Eating at roadside food stalls could be a risky affair

INDORE: Student Ayush Jain, along with friends, tried a glass of fruit juice to beat the scorching summer heat at a shop at Janzeerwala crossing recently. One glass each of mango juice had them stay in bed for the next three days because of food poisoning. Since then, they eat only at proper restaurants with proper hygiene and environment.

You might get tempted to visit that roadside chat centre everytime you cross a particular street but chances are high that with palate tickling food, you are also served germs free of cost. A number of chat centres, juice shops and other roadside eateries in city are running without any valid licence or permission. Also they are hardly supervised by the officials concerned thus increasing the chances of sale of substandard food and risk to our health.

Raj Thakur owns a tea stall in Vijay Nagar where he also sells snacks and juice. When asked if he had to get a licence or permission for the stall, he said, "I have been running the shop for the past two years and no one ever enquired about the licence or permission. We pay Indore municipal corporation (IMC) a monthly amount of 3,000 with a receipt in return. That is all the documentation we go through. We make sales worth Rs 3,000 everyday."

Owner of another juice centre without licence at Rasoma Crossing , Rakesh Kumar said, "I am from Banaras and for past few years I have been coming to Indore in summers to set up a shop. None ever came to inspect the quality of food or check the availability of licence. We never faced any complication except that we have to pay a nominal fee to municipal corporation staff."

Although registration fee is nominal (Rs100) for registering such small food joints, ignorance about the procedure has led to such a scenario.

Food and drug safety officer, Indore, Manish Swamy said "These small food vendors are put in the category of petty vendors by the government; however the food quality standard guidelines are the same for them. Although we only have 4,000 registered petty vendors in the city, the total number of such food joints might exceed 15,000. Though running such a setup without licence is a punishable offence."

Designated officer, food and drug administration, Dr Ashok Dagaria said "Our department runs continuous checks regularly in different zones across the city. With summers approaching, we will be running thorough inspections around the city to have the situation under control."

Panel to examine suggestions on sale of quality mutton in JK

Srinagar:The government on Thursday constituted a six-member committee to examine suggestions on slaughtering of animals and sale of quality mutton by the butchers in the Kashmir Valley.
The committee comprising Commissioner, Food Safety as its convener has also been tasked to consider setting up of livestock check posts at Lakhanpur, Lower Munda and Hirpora Shopian in state.
The members of the committee include administrative Secretaries of CAPD and Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department besides Special/Additional Secretary Finance Department (Incharge of taxation), Health Officers of Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations.  
“The Committee shall submit its report to the Health and Medical Education Department within a week’s time,” the government said.
The decision was taken apropos to the directions by a division bench of court comprising Justices Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Janak Raj Kotwal last month.  
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation, seeking effective implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
The court had observed that there is deficient mechanism in place to check slaughtering of animals and sale of quality mutton by the butchers in the Valley.
Subsequently, the bench had asked advocate B A Khan, standing counsel Srinagar Municipal Corporation, about it.
The latter had produced a copy of suggestions as formulated by the Municipal Veterinary Officer, SMC, regarding the issue and court put it on record while terming it as apposite.
Accordingly, the court had directed Chief Secretary to constitute relevant committee, who shall examine the suggestions and asked the top bureaucrat of the state to file compliance by or before next date of the hearing.

Re-launch of pepper futures likely

Pepper futures contracts on commodity exchanges might be re-launched soon when the controversial mineral oil issue is resolved.

The issue had rocked the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and led to sealing of 8,000 tonnes of the commodity in Kochi and suspension of trade in December 2012. The Forward Markets Commission (FMC) had asked the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) to resolve the issue before granting permission to re-launch the contracts, temporarily suspended a few months ago.

Following this, NCDEX released the payment for testing the samples of pepper sealed by FSSAI, applying for new contracts afresh. As FMC didn't mention mineral oil testing in the contract, it chose to suspend the contract to avoid controversy. Meanwhile, the mineral oil issue related to the pepper stocks sealed by FSSAI in Kochi has gradually lost relevance.

Used to polish sub-standard pepper, mineral oil evaporates after three months. That FSSAI is in no hurry to release the sealed pepper is evident from the fact that a random check of two lots (of nine tonnes and 24 tonnes) in February found no trace of mineral oil.

The two lots were found deposited by farmers who, according to experts, did not have adequate resources and skill for mineral oil polishing.

