FSSAI issues order clarifying use of Monosodium Glutamate as flavour enhancer in seasoning for noodles and pastas

APRIL 2, 2016 BY FSH TEAM LEAVE A COMMENT

FSSAI issues order clarifying use of Monosodium Glutamate as flavour enhancer in seasoning for noodles and pastas

In its order dated 31st March 2016 FSSAI has clarified how Monosodium Glutamate can be used as a flavour enhancer in seasoning for noodles and pasta. According to Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation 2011, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) with an INS number 621 can be added to only specific foods.  According to these regulations MSG can be added as a seasoning for noodles, pastas, meat tenderizer, onion salt, garlic salt, seasoning mix, topping to sprinkle on rice, fermented soyabean paste and yeast and cannot be used in other foods.

The order states that it is a well-known fact that Glutamate is naturally found in a number of common foods like milk, spices, wheat, vegetables etc. Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid and one of the many forms of glutamate. At present there is no analytical method to determine if MSG is naturally present in the product or was added during the manufacturing process. The only way to do so is to check the plant physically to see if MSG is being added to the products during manufacturing.

FSSAI has clarified that MSG may be added to specific foods as per the provisions of Appendix A but is subject to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) level and only when there is proper declaration as specified in Food Safety Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations 2011 which states that…………

Every advertisement for and/or a package of food containing added Monosodium Glutamate shall carry the following declaration, namely-

This package of (name of the food contains added)………… MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATENOT RECOMMENDED FOR INFANTS BELOW -12 MONTHS

The FSSAI further reiterates that it wishes to prevent harassment or prosecution of Food Business Operators (FBO) but at the same time it wishes to facilitate customers so that they make informed choices in selecting what foods to eat. Therefore, prosecution will be launched against an FBO only when the label claim says “No MSG” or “No added MSG” but MSG is actually found in the questioned food product.

In order to prevent uncalled for harassment the FSSAI has also advised Food Safety Commissioners against launching any specific enforcement or prosecution on manufacturers of noodles and pasta on account of presence of MSG/ Glutamic Acid. Food Safety Commissioners may do so only if it is ascertained by the Food Safety Department that Monosodium Glutamate flavour enhancer (INS 621) was

• deliberately added during the course of manufacturing
• and that too without the food product having the required declaration on the label

About Monosodium Glutamate flavouring 

When monosodium glutamate is added as a flavour enhancer it works like naturally occurring glutamate. Adding MSG as a flavour enhancer produces another dimension of taste which is called “umami,” and is often described as having a meaty taste. In many parts of the world monosodium glutamate is added to prepared and processed foods such as frozen foods, spice mixes, canned and dry soups, salad dressings and meat or fish-based products. In some countries it is also used as a table seasoning. However, it is best known for its use in Chinese cuisine and other Asian cooking as it is said to enhance the natural flavour of foods. Monosodium Glutamate was earlier extracted from protein rich seaweeds but now it is artificially made through industrial fermentation process.

US FDA finalises new rule to prevent contamination during transportation

Thursday, 07 April, 2016, 08 : 00 AM [IST]

