AHE-01 (E)

THE THEME OF THE PROJECT

“Analysis of food adulterants and

Evaluation of their impact”

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 INTRODUCTION

The study of Food Science or food adulteration emphasis on the

composition of foods and the changes that occur when they are subjected

to processing Food science course cannot be confined to the nutritive value

of foods as research has unfolded new frontiers. Functional foods are foods

that promote health beyond providing basic nutrition. In accordance with

the exploration of scientific knowledge an attempt has been made

throughout the project to give information on the health value of food

beyond the nutritive content.

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CONTENTS Page No.

1. The theme of the Project 3

2. Introduction 5

3. Functions of Food 9

4. Protection and Regulation 10

5. Food Groups 11

6. Adulteration 15

7. Types of Adulterants 17

8. Table: Intentional adulterations and methods of detection 18

9. Contamination of foods with harmful microorganisms 35

10. Metallic Contamination 35

11. Table: Food borne diseases caused by some pathogenic organisms 37

12. Table: Toxic effects of bone metals and chemicals 40

13. Toxic metals 43

14. Incidental adulterants 45

15. Packaging hazards 51

16. New Adulterants 52

17. Food laws and standards 54

18. Prevention of food Adulteration Act 55

19. Administrative Hierarchy 59

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20. Powers of Food inspectors 60

21. Essential Commodities Act, 1954 62

22. Fruit Products Order 63

23. Milk and Milk products order 64

24. Meat Products Order 64

25. Cold Storage Order 65

26. Misbranding 66

27. Enforcement 67

28. Bureau of Indian Standards 68

29. The Agmark Standard 70

30. Export Prospection Council 73

31. Consumer Protection Act 74

32. Codex Alimentarius 75

33. Hazard Analysis Critical Control

Pont (HACCP) 77-80

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 Man must eat to live and what he eats will affect in high has ability to

keep well, to work and to live long. Food performs many vital functions in

the body.

Functions of Food

Foods are classified according to their functions in the body.

Energy yielding

This group includes foods rich in carbohydrate, fat and protein. One

gram of carbohydrate gives 4 calories. One gram of fat gives 9 calories.

They may be broadly divided into two groups:

I. Cereals, pulses, roots and tubers

II. Pure carbohydrates like sugars and fats and oils.

Body building

Food rich in Protein are called body building foods. They are

classified into two groups:

I. Milk, egg, meat, fish : They are rich in proteins of high biological

value. These proteins have all the essential amino acids in correct

proportion for the synthesis of body tissues.

II. Pulses, all seeds and nuts. They are rich in protein but may not

contain all the essential amino acids required by the human body.

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Protection and regulation

Foods rich in protein, vitamins and minerals have regulatory

functions in the body e.g. maintaining the heart beat, water balance,

temperature. Protective foods are broadly classified into two groups.

I. Foods rich in vitamins and minerals and proteins of high biological

value e.g. with, egg fish, liver.

II. Foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals only e.g. green leafy

vegetables and some fruits.

Maintenance of Health

Food contains certain phytochemicals and antioxidants which help in

preventing, degenerative diseases. Food plays an important role in the

prevention of cancers, heart diseases and in controlling diabetes mellitus.

Some examples for functional foods are whole grains, soya bean,

green leafy vegetables, coloured fruit and species.

Food Groups

Foods have been classified into different groups depending upon the

nutritive value for the convenience of planning meals. Food groups like

‘Basic four’ ‘Basic five’ or ‘Basic seven’ can be used for planning meals as

per the convenience.

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I. Basic Four:-

Groups Nutrient

Cereals, millets and pulses Energy, protein B-vitamins

Vegetables and fruits Vitamins minerals and fibre

Milk, milk products, and Protein, calcium B-vitamins

animal foods

Oils, fats, nuts and oilseeds Energy, protein (nuts and oil

seeds).

II. Basic Five: ICMR

Cereals, grains and products: rice, Energy, protein, invisible, fat,

wheat, ragi, maize, bajra, jowar, rice thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin,

flakes, puffed rice iron and fibre

Pulses and legumes: Bengal grain, Energy, protein, invisible fat,

black gram, cow pea, peas (dry) thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid,

rajma, soyabeans. calcium, iron, and fibre

Milk and meat products:

(i) Milk curd, skimmed milk, cheese. Protein, fat, riboflavin,

(ii) Chicken, liver, fish, egg and meat Calcium, proteins, fat, riboflavin

Fruits and vegetables:

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 (i) Mango, guava, tomato, papaya, Carotenoids, vitamin c,

orange, sweat lime, watermelon riboflavin, folic acid, iron, fibre.

(ii) Green leafy vegetables: Amarnath Riboflavin, folic acid calcium,

spinach, gogu, drumstic leaves, fibre, iron, carotenoids

fenugreek.

