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INVITATION FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR ENGAGING OF LAW FIRMS – 28-02-2013

‘9% kids below 14 morbidly obese’

More and more children are falling prey to obesity and other illnesses because of increasing consumption of junk food, experts at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) have said.

They have called for a regulatory framework to monitor the sale and advertisements of junk food as well as a ban on “pizzas, colas and burgers” in schools.

At a two-day conference held by the CSE in the Capital on food safety, the experts expressed concern over more and more obese children going under the knife.

Experts said surgery, though successful on some kids, cannot be a treatment option for millions. “Emphasis really needs to be on societal changes and prevention,” they said. High in transfats, salt and sugar, junk food also makes people vulnerable to hypertension, heart diseases and diabetes.

Making a presentation at the conference, obesity surgeon Ramen Goel said, “9% of children below the age of 14 are morbidly obese, while only 2% of overall population is morbidly obese.” “As many as 85% of parents with children less than 5 years of age are serving fast food more than 7-10 times a month. As many as 86% households in metros prefer food on the go. No wonder the processed food industry is growing annually by 40% – 60%,” he said. CSE director general Sunita Narain called for a ban on junk food in schools.

Experts said food safety regulatory structures in India were either too weak or simply ignored and a paradigm shift in its health policy was needed. They said the role of the ministry of health and family welfare should be recast and greater involvement of civil society ensured to enable this shift. The conference stressed on strengthening labelling norms specifically related to nutritional information.

CSE’s experts said that in 2010, Delhi-based NGO Uday Foundation filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court to get junk food banned in schools. “In January 2012, the court ordered Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to fix guidelines within six months. Junk food in schools has not been banned yet,” said an expert.  Sharad Vadehra, an expert, said, “The quantum of junk food advertising targeted at children is increasing.

U.S. dairy industry petitions FDA to approve aspartame as hidden, unlabeled additive in milk, yogurt, eggnog and cream

You probably already know that the FDA has declared war on raw milk and even helped fund and coordinate armed government raids against raw milk farmers and distributors. Yes, it’s insane. This brand of tyranny is unique to the USA and isn’t even conducted in China, North Kora or Cuba. Only in the USA are raw milk farmers treated like terrorists.

But now the situation is getting even more insane than you could have imagined: the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) have filed a petition with the FDA asking the FDA to alter the definition of “milk” to secretly include chemical sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose.

Importantly, none of these additives need to be listed on the label. They will simply be swept under the definition of “milk,” so that when a company lists “milk” on the label, it automatically includes aspartame or sucralose. And if you’re trying to avoid aspartame, you’ll have no way of doing so because it won’t be listed on the label.

This isn’t only for milk, either: It’s also for yogurt, cream, sour cream, eggnog, whipping cream and a total of 17 products, all of which are listed in the petition at FDA.gov.

As the petition states:

IDFA and NMPF request their proposed amendments to the milk standard of identity to allow optional characterizing flavoring ingredients used in milk (e.g., chocolate flavoring added to milk) to be sweetened with any safe and suitable sweetener — including non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame.

This is all being done to “save the children,” we’re told, because the use of aspartame in milk products would reduce calories.

BILL FOR ROAD SIDE FOOD VENDORS

Towards Health & Wellness – Nutra India Summit & NuFFooDS from March 13

Vivanta by Taj-President, Mumbai, and the World Trade Centre, Mumbai, are the venues for the eighth edition of the Nutra India Summit, which is slated to take place between March 13 and 16, 2013, and NuFFooDS, a co-located health and food exhibition, respectively. They will bring together the leading players in the nutraceutical, functional food, dietary supplement and ingredient industries.

The theme of this year’s event, jointly organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the International Society for Nutraceuticals, Natural and Nutritionals (ISNNaN) and MM Activ (an Indian sci-tech communication company) in association with various industry bodies, is Health and Wellness through Nutraceuticals and Naturals.

Satej Dnyandeo Patil, minister of state, home (urban and rural), rural development and food and drug administration, Government of Maharashtra, is the patron of the event.

The summit
According to a 2012 estimate by Biospectrum Asia Edition, India’s nutraceutical market is estimated to grow to $2,731 million at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13 per cent by 2013.

The Indian subcontinent has rapidly transformed into a health and wellness-conscious consumer base. The demand for nutraceuticals, nutritionals and natural finished products has increased in the region.

The country’s robust economic growth has witnessed the entry of a number of international brands of fast moving health goods (FMHG) into the Indian market, and given Indian companies and entrepreneurs an opportunity to enter into partnerships with their counterparts from overseas.

The summit will also offer global players a conducive environment to connect and interact on a one-to-one basis with industry leaders and policy-makers and prepare a roadmap of India’s growth strategies, which will help them influence global business trends.

