Module 12 : Food labelling guidelines to be followed by Food Business Operators of “Edible Oils & Fats”, “Permitted Food Colors” and “Irradiated Food”

The specific requirements and restrictions regarding labelling of packages of edible oils and fats are as given below :-

1. The words like ,“Super-Refined”, “Extra-Refined”, “Micro-Refined”, “Double-Refined”, Ultra-Refined”, “Anti-Cholesterol”, “Cholesterol Fighter”, “Soothing to Heart”, “Cholesterol Friendly”, “Saturated Fat Free” or any other words which are an exaggeration of the quality of the Product ,are not allowed to be used on the package, label or the advertisement of edible oils and fats .

2. The containers of solvent-extracted oil packed for sale shall bear the following additional label declaration;

(i) If the oil is not conforming to the standards of “refined” solvent extracted oils specified in regulation 2.2.6 (1) of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additive) Regulation, 2011 for Edible vegetable oil/Vanaspati, then a declaration as given below shall be given on the label .

                                                                             Specific Labelling Requirements of edible oils and fats

“NOT FOR DIRECT EDIBLE CONSUMPTION”

(ii) If the oil is complying with the requirements for the “semi-refined” or “raw-grade 1” grades of oil specified in regulation 2.2.6 (1) of Food Safety and Standards(Food Products standards and Food Additive) Regulation, 2011, then a declaration as given below shall be given on the label

“FOR INDUSTRIAL NON-EDIBLE USES ONLY”

3. Every container of solvent shall bear the Indian Standards Institution certification mark.

4. (i) The containers of vanaspati, margarine, bakery shortening, blended edible vegetable oils, mixed fat spread and refined vegetable oil in addition to other labelling requirements shall bear the following label declaration .

“free from Argemone Oil”

(ii) The regulation has specified that edible vegetable oils, fats which include hydrogenated vegetable oils, packages & processed food items with known shelf life, have to mention ‘the minimum percentage of trans fat content & saturated fat content by weight’. Similarly, in case of trans fatty acids & saturated fatty acids, the declaration has to be there on the label with percentage by weight.

5. The containers of refined vegetable oil shall bear the following label, declaration,—

Refined (name of the Oil) Oil

The container of imported edible oil shall also bear the word, “Imported”, as prefix.

6. The packages containing an admixture of palmolein with groundnut oil shall carry the following label declaration —

BLEND OF PALMOLEIN AND GROUNDNUT OIL

Palmolein……per cent

Groundnut oil….per cent

7. The packages containing an admixture of imported rape-seed oil with mustard oil, shall bear the following label, declaration:

BLEND OF IMPORTED RAPE-SEED OIL AND MUSTARD OIL

Imported rape-seed oil…..per cent

Mustard oil…….per cent

8. Tha packages of vanaspati made from more than 30 percent of Rice bran oil shall bear the following label declaration :—

This package of vanaspati is made from more than 30% Rice bran oil by weight

9. The package of Fat Spread shall bear the following label declaration:—

(i) Milk Fat Spread

Use before …………..

Date of packing …………

Total Milk Fat Content Per cent by weight…………

(ii) Mixed Fat Spread

Use before …………..

Date of packing …………

Total Milk Fat Content Percent by weight……

(iii) Vegetable Fat Spread

Use before …………..

Date of packing …………

Total Fat Content Per cent by weight ……

10. A package containing annatto colour in vegetable oils shall bear the following label namely :—

Annatto colour in oil (Name of oil/oils) used

11. The package containing an admixture of edible oils shall bear the following label declaration:—
This blended edible vegetable oil contains an admixture of :

(i) ……………….% by Weight

(ii) …………….% by Weight

(Name and nature of edible vegetable oils i.e. in raw or refined form)

Date of Packing ————–

NOT TO BE SOLD LOOSE

12.2 Labelling of permitted food colours

1. The containers of permitted synthetic food colours shall bear the following label declaration :—

(i) “Food Colours”;

(ii) the chemical and the common name and colour index of the dye-stuff.

2. The containers mixture of permitted synthetic food colours shall bear the following label declaration :—

(i) “Food Colour Mixture”;

(ii) the chemical and the common name and colour index of the dye stuff contained in the mixture.

