Implications of Pure Food Act in Bangladesh

University of Dhaka Faculty of Business Studies segment of Marketing IMPLICATIONS OF PURE FOOD arrange IN BANGLADESH Submitted to Shehely Parvin Assistant Professor Submitted by NADEEM NAFIS 4119044 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 2 Adulteration runs rampant in the country. Dangers lurk in every nutrition items. From ve compassables, fish, draw, fruit, sweetmeats, meth cream, to spices, nothing is safe. Packaged and bottled drinks, both loc everyy produced and imported, with harmful ingredients and chemics ar being sold in the grocery. M either of the dry nutriment items procurable in the market ar being produced in bewildering unhygienic locations.Oblivious of the dangers lurking in the everyday fargon items, pargonnts now ask their children to eat feeds that contain vitamins, iron and calcium. Though there is a law but still no effect or it is ineffective. However in doing this report I feel luck to aw be myself and eventually it forget fade me knowledge to make aware forme r(a)s people around me. I would like to give a big thanks to Shehely Parvin, Assistant professor of Department of Marketing, University of Dhaka and course t to each oneer of MKT-510- Business milieu. This course made me to at a lower placetake the responsibility of preparing a project on Implications of pure nutrition figure in Bangladesh.This report is required as a part of bring throughing the objectives of a project course (MKT-510) Nadeem Nafis 41119044 MKT-510 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY pabulum adulteration in the country has sham alarming proportions. Experts in medical biology point come on that consumption of adulterated sustenance continues people with kidney dysfunction, diabetes and cardiac problems. They further point out that champion of the important reasons for infertility is the presence of residues of pesticides, growth hormones, heavy metals and mycotoxins in our sustenance. The main reason for this is that our farmers are not properly trained in the use of ch emical fertilisers.Absence of effluent treatment plants on one hand (ETP) and lack of training of the farmers, the f work outory wastes, fertiliser and pesticide residues are drained out at give into the farmlands, lastly contaminating the farm at large. A count by the bring in of reality health revealed that more than 50% feed proves including water which they had tested were adulterated. correspond to D. G. , BSTI the production of contaminated imbibition water has been increasing in the country. BSTI revealed that about 1,000 drinking water factories exist in the country, only 400 of which collapse licenses from the BSTI.Bottlers of drinking water factories set out mushroomed with little regard to compliance of hackneyed or BSTI license. Despite BSTI bearcelling the licenses of 139 bottling factories in the last 18 months, there has been no news in setting up new factories in new locations. The result Children and aged people are facing constant threat of diseases ev en with the bottled water produced by these factories. Textile dyes are being randomly utilise to colour sweetmeats like kalojam, chamcam, pantua cakes and pastries. Urea fertiliser is apply for whitening puffed rice.A section of factory owners, through with(predicate) use of new(prenominal) low type crude and mustard greens greens colour, continue to market mustard embrocate. Sadly, in intimately elusions they are apply allyl isothiocyanate to give off a mustard cover color extra bite. 3 MKT-510 When the import of soyabean oil becomes uncertain or the price shoots up globally, the topical anaesthetic market manipulators utilise to dishonest means. Unscrupulous millers resort to mixing soyabean oil with scant(p) quality palm oil or super oil. In the domain of fruits and vegetables there prevails a total anarchy. Gullible consumers are buy fruits, locally produced or imported, from malls not realising what they are bargaining for.M any people in the country let stop ped buying fruits, especially mangoes from the city markets after watching the destruction of formalin and ethofen-laced mangoes and grapes by the fluent courts on TV. Papya and bananas are maudlinly ripened by chemicals like ethylene oxide and formalin. Experts in medical biology point out that ethylene oxide is carcinogenic and when used over diet might invite a disaster. The key prevailings of the EPA study group suggest that many children whitethorn initiate cancer some clock during their lifetime as a result of the pesticide or toxic-laden products they consume.The test conducted by BSTI-run mobile courts on fruit specimens like mango, banana, lichis and jackfruit collected from Badamtali, Amin bazaar and Karwan bazar show the presence of formalin and ethofen, which in the short term go out exertion diarrhea, food poisoning and gasolinetrointestinal disorder but in the long-term will accumulate to serious health implications. search is considered an essential protei n for people of all categories and ages. Many fish sellers spray fish with formalin (formaldehyde gas mixed with methyl alcohol), an organic chemical, usually used for preserving tissues.It makes the fish get on stiff and impudent for a longer period of time. Regular intake of much(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) adulterated fish and vegetables might cause cancer. The month of Ramadan will bring more such woes for Muslims because of the excessive fried items sold for a month. A section of restaurant owners use refined engine oil to fry chickens, kabab, peaju and potato crisps. Engine oil used as cooking ingredient