Foreign eatables
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 16 2018:
Eatables of foreign origin sold at Sangai Festival stalls would be put under intense scrutiny so as to verify their consumability.
Imphal East designated Food Safety Officer T Brojendro Khaba told The Sangai Express said that a number of food items are being imported for some foreign countries particularly Myanmar and Thailand.
Even though the Government has been working hard to prevent import of eatables from foreign countries, these efforts are not effective enough so far, Brojendro said.
He said that a number of eatable items are being imported to the State not only through Moreh-Imphal route but also through Ukhrul and Churachandpur.
Moreover, eatable items of foreign origin reach Imphal through Siliguri and Dimapur.
All eatable items imported from foreign countries must be first checked by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) .
The eatable items would be issued licences only after they are found consumable, Brojendro said.
Licence numbers given by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India should be printed on the packages of the food items.
However, a number of eatable items of foreign origin including beverages are sold in Manipur even though they do not bear any licence given by the FSSAI.
As a precautionary measure, a strict vigil would be mounted to see if any such eatable items of foreign origin are sold at the Manipur Sangai Festival stalls, he said.