FoodSafetyHelpline Answers on Food Labelling & Licensing Queries

APRIL 6, 2016

FoodSafetyHelpline Answers your queries

FoodSafetyHelpline replied to the following queries:

Question: As per the FSSA, the village level co-op. societies which are supervise under concern union,not needed to license,we have already license for our union but how can we add our village level co-op. society in our exiting license.

Answer: Please read through this article: FSSAI Exempts Certain Co-operatives from Licensing and Registration

Question: Sir, I want to repack canola oil. and FSSAI has been issued license for repacking of “rapeseed oil”. I want to ask that legally what should i mention on the tin for packing of canola oil.

Answer: The labelling of the canola oil

a.) As per the FSS (packaging and labelling) Regulations, 2011, every container that is packed with solvent extracted oil meant for sale should be marked with the Name of the Food in this way:

• the name
• trade name (if any)
• or description of the solvent – extracted oil

 Correct Name marking for Canola oil  

 Imported Rapeseed – low erucic acid oil. Canola oil (In addition trade name can also be used)

b.) Each container of refined vegetable oil shall have a label as per Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011 and should mention the word imported before refined and name of the oil.

Correct Labelling

Imported Refined Rapeseed – low erucic acid oil. Canola Oil (Trade name can also be used)

Read More on this:FSSAI issued notification on Labelling Requirements for Canola Oil

If someone does not have the license for Edible Oil then one has to add canola oil in the existing food license.

Question: Is the oval round around FSSAI logo and beneath Lic. No. XXXXXXX mandatory?

Answer: No oval shape round around the FSSAI Logo is required now. You can read here more on the requirements: FSSAI Logo & License no.

Question: What are the Coloring Agents not permitted to be used in food?

Answer: The coloring agents which have been allowed to be used in the food products are discussed as per Regulation 3.1.2 of Food Safety & Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.

Question: Celiac Support organisation is a registered NGO looking after the interests of patient suffering from Celiac disease and wheat intolerance. We would like to state that in the para 2.14 the foods consist of or are made of one or more ingredients, which may contain rye, barley, oats have been included as gluten free foods. However this is not true and world over these three item are not recommended for patients with Celiac Disease and wheat intolerance. We request you to amend this line in view of the false information it is providing to the public. According to CODEX ALIMENTARIUS gluten-free foods are foods that…do not contain wheat, rye, barley, oats, or crossbred varieties of these grains.

Answer: FSSAI had issued a draft notification where they have discussed about the Gluten Free Foods. The said notification was not the final notification and you can still write to FSSAI in this regard. You can post your comments: fssai.gov.in

Question: I have come across a milk sample with 10 fat and 10.2 SnF, is it possible to have such values without adulteration?

Answer: First of all it has to be ascertained whether it is a milk fat or non-milk fat then one should be able to further analyze this. Regarding Milk Fat; Rarely but the buffalo milk fat can have such values when the animal feed is very rich in diet.

Question: Hi, we are currently facing issues to import an ayurvedic ingredient to be used in a FS. This ingredient is currently not a part of Schedule V in the draft regulations circulated in Sep 15. However when the draft were circulated for comments, we have submitted our request to include this ingredient under Schedule V. Can the import be restricted even though the final regulations are not yet issued?

Answer: We would suggest you to further wait for the final notification in this regard.

Processed Foods & How They Can Impact Your Health

APRIL 7, 2016

How processed foods can impact your health

According to a Latest study, India is among the three countries that have the highest number of diabetics. In fact there has been such a rapid increase in Type II diabetes worldwide that the WHO has picked ‘Beat Diabetes’ as the theme for World Health Day 2016. Type II diabetes is more common and the main causes are hereditary factors like genes, sedentary lifestyles, lack of regular exercise, obesity and intake of large amounts of processed foods and sugary drinks. People are quick to point out that while our genes have not changed, lifestyle and foods we consume have changed and that is why diabetes has become endemic.