3. The containers of preparations of permitted synthetic food colours shall bear the following label declaration :—

(i) “Food Colour Preparation”;

(ii) the name of the ingredients used in the preparation.

12.3 Labelling of irradiated Food

Irradiated foods.-

All packages of irradiated food shall bear the following declaration and logo :—

PROCESSED BY IRRADIATION METHOD

DATE OF IRRADIATION ………………

LICENSE NO of Irradiation Unit……………………

PURPOSE OF IRRADIATION……………….

Edible oils have always been a lucrative product segment by the producers of cooking oil but regulatory is very tough on food business operators of edible oils in case the consumer is misguided on the factual information of such products on labels.

Module 11 : Specific Requirements and Manner of Labelling of Infant Milk Substitute and Infant Foods

                                                                                     In the earlier articles we have been discussing the general requirements of labeling and the information in general to be given on the label of any package of food. In addition to the general requirements and information, there are also some specific requirements and information, which are product specific and mandatory to be given on the label on the packages of food products. 

                                

                                                                   Specific Requirements and Manner of Labelling of Infant Milk 

The packages of food products like:

(i) Infant Milk Substitute and Infant foods including Infant Milk Substitute meant for premature baby or meant for babies who are allergic to milk proteins or allergic to milk sugars

(ii) Edible oils and fats

(iii)Irradiated foods and

(iv) Other Food Products namely ; Coffee-Chicory Mixture, milk and milk powder, Compounded Asafetida, Mixed Masala, Iodised salt, Pan masala , Supari ,

Packaged drinking water and many others , are required to give certain product specific information , statements or warnings, which are as given below :- 

1. Infant milk substitutes /infant foods

The container of infant milk substitute or infant food shall bear the following additional label declaration in the manner give below:

“IMPORTANT NOTICE” :“MOTHER’S MILK IS BEST FOR YOUR BABY” 

(This declaration shall be given in the center of the label in color contrast of the label and the letter shall be not less than five millimeters .)

“Infant food shall be introduced only after the age of six months and upto the age of two years”

“ Infant milk substitute or infant food should be used only on the advice of a health worker “

Warning :” Infant milk substitute or infant food is not the sole source of nourishment of an infant”

Instruction for appropriate and hygienic preparation including cleaning of utensils, bottles and teats .

Wholesale food markets to face random periodic checks by FSSAI

                                                                                                     Wholesale vegetable and fruit markets, as well as beverage manufacturers, are soon going to face random periodic checks from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). While planning to focus more on surveillance and sampling, the Authority has constituted a panel to perform inspections on a regular basis, officials said.

“We are soon going to conduct regular inspections of vegetable and fruit markets, as well as of facilities that manufacture fruit-based beverages. Surveillance through sampling is going to be a major area of focus for FSSAI in the near future and we have already started taking steps to facilitate this,” FSSAI Chief Executive Officer Dillip Kumar Samantaray told Business Standard.

In a meeting earlier this month, the Central Advisory Committee (CAC) of FSSAI also constituted a surveillance committee to formulate guidelines and detail a framework to carry on these inspections activities, another official said. FSSAI is the regulatory agency to monitor quality of food items, including imported products sold in the country.

The move comes in the wake of a Supreme Court order of last October voicing serious concerns over the harmful effects of carbonated drinks on the health of people. The apex court had asked FSSAI to monitor all manufacturing facilities of carbonated drinks, as well as major fruits and vegetable markets, to keep a tab on presence of pesticide residues in food products.

According to Samantaray, if manufacturing facilities or products sold in markets are found short on compliance, companies can face a hefty penalty under the Food Safety and Standards Act. “In extreme cases, if found guilty, they can also face tough actions, including prosecution,” he said.

The panel formed for creating the surveillance framework is expected to give its report within a month, the official said. The report would primarily streamline criterion and processes for these checks. Once the framework is in place, the regulator would start inspections.

While some of the inspections would be carried by the central regulatory agency, it would also be assisted significantly by state level food safety officers. Various state food safety commissioners are also part of the surveillance committee constituted by FSSAI’s CAC.

The SC had also directed FSSAI to evaluate the harmful effects of soft drinks on human health and to ensure that all beverages have labels detailing their ingredients, including levels of added chemicals.