makes food tasty, claim a section of the restaurant 4 MKT-510 owners. Defying health department regulations, many restaurant owners and bridle-path vendors use leftover cooking oil.This profits the peroxide limit of the oil, turning it toxic. The NRDC report goes on to charge that the governments of the countries surveyed are failing to adequately pr otect the youngsters from such dangers. accustomed the fact that children are consuming toxic food, they are likely to be more vulnerable than adults. Their organs may not be as expeditious in removing toxic chemicals. In Bangladesh, we withdraw allowed both pollution and food pollution to run riot. No agency otherwise than BSTI has conducted any exam of the pesticide-residue levels or toxic chemicals in the food market.With a totally inefficient monitoring system, just having tough laws is not enough to keep unscrupulous tackrs from tampering with food items. BSTI sources revealed that it conducted 1,039 mobile courts across the country in seven months from July last year to February this year and detected rampant malpractice and adulteration in the food production centres. well-nigh Tk. 23. 8 million were realised as fine during the drives while 1,086 chances were filed and 66 people were sent to jail. harmonize to DG, BSTI, adulteration problem could be affirmled easily if the DCC performed its trouble properly.The DCC is supposed to do so instead of BSTI.. DCC have their own magistrates while BSTI has to hire magistrates from the district administration. Despite the virginal Food Ordinance 2005, there was hardly any effort to enforce it. Even when the countrys apex court issued orders again in 2009 for setting up food court and one food exam centre in every district, no effort was taken to implement it. With 50million people in the country known to be afflicted with complicated diseases by taking adulterated food, the administration has got to be scary.Given the political will, it is not very difficult to control this nefarious business by a handful of traders out to kill people slowly through poison simply for minting money. 5 MKT-510 God forbid What will happen if one of their near relations get affected with some deadly diseases by taking such adulterated food? 6 MKT-510 CONTENTS Description Page 9 9 10 11 12 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 23 27 29 30 30 30 7 1 1. 1 1. 2 Introduction Background of the report Scope of the report 2 2. 1 2. 1. 1 2. 1. 2 2. 1. 3 2. 1. 4 2. 1. 5 2. 2 Food guard A public health priorityMajor issues in food rubber eraser Microbiological hazards Chemical hazards Surveillance of food borne dieses New technologies Capacity building magnificence of food refuge 3 3. 1 3. 1. 1 3. 1. 2 3. 1. 3 3. 1. 4 Food safety & quality control textile in Bangladesh Laws , regulations & standards Laws & regulations Bangladesh pure food ordinance, 2005 in detail Analysis of food Bangladesh food standards 4 4. 1 4. 1. 1 Implications of pure food act in Bangladesh Using chemicals & industrial dyes to look food odoriferous & tasty Arsenic phosphorous & the carbide produces acetylene gasMKT-510 4. 1. 2 4. 1. 3 4. 1. 4 4. 1. 5 4. 1. 6 4. 2 4. 3 4. 4 Fish in kitchen market are stored in formaldehyde Condense take out Sulphuric caustic & industrial dyes methanal Do you have formaldehyde related symptoms? Adulterate d food The drive against adulterate food Laboratory analysis of food 31 32 34 35 36 38 40 42 44 44 46 47 48 50 8 5 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 Implementation of food ordinance electric pig & inspection Efforts by NGOs WHO/FAO supported food safety program in Bangladesh 6 7 Conclusion & Recommendations References MKT-510 1. INTRODUCTION 1. Background of the Report 9 Food safety legislation should be veritable and updated taking into consideration detail needs of consumers and food producers, development in technology, emerging hazards, changing consumer demands and new requirements for trade, harmonization with international and regional standards, obligations infra the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements, as well as social, religious and cultural habits. The implementation of food safety legislation throughout the food chain is essential in establishing an effective food safety system.Effective national food control systems are essential to protect the health and safety of domestic con sumers. They are in like manner critical in enable countries to assure the safety and quality of their foods entering international trade and to ensure that imported foods conform to national requirements. The new global environment for food trade places considerable obligations on both importing and exporting countries to strengthen their food control systems and to implement and enforce risk-based food control strategiesThe pure Food proceed 2005 is the Bangladeshi food legislations that form the backbone of the food safety programme. The objective of the pure Food Act 2005 is to ensure that the public is protected from health hazards and subterfuge in the preparation, cut-rate exchanges event and use of foods and for matters connected therewith. MKT-510 1. 2 Scope of the report there are numerous types of implications are now occurring against pure food act of Bangladesh but we are unable to depict all of these fields of events. However in this report the major(ip) concerns are delicately depicted.Again due to time, information & synchronisation stricture all details are not fully exposed. that in general if one goes through this report then he/she will find very interesting & can l construct the tinge not only on our society but overly on the rest of the world. 