FSSAI launches Rs 482 cr scheme to upgrade food testing labs

Food safety regulator FSSAI today announced a Rs 482-crore scheme to strengthen the food testing infrastructure in the country. 

"The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) has rolled out a major scheme for strengthening of Food Testing Infrastructure in the country at an estimated cost of Rs 482 crore, in the light of the recent observations by High Court, Mumbai, regarding the urgent need to upgrade food testing Laboratories in India," FSSAI said in a statement.

The empowered committee constituted for implementing this scheme held its first meeting on November 2, which was chaired by FSSAI Chairperson. 

The representatives from various ministries such as Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Export Inspection Council, NABL and 7 States/UTs were present. 

"Proposals from 7 States/UTs, namely, Goa, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab were considered for strengthening their food Testing infrastructure. Two proposals, from Chandigarh (Punjab) and Calicut (Kerala), were approved in principle," FSSAI said. 

The other states were requested to revise and resubmit their proposals according to the scheme guidelines with mentorship support from FSSAI. 

The committee also approved the proposal for strengthening the referral food laboratory at Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI) through provision of latest equipment and facilities. 

Introduction of these equipment facilities would enhance the testing capability of CFTRI for adulteration of honey and pesticide and antibiotic residues in food samples. 

Under this scheme, 45 State/UT food testing labs (at least one in each State/UT with a provision of two labs in larger states) and 14 referral food testing labs will be upgraded to enable them to obtain NABL accreditation, FSSAI said. 

As many as 62 Mobile Testing labs will also be established across all States/UTs. There are currently 4 Mobile food Testing labs in Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which will serve as a model for these Mobile Testing labs. 

The capacity building of the Food Testing labs is also an important component of this scheme. 

In addition, a School Food and Hygiene Programme has been envisaged under which basic food testing labs would be set up in 1,500 schools/colleges across the country to promote a culture of safe and wholesome food.

Want to start a food truck business? Here’s what you need to know

India has been a late bloomer in the business of food trucks, butnevertheless we have caught on. There’s a lot of potential in this business as people’s requirements are changing. Because time is a luxury for many, fast food first came as god-send. The younger food truck business on the other hand has overshadowed the fast food industry. Firstly, because the food isn’t mass produced, and secondly, because it serves faster, cheaper and possibly much healthier food.

While the risks involved in this business are relatively low, there are still a few essentials you need to take care of. Here’s what you need to know.
Things you should be investing in

A food truck is a good place to start. There are many food tuck designers or manufacturers who will be willing to customise one for you. Since a basic food truck will cost you about 7-11 lakhs, a customised one will be more expensive. Remodelling your basic truck to install a kitchen, however, might be more economical.

Next, think of the equipment you’ll need. This mostly depends on your menu, but most cuisines need common equipment like sinks, an oven, a refrigerator and hot plates. So chalk these out and plan your finances. Working out of a home kitchen can seem like a good idea to save on equipment costs but it might keep you tethered to an unfavourable location. If you plan to cook some in your home-kitchen and then transfer to the food truck, factor in the limited revenue from your limited transferred food.

If you thought “duh!” at the idea of a food truck, you’ll be surprised to know that you might not need one after all. South to Mouth, a mobile food stop in Ahmedabad, works out of an open auto-rickshaw. They make do, and very well, with basic equipment like hot pans and a stove.

Invest in the design of your truck. This is your chance at good advertising, so make it creative and eye-catching.

Invest in talent. Your menu and the response your business generates will both tell you whether or not to hire more cooks. It iswise, however, to have as many hands as you can afford.

Don’t forget licencing

It’s best to get these out of the way before you delve into the fun part of your business planning. You will first need either a Food Business Operating Licence or Shop and Establishment licence from FSSAI(Food Safety & Standards Authority of India). Then, you will need to licence your food truck as a commercial vehicle from the RTO of your city. Once this is out of the way, you will need a licence from the fire department stating that you comply with their fire safety guidelines. The last formality you’ll need to attend to is the insurance of your truck and kitchen equipment.

Target market and location go hand in hand

You mightprobably plan this simultaneously. Your target market will tell you which cuisine to choose, whether you’d benefit predominantly from veg or non-veg items on the menu, or if you can utilise alternatives like health snacks. Your target market will also lead you to your location.