However, now, FSSAI has changed the evaluation method. Against random checks earlier, it is now evaluating the stocks through the cleansing method---samples from all packets are taken for testing in an independent laboratory. "We are aware of the fact that pepper absorbs mineral oil and chances are the traces of mineral oil, if any, would evaporate over time.

Hence, instead of random checks earlier, we are carrying out the cleansing method of sampling, which would necessarily call for samples from every pack," said Anil Kumar, joint commissioner of FSSAI, Thiruvananthapuram.

FSSAI's Kerala unit had, on December 18, sealed about 8,000 tonnes of pepper, worth Rs 300 crore, in various warehouses registered with NCDEX.

Experts at the Spices Board have already started issuing the analytical report. "As soon as we get the analytical report from the Spices Board, we would release the quantity," said Kumar.

Mineral oil is banned in India, and it isn't used with edible commodities.

Apples that won't keep doctors away

Apples that won't keep doctors away

 

The wax coating on apples that were immersed in water for three hours. The apples were brought by a Tripunithura resident from a shop there

The next time you buy exotic apples from the market, beware! The foreign apples, which may look tempting, are being coated with wax, according to health experts.

Most of the apples that arrive from the foreign market, especially from the US, are coated with wax to ensure that their colour is not lost during the export-import process. If the actual colour is maintained, the apples will look fresh when it is displayed at the retail outlets.

Based on the reports that such outer coatings are hazardous to the human body, the State Food Safety Department had conducted a drive to ensure that these apples are safe for consumption.

However, District Food safety Officer Ajith Kumar said that coating apples with wax was permitted as it has never been proved to be hazardous to health.

 Honeybee Amusements introduces ice-cream brand Mini Melts in Bengaluru

Honeybee Amusements Pvt Ltd (HBAPL), the holding company for Mini Melts ice-cream's India franchise, has launched its first outlet in Bengaluru. Mini Melts will be available at over 20 locations in the Karnataka capital during its launch phase. It has also set a target to open 1,200 outlets across the country in the next three years.

“Given the onset of a sizzling summer in India, we have brought in a perfect companion to beat the heat with its first launch in Bengaluru,” said Shoeab Salim, managing director, HBAPL. Mini Melts is available in an array of premium flavours and is manufactured using a patented process.

It is priced at Rs 40 for an 82g (3oz) cup. There is also a 5oz variant priced at Rs 60 and an 8oz pack priced at Rs 85. It will be available at retail kiosks, carts and serving freezers at theme parks, entertainment centres, retail stores, shopping malls, cafes, etc., where people, particularly children, congregate.

“In addition to the standard flavours, it will offer exclusive specialty flavours from time to time, for special events and holidays. It can also be custom-made to any flavour or colour desired if the customer places a minimum order of 60 gallon,” Salim added.

Mini Melts' specialty international flavours include Banana Split, Birthday Cake, Chocolate, Cotton Candy, Mint Chocolate, OREO Cookie and Cream, Double Chocolate Chip, Strawberry and Vanilla. Mini Melts has three product ranges covering ice-cream, sorbet and ice granules.

It contains 100 per cent milk fat and is vegetarian. The brand will be rolled out in the National Capital Region (NCR), Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in the next phase. The ice-cream is produced at a temperature of about -190 degrees.

Unlike traditional ice-cream, Mini Melts is flash-frozen to lock in its flavour and has no air whipped into it, so the consumer gets 100 per cent pure ice-cream. It comes in small popcorn shapes. In order to keep its shape and flavour, Mini Melts is stored at -45 degrees C in specially designed and imported freezers.

The Indian ice-cream market is worth Rs 2,500 crore and is growing at 20 per cent annually. Mini Melts is pegged at the top end of the market with affordable pricing that will drive its market share.

“We will launch the Mini Melts Kids Café network to add to the experience of consuming the ice-cream,” Salim said. Other high-growth areas that have been identified include forming strategic partnerships with value-added resellers and restaurant operators.

HBAPL has set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Bengaluru, which is in the process of seeking ISO:22000 certification. All equipment for production and packaging has been imported from the United States, in addition to the patented recipes and ice cream-making formulae.

Mangoes’ ripening: Raids on, but calcium carbide still used in Maharashtra

Unscrupulous traders continue to use calcium carbide to ripen fruits such as mangoes and apples despite the fact that the carcinogenic chemical was banned under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006 and Regulations (FSSR), 2011.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra, the state food regulator, took strict action against the mango traders in the past by seizing and destroying over 100 kg of mangoes, which were ripened using calcium carbide. But now it is difficult to tour the state and raid the premises of every fruit trader who allegedly uses the chemical.