Fats, sugar and salt are added to processed foods to improve flavour and to act as preservatives. If large amounts of processed foods are consumed it means you will be taking in too much sugars, fats and salts which has an adverse effect on the health. Such foods can lead to problems like high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, ulcers, stomach cancer, obesity and diabetes. The FSSAI’s ‘Guidelines for making available wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic Food to School Children’ is a step in the right direction because children are becoming habituated to consuming foods high in fats, sugar and salt which is leading to obesity and diabetes even in young children.

There is no doubt processed foods provide a number of benefits like alleviating shortage of foods. Since they ensure deactivation of microorganisms in raw fruits and vegetables and so chances of acquiring foodborne illnesses are reduced. Processed foods have longer shelf life and can be transported easily so a large variety of foods can be made worldwide. Processing can improve the nutritional value of foods by adding extra nutrients and vitamins and fortifying foods which can benefit populations according to their needs. Improvement in processing techniques like Nano technology can help to preserve nutrients and fortify processed foods and they can even be modified to remove fats and sugar content from processed foods. Besides this processed foods are popular because they are cheaper and more convenient as they are ready to eat within minutes. 

Why processed foods are not good for diabetics

Fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals are all essential for prevention of Type II diabetes but many processed foods do not contain them. When grains are milled, processed or refined the vital nutrients found in the fibre (germ and bran) are removed. Since fibre is removed it affects the glycaemic index of the food so the foods digest quickly and this affects the blood sugar levels. Besides refined flours processed foods contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils which contribute to type II diabetes, as they decrease the response of the cell to insulin. Human cells are made of healthy essential fatty acids and when these cells are replaced by fatty cells in hydrogenated vegetable oils the body uses the unhealthy fatty acids to repair and maintain cells. Processed foods have an abundance of refined grains, artificially altered fats and oils, and foods and beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is metabolized by the liver and is stored as fat leading to obesity and diabetes. 

Processing alters natural foods

Once of the methods used for processing foods is heating and if fresh vegetables and fruits are heated for canning it lead to loss of Vitamin C in the canned fruit. In some foods like bread, pasta and ready – to – eat foods nutrients are often removed to improve taste, appearance and shelf life so these foods contain more empty calories. Most flavouring, sweeteners, stabilizers, preservatives and texture enhancing agents added to foods have no nutritional value but could be health hazards. Cheap hydrogenated oils are unhealthy as compared to naturally saturated fats or cold-pressed oils but the consumers are not aware of this. Food-processing can damage the outer layers of grains and the chemical composition of starches which affects their glycaemic index.

Responsibility of the food industry

One of the best things that the food industry can do is to continue with their research so that consumers can be provided with foods that contain high fibre and nutrients  content so that the glycaemic index can be balanced out. Food manufacturers that supply foods that have higher calories, fats, sugar and salt and low nutrition levels must ensure that they are labelling foods correctly so consumers can make healthier food choices. The food industry must market their products with responsible advertising that does not mislead and must not target children especially if foods manufactured by them lead to health hazards. In fact the food industry must seriously think of cutting back on sugary drinks and products that lead to obesity by offering healthier choices.

Why Focus on Khyber?

