Adulterated food items seized by a mobile court were burnt to ashes on the premises of District Collectorate Building (DCB) here on Thursday. A mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Abu Rafa Md Arif conducted a raid at Jewel Biscuit Agency at Gown Market in the town on Wednesday and then sealed off the warehouse on charge of storing adulterated food items.

On the following day, the mobile court led by Executive Magistrate AKM Galiv Khan recovered the adulterated food items worth about Taka one lakh from the warehouse on Thursday and destroyed those through setting on fire.

Upgradation of moral values, raising mass awareness, and formulation of proper laws and their strict implementation are the imperatives to check food adulteration in the country, said the speakers at a seminar yesterday. They urged the government to take punitive actions against those involved in the production and sale of adulterated food and run the anti-adulteration drive frequently to save the nation from ruin.

a survey conducted recently in Mysore in Karnataka revealed some of the common adulterants found in food products: metanil yellow and lead chromate, both inorganic dyes used in leather, paper and

FOOD and beverage companies will no longer be able to get away lightly if found guilty of adulteration. The government is setting up a regulator and putting in place stringent rules for food and beverage manufacturers. The watchdog would start functioning from May. Should any mishap occur due to the consumption of a product, the erring company may have to pay a compensation of Rs 3-5 lakh. The company's officials would also face 3-7 years' imprisonment.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Sukram Pal has sentenced three hoteliers - Chaman Lal, Ram Singh and Suchha Singh - to imprisonment for one year each, holding them guilty of adulteration in foodstuff.

Next time, look carefully at the label of the product before buying it, as the Supreme Court believes the company cannot be blamed and found guilty of misbranding a food article if the picture on its

The Vile Parle police on Sunday evening busted a milk adulteration racket operating in the area, and arrested 9 persons involved in the racket.

Mixing of cheap coconut oil with costly edible oils is rampant in south Adulteration is posing a serious threat to the edible oil trade in south India. Mixing of refined coconut oil, made from poor quality copra, with other oils is on the rise. As coconut oil is the cheapest edible oil available in the market, mixing it with other oils is turning into a profitable business here. The practice is rampant in the case of palm oil as its availability is low due to high global prices and import restrictions. A few years back, when coconut oil had crossed Rs 65 a kg, it was mixed with refined palm kernel oil, which was cheaper then. But now, when the retail prices of palm oil have crossed Rs 68-70 a kg, while coconut oil remains stable at Rs 60, the trend has reversed. According to copra dealers, the palm oil refiners, especially in Tamil Nadu, have large stocks of low quality copra, which is available at Rs 3,400-3,500 a quintal. "The refined oil made from this is ideal for mixing with other costly oils,' they said. All edible oil prices except for coconut oil are ruling above Rs 70 a kg. Ground nut oil and sunflower oil have a retail price of Rs 95 a kg while gingelly oil is costing Rs 100. Meanwhile, coconut oil prices are also on the rise. Today in Kochi, prices were hovering around Rs 5,650 a quintal, up by Rs 50.

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no food adulteration: The Union ministry of health and family welfare has issued draft rules amending the existing Prevention of Food Adulteration rules (1955).