சவுகார்பேட்டையில் குடோனில் பதுக்கி வைத்திருந்த 3 லட்சம் குட்கா பறிமுதல்

தண்டையார்பேட்டை, மார்ச் 31:

                                                                                                         சவுகார்பேட்டையில், குடோனில் பதுக்கி வைத்தி ருந்த  3 லட்சம் குட்கா பொருட்களை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர்.

சவுகார்பேட்டையில் உள்ள சில குடோன்களில், தமிழக அரசால் தடை செய்யப்பட்ட பான்பராக், ஹான்ஸ் உள்ளிட்ட குட்கா பொருட்கள் பதுக்கி வைத்து, விற்பனை செய்வ தாக, சென்னை மாவட்ட உணவு பாதுகாப்பு அதிகா ரிகளுக்கு தகவல் கிடைத் தது.

அதன்பேரில், அலுவ லர் லட்சுமி நாராயணன் தலைமையில், ஆய்வாளர் கள் இளங்கோ, சிவசங்கரன், சதாசிவம் ஆகியோர் நேற்று முன்தினம் அப் பகுதியில் உள்ள குடோன் களில் திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தினர். அப்போது, ஒரு குடோனில் 580 கிலோ எடையுள்ள குட்கா பொருட்கள் பதுக்கி வைக்கப்பட்டு இருந்தது தெரிந்தது. அவற்றை அதிகாரிகள் பறிமுதல் செய்தனர். அவற்றின் மதிப்பு, 3 லட்சம் என கூறப்படுகிறது. இதுதொடர் பாக, குடோனில் இருந்த ஆறுமுகம் (35), ரியாஸ் (32) ஆகியோரை கைது செய்து, குட்கா பொருட்கள் எங்கிருந்து வந்தது. குடோன் உரிமையாளர் யார், எங்கெங்கு சப்ளை செய்யப்படுகிறது என தீவிரமாக விசாரிக்கின் றனர்.

Organic’ vegetables come under lens

KOZHIKODE:

                                                                                             The agriculture department will be extending its scheme of production and marketing of safe-to-eat vegetables through government outlets to more districts. The scheme, launched in association with Kerala Agriculture University last year, also envisages ensuring that vegetables and fruits being sold under the organic brand are pesticide-free.

The department will be collecting samples from parts of the state and testing them at the pesticide residue research and analytical laboratory of the university. The decision follows the detection of pesticide residue in nearly a dozen organic produce being sold at three shops selling organic vegetables and fruits in Thiruvananthapuram.

The pesticide residue research & analytical laboratory had conducted tests on 81 samples of 28 types of vegetables collected from these shops from July 1 to September 30 last year. Pesticide residues above the permissible levels set by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and European Union (EU) were found in seven types of vegetables — coriander leaves, snake gourd, curry leaves, green chilli, okra, big chilli (sambar mulagu) and vegetable cowpea. The tests had also found pesticide residues in carrot, drumstick and beetroot. Only 46 samples of 18 vegetable varieties were found safe to eat.

Thomas Biju Mathew, professor (entomology), pesticide residue research and analytical laboratory said the highest volume of pesticide residues were found in curry leaf. “Residues of pesticides like malathion, chlorpyriphos, quinalphos, ethion, profenophos and cypermethrin were found in them, and that too above the permissible limit. Profenophos was found at a higher level in coriander leaf, ladies fingers, big chilli and green chilli,” he said.

“A scientific study on daily consumption of such vegetables is yet to be conducted but they are definitely harmful,” Mathew said. “We have decided to collect 200 samples a month to conduct tests, which will be double the samples collected now. The tests will also be extended to fruits, processed food products and spices this year.”

The officials of the lab have already collected samples of organic vegetables from Kozhikode city.

The agriculture department will be collecting samples of organic vegetables from Ernakulam, Kottayam, Palakkad and Alappuzha in the coming days.

European Food Safety Authority Addresses Pathogen Risks of Leafy Greens

BY NEWS DESK | MARCH 29, 2014

                                                                                          The European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on Biological Hazards has issued the first of five scientific opinions requested by the European Commission. The first one, published Thursday, addresses the public health risk posed by Salmonella and norovirus on leafy greens eaten raw as salads.

