PATNA: Kaju roll, kaju barfi, kalakand, paneer cutlet, paneer chilly, shahi paneer.....the list is long. They all look so attractive and taste even better, but they are not always the healthiest as khoya and paneer, the two basic ingredients used to prepare them, are often found adulterated.
With Diwali a fortnight away, the food safety wing of the health department is conducting raids as and when needed to check adulteration. Ashish Kumar Singh, designated officer, headquarters, food and safety wing, said, "We embarked on sample collection drive of khoya and paneer. Many posh hotels and big sweetmeat shops were found selling adulterated paneer (cottage cheese), which contains corn starch in place of milk extract. Sometimes, harmful chemicals and urea are mixed in it. Most of the shopowners purchase paneer at Rs 40 to Rs 50 a kg and sell it anything between Rs 250 to Rs 300 per kg. Any paneer dish is sold for over Rs100 a plate and customers are only consuming substandard product after paying such a heavy price. It is always advisable to consume branded paneer."
It is indeed easy to check adulteration in paneer. All one needs to do is to put a drop or two of iodine solution on raw paneer and if it changes colour to blue-black, it is adulterated and full of starch.
"Though starch is not directly harmful, but often adulterated products lead to food poisoning, stomach aches and allergies as they also contain hazardous chemicals. Hence, milk products must be avoided in festive seasons," said physician Dr Ajay Kumar.
"Collecting food samples two or three days before Diwali will not prevent people from consuming adulterated food as laboratory test reports of the sample collected comes after 15 or 20 days, when the festival will be long over. So, we are already on the job," said health department sources.
However, a health department official on the condition of anonymity said, "This happens every year and it is indeed difficult to check this menace. Often laboratory reports come only when adulterated items are already consumed during festivals."
"Once we start collecting food samples, shopowners become wary and stop selling adulterated items immediately as they know that if they are caught selling the same an FIR will be lodged against them and they may go behind bars. Last year, many shopowners, who were caught selling adulterated food items after laboratory test, were booked," said Singh.
"The ingredients including permitted food colour, refined flour (maida), khoya, paneer and spices are also tested. The idea is to find whether any chemical contamination or bacterial contamination has occurred in the food or not," he said.
With Diwali a fortnight away, the food safety wing of the health department is conducting raids as and when needed to check adulteration. Ashish Kumar Singh, designated officer, headquarters, food and safety wing, said, "We embarked on sample collection drive of khoya and paneer. Many posh hotels and big sweetmeat shops were found selling adulterated paneer (cottage cheese), which contains corn starch in place of milk extract. Sometimes, harmful chemicals and urea are mixed in it. Most of the shopowners purchase paneer at Rs 40 to Rs 50 a kg and sell it anything between Rs 250 to Rs 300 per kg. Any paneer dish is sold for over Rs100 a plate and customers are only consuming substandard product after paying such a heavy price. It is always advisable to consume branded paneer."
It is indeed easy to check adulteration in paneer. All one needs to do is to put a drop or two of iodine solution on raw paneer and if it changes colour to blue-black, it is adulterated and full of starch.
"Though starch is not directly harmful, but often adulterated products lead to food poisoning, stomach aches and allergies as they also contain hazardous chemicals. Hence, milk products must be avoided in festive seasons," said physician Dr Ajay Kumar.
"Collecting food samples two or three days before Diwali will not prevent people from consuming adulterated food as laboratory test reports of the sample collected comes after 15 or 20 days, when the festival will be long over. So, we are already on the job," said health department sources.
However, a health department official on the condition of anonymity said, "This happens every year and it is indeed difficult to check this menace. Often laboratory reports come only when adulterated items are already consumed during festivals."
"Once we start collecting food samples, shopowners become wary and stop selling adulterated items immediately as they know that if they are caught selling the same an FIR will be lodged against them and they may go behind bars. Last year, many shopowners, who were caught selling adulterated food items after laboratory test, were booked," said Singh.
"The ingredients including permitted food colour, refined flour (maida), khoya, paneer and spices are also tested. The idea is to find whether any chemical contamination or bacterial contamination has occurred in the food or not," he said.
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