RANCHI: Sweets of various
designs, shapes and colours are seen arranged in the sweet shops of the
city tempting passersby to buy them. The demand for sweets is usually
high during Diwali as it is not just required to offer prayers to idols
but also as gifts. As a result, many sweet shops have sprung up on the
roadside to display the variety of sweets.
As demand increases, some shopkeepers tend to use adulterated ingredients or colours for more profit which often leads to various ailments.
Dr N N Aggarwal, director of Gurunanak Hospital, said, "During Diwali most of the sweets are made of 'khowa' (thickened milk in lump form) and hence its adulteration is optimum. The confectioners often add maida (refined flour) and blotting paper to add volume to the sweets."
Various kinds of colours are also added to the sweets to lure customers. Dr Aggarwal said, "Some of the colours have carcinogenic properties which mean that they may lead to cancer. In case someone spots any kind of adulteration in sweets he should immediately contact the assistant chief medical officer."
The district administration has also been working on samples from various sweet shops.
ACMO, Dr Sengupta said, "We have already started collecting samples from sweet shops and covered more than 110 sweet shops under a special drive for Diwali. Out of these, some were adulterated and the most common adulteration was found in laddoos."
Dr Sengupta said, "We found that metaline yellow colour has been added to laddoos to give them a better colour. This colour is used only for industrial purpose and is not edible. When eaten in high quantity it may lead to brain and liver damage."
Food analyst of food sample testing centre at Namkom, Dr Jitendra Singh, said, "We are accepting and examining all samples under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Many samples have been already tested and the reports of many others would be submitted by November 15."
Complaints against sweet shops where sweets were found to be adulterated would be submitted to the deputy commissioner. Deputy Commissioner, Vinay Choubey said, "Once we get all the reports appropriate action will be taken against the shop owners under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006."
As demand increases, some shopkeepers tend to use adulterated ingredients or colours for more profit which often leads to various ailments.
Dr N N Aggarwal, director of Gurunanak Hospital, said, "During Diwali most of the sweets are made of 'khowa' (thickened milk in lump form) and hence its adulteration is optimum. The confectioners often add maida (refined flour) and blotting paper to add volume to the sweets."
Various kinds of colours are also added to the sweets to lure customers. Dr Aggarwal said, "Some of the colours have carcinogenic properties which mean that they may lead to cancer. In case someone spots any kind of adulteration in sweets he should immediately contact the assistant chief medical officer."
The district administration has also been working on samples from various sweet shops.
ACMO, Dr Sengupta said, "We have already started collecting samples from sweet shops and covered more than 110 sweet shops under a special drive for Diwali. Out of these, some were adulterated and the most common adulteration was found in laddoos."
Dr Sengupta said, "We found that metaline yellow colour has been added to laddoos to give them a better colour. This colour is used only for industrial purpose and is not edible. When eaten in high quantity it may lead to brain and liver damage."
Food analyst of food sample testing centre at Namkom, Dr Jitendra Singh, said, "We are accepting and examining all samples under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Many samples have been already tested and the reports of many others would be submitted by November 15."
Complaints against sweet shops where sweets were found to be adulterated would be submitted to the deputy commissioner. Deputy Commissioner, Vinay Choubey said, "Once we get all the reports appropriate action will be taken against the shop owners under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006."
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