The panel considered risk factors along the whole food chain, including agricultural production and processing. Members concluded that, while each farm environment is different, the primary objectives for producers should include good agricultural practices (GAP), good hygiene practices (GHP) and good manufacturing practices.

However, the panel also noted that “the current legal framework does not include microbiological criteria applicable at primary production which will validate and verify GAP and GHP. It is proposed to define a criterion at primary production of leafy greens which is designated as Hygiene Criterion, and E. coli was identified as suitable for this purpose.”

Panel members further stated that studies “on the prevalence and infectivity of norovirus are limited, and quantitative data on viral load are scarce, making establishment of microbiological criteria for norovirus on leafy greens difficult.”

Main risk factors cited were: environmental factors such as proximity to animal-rearing operations, heavy rainfall causing floods, contact with domestic or wild animal reservoirs, use of untreated or insufficiently treated manure or compost, use of contaminated agricultural water for irrigation or pesticide treatments, and harvest and post-harvest on-farm cross-contamination by food handlers and equipment.

“For both Salmonella and norovirus, processes at primary production which wet the edible portions of the crop represent the highest risk and these include spraying prior to harvest, direct application of fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals and overhead irrigation. Subsurface or drip irrigation which results in no wetting of the edible portions of the plants are of lower risk,” the panel’s opinion stated.

Within the scope of the panel’s opinion were leafy greens eaten raw and minimally processed. 

“Technologies currently available for use by the leafy greens industry fall short of being able to guarantee an absence of Salmonella or norovirus on leafy greens at primary production,” the panel stated.

Seattle Smoked Seafood Manufacturer Closed by FDA

BY NEWS DESK | MARCH 29, 2014

                                                                                           The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently ordered Jensen’s Old Fashioned Smokehouse Inc., a processor of smoked fish products in Seattle, Washington, to stop processing, preparing, packing, holding and distributing any food at or from its facility.

Jensen’s processes smoked fish products and distributes or sells them in its retail store, online and through other businesses in Washington, Oregon and California.

According to an agency statement issued Friday, the order follows the FDA’s analysis of environmental samples collected during its most recent inspection of the company’s facility, which confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the facility, including in food processing and storage areas. These findings led the FDA to order the company to cease operations in accordance with a 2001 consent decree.

Jensen’s Old Fashioned Smokehouse is subject to a consent decree of permanent injunction, which was entered by the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington in 2001. Under the terms of the consent decree, the company agreed to comply with requirements to control food safety hazards and ensure that its products are not adulterated.

Jensen’s must meet several requirements in order to reopen, including thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing the facility and hiring an expert to develop a Sanitation Standard Operation Procedure and an environmental microbial monitoring program for Listeria. Jensen’s must also test representative samples of all vacuum-packaged smoked fishery products on hand at the company for Listeria and provide the results to the FDA.

Exemptions from labelling requirements

1. Where the surface area of the package is not more than 100 square centimeters, the label of such package shall be exempted from the requirements of list of ingredients, Lot Number or Batch Number or Code Number, nutritional information and instructions for use, but these information shall be given on the wholesale packages or multi piece packages, as the case may be.
2. the ‘date of manufacture’ or ‘best before date’ or ‘expiry date’ may not be required to be mentioned on the package having surface area of less than 30 square centimeters but these information shall be given on the wholesale packages or multipiece packages, as the case may be;
3. in case of liquid products marketed in bottles, if such bottle is intended to be reused for refilling, the requirement of list of ingredients shall be exempted, but the nutritional information specified in regulation 2.2.2 (4) these regulations shall be given on the label.
   Provided that in case of such glass bottles manufactured after March 19, 2009, the list of ingredients and nutritional information shall be given on the bottle.
4. in case of food with shelf-life of not more than seven days, the ‘date of manufacture’ may not be required to be mentioned on the label of packaged food articles, but the ‘use by date’ shall be mentioned on the label by the manufacturer or packer
5. In case of wholesale packages the particulars regarding list of ingredients. Date of manufacture/ packing, best before, expiry date labelling of irradiated food and , vegetarian logo/non vegetarian logo, may not be specified.

