DINAMALAR NEWS

Traces of pesticide in fruits, veggies

PUNE: The advice to 'watch what you eat' may no longer apply only to the calorie conscious, with a recent study finding copious quantities of pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables. Of the 345 samples they tested, researchers found pesticide residue in 96 samples.

The vegetable samples were collected from local vendors and shops from different parts of Pune and were tested from April 2013 to January 2014. Some samples were found to have residues of banned pesticides such as Chlordane, Carbofuron, Captafol and DDT.

An official from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited Pesticide Residue Testing Laboratory, Pune (PRTL), which carried out the research, told TOI that pesticides were found in vegetables such as bitter gourd, bottle gourd, brinjal, capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber and tomatoes and raisins.

Raisins, cucumbers and tomatoes had the maximum amount of residue of 181 parts per billion (ppb). In one sample of cucumber, the residue was 230 ppb, 192 ppb of Deltamethrin was found in another sample of cucumber along with 108 ppb of Ethofenprox. The maximum residue limit (MRL) of these pesticides in cucumber has not been determined, said the officials.

In an analysis of vegetables and fruits from April 2013 to June 2013, the minimum quantity of Captafol fungicide in a sample of bitter gourd was 10 ppb, while the maximum was 48 ppb in another sample, when the maximum residue limit is 20 ppb as per the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The fruits and vegetables that were analysed included apples, beans, carrots, brinjal, capsicum, mangoes, iceberg lettuce, plums, pears, peas, 'oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, raisins and others. Seven samples of different vegetables and fruits were tested in April last year, 25 were tested in June, 73 in July, 63 in August, 38 in September, nine in October, 11 in November, 31 in December and 88 in January 2014.

Overall around 54 types of pesticides/fungicides were detected from different samples.

An official from PRTL said that these vegetables were collected from different markets of Pune, some samples were also provided by individual farmers for testing. "Around 90% of the 345 samples are from the city markets. We have a target of testing around 600 such samples per year. Each pesticide used on each vegetable, fruit and food grain has a different maximum residue limit," the official said. He added that these pesticides are sprayed directly on the crops to control pests.

The monthly report compiled by PRTL is sent to senior agriculture officers, after which steps are taken to sensitize farmers about minimizing the use of these fungicides and pesticides. "We asked them to maintain a gap of at least 10 to 15 days between spraying pesticides on vegetables/fruits and selling them in markets," the official added.

PRTL officials added that though the pesticide residue levels were found to be higher than the maximum limits in some of the samples, most pesticides are easily leached out of the human body. "However, care should be taken by farmers to minimise the use of pesticides and fungicides. They should regularly send samples of their crops, fruits/vegetables to PRTL for testing. The consumers should thoroughly wash the vegetable, fruit or food grain with water twice or thrice before use," officials said.

Experts in the field of toxicology were cautious about commenting on the possible health impacts of pesticide residues in foods, citing lack of studies on humans on the subject. However, scientists at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Lucknow, said that the amount of pesticide intake from different food products - such as vegetables, fruits, cereals, milk, water - should not exceed the acceptable daily intake or ADI, which is the amount of a substance that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without any significant health risk. "Whatever food commodities are eaten, the total pesticide load in the body should not exceed this acceptable intake. However, some pesticides are carcinogenic and should not be present in the food even in minimal amounts," said a scientist from IITR.

He added that based on the current status of animal studies, every pesticide can have a health impact. "Pesticides can cause neurotoxicity, damage the brain, can be toxic to the liver, kidney and may even cause hormonal disturbances in humans in cases of long-term consumption in significant amounts," he said.

Amit Khurana, programme manager, food safety and toxins, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Delhi, said, "Pesticide levels found below maximum limit are acceptable to the extent of current level of toxicity studies. Even a single pesticide molecule is capable of causing mutation and may lead to cancer. Pesticides are linked to several disease conditions of the immune system, hormonal system and cancers."

Explaining the term 'biomonitoring,' Mathur said, "The concept of capping limits from all food sources is possibly limited in its design in a country like India with several food habits and dietary choices. Biomonitoring measures environmental toxins including pesticides and heavy metals in the human tissues. It takes care of all possible sources. Implementation is an issue. However, it still helps in regulating individual source of unwanted pesticide ingestion."

