Refined oil being sold in market after lacing it with animal fat extracts
Consumers who use hydro-generated refined vegetable oil (Vanaspati) sometimes fail to realise that manufacturers adulterate the product by lacing it with a content extracted from animal fat and cotton seed oil.
The use of such adulterated oils may lead to intestine-related problems. Cholesterol levels are also likely to go up if the oil is used on a regular basis.
The irregularities came to light when oil samples were collected from Vijayawada by officials of the State Food Laboratory (SFL) a few months ago.
Officials said that the samples failed to meet the stringent quality specifications prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2011.
Profitable business
The SFL Assistant Director S. Subba Lakshmi Devi said adulteration of edible oil using cheaper oil or cottonseed oil was a profitable business for unscrupulous players. “The higher the price of the premium oil, greater is the propensity to adulterate it with low-cost oil, besides argemone oil,” she added.
Majority of cow ghee sachets sold in shops and supermarkets are also adulterated by blending it with palm oil, it has been found.
Adulteration
Tartrazine colour is used to make cow ghee look original, said an official. Police arrested a businessman for allegedly preparing and selling adulterated ghee of various brands by mixing it with palm oil in Hyderabad last year, the official added.
As many as 25 cartons of adulterated ghee were seized from the accused, Sachin Agarwal.
His modus operandi was to procure original ghee sachets from market , carefully open it from the top and mix a third of the original ghee with two-third of palm oil and dalda and refill it in one-litre empty pack of genuine ghee before sealing it with a punching machine.
He would purchase empty packets of two other brands and refill them with adulterated ghee.
Consumers can also approach laboratory officials if they have any doubt about the product, the official said.
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