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| Sunday, 9 February 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Food adulteration in Colombo effectively curbed by Carol Aloysius The practice of adulterating food by unscrupulous traders, once a major health hazard in overcrowded Colombo, has been effectively curbed. Thanks to the vigilant eye of the Food Control Unit based at Maradana and punishments meted out to offenders(between 700 to 800 offenders have been brought to book) , CMC sources claim that the amount of adulterated food found in the city has diminished considerably with detections receding to an all-time low. Not so long ago, authoritative sources alleged that almost all small boutiques and even mills which sold powdered chillie, saffron,spices and arrowroot were found guilty of selling adulterated packets of such foods. Brick powder, sand and even cowdung had been found in some of these food items, while sweets and cordials sold by some small shops were found to be laced with cancer-causing pollutants including fabric dyes which had been used to colour sweets. Today, CMC sources maintain that the situation has been reversed and claim adulteration is almost a thing of the past- at least within City limits. Their claim is endorsed by the tests taken of food samples in the CMC labs as well as the MRI lab. Food inspectors currently attached to the Food Control Unit are required to take some 135 samples per month of different food items. "Recent sample tests have proved that the level of adulteration has come down sharply from what it was a few years ago", Dr Pradeep Kariyawasam, Chief Medical Officer, Public Health told the Sunday Observer. "But" he emphasised," constant vigilance has to be maintained to keep errant shopkeepers from palming off substandard food items to their hapless customers". Citing examples, he said that several outdated food items including fruit cordials and cans and even biscuits dumped by foreign suppliers and re-labelled by their local suppliers with fresh expiry dates had been found in supermarkets and had even found their way to kitchens in star class hotels. "This is a serious matter which we expect to take up with the National Food Advisory Committee next week. We shall be drawing up a set of guidelines which we expect the supermarkets to adopt", Dr. Kariyawasam said. Dr. Kariyawasam pointed out that although regular checks as well as night raids are carried out in the six municipal zones by both food inspectors and PHIs, a shortage in cadre has been an obstacle to carrying out more inspections. "At present I have only seven food inspectors and 25 PHIs. Ideally there should be at least twice the number for each category" The CMC health chief also appealed to the public to contact the Food Control Unit and alert the food inspectors whenever there is evidence of food contamination or adulteration at any eating place, shop or hotel." "Our officers will be there within half an hour," he promised. The hotline number to this unit which operates everyday except on Sundays is 6691922. |
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