Drive against food adulteration

We the consumers would appreciate if the BSTI, City Corporation and related organisations take random samples of items like pure ghee, canned/packed or open cooking oil (soya bean, mustard, sunflower, palm oil etc), powder milk (full cream) in foil packing and check the quality, weight and contents of the products. It is a known fact that the cooking oil which is supposed to be cholesterol free, refined and odourless is not in conformity with the specifications given on the labels of the products. Milk in packets is not full cream as mentioned on the packets and usually adulterated with low quality milk powder. Most of the ghee in the market is adulterated. Powder milk, which is supposed to be full cream, is adulterated with non-fat or low quality powder milk, which reduces the richness and quality of the milk.

The ongoing drive against the dishonest traders should also include checking of the weights and measures used in selling of grocery, fish, meat and food items. It is found that most of the weighing stone used by the food vendors, grocers and butchers are 50, 100 or 200 gram less than the actual weight. These vendors should be fined for using doctored weights and the manufacturers of weighing stones should be checked for correct weight of the stones they sell to the vendors, if found defective they should be debarred from manufacturing weights and measures. The City Corporation should provide a standard weighing machine at all markets to enable the consumers to verify the weight of the products they buy from a particular shop. These measures will deter the food vendors from deceiving their customers with defective weights and measures as well as the quality of their products.

There are instances that some of the shops, restaurants, bakers, and sweetmeat shops are not restrained even after being fined twice. They stick to their act of adulteration without any fear for law. These food vendors should be dealt with a heavy hand and their shops and establishments should be closed permanently to save the lives and health of the population. Adulteration of food is tantamount to mass murder, as food adulteration affects the health and lives of people.

As such, we hope the relevant authorities will strengthen their drive, especially during the holy month of Ramadan to ensure availability of quality food items and groceries in accurate weight.