Shops selling ready-to-cook chapatis under scanner

Shops selling ready-to-cook chapatis have come under the scanner in the city. During a random check, Food Safety officials found addition of non-permitted preservatives to the dough to extend the shelf life of chapatis.

R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety Wing, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, inspected two shops at Saibaba Colony and Rathinapuri on Tuesday.

He said that the Food Safety and Standard (FSS) Act permits only the use of sorbic acid as preservative in ready-to-cook chapatis. And the chapatis must be stored in refrigerated condition under four degrees centigrade to have a shelf life of 15 days. However, many shops were storing the food item in open shelves, which shortens the shelf life of the product to three or four days.

In order to extend the shelf life, benzoic acid or calcium propanate is added to the dough.

Label

The FSS Act has permitted the use of these two compounds only in ginger beer, coffee and ready-to-serve beverages.

Further, the label should also mention the preservative used in the product, he said.

Some manufacturers were also found to be storing chapatis in unhygienic condition, which led to growth of yeast, mould, and bacteria such as e-coli, coli form and salmonella. They can cause gastro-intestinal problems such as diarrhoea beside fever.

Mr. Kathiravan said that microbiological tests conducted on a sample lifted from a supermarket near Sivananda Colony revealed that it was unfit for consumption. The owners of the shops face imprisonment besides a penalty, he said.

Besides chapatis, the officials also checked the quality of ghee sold in the shops.

Mr. Kathiravan said that the drive against food adulteration would be stepped up in the run up to Deepavali.