Hoteliers exhibit resentment over Food Safety Act

Hoteliers in India have exhibited their anxiety after the guidelines issued by FDA, in compliance to The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, because they think that the law is not same for all. There are nearly 7,000 restaurants in Mumbai and almost all of them are registered with the state FDA as per FSSAI guidelines.

Hoteliers challenge the law on this point that, it is ambiguous on what is under the scope of restaurant’s liability and what not. They contest their cause by quoting an example, suppose a specific vegetable or fruit is grown by a farmer, by using pesticide, then the hoteliers will be held liable under the provisions of new law and not the farmer.

Another provision of the new law, which is a big concern for the hoteliers is that, it has been made mandatory for them to obtain raw materials from suppliers who are registered under the Act. They give a plea that they don’t have control on the individual registrations of the stockists. They said that it is not possible for them to actively control the supply side of the food materials and they can not keep a check on every dealer. They also opined that the provision of Schedule 4 of General Hygienic and Sanitary Requirements to wear gloves while cooking also seems unachievable as frying the South Indian Snacks with wearing gloves in not possible.

The Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) is against the vagueness in the central provisions. Restaurant owner’s primary concern is that they have to suffer for the fault of either hawkers or suppliers. There is provision for penalty upto Rs 5 lakhs, with imprisonment for a term of up to six months, if proved guilty of unsanitary conditions, which caused death or illness of a person after consumption of unhealthy food products.

FSSAI publishes information to analyze adulteration in Milk Products

Food Adulteration continues to be a serious concern as non-authentic substances like dangerous coloring agents and preservatives are being added to the food products. Milk Products are largely affected due to this malpractice. FSS Act has provisions for penalty and prosecution but still number of cases are being reported everyday from many parts of India.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has recently shared information on how the adulterants in Milk Products could be identified by using laboratory testing procedures.

Laboratory testing procedures for Milk products.

To test if Vanaspati is present in sweet curd – Take one teaspoon full of curd in a test tube. Add 10 drops of Hydrochloric Acid and mix up the contents shaking the test tube gently. After 5 mins, examine the mixture. The Red coloration indicates the presence of Vanaspati in the curd.

To test if Blotting Paper is present in Rabri – Take a teaspoon of Rabri in a test tube. Add 3 ml of Hydrochloric acid and 3 ml of distilled water. Stir the content with a glass rod. Remove the rod and examine. Presence of fine fibres to the glass rod will indicate the presence of blotting paper in Rabri.

To test if Coal Tar Dyes available in Ghee, Cottage Cheese, Condensed Milk, Khoa, Milk Powder etc. – Add 5 ml of dilute Sulphuric Acid or concentrated Hydrochloric Acid to one teaspoon full of product sample in a test tube. Pink Color (in case of dilute Sulphuric Acid) or Crimson color (in case of concentrated Hydrochloric Acid) indicates presence of coal tar dyes. If Hydrochloric Acid does not give color, dilute it with water to get the color to see the result.

To test if Vanaspati or Margarine is present in Ghee – Take about one teaspoonful of melted sample of ghee with equal quantity of concentrated Hydrochloric acid in a test tube with stopper and to it a pinch of sugar. Shake for one minute and let it stand for five minutes. Appearance of crimson color in lower acid layer indicates the presence of Vanaspati or Margarine.

Module 10 : Food labelling requirements – “Instructions for use”

In order to ensure correct utilization of the food, the Food Regulations require the manufacturer or the packer to mention the “ Instructions for use” on the label on the Pre-packaged food. The instructions may include the directions regarding reconstitution or dilution of the product before use, where applicable.

For example,

10.1. On every container of infant milk substitute or infant food the following instructions are required to be given :

(i) After opening up the package/container, use the contents within the period mentioned or the expiry date whichever is earlier;
(ii) The feeding chart and directions for use and instruction for discarding leftover feed;
(iii) Instruction for use of measuring scoop (level or heaped) and the quantity per scoop (scoop to be given with pack);
(iv) The storage condition specifically stating “store in a cool and dry place in an air tight container”

                                                          Instructions for use on package food products

10.2. On every package containing condensed milk or desiccated (dried) milk, the following instruction is required to be given on the label :

(i) “machine skimmed” “skimmed” or “unsuitable for babies” except instructions as to dilution as follows:

“To make a fluid not below the composition of toned milk or skimmed milk (as the case may be) with the contents of this package, add (here insert the number of parts) of water by volume to one part by volume of this condensed milk or desiccated (dried) milk”.

