25% food samples found adulterated in state

Posted by Ranjan kumar jha on September 2, 2011 at 10:53am View Blog

PATNA: With Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSA), 2006 coming into force across the country from August 5, 2011, anyone found selling adulterated food items now faces rigorous imprisonment and huge fine. Under the new act, adulterators may be sentenced to even life imprisonment or fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, depending on severity of the crime. Now, genetically modified food, organic food, health food and dietary supplements, alcohol and beverages can also be tested under this act. It has recently been found that the incidence of adulteration in cereals, milk, edible oils, spices and foodgrains is very high in Bihar. "More than 25% of the total 300 food samples tested daily in the state's lone food and drug laboratory in Patna, are found adulterated," JK Singh, deputy director of the laboratory, told TOI. Talking about the procedure of testing of adulterated food products, Singh said, "Samples of consumable products are collected from markets by the competent authority in different districts of the state during routine checking or sudden raid. The food products are then forwarded to the testing laboratory here and the findings are later sent to the concerned authority for further action." Regarding the adverse effects of consumption of adulterated food, an expert said, "Regular intake of adulterated food items can lead to many health problems, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain and nausea. Cereals and products like wheat and wheat flour, gram flour, refined flour and 'sattu', rice and grams have been found to have the presence of dust,

insects, fungus. In milk and milk products like 'khoya', cottage cheese and curd, mainly starch and sodium bicarbonate are used for adulteration. Besides, in spices and condiments, mostly artificial yellow colour, lead chromate, brick powder and dust are added. The act also covers items like tea, coffee, soft drink, jelly, ketchup, jam, pan masala, sweets and sweetening agents, flavour materials, salt, sugar, vanaspati, meat and horticulture products. Medical products, cosmetics, drugs, animal feed and narcotics do not come under the purview of this act. "The competent authority can seize and recall the adulterated products," said Singh. He added, "All the consumable product firms, with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh, will have to get registered. Firms with annual turnover of over Rs 12 lakh per annum will need licence besides registration."

BIHAR GOVT TO TAKE STRICT ACTION AGAINST FOOD ADULTERATION07 Dec, 2011 - PATNA BIHAR

Authorities in Bihar have decided to take strict action against food adulteration as the menace grows across the state. Incidence of adulteration in food items such as edible oils, milk, cereals, food grains, spices, etc has been found to be very high leading to a

variety

of

health

problems.

Now with Food Safety & Standard Act (FSSA), 2006 already into force across the country, authorities in Bihar have decided to strictly enforce the law against adulteration in order to check the growing menace. Recently, out of 144 samples collected from various shops in Patna and sent to laboratory for testing, about 85 were found to be adulterated with various chemicals. Similarly, 55 samples out of 108 collected from various shops and eateries in Muzaffarpur were found to be carrying harmful products. The authorities say with FSSSA in force, they can take strict against the culprits. Under the new Act, the offenders would incur a jail term or a fine up to 10 lakh rupees.

Prevention of Food Adulteration ProgrammeThe Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is responsible for ensuring safe food to the consumers. Keeping this in view, a legislation called "Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954" was enacted. The objective envisaged in this legislation was to ensure pure and wholesome food to the consumers and also to prevent fraud or deception. The Act has been amended thrice in 1964, 1976 and in 1986 with the objective of plugging the loopholes and making the punishments more stringent and empowering Consumers and Voluntary Organisations to play a more effective role in its implementation. The subject of the Prevention of Food Adulteration is in the concurrent list of the constitution. However, in general, the enforcement of the Act is done by the State/U.T Governments. The Central Government primarily plays an advisory role in its implementation besides carrying out various statutory functions/duties assigned to it under the various provisions of the Act. The laws regulating the quality of food have been in force in the country since 1899. Until 1954, several States formulated their own food laws. But there was a considerable variance in the rules and specifications of the food, which interfered with inter-provincial trade. The Central Advisory Board appointed by the Government of India in 1937 and the Food Adulteration Committee appointed in 1943, reviewed the subject of Food Adulteration and recommended for Central

legislation. The Constitution of India provided the powers to Central Government for making such legislation as the subjects of Food and Drugs Adulteration are included in the concurrent list. The Government of India, therefore, enacted a Central Legislation called the Prevention of Food adulteration Act (PFA) in the year 1954 which came into effect from 15 June, 1955. The Act repealed all laws, existing at that time in States concerning food adulteration. In India, a three-tier system is in vogue for ensuring food quality and food safety. They are:

Government of India; State/UT Governments; Local Bodies.

