Steps taken to Curb Adulteration in Food Items

Consumption of adulterated and spurious food items is a serious health hazard. As per information received from States/UT Governments, in the year 2013-14, 72,200 food samples, including milk/milk products, edible vegetable oils, spices, pulses, vegetables, etc. were analyzed, and out of these, 13,571 samples were found to be adulterated and misbranded.

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provides for graded penalties for infringement of the provisions of the Act. To curb the menace of food adulteration, regular surveillance, monitoring & sampling of food products is undertaken by the State /UT Governments under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder. Instructions in this regard are issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) from time to time. Random Samples of food items are also drawn by the State Food Safety Officers and sent to the laboratories recognized by the FSSAI for analysis. In cases, where samples are found to be not conforming to the provisions of the Act and the Rules & Regulations made thereunder, penal action is initiated against the offenders. As per available information, the details of prosecutions launched and convictions/penalties imposed during 2013-14 in the country, are as under:-

No. of Cases Launched		No. of Convictions/ Penalties
Criminal	Civil	Convictions	Penalties/Amount raised in Rupees
3105	7130	913	2932/ Rs. 7,29,89,474

The Supreme Court, has while hearing a Petition (c) No. 159/2012, wherein the petitioner had raised issues regarding rampant adulteration/contamination in milk and milk products in the country, observed/directed that considering the gravity of the situation as well as in larger public interest, it is necessary that the Union of India should think of making appropriate amendments in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, so that such crimes could be curbed to a large extent. The menace of food adulteration can be curbed only by strengthening of food safety structures in the country and more effective implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act. 

The Health Minister, Shri J P Nadda stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today.