Lok Sabha Question No. 4410 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-20
Subject: Action Taken Report on Curbing Adulteration
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Darshana Vikram Jardosh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4410 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH MARCH, 2020

## ACTION TAKEN REPORT ON CURBING ADULTERAT ION

## 4410. SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has sought Action T Reports from States/UTs on curbing of adulteration in fruits and vegetables in view of ch being used for unnatural ripening/shining of fruits/vegetables in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT - wise;
- (c) if not, the specific reasons therefor and by when such reports would be ensured f States/ UTs;
- (d) whether FSSAI has received any communication from the Ministry of Agriculture on this subject, if so, the action taken thereon; and
- (e) the number of cases of chemical adulteration on fruits/vegetables registered in the during  the  last  three  years  along  with  the  updated  status  of  punitive  action  taken State/UT - wise?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)to (e): As  per Regulation 2.3.6 of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictio Sales )  Regulations, 2011, f resh fruits and vegetables shall be free from rotting and free from coating of waxes, mineral oil and colours. The regulations allow that fresh fruits may be coated with bees wax (white and yellow) or carnauba wax or shellac wax at levels not exceeding Manufacturing Practices (GMP) under proper label declaration as provided in Regulation 2. (44) of Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.

Further,  under  sub - regulation  2.3.5  of  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Prohibition  and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, use of acetylene gas, commonly known as carbide ga in  artificial  ripening  of  fruits  is  prohibited.    However,  the  said  sub - egulation  permits  the ripening of fruits by using ethylene gas at a concentration upto 100 ppm (100µ/L) d epending upon the crop, variety and maturity.

Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations prescrib food commodity specific Maximum Residue Limits/tolerance limits of contaminants, toxins a residues related to pes ticides, heavy metals, antibiotics etc.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has received a study report t 'Monitoring of Pesticide residues at National Level' conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare which has been shared with Commissioner of Food Safety of States/UTs for targeted special enforcement drives particularly at locations where pesticides resi found to be above maximum residue limits.

States/UT  Governments  are  primarily  responsible  for  ensuring  c ompliance  of  the provisions  of  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (FSS)  Act,  2006  and  Rules  and  Regulations  ma thereunder.

FSSAI has been urging State/UT Governments to keep a strict vigil by regularly draw food samples including fruits and vegetables from all sources viz. manufacturers, wholesalers and  retailers  and  to  take  strict  action  against  the  offenders  under  the  provisions Act, 2006.

Regular  surveillance,  monitoring,  inspection  and  sampling  of  all  food  items  incl fruits and vegeta bles have been carried out by the officials of States/UTs and penal acti taken against non -compliant samples.

As  per    information  received  from  State/UT  Governments,  the  details  of  samples fruits/vegetables analysed, found non - conforming and actio n taken during the last three years are at Annexure I,II and III respectively.

It may, however, be mentioned that the provisions of Food Safety and Standards A 2006 do not apply to any farmer or fisherman or farming operations or crops or livest aquaculture,  and  supplies  used  or  produced  in  farming  or  products  of    crops  produced farmer at farm level or a fisherman in his operations.