Highlights
Besides the highlight lectures and a series of workshops and seminars, the event will feature the following:

International conference: Impact speakers from all over the world will discuss marketing strategies which are driving the industry’s growth, the progress of the regulatory mechanism, new ingredients and technologies, new product development, public awareness, consumer trends and current issues the industry is facing

NuFFooDS, the health and food expo: It brings industry leaders and small-scale entrepreneurs together under one roof to have face-to-face interactions and is a platform for the launches of new products. One of the highlights of the expo is the new segment for the health, nutrition, lifestyle and wellness sector to showcase their latest offerings

CEO Summit: This is a by-invitation-only networking evening, where business leaders will get together. There will be panel discussions by chief executive officers to discuss the current and future events in the aforementioned industries

Dieticians’ and Nutritionists’ Forum: Panels comprising dieticians and nutritionists will deliberate on the role of nutraceuticals and health foods in improving the lifestyle and well-being of the society. This forum will be conducted in association with the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA)

Poster sessions (Walkway of Discovery): This is a platform for young researchers to share ideas and present their thoughts in the form of interactive posters. It is expected to attract university students and students of research institutes from India and overseas

Morning Mantras: It is a platform where entrepreneurs can share thoughts, ideas and opinions and make the right streaming for their businesses, with tips from mentors and opinion leaders

Nutra Awards: At this ceremony, the industry will get together to felicitate the hard work and passion of the achievers in various areas of work, including exhibiting and poster design

NutraPartnering: NutraPartnering India, powered by InterlinX, assists all participants in planning business meetings in advance much before the events commences. It will facilitate tie-ups and collaborations

Conference
Apart from the aforementioned areas, the international conference would focus on the current trends driving new product development in functional foods and opportunities for the future. Over 600 delegates are expected to attend the conference, which will be addressed by over 70 experts, both from India and overseas.

The key focus areas would be ingredient innovation and novel dietary supplements, encouraging the right nutritional habits by creating health snack options, disease management through consumption of nutraceuticals and nutritionals, innovation in technologies and systems for smooth manufacturing processes, nutrigenomics (creating designer foods and offering personalised nutrition), quenching the thirst for wellness with health beverages, clinical trials and claims validation in nutraceuticals and functional foods, understanding and implementing of the regulatory framework and new food laws, growing market for traditional and ethnic foods with functional attributes, market strategies and brand innovation for commercialising nutraceuticals and dietary supplements and the Doctors’ and Nutritionists’ Forum.

Expo
NuFFooDS is a health and food expo which has emerged as both a business-to-business (B2B) and a business-to-consumer (B2C) platform for these sectors. It offers brand leaders and small- and medium-scale enterprises opportunities to meet their business objects. The products showcased at this expo include technologies, ingredients and the exhibiting companies’ latest range of offerings.

The expected footfall at the expo is over 5,000. The visitor profile comprises exporters, importers, sourcing companies, production and purchase professionals, doctors, nutritionists, research and development heads, etc.

CEO Summit
The CEO Summit is a networking dinner whose invitees are the who’s who of the nutraceutical, functional food and dietary supplement industries.

Its objective is to provide a platform where delegates can discuss the global business trends and issues. The CEO Summit looks at the current business environment from four points of view, namely industry, growth, strategy, right resources and balanced and strong finance.

The participants belong to the nutraceutical sector and will speak on specific subjects, including  the current growth drivers and barriers. The Grand Ball Room at Hotel Vivanta by Taj-President would host the CEO Summit and panel discussion, which will be followed by a networking dinner.

Nutra Awards
People who have made outstanding contributions towards the sector will be felicitated with the 8th Nutra India Summit Lifetime Achievement Award.

The new categories of awards are best ingredient, best exports company, best start-up/MSMe company and best business strategy and marketing.

The Hall of Fame award categories include industry recognition award for industry growth in the nutraceutical, nutritional and natural sectors, achievement in the areas of traditional knowledge in industry and society welfare, international promotion of the nutra sector to the international markets and exhibitor awards.

All the entries will be scrutinised by the jury appointed by the Nutra India Summit Advisory Council. There will no entries in the Hall of Fame award categories.

Doctors’ and Nutritionists’ Forum 2013
Slated to take place at the Vivanta by Taj-President, Mumbai, on March 15, 2013, the Doctors’ and Nutritionists’ Forum is a gathering for all dieticians, doctors, nutritionists and healthcare professionals to deliberate on lifestyle and health updates on current food habits, right supplements and awareness on food safety and security for the welfare of society.

The theme of the event, at which a panel comprising opinion leaders and mentors will deliberate on the new products in the nutraceutical and health food sector with a special focus on building strong immunity with nutraceuticals, is disease management through nutraceuticals, nutritionals and naturals. Registration to the forum is free for all members of the IDA.

InterlinX
InterlinX is an interactive partnering tool, which will actively catalyse your networking opportunities with your prospects to plan business meetings in advance, leading to tie-ups and collaborations.

Programme
The conference sessions, which will take place on the first three days of the show, will be addressed by over 75 experts from India and overseas. More than 700 experts are expected to attend the conferences.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013
After the inauguration of the event, there will be a series of inaugural lectures. The topics to be discussed on the opening day include new ingredients and novel routes to product innovation in functional foods and dietary supplements and quenching the thirst for wellness and health beverages.