10.3. On the packages of fruit and vegetables, the following instructions may be mentioned :

(i)Wash all fruit and vegetables with cool tap water immediately before eating. Do not use soap or detergents as this can affect the taste.

(ii)Scrub fruit and vegetables with hard surfaces (such as rockmelons, oranges, potatoes and carrots) with a clean produce brush. Cut away bruised or damaged areas before eat.

If a product requires specific storage instructions to remain safe until its ‘use-by’ or ‘best before’ date, the manufacturers have to give storage instructions on label, such as ‘Keep refrigerated’ and ‘Store in a cool, dark place’.

It must also include appropriate directions for the subsequent use and storage of the food, where the food requires such directions for reasons of health and safety (e.g. Refrigerate after opening or Keep Refrigerated )
Refrigerate After Opening
Some foods require to be kept refrigerated only after opening the package. If the package says refrigerate after opening, the food has to be refrigerated immediately after opening it. As long as the food is kept refrigerated after opening, germs cannot multiply and cause illness.

Keep Refrigerated

When the package is required to be refrigerated at all times. This includes before opening the food and afterwards if keeping it for later use.

Instructions for preparation or cooking

It is also important to mention preparation or cooking instructions on the label, including heating and defrosting times. Again, manufacturers are required to provide preparation directions on food labels for any food which requires specific preparation to ensure they are safe. Such instructions are extremely important because they can help to kill any harmful bacteria which may be present naturally in some foods.

A food label needs to contain the instructions & directions about how a product should be used or prepared to be consumed by the end customer. It should also mention as how a product should be stored before using and how to store the remaining contents after consuming parts of the package.

Most juice outlets in Kochi function by flouting food safety norms

                                                                                              Fruit shops in the city continue to violate the guidelines prescribed by the Food Safety Commissioner, with the department officials unable to check flouting of norms. A scene from a city juice shop in Kochi on Thursday. 

Water and other ingredients used is suspected to be contaminated 

Locating a juice shop in the city fully complying with the guidelines prescribed by the Commissioner of Food Safety may be a Herculean task this summer.

With shops mushrooming in every nook and cranny in Kochi, Food Safety officials seem groping in the dark on how to curb the violations.

Even though reports on use of contaminated ice have come down gradually, they admitted that the majority of the shops store ice in thermocol boxes against the prescribed rules. As per the guidelines, ice should not be stored in polystyrene boxes, but in freezers or ice boxes.

Many juice shop owners now claim that they use water supplied in cans by private manufacturers of bottled drinking water. But there is little check on whether these suppliers meet the safety standards.

Food safety guidelines recommend that the water being used should be from a source of impeccable quality and the quality of the water source should be tested every six months at a government-approved analytical laboratory. Shop owners should also keep these reports in the shop.

A ride along the main city roads reveals that only a few shops adhere to another major guideline recommending prominent display of the licence or registration details as per the Food Safety and Standards (FSSA) Act, 2006.

Use of low quality milk, especially that brought from outside the State, is also rampant in juice shops offering milk shakes.

The Food Safety Department has no clues on whether the shops were storing milk in freezers well beyond the expiry period.

Customers can report cases where they found juice being prepared in unhygienic environments.

They should also ensure that shop owners clean the implements used for preparing juices mainly mixers, juicers and strainers after every use.

The Food Safety guidelines also prescribe that the refrigerator and freezer should be cleaned regularly and the last date on which it was cleaned should be displayed on the fridge.

All food items, including water, in the shops should be stored in covered containers of food grade quality. The fruits should be of good quality, with no trace of fungus. The fruits should be washed and refrigerated.

All employees in juice shops should have medical fitness certificates. They should strictly follow hygienic practices in handling food. Those with any skin conditions or infectious diseases should not be allowed as employees in food businesses.

Appeals court rules in favor of meat labels

Appeals court rules in favor of meat labels, denies industry attempt to block them

WASHINGTON (AP) —

                                                                                                           A federal appeals court is allowing labels on certain cuts of meat to say where the animals were born, raised and slaughtered.

