Essay On Adulteration

The addition of adulterants (impure substances) not allowed legally is known as adulteration. Various food products that are prone to adulteration are milk, orange juice, honey, saffron, olive oil, flour, sea food, coffee, fries, ice cream, etc. In India, adulteration in foods are found from household level to food service establishments and also street foods. One most common is milk which is of great importance in day to day life to everyone. It is considered as children’s morning cup of tea and dose of calcium. But, this white liquid is turning poisonous nowadays. The nutritious value of milk is decreased by addition of water and now we have addition of starch, urea, caustic soda, sugar, lime and sulphates. This milk is what we have for coffee, oats, cornflakes, sweets causing an unhealthy start to the day. (http://listdose.com/10-common-food-products-prone-to-adulteration/) In India, food safety is a growing problem considering its impact from primary producers to consumers.
New Delhi Chief Minister (ex) Sheila Dixit said “We have a huge challenge before us. We need more laboratories to test milk. India being largely a vegetarian society relies on milk rather than meat for its nutritional needs.” (http://www.desidieter.com/article/milk-adulteration.html
EXISTING PROBLEMS
It is sad to know that this adulteration causes serious health risks to population of the country. Additives like neutralisers, hydrogen peroxide, sugars, urea, formalin, detergents, salts and starch are added. Such synthetic compounds cause damages to organs, heart problems, cancer and even deaths. Studies have shown that addition of sugars, detergents and salt leads to milk thickness and starch prevents milk curdling. Some adulterants have hazardous health ef...

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...t as it is the root cause of many other problems.
As mentioned above, the Indian Penal Code Section 272 states that if anyone found guilty of being involved in adulteration of food or liquids, they may be jailed for up to six months or fined up to Rs.1000, which is way too less. I believe, that Rs.1000 nowadays is not enough to be given as a fine, the fine should be much more higher as not everyone would be able to pay this much and that they will be aware of such heavy fines and also that the imprisonment term should be up to one year or more because if the consequences themselves are not worthy, there is hardly any change that could be brought up. The rates of corruption is so high that even the Police Departments are being bribed against the bail. So, corruption must be the primary target to be eradicated slowly by making stringent laws and acting against them.