Govt, public should work together to deal with problem
The authorities concerned should collect oil and ghee samples from the market and examine them at regular intervals.
The authorities concerned should collect samples from the market and examine them at regular intervals for quality and purity. Samples which are not up to the mark should be immediately banned. Sale of such adulterated ghee and oil should be stopped and strict action should be taken so as to teach those guilty a lesson for playing with the lives of others. Shopkeepers selling adulterated ghee and oil should be punished by cancelling their licences.
Ekroop Kaur
Strict rules must
Adulteration not only in milk and ghee but in every commodity has become common. To prevent consumption of such adulterated goods, strict rules and laws must be formed to regulate and to monitor activities in the market. It should be treated as criminal offence and guilty must be pushed behind the bars. To earn a few extra bucks, they are playing with the life of others. A nodal agency must be formed to ensure purity and quality of ghee and milk being supplied to the public. Each milk vendor and trader must seek permission from this agency for selling products. If anyone becomes victim to any sort of health problem after consuming anything edible, he/she must claim compensation from supplier.
Farzana Khan
Food inspectors should be vigilant
All needed steps must be taken to make sure that adulterated ghee and oil do not reach consumers. The first step required is to check that such adulterated ghee and oil are neither available in the market nor sold. For this, food inspectors must be vigilant and keep checking shopkeepers dealing in these commodities by collecting samples, getting them tested and confiscating the adulterated bulks on sale and punish the guilty. The delay in testing must be stopped to control the availability and sale of such food stuff in the market. The Food Department must know a number of quick methods for detecting adulteration in ghee and oil. These methods must be repeatedly published in local newspapers for public use. The public in turn must also learn these testing methods and use them for checking the purity of food stuff and inform the authorities about the details of defaulters. Also, the Food Department must support research to find new quick methods for testing ghee and oil.
Dr G Dev
Need for joint efforts
Food adulteration is a burning issue these days. It goes on with impunity and the culprits are least bothered about laws. Even the government authorities have turned a blind eye to such malpractices. The problem can only be solved through joint efforts of consumers, producers and the government. The first and the foremost step is an aware consumer. Just for the sake of saving some money, a majority of consumers are ready to buy low-quality food products. The consumers should be educated about not compromising on quality and producers need to realise their moral duty to supply good quality food products to consumers. The final authority is with the government. It should never ever ignore such malpractices rather they should deal with them with severity. They should adopt a zero-tolerance towards such activities. But the root cause of all problems in India is corruption. Even if some food inspector or any other authority dares to take action against these adulterators, muscle power suppresses his /her sincere efforts. Therefore, consumers, producer and the government have to work together to curb the menace.
Bir Devinder Singh Bedi
Establish monitoring agency for checking
Ethics are the basis of running any business or providing society with services. But in today’s world, each person is in a race to reap maximum profits by hook or by crook. The easiest way from the view point of those who in the business is adulteration — whether it is oil, milk or ghee — and the victims of such foul practices are consumers. A curb can be put on these practices and loss to consumers may be avoided by establishing a controlling and monitoring agency by the local government. There must be periodical inspection of those who are dealing in the business. Heavy fine should be imposed on those who are guilty. A certificate must be issued by the agency on defaulters. The government should assign the duties for the distribution of ghee and milk to its staff and producer should supply their goods only to the government.
Dr Mohd Saleem farooqui
Home tests useful
Ghee is a regularly-used ingredient in an Indian kitchen and is considered to be a symbol of prosperity. However, there have been several cases of adulteration of ghee. Adulteration of ghee can be checked in several ways at home and these tests need chemicals which may not be readily available at home, but can be bought at chemists. There are other tests that need to be conducted in a laboratory environment. Though the laboratory tests are more accurate in determining adulteration, some home tests are also useful.
BISMANPREET KAUR CHAWLA
Frame quality standards
Adulteration is an addition of another substance to a food item to increase its quantity, which may result in the loss of actual quality of the item. Adulteration of oil and ghee will not reach the unsuspecting consumers only if the government would take strict action in this regard. The government needs to organise awareness programmes for consumers to buy FSSAI-approved ghee and oil. People who buy loose edible oil across the country run the risk of cancer, paralysis, liver damage and cardiac arrest. The FSSAI have to frame standards and to take strict action against those not complying with those standards. There is need to develop such techniques or devices by which consumers can check adulteration levels of ghee and oils on their own.