(iii) Other vegetables:

Carrots, onion, brinjal, ladies, onion, Carotenoids, folic acid, calcium,

capasium, cauliflower, drumstick. fibre, iron, ceratenoids.

Fats and Sugars: Energy, essential fatty acids and

(i) Fats: Butter, ghee, hydro fat soluble vitamins.

generated fat, cooking oils

(ii) Sugar and jaggery Energy Jaggery has fat iron

III. Basic Seven

Green and yellow vegetables Carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and iron

Oranges, grape fruit, tomatoes Ascorbic acid

or raw cabbage

Milk and milk products Calcium, phosphorus, protein and

vitamins

Potatoes, other vegetables and Vitamins and minerals in general

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 fruits and fibre of cellulose.

Meat, poultry, fish and eggs Proteins, phosphorus, iron and B

vitamins

Bread, flour and cereals Thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, iron,

carbohydrate and fibre

Butter or fortified margarine Vitamin A and fat.

Adulteration

Adulteration of food stuffs is commonly practiced in India by the trade. The

consumers like to get maximum quantity for as low a price as possible. The

sellers must meet the needs of the buyers, to be able to exist. This is a

vicious cycle. When the price of the food production is higher than the price

which the consumer is prepared to pay, seller is compelled to supply a food

product of inferior quality. Thus, adulteration occurs.

It was to check such malpractices that the first central act called the

prevention of food Adulteration Act was passed in 1954 and come into

force from June 1, 1955. The PFA pertains to food sold and defines what

may be considered as adulteration. It requires that foods be pure,

wholesome and honesty labeled.

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Definition

Adulteration is defined as the process by which the which the quality

or the nature of a given substance is reduced through

(i) The addition of a foreign or an interior substance and (ii) the removal of

a vital element.

A good example for the first one is addition of water to milk and that

for the second is removal of fat from milk.

Adulteration of food may endanger health if the physiological

functions of the consumer are affected due to either addition of a

deleterious substance or the removal of a vital component.

Types of Adulterants:-

Adulteration may be international or unintentional. The former is a

willful act on the part of the adulterator intended to increase the margin of

profit. Incidental contamination is usually due to ignorance, negligence or

lack of proper facilities.

Intentional Adulterants

Intentional adulterants are srad, marble chips, stones mud, chalk

powder, water, mineral oil and coulter, dyes. These cause harmful effects

on the body.

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 Table gives methods of identification of adulterants in different

foods.

Table: Intentional adulteration

Name of the Adulterant Simple method for detection of

food article adulterant

Ghee or Butter Vanaspathi Take about one teaspoonful of melted

ghee or butter with equal quantity

concentrated hydrochloric Acid in a

test tube and add to it a pinch of core

sugar. Shake will for one minute and

test-it after 5 minutes. Appearance of

crimson colour is lower (acidic) layer

shows the presence of ‘vanaspathi’.

The test is specific for reasons oil

which is compulsory added to

vanaspathi. Some of coulter dyes also

give a positive test.

Milk Mashed potato, Add a drop of tincture of iodine.

sweet potato and Iodine which is brownish in colour

other starches. thins to blue if starches are present.

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 (a) The lactometer reading should not

Water ordinary be less than 1.026.

(b) The presence of water can be

detected by putting a drop of milk on a

polished vertical surface. The drop of

pure milk either stops or flows slowly

leaving a while trail behind it;

Starch whereas milk adulterated with water

will flow immediately without leaving

a mark.

(c) Add tincture of iodine, indication

of blue colour shows the presence of

starch.

This test is not valid if milk is

skimmed and thickening material is

added.

Khoa Starch Add tincture of Iodine. Indication the

blue colour shows the presence of

starch.

Edible oils Argenoue oil Add concentrated metric acid to a

sample and shake carefully. Red to

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 reddish brown colour in acid layer

indicates the presence of argenous oil.

Mineral oil Take two ml of edible oil and add an

equal quality of N/2 alcholoic potash.

Meat in boiling water both for 15 min

and 10 ml of water. Any turbidity

shows the presence of mineral oil

Castel oil Dissolve some oil in petroleum either

in a test tube and cool in ice salt

mixture. Presence of turbidity within

5 minutes indicates the presence of

oil. The test is not for minute tracers.

Sweet meat, Metanil yellow (a Extract colour with luke warm water

ice cream, non permitted coal from food article add few drops of

sherbet tar dye) conc. Hydrochloric Acid. If magenta

red colour develop the presence of

material yellow is indicated.

Dhals Kesari dhal Add 50 ml dilute Hychloronic acid to

that and keep on simmering water for

about 15 minutes. The pink colour if

developed indicaters the presence of

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 kesari dhal.