The US Food and Drug Administration recently finalised a new food safety rule under the landmark FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that will help to prevent food contamination during transportation. The rule will require those involved in transporting human and animal food by motor or rail vehicle to follow recognised best practices for sanitary transportation, such as properly refrigerating food, adequately cleaning vehicles between loads and properly protecting food during transportation. The action is part of a larger effort to focus on prevention of food safety problems throughout the food chain, and the rule implements the Sanitary Food Transportation Act of 2005 (SFTA) as well as the requirement in Section 111 of FSMA that instructed FDA to issue SFTA regulations. The regulation will apply to food transported within the United States by motor or rail vehicle, whether or not the food is offered for or enters interstate commerce. Shippers, loaders, carriers and receivers engaged in transportation operations of food imported by motor or rail vehicle and consumed or distributed in the United States are also subject to the final rule. “Consumers deserve a safe food supply and this final rule will help to ensure that all those involved in the farm-to-fork continuum are doing their part to ensure that the food products that arrive in our grocery stores are safe to eat,” said Michael R. Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine. The rule was proposed in February 2014 and takes into consideration more than 200 comments submitted by the transportation industry, food industry, government regulatory partners, international trading partners, consumer advocates, tribal organisations and others. It also builds on the transportation industry’s best practices for cleaning, inspecting, maintaining, loading and unloading and operating vehicles and transportation equipment. Implementation of the sanitary transportation rule and all FSMA final rules will require partnership, education and training. “We recognise the importance of education and training in achieving widespread compliance, and we are committed to working with both industry and our government partners to ensure effective implementation of all of the new food safety rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act,” said Taylor. Businesses would be required to comply with the new regulation one year after publication of the final rule, with smaller businesses having two years to comply with the new requirements. The FDA has finalised six of the seven major rules that implement the core of FSMA. The final rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food builds on the Preventive Controls Rules for Human Food and Animal Food, the Produce Safety Rule, Foreign Supplier Verification Program Rule and the Accreditation of Third-Party Certification Rule, all of which FDA finalised last year. The seventh rule, which focusses on mitigation strategies to protect food against intentional adulteration, is expected to be finalised later in 2016. These seven rules will work together to systemically strengthen the food safety system and better protect public health. The FDA, an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency is also responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

IDMA hails FSSAI notification as relief to nutraceuticals manufacturers

Thursday, 07 April, 2016, 08 : 00 AM [IST]Our Bureau, MumbaiIndian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) has welcomed the recent FSSAI notification on nutraceuticals, which offers relief to manufacturers and marketers of nutraceuticals, who have been facing difficulties in compliance with norms on product approval.

In a press release issued recently, S V Veerramani, national president, IDMA, pointed out, “The order of FSSAI has been made with provisions for all types of FBOs who may fall within one of the criteria and will have to comply with testing & labelling under the FSS Act, Rules & Regulations. It will boost the confidence of SMEs who were majorly impacted servicing through manufacturing sector to big MNCs and Indian FBOs and is well received by our members who are playing a key role in spearheading the agenda of Make In India.”

Veerramani added that IDMA was thankful to Pawan Kumar Agarwal and FSSAI for the clarification that no product approvals would be required once the regulations for nutraceuticals, food & health supplements are notified and put in place. The enforcement activities would be restricted to testing and labelling compliance.

Further, IDMA will interact and work closely with the authorities from FSSAI, ministry of health, and ministry of food processing industries and will aim for fast development and growth of nutraceuticals, food & health supplements industry in India keeping the interest of consumer in mind.

FSSAI issues FAQs on proprietary foods; clarifies, no pre-approval necessary

Thursday, 07 April, 2016, 08 : 00 AM [IST]

Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi

Proprietary foods complying with the notification for additives, operationalised by the apex food regulator in December last year, will not require any pre-approval from FSSAI. According to FAQs released by the food regulatory body recently, food business operator (FBO) shall ensure that products comply with these provisions and such FBOs will be fully responsible for the safety of the proprietary food. While the issue pertaining to proprietary foods has been a bone of contention between the apex food regulator and the food industry for many years, the FAQs are being seen by the industry in line with the positive steps being taken by FSSAI in recent times. Hence, the industry has termed this initiative as “enabling food regulatory environment set to position India as the global hub for food processing industry.” In this regard, according to a notice put out by FSSAI, it recognises that a specific framework to manufacture and market proprietary food is required in accordance with the global best practices to provide certainty to all stakeholders while providing them with the flexibility to innovate. And an expanded list of food additives has already been issued by the regulator in December last year used in various food categories. Meanwhile, industry representatives are of the opinion that the recent notification on proprietary foods and notice on Harmonisation of Food Additives with Codex mark the beginning of a new chapter in developing and promoting India as the global hub for the food and food related industry, in wake of the government’s Make in India initiative. These notifications build on the science-based approach, embracing contemporary global practices the industry has been calling for by moving towards an ingredient-based regime, according to Piruz Khambatta, chairman, CII National Committee on Food Processing Industry, and CMD, Rasna Pvt. Ltd. “The recent orders issued by FSSAI, with regards to Harmonisation with Codex, Nutraceuticals, Food Supplements and Health Supplements, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and FAQs to facilitate operationalisation of the recent regulation on proprietary foods, will go a long way in reducing ambiguity and providing clarity to enforcement divisions while addressing several operational issues that the industry has been facing in last few years,”stated Khambatta. Sangeeta Pendurkar, MD, Kellogg India Ltd, and member, CII FMCG Committee, said, “This evolution along with various other initiatives that FSSAI has been taking to ensure food safety right from the ground level, will create the foundation for a new paradigm of partnership between the industry and the regulator. This is indeed a welcome move in the best interest of the consumer.” These developments shall facilitate an enabling regulatory environment for the food industry, in line with the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ initiative of the Government, while ensuring the highest level of protection for consumers and facilitating trade, feel industry experts. However, some other representatives of the industry feel that some points in FAQs need ratification, e.g., the requirement of proprietary foods containing added vitamins and minerals should not exceed 30 per cent of Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Indians. Meanwhile, the FSSAI has clarified on requirement of licences. It says licence for such proprietary foods shall be granted for the specific food or food category (sub-category) as requested by the FBO in the application form in accordance with the licensing regulation without any requirement of product approval. FBOs can also get the new proprietary food incorporated in the existing licence. Any existing proprietary products already included in the existing licence shall remain valid.

கேள்விக்குறியாகும் உணவுப் பொருள்களின் தரம்: ஆய்வை தீவிரப்படுத்துமா உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு துறை?

உணவுப் பொருள்களின் தரத்தை உறுதிப்படுத்துவதற்கு, உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புத் துறை அலுவலர்களுக்கு இலக்கு நிர்ணயித்து ஆய்வு நடத்தப்படவேண்டும் என்ற எதிர்பார்ப்பு எழுந்துள்ளது.

சாலையோரக் கடைகள் மட்டுமின்றி, துரித உணவு முதல் குளிர்பானங்கள் வரையிலான இன்றைய உணவுப் பொருள்களின் தரம், நுகர்வோருக்கு அச்சத்தை ஏற்படுத்தும் வகையில் உள்ளது.

லாப நோக்கத்துக்கான உணவுப் பொருள்கள் மட்டுமின்றி, திருமண மண்டபம், அன்னதானம் வழங்குமிடம், கோயில் பிரசாதக் கடைகள், பள்ளி வளாகங்களில் செயல்படும் உணவகம், சத்துணவு, மதுபானக் கடைகள் உள்ளிட்ட இடங்களில் வழங்கப்படும் உணவுப் பொருள்களை ஆய்வு செய்வதற்காக, கடந்த 2008 ஆம் ஆண்டு உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத் துறை உருவாக்கப்பட்டது.

இந்தத் துறையின் கீழ், தமிழகம் முழுவதும் தற்போது 460 உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்கள் பணியாற்றி வருகின்றனர். உணவுத் தொழிலில் ஈடுபடுவோர் தரமான, பாதுகாப்பான, தீமை ஏற்படுத்தாத உணவுப் பொருள் தயாரிப்பதற்கு வழிகாட்டுவது உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்களின் முக்கியப் பணியாக உள்ளது.

மேலும், உணவு மாதிரி எடுப்பது, காலாவதியான உணவுப் பொருள்களை பறிமுதல் செய்வது, அவற்றை அழிப்பது போன்ற பணிகளை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டியதும் இவர்களின் பொறுப்பு. ஆண்டுக்கு ரூ. 12 லட்சத்துக்கும் மேல் விற்பனை செய்வோருக்கு உணவுத் தொழிலுக்கான உரிமம் வழங்குதல், அதற்கு குறைவான வருமானம் கொண்ட தொழில்களை பதிவு செய்து சான்றிதழும் அளித்து வருகின்றனர்.