10 1. 3 Objective of the Study This report has an objective to study, measure and analyze the implication, implementation & performance of Bangladesh Pure Food Ordinance, 2005. This report has divided into five major chapters, mainly focuses on 1. To know about Pure food act of Bangladesh 2. Implications of pure act in Bangladesh 3.Recommendations for proper implementation of pure food act MKT-510 2. FOOD SAFETY A PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY Safe food erects to health and productivity and provides an effective platform for development and poverty alleviation. concourse are bonnie increasingly concerned about the health risks posed by microbial pathogens and potencely hazardous chemicals in f ood. Up to one-third of the populations of authentic countries are affected by food borne affection each year, and the problem is likely to be even more widespread in create countries.The poor are the more or less susceptible to ill-health. Food and waterborne diarrhoeal diseases, for example, are pointing causes of illness and death in less developed countries, killing an estimated 2. 2 million people annually, most of whom are children. 11 Diarrhoea is the most common landplace symptom of food borne illness, but other serious consequences include kidney and liver-colored failure, brain and neural disorders, and death. Food safety refers to the potential hazards associated with food that can cause ill-health in tender-hearteds. legitimate of these hazards are naturally-occurring (for example aflatoxins in groundnuts), whilst others occur through contamination (for example pesticide residues in fruit). The potential hazards associated with food include the following (Unneveh r and Hirschhorn, 2000 WHO, 2002a) Food safety is of particular concern in a ontogeny country condition not only because of the high prevalence of food-borne illness and other hazards associated with food, but also because of the considerable economic and social costs that, in turn, reflect rife levels of economic development. MKT-510 2. MAJOR ISSUES IN FOOD SAFETY Food borne illness can be caused by microbiological, chemical or physical hazards. The nature and expiration of these risks are being elucidated by an increasing body of scientific data, although several areas of information gathering, such as the surveillance of food borne illness, need to be strengthened. thither is also mounting concern about new technologies and especially the introduction of genetically modified organisms into the food supply. 12 2. 1. 1 Microbiological hazards Food borne illness caused by microorganisms is a large and growing public health problem.Most countries with systems for reporting causa l agents of food borne illness have documented significant increases over the past few decades in the incidence of diseases caused by microorganisms in food, including pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, and parasites such as cryptosporidium, cryptospora, trematodes. Approximately 1. 8 million children in developing countries (excluding China) died from diarrhoeal disease in 1998, caused by microbiological agents, mostly originating from food and water.One soul in 3 in industrialized countries may be affected by food borne illness each year. In the USA, some 76 million cases of food borne illness, resulting in 3,25,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, are estimated to occur each year. There are only limited data on the economic consequences of food contamination and food borne disease. In studies in the USA in 1995, it was estimated that the annual cost of the 3. 312 million cases of food borne illness caused by seven path ogens was US $6. 535 billion.The medical costs and the value of the lives lost during just five food borne outbreaks in England and Wales in 1996 were estimated at UK? 300700 million. The cost of the estimated 11 500 daily cases of food poisoning in Australia was calculated at AU$ 2. 6 billion annually. The increased incidence of food borne disease due to microbiological hazards is the result of a multiplicity of factors, all associated with our libertine-changing world. Demographic profiles are MKT-510 being altered, with increasing proportions of people who are more susceptible to microorganisms in food.Changes in farm practices, more extensive food distribution systems and the increasing preference for meat and poultry in developing countries all have the potential to increase the incidence of food borne illness. Extensive food distribution systems raise the potential for rapid, widespread distribution of contaminated food products. Changes in food production result in new types of food that may harbor less common pathogens. Intensive animal husbandry technologies, introduced to minimize production costs, have led to the emergence of new zoonotic diseases, which affect benignants.Safe disposal of manure from large-scale animal and poultry production facilities is a growing food safety problem in much of the world, as manure frequently contains pathogens. Changes in eating patterns, such as a preference for fresh and minimally process foods, the increasingly longer interval between processing and consumption of foods and the increasing prevalence of eating food prepared outside the home all contribute to the increased incidences of food borne illness ascribed to microbiological organisms. The emergence of new pathogens and Pathogens not previously associated with food are a major public health concern.E. coli O157H7 was identified for the kickoff time in 1979 and has subsequently caused illness and deaths (especially among children) owing to its