Agra: A Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) team has found that artificial colours were being used in pomegranate and mango juice at two stalls near the district collectorate.
FSDA designated officer Ram Naresh Yadav told TOI: "The raid was conducted on two shops. Both were found selling adulterated fruit juice. The samples of the juice have been collected and sent to the laboratory for testing. Once the report comes out, suitable action would be taken against the shop owners. Till then these shops will not be allowed to operate."
FSDA team raided the premises of juice sellers Vaishno and Ashish Juice Corner on Saturday while posing as customers. "They were adding red dilute artificial colour in the pomegranate juice and yellow in the mango juice. Stale fruits, contaminated water and ice were also being used by the shops," claimed Yadav. The owners of the shops have been identified as Raj Kumar and Shiv Kumar.
The FSDA official said, "Additional colours are not permitted in fruit juices, but are often used by street vendors. These are toxic and when consumed over long period can be hazardous to a person's health."
The water that they use is often not safe for drinking and if contaminated it can cause typhoid, jaundice and diarrhea, Yadav added. "Majority of these roadside juice vendors do not meet FSDA standards and use colour in juice."
"We have planned to run special campaign this summer to tab adulteration in juices. Strict action will be taken against vendors, if samples are found adulterated," said Yadav.
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