உணவு உற்பத்தித் துறையில் ஈடுபடுவோரின் எண்ணிக்கை சமீபகாலமாக அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. ஆனால், தயாரிக்கப்படும் உணவுப் பொருள்களின் தரம் குறித்து முறையான ஆய்வுகள் மேற்கொள்ளப்படுவதில்லை என்பதே நுகர்வோரின் குற்றச்சாட்டாக உள்ளது.

ஒவ்வொரு மாதமும் குறிப்பிட்ட உணவுப் பொருள்களின் மாதிரிகளை சேகரித்து ஆய்வு செய்யவேண்டும் என்ற இலக்கு உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்களுக்கு நியமிக்கப்படவில்லை. இதனால், கலப்பட உணவுப் பொருள்களை கண்டறிவதிலும், சம்பந்தப்பட்டவர்கள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதிலும் பின்னடைவு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

மேலும், விற்பனை செய்யப்படும் உணவுப் பொருள்களின் விவரங்களை சேகரிக்கவும், புதிய பொருள்களின் வரவு குறித்தும் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர்களுக்கே தெரியாத நிலை உள்ளது.  சுகாதாரத் துறையின் மீது கூடுதல் கவனம் செலுத்தும் அரசு, வரும் முன் காக்கும் நடவடிக்கையாக உணவுத் தொழிலில் ஈடுபடுவோரை தொடர்ந்து கண்காணிப்பதற்கான வழிகளை ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டும்.   இது குறித்து உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு அலுவலர் ஒருவரிடம் கேட்டபோது, அவர் தெரிவித்தது: பொதுமக்களின் சுகாதாரத்தில் முக்கியப் பங்காற்றி வரும் இந்தத் துறைக்கு, தனி ஆணையர் நியமிக்கப்படவில்லை. மேலும், நகராட்சித் துறை மற்றும் துணை இயக்குநர் சுகாதாரப் பணிகள் துறைகளில் இருந்துகொண்டே அயல் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகிறோம். களஆய்வுப் பணிகளுக்கு உதவியாளர்கள் இல்லை. அதேபோல், அலுவலர்களின் செயல்பாடுகள் சீராய்வு செய்யப்படுவதில்லை.

ஒழுங்கு நடவடிக்கை உள்ளிட்ட நிர்வாக நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதற்கும் வழியில்லை என்பதால், அலுவலர்களின் செயல்பாடும் கேள்விக் குறியாகியுள்ளது என்றார்.

உணவு பதப்படுத்துதல் பயிற்சி

புதுச்சேரி:மகளிர் மற்றும் குழந்தைகள் மேம்பாட்டு துறை மற்றும் வில்லியனுார் சேவாலயம் சுகாதார அறிவியல் நிறுவனம் சார்பில் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் பதப்படுத்துதல் குறித்த 5 நாள் பயிற்சி முகாம் நடந்தது.சேவாலயம் சுகாதார அறிவியல் நிறுவனத்தின் மாணவிகள், மகளிர் உள்ளிட்டோர் பங்கேற்றனர். பழங்கள், காய்கறிகள், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் பதப்படுத்துதல் குறித்து பயிற்சி அளிக்கப்பட்டது. சேவாலயம் நிறுவனர் சங்கர் வாழ்த்திப் பேசினார்.உணவு மற்றும் ஊட்டச்சத்து செயல்விளக்க அதிகாரி ஜெயபால், பயிற்சியில் பங்கேற்ற மகளிருக்கு சான்றிதழ் வழங்கினார். சேவாலயம் சுகாதார அறிவியல் நிறுவனத்தின் ஆசிரியை லலிதா நன்றி கூறினார்.