presence in ground beef, unpasteurized apple cider, take out, lettuce, alfalfa and other sprouts, and drinking-water in several countries. Salmonella typhimurium DT104 has developed resistance to five unremarkably prescribed antibiotics and is a major concern in many countries because of its rapid spread during the 1990s. These changes in microbiological hazards in foods have been acknowledge by the World wellness Assembly and by Codex.The 22nd session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the 45th Codex Executive Committee requested FAO and WHO to convoke an international expert advisory body akin(predicate) to the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) on the microbiological aspects of food safety to address in particular microbiological risk appraisal. The results of these risk assessments will provide the scientific buttocks for measures to reduce illness from microbiological hazards in foods. 13 MKT-510Effective focu ssing of microbiological hazards is enhanced through the use of tools such as Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA) and Hazard Analysis and Critical authority Point (HACCP) systems. Sound microbiological risk assessment provides an understanding of the nature of the hazard, and is a tool to set priorities for interventions. HACCP is a tool for process control through the identification of critical control points. The ultimate closing is repairment of public health, and both MRA and HACCP are means to that end. 14 2. 1. 2 Chemical hazardsChemicals are a significant source of foodborne illness, although effects are very much difficult to link with a particular food. Chemical contaminants in food include natural toxicants such as mycotoxins and marine toxins, environmental contaminants such as mercury, lead, radionuclides and dioxins, and naturally occurring chemicals in plants, such as glycoalkaloids in potatoes. Food additives and nutrients such as vitamins and essential minerals , pesticide and veterinary drug residues are deliberately used to increase or improve the food supply, but assurance must first be obtained that all such uses are safe.Chemical contamination of food can affect health after a single exposure or, more oft, after longterm exposure however, the health consequences of exposure to chemicals in food are much inadequately understood. While assessments of the risks associated with exposure to pesticides, veterinary drugs and food additives are usually supported by extensive information, fewer data are available on the toxicology of contaminants in food. New understanding of the potential for chemicals to affect the immune, endocrine and developing nervous systems should continue to be incorporated into hazard characterizations of chemicals in food.Risk assessments must take into pecker the potential risks of sensitive population groups such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. They must also address concern about accumulative, low level exposure to multiple chemicals. Testing procedures and other methods of assessment for adequate evaluation of these potential risks are being developed and validated. Estimates of the exposure of specific subpopulations are often hampered by inadequate data on dietary intake and on levels of contamination of food.This lack of information is exacerbated in developing countries, where MKT-510 little reliable information is available on the exposure of their populations to chemicals in food. Public awareness about chemicals in food is relatively high, and consumers continue to express concern about the risks to health due to the deliberate addition of chemicals to food. change magnitude concern is also being expressed about the introduction of contaminants into the food chain from industrial pollution of the environment.Recognition that some pesticide residues and other chemicals may affect the hormonal system has further heightened public concern about persistant organic pollut ants (POPs). The challenges for risk assessment of chemicals include consideration of susceptible populations such as children, pregnant women and the elderly, cumulative low-level exposure to multiple chemicals and effects on fetal neural development. Work is needed to develop and validate methods to evaluate these potential risks adequately.The Global Environment Monitoring System Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment Programme (GEMS/Food) database should be expanded to include more countries and more comprehensive data on the food intake of subpopulations and on the concentrations of contaminants in food commodities. Improved risk assessments with minimized uncertainty will provide a better, more acceptable basis for international and national standard setting and reduce concern about the safety of food. 15 2. 1. 3 Surveillance of food borne disease Outbreaks of foodborne disease close in media attention and raise consumer concern.However, cases of foodborne illness occu r daily in all countries, from the most to the least developed. As most of these cases are not reported, the true proportionality of the problem is unknown, and efforts to secure the resources and support necessary for the identification and implementation of effective solutions often fail. Effective control of foodborne disease must be based on evaluated information about foodborne hazards and the incidence of foodborne disease. Development of a strategy to reduce foodrelated risks requires knowledge about the current levels of foodborne disease in Member States.It must also be based on an appreciation of the targets and time-frame for improving food safety. This should be an on-going process, in which new targets are set when old ones are achieved, and progress should be monitored continuously in targeted surveys. MKT-510 The absence of reliable data on the burden of foodborne disease impedes understanding about its public health importance and prevents the development of risk-ba sed solutions to its management. advanced strategies and methods are needed for surveying foodborne disease and food contamination.A laboratory-based surveillance system should be based on sentinel sites and regional and/or international laboratory networks. A necessary prerequisite for risk-based strategies based on optimized surveys is an interdisciplinary approach involving strong collaboration among all sectors dealing with foodborne disease surveillance and food safety in the health sector. 