PATNA: The food safety wing of state health department on Tuesday seized 570kg of substandard ghee and cream kept in 38 containers at a Masaurhi dairy, which supplies milk products to many sweetshops in Patna.
"We also found 20kg 'khoya' that was not fit for consumption," said Mukesh Kashyap, who led the three-member team, which raided different sweet shops in Masaurhi, Nadma and Punpun areas of Patna district.
The raids are conducted on the eve of Diwali ever year to check the market for adulterated sweetmeats. The team had also raided one shop each at Ramnagri and Machhuatoli and four in Kadamkuan locality on Monday and three shops near Saguna Mor on Sunday.
The officials found a layer of aluminium, and not silver, foil over many sweets. They said silver foil is good for health, but many traders use aluminium foil as it costs less. "Some traders are also using non-food colours instead of food colours," added Kashyap.
Dr Himanshu Kumar from Patna Medical College and Hospital's medicine department, said adulteration can cause serious gastric problems and may also affect kidney and liver. "Consumption of aluminium foil and non-food colours, that are often toxic, may lead to encephalitis and can affect muscles and also cause Alzheimer's," he said.
Dr Diwakar Tejaswi said artificial sweeteners and non-approved food colours may also cause rashes and insomnia. "If someone experiences abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting or loose motion, they should consult a doctor," he said and added that consumption of adulterated food may also lead to insomnia and intestinal disorder. Prolonged consumption may also cause changes in the gene which may lead to cancer.
Doctors, meanwhile, recommend the use of homemade sweets that are not only delicious but nutritious as well.
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