The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act is a Central legislation. Rules and Standards framed under the Act are uniformly applicable throughout the country. Besides, framing of rules and standards, the following activities are undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Keeping close liaison with State/local bodies for uniform implementation of food laws. Monitoring of activities of the States by collecting periodical reports on working of food laws, getting the reports of food poisoning cases and visiting the States from time to time. Arranging periodical training programme for Senior Officer/Inspector/Analysts. Creating consumer awareness about the programme by holding exhibitions/seminars/training programmes and publishing pamphlet'. Approving labels of Infant Milk Substitute and Infant food, so as to safeguard the health of infants. Coordinating with international bodies like ISO/FAO/WHO and Codex. Carrying out survey-cum-monitoring activities on food contaminants like colours. Giving administrative/financial/technical support to four Central Food Laboratories situated in Kolkata, Ghaziabad, Mysore and Pune and providing technical guidance to the food laboratories set up by the States/Local Bodies. Holding activities connected with National Monitoring Agency vested with powers to decide policy issues on food irradiation. Formulation of Manual on food analysis method.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is designated as the National Codex Contact Point in India to examine and formulate India's views on the agenda for

the various meeting of Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint venture of FAO/WHO dealing with International Food Standards and its subsidiary committees. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare constituted a National Codex Committee (NCC) and an Assistant Director General (PFA) has been working as Liaison Officer for NCC. The NCC has further constituted 24 Shadow Committees corresponding to various Codex commodities committees for preparation and finalization of India's stand. India has been regularly attending the various sessions of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and various Codex Commodity Committees to put forward her views and defend these views.Harmonisation of PFA with Codex

After signing the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barrier to Trade (TBT) agreements by India and removal of quantitative restrictions on import of food products into India, the exercise of harmonization of standards for food products, use of food additives, microbiological requirements, harmonization of regulations, in line with international standards prescribed by Codex Alimentarius Commission and International Standards Organisation (ISO) had been initiated. FOOD ADULTERATION : INTRODUCTION Food Adulteration : In our daily life there are so many unhygienic and contaminated things for our health. Most of our things our contaminated. Even the food, which we eat, is adulterated. Now a question arises that what is adulteration? The answer is that thedeliberate contamination of food material with low quality, cheap and non-edible or toxic substances is called food adulteration.The substance, which lowers or degrades the quality of food material, is called an adulterant. Adulteration brings a lot of easy money for the traders, but it may spoil many lives. Food adulteration can lead to slow poisoning and various kinds of diseases, which can even result in death. Adulteration makes the food items used in our daily life unsafe and unhygienic for use. An easy example of food adulteration is vanaspati ghee in desi ghee. The traders use it for their economic benefit without thinking about its effect on the common population of our country, which consumes it. For preventing it our government has made some certain commissions and laws. Still it prevails in our country on large scale. Adulteration should be checked properly in common food items so as to save people from its bad effects. Adulteration is the government and we for the common people therefore something should do a type of curse against it.

Types of Food AdulterationIn India, the most common type of food adulterations is of following types:

1. Milk :- It is adulterated by the addition of water, starch, skim milk powder and removal of cream. 2. Ghee :- It is adulterated with vanaspati and animal fats such as pig's fat. In order to improve the flavor of adulterated ghee tributyrin is added. 3. Cereals :- Rice and wheat are mixed with stones sand grit and mud to increase the bulk. 4. Flour :- Wheat flour is mixed with soapstone and Bengal gram flour is adulterated with Kesari dal or lathyrus flour. 5. Pulses :- They are adulterated with Kesari Dal stones are added to pulses such as mott urad, and masoor. Toxic chemical such as metanil yellow are added to old stocks of pulses to improve their colour appearance. 6. Edible Oil :- They are mixed with cheaper oil, toxic oil (e.g. argemone oil) and mineral oil. 7. Honey :- It is adulterated with sugar and jaggery.

Material required1. Glass Wares : Test Tube, Beaker, Slides 2. Food Samples. Ghee, Milk, Oil, Pulses samples. 3. Chemical Required Conc. HCl., Conc. Nitric Acid. 4. Test Tube stand.

Procedure for detection the Adulteration in the food ItemsAdulteration in the food material can be detected in the following ways. 1. Vanaspti in Ghee :- Took one tea spoon full of liquid ghee. Added equal quantity of conc. HCl shook this mixture in a test tube. Now added a pinch of common sugar. Shook it well for about one minute and then allowed it to stand for 5 minute and observed the result.