16 2. 1. 4 New Technologies New technologies, such as genetic engineering, irradiation of food, ohmic heating and modified atmosphere packaging, can be used to increase agricultural production, extend shelf life or make food safer.Their potential benefit for public health is wide for example, genetic engineering of plants has the potential to increase the nutrient content of foods, decrease their allergenicity and improve the efficiency of food production. However, the potential public he alth effects of these technologies have raised concern globally during the past decade. Some new technologies benefit the health and economy of communities and contribute to sustainable development. However, countries should be provided with the results of objective, rigorous assessments of the potential risks associated with these technologies forward being asked to accept them.Moreover, countries should be assisted in developing capacities to evaluate such results. The basis for the safety assessments should be easy to understand and well communicated, so that the public can be involved at the early stages of this process. The evaluation should be based on internationally agreed principles that include factors other than considerations of safety and risk, such as (health) benefits, socioeconomic factors, ethical issues and environmental assessments.These considerations should be developed with other WHO partners such as FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Or ganisation for economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank. MKT-510 2. 1. 5 Capacity building Most developed countries continue to expand the capacity to protect their populations from exposure to unacceptable levels of microorganisms and chemicals in food. Public awareness of the risks involved is relatively high in these countries, and many governments have made clear commitments to improve food safety.Developing countries have many competing priorities in their health agendas, and food safety has not, in the past, been recognized as a vital public health issue. However, it is becoming clear that foodborne disease has a significant impact on health. The globalization of the food trade and the development of international food standards have also raised awareness of food safety in developing countries. Placing food safety on the political agenda is the first vital step in reducing foodborne illness. The consumption of locally produced food is more common in dev eloping countries.Fewer processed and packaged foods are available, large volumes of fresh food are traded in traditional markets, and food eaten outside the home is typically prepared by street vendors. Most of the concern for food safety is related to inappropriate use of agricultural chemicals, poor storage of food, an absence of food inspection, lack of infrastructure such as potable water and adequate refrigeration and lack of awareness about food safety and hygiene. Many developing countries are poorly equipped to respond to existing and emerging food safety problems.They lack technical and financial resources, an effective institutional framework, trained manpower and sufficient information about the hazards and risks involved. The risks are especially great in countries where low national income coincides with rapid industrial and agricultural development. 17 MKT-510 2. 2 Importance of Food Safety Food safety and sanitation are considered to be a key issue to ensure overal l food security in Bangladesh. Food is the major source of human exposure to pathogenic agents, both chemical and biological (viruses, parasites, bacteria), from which no individual is spared.The importance of food safety stems from (1) food being the primary mode of transmission of infectious disease (2) the intricate linkage with development- governs individual and community health, national productivity, and promotes export potential & thus earn foreign exchange (3) emerged as prominent sources of conflict in international agricultural trade. 18 Biotechnology has raised some food safety concerns as new scientific methods to assess the safety of food derived from biotechnology have yet to be developed and agreed upon internationally. In Bangladesh 90 % tube rise up of 61 districts (out of 64) are contaminated with arsenic. Urban population are gradually shifting from cereal-based diets and would likely generate a demand for fish, livestock, horticultural, forest produce as wel l as processed items, in turn necessitating safety load of associated transport, storage and marketing infrastructure. MKT-510 3. Food Safety and Quality Control Framework in Bangladesh 19 Bangladesh has achieved a significant progress in health & nutrition of the people. In spite of this progress, still the infant mortality rate is 51/ green and maternal mortality ratio is 3/1000 livebirths.Some one third of the children born with low birth weight and only 11. 