Now, blended oil under scanner

JAIPUR: Blended oil is under health authorities' scanner ahead of Diwali as they are inspecting shops to collect samples and also seize packets if complete information on content is not provided.

"Such edible oil will come under the category of misbranding, which is an offence under the food safety and standard Act 2006," a health department official said.

Recently, the health department had seized a sizeable amount of edible oil packets for misbranding. "The packets had pictures of olive but the percentage of olive oil in the blended oil was very less and it was blended with rice bran oil. The ratio of the rice bran oil was much higher, even more than 50%. But on the packet, it was mentioned in small letters that it was blended oil," the official said.

In a similar action, the health department had collected samples from Chand Pole areas. From the packaging it looked like that it has peanut oil only but in small letters there was a mention that it was blended oil. The other content was sunflower oil. But, the packet had photos of peanuts and in small letter there was a mention of sunflower oil and blended oil.

The health authorities claimed that in the past few years, a lot of companies launched blended oil. There are some from the state also, which are producing blended oil.

The health department claimed that if manufacturers are producing blended oil, it should be mentioned on the packaging prominently. Also, there should be a mention of the ratio of oil used.

The health department has launched a campaign in the state against adulteration in food items and also to check misbranding of products and to prevent the sale of stale food items in the interest of the customers. The campaign was launched on October 14 and will continue till November 5.

The health department claimed that edible oil is one of the items which are covered in the campaign but mawa and other milk products are also in the list of items which the health authorities are checking so that customers get quality food items during the festive season.