The NuFFooDS exhibition and the poster interactions will be inaugurated on March 13, 2013, after which there will be high tea and the CEO Summit, which will be followed by a networking reception.

Thursday, March 14, 2013
On the second day of the event, there will be a Food For Thought lecture series focussing on health and wellness.

Topics include novel technologies with good manufacturing practices (GMP), market strategies and brand innovation for consumer reach out for nutraceuticals and dietary supplements, scientific validation of claims in nutraceuticals and functional foods and epidemiological claims in traditional and ethnic foods. The programme includes interactions and award ceremony.

Friday, March 15, 2013
The Food for Thought lecture series – focussing on health and wellness – will continue on the third day as well.

There will be a Doctors and Nutritionists Forum dealing with disease management through nutraceuticals, nutritionals and naturals. Another topic of discussion will be harmonisation of global regulatory framework and emerging Indian food regulatory scenario.

There will be an interactive panel discussion on the regulatory role of Team India, followed by the valedictory function.

 

 

Action by Nashik division of FDA against unlicensed FBOs legal: Zagade

The action taken by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra against 81 unlicensed or unregistered food business operators (FBOs) in Nashik district is legal as stated by Mahesh Zagade, the state FDA commissioner, who added that the agency will not give into the FBOs’ illegal demands.

Chandrakant Pawar, joint commissioner, food, Nashik FDA, said, “After the February 4, 2013 deadline for licensing and registration (which has now been extended by a year), we started a drive to crackdown on all the unlicensed and unregistered eateries in the district, and have collected fines amounting to Rs 2.10 lakh so far.”

When quizzed about the pulling up of FBOs despite the extension to the deadline to February 4, 2014, Pawar said, “We have given them sufficient time to the food business operators to register or obtain licenses, but they continue to be disobedient. Therefore, we will continue to take stringent action against them.”

Cigarette Ad Remove – Order

No more Moreh sunflower seeds

It is strange that a government notification on certain food items entering into the state from Myanmar being banned from being sold has not been publicized enough. It’s been some time since there have been stringent moves to contain manufacturers and sellers from withholding information about the quantity, quality of ingredients including their nutrient value in the country since consumers have every right to be informed of what they are consuming. The strict watch over the information of food products is such in the country that even advertisements that are seen as misleading consumers into believing that certain food items are healthier or tastier have had action taken against advertisement agencies while the advertisements are themselves pulled off from air or print. The movement to regulate food ingredients and their nutritive values has come after a long process and efforts put in by health experts and advocates and other civil society group members who have been concerned over how the larger public are ‘co-erced’ by beautiful packaging, glossy advertisements and certain projections that may not be entirely true.

As mentioned in an IFP report, Section 23 of the Food Safety and standards Act, 2006 stipulates that no person can manufacture, distribute, sell or expose for sale or dispatch or deliver to any agent or broker for the purpose of sale, any packaged food products which are not marked and labeled in the manner as may be specified by regulations. Regulation No. 22 lays down norms for labelling of food products and packages: the label would have to include detailed information, the name of food including the trade name or description of food contained in the package and the list of ingredients, names of ingredients used in the product in descending order of their composition by weight or volume, as the case may be, at the time of manufacture etc. Section 25 of the food safety and standards Act, 2006,  is binding on people who sell or facilitate the sale of food items. Under this, no person can import into India any unsafe or misbranded or sub-standard food or food containing extraneous matter, any article of food for the import of which a license is required under any Act or Rules or regulations, except in accordance with the conditions of the license. In the light of these rules and stipulations, the ban on food products from Myanmar was in fact over due. It is common knowledge that food items being brought in from Myanmar ranging from the popular sunflower seeds to a host of bakery and milk products and preserved food matter including fruit pickles and tined fish do not mention anything about what ingredients are used, what preservatives are put in much less include information about the time frame in which the product needs to be consumed. Now that the Government has woken up to take a stand against not allowing such products to be available to the public, it ought to have ensured too that the public are sensitized and made aware of why it is necessary for such items to have its constituent information in display. It ought to have first of all, informed the public about the ban and why it is being put into place. Till the time, the public is convinced about the ban and the harmful effects of what unknown food ingredient constituents can do to one’s physiology and health, there will be no real meaning of the ban.

The next logical step would also be to ensure that there are strict measures to put the ban into effect. But more than anything, it could help if the authorities reach out to its neighbour to ensure that their food products display all information and details are required. If Myanmar were to follow suit and display product information, all that the authorities would have to do this side of the border would be to take up quality checks from time to time to assess the truth of the information being given. On the other hand, if an official notification is all that the Government is interested in, there would be no real term change in the nature of consumption. Rather, it would be much like just another ban that will lead to more value being added to the products and creating more demand, given the intrinsic nature of our society to hanker for what is not allowed.

TN coconut oil under lens in Kerala over adulteration charges

KOCHI, FEB 26:

Kerala Food Safety authorities have commenced inspection of coconut oil arriving from Tamil Nadu following the reports of adulteration with palm kernel oil.