Clay, Stoves, Visual examination will detect these

gravels lead adulterants shake five grams of dhal

chronicle with five ml of water and add a few

drops (yellow) of hydrochloric acid. A

pink colour shows the presence of

colour.

Hing Soap stone Shake with water, soap stone or other

(Pumice stone) or earthy matter will settle to the

other earthly bottom. Same tests as in the case of

matter starch mile.

Name of the Adulterant Simple Method for detection of

food article tea Exhausted tea or adulterant

leaves black or Bengal (a) Tea leaves sprinkled on wet filter

gram dal husk with paper release added colour.

colour (b) Spread a little slacked time on

white porcelain tile or glass plate.

Sparkle a little tea dust on the lime.

Red, orange or other shades of colour

spreading on the time lime will show

the presence of coal tar dye. In the

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 case of genuine tea, there will be only

a sight greenish yellow colour due to

chlorophyll which appears after

sometime.

Saffron Dyed tendrils of Genuine saffron will no break easily

waize cob. like artificial one. The colour dissolves

in water if artificially coloured. Pure

Saffron when allowed to dissolve in

water will continue to give its saffron

colour so long as it lasts.

Wheat, bajra Ergot (a fungus (a) Purple black longer size grains in

and other food containing a bajra show the presence of ergots.

grains poisonous) (b) Put some grains in a glass

substance) containing 20% salt solution. Ergot

floats over the surface while sound

grains down.

Dhrtura-Seeds Dhrtura seeds resenible chillie seeds

with blackish brown colour which can

be separated out by close

examination.

Sugar Chalk powder Dissolve in a glass of water. Chalk will

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 settle down at the bottom.

Black pepper Dried seeds of Papaya seeds are shrunken, oval is

papaya fruit shape and greenish brown or

brownish black in colour and has

repulsive flavor quite distinct from the

bite of black pepper.

Light Berries Light Berries float on spirit.

Silver Leaves Aluminium leaves On ignition genuine silver leaves

burns away completely, leaving

glistening, while spherical ball

whereas aluminium leaves are

reduced to ashes of dark grey blackish

colour. The silver foil is very thin and

if crushed between two fingers,

crumbles to powders, Aluminium foil

is comparatively thickens and only

breaks to small shreds when passed

similarly.

Turmeric Material Yellow Take a teaspoon full of turmeric

powder in a test tube. Add a few drops

of conc. hydrochloric acid instant

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 appearance of violet colour which

disappears on dilution with water. If

the colour persists presence of

material yellow is indicated.

Chillie Powder Brick powder soup Any grittiness that may be felt on

stone tapping the sediment at the bottom of

glass confirms the presence of brick

powder or sand smooth while residue

at the bottom indicates the presence

of soapstone.

Artificial colour Water soluble artificial dye can be

detected by sprinkling a small

quantity of chillies or powder on the

surface of water contained in a glass

tumbler. The soluble dye will

immediately start discending in colour

streaks.

Jaggery Chalk powder Add few drops of hydrochloric acid.

Powder sugar Effervescence indicates adulteration.

Stir a spoonful sample of sugar in a

glass of water. The chalk settle down.

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Cloves Volatile oil Exhausted cloves can be identified by

extracted cloves it small size and shrunken

appearance. The characteristic

pungent taste of genuine cloves is less

pronounced in exhausted cloves.

Pava Rice Iron fillings Marble By moving a magnet it iron fillings can

or other stones be separated.

A sample test is to place a small

quantity of rice on the palm of the

hand and gradually the same in water.

The stone chips will sink.

Water flavour Maida When dough is prepared from

reoultant wheat flavour, more water

has to be used and chapaties prepared

out of this will below out. The normal

taste of chapaties prepared out of

wheat is some what sweetish whereas

those prepared out of adulterated

wheat flout will taste inspired.

Common salt While powdered Stir a spoonful of simple salt in a glass

stone, chalk of water. The presence of chalk will

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 make the solution white and other

insoluble impurities settle down.

Mustard seeds Argemone seeds Mustard seeds have to smooth

surface. The argemone seed have

griny and rough surface and are

blacker hence can be separated out by

close examination.

Honey Molasses (sugar A cotton wick dipped in pure honey

and water) when lighted with a match stick burns

If adulterated the presence of water

will not allow the honey to burn. If it

does it will produce a cracking sound.

Supari Colour and Colour dissolves in water. Saccharin

saccharin gives excessive and lingering sweet

taste.

Pluses (green Colour dye Sample in kept immersed in water for

peas) about half an hour and stirred. Colour

separation indicates adulteration

cinnamon barks are very their and can

be rolled. Cassia barks are thick and

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Cinnamon Cassia bark stiffs.