Therefore, the practice is still rampant in many parts of the state, because the traders no longer fear being noticed by the authorities. Besides mangoes (the state's favourite summer fruit), calcium carbide is used to ripen such vitamin-rich fruit as papaya, bananas and watermelon.

On the condition of anonymity, a top food official from FDA Maharashtra informed FnB News that they had issued a circular to all the food safety officers (FSOs) across the state, instructing them to roll up their sleeves and make sure no amount of artificially-ripened mangoes make their way to markets across the state this year.

Navi Mumbai
It has been learnt that traders at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, are still using calcium carbide to ripen mangoes. The fruit, which has been ripened artificially, arrives in the wholesale market earlier than that ones ripened naturally.

The weather plays a key role in the yield, and according to Sanjay Pansare, director, fruit market, APMC, this year's crop was good because the weather was good. He said, “APMC, Vashi receives around 55,000 boxes of mangoes every day. Each box contains between four and eight dozen mangoes, depending on the quality.”

Mangoes are normally priced at Rs 1,000 per dozen during the season, but the early arrivals are priced between Rs 100 and Rs 400 at the APMC market. These prices tempt many to buy the artificially-ripened fruit. Unaware of the method used to ripen the fruit, they consume them and become susceptible to a number of ailments.

The Thane division of FDA Maharashtra recently raided APMC, Vashi, to check the use of calcium carbide, which hastens the ripening of mangoes unnaturally. The FDA officials said that they did not have any evidence to prove the allegation that the traders use the banned chemical on the market premises.

The traders at the APMC fruit market, on their part, claimed that calcium carbide is no longer used on its premises, adding that all the mangoes sold there have ripened naturally. However, the reality is different. The stench emanating from the fruit lingers in the air, putting visitors off.

On a recent visit to APMC, FnB News discovered that despite the ban on calcium carbide and the action the authorities are taking against the traders, workers hailing from states like West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand make small pouches of the banned chemical and put these inside the boxes containing the fruit.

Sohail Shah, a fruit agent at APMC, informed, “The excess mango supply and the slowdown in prices have been worrying traders a lot. Traders fear that the fruit may get spoilt if not sold on time. That is why they have been adopting unfair means to ripen the fruit and sell it in the market.”

Aalam Khan, who hails from Bihar's Madhubani district and is a worker at the APMC market, said, “We secretly use calcium carbide after the official raids, not in the front of market.” But a trader, on the condition of anonymity, informed, “Calcium carbide has been used to ripen the fruit for years, and the process will continue forever.”

However, Pansare refuted the allegation and blamed the media for maligning the market. He added, “The practice of using calcium carbide stopped long ago. Not even a single fruit trader in the APMC market uses calcium carbide. They only use ethylene as a catalyst to ripen the fruit nowadays. The use of this gas is permitted.”

Dr Jayashree Sharad, managing director, Skinfiniti, said, “The excessive use of calcium carbide to ripen fruit can cause cancer in the long run. The mangoes normally ripen at the end of April, therefore all mangoes which are available before Gudi Padwa in the market are ripened through acetylene gas produced from calcium carbide.”

“Mangoes cannot be ripened in just 12 hours. Only the skin of the fruit turns yellow when acetylene gas is used as the catalyst to ripen it, but it doesn't ripen. Industrial-grade calcium carbide contains traces of arsenic and phosphorous, which are harmful to the body. It damages the skin, kidneys, heart and liver, and causes ulcer and gastric problems,” Sharad said.

Nashik
At a recent meeting, the Nashik division of FDA Maharashtra created awareness among mango traders about the adverse impact calcium carbide could have on the health of the consumers, and warned them that strict action would be taken against them if they did not stop using the chemical.

Chandrakant Pawar, joint food commissioner of the state food regulator's Nashik division, said, “At the meeting, we explained to them about the ill-effects of using calcium carbide to ripen the fruit. It was also suggested that the traders adopt the safer methods of ripening fruits – using ethylene gas or keeping the fruit in a box containing hay.”

“But if the use of calcium carbide is still in vogue, nothing can be done with the shortage of manpower,” he said. A fruit trader from Nashik, on the condition of anonymity, said, “One kg of calcium carbide costs only Rs 80, and it can ripen one tonne of mangoes overnight. Thus without thinking about the ill-effect of it on consumers, we take the opportunity to cash on it.”