Suspicions regarding the sale of sub-standard edible oil in Telangana have proved true. Officials of the Food Safety department have detected 10 cases of adulteration — in some cases, low-cost edible oil was mixed with higher-valued oil, and in others, old oil was mixed with new stock.
The officials had collected samples from small-scale oil packaging units and kirana (grocery) stores where oil packets are opened and the product is sold ‘loose’. A case of misbranding was also detected.
“An edible oil sample is categorised as sub-standard when low-costing product is mixed with a higher value one, or when old oil with comparatively high acid value is mixed with the new stock. After the mixing, it is sold at high price to make easy money,” said C. Sivaleela, director, Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM). The Food Safety department comes under the purview of IPM. Currently, they have not come across such violation at manufacturing units or with respect to sealed packets.
After the Russia-Ukraine war led to a sharp spike in prices of edible oil in India, Food Safety officials anticipated the possibility of sale of adulterated or sub-standard edible oil in markets.
Based on that suspicion, Food Safety officers conducted checks at oil manufacturing units, packaging units and retail stores across the State last month. They collected as many as 98 samples and sent those to the State Food Laboratory in Nacharam.
Tests were conducted to check the acid value of oil, nature of oil, and other factors. The acid value increases with age of oil. A higher acid value could mean old oil is packed as new product and sold.
Nature of oil is checked to determine if any oil, other than those mentioned on the label, has been mixed with the product. The test also shows if the oil mentioned on the label matches the contents inside the packet.
The lab analysis has now led to the detection of 10 cases of sub-standard oil and one of misbranding.
Show-cause notices were issued to the Food Business Operators (FBOs), and explanation sought. The FBOs will be taken to the Joint Collector who serves as adjudicating officer and will impose fine ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹2 lakh based on the gravity of the offence.
Dr Sivaleela said oil samples have recently been collected from retail stores, oil packaging units and manufacturing units in the GHMC region too, and sent for lab tests.
