Adulterated coconut oil - CAA steps up raids

by Carol Aloysius

The increasing number of complaints of adulterated coconut oil being sold in the open market has prompted the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) to step up its raids against those selling adulterated coconut oil.

“We are keeping a vigilant eye on wholesale and retail outlets especially in the Pettah, where we recently found large stocks of coconut oil mixed with other types of oil labelled ‘Pure coconut Oil’. Even after we filed a case against some of these vendors recently we feel that they continue their illegal trade with impunity”, Deputy Director CAA Asela Bandara told the Sunday Observer.

He said that most complaints relating to coconut oil were introducing different types of oil such as vegetable oil and palm oil to it. “If the oil is sold as coconut oil, it is illegal to mix it with other oils.

The offenders are mostly those who deal with unbranded oils, which don’t furnish proper addresses or expiry dates or have names similar to other popular brands of coconut oil”.

He warned the public to carefully examine all labels of bottles of coconut oil and ensure that they are from reputed dealers. “Beware of bottles of coconut oil that are sold at much cheaper rates when compared to others.

The price reduction is because they are from wholesale dealers who profiteer from mixing the oil”, he said.

The samples of coconut oil collected would be sent to the Coconut Development Board laboratory.

“If tested positive our officers will arrest the offenders and file legal action against them”, he said.

The same rule applies to other oils such as olive oil which if sold under a particular label, could not be mixed with any other oil, he said.