Thalath Mahamood, former President, Cochin Oil Merchants Association (COMA), told Business Line that the officials had started collecting coconut oil samples for a random inspection from traders in Ernakulam on Tuesday in the backdrop of complaints that spurious coconut oil mixed with palm kernel are landing in various parts of the State.

However, he said that this is happening notwithstanding the fact that Kerala was also receiving good quality oil from Tamil Nadu and only a few players were involved in the adulteration.

He said that around 30-40 tankers each are coming to the State from Tamil Nadu every day and traders are complaining on the inferior quality of oil.When contacted, a senior official in the Food Safety Authority said that they have set up separate teams in Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram based on a complaints from Kerafed on coconut oil adulteration.

The team, he said, has collected samples from traders and they will be sent for further inspection. Since the labs in Kerala are not equipped to test the level of adulteration, the samples will be sent to labs accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

Meanwhile, the coconut oil market in Kerala and Tamil Nadu is witnessing a weak trend with the commencement of copra season. Prices in Kerala declined to Rs 63 a kg (Rs 65), while rates quoted in Tamil Nadu were Rs 60 against last week’s Rs 63.

Simultaneously, copra prices dropped to Rs 4,500 a quintal in Kerala (Rs 4,700) and Rs 4,350 in Tamil Nadu (Rs 4,600).

Prakash B.Rao, Vice-President, COMA, said that the market is witnessing a selling trend and this coupled with lack of industrial demand is affecting the market badly.

Prices are expected to drop in the coming weeks due to heavy arrivals of copra, especially from Kannur, Kasargod and Malappuram districts.

Other edible oils such as palm oil and palm kernel oil remained at the same level quoted last week at Rs 52 and Rs 53 a kg respectively, he added.

Govt bans four Myanmar packaged edible items

IMPHAL, February 28 : As per an order issued by Ram Muivah, Principal Secretary (Health &Family Welfare) and Commissioner Food Safety of Health Department, Manipur on February 2, a ban has been imposed on four packaged food items coming in to the state from Myanmar.

The ban is per the the provisions of Section 23 and 25 of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011 and has listed  Mikko Nutritious Cereal (High Calcium)-25 g, Mikko (3 in 1 instant Coffeemix), Snacks (Bakery items) and Milk and Milk Product and Pickles/Achar items (fruits &fishes),  etc  as the said ietms are reportedly imported without labelling and import license. The said items also do not indicate the name of the manufacturer, batch number or the date of expiry which is mandatory in India.

Mention may be made that as per section 23 of the Food Safety and standards Act, 2006; no person can manufacture, distribute, sell or expose for sale or dispatch or deliver to any agent or broker for the purpose of sale, any packaged food products which are not marked and labeled in the manner as may be specified by regulations.

As per regulation No. 22, labelling of the food safety need to carry the information on the label: the name of food including the trade name or description of food contained in the package and the list of ingredients, names of ingredients used in the product in descending order of their composition by weight or volume, as the case may be, at the time of manufacture etc.

As per section 25 of the food safety and standards Act, 2006,  no person can import into India any unsafe or misbranded or sub-standard food or food containing extraneous matter, any article of food for the import of which a license is required under any Act or Rules or regulations, except in accordance with the conditions of the license; any article of food in contravention of any other provision of this Act or any rule or regulation made there under or any other Act.

Most food items being brought in from Myanmar do have labels but are written in a looping script that is not understood by people of Manipur.

Food Safety Act Awareness Meet – Dindigul Dist.

NAGAI DIST. – PRESS NEWS

Tobacco AD Removal Programme

Simple test for Detecting Adulteration in Common Food

Simple Screening test for Detecting Adulteration in Common Food

 