| Annexure-I                                                                 | Annexure-I                                                                 | Annexure-I                                                                 | Annexure-I                                                                 | Annexure-I                                                                 | Annexure-I                                                                 | Annexure-I                                                                 | Annexure-I                                                                 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'16- 31st Mar'17) |
| State                                                                      | No. of Samples Analyzed                                                    | No. of Samples found Adulterated& Misbranded                               | No. of Cases Launched                                                      | No. of Cases Launched                                                      | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                             | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                             | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                             |
|                                                                            |                                                                            | -                                                                          | Criminal                                                                   | Civil                                                                      | Convictions                                                                | Penalties no.                                                              | Penalties amount                                                           |
| Arunachal Pradesh                                                          | 3                                                                          | 0                                                                          |                                                                            | - 0                                                                        |                                                                            |                                                                            | -                                                                          |
| Dadra & N.H                                                                | 30 24                                                                      | 0                                                                          | - 0 0                                                                      | 0                                                                          | -                                                                          | - 0 0                                                                      | 0 0                                                                        |
| Delhi                                                                      |                                                                            | 2                                                                          | -                                                                          |                                                                            | 0                                                                          | -                                                                          | -                                                                          |
| Goa                                                                        |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            | 0                                                                          |                                                                            |                                                                            |
| Haryana                                                                    | 89 52 49                                                                   |                                                                            |                                                                            | -                                                                          | -                                                                          |                                                                            |                                                                            |
| Kerala                                                                     |                                                                            | 3 2 0                                                                      | 0 0                                                                        | 1 0 0                                                                      | - 0 0                                                                      | - 0 0                                                                      | - 0 0                                                                      |
| Madhya Pradesh                                                             |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            | 0                                                                          |                                                                            | 0                                                                          | 0                                                                          |
| Maharashtra                                                                | 8 159 5                                                                    | 31                                                                         | 24                                                                         | -                                                                          | 0 -                                                                        | -                                                                          |                                                                            |
| Puducherry                                                                 |                                                                            | 1 9                                                                        | -                                                                          |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            |
| Punjab                                                                     |                                                                            | 8                                                                          |                                                                            |                                                                            | 0 4                                                                        |                                                                            | - 0                                                                        |
| Tamil Nadu                                                                 | 38 16                                                                      |                                                                            | 0 3                                                                        | 0 4 -                                                                      | -                                                                          | 0 5 -                                                                      | 46000 -                                                                    |
| Telangana                                                                  | 255 39                                                                     | 130 7                                                                      | 68                                                                         | 0                                                                          |                                                                            | 2                                                                          |                                                                            |
| Uttar Pradesh                                                              |                                                                            |                                                                            | 0                                                                          |                                                                            | 0                                                                          |                                                                            | 160000                                                                     |
| Total                                                                      | 767                                                                        | 193                                                                        | 95                                                                         | 5                                                                          | 4                                                                          | 7                                                                          | 206000                                                                     |

Source: States/UTs

| Annexure-II                                                                | Annexure-II                                                                | Annexure-II                                                                | Annexure-II                                                                | Annexure-II                                                                | Annexure-II                                                                | Annexure-II                                                                | Annexure-II                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable(1st April'17- 31st Mar'18) |
| State                                                                      | No. of Samples Analyzed                                                    | No. of Samples found Adulterated& Misbranded                               | No. of Cases Launched                                                      | No. of Cases Launched                                                      | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                             | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                             | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                             |
| Pradesh                                                                    |                                                                            |                                                                            | Criminal                                                                   | Civil                                                                      | Convictions                                                                | Penalties no.                                                              | Penalties amount                                                           |
| Andhra                                                                     | 463                                                                        | 114                                                                        | 67 01                                                                      | 03                                                                         |                                                                            | 06                                                                         | 79500                                                                      |
|                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            | - -                                                                        | 16                                                                         | -                                                                          |                                                                            |
| Bihar                                                                      | 21                                                                         | 01 - 02                                                                    | - -                                                                        | -                                                                          | -                                                                          |                                                                            | - -                                                                        |
| Chandigarh Chhattisgarh                                                    | 22                                                                         |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            | - -                                                                        | -                                                                          |                                                                            |
|                                                                            | 04                                                                         |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            | -                                                                          | -                                                                          |
| Goa Gujarat                                                                | 91 78                                                                      | 0 07                                                                       | 0 01                                                                       | 0 01                                                                       | 0 0                                                                        | 0 0                                                                        | 0 0                                                                        |
|                                                                            | 24 08                                                                      | -                                                                          |                                                                            | 02                                                                         |                                                                            | 02 0                                                                       | 8000                                                                       |
| Haryana Karnataka                                                          |                                                                            |                                                                            | -                                                                          |                                                                            | - 0 0                                                                      |                                                                            |                                                                            |
|                                                                            |                                                                            | 1 07                                                                       | 0                                                                          | 0                                                                          | 0                                                                          |                                                                            | 0 0 0                                                                      |
| Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra                                          | 148                                                                        |                                                                            | 0 0                                                                        | 0 0                                                                        | 0                                                                          | 0 0 0                                                                      |                                                                            |
|                                                                            | 02 119 10                                                                  | 0 08                                                                       | 03                                                                         | 01                                                                         |                                                                            |                                                                            |                                                                            |
| Manipur                                                                    | 16                                                                         |                                                                            |                                                                            | - 0                                                                        |                                                                            |                                                                            | 0 - 0                                                                      |
| Odisha Punjab                                                              |                                                                            | 1 02 14                                                                    | - 0 0                                                                      |                                                                            | - 0 0                                                                      | -                                                                          |                                                                            |
|                                                                            | 243                                                                        |                                                                            |                                                                            | 01                                                                         |                                                                            | 0 01 0                                                                     | 12000                                                                      |
| Rajasthan Tamil Nadu Tripura                                               | 11 36 03                                                                   | 02 18 0                                                                    | 0 1 0                                                                      | 0 - 0                                                                      | 0 - 0                                                                      | - 0                                                                        | 0 - 0                                                                      |
| Uttar Pradesh                                                              | 49                                                                         | 22                                                                         |                                                                            | 03                                                                         |                                                                            | 03                                                                         |                                                                            |
| Total                                                                      | 1348                                                                       | 199                                                                        | 01 74                                                                      | 11                                                                         | 01 17                                                                      | 12                                                                         | 24000 123500                                                               |

