The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Worms found in baby food

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Sunday, Jul 05, 2009
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Worms found in baby food

Special Correspondent

Random samples of food to be collected from retail shops
Improper storage by the buyer too could be the cause

Thiruvananthapuram: The City Corporation has decided to carry out random inspection of baby food stocks in retail outlets following reports of a child falling ill after being fed a popular brand of baby food purchased from a shop at Pappanamcode.

Officials from the Health section of the Corporation have been directed to collect samples of the content of the packet and submit it for laboratory analysis.

Chairman of the Health standing committee G.R. Anil said the parents of the child, who was hospitalised, had later found the baby food infested with mites and worms.

“The sealed packet had a shelf life up to 2010 but we are not sure whether the worms had found their way into the contents due to improper storage after it was opened. Health officials have been asked to collect random samples from across the city,” he said.

Citing previous incidents, Mr. Anil said children’s foods were found to be the most prone to adulteration and contamination.

“Even big shops and branded goods are guilty of the offence,” he added.

He, however, said that keeping a tab on food products would require a coordinated effort involving the Department of Health.

“The absence of laboratory facilities here to test food samples is a major impediment to such efforts,” he said.

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