2. Water in milk sample:- Put a drop of sample milk on a plain slide. Tittled the slide and observed the result. 3. Agremone oil in edible oil :- Took some amount of edible oil in a test tube. Poured 3-4 drops of conc nitric acid. Shook it well and observed the result. 4. Metanil yellow in Dal :- Took 5 gms of sample. Add 5ml of water and a few drops of dil. HCl and observed the result.

ObservationTable-A:- Detection of vanaspati in ghee Sr.No. 1. Sample Ghee A Procedure Sample+Conc. HCl + Sugar Observation +++ Crimson colour in lower layer of the mixture 2. 3. Ghee B Ghee C -do-do++ -

Table-B:- Detection of water in Milk Sr.No. 1. Sample Milk A Procedure Sample on a plain slide titled the slide 2. 3. Milk B Milk C -do-do++ +++ Observation + +

Table-C:- Detection of metanil yellow in dal Sr.No. 1. Sample Pulse A Procedure 5gm of sample Observation +++

5ml of water + Conc. HCl 2. 3. Pulse B Pulse C -do-do-

Pink colour appearance -

Table-D:- detection of Argemone oil in edible oil Sr.No. 1. Sample Edible Oil A Procedure Observation ++++ Reddish Brown colour ++ +

5 ml Sample 3 drops of conc. HNO3

2. 3.

Edible Oil B Edible Oil C

-do-do-

ConclusionsIn Table A [Detection of Vanaspati in Ghee] Ghee A : It gives most positive test, hence is most adulterated. Ghee B : It gives more positive test, hence is more adulterated. Ghee C : It gives negative test, hence is not adulterated. In Table B [Detection of Water in Milk] Milk A : It gives positive test to small extant hence is least adulterated. Milk B : It gives more positive test, hence is more adulterated. Milk C : It gives most positive test, hence is most adulterated. In Table C [Detection of Metanil Yellow in Dal] Pulse A : It gives positive test, hence is adulterated. Pulse B : It gives most negative test, hence is not adulterated.

Pulse C : It gives more negative test, hence is not adulterated. In Table D [Detection of Argemone Oil in Edible Oil]

Edible Oil A : It gives most positive test, hence is most adulterated. Edible Oil B : It gives more positive test, hence is more adulterated. Edible Oil C : It gives positive test to small extent, hence is least adulterated.Science Project: Food AdulterationA. 1. 2. 3. OBJECTIVE: To protect the public from poisonous and harmful foods To prevent the sale of substandard foods To protect the interests of the consumers by eliminating fraudulent practices Meaning of Adulterant: Any material which is or could be employed for the purposes of adulteration Definition of Food: any article used as food or drink for human consumption other than drugs and water and includes a. Any article which ordinarily enters into or is used in the composition or preparation of human food b. c. Any flavouring matter or condiments and Any other article which the Central Government may having regard to its use, nature, substance or quality, declare, by notification in the official gazette as food for the purpose of this Act.

B Concept of Adulteration:An article of food shall be deemed to be adulterated: a. If the article sold by vendor is not of the nature, substance or quality

demanded by the purchaserb.

If the article contains any other substance which affects the

substance or quality thereof. If any inferior or cheaper substance has been substituted wholly or in part for the article so as to affect the nature, substance or quality of the product c. If any constituent of the article has been wholly or in part extracted to

affect the quality thereof d. If the article has been prepared, packed or kept under unsanitary

conditions where by it has become contaminated or injurious to health e. If the article consists wholly or in part of any filthy, putrefied, rotten

decomposed or diseased animal or vegetable substance or is insectinfested or is otherwise unfit for human consumption f. g. If the article is obtained from a diseased animal If the article contains any poisonous or other ingredient which renders

it injurious to health h. If the container of the article is composed, whether, wholly or in part

of any poisonous or deleterious substance which renders sits contents injurious to health i. If any colouring matter other than that prescribed in respect thereof is

present in the article or if the amounts of the prescribed colouring matter which is present in the article are not within the prescribed limits

j.

If the article contains any prohibited preservative or permitted

preservative in excess of the prescribed limits k. If the quality or purity of the Article falls below the prescribed limits of

variability which renders it injurious to health m. If the quality or purity of the article falls below the prescribed standard

or its constituents are present in quantities not within the prescribed limits of variability which renders it injurious to health

Tests for food Adulterration:

COFFEE POWDER: Scorched Persimmon stones (adulterant) Chemical test: Take 1 teaspoon of the coffee powder and spread it on a moisturized blotting paper. Pour 3 ml of 2% Aqueous Solution of Sodium Carbonate slowly and carefully on it. A red coloration indicates the presence of the powder of Scorched Persimmon Stones in the Coffee Powder.