Khyber is the largest milk supplier in the Kashmir valley

Kashmir Observer has been criticized by certain quarters for highlighting misdemeanours of Khyber Agro Farm Ltd. In the main, it has been alleged, washing the dirty linen of a native or local company that has over time morphed into a brand is wrong. Moreover, it has been alleged that drubbing Khyber amounts to creating space for outside brands and firms. There are faint echoes of nativism and pride involved here. But both are misplaced.
Khyber over time has indeed evolved into a diversified quasi conglomerate. This is heartening. But what is alarming and worrisome is that the ‘local’, native company was involved in egregious malpractice that hurt or more potentially hurt consumers- if the Government version is to be believed. Khyber’s motive in taking recourse to malpractice stretches reason and credulity. If the firm wanted to increase economies of scale, and thus market share, there were legitimate and perfectly legal and ethical means to do so. Moreover, the firm- even though we have not had a look at its accounts- appeared to be growing –in terms of market share, market power and its concentration ratio suggests there are little competition to it. The firm could have grown by way of organic growth- increased output, sales, new product development and improved time to market and, of course, diversification. These strategic management options are still open to the firm. It needs to be stated here that Khyber is not dead; it is alive and there is a future for the firm.
Our premise for highlighting the misconduct was in the nature of taking the information into the public domain in public interest. Our approach was not slanted. That is, we were not singling out Khyber. A wrong has been done; obfuscating or blacking it out amounts to impropriety and downright immoral and unethical behavior. This, however, is not the only reason. Being part of the local media-scape and its conscientious members, we did not want to leave the ‘pickings ripe’ for outsiders, so to speak.
Does this mean we are hostile towards business activity? No. Not at all. We are very much mindful of the need for business, commercial and entrepreneurial activity to both take root and expand in Kashmir. But we also understand and vigorously believe that while commerce and economic activity is great, it cannot and should not come at the expense of the people. We, by highlighting Khyber’s misconduct, also wanted our businesses and firms to be more ethical and stakeholder friendly. This may sound counter intuitive given that we highlighted Khyber’s misconduct but the point here is that, in the final analysis, ethical and sound business practices, matter and are key to sustainable wealth creation.
Corporations, across the world, are realizing and moving beyond mere shareholder value to sound, healthy, prudent and ethical business practices. Good ethics, crudely put, are good business too. This is also one reason why we chose to bring Khyber’s misconduct in the public domain. We want our businesses to understand and internalize the value of business ethics and good corporate conduct. We will not for the sake of vanity and misplaced pride disavow or choose to ignore or gloss over misconduct. In the interests of propriety, ethics, larger public interest and good, and in order to spur our business firms, enterprises and entrepreneurs to prudent and ethical business practices, we will not hesitate in doing what is right.

Will remove Khyber hoardings soon: SMC

Srinagar: Even after government invoked a ban on Khyber Dairy products, the company’s hoardings about the banned toned milk and curd on roadsides and footpaths are still intact while people are alleging that Srinagar Municipal Corporation seems in no mood to entertain the order.
“It is irony that government took three days in removing the Khyber Dairy products even after the strict directions from the Court. Now it is responsibility of SMC to remove the hoardings of Khyber Company that are found in every nook and corner of Srinagar city,” said a Srinagar resident.
Pertinently, Judicial Magistrate (Sub-Judge) Budgam, Imtiaz Ahmad Lone, had directed the Commissioner Food and Safety to close down the company or ensure that its products are taken off the market till the outcome of results of the samples to be taken from the market.
In his judgment, Lone had said: “The Commissioner Food and Safety shall immediately take all steps in ensuring that the convicted company is closed or products are taken off from the market unless Referral Laboratory Kolkata declares that the products of the convicted company as safe to consume and products manufactured by the convicted company do not harm the nation as is proved by the medical report submitted by the SKIMS.”
Reports said that Khyber Company had installed hoardings of banned Dairy products in different parts of Srinagar city. “It gives a wrong signal. The SMC should remove these hoardings without any delay,” said a passerby after looking at the company’s hoarding near Regal Chowk.
Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation Bashir Ahmed Khan said that the Corporation is bound to remove these misleading hoardings. “I am out of station and once I will reach Srinagar, all these hoardings will be removed,” he said.