Coffee Chicory Gently sprinkle the coffee powder

sample on the surface of water in a

glass. The coffee floats over the water

but chicory begins to sink down

within a few seconds. The falling

chicory powder particles leave behind

them a trail of colour due to large

amount of caramel they contain.

Tamarind or date- Sprinkle the suspected coffee powder

seed powder on white blotting paper and spray

over it 1% sodium carbonate solution.

Tamarind and date-seed powder will,

of present, stain blotting paper red.

Contamination of foods with harmful microorganism

Row foods such or meat, fish, milk and vegetables grown sewage are

likely to be contaminated with harmful micrograms. These are generally

destroyed during cooking or processing of food. Some of the

microorganisms may survive due to inadequate heat processing. Further,

some of the foods, if consumed in the raw state, may cause food poisoning.
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 Recent studies have shown that food grains, legumes and oil seeds

when stored in hamid atmosphere are infected by pathogenic fungus which

can cause serious illness. The pathogenic microorganism commonly

contaminated foods and responsible for causing serious illness.

Metallic contamination

If arsenic, dead or mercury get accumulated in the body they can be

harmful.

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Table: Food borne diseases caused by some pathogenic organisms

Pathogenic Organisms Food Commonly III effects and

involved diseases

Bacterial Cereal products Nausea, vomiting,

Bacillus cereus abdominal pair

Clostridiums botulinum Defectively processed Botulism (muscular)

toxins meat and fish. paralysis, death due

to respiratory failure.

Clostridium perfringens Defectively processed Nausea, abdominal

(welchii) salmonella meat, fish and egg pain and diarrhea.

products, raw salmonellosis

vegetables grown on (vomiting diarrhea

sewage and fever).

Shigella sonnei Food kept exposed or Bacillary dysentery

sale in unhygienic

surroundings

Staphylococcus aureus Foods kept exposed or Increased salivation

sale in unhygienic vomiting abdominal

surroundings pain and diarrhoea

Streptococcus pyogenes Foods kept exposed or Scarlet fever, septic

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 sale in unhygienic sore throat.

surroundings.

Fungal

Aspergillus flavus Corn and groundnut Liver damage and

(aflatoxin) cancer

Claviceps purpurea Rye and pearl millet Ergotism (burning

(Ergot) infested with ergot sensation in

extremities

peripheral gangrene).

Fusarium Cereals and millets Alimentary toxic

sporotrichiodies injected with fusarium aleukia

Penicillium islanadicum Rice Liver damage.

Parasitic Pork and pork Products Nausea, routing,

Trichinella Spiralis diarrhoea, cholic and

muscular pains

(trichionosis)

Ascaris lumbricoides Raw vegetables grown Ascariasis

on sewage farms

Entamoeba histolytica Raw vegetables grown Amoebic dysentery

on sewage farms

Ancylostoma duodenale Raw vegetables grown Epigastic pain, loss of

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(hook worm) on sewage farms blood, anaemia.

Table: Toxic effects of some metals and chemicals

Name Food commonly Toxic effects

involved

Arsenic Fruit sprayed by lead Dizziners, chills, cranips paralysis

assenate, drinking leading to death

water.

Barium Food contaminated Violent peristalsis, muscular

by rat poison (barium twitching and convulsions.

carbonate)

Cadmium Fruit juices and soft Exercise salivation, liver, kidney.

drinks, that come in damage, prostate cancer multiple

contact with fractures (painful Hai-Hai' disease

cadmium and plated reported from Japan due to

vessels, crabs, oysters cadmium poisoning).

and kidneys

Cobalt Water beer Cardiac failure

Copper Acid foods in contact Vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal

with tarnished pain.

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 copper tarnished

copper ware

Lead Some processed Paralysis, brain damage

foods lead water

pipes

Mercury Mercury fungicide Paralysis, brain damage and

treated seed grains or blindness.

mercury

contaminated fish

particularly price,

tuna and shelf fish.

Tin Canned foods Colic, vomiting, photophobia

Zinc Foods stored in Dizziners, vomiting

galavanised iron

ware

Pesticides All type of foods Acute or chronic poisoning

causing damage to liver, kidney,

brain and nerves leading to death.

Antibiotics Meat from animals Drug resistance, hardening of

fed antibiotics arteries, heart diseases.

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26
Toxic Metals

Lead is a toxic element and contamination of food with lead can cause

toxic symptoms. For example, turmeric is coated by illiterate manufactures

in India with lead chromate. Lead brings about pathological changes in the

kidneys, liver and artier. The common signs of lead poising are nausea,

abdominal pain, anemia, insomnia, muscular paralysis and brain damage.

