In India, it is hardly a food product being sold in the market which is not adulterated. Take, for instance, spices, turmeric, dried ginger, sugar, edible oils like mustard oil, ghee, milk etc. Even the food grains and pulses ore adulterated with substandard varieties and, at times, even small pieces of stones.
There is a widespread of adulteration in milk. Mixing of water in milk is not anything new. Sometimes, certain kinds of powder of some dried ingredients is mixed in milk to make it thicker and look like standard milk containing the required quantity of fat as it exists in natural standard milk.
Similarly, the idea of “chemical milk” which was probably first discovered and practiced by some dairy-owners in Haryana by using urea, caustic soda, soapy water, groundnut oil etc., in fixed quantities has become very popular in certain parts of our country. Food items are consumed by all and sundry.
Image Source : foodsafetyhelpline.com
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Hence, it is the question of everybody’s health, and broadly speaking, it is the question of nation’s health. If the people are to be saved from the clutches of the adulterators so that they can lead a healthy, disease-free life, strict steps should ‘ be taken against the recalcitrant. There should not only be heavy fines but also long rigorous imprisonments for the adulterators.
Needless to say, adulteration should be treated like any other serious crime and the perpetrators should not be let off just for political or any other considerations.