Adulterated flour making units unearthed

Madurai: After unearthing units adulterating cooking oil and ghee, food safety officials have run into two units which have been manufacturing adulterated flours and functioning without valid licences. While both the units were functioning on the same premises, one was making flour at the behest of a city-based trader and the other was packing and distributing it directly in the market.

Though the units were mainly producing gram flour, they were also mixing other flours at cheap price and using bad grade grains fit for consumption of cattle and poultry. With the Diwali season fast approaching, flours are being sought-after for making a variety of snacks. Since the production of the required flours has gone up, these illegal units have been busy manufacturing adulterated food produces day and night. 

The unit was unearthed by a team of officials led by Dr M Somasundaram, designated officer for food safety, Madurai district. The samples were taken from the units and sent for laboratory testing following which they were closed. Officials said legal action would begin as soon as the test results were out in a fortnight. 

“Gram flour was manufactured from discarded grade Bengal gram and mixed with corn flour and the colour enhanced with tartrazine yellow,” Dr Somasundaram said. Explaining the process involved in manufacturing adulterated gram flour, an official said cheap quality corn was procured and grinded in mills. It was then mixed with gram flour obtained by grinding poor quality Bengal gram. While one kilogram of good quality gram dhal is sold at not less than Rs 70 in the market, the adulterated ones are sold for as low as Rs 40. 

“The flour was being manufactured in dingy mills which have not been cleaned for years together. The unclean method of production can attract health problems for the consumers,” said an official. According to the food safety officials, there could be many more such units manufacturing inferior quality flours. Some of the established traders were also selling inferior quality flours the manufacture of which was outsourced to mill owners who got entangled in legal complication when caught. The traders managed to escape legal action, they said.

S P Jeyaprakasam, president of Tamil Nadu Food Grains Merchants Association, said that such wrongdoers should be punished severely. “Almost 90% of the flour manufacturers have got licences and are doing fair business. We are taking classes for our members on how to ensure quality. We are committed to ensuring quality products for the consumers,” he said. Food grains merchants said that people should avoid buying cheap gram flour. To ensure that the flours were of good quality, consumers should read the ingredients and small print, they said.