Fish caught from water contaminated with mercuric sells contain large

amounts of mercury. The organic mercury compound methyl or dimethyl

mercury so the most toxic. The toxic effects of methyl mercury are

neurological. When the brain is affected, the subject becomes blind, deaf

and paralysis of the various muscles make him a cripple. The other

elements which are toxic in small doses are cadmium, arsenic, antimony

and cobalt.

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 If survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research

(ICMR) also found high levels of pesticide residues in bovine milk and

metals arsenic, cadmium and lead in infant formula canned products and

limerick.

Incidental Adulterants

Incidental adulterants are pesticide residencies, tin from can,

droppings of rodents, large in foods. Metallic contamination with arsenic,

lead, mercury can also occur incidentally.

The Argoemone Mexican is frequently found growing in brassica fields and

if proper care is not taken during cultivation its seeds get mixed with those

of brassica if survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research

(ICMR) also found high levels of pesticides residues in bovine milk and

metals arsenic, cadmium and lead in infant formula canned products and

limerick.

Incidental Adulterants

Incidental adulterants are pesticide residues, tin from can, dropping

of rodents, larvae in foods. Metallic contamination with arsenic, lead,

mercury can also occur incidentally.

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The Argaemone Mexican is frequently forms growing in brassica fields and

if proper care is not taken during cultivation its seeds gets mixed with

those of brassica and the oil expressed contains also argemone oil. Its

presence in edible oil so injurious and out breaks of epidemic dropsy are

probably due to it.

Wood smoke which contains chlorodioxins is toxic and contaminate

the food coming in contact with the smoke.

Paste such as rodents and insects introduce into the food a high

degree of fifth in the form of excreta, bodily senetions and spoilage

microorganisms. Effective means of food quality can be achieved by

legislative measures, certification schemes and public participation and

involvement in the programme.

The most common incidental adulterants are pesticides. DDT and

malathion residues may be present on the plant products much more than

what is considered as safe. The onaxionern permissible residue allowed for

DDT, malathion is 3 ppm and for pyrethrum it is 10 ppm.

Chemicals like DDT are absorbed by the small intestine when

ingested these then adhere to the fatty discuss the toxins usually pile up in

the fatty tissues of such vital organs as the thyroid, heart, kidney, liver,

mammary gland and testes and damage there organism. They can be

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transferred from the umbilical cord blood to the growing foetus and

through bread milk. In children the disease apart from crippling them

inhibits then growth.

Figure shows the sequence of incidental adulterants in foods.

Contamination begins when farmers use

pesticides to protect crops. The health

department sprays pesticides to control

malaria- causing mosquitoes.

Residue remain long after spraying. Caste

fodder and chicken feed are affected. Grocend

water is poisoned. Meat, fish, milk and egg get

toxic.

More spraying is undertaken to prevent finger

and rodents from attacking stored grain. This

further increases the residue levels in

foodstuffs.

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 Sellers dip vegetables in pesticides to make

then look fresh as well as to preserve them, oils

and sweets are adulterated with prohibited

substance.

Washing vegetables and other foodstuffs helps.

But cooking rarely destroys toxic residues.

When ingested pesticides are absorbed by the

small intestine.

The fatty tissues distributed throughout the

body store these pesticides. These can damage

vital organs like the heart, brain, kidney and

liver.

Figure the ‘poison-chain’, sequence of incidental adulterants in foods.

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This incidental poising can be prevented by:

• Regular market surveys to warn people of dangerous build-up of

toxins in food.

• Stepping up the integrated pest management programme to teach

farmers to use pesticides judiciously. No spraying should be done a

weak, before harvest.

• Taking up on a war footing the control of pasts using their natural

predators.

• Using safer pesticides like synthetic pyrethroids or malathion.

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 • By washing vegetables thoroughly before cooking.

Packaging hazards

Polythene, polyvinyl chloride and allied compounds are used to

produce flexible packaging material. While this method of packaging is very

convenient, it must not contain any noxious thermal breakdown products

which could be injurious to health. Further, temperature used for healthy

sealing, or sterillsation should not result in formation of toxic residues. It

has been observed sometimes that in foods like pickles the acid and oil

could attack the plastic packaging material and create a health hazard. To

avoid such incidents. It is essential that only food grade plastic packaging

materials to be used for packaging foods.

New Adulterants

The newer adulterants include the legumes such as importí toxic

lentils marketed as local legume like subabul (Lencana leucocephala) seeds,

veterinary drug residues in milk, flours made from mouldy wheat,

strychnos potatorum, a forest produce in arecanut, animal fat in bakery

products and industrial contaminants like orthontio online in vanaspathi.

The Lathyrus sativus, Lens culinais (dentals) and Vicia sateva are

three closely related species contaduing unusual amino acids.

