Edible oil used in Step by Step was sub-standard, says lab report

The edible oil was used to make paranthas at the school

Noida: The report by UP government’s food testing laboratory has stated that the edible oil used in the preparation of paranthas served to students of Step by StepSchool, who fell ill after consuming the food, was sub-standard.

However, officials said that the sub-standard edible oil cannot be the reason for food poisoning as it did not contain any harmful or poisonous substance. On April 5, nearly 190 students fell ill due to food poisoning after consuming food in the school.

The report added that the samples of the raw ajwain (carom seeds) collected from the school met standards.

Interestingly, as the school had disposed the food prepared that day, a team from the food safety and drug administration (FSDA) and the city magistrate could not gather any samples of the same and could collect only two samples of raw ingredients – ajwain and edible oil.

Sanjay Sharma, designated officer, FSDA department, told TOI that the report of the samples sent to the Rajkiya Khadya Evam Aushadhi Vishleshak Prayogshala came on Saturday. “The samples of the edible oil have been found sub-standard but it did not contain anything which can cause food poisoning. The raw carom seeds have been found to be meeting standards,” Sharma said.

TOI had earlier reported that the water samples taken from the school tanks on April 11 by a team of the health department had not revealed any contamination. These samples were taken after the school got all the tanks cleaned.

Officials, however, point out that since the tanks and even dust-bins of the school were cleaned after the incident, it will not be possible to know the real reason for the food poisoning.

Chief medical officer Anurag Bhargava said the school had cleared everything and had allowed entry to food officials after making them wait for nearly two hours.

“All the samples are clear but 190 children fell sick. Isn’t it a lapse on the part of the school and the administration? They should at least have collected the water samples,” a parent of one of the students who were hospitalised, told TOI.

A statement from Step by Step school said: “We have not received the report from the authorities as yet. We are awaiting finding of the investigation by the authorities.”