Kerala   

Create awareness

The biggest threat facing humanity today is the overuse of toxic substances in fruits and vegetables to make it look fresh. A major share of the fruits and vegetables in the market is contaminated by spraying toxic substances like BHC malathion, fluradon, etc. Use of such pesticides and injecting hormones on food items have an injurious and long-lasting consequence leading to diseases like cancer, kidney ailments and heart problems.

The common folk cannot but buy whatever is available in the market. An awareness programme should be conducted to educate people on the hidden dangers. The consumer protection forum should take initiative to conduct awareness programmes.Washing fruits and vegetables in salt water and then in running water will help to reduce the toxic effect of these food items. Erring vendors who do not comply with law should be punished, as adulteration is a serious crime against humanity.

K.N. Baby

Kozhikode

Excessive use of non-food grade substances leads to severe problems. Lot of incurable disease are supposed to be affected by it. If it is not nipped in the bud, different business organisation in this competitive business world will compete to increase their production through adulteration, which will lead to uncontrollable economy.

To curb it, consumers should be made aware of the risks and repercussions involved in it. They should be directed to use it properly without harm. The prevailing measures taken to create consumer awareness like publications, audio-video programme, national awards, consumer day and others should be made more popular. Most of our consumers are unaware of the laws in force. Apart from the Food Adulteration Act, 1955, there are Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1971, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, Environment Protection Act, 1986, and others to protect them. Above all, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, provides more teeth to ensure safety. A consumer can approach redressal agencies if he is cheated.

A.C. Farooq Mohammed

Malappuram

Consumers get cheated due to the use of non-food graded items on fruits and vegetables. Many of the items can lead to food poisoning. According to the 1955 Act, the chemicals used in food items need to be labelled. But many traders and shopkeepers fail to do so. However, the move to make the labelling mandatory is a step in the right direction. Absence of wax on food products such as fruits and vegetables will spoil them as it takes days for the produce brought in form other States to reach the markets here. Judicious use of food grade wax and adequate labelling are essential.

Sruthi B

Haripad

Kerala is a consumerist State. We import fruits and vegetables from various States. This has lead to the increased use of preservatives. Shellac, ammonium soaps, beeswax, etc., are widely used for preservation.

Some of the preservatives are needed to preserve foodstuff. Better handling and storage methods should be used to avoid the use of preservatives. Labelling the ingredients used for preservation is essential. The quantity and kind of preservatives that can be used should be specified. Steps should be taken to enlighten consumers.

Gayathri S

Pallipad

The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act-1955 is non-existent.

Even though the labels on several products mention the ingredients most people do not bother to read it.

How can one ensure the quality and safety of unpacked and unlabelled fruits, vegetables, oils, curry powders, spices, etc.?

There have been reports of chilly powder being adulterated with brick and salt with powdered glass. Adulteration of food can occur at various levels such as production, entrepreneurship or sale. Consumer vigilance is the need of the hour.

Those found guilty of adulterating food should be punished. Surprise checks should be conducted by the Food Inspectors, especially at hotels and eateries.

The consumer forums at the block and district levels in the State are yet to make their presence felt. Regulations considering food security and guidelines for the providing licences to roadside eateries should be promulgated.

Krishna K

E-mail

Apart from non-food grade substances being used on fruits and vegetables to make them look fresh, bakery items, pickles and other food items contain a lot of preservatives. Vanilla essence is used in bakery items besides non-permissible colours.

The preservatives used in hotels and restaurants are prohibited under law.

Action should be taken against those violating the regulations. Food Inspectors are empowered under the Food Adulteration Act 1955 to inspect and examine food items intended for sale and to send them for further examination to the State Food Laboratory. The officials should take steps to curb adulteration.

V.P. Ramesan

Thripunithura

In most countries, consumer is the king.

However, it is a different story in Kerala. There are enough rules to check the malpractices, yet little effort is taken to initiate necessary steps.

Chemicals and other ingredients are added to fruits and vegetables to get better colour, more weight. All import and export items should be checked thoroughly at the check-posts to curb food adulteration. Strict action should be taken against traders found guilty.

The Government authorities, especially the Health Department, should be vigilant against food adulteration.

P. Sankaranarayanan

Thripunithura

The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (1955) is being redrafted to address all issues of food safety.

The provisions of the Act should address the key issues in this regard. The enforcing agency should monitor adulteration by conducting tests to ascertain the adulterant. Improper post-harvest handling and processing affect the quality of food.

Another key issue pertains to the manufactured products in food industry. Several chemical additives are permitted by the PFA to be added in manufactured products to increase the shelf-life. The PFA has specified the standards to be adhered to and the maximum permissible levels for additives such as preservatives.

The advancement in food science, nutrition and technology has enabled the industry to come out with several new products to cater to the demand.

Many of the products do not follow the standards set by the PFA. The major health hazard arising from consuming fruits and vegetables is due to the presence of pesticide residues.

The pesticide level in fruits and vegetables can be minimised only by judicious use of the chemicals by the farmers. This requires adequate training.

It is the collective responsibility of Governmental agencies, the pest control industry and the farming community to evolve strategies to overcome the problem of reducing the use of pesticides.

K.K. Sakariah

Kottayam

Recently, the health squad of the City Corporation seized wax coated apples, imported from the United States of America, being sold without displaying information on the wax ingredient used for coating. But do we know how much pesticide content is there in the fruits and vegetables that we buy?

A system should be introduced to ascertain that the products are free of pesticides. The authorities should have the required equipment for testing. Action should be taken against those found guilty.

A. Jacob Sahayam

Thiruvananthapuram

Food items are found to be adulterated. There were newspaper reports about apples being sold with a coating of non-food grade wax. Stickers stating ‘export’ are stuck on apples from Ooty and Bangalore and sold as the export variety at Rs.100 to Rs.110 in the market. The traders make a huge profit. According to the Food Adulteration Act, 1955, wax, mineral oil, colour, etc. should not be used inside or outside the fruits and vegetables. But an amendment passed in 2006 allows traders to use natural wax such as beeswax, cantilena wax etc. Such an amendment is made with the intention of preventing bacterial infection in fruits and vegetables. Many traders are now using non-food grade wax, causing hazard to health. Chemicals used as preservatives in some pickles are hazardous to health. Adulteration should be checked with immediate effect. We have consumer courts and the courts should safeguard the rights of the consumers. However, many people are unaware of how to go about it. Measures should be taken to create consumer awareness among the people.

Bibin S. Nath

Thiruvananthapuram

The recent report of wax coating on imported apples is another warning to the consumer about the food they get from the market. The quality of food is deteriorating. The recent investigation by the Public Health Department about pesticide residues in vegetables coming in from Karnataka did not make any major impact on the trade. Vegetables produced in Kerala are also sprayed with pesticides. Consumers and the Government blame the farmers. But unless a concerted effort is made food products will continue to be unsafe for consumption. The farmers should be motivated to develop a farming system which does not need the use of chemicals

. Usha S

Thiruvananthapuram

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