5 % of preschool age children are nutritionally normal. Diarrhoeal diseases is one of the major public health problems in the country. Some two third of these diarrhoeal diseases are food and water borne. At present, more than 30 million people are facing arsenic problem in drinking water and some 70-80 million people are threatened with the problem. Bangladesh is yet to develop a unified Food Safety Administration System and to formulate a Food Safety Policy.But it has a subject field Food and Nutrition Policy where attenti on has been given on food safety. There are significant activities in food safety and quality control are going on in the country. A number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies are involved in these activities with a major responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) which has a unique infrastructure to deliver its services throughout the country. Under this Ministry, Management Information System on food safety and food borne illnesses is some point integrated with the Primary Health Care Programme.It may be mentioned here Bangladesh has signed the WTO Agreement. In Bangladesh, the food safety and quality control framework consists of Laws, Regulations & steps, Administration & limited review and Laboratory analytical services. MKT-510 3. 1 LAWS, REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS 3. 1. 1 LAWS AND REGULATIONS 20 (a) The Bangladesh Pure Food Ordinance, 1959 This is an ordinance to provide better control of the manufacture and sale of food for human consumption. N ow, this Ordinance is under revision as The Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendment) Act, 2004. Under this Act, it has been proposed to constitute a national Food Safety Council headed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as well as to establish Food Courts. (b) The Bangladesh Pure Food Rules, 1967. In this Rule, there are generic standards for 107 food products. Now, this Rules is under revision. (c) The Special Power Act, 1974 (Act No XIV of 1974-as modified up to the 31st July, 1978) An Act to provide special measures for the prevention of certain prejudicial activities, for more speedy trial and effective penalization of certain grave offensive activitys. (d) The Food Grain Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial activity) Ordinance, 1956 (Ord. xvi of 1979) This ordinance provides special measures for prevention of prejudicial activity relating to the storage, movement, transshipment, supply and distribution of food grains. It provides basis for the protection of senseless statemen t or information. (e) The Bangladesh Standards and Testing organisation Ordinance, 1985 This ordinance is to establish an Institution for standardization, testing, metrology, quality control, grading and marking of goods. Within the framework of this ordinance, Government has established the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI).One import task is to certify the quality of commodities, materials, whether for local consumption, export and import. The Ordinance has been amended as The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (Amendment) Act, 2003. Currently, BSTI is developing a Policy on Labelling. BSTI is the Codex Focal Point for Bangladesh. MKT-510 (f) The Radiation Protection Act, 1987 Under this Act, the Institute of Food and Radiation Biology (IFRB) of Bangladesh atomic Energy Commission is primarily involved in food irradiation research and development in the country. g) The ace Deficiency Disorders Prevention Act, 1989 The Government has enacted The Iodin e Deficiency Disorders Prevention Act, 1989 for universal salt iodisation & banned noniodised salt from market, aimed at virtual elimination of IDD from the country. (h) The Essential Commodity Act, 1990 The purpose of administering this act is to stable, maintain or increase supply of essential commodities including foodstuffs. The mandate of Essential Commodity Act also includes broad spectrum of broad spectrum of activities like storage, transport, distribution, disposal, acquisition, use or consumption of any essential commodity. i) Fish and Fish product (Inspection and Quality Control) Rules, 1997 This section of the Fish and Fish products (Inspection and Control) Ordinance 1983 (Ord xx of 1983) and in conjunction with fish and fish products Inspection and Quality Rules 1989, and other related provisions made there under, the Government has made the Rules Fish and Fish product (Inspection and Quality Control) Rules, 1997. These Rules are basically meant to develop quality impro vement to promote export of trade. The quality control of fish and fish products in the country has earned reputation of the importing countries. j) Laws and Regulations In addition, a number of other Laws and Regulations are existed in the country to ensure the safe and quality food viz. The Animal Slaughter (Restriction) and Meat Control (Amendment) Ordinance,1983 (it is under revision)The Pesticide Ordinance,1971 & the Pesticides Rules,1985Destructive Insects and Pests Rules (Plant Quarantine),1966,amended up to 1989Agricultural Products Market Act,1950 (revised in 1985)Fish Protection and Conservation Act,1950 (amended in 1995)Marine Fisheries Ordinance 1983 and 21 Rules,1983Procuremnet Specifications, Ministry of Food, Rice Mill Control Order etc.To protect the consumers rights and privileges a new Act i. e. Consumers Protection Act, 2004 is to be passed soon. There are also a number of policies i. e. Bangladesh Food and Nutrition Policy, MKT-510 1997 and National Plan of Actio n on Nutrition, National Agricultural Policy, 1999 Integrated Pest Management Policy, 2002 etc are linked with the countrys food safety and quality control. (h) Pure Food Act, 2005 Finding huge ir fixingities and unhygienic situation in the food sectors, the government has formulated a new law, the Pure Food Act, 2005. 