Source: States/UTs

| Annexure-III                                                                | Annexure-III                                                                | Annexure-III                                                                | Annexure-III                                                                | Annexure-III                                                                | Annexure-III                                                                | Annexure-III                                                                | Annexure-III                                                                |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) | Testing report data for Fresh Fruits &Vegetable (1st April'18- 31st Mar'19) |
| State                                                                       | No. of Samples Analyzed                                                     | No. of Samples found Adulterated& Misbranded                                | No. of Cases Launched                                                       | No. of Cases Launched                                                       | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                              | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                              | No. of Convictions / Penalties                                              |
|                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | Criminal                                                                    | Civil                                                                       | Convictions                                                                 | Penalties no.                                                               | Penalties amount                                                            |
| Andaman &Nicobar                                                            |                                                                             | - 3                                                                         | -                                                                           | - 1                                                                         | - 7                                                                         |                                                                             | -                                                                           |
| Islands Andhra Pradesh Assam                                                | 1 114                                                                       |                                                                             | 28                                                                          | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | - 11 -                                                                      | 110000                                                                      |
|                                                                             | 1 14                                                                        |                                                                             | - -                                                                         | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | - -                                                                         |
|                                                                             |                                                                             | -                                                                           | -                                                                           |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | -                                                                           |
| Bihar Chandigarh Dadra &N.H                                                 | 6                                                                           | - - 0                                                                       | 0                                                                           |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |
| Delhi                                                                       |                                                                             | 17                                                                          |                                                                             | - 0                                                                         | - 0                                                                         | - 0 -                                                                       | 0 -                                                                         |
|                                                                             | 24                                                                          |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | -                                                                           |
|                                                                             | 78                                                                          |                                                                             | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | -                                                                           |                                                                             |                                                                             |
| Goa                                                                         | 370 58 59                                                                   | 12 8 2                                                                      | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | -                                                                           | - 0 1                                                                       | 0                                                                           |
| Gujarat                                                                     |                                                                             |                                                                             | 0                                                                           | 6                                                                           | 3 0 0                                                                       |                                                                             | 5000                                                                        |
| Haryana Karnataka Kerala                                                    | 16 76                                                                       | 1 5                                                                         | 1                                                                           | 3 0 1                                                                       | 1                                                                           |                                                                             | 0 0                                                                         |
|                                                                             | 3                                                                           |                                                                             | 0 6                                                                         | 0                                                                           |                                                                             | 0 0 0                                                                       |                                                                             |
| Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra                                                  | 85                                                                          |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |
| Manipur                                                                     | 14                                                                          | 0 1 -                                                                       | 0                                                                           |                                                                             | 0 0                                                                         | 0 -                                                                         | 0 0                                                                         |
|                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | 1 - 0                                                                       | 0 - 0                                                                       |                                                                             | 0                                                                           |                                                                             |
| Punjab Sikkim                                                               | 234 3                                                                       | 60 0                                                                        | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           | - 0 0                                                                       | 0                                                                           | -                                                                           |
|                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | 0 0                                                                         |
| Nadu                                                                        |                                                                             | 16                                                                          |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | 21                                                                          | 362500                                                                      |
| Tamil Telangana                                                             | 19 16 52                                                                    | 5                                                                           | 8 5 0                                                                       | 10 0 11                                                                     | 12 0 9                                                                      | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |
| Uttar Pradesh Bengal                                                        |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             |                                                                             | 10                                                                          |                                                                             |
| West                                                                        | 5                                                                           | 13 2                                                                        | 0                                                                           | 1                                                                           |                                                                             | 1                                                                           | 215000 25000                                                                |
| Total                                                                       | 1248                                                                        | 145                                                                         | 49                                                                          | 33                                                                          | 1 33                                                                        | 44                                                                          | 717500                                                                      |

Source: States/UTs