Dec 1, 2014

Govt on a mission to tackle food adulteration

MYSURU: The district health and family welfare department is coming up with various initiatives to deal with food adulteration. It is upgrading the adulteration testing lab with latest equipment and authorities are reaching out to public, seeking support to tackle the menace.
The department is primarily aiming at spotting milk adulteration. The authorities conducted several drives to check the menace, but did not find illegal activities in dairies. "We had collected 10 samples from private dairies. But luckily, no adulterated milk was found," says designated officer of Food Safety and Standard Act, department of health and family welfare department, Dr S Chidambara. However, many smalltime vendors are involved in illegal activities, threatening to consumers' life, he added.
The authorities have been receiving several complaints and taking samples of alleged adulterated items. As natural raw milk contains urea, authorities could not prove them as adulterated due to lack of technologies. "At present, we are functioning on old technologies and could not detect minute adulteration," said authorities.
A new lab is under construction and latest equipment will be in place in the next six months. The problem is more in the border of the district. "We are concerned about this and we will end this soon. Legislations have stringent provisions to provide maximum punishment to those involved in adulterating milk. The state government had been keeping a close watch on the milk coming into the state," said an officer.
Consumers and public who come across any kind of food adulteration can approach the department's office at NPC Hospital compound in Nazarbad. Call 08212438144 or email domcca2013@gmail.com

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