Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has provided the information as follows:
Instances of sale/supply of sub-standard and adulterated food items, use of excess chemicals, artificial colouring of vegetables, presence of pesticides/insecticides residues in fruits and vegetables beyond prescribed MRLs etc. are detected during the enforcement activities undertaken by the State/UT Governments . Such instances have also been reported to FSSAI through various other channels.
To check adulteration in vegetable items and in other food products, State/UT Governments regularly conduct surveillance and enforcement drives and conduct regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products to check that they comply with the standards laid down under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules and regulations made thereunder. In cases where the food samples are found to be non-conforming, recourse is taken to penal provisions under Chapter IX of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Further, consumer is being educated about detection of adulteration and steps to be taken for reducing harmful effects of chemicals etc.. To combat adulteration in commonly adulterated food items, such as milk, spices and condiments, honey, water, oils & fats, FSSAI has released a Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test (DART) which is a compilation of common quick tests for detection of food adulterants at household level by the citizens themselves so as to induce awareness among the consumers about food safety.
Consumers are also being educated about importance of washing fruits and vegetables before consumption to avoid harmful effects of pesticides/insecticides residue in fruits and vegetables. FSSAI has also asked Commissioners of Food Safety, States/UTs to undertake awareness campaigns on pesticides/insecticides residues in fruits and vegetables.
Guidance notes for guidance of consumers have also been issued on various topics such as artificial ripening of fruits, stickers on Fruits and Vegetables, pulses and beans and many other topics. These are available on website of FSSAI.
This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan in Lok Sabha today.
