Aug 23, 2012

FSSAI seeks immediate compliance to guidelines on imported food samples

The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued guidelines regarding the harmonisation of laboratory parameters for analysis of imported food samples. These have been finalised in consultation with the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore.

Following this development, FSSAI, in a communiqué via F. No. 06/QAS/2012 import issues/FSSAI to all referral and authorised labs, has stated that the order should come into effect immediately. 

Imported food will now need clearance based on these guidelines, according to Dr Dhir Singh, director, QA&S, FSSAI, in the communiqué.

As per the FSSAI list, there are 37 categories of imported food with methods for standardisation. The details on the limits of contents and methods of analysis followed have been provided. The list of products covers processed baby food milk powder including cheese. Fat oils and fats covering crude palm oils, crude sunflower oil, rapeseed or mustard oil, crude degummed soyabean oil, RBD palmoline, and olive oil.

Further, all fresh fruits, raw sugar, poppy seeds, raisins, salt and spices inclusive of dry fruits’ nuts / betel nuts / curry powder / masala powder, saffron, split cassia, cloves mace, garlic powder, cereals and pulses, red and green lentils, fish and fish products, as also meat covering frozen, canned, and chopped products are covered.

There is also a category for additives like ammonium bicarbonate, monosodium glutamate, phosphoric acid, and enzymes. In the thermally processed fruits and vegetable products there are tomato paste, juices, squashes, besides, a sweets and confectionary category, which includes chewing gum.  

Bakery products, fruit and vegetable products like dates, proprietary foods, flavouring substances, macaroni products, sweetening agents, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, dehydrated fruit and vegetable products, processed vegetables like olives in brine, flavouring agents, cereals and cereal-based products, culinary pastes and other sauces, carbonated and sweetened beverages and seasoning powders also form a key part of the list.

The FSS regulations dealing with microbiological parameters of milk and milk products mention the microbiological limits at production stage by the industry. But as per the regulations, no defined limits have been given for microbiological analysis of milk and milk products, and the parameters and limits for cheese samples have been those followed under the PFA Act.

The methods of analysis are based on directorate-general of health services, ministry of health & family welfare, and Association of Official Analytical Chemists. The guidelines are also in consultation with the norms of Bureau of Indian Standards and Alpha methods are based on American Public Health Association.

According to a section of the food industry represented by MTR Foods, ITC Foods, and Kohinoor Foods, the guidelines for imported products will put a check on the quality.

With the profusion of food retailers vending a variety of imported foods, the norms will now keep tabs on the contents, according to officials from the Karnataka Food Safety Commissioner’s office.

State to study tobacco ban in other States

Even as nine States have taken the initiative to ban tobacco products like gutka and pan masala, Andhra Pradesh will take a month to formulate an effective strategy to implement the ban. A three-member team is proposed to be sent to the neighbouring States to study the ban orders and steps taken to enforce it.
Praveen Prakash, Commissioner, Public Health, almost let down family members of the tobacco victims who favoured an immediate ban. “Without a proper implementation plan the ban will only boomerang,” he remarked even as he agreed that there was no second opinion about the health hazards of tobacco.
At a press conference here on Wednesday, he said both health education and enforcement was necessary to check the tobacco menace. The team would study the legal issues involved and come up with an effective plan, Mr. Prakash assured.
Leading doctors from various cancer hospitals highlighted the severe threat posed by tobacco and urged the government to ban it with immediate effect.
“That it causes only cancer is a myth. It causes a variety of ailments including heart disease,” said P. Vijay Anand Reddy, director, Apollo Cancer Hospitals. Director of MNJ Institute of Oncology, Kannan, director of oncology, Kamineni Hospitals, Ashwin M. Shah, and regional director, Voluntary Health Association of India, Seema Gupta, reeled out the statistics to show the threat posed by tobacco.
Out of total 29.2 per cent adult tobacco users in A.P, 11.8 per cent used smokeless form (gutka and pan masala) of tobacco and 3.3 per cent both smoking and smokeless forms. Tobacco users among women accounted for 18.8 percent. Nearly 10 lakh persons died every year of cancer caused by tobacco, they said.
Banning gutka and pan masala was now easy as they came under the food category and as per Food Safety and Standards Authority of India no food product could contain tobacco and nicotine.
The loss of productive man power due to tobacco menace was much more than the loss in revenue due to its ban, pointed out Ms. Gupta.
A housewife, Kavita, gave an account of the trauma she underwent when her husband developed cancer of mouth while a young girl, Shobana, turned misty eyed recalling the pain and anguish when her father was down with cancer. They presented a representation to Mr. Prakash to implement the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (COPTA) Act, 2003, in the State.

DINAMALAR ARTICLE