18% of food items tested in Punjab in 3 months adulterated

Chandigarh, November 2

With Diwali around the corner, adulterated food and sweets have dominated markets. As many as 328 of the 1,882 samples (18 per cent) of food items sold in markets from July to September were found to be substandard by the Punjab Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Between April 2018 and March 2019, the FDA collected over 10,000 samples and found around 30 per cent substandard. Similarly, between April 2019 and March 2020, 8,091 samples were collected and 1,399 were found substandard. According to FDA officials, adulteration in milk items and sweets is much higher. Besides synthetic khoya, sweets stored in unhygienic conditions and artificial milk, the most common adulteration is using unsafe colours. “Amid high demand, instead of using sweet colour, manufacturers use those used to dye clothes,” said Manoj Khosla, Assistant Commissioner (Food).

The problem is so rampant that in the last three years, the FDA filed 3,700 cases against those selling substandard food and collected around Rs 6 crore from them. Criminal cases were also filed and 22 convictions took place. — TNS