One arrested with adulterated desi ghee

Health Department collects four samples; 100 tins of various oils confiscated by officials 

Health Department officials collect samples from Ashok Dairy in Bathinda on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma 

Bathinda, March 4

In a joint operation, the district police and health authorities arrested a person for selling adulterated desi ghee from Teliyan Wala Mohalla and confiscated 100 tins of various oils. 

Acting on a tip-off a team of SHO Kotwali Mahesh Kumar and District Health Officer Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa conducted a raid on Ashoka Dairy, located at Teilyan Wala Mohalla. The police arrested Mohit Kumar, son of the dairy’s owner, Ashok Kumar. He has been booked under Sections 420, 272 and 273 of the IPC. He would be produced before the court for the police remand tomorrow.

The team also came across a store of the dairy owner in the area at the backside of Ram Bagh on the Multania Road. The dingy store was situated in an abandoned-looking plot. The team found 75 tins of raag vanaspati ghee and 15 tins of palm oil. Each tin contained 15 kg of the edible oil.

Dr Randhawa said prima facie it seems that the dairy owner used to mix the two components-vanaspati and palm oil-in the desi ghee to increase its quantity.

“However, anything could be ascertained only after reports of the lab results are received,” added Dr Randhawa. The lab result is expected within two to three weeks. Food Inspectors Sanjay Katyal and Amrit Pal were also part of the team.

Sources said the owner of dairy also does not have licence or registration under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act, which is mandatory for all the food business operators.

The Health Department collected four samples, including two of desi ghee from the shop in Teliyan Wala Mohalla and one each of vanaspati ghee and palm oil. Near the shop was a small room meant for preparations, which was also check by the health department.

A visit to the store located at the backside of Ram Bagh on the Multania Road revealed that the store was located at a dirty place which is miles away from the hygiene and cleanliness that is mandatory to be maintained while storing or handling food products.

In a room lay tins lined up, while in another adjacent room were several packs of chyawanprash. Another larger room had several tyres dumped in it. The compound was overgrown with tall grass. 

Pleading anonymity the neighbors of the accused said that they had never seen the owner of store. “Mini trucks come here and are directly driven inside the plot. At times, the vehicles are offloaded during late night also,” said a neighbour.

The police officials said they were investigating into the modus operandi using which the adulterated preparations were made and sold.

Supreme Court asks for the strict action on Adulteration in Milk and Milk Products

The Supreme Court is going tough on the issue of food adulteration, especially in case of Milk and Milk Products, where the problem does not seem to be ended and the complaints are still pouring in from many parts of India. The apex court has strongly reacted while terming it a very serious situation and has asked the Centre to make Milk Adulteration a severe offense and has further recommended for a penalty of life imprisonment.

The sitting bench of the Honorable SC, on hearing the adulteration issue has suggested that the present punishment of six months imprisonment should be made into more stringent to the life imprisonment for the offenders. The bench further suggested that IPC could not be invoked in the states because of FSS Act has provisions for the same, so the amendment is seen as a measure to empower states to take strict action.

The cases of adulteration in Milk & its Products have enormously gone up pan India and the valid evidence of this was the report from The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s findings on milk adulteration cases across all states in 2011. Last month, the court asked all states to file Affidavit on the steps taken by them to curb this issue. The court also sought explanation from some states where this menace has large impact and the situation is out of control.

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 ensures that only safe food should be served to the people and Food Business Operators are committed to follow the requirements else they have to face implications on non-adherence. The regulatory body on Food ‘FSSAI’ has made guidelines for the provisions on the following graded penalties:

* For Sub standard foods – Penalty upto Rs. 5 lacs

* For Misbranded foods – Upto Rs. 3 lacs

* For Food containing extraneous matters – Upto Rs. 1 lac

* For Manufacturing of food under unhygienic and unsanitary conditions – Upto Rs. 1 lac

* For Unsafe food – Imprisonment upto 6 months Plus fine upto Rs. 1 lac, raising to imprisonment upto life imprisonment plus penalty Rs. 10 lacs

* Compensation in case of injury or death of consumer – Not less than Rs. 5 lacs in case of dealth and upto Rs. 3 lacs in case of grievous injury and upto Rs. 1 lac in other cases of injury.

