officers and food inspectors, inspected the Ladies’ Hostel mess and collected samples of rice, curries, tamarind, cooking oil, cud and drinking water and sent them for analysis to the Food Laboratory. They also said that the unhygienic condition of the kitchen and the low quality of the items used for cooking were the reasons for the food poisoning.

 The police officials said a notice will be sent to the Kerala University regarding the issue and that a detailed inquiry would be conducted into the issue.

 The hostel kitchen, meanwhile, has been sealed by officials

JMC organises hygiene awareness camp

Jammu, June 19: To generate awareness about new Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and to improve the standards of hygiene, quality of food, ahead of Amar Nath pilgrimage, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Wednesday organized camps here at various places.

The camp was organised at Shiv Market, Railway Station Jammu for Food Business operators like Dhaba- Walas, restaurants, shopkeepers, juice shops, meat shops, Rehri and Phari walas dealing with sale of food items.
 Under the leadership of Dr. Vinod Sharma and Food Safety Officer of the concerned area shopkeepers were made aware about the hygienic conditions they have to maintain in their premises.
The eating point owners or rehri walas were directed to get their licenses or registrations from the office of the Health Officer JMC Jammu.
The cook of the eatable points or rehri walas must wear mask, apron, cap, gloves etc. They have to use only portable filter water to the customers.
The JMC officials also impressed the use of two types of covered dustbins i.e. green and blue colour to separate bio-degradable and non bio-degradable garbage.
After the awareness camp the team also visited the market and checked the eating points.
The Food Business operators assured the authorities that the irregularities will be removed within a short span of time.

Eating out: insist on hot food, boiled water

Hoteliers told to follow food safety hygiene standards
The Food Safety officials have issued a public health warning that those eating from restaurants, wayside eateries and canteens should insist on consuming only hot food and boiled drinking water as there could be an increase in water-borne diseases during the monsoon season.
Mandatory standards
All hoteliers and food business operators should ensure that the 30-point mandatory hygiene standards drawn up by the Food Safety wing earlier are being followed without fail. Suspension of licence, issue of closure notice and other criminal prosecution measures will be adopted by the Food Safety wing if food outlets are found to be functioning in violation of the hygiene standards or other specific directives of the Food Safety Officers.
Any complaints of the public regarding the poor hygiene standards of eateries, hostels, canteens or food stalls may be conveyed to the designated Food Safety Officers in districts or the toll-free number of the Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety.
Dial to complain
The phone numbers of District Food Safety Officers are: Thiruvananthapuram (89433 46181); Kollam (89433 46182); Pathanamthitta (89433 46183); Alappuzha (89433 46184); Kottayam (89433 46185); Idukki (89433 46186); Ernakulam (89433 46187); Thrissur (89433 46188); Palakkad (89433 46189); Malappuram (89433 46190); Kozhikode (89433 46191); Wayanad (89433 46192); Kannur (89433 46193), and Kasaragod (89433 46194).The phone numbers of mobile vigilance squads are: Thiruvananthapuram (89433 46195); Ernakulam (89433 46196); Kozhikode (89433 46197).

Coimbatore Corporation to initiate action against eateries encroaching on parking space

Councillors are of the opinion that eateries near Nehru Stadium and V.O.C. Park should not be allowed to occupy parking space.

The need to regulate roadside eateries in the city came up for discussion at the Coimbatore Corporation Council meeting on Tuesday. The issue was not about the quality of food served at the eateries. But the way they encroached upon the parking space.

The opening salvo was by the North Zone Chairman P. Rajkumar, who said that there was near zero parking space around the Nehru Stadium and near V.O.C. Park because the owners of the eateries spread out stools on roads, eating away parking space.

With the police regulating the parking of vehicles on Nanjappa Road, the city’s residents were left with little choice but to drive to the area around the Stadium to park.

Most of the vendors had 10 to 15 stools each and when spread over they occupied space that could otherwise accommodate two or three cars.

The quality of food they served needed to be verified if it was good, he said and also sought attention on the leftovers the eatery owners dump there. When they shut shop, they dumped food waste in the vicinity. The food so dumped attracted stray dogs.

The area around the Stadium and Park had seen an increase in the dog population and that threatened the elderly to went there for walking and sports persons who used the stadium around dawn.

Mr. Rajkumar wanted the Corporation to regulate the shops in such a way that they did not occupy parking space. A few other Councillors also joined him.

In doing so the Corporation should keep in mind that those who run the eateries were people from the lower strata of society and that their livelihood should not be disturbed, said S. Balan (Ward 62). Whether or not the eateries served quality food was a different issue. But they encroached upon the parking space and they needed to be regulated, said J. Sasirekha (Ward 72).

The issue regarding the roadside eateries comes after the Corporation initiated a few moves to regulate their activities. One was earmarking locations for them. The Corporation with help from the IC Centre for Governance began talking to the eatery owners by conducting a series of meetings to understand their concerns. But those proved to be half-hearted measures.