தஞ்சை பகுதி கடைகளில் காலாவதியான பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல்

தஞ்சை, ஏப்.6:
தஞ்சை பகுதி கடை க ளில் உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் சோதனை மேற் கொண்டு ரூ.45 ஆயி ரம் மதிப் புள்ள காலா வ தி யான உணவு பொருட் களை கைப் பற்றி அழித் த னர்.
தஞ்சை பிர க தீஸ் வ ரர் கோயில் சித் திரை தேரோட் டம் வரு கிற 18ம் தேதி நடை பெற உள் ளது. இதை யொட்டி தஞ்சை மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் மருந்து நிர் வா கத் துறை உணவு பாது காப்பு பிரிவு மாவட்ட நிய மன அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் ரமேஷ் பாபு தலை மை யில் உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் சந் தி ர மோ கன், ராஜ் கு மார், குமார், ரெங் க நா தன், ராம நா தன், மகேஷ், கோபா ல கி ருஷ் ணன், கவு த மன், வடி வேல், கார்த் திக், விஜ ய கு மார், கிருஷ் ண மூர்த்தி, மகா தே வன், உமா கே சன் ஆகி யோர் அடங் கிய குழு வி னர் தஞ் சை யில் அதி ரடி சோதனை மேற் கொண் ட னர்.
மேல ரா ஜ வீதி, வடக் கு ரா ஜ வீதி, கீழ ரா ஜ வீதி, தெற்கு ராஜ வீ தி க ளில் கடை கள், உண வ கங் கள், மளிகை கடை கள், பழக் க டை கள் மற் றும் குளிர் பான கடை க ளில் ஆய்வு மேற் கொண் ட னர். இதில் காலா வ தி யான மற் றும் கலப் ப டம் செய் யப் பட்ட பொருட் கள் மேலும் அர சால் தடை செய் யப் பட்ட குட்கா, பான் ம சாலா குளிர் பா னங் கள், அழு கிய பழ வகை கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட்டு மாந க ராட்சி குப்பை கிடங் கில் கொட்டி அழிக் கப் பட் டது. இதன் மதிப்பு ரூ.45 ஆயி ரம் ஆகும். மேலும் டாக் டர்.ரமேஷ் பாபு கூறும் போது, உணவு வணி கர் கள் உண வ கங் களை சுகா தார முறை யில் பரா ம ரிப் ப தோடு பேக் கிங் செய் யப் பட்ட உணவு பொருள் கள் பயன் பாட்டு காலம் அடங் கிய தக வல் களை தெளி வாக அச் சிட்டு வியா பா ரம் செய்ய வேண் டும். மேலும் பொது மக் கள் உணவு பொருள் கள் வாங் கும் போது காலா வ தி யான தேதியை பார்த்து வாங்கி பயன் ப டுத் து மாறு கேட் டுக் கொண் டார்.