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 Turkish lentil which was sold in India as Red gram dhal and

Australian vetch sold as Indian masur dhal vicia sativa is a weed found

among other edible legumes and used in India only for feeding farm

animals. Vicia sativa contains the toxic amino acid peyanoakmine Tuskish

yellow lentils contain the diaminoproplonic derivatives.

Ginger is used widely in culinary practice in India in the fresh or dry

states. Dry ginger is often coated with a blue coloured dye alternative blue

to prevent insect infestation. If is an inorganic prigment used as laundry

whitener. In USA and Canada its use is restricted to addition in salt meat for

animal consumption.

Food Locus and Standards

Effective means of food quality can be achieved by legislative

measures, certification schemes and public participation and involvement

in the Programme.

The Government of India is fully aware to the possibilities of food

being adulterated. It has therefore, empowered several agencies and

promulgated a number of acts and orders to contract this mensue.

Agencies and illustrations have also been created to by lay down standards

for the quality of foods. The manner in which the foods is processed and

packaged is also covered by a number of regulations.

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Prevention of Food Adulteration Act

One of the early acts to be promulgated in this connection was the

prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954, which has been in force since

June 1, 1955. The objective of this act was to ensure that food articles sold

to the customers are pure and wholesome. It also intended to prevent

ground or deception and encourages fair trade practices. This act was

amended in 1964 and again in 1976 in the light of experience gained, to

plug loopholes of escape in the Act and to insure stringent punishment for

those indulging in this nefarious practice. The act prohibits the

manufacture, sale and distribution of not only adulterated foods but also

foods contaminated with microorganism and toxicants and misbranded

foods. P.F.A specifies microbial standards for pasteurised milk, milk

powder, skimmed milk power, infant milk food, tomato, souce, jam, malted

milk food and aflatoxin for ground nut.

A central food laboratory established under the Act is located at

Calcutta for the purpose of reporting on suspected food products. The

central food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, has also been

recognized as another laboratory for the testing of adulterated foods for

the southern Regions. “A central committee for food standards” has been

constituted under the Act and has been charged with the function of

advising the central government on matters relating to the food standards.

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Provision have been made in the Act for the appointment of food inspectors

by the state Governments and their powers have been defined. The State

Government will set up food testing laboratory and will appoint Public

Analysis with adequate staff to report on suspected foods.

According to the prevention of Food Adulteration Act, or article of food

shall be deemed to be adulterated.

1. If the article sold by Vender is not be of the nature, substance or quality

demanded by the purchaser and is to his prejudice, or is not of the nature,

substance of quality which it purports or is represented to be.

2. If the article contains any other substance which affects, or if the article

is to 80 processed as to affect injurious the nature, substance or quality

there of

3. If any inferior or cheapen substance has been substituted wholly or in

part for the article, so as to affect injuriously the nature, substance or

quality there of

4. If any constituent of the article has been wholly or in part of abstracted

so as to affect injuriously the nature, substance or quality there of

5. If the article had been prepared, packed or kept under unsanitary

conditions whereby it has become contaminated or injurious to health.

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6. If the article consists wholly or in part of any filthy, putrid, disgusting,

rotten, decomposed or diseased animal or vegetable substance or is insect-

infested or otherwise unfit for human consumption.

7. If the article is obtained from a diseased animal.

8. If the article contains any poisonous or any ingredient which renders its

contents injurious to health.

9. If the container of the article is composed, whether wholly or in party of

any poisonous or deleterious substance which renders its contents

injurious to health.

10. If any colouring matter other than that prescribed in respect thereof

and in amounts not within the prescribed limits of variability is present in

the article.

11. If the article contains any prohibited preservative or permitted

preservative in excess of the prescribed limits.

12. If the quality or purity of the article falls below the prescribed standard

or its constituents are present in quantities which are in excess of the

prescribed limits of variability.

Administrative hierarchy

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The Food Health Authority is appointed at state level who is the Director of

Public Health and preventive Medicine. He is responsible for the good

quality and standards of foods available to the consumers. Under FHA there

is a Local Health Authority appointed is each city in every state. The food

Inspector is appointed by the Central or state Government by notification is

official gazette. The food inspector undergoes a three months training in

good inspection and sampling.

Powers of food inspectors

1. To take sample of any food article from

(a) Any person selling such article.

(b) Any person new is the course of delivering or preparing to deliver such

article to a purchaser or consignee.

(c) A consignee after delivering of any such article to him.

2. To send sample for analysis to the public analysis (PA) of local area.

When the Food Inspector wants to lift suspected food the shop

keeper lefts the sample. 150 g of the sample is necessary to be sent for

analysis. 600 g. of sample is collected usually and seat to Ripon Building,

corporation of sample is collected usually and sent to Ripon Buildings

Corporation of Madras, or kings institute, Guindy, Madras or central Food

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Laboratory, Calcutta or central Food Technological Research Institute,

Mysore. Certain procedure to collect the sample and seal it is a bottle.