The appeals court decision issued Friday dismissed an attempt by the meat industry to block the rules, which took effect last year and require packaged steaks, ribs and other cuts of meat to include country of origin labels. The industry has long fought the labels, saying they are costly and provide no health benefits to the consumer.

In court, the meat industry said the rules go beyond what Congress intended and violate First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. The industry argued that the rules violate the U.S. Constitution because they force meat producers to provide information about their products, and that the information is of no real value to the consumer.

Judge Stephen F. Williams of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled those claims were unlikely to succeed in court and refused to block the labeling rules, agreeing with a lower federal court.

Williams wrote that the labeling “enables a consumer to apply patriotic or protectionist criteria in the choice of meat,” and “enables one who believes that United States practices and regulation are better at assuring food safety than those of other countries, or indeed the reverse, to act on that premise.”

He said those goals are worthy of what he called a “minimal” intrusion on the meat industry’s First Amendment rights.

The lawsuit was led by the American Meat Institute, which represents the nation’s largest meatpackers, and joined by other meat industry groups. In a statement, the American Meat Institute said it was disappointed by the ruling and disagreed with it. James H. Hodges, interim president and CEO of AMI, said the group is “evaluating our options moving forward.”

The meat industry has argued that the paperwork to make the labels possible is burdensome and that it’s not practical to keep cattle and hogs from other countries separate from domestic animals.

The labeling rules have support from consumer groups, environmental groups and some farm groups. Cattle ranchers who raise cattle near the northern border and compete with Canadian ranchers have been most supportive of the rules, which Congress first wrote in 2002 and later revised in 2008 after years of haggling with the meat industry.

Under the rules, labels must specify that a meat product was “Born in Mexico, raised and slaughtered in the United States” or “Born, raised and slaughtered in the United States.”

The Agriculture Department has also prohibited meat processors from mixing meat from animals born, raised or slaughtered in other countries with meat from the U.S.

Module 9 : Food labelling requirements – Identification of Lot/Code/Batch number

A batch number or code number or lot number is a mark of identification by which the food can be traced in the manufacture and identified in the distribution, shall be given on the label.

All the packages of food product having the same batch number or code number are considered to be having the same substance of the same nature, quality and same in all respect.

                                                                                                    Identification of Batch, Code, Lot

In case there is any consumer complaint about any package of food product, then the first step of investigation is to find out the Batch no/ Lot no of that food package and the food packages having the same batch/lot no are examined with respect to the complaint.Either following the consumer complaint or otherwise,if the food business operator considers or has reasons to believe that a food which he has processed, manufactured or distributed is not in compliance with the FSS Act, or the rules or regulations, he shall immediately initiate procedures to withdraw the food in question from the market and consumers indicating reasons for its withdrawal and inform the concerned competent authorities .

In case, if the regulator is suspicious about the quality of any packaged food ,then he takes the sample of the packaged food product of the particular Batch or Lot No. for its quality check.He takes the required number of the food packagings having the same batch/ lot number and sends it for analysis. In case of any violation in the sample of food packages the entire quantity of the same batch or lot is considered to be in violation of the food laws . The legal action may be initiated against the offenders and/ or the manufacturer or the processor may be directed that the entire quantity of the particular Batch or Lot No is traced and the food be recalled.

“Recall” means action taken to remove a marketed food product from distribution, sale and consumption that may pose a safety hazard to consumers and the procedure followed for the same is called food recall procedure.

When the circumstances require for Food Recall , it is the responsibility of every food business operator to inform the competent authorities of the action taken and to follow such conditions and guidelines relating to food recall procedures as the Food Authority may specify by regulations. In this regard the Food Authority has yet to notify the regulation, however draft regulation for Food

Recall Procedure has appeared on the FSSAI website for public objections and suggestions.

From the Food Business Operator point of view, it is better, if smaller quantity of the food product is processed in one lot.

The Food Business Operator may note that the packages containing bread and milk including sterilised milk are not required to mention Batch/Code/Lot No.