Even as the Corporation began talking to them, the authorities from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also engaged them to improve the quality of food.

Sources in FSSAI said that the department officers had educated a number of roadside eatery owners on safety practices to be adopted, how to ensure quality in food and what to avoid. The department had given certificates and licences to a few.

But with the Union Government extending to February 2014 the deadline for making registration and license mandatory, the officer were engaged in conducting awareness programmes.

A.L. Raja, a CITU leader associated with the food vendors’ association, said that the allegation against the vendors that they encroached upon parking space was true to an extent because in their bid to attract more customers, each vendor place more stools than his competitor.

In the process, the entire stretch was occupied by stools.

The vendors association, affiliated to the CITU, had taken a few initiatives in the past for self regulation. It would again do so.

IICT to host three-day demonstration on protocol for new CBE detection

The Indian Institute for Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, will host a demonstration on the newly-developed protocol for the detection and quantification of cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) in chocolate formulation from vegetable sources by IICT and PI.
The demonstration, commencing June 24, 2013, will conclude on June 26, 2013. It will be attended by representatives from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and industry.
Atanu Purkayastha, joint secretary, ministry of agriculture, said, “Indigenous natural vegetable fat sources, such as sal, kokum, mango kernel, cheura, mahua and dhupa, can be used as cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) in chocolate formulation at a maximum concentration of five per cent.”
“However, provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 (which preceded the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006) prohibit the use of any vegetable fat other than cocoa butter (CB). European Parliament has permitted the use of five per cent vegetable fats other than CB in chocolate,” he said.
Purkayastha said no protocol was available for the detection and quantification of CBEs in chocolate formulation, hence the Mumbai-based SEA approached the NOVOD Board and FSSAI for the development of such protocol and the amendment of the PFA Act.
“K Chandramouli, chief executive officer, FSSAI, had suggested that a protocol be developed for the detection and quantification of cocoa butter equivalents in chocolate formulation from vegetable sources and its demonstrated to all the directors of central food laboratories for routine analysis by their public analysts,” he said. The task for developing the project was assigned to IICT, Hyderabad.
“Now, R B N Prasad, chief scientist and head, IICT and PI, has informed that they have developed a protocol for detection and quantification of CBEs in chocolate formulation, and would conduct a three-day demonstration of the protocol in their institute,” Purkayastha said, adding that representatives from fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) players like Britannia, ITC, Parle, Cadbury, etc. are likely to attend the demonstration.

SIRD hosts lecture programme on Food safety & Standard

Dinamalar News

Licence of Indian Coffee House outlet in Thiruvananthapuram, suspended

Action came on the heels of a complaint lodged by the parents of a seven-year-old girl, who had a glass of rose milk from the popular outlet and started vomiting soon after.

Food Safety officials suspended the licence of the Indian Coffee House outlet at Spencer Junction here on Tuesday, asking the outlet to down shutters from Wednesday till further notice, following a complaint that stale beverages were being sold there.

According to District Food Safety Officer D. Sivakumar, the action came on the heels of a complaint lodged by the parents of a seven-year-old girl, who had a glass of rose milk from the popular outlet and started vomiting soon after. She had to be taken to a hospital.

An inspection of the outlet revealed that beverages, including rose milk, cold coffee, and juices, were made and preserved in unhygienic conditions, with the kitchen stated to be in an ‘appalling’ condition. Officials have sent a sample of the rose milk for laboratory analysis, and have served a notice on the outlet for temporary suspension of the licence under Section 36 (3A) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, asking the outlet to shut down from Wednesday and to make necessary rectifications. Further operations would be allowed only after another round of inspections.

The officials said the outlet was allowed to remain open on Tuesday after the inspections in order to avoid cooked food from being wasted. They said the issue appeared to be only with the beverages and the manner in which they were made and stored. However, the standard of hygiene in the kitchen was ‘pathetic,’ with the deep freezer in which the beverages were stored being rusted and corroded, the dish-washing corner being dirty, with flies all over. There were no fly-traps, nor was the floor clean.

This is the second outlet of the Indian Coffee House in the city to face such action after the outlet at Thampanoor was closed for nearly two months last year. The situation in that outlet at that time too was ‘appalling,’ according to officials, who pointed out that the proximity of the kitchen to a drainage outside had given ‘unrestricted access’ to rats, flies, and even crows to the kitchen and the food there. The outlet’s licence was cancelled and was allowed to function after it took about 45 days to rectify the shortcomings.

