Hyderabad: It’s high time that you check spices thoroughly before you bring them to your homes. In a move to earn more with little expenditure, stores and food joints in Hyderabad are selling adulterated food to its customers.
The events came to light recently after Police conducted various raids at stores and these food joints which revealed that this adulteration is adapted from UP and Bihar where food adulteration is not under control and is the crime is unrestrained.
With many food adulteration rackets busted it the city it can now be said that this dangerous business is spreading in Hyderabad and the local food is no longer safe.
The so-called ‘high quality’ spices that are sold in markets are also not pure and adulterated.
According to the sources the toxic papaya seeds mixed with synthetic gum, black and red iron oxide is sold as pepper. Sodium Hydrosulphite is mixed with caraway seeds, sawdust and brick powder is mixed with masala powders, Cool drinks and Ice-Creams are mixed with glycerol monostearate and sold nowadays markets.
Consumers who fall under lower income category fall prey to these adulterated food products as they cost less when compared to the so-called ‘high quality’ products.
A Senior Police Officer of the Commissioner’s Task Force says “An adulterated product is sold for a cheaper price than a branded one. Many families that look for a cheaper option buy the local adulterated product without knowing that deadly chemicals are mixed in it. A majority in Hyderabad are not aware of widespread adulteration of various products”.
The Tiffin centres which are commonly seen these days flourishing, the roadside dhabas the food joints are the other big buyers of this adulterated food. They knowingly buy them to gain profits and help in increasing their margin. Adulterated ghee, edible oil, milk, spices and masala powders are the products mostly brought by the road-side vendors.
“What we eat at road-side food joints is highly toxic. Even the tomato ketchup is adulterated. When we raided a unit in Marredpally, we found tomato sauce and vinegar being adulterated before being sold to roadside food joints,” said a Task Force official.
With many complaints flowing in Police have started conducting many raids on these adulteration units in the city following which more than 20 arrests have been made so far. “We have to keep on raiding places and bust these rackets to ensure that safe food is available in Hyderabad. The Task Force has decided to make it part of our routine to bust adulteration rackets” said B Limba Reddy Chief of Task Force Task, DC reported.