DRY RED CHILLI: Rhodamine B colour (adulterant) Chemical test: Take a red chilly for the dry red chilly, and rub the outer surface with a piece of cotton soaked in Liquid Paraffin. If the cotton becomes red, the sample is adulterated.

TURMERIC POWDER: Metanil Yellow colour (Turmeric root is required) Chemical test: Take a cotton piece soaked in Liquid Paraffin, and rub the dry piece of turmeric root. If the cotton becomes yellow, we can say that the turmeric root has been adulterated with Metanil Yellow colour.

JAGGERY: Sodium Bicarbonate Chemical test: Take 1/4th of a teaspoon of the jaggery in a test tube. Add 3 ml of Muratic Acid. The presence of Sodium Carbonate effects effervescence.

JAGGERY: Metanil Yellow Colour Chemical test: Take 1/4th of a teaspoon of the jaggery in a test tube. Add 3 ml of alcohol and shake the tube vigorously to mix up the contents. Pour 10 drops of Hydrochloric Acid in it. A pink colouration indicates the presence of Metanil Yellow Colour in Jaggery.

MILK: Sodium Bicarbonate Chemical test: Take 3 ml of the milk in a test tube. Add 10 drops of rosalic acid solution. The rosy colouration indicates the presence of sodium bicarbonate in the milk.

MILK:Water Test:on a marbel peice put a drop of milk with water and another drop of milk without water (for comparison).Keep the marble in a slanted position, the milk containing water moves downward faster as compared to milk with water. SWEET POTATO: Rhodamine B colour Chemical test: Take a cotton piece soaked in Liquid Paraffin, and rub the outer red surface of the sweet potato. If the cotton absorbs colour, it indicates the use of Rhodamine B colour on outer surface of the sweet potato. TURMERIC POWDER: Metanil Yellow colour Chemical test: Take 1/4th of teaspoon of Turmeric Powder in a test tube. Add 3 ml of alcohol in it. Shake the tube thoroughly to mix up the contents. Add 10 drops of Muratic Acid or Hydrochloric Acid in the test tube. A pink colouration indicates the presence of Metanil Yellow colour in the Turmeric Powder.

THE PREVENTION OF FOOD ADULTERATION ACT, 1954

INTRODUCTIONFood is one of the basic necessities for sustenance of life. Pure, fresh and healthy diet is most essential for the health of the people. It is no wonder to say that community health is national wealth.

Adulteration of food-stuffs was so rampant, widespread and persistent that nothing short of a somewhat drastic remedy in the form of a comprehensive legislation became the need of the hour. To check this kind of anti-social evil a concerted and determined onslaught was launched by the Government by introduction of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Bill in the Parliament to herald an era of much needed hope and relief for the consumers at large. STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONs Laws existed in a number of States in India for the prevention of adulteration of food- stuffs, but they lacked uniformity having been passed at different times without mutual consultation between States. The need for Central legislation for the whole country in this matter has been felt since 1937 when a Committee appointed by the Central Advisory Board of Health recommended this step. Adulteration of food-stuffs and other goods is now included in the Concurrent List (III) in the Constitution of India. It has, therefore, become possible for the Central Government to enact an all India legislation on this subject. The Bill replaces all local food adulteration laws where they exist and also applies to those States where there are no local laws on the subject. Among others, it provides for (i) a Central Food Laboratory to which food samples can be referred to for final opinion in disputed cases (clause 4), (ii) a Central Committee for Food Standards consisting of representatives of Central and State Governments to advise on matters arising from the administration of the Act (clause 3), and (iii) the vesting in the Central Government of the rule-making power regarding standards of quality for the articles of food and certain other matters (clause 22). ACT 37 OF 1954 The Prevention of Food Adulteration Bill was passed by both the house of Parliament and received the assent of the President on 29th September, 1954. It came into force on Ist June, 1955 as THE PREVENTION OF FOOD ADULTERATION ACT, 1954 (37 of 1954). LIST OF ADAPTATION ORDER AND AMENDING ACTs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The The The The The Adaptation of Laws (No.3) Order, 1956. Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment)

Act, Act, Act, Act,

1964 1971 1976 1986

(49 (41 (34 (70

of of of of

1964). 1971). 1976). 1986).