Deciding on your location depends on what kind of revenue you’re expecting. If you choose to locate your truck near schools, your peak profit period will be in the evenings and not during the school hours. If, on the other hand, you locate yourself in a commercial area like shopping complexes, your business will be active throughout the day. If you only want to work on weekends or late nights, you could target music festivals. There are a lot of options once you know what you want from your food truck business.

While these are the fundamentals one needs to know before starting off, your business will be more stable if you talk to people who have 'been there, done that. There should be no stopping you afterwards. Happy food trucking!

Mother Dairy to sell Vitamin D-fortified token milk across Delhi-NCR

NEW DELHI, NOV 3: 

Mother Dairy on Thursday announced that it will be selling Vitamin D-fortified token milk across Delhi-NCR.

The company said this fortified milk will be available through its booth and vending points of token milk at the existing price. It said it has been supplying Vitamin A-fortified token milk since 1984 in a branded format.

Mother Dairy is next working on fortifying its entire range of poly pack milk and plans to re-launch all its variants with Vitamin A & D by the end of 2016.

In a statement, TSR Murali, Chief R&D Officer, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt Ltd, said, “At Mother Dairy, we believe that the move of formalising fortification of milk by the regulatory authorities is the most sought after step in the right direction. As a nation, Vitamin A & D deficiency in India is real and concerning, resulting in issues related to vision growth, osteoporosis and other health problems. Hence, fortification of milk with these core vitamins is a perfect choice for consumers to address their daily micro-nutrient needs.”

The company’s move comes after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India released new standards for fortification of milk, oil, rice, wheat flour besides salt last month.

Duplicity regarding Legal Metrology Rules and FSS Act creating hurdles

New Delhi: The prevailing duality regarding the Legal Metrology Act, 2009/Legal Metrology Rules, 2011 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006/Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, with specific reference to packaging and labelling requirements on processed foods, is creating difficulties and confusion in the food processing sector and will be a major roadblock in the minds of investors.

This was informed by the stakeholders of food processing industries to Harsimrat Kaur Badal, minister of food processing industries, at a meeting held to discuss the problems faced by the sector. The former wanted the ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) to intervene to clear the confusion likely to arise due to the duality of regulations.

The announcement made by the legal metrology department of the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, which stated that the manufacturers of packaged commodities keep 40 per cent of the area of the pack for vital information such as the date of manufacturing, address and nutritional information, and the recently amended rules that give the competent authority the power to specify the rates and quantities of the commodities, has made the processed food industry worried about the future course.

It was stated that the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, was perceived as an act to consolidate the laws relating to food. The objective was a part of the preamble to the Act. Subsequently the Act, and orders such as Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 (PFA), Food Products Order, 1955 (FPO), Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992 (MMPO), Meat Food Products Order, 1973 (MFPO) and Vegetable oils, De-oiled meal and edible flour control order, 1967 (VPO) were subsumed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 as per its Section 97 mentioned under the Second Schedule of the Act.

“However, the Standards of Weights and Measures Act and the related Packaged Commodities Rules, which regulate packaging and labelling aspects continue to apply on food products,” stated a memorandum submitted to the ministry.

“The provisions of these regulations should have been made in-operation to the extent they apply to food products, but the same has not been done as yet, despite repeated requests by the industry,” it added.

“These regulations are now titled Legal Metrology Act, 2009/Legal Metrology Rules, 2011, and continue to cover packaging and labelling aspects of food products and other items,” the memorandum said.

It added that both the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, prescribed regulations on packaging and labelling of food products and were a major irritant to the food industry.

“There are overlapping and conflicting provisions under the two regulations which cause serious harassment and impede growth. And therefore, it is strongly proposed that the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, should not be applicable on food products so as to avoid duality of regulations. Food products should continue to be regulated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the regulations thereof,” the memorandum added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution issued a notification on September 7, 2016 [amending the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodity) Rules, 2011 (LMR) and inserting provisions stating that the competent authority could fix standards quantity and retail sale prices of essential commodities prescribed under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (ECA).]

It was done to control the recent spurt in prices of several packaged commodities such as pulses. However industry sources felt that it could have a detrimental impact on the industry.

Said an industry representative, “The insertion of Proviso in Rule 6 of LMR relating to fixing of prices of essential commodities by the competent authority under ECA may impact the industry as the prices of essential commodities will be regulated by the competent authority of government leaving no power with the industry to have control on the pricing of their commodities/products, which, in turn, may have financial implications for the industry.”

