32 food samples fail purity tests Tobacco sample found containing nicotine

Bathinda, February 24

Thirty-two food samples that were collected in the district under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have failed the purity tests. Of the samples collected, the health authorities have lodged complaint regarding 19 samples collected by the authorities. 

Nodal Officer Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa said the sample of gutka, which was collected during a raid conducted at Maur on June 26, 2013, was found to contain nicotine. “The sale of tobacco is banned if sold under the name of gutka. Lab results have shown that the samples collected from Maur had nicotine in them, which is unsafe for human consumption,” he said. The case now lies pending with the local court.

The Maur police have arrested one and booked two others for selling fake and sub-standard tobacco products. The accused Sikandar Singh was arrested and 80 quintals of tobacco was recovered from his possession.

The remaining 18 cases were filed with the Adjudicating Officer, ADC Rajiv Prashar. Of these, six have been decided including five penalised cases and the rest of the 12 cases are pending. 

Only those cases are filed with the Adjudicating Officer in which the lab results show food samples to be sub-standard and not unfit for human consumption. 

The ADC had imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on sub-standard milk-seller and a fine of Rs 40,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 35,000 in cases of selling sub-standard mustard oil. The seller of over-ripened bananas was let off after being served a warning.

The collected food samples are first tested at the Public Analyst, State Food, Drugs and Excise Lab of the Government of Punjab at Chandigarh. If tested negative, the accused is given an opportunity to get the sample tested from Food Research and Standardisation Laboratory, Ghaziabad. It’s the accused who bears the expenses of getting the sample tested for the second time from Ghaziabad lab. Four such cases have been sent from Bathinda so far seeking a second test of the samples collected.

The health authorities encouraged food business operators to get enrolled under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to avoid any kind of future problems. 

With the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India being implemented throughout the country, it is slowly becoming mandatory to display one’s Food Safety and Standards Authority of India licence or registration number before making any deals in the food business.

The ones who enroll earlier would be saved from future problems, added Dr Randhawa.