Health secretary Beela Rajesh, who is also the commissioner of food safety, has issued orders directing designated food safety officials of all districts to send samples for testing. Samples of oil, ghee, sweets and savouries have to be lifted as per prescribed format and sent to lab for checks, the letters said. In the past two weeks officials have been testing samples and meeting with manufacturers.
“We have asked them (manufacturers) to avoid synthetic colours in sweets and maintain proper hygiene during bulk preparation on their premises. They have been asked to check the labels of ghee and oil used and buy only from trusted sources with proper bills/ invoices,” said food safety deputy director K Vanaja. “Manufacturers have been warned that violation of food safety standards will lead to convictions. We will track the quality of ingredients and will book their suppliers if the raw material is adulterated,” she said.
In September, food inspectors in the city had picked up samples of ghee and butter from manufacturing units in T Nagar and Saidapet along with a red dye. The dye was found to be cancer-causing, oil-soluble colour that is not permitted to be used in food. Samples of butter and ghee picked from these units also failed food safety standards. Government food analysts reported that as much as 50% of fat in the samples tested was not exclusively dairy fat.
Staff in the manufacturing units told officials that the dye, a combination of red powder and mustard oil, was used as it gave the butter texture and odour. These products cost Rs 200 a kg compared to Rs 435 per kg of ghee charged by brands such as Aavin of the state-run milk cooperative. Similarly, some oils meant for lighting lamps in temples are used for cooking as well.
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