S.No	Food article	Adulteration	Test
1	Vegetable oil	Castor oil	Take 1 ml. of oil in a clean dry test tube. Add 10 ml. Of acidified petroleum ether. Shake vigorously for 2 minutes. Add 1 drop of Ammonium Molybdate reagent. The formation of turbidity indicates presence of Castor oil in the sample.
		Argemone oil	Add 5 ml, conc. HNO3 ­­to 5 ml.sample. Shake carefully. Allow to separate yellow, orange yellow, crimson colour in the lower acid layer indicates adulteration.
2	Ghee	Mashed Potato Sweet Potato, etc.	Boil 5 ml. Of the sample in a test tube. Cool and a drop of iodine solution. Blue colour indicates presence of Starch. colour disappears on boiling &  reappears on cooling.
		Vanaspati	Take 5 ml. Of the sample in a test tube. Add 5 ml. Of Hydrochloric acid and 0.4 ml of 2% furfural solution or sugar crystals. Insert the glass stopper and shake for 2 minutes. Development of a pink or red colour indicates presence of Vanaspati in Ghee.
		Rancid stuff (old ghee)	Take one teaspoon of melted sample and 5 ml. Of HCl in a stoppered glass tube. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Add 5 ml. Of 0.1% of ether solution of Phloroglucinol. Restopper & shake for 30 seconds and allow to stand for 10 minutes. A pink or red colour in the lower(acid layer) indicates rancidity.
		Synthetic Colouring Matter	Pour 2 gms. Of filtered fat dissolved in ether. Divide into 2 portions. Add 1 ml. Of HCl to one tube. Add 1 ml. Of 10% NaOH to the other tube. Shake well and allow to stand. Presence of pink colour in acidic solution or yellow colour in alkaline solution indicates added colouring matter.
3	Honey	Invert sugar/jaggery	1.      Fiehe’s Test: Add 5 ml. Of solvent ether to 5 ml. Of honey. Shake well and decant the ether layer in a petri dish. Evaporate completely by blowing the ether layer. Add 2 to 3 ml. Of resorcinol (1 gm. Of resorcinol resublimed in 5 ml. Of conc. HCl.) Appearance of cherry red colour indicates presence of sugar/jaggery.
			2.      Aniline Chloride Test : Take 5 ml. Of honey in a porcelain dish. Add Aniline Chloride solution (3 ml of  Aniline and 7 ml. Of 1:3 HCl) and stir well. Orange red colour indicates presence of sugar.
4.	Pulses/Besan	Kesari dal(Lathyrus sativus)	Add 50 ml. Of dil.HCl to a small quantity of dal and keep on simmering water for about 15 minutes. The pink colour, if developed indicates the presence of Kesari dal.
5	Pulses	Metanil Yellow(dye)	Add conc.HCl to a small quantity of dal in a little amount of water. Immediate development of pink colour indicates the presence of metanil yellow and similar colour dyes.
		Lead Chromate	Shake 5 gm. Of pulse with 5 ml. Of water and add a few drops of HCl. Pink colour indicates Lead Chromate.
6	Bajra	Ergot infested Bajra	Swollen and black Ergot infested grains will turn light in weight and will float also in water
7	Wheat flour	Excessive sand & dirt	Shake a little quantity of sample with about 10 ml. Of Carbon tetra chloride and allow to stand. Grit and sandy matter will collect at the bottom.
		Excessive bran	Sprinkle on water surface. Bran will float on the surface.
		Chalk powder	Shake sample with dil.HCl Effervescence indicates chalk.
8	Common spices like Turmeric, chilly, curry powder,etc.	Colour	Extract the sample with Petroleum ether and add 13N H2SO4to the extract. Appearance of red colour (which persists even upon adding  little distilled water) indicates the presence of added colours. However, if the colour disappears upon adding distilled water the sample is not adulterated.
9	Black Pepper	Papaya seeds/light berries, etc.	Pour the seeds in a beaker containing Carbon tetra-chloride. Black papaya seeds float on the top while the pure black pepper seeds settle down.
10	Spices(Ground)	Powdered bran and saw dust	Sprinkle on water surface. Powdered bran and sawdust float on the surface.
11	Coriander powder	Dung powder	Soak in water. Dung will float and can be easily detected by its foul smell.
		Common salt	To 5 ml. Of sample add a few drops of silver nitrate. White precipitate indicates adulteration.
12	Chillies	Brick powder grit, sand, dirt, filth, etc.	Pour the sample in a beaker containing a mixture of chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. Brick powder and grit will settle at the bottom.
13	Badi Elaichi seeds	Choti Elaichi seeds	Separate out the seeds by physical examination. The seeds of Badi Elaichi have nearly plain surface without wrinkles or streaks while seeds of cardamom have pitted or wrinkled ends.
14	Turmeric Powder	Starch of maize, wheat, tapioca, rice	A microscopic study reveals that only pure turmeric is yellow coloured, big in size and has an angular structure. While foreign/added starches are colourless and small in size as compared to pure turmeric starch.
15	Turmeric	Lead Chromate	Ash the sample. Dissolve it in 1:7 Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and filter. Add 1 or 2 drops of 0.1% dipenylcarbazide. A pink colour indicates presence of Lead Chromate.
		Metanil Yellow	Add few drops of conc.Hydrochloric acid (HCl) to sample. Instant appearance of violet colour, which disappears on dilution with water, indicates pure turmeric. If colour persists Metanil yellow is present.
16	Cumin seeds (Black jeera)	Grass seeds coloured with charcoal dust	Rub the cumin seeds on palms. If palms turn black adulteration in indicated.
17	Asafoetida(Heeng)	Soap stone, other earthy matter	Shake a little quantity of powdered sample with water. Soap stone or other earthy matter will settle at the bottom.
		Chalk	Shake sample with Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Asafoetida will settle down. Decant the top layer and add dil.HCl to the residue. Effervescence shows presence of  chalk.
18	Foodgrains	Hidden insect infestation	Take a filter paper impregnated with Ninhydrin (1% in alcohol.) Put some grains on it and then fold the filter paper and crush the grains with hammer. Spots of bluish purple colour indicate presence of hidden insects infestation

Criteria for selection of food

Selection of wholesome and non-adulterated food is essential for daily life to make sure that such foods do not cause any health hazard. Although it is not possible to ensure wholesome food only on visual examination when the toxic contaminants are present in ppm/ppb level. However, visual examination of the food before purchase makes sure to ensure absence of insects, visual fungus, foreign matters, etc. Therefore, due care  taken by the consumer at the time of purchase of food after thoroughly examining can be of great help. Secondly, label declaration on packed food is very important for knowing the ingredients and nutritional value . It also helps in checking the freshness of the food and the period of best before use. The consumer should avoid taking food from an unhygienic place and food being prepared under unhygienic conditions. Such types of food may cause various diseases. Consumption of cut fruits being sold in unhygienic conditions should be avoided. It is always better to buy certified food from reputed shop.