ரேஷன் கடையில் காலாவதி டீத்தூள் பாக்கெட் விற்பனை எம்எல்ஏ சோதனையில் அம்பலம் - தர்மபுரியில் பரபரப்பு

தர்மபுரி, மார்ச் 4: 

தர்மபுரி மாவட்ட கலெக்டர் அலுவலகம் அருகே ரேஷன் கடையில், எம்எல்ஏ பாஸ்கர் திடீர் சோதனை மேற்கொண்டார். அப் போது, காலாவதியான டீத்தூள் விற்பனை செய்வது தெரியவந்தது. 

தர்மபுரி மாவட்ட கலெக்டர் அலுவலகம் அவ்வை நகரில் ரேஷன் கடை இயங்கி வருகிறது. சவுளுப்பட்டி, கொட் டாவூர், தடங்கம் மேட்டுக்கொட்டாய், பழைய கோட் டர்ஸ் உள்ளிட்ட பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த 1396 ரேஷன் கார்டுதாரர்களுக்கு அரிசி, பருப்பு, கோதுமை, சர்க் கரை உள்ளிட்ட பொருட் கள் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இதில், விற்பனையாளராக கபிலன் பணியாற்றி வருகிறார். 

நேற்று காலை இந்த ரேஷன் கடையில் அரிசி, சர்க்கரை வழங்கப்பட்டது. அத்துடன் தமிழக அரசின் ஊட்டி டீத்தூளும் வழங்கப்பட்டது. ஆனால், அந்த டீத்தூள் பாக்கெட் காலவதியானது என தெரியவந்தது. இத்தகவல் அறிந்த தர்மபுரி எம்எல்ஏ பாஸ்கர் அவ்வைநகருக்கு நேரில் சென்று ரேஷன் கடையில் திடீர் சோதனை நடத்தினார். அப்போது பாக்கெட்டில் 02.2013 என்ற முத்திரை பதித்த டீத்தூள் விற்பனை செய்தது தெரிந்தது. இதையடுத்து சம்பந்தப்பட்ட துறை அதிகாரிகளிடம் எம்எல்ஏ புகார் தெரிவித்தார். மாவட்ட வழங்கல் துறை துணை மேலாளர் வேணுகோபால், நிர்வாக அலுவலர் (ஏஒ) ரத்தினசாமி ஆகியோர் ரேஷன் கடைக்கு வந்து காலாவதியான தேதி டீத்தூளை விற்பனை செய்யக்கூடாது என எச்சரிக்கை செய்து, காலாவதி டீத்தூள் பாக்கெட்டுகளை அங்கிருந்து அப்புறப்படுத்தினர். இதனால் அந்த பகுதியில் பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது. 

இதுகுறித்து எம்எல்ஏ பாஸ்கர் கூறியதாவது: 

தர்மபுரி அவ்வைநகர் ரேஷன் கடையில் காலாவதி டீத்தூள் நுகர்வோர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்டு வருவதாக தகவல் வந்தது. நேரில் சென்று ஆய்வு செய்தபோது 20 பெட்டியில் 4 பெட்டியிலிருந்த காலாவதியான டீத்தூளை விற்பனை செய்துவிட்டனர். ஒரு பெட்டியில் 100 கிராம் கொண்ட 50 பாக்கெட் டீத்தூள் இருந்தது. காலாவதியான 200 பாக்கெட் டீத்தூள் விற்பனை செய்திருப்பது தெரியவந்தது. ஒரு பாக்கெட்டின் விலை ரூ.15. 

ரேஷன் கடையில் அரசு ஊட்டி டீத்தூள் காலாவதி என கண்டுபிடித்த பின்னரே, அதிகாரிகள் விற்பனை செய்ய தடை செய்துள்ளனர். இதுபோல் காலாவதியான டீத்தூள் மாவட்டத்தில் பல்வேறு ரேஷன் கடைகளில் விற்கப்படுகிறது. அதையும் அதிகாரிகள் உடனடியாக கைப்பற்றி அப்புறப்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்றார்.