“The industry will be bound to sell the products at prices prescribed by the competent authority as the contravention of it may lead to violation of ECA leading to a fine and even criminal prosecution under several circumstances,” he added.

“The insertion of Proviso is Rule 5 of LMR may not have a negative impact if the standard quantities prescribed by the competent authority are consistent with the standard quantities specified under the Second Schedule of LMR ass the industry is, in any case, complying the standard quantities prescribed in LMR for the commodities mentioned therein,” the representative stated.

“However, if the competent authority chooses to prescribe the standard quantity of essential commodities which differs from standard quantities under LMR, the industry may have to change the packaging of their products as the standard quantity fixed by the competent authority under ECA shall prevail. This may also put an additional financial burden on the industry,” he added.

Further, with regards to the rule that 40 per cent of the space on the package used for vital information, the industry has made several representations before the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, but no action has been taken as yet.

கிராம பகுதி கடைகளில் காலாவதி பொருள் விற்பனை கனஜோர்

தேவ தா னப் பட்டி, நவ. 3:

தேவ தா னப் பட்டி பகு தி யில் உள்ள கிரா மங் க ளில் கடை க ளில் காலா வ தி யான பொருட் கள் விற் பனை செய் வ தாக பொது மக் கள் குற் றம் சாட் டு கின் ற னர்.

தேவ தா னப் பட் டியை சுற் றி யுள்ள கிரா மங் க ளில் கடை க ளில் காலா வ தி யான உணவு பொருட் கள் மற் றும் அன் றாட தேவை க ளுக்கு பயன் ப டும் பொருட் கள் உள் ளிட் ட வை கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கி றது. பொம் மி நா யக் கன் பட்டி, குள் ளப் பு ரம், அ.வாடிப் பட்டி, முத லக் கம் பட்டி உள் ளிட்ட கிரா மங் க ளில் படிப் ப றிவு இல் லாத பொது மக் கள் கடை க ளுக்கு சென்று பொருட் கள் கேட் டால் இது போல் காலா வ தி யான பொருட் களை விற் கின் ற னர். மேலும் திரு விழா காலத் தி லும், விஷேச நேரங் க ளில் இது போல காலா வதி பொருட் கள் விற் பனை படு ஜோ ராக நடப் ப தாக பொது மக் கள் குற் றம் சாட் டு கின் ற னர்.

இது குறித்து அப் ப கு தி வாசி ஒரு வர் கூறு கை யில், இந்த பகு தி யில் உள்ள கிரா மங் க ளில் படிப் ப றி வில் லாத மக் களை ஏமாற்றி காலா வதி பொருட் களை கடைக் கா ரர் கள் விற் பனை செய் கின் ற னர். இது குறித்து உணவு, பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் கடை க ளில் அதி ரடி சோதனை நடத்தி காலா வ தி யான பொருட் களை விற் பனை செய் யும் கடைக் கா ரர் கள் மீது உரிய நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் க வேண் டும் என் றார்.

IFFI: first batch of certified food vendors to cater to crowds

PANAJI: Goa’s street food vendors could be sporting a smart, new look this IFFI 2016. About 40 food vendors will be attractively turned out in stylish uniforms with matching apron, caps and wearing gloves while preparing and serving food.

The well-groomed vendors, who are a far cry from the usual scruffy looks of a gaddo owner, will be trained in hygiene and sanitation and will be displaying on their carts a certificate of safe food practices issued by the FDA office.

Serve Safe Food@ Street Food, a food safety and hygiene training and certification programme for street food vendors kicked off at the FDA office in Bambolim on Wednesday and the new avatar of local food vendors is courtesy the programme. All the registered and unregistered street food vendors of the state are due for training with a completion time schedule of end-January 2017. There are an estimated 500 registered vendors currently while unregistered are likely to be in the 150 range.

Salim Veljee, director of FDA, said that certified and trained vendors during an international event of IFFI will send out a message that Goa is safe place for street food. “Participation is voluntary and FDA will not be playing the role of a regulator and force vendors to train,” he said, while appealing to all vendors present to be a part of the initiative.

Project ‘Serve Safe Food@ Street Food’ is an initiative of by the central government viz. FSSAI and Goa is the first state where it is launched as a pilot scheme. It will be gradually extended to other states, said Veljee. MNC food company, Nestle India, is supporting the project in the state as part of its CSR activities together with Delhi-based National Association of Street Food Vendors of India (NASVI).