 

FSSAI take on common food adulterants

FSSAI take on common food adulterants

Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) prepared a document that would be useful to householders while detecting common adulterants in food. Adulteration is not only an unethical practice, but also a serious risk to our health. The manual provides the testing methodology for adulterants.

FSSAI stated, “Consumers do not have sufficient knowledge about the purity and quality of the food articles they consume. Mere visual inspection does not serve the purpose, especially when adulteration has assumed a high degree of sophistication. With this view, we have developed ‘Quick Test for Some Adulterants in Food’, so consumers can screen their food articles.”

The manual, whose tagline is ‘Eat Pure…..Live Pure….’, describes adulteration of food as “a deep-rooted social evil”. It goes on to explain that among man’s everyday needs, food plays a key role – sustenance. From a simple dish to the most lavish spread, food preparation is as varied and rich as our tastes.

It added, “The lure of riches and the general apathy (of those who indulge in such unscrupulous practices) towards mankind has led to adulterants being added to food. These range from stones in rice to the toxic brick and boric powder.” Adulteration of food is defined as the addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food, so its natural composition and quality is affected.

Adulteration may either be intentional (by removing substances from food or altering its existing natural properties knowingly) or unintentional (which is usually attributed to the ignorance, carelessness or lack of facilities for maintaining the quality of food). Be it intentional or unintentional, the common man suffers because the food is consumed without thorough checks.

“Milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments (whole and ground), pulses, coffee, tea, confectionery, baking powder, non-alcoholic beverages, vinegar, besan and curry powder are the most common adulterated foods. Consumer awareness is the remedy for eliminating the evil of adulteration and the sale of sub-standard food articles,” the country’s food regulator said.

“Two parts of the instruction manual have been developed, namely Part-I and Part-II. Part-I (which contains all the following instructions) incorporates simple testing procedures which can easily be performed at home and simply helps the consumers screen their day-to-day food articles,” it said.

“Part-II incorporates testing procedures which require specific chemicals, reagents and glassware and cover a wider range of adulterated food group. The scope of this manual is limited to small industries, food vendors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), etc., but for detailed confirmatory tests and quantification, analysis in a laboratory is a must,” the manual stated.

Adulteration simplified
Food is one of the basic necessities of life. Although we work hard and earn to satisfy our hunger, we are usually not aware of what we consume. We may actually be eating a dangerous dye, sawdust, soapstone, industrial starch or aluminium foil! Contaminated food and drink are sources of infection, which can be avoided.

Food adulteration is an act of intentionally debasing the quality of food offered for sale by the admixture or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredient. An adulterant is any material which is or could be employed for making the food unsafe or sub-standard or misbranded or containing extraneous matter.

Food adulteration takes into account not only the intentional addition or substitution or abstraction of substances which adversely affect the nature, substance and quality of foods, but also their incidental contamination during the period of growth, harvesting, storage, processing, transport and distribution.

Food is adulterated if its quality is lowered or affected by the addition of substances which are injurious to health or by the removal of substances which are nutritious. Adulterated food is dangerous because it could be toxic and could deprive food of the nutrients essential for proper growth and development.

Food is declared adulterated if:

a substance is added which depreciates or injuriously affects it

cheaper or inferior substances are substituted wholly or in part

any valuable or necessary constituent has been wholly or in part abstracted

it is an imitation

it is coloured or otherwise treated to improve its appearance or if it contains any added substance injurious to health

for whatever reasons its quality is below the standard

More often than not, food is adulterated by merchants and traders who want to make a quick profit. But sometimes, shortages and increasing prices, consumer demands for variety in foods, a lack of awareness, negligence, indifference and lethargy among consumers and inadequate enforcement of food laws and food safety measures also lead to food adulteration.

Types of adulterants
Intentional adulterants: Sand, marble chips, stones, mud, other filth, talc, chalk powder, water, mineral oil and harmful colour

Incidental adulterants: Pesticide residues, droppings of rodents and larvae in foods

Metallic contaminants: Arsenic from pesticides, lead from water, effluents from chemical industries and tin from cans

Poisonous or deleterious substances
If a food contains a poisonous or deleterious substance that may render it injurious to health, it is adulterated. Examples are apple cider contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and Brie cheese contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Mixing a poisonous substance in excess of a tolerance limit, regulatory limit or action level to reduce the level of contamination is not permitted.

Sometimes, adulterated food is deliberately mixed with good food. This renders the finished product adulterated.