Khyber Milk Not even Worth For Animals Use’

Company dares court order, floods market with 47,000 litres of milk and 2000 kgs of curd

‘Srinagar: A shocking revelation by a former civil servant about Khyber milk is enough to shake ground beneath your feet: Not even worth for Animals use.
This grave revelation about a widely used product has caused the people of the valley to lash out on various social media sites.
Mohammad Anees, a former civil servant in a response to a Facebook post reveals how he was told that Khyber milk wasn’t even fit for animals. “Late Mufti sahab wanted to involve Mr Kurrieen of Amul to start an Amul backed milk plant on cooperative lines in J&K,”Mr Anees said. “I was those days the Secretary Resident in Commission Office New Delhi and was given a task to liaise with Mr Anand and GM Amul. One of the formalities for this exercise was to send samples of locally available packed milk to Mr Anand. While proceeding ahead I, for curiosity sake, asked GM about the report of local milk brand, Khyber besides other small local brands. His remarks were stunning. “Not even worth for Animals use”, he answered.
“It is shocking how milk, a necessity, is being replaced by detergent. In times when even the officers are allowing companies to sell us poison, who are we supposed to trust? Does our health and life mean so little?”Dr.Abid Hussain, a general physician lamented.
“God knows how many people might have died by consuming this milk,” another Facebook user reflected upon Mr. Anees’ revelations. “The Food Analyst Kashmir–Habillullah–has been in league with them. The court has termed the Food Analyst as ‘cancer for the society’.”
Former Director Animal Husbandry, Farooq Ahmad Kaloo in his response said that he had forecast this thing to happen. “I was a part of the team tasked to inspect various milk plants in Kashmir. When I learned that they have been procuring milk from Punjab, I told the managers that they would one day land in trouble because there is absolutely no mechanism to prevent milk adulteration enroute. And it has now finally got detected by some honest fellow. Unfortunately milk and mutton inspection in the state has been assigned to non-professional people instead of it being assigned to vets who are better equipped and better trained to undertake the job.”
The concern over food adulteration is not something new to the valley. Earlier, food products like chicken kebabs and fish had come under the scanner and the administration had even banned certain unknown brands, declaring them unsafe for consumption.
Notwithstanding the Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Wednesday demanding a complete ban on sale of Khyber milk, the company continued to openly violate the orders of the Honourable Judicial Magistrate Budgam, Mr Imtiaz Ahmad Lone, and supplied milk to the valley markets.
As per reports, around 47,000 litres of milk and 2000 kgs of curd were supplied by the company to the markets only a day after the Budgam court had ordered Commissioner Food and Safety, to either close the company or remove all the products manufactured by them till declared safe.
Khyber products had been involved in a similar controversy a few months back, however the company had denied any adulteration on their part.
As per a medical report submitted by the Sheri-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, the company’s milk was found to contain traces of detergent and was labelled as a threat to human health.
Terming contaminated milk as attack on human lives, President DAK Dr Nisarul Hassan in a statement said that the government should immediately stop manufacture and sale of Khyber dairy products and withdraw all stocks from the market till there is clarity on the quality of products.
“Khyber milk is consumed by hundreds of valley residents including small children. How can they play with our health? They should be punished severely so that no company will dare to do such a thing in future”, said SheemaAshai, a resident of AaliKadal.
The court has imposed a penalty of Rs 6 lakh on Khyber and sentenced its representatives to six months imprisonment.
“Having high regard for the judicial system, I really feel disappointed from the judgement, said Rafiq Ahmad Shah, a Jeddah based bank manager. “Though the learned judge seem to be convinced about the crime and have come up with serious remarks against the company and food analyst but is the fine imposed enough and Exemplary? Possibly not.”
The court has ordered the product samples to be collected and sent to Referral Laboratory, Kolkata for further testing. However the samples couldn’t be collected on Wednesday as the Station House Officer, Budgam was not available.
Commissioner Food and Safety, Mr Mandeep K Bhandari, on being quizzed about the issue assured that the court orders will be obeyed properly and said that the samples couldn’t be collected today as the court order was received late in the evening yesterday.
Meanwhile, the company continues to play with the health of the consumers by selling their unsafe products. Shockingly, the Food Analyst, Kashmir, Mr Hamidullah Dar had very recently given a clean chit to the company and declared its products safe for consumption.