Jun 15, 2014

After mangoes, now 'Paan' from India may be banned by EU

LONDON: Betel or 'paan' leaves from India may be the next item to be banned by the European Union (EU), which has already imposed an import ban on Alphonso mangoes over claims of a fruit fly infestation. 
The EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed warned in its annual report this week that there have been consistent reports of Salmonella contamination of betel leaves from the country. 
The EU had already issued a ban on the import of paan leaves from Bangladesh earlier this year, effective until at least end July. 
"The continuing reason since 2011 for the high number of reports on Salmonella is paan leaves. The continuous reports notified by the UK prompted the adoption of a safeguard measure suspending temporarily imports of paan leaves from Bangladesh and setting up reinforced checks for paan leaves from India and Thailand," the RASFF 2013 annual report said. 
Salmonella poisoning causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting in humans. The RASFF has issued 111 notifications or warnings to India on food contamination last year, of which 12 concern curry leaves and 84 'okra' or ladyfinger. 
"Apart from these findings, also five notifications on chilli peppers are noteworthy with sometimes high levels reported," the report concluded. India also came in as the second highest in terms of overall notifications with 257 in total after China's total of 433. 
The EU ban on Alphonso mangoes effective from May 1 had triggered widespread protests, including a petition to the British government to overturn the ban. 
EU inspectors are now expected in India for an early inspection of the crop in September. Other fruits and vegetables banned included Colocasia (taro, eddo) Momordica sp (bitter gourd), Solanum melongena (eggplant) and Trichosanthes sp (snake gourd). 
The EU says the decision was taken due to a high number of intercepted consignments containing quarantine pests which could harm European crops.

National food map to identify solutions for vulnerable areas

It will showcase farm and livestock produce for suitable interventions
The Food Processing Ministry will prepare a National Food Map that will showcase agriculture and livestock produce for suitable interventions in vulnerable areas. A ‘Brand India’ will be launched for exports in the food processing sector and State-specific brands will be developed for the domestic market.
Unveiling the Ministry’s plans, Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the National Food Map will also identify States with food processing potential and areas for better strategising.
“The new government’s focus area is to use agro-technology to boost agro-based industry,” she said at a roundtable meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry.
Identifying the Ministry’s priority areas, she said, the government would install food processing growth engines at the farm level to prevent wastage and boost agriculture. Apart from this there would be emphasis on optimising yield per acreage of land through use of better technology which will also bring benefits to farmers.
The north-east region would be developed into organic food processing zones and there would be special food processing zones in the country.
The Minister emphasised the need for developing small-scale food processing units for women to make them financially self-reliant, as well as to bring up a skilled work force.
Responding to demands of the industry, Ms. Badal gave them the assurance that she would take up issues relating to Food Safety Standards Authority of India with the Union Health Minister, particularly for cutting down delays in product approvals.
She said the perception that processed food was for the elite and not for the common man “needs to be shunned.”