Filth and foreign matter
Filth and extraneous material include any objectionable substances in foods, such as foreign matter (such as glass, metal, plastic, wood, stones, sand and cigarette butts), undesirable parts of the raw plant material (such as stems, pits in pitted olives, pieces of shell in canned oysters) and filth (namely mold, rot, insect and rodent parts, excreta and decomposition).

Economic adulteration
A food is said to be adulterated if it omits a valuable constituent or substitutes another substance, in whole or part, for a valuable constituent (for example, if olive oil is diluted with tea tree oil); conceals damage or inferiority in any manner (such as fresh fruit with food colouring on the surface to conceal defects); or any substance has been added to it or packed with it to increase its bulk or weight, reduce its quality or strength, or make it appear bigger or of greater value than it is (for example, adding water to scallops to make them heavier).

Microbiological contamination and adulteration
The fact that a food is contaminated with pathogens (harmful micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses or protozoa) may or may not render it adulterated. Generally in a ready-to-eat food, the presence of pathogens will render the food adulterated. Salmonella in fresh fruit and vegetables or ready-to-eat meat or poultry products such as luncheon meats is an example.

For meat and poultry products, which are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the rules are more complicated. Ready-to-eat meat and poultry products contaminated with pathogens, such as salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes, are adulterated (because raw meat and poultry products are intended to be cooked and only proper cooking will kill the pathogens). Raw poultry contaminated with salmonella is not adulterated.

Methods for detection of common adulterants in food

[Note: These include items mentioned in both Part-I and Part-II of the instruction manual.]

Water in milk

This is the most common example of adulteration. To detect the presence of water in milk, place a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface. A drop of pure milk will flow slowly, leaving a white trail in its wake, whereas milk that’s been adulterated with water will flow immediately without leaving a mark.

Other adulterants in milk

Starch
A few drops of iodine tincture or solution are added to the milk. If its turns blue, starch is present in it.

Urea
A teaspoon of milk is put in a test tube, and half-a-teaspoon of soybean or arhar powder is added to it. The contents are mixed by shaking the test tube well. After about five minutes, a red litmus paper is dipped in it, and removed about 30 seconds later. If the litmus paper turns blue, urea is present in the milk.

Vanaspati
About 3ml of milk is taken in a test tube and about ten drops of hydrochloric acid are added to it. A teaspoonful of sugar is added to the mixture. After about five minutes, the mixture is examined. The red colouration indicates the presence of vanaspati in the milk.

Formalin
Formalin enhances the life of milk and is thus added for the purpose of preservation. About 10ml of milk in a test tube and about 5ml of concentrated sulphuric acid is added from the sides of the wall without shaking it. If a violet or blue ring appears at the intersection of two layers then it shows the presence of formalin.

Detergent
About 5-10ml of the milk sample is mixed with an equal amount of water lather. When shaken, it indicates the presence of detergent.

Synthetic milk
Synthetic milk has a bitter after-taste, gives a soapy feeling when rubbed between the fingers and turns yellowish on heating.

Synthetic milk – test for protein
The milk can be tested by using Urease strips. Synthetic milk is devoid of protein.

Test for glucose/inverted sugar
If a test for glucose with a Urease strip has a positive result, the milk does not contain glucose or inverted sugar. If it is made synthetically by adding by adding white coloured water paint, oils, alkali, urea, detergent, etc. Glucose or inverted sugar syrup is added in milk to increase the consistency and taste.

Ghee, cottage cheese, condensed milk, khoa, milk powder, etc.
About 5ml of diluted H2SO4 or concentrated HCl is added to one teaspoon full of the melted milk sample in a test tube and shaken well. If it turns pink (in case of H2SO4) or crimson (in case of HCl) it indicates the presence of coal tar dyes. If HCl does not give a colour, it can be obtained by diluting it with water.

Dairy products
Sweet curd
A tablespoonful of curd is taken in a test tube and about ten drops of hydrochloric acid are added to it. The contents are mixed by shaking the test tube gently. After about five minutes, if upon examination, it is observed that the mixture has turned red, the curd contains vanaspati.

Rabri
A teaspoon of rabri is taken in a test tube and about 3ml of hydrochloric acid and 3ml of distilled water are added to it. The contents are stirred with a glass rod, which is then removed. If, upon examination, the rod is found to have fine fibres, it shows the presence of blotting paper in rabri.

Khoa and its products
A small quantity of a khoa sample (or the sample of a product containing khoa) is boiled in water and cooled. A few drops of iodine solution are added it. If it turns blue, it indicates the presence of starch.

Chhana/paneer
A small quantity of a chhana or paneer sample is boiled in water and cooled. A few drops of iodine solution are added it. If it turns blue, it indicates the presence of starch.

Oils and Fats
Ghee/butter
About a teaspoonful each of melted ghee and concentrated hydrochloric acid are taken in a stoppered test tube and a pinch of sugar is added to it. It is shaken for about a minutes and left for about five minutes. If the acid turns crimson, it indicates the presence of vanaspati or margarine.

