food adulteration in the context of bangladesh professor hossain uddin shekhar, ph.d. department of...

Food Adulteration In The Context of Bangladesh

Professor Hossain Uddin Shekhar, Ph.D.Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyDhaka University

Seminar On Food Adulteration: How To Resist?

31 July, 2013

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What is Food adulteration?

Seminar On Food Adulteration: How To Resist ?

Food is adulterated if its quality is lowered or affected by the addition of substances which are injurious to health or by the removal of substances which are nutritious.

It is defined as the act of intentionally debasing the quality of food offered for sale either by the admixture or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredient.

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What is Food adulteration?


A substance is added which depreciates or injuriously affects it. Cheaper or inferior substances are substituted wholly or in part. Any valuable or necessary constituent has been wholly or in part abstracted. It is an imitation. It is colored or otherwise treated, to improve its appearance or if it contains any

added substance injurious to health. For whatever reasons its quality is below the Standard

Food is declared adulterated if:

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Adulterated Food

Unintentional• Microbiological

contamination• Pesticide residues

Natural• Natural toxicants • Environmental

contaminants

Intentional• Food additives/

preservatives• Ripening agents• Non food grade color• Use of insecticides

Intentional : Any act of adding , removing substances to food or altering the existing natural properties of food deliberately and knowingly is called intentional adulteration .

Unintentional adulteration is attributed to ignorance, carelessness or lack of facilities for maintaining food quality

Types of Adulteration


Natural adulteration occurs due to the presence of certain chemicals , organic compounds or radicals naturally occurring in foods which are injurious to health and are not added to the foods intentionally or unintentionally

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Press Coverage


The Daily Prothom-AloSeptember 2, 2010

Banana often taste bland as they are artificially ripened with carcinogenic chemical

Intentional Food Adulteration: Bangladesh Scenario

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Press Coverage


Star Weekend Magazinevolume 4, issue 20, November 5, 2004

Jilapi, beguni and piaju are laden with harmful color to make them attractive


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Press Coverage



Formalin is often used on imported fish to give an appearance of freshness


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Press Coverage


The Daily StarMay 6, 2010

A mobile court dumped the chemical soaked mangoes fordestruction after seizing those raiding a wholesale fruit market in South Jatrabari, Dhaka.


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Press Coverage



Muri (puffed rice) is made white with urea


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Some Common Adulterants


Name Of Adulterants Why And Where Added Health EffectsFormalin Preservation of fish meat, milk etc. Headaches, bronchitis, Asthma, liver injuryUrea Enhancing brightness of rice, puppet rice, food

additive for cowDermititis, rash in the skin, kidney and liuver damage

Amylum (polysaccharide carbohydrate) Added to sausages as a thickening , stiffening or gluing agent

Liver disease

Sudan-1 Red color Making brighter chili powder Tumors in the liver and bladderRye flour Added to barley, bread ,wheat flour to

disguise the use of low-quality flourMiscarriage, convulsions

All artificial colors To soft and hard drinks to make them attractive

Can cause cancer

Lead chromate.

Turmeric powder This leads to paralysis, anemia, brain damage and abortion.

Sodium cyclamate (banned abroad) Sweet meat (a hundred times sweeter than sugar)

Mostly bladder cancer

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Bangladeshi Consumers: Why Worried?


In Bangladesh, an estimated 45 million people suffer from food poisoning and/or food borne diseases round the year.

60% of vegetables in Dhaka city is mixed with toxic chemicals

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Bangladeshi consumers: Why Worried? (Contd..)


Serial # Milk and other food samples

No. of tested items

Results of the testRemarksAdulterated Pure

1 Sweets 13 13 -2 Sandesh 04 04 -3 Curd 03 02 014 Ghee 02 00 025 Chana 01 01 - Adulterated6 Sauce 21 13 08 76.32%7 Dalda/Vanaspati 02 02 -8 Soyabean oil 12 06 069 Ice cream 05 04 01

10 Kalakandh 13 13 -

Total 76 58 18Star Weekend Magazine, volume 4, issue 20, November 5, 2004

A random survey of food items conducted by Public Health Laboratory of DCC for the month of August 2004

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Source: New age, June 30 , 2013

Formalin Story

The commerce minister, Ghulam Mohammad Quader, on Saturday informed the parliament that formalin had not been imported since November 2012 till date due to regulatory measures

The minister said the government has realised Tk 3.5 crore from 2545 commercial organisations for mixing toxic chemical in food and Tk 18 lakh for mixing in fruits as compensation until June 23.