2 MKT-510 3. 1. 2 Bangladesh Pure Food Ordinance, 2005 in Details Manufacture and Sale of food Provisions regarding manufacture and sale of Food 23 1. Prohibition of manufacture or sale of food not of proper nature, substance or quality (1) No person shall directly or indirectly (a) Manufacture or sell any obligate of food which is adulterated, or (b) Sell to the prejudice of the purchaser any article of food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser. 2) An offence shall not be deemed to have been committed if the article of food contains the normal constituents and if any innocuous substance or ingredient has been added thereto, if s uch substance or ingredient (i) is required for the production or preparation of such article as an article of commerce in a condition fit for drug peddler or consumption, and (ii) is not so added fraudulently to increase the bulk weight or measure, or to conceal the inferior quality, of such article Provided that the admixture of such substance or ingredient does not render such article to be injurious to health . Prohibition of sale or use of noxious or dangerous chemicals, intoxicated food colour, etc No person shall directly or indirectly sale any food in which poisonous or dangerous chemicals or ingredients or additives or substances like calcium carbide, formalin, pesticides DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane ), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl oil) etc. or intoxicated food colour or flavouring matter has been used in any food which may cause injury to human body. . Prohibition of manufacture or sale of food not of proper standard of purity No person shall, directly or ind irectly manufacture or sell any milk, butter, ghee, wheat flour (that is to say, maida, atta or suji) or mustard or any other rape seed oil, or any other article of food which are not of proper standard of purity. MKT-510 Standard of purity of milk or skimmed milk or condensed milk or sterilized ilk or desiccated milk (1) In the case of milk other than skimmed, condensed, sterilized or desiccated milk,(a) the species of animal from which the milk is derived shall be specified by the seller in such manner as the local authority may direct by general or special order in this behalf(b) the article sold shall be the normal, clean and fresh secretion obtained by the complete milking of the udder of a healthy animal of the species specified, not earlier than seven days after the calving and freeing of the colostrums of such animal and (c) the article sold shall, whether such secretion has been processed or not, be an article from which no ingredient has been extracted and to which no wate r or other substance (including any preservative) has been added and which contains the normal constituents prescribed under clause (a) or sub-section (1) of section 5. 24 2) In the case of skimmed milk,(a) The container shall be labelled and tag in such manner as may be prescribed (b) The article sold shall contain such proportion of the constituents of milk as mayhap prescribed and (c) The place at which such article is sold shall be specified by the seller in such manner as the local authority may direct by general or special order in this behalf. (3) In the case of condensed, sterilized or desiccated milk,(a) The container shall be hermetically close, labelled and marked in such manner as may be prescribed and (b) The article make or sold, as the case may be, shall contain such proportion of the constituents of milk as may be prescribed. Standard of purity of butter In the case of butter, the article manufactured or sold, as the case may be, shall be exclusively derived from the milk or cream (other than skimmed, condensed, sterilized or desiccated milk or cream) of a cow MKT-510 or buffalo or both, and may be with or without salt and with or without the ddition of any innocuous colouring matter, and shall not contain a greater proportion of water than may be prescribed. Standard of purity of ghee In the case of ghee (that is to say, clarified milk fat), the article manufactured or sold, as the case may be, shall contain only substances (other than curds) which are prepared exclusively from the milk of cows or buffaloes or both, and shall fulfil such other conditions as may be prescribed. 25 Standard of purity of wheat flour In the case of wheat flour (that is to say, maida, atta or suji), the article manufactured or sold, as the case may be, shall contain only substances which are derived exclusively from wheat, and shall fulfill such other conditions as may be prescribed.Standard of purity of mustard or any other rape seed oil In the case of mustard o r any other rape seed oil, the article manufactured or sold, as the case may be, shall be derived exclusively from mustard or any other rapeseed, as the case may be, and shall fulfill such other conditions as may be prescribed. 5. Prohibition of manufacture or sale of anything similar to or resembling an article of food No person shall, directly or indirectly and whether by himself or by any other person acting on his behalf, manufacture or sell anything similar to or resembling an article of food notified or under any name which so resembles the ordinary name of such article of food as to be likely to deceive the public or which is in any way calculated to mislead the public as to the nature, substance or quality of that thing. 