The test is specific to sesame oil, which is added to vanaspati and margarine, Some coal tar colours also give a positive test. If the test is positive (i.e. if the acid turns red) only by adding strong hydrochloric acid (without adding crystals of sugar) then the sample is adulterated with coal tar dye. If the red colour appears after the sugar is added and the mixture is shaken, then only vanaspati or margarine is present.

Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and other starches
A few drops of iodine are added to a ghee sample. Iodine, which is brownish in colour, turns blue if the sample contains mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or other kinds of starches.

Edible oil
About 5ml of edible oil is taken in a test tube and about 5ml of hydrochloric acid is added to it. It is shaken gently and then let to stand for about five minutes. The adulterant (prohibited colour) and the oil will separate, and the former will form the upper layer.

Coconut oil
A small bottle of oil is placed in the refrigerator. Upon solidifying, the adulterant (any other oil) forms a separate layer.

Sweetening agents
Sugar
Chalk
About 10gm of sugar is dissolved in a glass of water and allowed to settle. Chalk will settle at the bottom.

Urea
Upon dissolution in water containing sugar, urea gives the smell of ammonia.

Non-permitted yellow colour
About 5ml of water containing sugar is taken in a test tube, and a few drops of concentrated HCl is added to it. If the lower layers of the acid turn pink, it indicates the presence of non-permitted colour.

Honey
A cotton wick is dipped in pure honey. Upon lighting it with a matchstick, it will burn and show the purity of honey. The presence of water (one of the two ingredients in a sugar solution) will not allow the honey to burn. If it does, it will produce a cracking sound. This test is only for added water.

Jaggery

Washing soda
A few drops of solution HCl is added to jaggery. Effervescence indicates the presence of washing soda.

Chalk powder
Jaggery is dissolved in water. If it settles down, it indicates the presence of chalk powder.

Alternately, a few drops of concentrated HCl are added to the jaggery. Effervescence indicates the presence of the adulterant.

Metanil yellow colour
A quarter of a teaspoon of jaggery is taken in a test tube. About 3ml of alcohol is added to it and the test tube is shaken vigorously to mix the content. About ten drops of hydrochloric acid are added to it. A pink colour indicates the presence of metanil yellow (a non-permitted coal tar colour) in jaggery.

Sugar solution
A drop of honey is added to a glass of water. If it does not disperse in the water, the honey is pure; but if it does, it indicates the presence of added sugar.

Bura sugar
About 1ml of HCl is added to little bura sugar. If washing soda is present, effervescence will occur. About 2gm of sugar is dissolved in water, and red litmus paper in the solution. If washing soda is present, it will turn blue.

Sweetmeats, ice cream and beverages
Colour is extracted from food articles using lukewarm water. A few drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid is added to it. A magenta colour indicates the presence of metanil yellow.

Saccharin
A small quantity of a sweetmeat, ice cream or a beverage is tasted. Saccharin leaves a sweet taste in the mouth for a long time, but it eventually tastes bitter.

Foodgrains

Wheat/rice/maize/jawar/bajra/chana/barley, etc.
These may be examined visually to see foreign matter, damaged grains, discoloured grains, insects, rodent contamination, etc.

Common adulterants in foodgrains include dust, pebbles, stones, straw, weeds, seeds, weevilled grain, insects, rodent hair and excreta.

Damaged or discoloured grain should be as low as possible since they may be affected by fungal toxins, argemone seeds, dhatura seeds, etc. A moderately excessive amount can result in risks to health. The damaged, undesirable grains should be discarded before use.

Maida
When dough is prepared from the resultant or left-out atta, more water has to be used. The normal taste of chapatis prepared out of wheat is slightly sweet, whereas those prepared from adulterated wheat will taste insipid.

Maida/rice
A small amount of maida or rice is taken in a test tube, some water is added to it and it is shaken. A few drops of HCl are added to it. A turmeric paper strip is dipped in it. If it turns red, boric acid is present.

Wheat/bajra and other grains

Ergot

(i) Purple black longer-sized grains in bajra show the presence of ergots (fungi that contain poisonous substances)

(ii) Some grains are put in a glass tumbler containing 20 per cent salt solution (20gm common salt to 100ml water). Purple black longer-sized grains of ergots floats over the surface, while the sound grains settle down

Dhatura
Dhatura seeds are flat with blackish-brown edges that can be separated upon close examination.

Burnt kernel
The affected wheat kernel has a dull appearance, is blackish in colour and smells like rotten fish.

Sella rice (parboiled rice)

Metanil yellow
When a few grains of sella rice are rubbed in the palms of both hands, the yellow colour is reduced or disappears. When a few drops of diluted hydrochloric acid are added to a few rice grains mixed with a little water, the presence of the pink colour indicates the presence of metanil yellow.

Turmeric (a colour used for the golden appearance)

(i) A small amount of sella rice is taken in a test tube, some water is added and it is shaken. If, upon dipping boric acid paper (filter paper dipped in boric acid solution), it turns pink, turmeric is present

(ii) Some rice is taken and a small amount of soaked lime is sprinkled on it for a while. If turmeric is present, the grains will turn red