Cyanide traces in bottled drinking water

Sangrur, June 19
Cyanide was detected in a sample of bottled drinking water collected from a manufacturer in Sangrur district.
In light of this, Commissioner, Food Safety, Punjab, has directed designated officer (Food Safety) of Sangrur district to initiate proceeding against the manufacturer in court. The sample of Naina Packaged Drinking Water has been declared unsafe and misbranded under Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA)-2006 by Referral Food Laboratory, Government of India, Ghaziabad. The sample was collected by the Health Department in December 2012 from the premises of Shri Sai Mineral Corporation, Sunam.
The report states there is cyanide in the sample and iron is above the maximum prescribed limits. When contacted, Dr Surinder Singla, District Health Officer (DHO)-cum-Designated Officer (Food Safety), Sangrur, said they would take action against the manufacturer as soon as they received sanction from Commissioner, Food Safety, Punjab.

Over 8,000 held in China for food adulteration

Beijing, Jun 19 (PTI) More than 8,200 suspects have been held in China since a campaign to crack down on food safety crime was launched in January this year amid public uproar over recurring cases of food adulteration.
Police uncovered more than 4,500 cases involving food safety offences and held more than 8,200 suspects on food safety crime since January.
They closed about 6,300 workshops and markets that produced or sold illegal food products, Ministry of Public security said in a statement.
Police confiscated more than 1.50 lakh illegal products, including fake cooking oil, meat, spices and seasonings, health care products, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and illegal additives, the ministry said in a report.
The Ministry said fight against food safety crime remains onerous, as offences in some areas are prone to reoccur.
A series of scandals over baby food adulteration and marketing gutter oil to restaurants have eroded public confidence with majority of Chinese preferring to buy foreign food products for their children.
In 2008, at least six children died and 300,000 others fell ill after consuming milk powder contaminated with melamine.
Recent scandals involving adulterated mutton, lime-preserved eggs processed with copper sulphate and ginger grown with highly toxic pesticide have aggravated public concerns over food safety.

குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களுக்கு முறையான அனுமதி? தமிழகம் முழுவதும் கணக்கெடுப்பு துவக்கம்

தமிழகம் முழுவதும், குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள், முறையான அனுமதி பெற்றுள்ளதா என்பதை கணக்கெடுக்கும் பணியை, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம் துவங்கியுள்ளது.

சென்னையில், குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்களில் இருந்து, விற்பனைக்கு அனுப்பப்படும் குடிநீர், பாதுகாப்பற்றது என, தெரிய வந்ததால், தென்மண்டல தேசிய பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம், தாமாக முன் வந்து, வழக்கு பதிந்து விசாரித்து வருகிறது. சென்னை, காஞ்சிபுரம், திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்டங்களில், அனுமதியின்றி செயல்பட்ட, 92 குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் மூடப்பட்டு உள்ளன. இதில், 85 நிறுவனங்களின் மாதிரிகள் பரிசோதிக்கப்பட்டு, அறிக்கை பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. இதை ஆய்வு செய்த பசுமைத் தீர்ப்பாயம், 51 நிறுவனங்களைத் திறக்கவும், மீதமுள்ள, 41 நிறுவனங்களில், குடிநீர் மாதிரிகளை மீண்டும் பரிசோதிக்கவும் உத்தரவிட்டு உள்ளது. தமிழகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள, குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனங்கள், முறையான அனுமதி பெற்றுள்ளதா என, ஆய்வு செய்து நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கவும், தீர்ப்பாயம் உத்தரவிட்டது. இதன்படி, பரிசோதனையில் தேறிய, 51 நிறுவனங்களை மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரியம் திறந்துவிட்டது. 41 நிறுவனங்களிலும், மாதிரிகள் எடுத்து, பரிசோதனை நடந்து வருகிறது. அடுத்த கட்டமாக, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள, குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் குறித்த கணக்கெடுப்பு துவங்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது: தமிழகத்தில் செயல்பட்டு வரும் குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்கள் குறித்தும், ஐ.எஸ்.ஐ., அனுமதி, மாசு கட்டுப்பாட்டு வாரிய அனுமதி பெறாமல் இயங்கும் நிறுவனங்கள் குறித்தும் கணக்கெடுப்பு நடந்து வருகிறது. மாவட்ட பொறியாளர்கள், இரண்டு நாட்களாக ஆய்வில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளனர். 10 நாட்களில் ஆய்வு முடியும். இதுப்பற்றிய அறிக்கை, ஜூலை, 2ம் தேதி தீர்ப்பாயத்தில் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்படும். இவ்வாறு, அவர் கூறினார். தமிழக குடிநீர் தயாரிப்பாளர் சங்கத்தில், 869 நிறுவனங்கள் பதிவு செய்து உள்ளன. இதுதவிர, குடிசைத் தொழில்போல், எந்த அனுமதியுமின்றி, ஏராளமான நிறுவனங்கள் செயல்பட்டு வருகின்றன. மொத்த குடிநீர் நிறுவனங்களின் எண்ணிக்கை, ஆயிரத்தைத் தாண்டும் என, கூறப்படுகிறது.