People &  Their Problems

New Delhi, 17 September 2009

Food Adulteration

HUMAN HEALTH UNDER THREAT

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

 As if rising food prices was not bad enough, people have to deal with the growing problem of food adulteration and/or contamination in various forms or the other. These include pesticides in food, adulteration and colouring of food products. While rules are very much there to check adulteration, the enforcement is brazenly lacking, leading to the unusual increase in health diseases in all sections of society – whether rich or poor.

Sadly, a survey conducted some time ago reveals that the presence of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables has been increasing steadily. The survey showed that about 18 per cent vegetables and 12 per cent fruits, both home grown and imported, contained pesticide residues, including banned pesticides. Residues of DDT, DDE and HCE pesticides were found in samples from Mumbai and Hyderabad, while samples from Anand, Surat and Baroda in Gujarat had chlorpyriphos and monocrotophos residues above the maximum levels. Even imported apple and pear from the US and China were found to contain multiple residues of HCH isomers, DDT analogues and organophosphate pesticides at Mumbai and Chennai.

Experts are of the opinion that banned pesticides like DDT, which are still used in the malaria eradication programme, find illegal entry into the agriculture system, while the residue of other banned pesticides can be found in soil and water. But the figures quoted by the survey are not very realistic as it is generally believed that these are much more than projected.

Remember, a few years back pesticides in soft drinks created a huge controversy when the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in the Capital, compared the pesticide levels in the country with those prescribed by the EU standards for primary raw ingredients. It came out with startling revelations against 12 leading brands of soft drinks belonging to multi-national companies. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) thereafter proposed new standards that specify the maximum levels of various pesticides, potentially additive caffeine and acid content in soft drinks.

Insofar as the use of colours is concerned, its toxicity has an adverse effect on human health. Though Rule 26 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act permits the use of colours, the rampant and illegal use of poor quality toxic colours, oils and flavours in sweets, snacks, biscuits, chips, pickles, ice creams and soft drinks has become a serious health problem. Not just this, but even fresh fruits and vegetables are too coloured to make them look more appetizing. It is even reported that coal tar is often added to powered spices to give them the right hue.

Clinically, chemical dyes such as Auramine are learnt to cause dysfunction of the liver and the kidney, while another dye, Rhodomine B, leads to growth retardation apart from degeneration of the two organs. Malachite Green causes a decrease in appetite, growth and fertility. Yellow G provokes asthma and Allura Red can lead to stomach cancer. Doctors and nutritionists are of the firm opinion that the common side effects of prolonged consumption of these colours are acidity, thyroid tumours, asthma, abdominal pain, eczema, liver and kidney damage. In urban areas, there has been a phenomenal increase in acidity amongst most people and the reasons are attributed to the intake of contaminated food.

The worst sufferers are children. Some pediatricians have contended that many children are also allergic to artificial colours. Heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic, which are found in sweets and snacks coloured with non-food grade dyes are worse as they are not excreted.

Shockingly, there is no strict, even proper enforcement of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act and most State Governments do not have the machinery to conduct checks from time to time. In recent times, consumer rights have become quite active but not much headway has been made in most parts of the country. While voluntary organizations are quite vociferous about land rights, water, sanitation and the likes, contamination of food has not been given requisite attention.   

Another major problem is the lack of awareness amongst most consumers. While buying packaged food, it is of utmost importance that they find out whether the colours are at the permissible level. However, this trend, unlike the West is not prevalent in our part of the world. This apart there is a lack of information about some basic dos and don’ts. For example not many are aware that keeping fruits and vegetables in water for about an hour (if not more) would help allow many of the contaminants to be absorbed in the water itself. Likewise, fish, rice and pulses too should be washed repeatedly to help remove the urea used to whiten these.  

Regrettably, there is little data about the connection between food adulteration and contamination and its effect on human health, especially of children and lactating women. However, the problem exists and importantly needs to be tackled in all seriousness. Unless this is done, the incidence of diseases would continue to rise. Even the well-informed urban consumer is not aware about the aspect of pesticide residues or the adulteration in food though there are some discussions of vegetables sometimes looking more fresh than expected. The scenario is obviously more distressing in the small towns and rural areas, where most adulterated food products have made their way.        

While research needs to be conducted regularly on the different types of adulteration in food and its effect on human health, it is equally important for consumer rights activists to build up campaigns. Last but not the least, the Union Government, which provides funds for scientific awareness generation through its Department of Science & Technology, should provide funds to NGOs to take up this work. Organizations such as  the All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health should conduct regular research and publicize the findings, thus enlightening the people.

At the State level too, awareness campaigns must be organized with the help of the NGOs and the Government departments should publish related literature. If awareness is built up effectively and the food inspectors carry out their duties sincerely, food adulteration is bound to come down drastically. But for all this to happen, there is need for alertness among the monitoring agencies and a proper understanding of the adverse consequences of adulterated and/or contaminated food on human health by the authorities. It is never too late. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)