Context: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a show-cause notice to a Tamil Nadu-based firm, which supplied ghee to the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, for allegedly providing substandard product to the temple.
About Food adulteration
It is the intentional or unintentional addition of substances to food that can make it harmful to consume. These substances, known as adulterants, can be added to increase the quantity, reduce the cost, or improve the appearance of food.
Common types of adulterants :
- Milk is often adulterated with water, detergent, fat, and even urea.
- Preservatives such as nitrites (used in cured meats)and benzoates (used in soft drinks and pickles), lead to digestive issues and long-term health problems.
- Tea leaves are commonly mixed with similarly colored leaves, some of which are inedible.
- Cornstarch, sawdust, and flour are used as fillers in spices.
- Antibiotics and hormones such as estrogen and testosterone in meat and poultry to promote growth, but excessive consumption can lead to antibiotic resistance and hormone imbalances.
- Khoya is adulterated with paper, refined oil, and skimmed milk powder.
- Pesticides (like DDT and organophosphates) in fruits and vegetables, heavy metals like lead and mercury in seafood, and industrial pollutants in food packaging.
- Foreign substances such as insects, dirt, or other foreign substances can accidentally contaminate food during processing or storage.
- Arhar dal is usually adulterated with metanil yellow.
Reason behind ghee adulteration:
- High price of milk fat: Milk-derived fats from cow and buffalo milk cost around Rs 460-470 per kg, with ghee production and packaging raising the price to Rs 485-495 per kg. This high cost incentivizes adulteration to cut production expenses.
- Price differential between milk and vegetable fats: Vegetable fats, such as refined palm, soybean, sunflower, and rapeseed oils, are significantly cheaper, ranging from Rs 120-150 per kg. The vast price difference between milk fats and vegetable fats encourages manufacturers to mix the latter into ghee to increase profits.
- Scarcity of milk fat: Milk fat is relatively scarce, as dairies prioritize selling liquid milk and producing other products like curd and lassi . Only limited availability of milk is available for the manufacture for production of ghee, further increases its value and drives adulteration.
- Profit motive of dairies: Large dairy cooperatives and private players prefer selling ghee in retail consumer packs rather than in bulk, as it fetches higher profits. Some dairies also use milk fat for ice cream production, which offers better returns. This reluctance to sell ghee in bulk pushes organizations to seek cheaper, often adulterated, alternatives.
- Lower demand and competition: Sales of ghee from companies like Patanjali have decreased significantly in recent years, putting additional pressure on manufacturers to cut costs, potentially through adulteration.
Laws deal with food adulteration:
- Under Indian Constitution, the adulteration of foodstuffs and other items falls in the Concurrent List.
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: It is a comprehensive legislation dealing with various aspects with respect to the regulation of food safety.
- Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) is established under Section 4 of the Act to supervises and regulates food safety and standards.
- It prohibits any person to operate any food business without a license.
- The law prohibits producing, selling, and distributing contaminated or counterfeited foods.
- The Act also imposes a penalty for the possession of adulterant.
- The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Impose penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for food adulteration, with stricter punishments for hazardous food practices.
Read also: About FSSAI