கரூரில் தடையை மீறி ஜரூராக விற்பனையாகும் குட்கா

கரூர், ஏப். 6:
கரூ ரில் பான் ம சாலா, குட்கா விற் பனை தடை யை மீறி நடை பெற்று வரு கி றது.
பான் ம சாலா, குட்கா போன்ற பொருட் கள் விற் ப னைக்கு தமி ழக அரசு தடை வி தித் துள் ளது. பொது மக் க ளின் நலன் க ருதி, உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தர நிர் ண யம் சட் டத் தின் கீழ் புகை யிலை மற் றும் நிகோ டின் கலந்த பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய்ய கரூர் மாவட் டத் தில் இரண் டு ஆண் டுக்கு முன் தடை விதிக் கப் பட் டது. தற் போ தும் இத் தடை அம லில் இருக் கி றது. நிகோ டின் கலந்த பொருட் களை மக் கள் உட் கொள் வ தால் ரத் தக் கு ழாய் அடைப்பு ஏற் பட்டு இளம் வ ய தி லேயே மார டைப்பு ஏற் பட்டு இறந் து போக வாய்ப் புள் ளது. மேலும் வாயின் உட் ப குதி உதட் டு பா கம், தாடை, நாக்கு, தோல் புற் று நோய் ஏற் பட்டு இதனை தொடர்ந்து பயன் ப டுத் து வோர் மிக வும் அவ திப் ப டு கின் ற னர்.
எனவே நிகோ டின், புகை யிலை கலந்து தயா ரிக் கப் ப டும் பான் ம சாலா குட்கா, மாணிக் சந்த், பான் ப ராக், ஹான்ஸ், மாவா, தம் மக், கணேஷ், பாஸ் பாஸ் மற் றும் பீடா போன் ற வற் றின் விற் ப னைக்கு தடை விதிக் கப் பட் டது. ஆனால் தடையை மீறி இந்த பொருட் கள் மீண் டும் ஜரூ ராக விற் ப னை யா கி றது. வாகன ஓட் டி கள், பய ணி கள் என பொது இடங் க ளில் இவற்றை வாயில் கொட்டி சவ தைத்து எச் சில் துப் பு வ தால் சுகா தார கேடும் ஏற் ப டு கி றது. அதி கா ரி க ளின் மெத் த னத் தால் தற் போது குட்கா விற் பனை மீண் டும் தலை தூக் கி யுள் ளது.
எனவே பான் ப ராக் குட்கா போன்ற பொருட் களை விற் பனை செய் வதை தடுக்க வரு வாய்த் துறை, காவல் துறை அதி கா ரி கள் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் க வேண் டும் என பொது மக் கள் எதிர் பார்க் கின் ற னர்.

MSG level in Maggi noodles on higher side, SC told

The Supreme Court was told on Tuesday that one report of a test on Maggi noodles by the government research institute has shown that the lead content was within permissible limits but monosodium glutamate (MSG) was on the higher side.

Senior counsel Vibha Datta Makhija, appearing for the central government, told the bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh that the reports by the Mysuru-based Central Food Technological Research Institute were directly sent to the apex court in a sealed cover but one of the reports seen by her had this conclusion.

In response, senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for manufacturers Nestle India Ltd, told the court that that MSG occurs naturally in Maggi and was not an added flavour and added that government notification has accepted Nestle’s position that its presence could not be determined by any laboratory tests.

The court directed that the copies of the test report be given to all the parties appearing before the court in the matter within three days as it adjourned the hearing to July 19.

The apex court by its January 13, 2016 order, while perusing the tests reports by the institute, had asked it to tell it whether the results of the test report relating to lead and glutamic acid, were within permissible parameters or not.

The institute, the court had said, “shall also clarify whether the test relating to glutamic acid includes the test pertaining to monosodium glutamate”.

The CFTRI had conducted tests on Maggi samples in pursuance to the October 15 directions of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), and the December 16 direction of the apex court, modifying the NCDRC’s December 9-10 order asking a Chennai-based lab to test the samples.

Nestle India had moved the apex court challenging the NCDRC order, contending that once NCDRC had sent Maggi samples for testing by CFTRI by its October 15 order, then there was no necessity of further testing by the Chennai lab.

The central government had moved the apex court against August 13, 2015 Bombay High Court order which had held that the labs that tested Nestle’s Maggi noodles were not accredited by the NABL, thus their findings could not be relied upon.

Relying on the high court order, Nestle India has assailed the NCDRC order holding that if a laboratory in terms of section 2(1)(a) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is recognised by the central or the state government or has been established under the law and maintained, financed or aided by the central or state government, then it need not necessarily be accredited by the NABL or notified by the Food Safety Standard Authority of India.

The government filed, before the NCDRC, a class action suit against Nestle India, seeking about Rs.640 crore in damages for alleged unfair trade practices, false labelling and misleading advertisements.

The hearing on the suit is on hold in the wake of ongoing hearing by the apex court.