The sealed bottle has a label on it in which the code number of the

Inspector, address of the shop and date and time of collection are written.

When individuals doubt adulteration of food stuffs they have to

inform the food health authority. Samples can be sent for analysis only after

getting order from food health authority.

If persons are found guilty of selling such adulterated food, the

persons involved can be convicted. Severity of sentence would depend on

the gravity of the offence. For example, a vendor found adulteration the

food with ingredients injurious to health would to liable for a much heavier

sentence than a vendor involved in only mining on inferior ingredient not

injuries to health.

Essential Commodities Act, 1954

The main objective of this Act is to maintain supply of essential

commodities to the public by proper regulation, prevention of black market

and making it available to the public at reasonable price. A number of

orders have been formulated under this Act, Fruit product order, 1955,

sugar control order 1966, Meat products control, order, 1973 and

vegetable oil Product Control order, 1976.

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Fruit Products Order

The Government of India promulgated a fruit products order in 1946.

In 1955, the order was revised. The fruit products order (FPO) lays down

statutory minimum standards in respect of the quality of various fruits and

vegetable products and processing facilities. Packaging fruits and

vegetables of a standard below the minimum prescribed standards in

registered establishment it carried out to ensure conformity of standards

by processors.

This order is operated by the Food and Nutrition Board of the

Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Manufacture of labelling of fruit and product can be carried out only

after a valid licence is issued by the licensing officer after himself satisfying

with regard to the quality of product, sanitation, personnel, machinery and

equipment, work area as required in the order.

License is empowered to put the FPO standard mark on the product.

Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992. The milk and milk products order is to

set sanitation and hygienic standards for dairy plants and establish an

advisory board to advise the government on production, sale, purchase and

distribution of milk and milk products.

Meat Products Order

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 This makes it illegal to transport meat vales if has been prepared and

processed according to the provisions of the order and carries the mark of

inspection.

If provides means to:

(a) Detect and destroy meat of diseased animals

(b) Ensure that the preparation and handling of meat products be

conducted in a clean and sanitary manner.

(c) Prevent the use of harmful substances is meat foods.

(d) See that every cut of meat is inspected before sale to ensure its whole

sameness.

The order also lays down rules and conditions for procedure to be

adopted for the selection of disease free animals, slaughter house practices

for further treatment of the meat is a wholesome manner, devoid of

pathogens.

Cold Storage Order

The cold storage order, 1980, promulgated under the essential

commodities Act, 1955, has the objective of ensuring hygienic and proper

refrigeration conditions in a cold store, regulating the growth of cold

storage industry and rendering technical guidance for the scientific

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preservation of food stuffs in a cold store and prevent exploitation of

framers by cold store owners. Agricultural Marketing Adviser to the

Government of India is the licensing officer under this order.

Misbranding:

It is also for bidden by low. A food may be considered as misbranded

if it has a label which gives false or misleading information about the

product. Failure to specify weight, measure, names of additives (colour

flavourings, preservatives), limitations in use of the product, name of the

manufacturer as well as misleading the consumer in terms of size are all

considered as misbranding of food.

Enforcement:

The FPO and PPA, are enforced by the Department of Health. Under

the law slaughter houses, markets, factories, ware houses and other

establishments involved in food trade, may be inspectoral to ascertain that

the raw materials as well as processing packing and storage facilities are

sanitary and the ingredients meet the minimum standards prescribed by

low. Adulterated and misbranded products may be seized by inspectors:

destroyed or relabeled and legal action be taken depending upon the

valuate of the offence.

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 Series violations of the law may result in the imposition of fine or

imprisonment or both by court.

In addition to the mandatory acts and orders cited above, agencies

such as Bureau of Indian standards the Directorate of marketing and

inspection have also laid down quality standards for foods. These are,

however voluntary.

Bureau of Indian Standards:

The Bureau of Indian standards operates a certification Mark Scheme

under the BIS Act, 1986. Standards covering more than 450 different food

products have been published.

Standards are laid for vegetable and fruit products, spices and

condiments, animal products and processed foods. Once these standards

are accepted, manufacturers whose products conform to these standards

are followed to use BIS label on each unit of their product. The products are

checked for quality by the BIS in their own network of testing Laboratories

at Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Chandigarh and Patna or in a number of

public and private laboratories recognized by them.

