At a time when rampant sale of adulterated food items in the retail markets in Kashmir is proving to be a serious health concern, misbranded packaged “traditional” Kashmiri food products, including spices, tea and edible oils are being openly sold in valley markets.
As per Food Safety Standards Act, 2006 “misbranded food means an article or food if it is purported, or is represented to be, or is being offered or promoted for sale with false, misleading or deceptive claims either upon the label of the package or sold by a name which belongs to another firm”.
Commissioner, Food Safety, Abdul Kabir Dar said Drug and Food Control Organisation admitted that there is a wide-spread presence of misbranded traditional packaged Kashmiri food products such as nun chai, spices and edible oils in Kashmir. However, Dar said with a “limited manpower” it is not possible for his DFCO to keep a check on "each and every violator" whose sale of misbranded products goes unnoticed.
“Although there are scores of such cases of misbranding but many of them are still operating slyly but we seek public support to bust these unethical firms,” Dar said.
Greater Kashmir accessed latest laboratory test reports (copies of which are in possession of GK) pertaining to certain declared cases of misbranding with the DFCO. A leading spice company produced sample picked up by DFCO officials was "declared as misbranded" by the department last month.
“The sample does not fulfil label specifications as date of packing and best before is not provided on the label of sample which is in the contravention of Food Safety Act (packaging and labelling) and hence declared misbranded," stated the lab test report.
In view of frequent cases of misbranding and adulteration, DFCO recently issued an order asking all food business operators (FBOs) to register themselves with the department. Dar said misbranding "is a widespread menace" and to keep a check on it all sorts of FBOs have been told to register, he added.
“We have also recently sent some samples of wari masala and nun chai for testing as well. In recent past nun chai brands have been selling sub-standrad tea in Valley” Dar added.
Another recent DFCO lab test report reveals that samples of nutri under label Araph Nutri were last month "declared as misbranded" by the department.
“The sample is not in contravention of the Food Safety Standards Act, Rules and Regulations 2011. Samples don’t fulfil labelling specifications as best before is given in small letters. Hence sample is declared misbranded,” reads a laboratory test report of DFCO.
Another lab report accessed of a misbranded product was that of “Snowber Premium Bread”. The report stated that “sample does not confirm the labelling provisions as the use by date is not given on label hence declared as misbranded,”
DFCO had recently seized 4000 litres of adulterated cooking oil during a raid at Al Noor Colony, Hyderpora which was being “repacked as misbranded product”. He said surprise checks will continue in the markets adding that "people must inform the DFCO if they come across misbranded products"
Food safety experts also point-out that several cases of “misbranding” of mustard oil, which has been traditionally used for Kashmiri dishes including wazwan, is taking place in Kashmir’s retail markets.
“There are many dubious practices that are used to manufacture low pungency or low smoke mustard oil. The most common among these is to mix cheaper refined oil or oils with mustard oil. The pungency drops and the oil is no longer 100 percent natural because the refining process involves chemicals, some of which are extremely detrimental to your health,” said a food expert wishing anonymity.
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