MUMBAI: Out of the total 20,359 samples of food articles which were examined across states during 2011-12, 1,950 were found to be adulterated, as per information provided by the Minister of State f

Days after the US mandated that the drinks containing a certain level of carcinogens will have to bear a cancer warning, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked its scientific panel to study the content of the beverages in India to see if the same warning is required here as well.
Recently, California added to its list of cancer causing chemicals a commonly used flavoured soda beverages, mandate containing a certain level of carcinogens bear a cancer warning label.

While the ingredients’ modifications were made by the beverage companies in the US caramel colouring using ammonia-sulfite in their sodas after the state of California added ammonia sulfite or 4-MI to its list of known carcinogens. The FSSAI has asked their experts to study the same. “This is a recent warning being put out.

The Delhi high court on Friday directed a committee of experts to frame guidelines to prevent rampant use of banned pesticides in vegetables and fruits and submit its report to it. The division bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Vipin Sanghi sought the report from the committee by October 8 for framing a policy for periodic checks to detect residue of pesticides in vegetables and fruits.

The bench expressed displeasure over the committee for not holding its meetings frequently to decide the guidelines. “There has been hardly any progress to the status report. In two months, only two meetings have been held. It’s not acceptable to us.

‘We have brought in stringent laws to check smoking in public places’

Members of various non-government organisations working in the area of tobacco control have demanded that Delhi too join the various States across the country and ban gutka/smokless tobacco products sale in the Capital which will have a direct health benefit for over 10 lakh gutka users specially youngsters. Voluntary Health Association of India executive director Bhavna Mukhopadhyay said: “We have met with the Delhi Chief Minister on Monday and asked her to consider the ban.

KOHIMA: Nagaland State has earned the unenviable position of being ranked second among Indian states in terms of tobacco consumption, next to another small North-eastern State Mizoram.

According to latest survey conducted by Global Adult Tobacco, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), every second man and every third women in Nagaland is addicted to tobacco.

Aim is to make food business operators accountable: FSSAI

The food poisoning episodes in the State capital and the shocking revelations from raids conducted across the State might well prove to be the starting point of a much sterner food administration regime in the State along with the rest of the country. The country is all poised for enforcement of the Food and Safety Standards Act 2006 which prescribes science-based standards for various items of food and seeks to regulate the manufacture, storage, sale, etc. so that these are absolutely safe for human consumption

In a shocking incident, a consignment of pickle meant for export to Canada was found to be contaminated with Sudan 1 — a dye, typically used for colouring oils, waxes, petrol, shoe polishes and thought to increase the risk of cancer.

Calling it a serious issue, the Food Safety and Standards of India (FSSAI) has sent out an advisory to all states and UTs to make concerted effort to check such type of menaces in local market. The FSSAI has also asked the commissioners of food safety of states to take stringent measures.

New Delhi In its bid to regulate the food sector, the government has launched a census for food business operators in the country.

An observation by the Supreme Court that gutkha is food has set off a tussle between the Health Ministry and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India over regulating the product.

India has decided that antibiotics should not be used at any stage of honey production, thereby conforming with the norms of European Union.

The recommendation of the Food Safety and Standards of India (FSSAI) will soon be notified by the Union health ministry which will make mandatory for the producers that honey samples conform to these regulatory measures before they can be declared safe for the consumption. The government had been working on these standards since last year after it was found that lots, even those sold by top brands, had traces of antibiotics and pesticides in them. The antibiotics are being used by the bee-keeping industry to control diseases in honey bees and to increase the production.