A food has to bear a label of lot/batch/code from the time of its raw shape like at farm level till it becomes a final product for sale. Information like date of harvest, farm identification and who handles the produce from grower to receiver, scanning a product at the point of picking or loading, the recognition through batch/code/lot number is required to be maintained to track the culprit in cases of complaints.

Every food business operator has to define & mention Batch, Lot, Code number on all the containers of the product, to be referred under incidents of examination on suspicion by the regulatory body or on action upon consumer complaints.

கடைகளில் காலாவதி உணவு பொருட்கள் விற்பனை – நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க கோரிக்கை

பரமக்குடி, மார்ச் 28:

                                                                                                               பரமக்குடி நகர் பகுதியில் உள்ள மளிகை கடைகளில் காலாவதியான உணவுப்பொருட்கள், ஐஎஸ்ஐ முத்திரை இல்லாத உணவுப்பொருட்கள் விற்பனை செய்யப்படுகின்றன. சுகாதாரத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் சோதனை நடத்தி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என பொதுமக்கள் வலியுறுத்தி வருகின்றனர்.

பரமக்குடியில் உள்ள மளிகை கடைகள், பெட்டி கடைகளில் விற்கப்படும் பிஸ்கட் பாக்கெட்டுகள், குளிர்பானங்கள், தண்ணீர் பாக்கெட்டுகள்ள மற்றும் பாக்கெட்டுகளில் அடைத்து விற்கப்படும் மசாலா பொருட்கள், பேரிச்சம்பழம் ஆகியவற்றில் தயாரிப்பு தேதி, முடிவு தேதி இல்லை. சில பாக்கெட்டுகளில் இந்த தேதி பிரின்ட் செய்யப்பட்டிருந்தாலும், அவை காலாவதியான பின்னர, அந்த தேதிகளை அழித்து விடுகின்றனர். பொதுமக்களும் இந்த முறைகேட்டை கவனிக்காமல், இந்த பொருட்களை வாங்கி செல்கின்றனர்.

இவ்வாறு காலாவதியான பொருட்களை வாங்கி சென்று சாப்பிடும் பொதுமக்கள் உடல்நலக் குறைவால் அவதிப்பட்டு வருகின்றனர். எதனால் இந்த உடல்நலக்குறைவு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது என்பதை கூட கிராம மக்கள் உணர்வதில்லை.

வாந்தி, வயிற்றுப்போக்கு உள்ளிட்ட பாதிப்புகள் ஏற்பட்டால் மட்டுமே, இந்த உணவுப்பொருட்களால் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது என்பதை உணர்ந்து கொள்கின்ற னர்.

எனவே பரமக்குடி நகர் பகுதியில் உள்ள கடைகளில் சுகாதாரத் துறை அதிகாரிகள் அடிக்கடி சோதனை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்றும் காலாவதியான உணவுப்பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்து வரும் கடைகளின் உரிமையாளர்கள் மீது கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்றும் பொதுமக்கள் வலியுறுத்தி வருகின்ற னர்.

பரமக்குடியை சேர்ந்த ராஜேந்திரன் கூறுகையில், நகர் பகுதியில் கிராம மக்கள் அடிக்கடி வந்து செல்லும் இடங்களில் உள்ள கடைகளிலும், பஸ் ஸ்டாண்ட், அரசு மருத்துவமனை அருகே உள்ள கடைகளிலும் காலாவதியான உணவுப்பொருட்கள், குளிர்பானங்களை கடைக்காரர்கள் விற்பனை செய்கின்றனர். பஸ்களை பிடிக்க செல்லும் அவசரத்தில் செல்லும் பயணிகள் இந்த உணவுப்பொருட்களின் காலாவதி தேதியை பார்ப்பதில்லை. இதனால் கிராம மக்களிடம் கடைக்காரர்கள் தைரியமாக காலாவதியான உணவுப்பொருட்களை விற்பனை செய்கின்றனர்.

மேலும் காலாவதியான பிஸ்கெட் பாக்கெட்டுகள் உள்ளிட்ட பொருட்களை மிக குறைந்த விலைக்கு கடைக்காரர்களிடம் மொத்த வியாபாரிகள் விற்பனை செய்து விடுகின்றனர். தெரிந்தே இந்த முறைகேட்டில் ஈடுபடுவோர் மீது கடும் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்றார்.