Pune: A sample of turmeric powder drawn from a supermarket chain in the city has been found to be adulterated with rice and maize starch.
Officials of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had drawn a sample of turmeric powder on November 5 and sent it to the state government-run public health laboratory in Pune for analysis.
Following the analysis, officials raided the premises of the manufacturer in Bhiwandi and seized stock of turmeric powder worth Rs6.5 lakh on Wednesday.
“The manufacturing unit was exclusively providing spices, including turmeric powder, to the supermarket chain which, is famous for selling grocery products at cheap rate,” Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune told TOI.
Deshmukh said that the department would initiate inquiry and investigation into the sale of adulterated food items in the supermarkets. “The adulterants used in turmeric powder are not harmful for human consumption. Hence, it will not be a criminal case. However, adulteration with unharmful substance is also not allowed and prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards Act,” Deshmukh said.
Officials said that they would investigate the complicity of the supermarket in manufacturing and sale of adulterated turmeric powder.“The manufacturer was selling the spices only to the supermarket chain and, hence, it is more likely that that they were hand-in-glove. We will have to investigate it to establish the link,” he added. The government-designated laboratory gave the report on December 1. “Our officials were keeping a close watch to carry out the raid at the manufacturing unit,” Deshmukh said.
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