Lok Sabha Question No. 3049 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-13
Subject: Sale of Adulterated Food in Amritsar
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Gurjeet Singh Aujla

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3049 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH DECEMBER, 2024

## SALE OF ADULTERATED FOOD IN AMRITSAR

## 3049. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to address widespread sale of adulterated sweets and food products in Amritsar, a significant border region with a large population and a steady influx of tourists and pilgrims;

(b) whether there are any specific guidelines to regularly inspect and monitor the quality of food sold in markets, especially during festive seasons when adulteration is at its peak and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has allocated resources for dedicated food testing laboratories to ensure rapid and efficient testing of food samples in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has plans to introduce public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the dangers of consuming adulterated food and the way to identify such products and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government is likely to consider launching a special scheme in border areas like Amritsar to combat food adulteration and the reputation of the city as a tourist and pilgrimage hub and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (e): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is fully committed to ensure the availability of safe food products to the consumers across the country. Towards this, FSSAI through State/UTs and its Regional Offices conducts regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of various food products to check compliance with the quality and safety parameters and other requirements as laid down under Food Safety and

Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, and regulations made thereunder. In cases where food samples are found to be non- conforming, penal action is taken against the defaulting Food Business Operators as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Rules and Regulations.

Also, FSSAI carries out special festive drives before the commencement of and around, the festive seasons. Under these special drives, random sampling of adulteration prone food products especially milk and milk products, such as ghee, khoya, paneer and sweets particularly during the festive season are carried out. The drives are carried out in the suspected hotspots of adulteration identified through various exercise including intelligence inputs, past sampling & analysis history, complaints & reports on various channels including local media.

Further, for regular inspection and monitoring the quality of food, FSSAI has also provided financial and technical support to the States/UTs for strengthening the food testing ecosystem which includes procurement of High End and Basic Equipment, setting up of Microbiology laboratory and managing contingencies, Mobile Food Testing Laboratories, Manpower, National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation etc.

FSSAI has sanctioned a total grant of Rs. 23.56 Crores from 2016-2024 to the state of Punjab for for strengthening the food testing ecosystem. FSSAI has also sanctioned 23 Mobile Food Testing Laboratories for the State of Punjab. These Mobile labs are equipped with basic infrastructure for quick qualitative testing for detection of adulteration in various food commodities. Mobile labs are also used as a platform for conducting training and awareness programmes across the State. Mobile food labs, deployed in the state of Punjab conducted a total of 20276 surveillance tests, 1030 public awareness programs, and 156 training sessions for various stakeholders.

FSSAI has implemented following initiatives to raise awareness about food safety among consumers, the food industry, and citizens:-

- i. Website and Social Media : FSSAI's website and Social Media pages provide accessible information on Standards/Regulations/Advisories related to Food Safety and on detecting food adulterants at home, offering practical tips for consumers.
- ii. Adulteration Videos : FSSAI has produced a series of videos that visually
3. demonstrate methods for identifying adulteration in commonly used foods. These are available on the FSSAI YouTube channel and promoted on various other media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook time to time and are showcased at various public events and campaigns.
- iii. Resources like the DART Book offer simple tests for detecting food adulterants at home.
- iv. Food Safety Magic Box : This educational toolkit is designed for school students, teachers and parents, containing easy-to-use tests for detecting food adulteration through an interactive and engaging way for students to learn about food safety.
- v. Food Safety on Wheels (FSWs) or mobile food testing laboratories are deployed to reach remote areas and for conducting food testing and raising awareness.
- vi. Food Safety Guidebook for Teachers/Students : The lesson plan booklet provides with the detailed information of how to conduct the different test on food adulteration. These tests are mapped across the curriculum of the particular grade.

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