Unsafe pulses sold in Valley

FSD asks dealers to stop sale, distribution of polished pulses

Srinagar:

The Food Safety Department (FSD) Wednesday declared polished pulses sold in Kashmir as unsafe and asked dealers to stop selling them in the market.

Assistant Commissioner Food Safety, Srinagar, Hilal Ahmad Mir told Rising Kashmir that the Department has detected polishing in pulses using soapstone and oil.

The Food Analyst Kashmir found Arhar and Channa Dal samples coated with hazardous soapstone and oily substances, which have been declared unsafe as per the Food Safety & Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.

“If consumed, they can cause a potentially harmful effect on human health,” Mir said.

He said from coloured stones to hazardous Kesari dal, adulterated pulses are being openly sold in the market.

“The cheap and low-quality Kesari dal was banned by the government in 1961,” he said.

According to doctors, most of the polished Dals contain diamino-pro-pionic acid, which could lead to paralysis of the lower body and numbness in limbs and spine.

Officials said traders start mixing Kesari dal with normal variety of pulses after rise in prices of Arhar dal due to a poor harvest.

Mir said he has directed the designated Food Safety Officers in the districts to strictly enforce the order immediately.

“I have also requested the Commissioner Food Safety to issue ban orders as per the Analyst Report,” Mir said.