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Source : The Daily Star, 28 July 2013 (Study conducted by PABA, Study time: June 13-July26, 2013)

Formalin in Food

59%

95%

77%

75%20%

60%

100%

89% AppleGrapesDatesTomatoesCucumbersBrinjalsVermicelliNoodles

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Bangladeshi consumers: Why Worried? (Contd..)

Death by Cause in 2006 in Bangladesh (%)

Accident and Related, 10.04, 10%

Asthma and Related, 17.57, 18%

Infectious Disease, 10, 10%

Indirect Food and related Complcation,

21.54, 22%

Foodborne Illness, 23.58, 23%

Old Age, 17.27, 17%

Source: Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh 2010,

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Bitter Truth


Rampant Adulteration Still A Havoc

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Bitter Truth



Dangers lurk in every food items. From vegetables, fish, milk, fruit, sweetmeats, ice cream, to spices, nothing is safe.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=193429

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=193429

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Bitter Truth



During fiscal year 2010-11, BSTI operated 1251 mobile courts and conducted 518 surveillance team. 1654 business organization were found guilty and penalized 4 core 38 lacs 37 thousands 500 Taka.

The Daily Amader shomoy July 30, 2011

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Country situation According to WHO


The food contamination and food adulteration situation of Bangladesh is a serious public health concern. Unsafe/contaminated food causes many acute and life-long diseases, ranging from diarrhoeal diseases to various forms of cancer. However, in Bangladesh dependable assessment of the public health impact due to food contamination is not available due to absence of a regular monitoring system. There is also widespread evidence of food adulteration with harmful chemicals. Food contamination and consumers exposure to food hazards have major implication on the food security and consumers heath in Bangladesh. Low level of awareness and weakness in existing Food laws and regulation are also contributing to aggravating the country’s food safety situation.

http://www.whoban.org/en/Section3/Section40/Section104.htm

http://www.whoban.org/en/Section3/Section40/Section104.htm

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Causes of Vulnerability in Food Safety


The inadequacy of consumers knowledge

Lack of application and implementation of strict law

Lust for making profit

Natural and man made pollution

Absence of proper monitoring system

Scarcity of food (Still, 5.5 million people are lying under food-based

absolute poverty line in Bangladesh)

Low purchasing capacities of both urban & rural poor

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Ministries involved


Sl.No

Ministry Department/Organization Major Activities

1. Ministry of Agriculture Plant Protection Wing, DAE Phyto Sanitary certificate for Import/Exported plants/plant products

Pesticide Use Control Fertilizer Use Control

2. Ministry of Food Directorate General of Food (DGF) Quality Control of PFDS, Stock, Procured Food grains/Food Stuff, Imported food etc.

Food Control in the Market (not doing at present)

3. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Directorate General of Health; District & Upazila Health Administration and Institute of Public Health.

Food Quality and Sanitation Control in Upazila/District level

Testing

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Ministries involved


Sl.No


4. Ministry of LGRD City Corporation & Pourashava Health Units

Have Sanitary Inspector, Labs and Public Analyst for food quality control in their command areas.

5. Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock

A) Department of Fisheries (FIQC Wing)

Fish Quality Control & Certification for export

Same for the domestic market

B) Department of Livestock Animal Health Animal Product Imported Animal

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Ministries involved


Sl.No


6. Ministry of Industries BSTI Frame Standards of Food Products Testing & Certification Marks and

Surveillance.

7. Ministry of Science, Information and Communication Technology

BAEC Test Radiation level of Imported Food items; Pesticides Residues

IFST, BCSIR Testing of Food Items;

Research and Development

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Ministries involved


Sl.No


8. Ministry of Education DG, Primary,

DG, Secondary,

Text Book Board,

Universities

Food safety, Nutrition & Environmental issues in the text book of all level of education

9. Ministry of Information

PIB

BTV

Radio Bangladesh

Broad cast issues for awareness building

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Ministries involved


Sl.No


10. Ministry of Home Bangladesh Police Assist the Inspection Agencies

11. Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs

Formulation, Vetting, Parliamentary Approval etc.

