Tag Archives: food adulteration

Poison in food

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If we look at officials records, the banning of Maggi noodles will look as an isolated incident. Maggi was the first instant noodles to be introduced in India in 1982 and the pre-1982 generation had not tasted anything like that before. However, the food item had hardly been examined critically though sometimes perceived as unhealthy having several additives and preservatives in it.

When the dust settles down, Maggi will bounce back. Many Indians would not have even heard of the controversy and they will continue to relish the foreign food. The Maggi incident will not be a lesson for either the authorities or the people. In fact, there are thousands of products in the market which can be worse than Maggi.

The Food Safety and Standards Act was enacted in 2006 with more stringent provisions than the erstwhile Food Adulteration Act. However, during the past nine years, the authorities have not cared to strictly enforce the Act, but for occasional tests and warnings.

The problem is not confirmed to large packaged food manufacturers. Many food items such as vegetables and grains in the market are contaminated or adulterated. Items procured by large manufacturers cannot be free of contaminants and it is not easy to test all the items that go into production. Many smaller operators cannot even afford to do any testing at all.

It has been found that excessive quantities of pesticides are being used in vegetables cultivated in Tamil Nadu and grains in Punjab. Sometime back, all samples of packaged chilly power sold in Kerala were found to

Potassium dichromate used as an adulterant in chilly powder affects resperatory system, liver, kidneys,eyes, skin and blood.

Potassium dichromate used as an adulterant in chilly powder affects resperatory system, liver, kidneys,eyes, skin and blood.

have highly toxic and carcinogenic potassium dichromate in it. Even products of well known brands had it. It turned out that they were procuring chilly powder from North India and was merely packaging and marketing it in Kerala without any testing. (It was more profitable for them to buy the powder than buy the raw material for powdering in Kerala.)

Nothing was heard of prosecution in these cases. And it is not known whether chilly power sold in Kerala still has potassium dichromate. Pesticide residues and contaminants sometimes become undetectable after processing. All these point to the need for stricter food safety enforcement covering the source to final product.

 

Poisoned food

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Every man has a right to food as implicit in the right to employment. However, this right is being denied not only to the poor but also to others also these days.

Almost all the food items sold in public markets are poisoned. The situation usually goes beyond mere adulteration. High levels of red and yellow category pesticides including organo-chlorine and organo phosphorous pesticides found in vegetables and fruits. There are reports from Tamil Nadu that some farmers cultivate vegetables differently for own use and sale.Mangoes

Pesticide is applied at every stage on vegetables for sale. Coconut too has become unsafe with the use of aluminium phosphide.  Some of these applications are quite unnecessary or by way of extreme action to prevent pest attack. The consumption of vegetables treated thus has resulted in high incidence of various diseases, including impotency and kidney failure.

Pesticide is being applied even on fish to keep away flies. Fomalin is being used to prevent rotting.  Milk also comes with pesticides and formalin besides a number of chemicals used for preservation including antibiotics. These can cause serious health problems. Very few dairies supply milk that is not dangerous.

Similar is the case with meat. Quality checks are only in paper while producers and traders use all sorts of methods to increase yield.  The government had been failing to act the new food adulteration law, citing various excuses including absence of laboratories for routine checks.  The real reason for lack of enforcement is, however, the nexus among traders, politicians and officials.