New Delhi: Jul 6: After instant noodles, the country's food safety authority has now turned its focus on energy drinks containing caffeine, which are becoming increasingly popular among youngsters in urban areas, besides meat and poultry products.
A set of new regulations on meat and poultry is likely to come into effect from October 1 to improve the quality of these animal proteins, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had decided earlier this week.
On energy drinks, the regulator is looking for agencies that would conduct a major survey in 24 cities on the their consumption pattern among youngsters, particularly school and college students as well as young professionals.
More than 4,500 participants within the age group of 15-45 years will also be interviewed to find out if there are any observed behavioural changes, addictive tendencies and withdrawal symptoms.
The survey will also look at incidents of sickness or fatality, besides other disadvantages, due to consumption of these drinks. The FSSAI wants the survey completed by November.
The cities to be covered are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Gurgaon, Guwahati, Indore, Jaipur, Kota, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Manipal, Noida, Patna, Pune, Vadodara, Visakhapatnam and Shillong.
Meanwhile, meant for the entire country, the most important provision in the meat and poultry order is to ensure that animal and poultry feed don't contain bone, blood and tissues of cows and pigs. Also, slaughterhouses that produces beef and pork will not be allowed to handle poultry.
India currently has 64 licensed slaughterhouses — including four in Karnataka and one in Delhi — that have come under the FSSAI's radar.
Another key aspect of the new regulation would be asking the states to ensure limiting the use of antibiotics in poultry and meat products.
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