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Ministries involved


Sl.No


12. Ministry of Commerce

National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate

To protect Consumer Rights and implementation of Consumer rights protection act

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Other Stakeholders Involve


VOCTA Voluntary Consumers Training & Awareness Society

CABConsumers Association of Bangladesh

Businessman Different NGOS Media (print & electronics)

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Laws and Regulations


The Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendment) Act, 2005: This is an act to provide better control of the manufacture and sale of food for human consumption.

The Bangladesh Pure Food Rules, 1967:.In this Rule, there are generic standards for 107 food products. Now, this ‘Rules' is under revision.

Consumers Rights Protection Act 2009

The Special Power Act, 1974 (Act No XIV of 1974-as modified up to the 31st July, 1978

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The Food Grain Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial activity) Ordinance, 1956 (Ord. xxvi of 1979.

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (Amendment) Act, 2003

The Radiation Protection Act, 1987: Under this Act, the Institute of Food and Radiation Biology (IFRB) of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission is primarily involved in food irradiation research and development in the country.

The Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Act, 1989

Fish and Fish product (Inspection and Quality Control) Rules, 1997

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Other Laws and Regulations: In addition, a number of other Laws and Regulations are existed in the country to ensure the safe and quality food viz. The Animal Slaughter (Restriction) and Meat Control (Amendment) Ordinance,1983 (it is under revision);The Pesticide Ordinance,1971 & the Pesticides Rules,1985;Destructive Insects and Pests Rules (Plant Quarantine),1966,amended up to 1989;Agricultural Products Market Act,1950 (revised in 1985);Fish Protection and Conservation Act,1950 (amended in 1995);Marine Fisheries Ordinance 1983 and Rules,1983;Procuremnet Specifications, Ministry of Food, Rice Mill Control Order etc.

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Safe Food Law-2013: The cabinet on July 1, 2013 approved in principle the draft of the Safe Food Law -2013 with a provision of 14-year imprisonment as the highest punishment for food adulterators.

Once the law is passed by the parliament, then it will pave the way for the formation of a new “Safe Food Authority” with adequate administrative and technical capability to ensure the quality of food during production, packaging and distribution and the law will replace the ages-old Pure Food Ordinance, 1959 and the current multi-pronged, multi-ministry controlled mechanisms of food safety issues.

Ray of Hope

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What Can Be Done?


To overcome the existing situations, the following measures should be taken:

Create awareness among the consumers through electronic and print media

Arrange periodical training for government officials like food inspectors, analysts etc.

Strengthening existing food quality control laboratory

Collaboration with international bodies like FAO, WHO, Codex etc.

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What Can Be Done?


To overcome the existing situations, the following measures should be taken:

Establishing a separate food administration authority

Updating the existing food related laws and their proper implementation

Giving administrative/financial/technical support to existing Food Laboratories and Consumer organization

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Who can bring a Change?


Farmers & Producers

Distributors & Retailers

Consumers Group

Researchers

The Government

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Responsibilities to assure food safety


Everyone on the food delivery chain (farmer, processor, vendor and consumers)

must employ measures to keep food safe.

Food safety assurance requires collaboration, coordination and exchange of

information among all concerned stakeholders

Consumers group should advocate for food safety

Consumers need to bring behavioral change

Researchers should conduct studies to measure existing food safety status, and

provide information to the concerned implementers and decision makers.

Researchers should provide alternative approach for agricultural practices

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Conclusion


Food safety program should be strengthened in Bangladesh and it is very much

essential to improve existing food-testing laboratories as well as updating existing

food safety related laws and regulations in the country including proper

implementation.

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Thank you!


Consumers must raise their voices through active participation in consumer organizations. If not, rights of consumers will only remain in laws and act.

Please take part in consumer movement by joining VOCTA.

food adulteration in the context of bangladesh professor hossain uddin shekhar, ph.d. department of...

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