Register with us, food regulator tells e-tailers

Bengaluru: Pleas of e-commerce companies that they are mere technology facilitators is not something that government bodies seem willing to buy. Just like state governments that want them to take responsibility for VAT payments, India’s food regulator now wants e-commerce

companies to come under its purview.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the body that brought Nestle India to its knees on the Maggi issue, has asked all major e-commerce companies, including Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal, to register under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006 if they
want to continue their food business operations. This will allow its inspectors to do checks on the safety of the food items that the platform deals with or stores in its warehouses, and take action in the event of complaints.
According to documents reviewed by TOI, the regulator has also asked e-commerce firms to clearly display all details related to food items on their portals. This has to include names and addresses of sellers, their license numbers, nutrition and ingredient information, food safety
details, and price parameters — so that the consumer is fully aware about what he or she is buying.
Online food tech startups and grocery delivery players such as Zomato, Swiggy, Foodpanda India, Grofers, Big Basket and Peppertap have also been asked to comply with the FSS Act 2006 and to facilitate businesses of only licensed and registered FBOs (food business operators) under
the food regulator.
“The online distribution channel has been neglected in regard to food safety. It has been noted that online shops are not necessarily subjected to inspection since sampling and analysis is often complicated as the provisions in FSS Act cannot be completely fulfilled in such business
operations,” FSSAI’s note sent to e-commerce companies said. FSSAI held a meeting with senior executives of the online companies in Delhi on March 18 with regard to the new guidelines being planned. Industry body Ficci is now believed to be assisting the online players with their representation to the food regulator.
FSSAI plans to divide online companies into two segments where online marketplaces such as Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal are being asked to get licensed under FSSAI, while the second category is being formed to address online food delivery companies which are being advised to
facilitate business of FBOs who are FSSAI registered and licensed. FSSAI chairman Ashish Bahuguna told TOI that the aim of the move is to provide uniform safety to consumers on both online and offline channels. “They already fall under the FSS Act 2006, so ideally they should
follow the provisions immediately,” he said. Emails, phone calls and text messages to all of the above-mentioned companies by TOI did not elicit any response.
“The task will be complex for the sellers on the marketplaces. And to make sure all the sellers are FSSAI registered and licensed is a massive and complex process,” a senior executive at one of these firms said on condition that his name not be disclosed.Over the past few months, online
marketplaces have started selling various food categories on their platforms. Amazon started Amazon Now to sell daily use products. Snapdeal and Flipkart sell various packaged food products on their platforms.

Detergent in milk, J&K court fines company Rs 9 lakh

The Judicial Magistrate also sentenced the convicted company’s head of operations to six months imprisonment for violating various sections of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

A J&K court on Monday fined Valley’s top milk manufacturing brand with Rs 9 lakh after the milk produced was found to be adulterated with detergent and blamed the company for the increased number of cancer patients in the Valley.
A lower court in central Kashmir’s Budgam district held – Khyber Agro Farms Private Limited guilty of selling sub-stranded, mis-branded and unsafe milk and asked the Commissioner of Food Safety to shut the company operation or to take its products off the market.
The Judicial Magistrate also sentenced the convicted company’s head of operations to six months imprisonment for violating various sections of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The court also criticised the Food Analyst for not discharging his duties and ordered his removal.
“Either Hamidullah Dar (Food Analyst Kashmir) is incapable to conduct the test and discharge his duties to the expectations of his assignment and job. Or he is dishonest to his job,” the court remarked in the judgment.
The court in its judgment said the officer Dar had time and again been given clean chit in favour of the accused company and it had forced Drugs & Food Control Organization to forward the samples to Referral Laboratory Kolkata for re-analysis. While the Food Analyst of the Kashmir Province in its report in 2013 had declared the milk product safe for consumption, the same sample was found “sub-standard, un-safe and mis-branded” by a Kolkata laboratory.
“Person like Mr. Hamidullah Dar is more dangerous than a fatal disease like cancer for the entire nation and [his] incapacity or compromise with the nature of the job like Food Analyst Kashmir cannot be accepted by any standards of expectations where lives of the citizens are involved,” the court said.
The Judicial Magistrate in his judgment noted similar instances earlier and said that the milk manufactured by Khyber contains “detergent, urea and other dangerous chemicals not only in milk but other edible products.”
“The accused company is facing similar cases before various courts, therefore, the presumption of innocence in favour of the accused company is ruled out,” the judge said.
The court also directed the Station House Officer to collect the samples of all other products like milk, ghee, curd and cheese manufactured by the company and asked to send them to a referral laboratory in Kolkata for analysis.