The certification scheme is basically voluntary in character but for a

number of items affecting. It has been made compulsory by the

Government of India through various statutory measures such as E.C. Act

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or PFA rules. Some of the item which required compulsory BIS certification

under PFA are:

Food colours and food colour preparation Natural food. Colours Food

additives

• Food infant milk food

• Infant formula

• Milk cereal based meaning food milk powder

• Conducted milk

The Agmark Standard:

The word ‘Agmark’ is a derived from Agricultural Marketing. The

Agmark standard was set up the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection of

the Government of India by Introducing an Agricultural Produce Act in

1937. The word ‘AGMARK’ seal ensures quality and purity. A sample

AGMARK seal is given below:

A lot of case is taken in laying down the AGMARK grade and is

affirming the Agmark quality label. The quality of a product is determined

with reference to the size, variety, weight, colour, moisture, fat content

send other factors are taken into account. The act defines quality of cereals,

spices, oil, seeds, oil, butter, ghee, legunes, and eggs and provides for the

categorisation of commodities into various grades depending on the degree

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of purity in each case. The grades incorporated are grades 1, 2, 3 grades

and 4 or special, good, fair and ordinary. The standards also specify the

types of packaging to be used for different products. The physical 2

chemical characteristic of products are kept in mind while formulating the

AGMARK specifications.

The “Certificate of Authorization” is granted only to those in the trade

having adequate experience and standing in the market. The staff of the

Directorates of Marketing and Inspector or of the state Government is

generally present at time of selection of goods, their processing, grading

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and packing before applying the appropriate ‘AGMARK’ Labels Grading of

agricultural commodity has three main purposes. Firstly, it protects the

producer from exploration. By knowing the quality and grade of his

produce, he is in better bargaining position against the trader. Secondly, it

serves as a means of describing the quality of commodities to be purchased

or sold by the buyers and sellers and order the country and aboard. This

establishes a common trade language and avoids the need for physical

checking and handling at many points. Thirdly, it protects the consumer by

ensuring the quality of products he purchase.

Export Inspection Council:-

The council has been constituted to check the quality of a number of

food materials meant for export. The council has powers to reject any food

which does not measure up to the standards prescribed for the food.

Canned food such as mango juice, pineapple juice, frozen food such as

shroud, pomfrets are subject to scripting by the body before export.

Consumer Protection Act, 1986

The main objective of the Act is to promote and protect the rights of

the consumers with regard to defective goods, deficiency of services,

overcharging or any unfair trade practices).

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 Complaints can be referred to the District consumer redressed

forum. The forum can order the opposite party for several of the defect,

replacement of the goods, return of the prices of charger or order payment

of the compensation for the loss or damage suffered due to deficiency of

service. Appeals can be made to state commission and then to the appellate

body the national commission.

In India consumer awareness about the various aspects of the

Prevention of food Adulteration Act is lacking. If consumer corporation is

not forth coming, controlling adulteration Act is lacking if consumer

corporation is not forthcoming, controlling adulteration would prove to be

an uphill task.

Coder Alimentarius:

FAO/WHO food standards programme is called codex Alimentarius.

The codex Alimantarius which means “Food Law” or “Food Code” in Latin is

a combined set of standards, codes or practices and other model

regulations available for countries to use and apply to food in international

trade.

Codex commodity standards cover such foods as fruit juices, cereals

meat products etc. General standards cover areas applicable to must foods

such as labeling, additives, containments, methods of analysis. It covers

47
aspects such as food hygiene and technological practice. They are used by

processes to ensure that foods are microbiologically safe and are fit for

human consumption e.g. codex code of hygienic practice of law-acid canned

foods. Maximum Residence Limits (MRLS) have been set for pesticides.

Specifications for “food grade quality” of additives form an important part

of codex work.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP):

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a food safety

system, which is recognized worldwide.

HACCP is a food safety risk management food that is applied to

determine significant hazards pertaining to specific products and to control

the occurrence of such hazards. HACCP has received international

acceptance as a means of planning for food safety. HACCP is a change from

traditional methods that are reliant on end product testing to determine if

the product is safe. HACCP is preventive in its approach, in that, it aims to

prevent rather than detect problems.

The incentive for implementation of HACCP by developing countries

is to boost export promotion. Although a developing countries is to boost

export-promotion. Although a developing country, India has many well

developed food-processing industries which have tremendous potential to

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be economically viable. Several food stuffs like bhujia, sev chiwda mixture,

and rasgolla are being produced on a mass scaled and exported. HACCP has

a major role to play in this sector.

While HACCP cannot gurantee safe food, it does provide for

increased confidence that safe food has been produced. The structural

approach of HACCP provides for consistency in the production of safe food

and also provides the stimulus for developing documented procedures and

maintain records.

Many of the benefits of HACCP are of a long term nature such as

reduced wastage through improved process control, more efficient use of

resources, which will provide a financial reward for the company.

Traditional foods surely stand to benefit from this.

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