Sanjay Khajuria, senior vice president, corporate affairs, Nestle India, said that street food is the tastiest but fear of getting ill is always in the mind while eating it. “Goa as a tourist state should aim in becoming like Thailand or some of the South East Asian countries where you can close your eyes and eat street food,” he said. About 90 per cent of illness can be avoided with clean food and water, added, Khajuria.

NASVI has sent six trainers to educate street food vendors on safe and hygienic food. Arbind Singh, national co-ordinator, NASVI, said that the programme is an opportunity for street food vendors to change and they must grab the chance and learn preparation and handling of food in a hygienic manner. NASVI is launched an app in Delhi giving the names of food cart operators and the app would also be launched in the state.

The national organisation of street vendors is planning to hold a street food festival around January-February on the lines of similar festival in Delhi. “Street food melts in the mouth, is popular and everyone loves it,” said Singh.

Anupama removed as Food Safety Commissioner

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: P V Anupama was today removed as Food Safety Commissioner and she has been transferred to Social Justice Department as its director. 

P Balakiran, who was the Social justice department director, has been appointed as Panchayat director.

FSSAI finalizes norms for fruit content in fizzy drinks

FSSAI has notified that drinks with fruit juice quantity below 10% but not less than 5%, and 2.5% in case of lime or lemon, should be called carbonated beverage with fruit juice

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released a definition for carbonated fruit beverages.

It has notified that beverages with fruit juice quantity below 10% but not less than 5%, and 2.5% in case of lime or lemon, should be called carbonated beverage with fruit juice.

This is part of the 11th amendment of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) regulations, 2016. “… in such cases the requirement of TSS (total soluble solids) shall not apply and the quantity of fruit juice shall be declared on the label,” the FSSAI notification, which came through The Gazette of India dated 25 October and was uploaded on FSSAI’s website on 1 November, read. TSS determines the quality of fruit juice content in beverages.

Before this, FSSAI guidelines on aerated beverages did not define carbonated fruit beverages and there was no set standard that the industry could have followed. In June, the food regulator had released a draft notification, defining ‘carbonated fruit beverages or carbonated fruit drinks’, seeking views from industry within two months.

The prescribed fruit content level, however, is much higher than what the industry had asked for. Indian Beverages Association, an industry lobby that bats for beverages companies, had asked the regulator to lower the fruit juice content threshold in carbonated beverages from 10% (minimum) to 3%.

The definition of fruit-based carbonated beverages came more than two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged multinational carbonated beverages companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to mix natural fruit juice (at least 5%) in aerated beverages to help augment fruit sales for Indian farmers. “Millions of people buy Pepsi and Coke. I have asked these companies if they can put 5% natural juice in their drinks,” Modi had said in September 2014.

Some of the beverages makers have already launched carbonated beverages with fruit content during the past one year.

Coca-Cola India, the local arm of American beverage maker Coca-Cola Co., already sells Fanta Green Mango, a carbonated drink that has 10.4% fruit content. Rival PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd, the local arm of American food and beverages company PepsiCo Inc, sells Nimbooz Masala Soda, a juice-based (5% lemon juice) aerated beverage.

While Coca-Cola started piloting with Fanta Green Mango about a year after Modi’s speech, PepsiCo had launched Nimbooz Masala Soda nationally in the summer of 2015.

Both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have been working on more fruit-based carbonated beverages and were waiting for FSSAI to come out with clear guidelines. Both the companies have plans to launch more products in the category over the next few years, Mint reported on 22 July.

Not just Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, in July home-grown Dabur India Ltd entered into the fizzy drinks market by launching a range of fruit juice-based aerated drinks under the brand—Réal VOLO, which the company claims has 20-25% fruit juice content.

Mumbai-based Parle Agro Pvt. Ltd sells Appy Fizz. In February, Bisleri International launched Bisleri Pop, an aerated fruit-based drink, to re-enter the carbonated beverages market that it exited in 1993 after its promoter Ramesh Chauhan sold five popular brands—Thums Up, Limca, Gold Spot, Maaza and Citra— to Coca-Cola. Chauhan had a non-compete agreement with Coca-Cola that expired in 2008.

During the past few years, cola companies have seen sales of carbonated beverages being impacted with consumers opting for juices and fruit-based drinks. In 2015, juices saw a volume growth of 20.06% and a value growth of 25.78% over the previous year. Fizzy drinks, in the same period, grew 8.42% by volume and 10.82% by value, according to market research firm Euromonitor International.