Maggi noodles: Mysore lab submits test report to SC

New Delhi | Tuesday, Apr 5 2016 IST

The Mysore government laboratory today submitted its report to the Supreme Court in connection with the presence of MonoSodium Glutamate (MSG) in the 2-minute popular noodle, Maggi. The lab was asked by the Apex Court to submit a report whether the presence of MSG in Maggi noodles were within permissible limits.

On the contrary, Maggi’s manufacturer, Nestle, told the division bench, comprising Justices Dipak Misra and N V Ramanna, that the MSG occurs naturally in Maggi and is not an added flavor. The apex court had in January this year had asked the leading research laboratory in Mysore to conduct the necessary tests on Maggi in this regard and submit a report to it. The 2-minute popular noodle, Maggi, has come under the regulatory scanner after samples collected in some parts of the state of Uttar Pradesh and other were allegedly found containing added MSG and lead in excess of the permissible limit.

FSSAI had approached the Apex Court and told it that the sale of Maggi was contrary to the Section 22 of the FSSAI Act.FSSAI is an agency of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety. The FSSAI has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which is a consolidating statute related to food safety and regulation in IndiaNestle during the hearing told the Apex Court that the food department notification concedes no lab test can determine MSG presence.Nestle further maintained its stand and defended that the MSG occurs naturally in grains and that no added MSG was present in Maggi noodles.

The Apex Court has fixed the next date of hearing as July 19 when all the test results would be argued before it.The Supreme Court had stayed the proceedings before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) and directed that the test reports, including the earlier one, be placed before it.

Concern over poor hygiene of street food sellers

Bhubaneswar: While poor drainage system and leaking water pipes are blamed in Cuttack for the spread of jaundice, neighbouring Bhubaneswar is no better in terms of sale of street foods.
Around 3,000 odd street vendors sell food across the city but they don’t use sanitized hand gloves. Food such as Dahi Vada and Aloo Dam, Gupchup, Chaat and Ghuguni are the most sought after items but hardly any safety measures are taken while serving them.
In March, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) introduced sanitized hand gloves for the vendors but failed to make it mandatory. City mayor Anant Narayan Jena himself led a team and distributed hand gloves among the vendors.
Paramita Panda, a resident of the city, said most of the food stalls don’t use clean water to prepare the food, let alone using hand gloves. “The use of contaminated water for food preparation is likely to affect more people,” she said.
At Unit-1 market, vendors were seen wearing gloves for a week, but business was back to usual soon. “If the civic body wants to enforce it fully, squads should be formed to monitor the sale of foods,” she added.
The city has nearly 12,000 Gupchup stalls, 700 fast food stalls and nearly 1,100 Dahi Vada and Aloo Dam stalls. At present all the stalls are using Public Health and Engineering Organisation (PHEO)-supplied piped water for preparing food. Some vendors also use tube well water and use them for cooking. These vendors either sell the food on mini mobile stall or on cycle-mounted counters. Some of them also set up their stalls at different happening places of the city.
What is worse is that there is only one food inspector for the BMC to conduct food audit, although the city’s food market is growing manifold. The lone inspector, deputed by the health department, also holds the additional charge of Ganjam district.
“After getting complaints of unhygienic food being served by the food vendors, I had initiated a drive to provide sterile plastic gloves to the vendors. But that didn’t continue for long due to lack of inspection by food inspectors,” Jena said, adding they have launched massive awareness drive on jaundice among people.