Ravleen Kaur
Buy packaged products
Food items of daily use — ghee, butter and oil — are prone to adulteration and contamination. So the consumer must be aware before buying the product and they should buy packed and labeled products because they are more likely to be genuine and packaged in hygienic conditions. They should also check the seal and expiry date of oil and ghee. Look for a quality mark of FPO or AGMARK. They should also make sure that the lid is dent-free or bulge-free.
Devna Munjal, Model town
Raid manufacturers on regular basis
With the changing times, methods of making ghee and oil have also changed. So, it is essential to keep a check on its production methods. Ghee and oil production centres should be raided regularly and ways to ensure purity of ghee and oil should be introduced to manufacturers. They need to be introduced to equipment and trained labour.
Laveena Sharma
Check for quality marks
Adulteration can be in the form of animal fat, crushed bones or palm oil. We should take only packed items from reliable retail shops and outlets. ISI mark or AGMARK should be checked before buying. There should be awareness on the part of consumer.
Sakshi Verma, Manpreet Kaur
Awareness the only solution
Awareness is the primary solution for dealing with adulteration. People should make safe choices and should know how to check the quality of ghee, oil and other products at home. Government should take necessary steps weed out the problem. ‘Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954’ was enacted, the objective of which was to ensure pure and wholesome food for consumers and preventing fraud or deception.
KAMALDEEP KAUR
Regular checking of samples required
Edible oils should be checked for iodine value and refractive index to confirm if it is genuine or adulterated. The provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, should be properly implemented so that those guilty are penalised. Awareness programmes on health safety should be organised. Regular raids should be conducted and samples should be drawn by the Health Departments regularly.
Jasdeep Kaur
Impose penalty
Adulteration is now a part of every edible item, especially ghee and oil. Awareness should be generated among people regarding this and steps should be taken to ensure purity of milk products. The authorities should take measures and impose heavy fines on those playing with the lives of others for the sake of money.
Deepnayan Kaur
Form policies, regulations
Due to lack of effective implementation of graded penalties, regular surveillance, monitoring and sampling of food products by the state/UT governments, under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) and Consumer Protection Bill, India is still fighting against food adulteration. This practice (a gross violation of various human rights) reveals the plight of the country. It has become difficult to find safe food in the pile of adulterated foods such as milk/milk products, edible vegetable oils, spices, pulses and vegetables. Besides this, a large quantity of spurious drugs is also being sold in the market. To keep a tab on adulterated food items, the food industry (public or private) should be subjected to regular scanning in terms of manufacturing, packaging, processing, wholesale and distribution. The menace of food adulteration can only be curbed by strengthening food safety structures and effective implementation of policy and regulations to deal with it. In addition, increasing public awareness is imperative to protect an unsuspected consumer’s right.
RAVI CHANDER GARG
Launch mobile vans for checking food
The best way to make sure that adulterated ghee and oil are prevented from reaching the unsuspecting customers is holding awareness camps in rural and slum areas. Also, mobile vans must be designed in a way that adulteration could be checked easily and accurately. Vigilant control and checking must be done by food and nutrition departments.
Sanskriti Verma
Raise awareness through advertisements
It is the duty of the government to ensure fair practices in trading and FSSAI should make stringent laws. Advertisement on mass scale should be made so that awareness can be created among consumers. Authorities should raid factories. Moreover, consumers should purchase products which are authenticated by the FSSAI.
Ritu Priya
OPEN HOUSE COMMENT
Adopt zero-tolerance approach
Food adulteration, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, is an act of deliberately debasing the quality of food offered for sale either by admixture of inferior substances or by removal of some valuable ingredient. Adulterated food is dangerous because it may be toxic and can affect health and could deprive the consumers of nutrients essential for growth and development. The worst part is that the consumers are often caught unawares. They are oblivious to the fact that they may be consuming adulterated ghee and oil. The only solution in such cases is creating awareness among the masses and having a zero tolerance for adulteration in food. Any act of food adulteration should invite social censure and legal action against the offenders. — Minna Zutshi
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