Steps needed to prevent food adulteration

Food adulteration is increasing in the country. It seems to us that the whole Bangladesh is stuck in the hands of adulterated food traders.

Now it's really tough to find good or safe food in the pile of adulterated foods. Which food is now safe now? Almost all types of foods including life saving medicines are adulterated here. People are now thinking- is there any safe food in local market.

National Food Safety Laboratory (NFSL) of Institute of Public Health (IPH) in Mohakhali conducted a survey over food safety in the country. Around 500 kinds of foods were identified as adulterated food during the test. Germs of typhoid, dysentery and diarrhea were found in street foods including Fuchka, Jhalmuri. This kind of situation is really alarming. Immediate step is needed to stop the food adulteration.

The report of Institute of Public Health said that most of those food items have salmonella, artificial colours, est, coliform, mycotoxins and e-coli which is serious harmful for human health. e-coli is responsible for dysentery while salmonella creates typhoid in human body. Besides, coliform and mycotoxins are germs of diarrhea. The percentage of germs in the foods were very much high, according to the survey. Children are suffering from dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid and jaundice due to these germs in food.

The regular test of IPH also found compromised quality in samples of Mustard and Soybean oil, Noodles, Semai and Ghee. The moisture and fatty acid levels of many edible oil samples were not up to the mark.

465 samples including eggplants, tomatoes, cauliflowers, green chillies and country beans were checked through Micro-biological examination.  55 items of noodles of different brands were collected from Dhaka markers and super shops. But, the protein levels of 14 items were very poor. In addition, harmful testing salt was found in these noodles. 

The examination found less than desired level of proteins in 13 Semai samples of different brands. Even, the iron level was found less than expected level.

Adulterated food is harmful for public health. The number of incurable disease patients is increasing in the country. The main reason behind this is consuming adulterated food. If the authority fails to stop this bad practice of adulterated food business then the public health will face more serious crisis.  The concerned authority should take stern action following the issue. The chemicals in adulterated foods create serious impact in human body regularly. So, consuming adulterated food is one kinds of slow poisoning.  

There is no effective initiative against food adulteration. However, it’s a serious offence. Sometimes, the authority conducts drive against food adulteration and fined some the traders. But, there is no visible improvement in this regard because the adulterated food businessmen start their business just after few days of the drive. So, the drive should be run regularly.

Besides, strict action should be taken so that the dishonest businessmen continue the illegal food business skipping law. And exemplary punishment should be ensured against the traders. Otherwise, this kind of crime will be impossible to stop. New law can be enacted in this regard.



risingbd/Dhaka/Nov 7, 2017/Ali Nowsher/Nasim