6.Prohibition of memory adulterants in places where food is manufactured or sold A person cannot keep or sell adulterants near the set forth of manufacturing process of food. If any assortment of adulterants is undercoat near a food premise or shop then the owner will be accused for breaking the law if the opposite word cannot be proven. No person shall keep Guzi (niger seed) in any manufactory or shop. No person shall keep any quantity of white oil except under a license granted by a local authority. MKT-510 7. Prohibition of sale of diseased animals and unwholesome food intended for human consumption No person shall sell for human consumption any living thing which is diseased or unsound or sell or manufacture any other article of food intended for human consumption which is unwholesome or unfit for human consumption. 26 8.Prohibition of use of false labels No person shall, directly or indirectly use labels which falsely describes that the article is to mislead as to its nature, substance or quality. 9. Registration of certain premises The premises used for manufacturing, storing or selling food must be registered from authorized body. 10. Special provisions for seller of Ice cream and some other food The manufacturer and seller of certain dry food such as ice cream, ice, pickles, sweets, cake, biscuits, bread, flour, pulses etc must clearly write their address on the signal and the transport the use to delivery. Prohibition of the keeping of bread-stuffs, etc, otherwise than in covered receptacles.No milk, bread-stuffs, cake, pastry, sweetmeats, confectionery or other article of food intended or commonly used for human consumption without further preparation by cooking shall be sold, exposed or unplowed or hawked about or stored for sale unless they be kept properly covered or otherwise guarded to the satisfaction of the local authority, so that they shall be protected from dust, dirt and flies 11. Certain diseased person not to manufacture, sell or touch food No person, who is suffering from leprosy, tuberculosis or any other disease which may be notified by the Government in this behalf, shall manufacture or sell any article of food, or will fully touch any such article which is for sale by any other p erson. MKT-510 3. 1. 3 ANALYSIS OF FOODProvisions regarding analysis of food 1. Right of purchaser to have article of food examine or otherwise examined A person who has purchased any article of food shall, on payment of such fee as may be prescribed, be entitled to have a take of such article analyzed or otherwise examined by the public analyst institute for the area in which the purchase was made, and to receive from such public analyst a certificate in the form provided in the Schedule, specifying the result of the analysis or examination. 27 2. Providing samples for examination is obligatory Any Govt nominated person can order the buyer to sell certain products to him for the purpose of examination.He can also ask for the sample of the products to be kept for sale or transport or store. 3. Procedure for obtaining analysis or examination A person who intends to have analyzed or otherwise examined a sample shall-(1) forthwith notify in writing his intention to the person who so ld or surrendered the sample(2) divide the sample into three parts, and mark, seal or fasten each part One part to the person who sold the sample, or One part to the consignor, whose name and address appear on the container of the article, One part for purposes of future comparison and(3) thereafter submit within seven days one part to the public analyst appointed for the area in which the sample was sold or surrendered. 4.Duty of public analyst to supply certificate of analysis Every public analyst to whom a sample has been submitted for analysis or bacteriological or other examination shall(a) Analyze or examine such sample or cause such sample to be analyzed or examined (b) not later than 14 days seven days in normal case and two days in case of emergency after the date on which he receives the sample, deliver to the person submitting it a certificate specifying the result of the analysis or examination, (c) Send a facsimile of the certificate to the local authority concerned . MKT-510 Provisions regarding inspection and seizure of food 1. Appointment of Inspector A person can be appointed as an inspector by the Govt or Govt monitor local authority. 28 2.Right to enter premises A person authorized, or an Inspector appointed, have the right to enter any premises at any hour of the day or night excluding the hours between midnight and day break. 3. Production of books, vouchers and accounts A person authorized, or an Inspector appointed, may by written notice require any person carrying on the trade or business in, or manufacturing or selling, any article of food, to produce before him for inspection all books, vouchers, accounts and other documents relating to such trade, business, manufacture or sale and every person on whom such notice is served shall comply with such requisition. 4. Power to seize food believed to be adulterated. The nominated person can inspect and examine the food any time (except midnight to dawn) and seize food believed to be adult erated 5.Destruction of seized living things and food The nominated person in front of two witnesses and with the written acknowledgement of the owner will destruct the seized food products MKT-510 3. 1. 4 Bangladesh Food Standards a. Under the Bangladesh Pure Food Ordinance, 1959 and the Bangladesh Pure Food Rules, 1967, there are 107 different generic, mandatory food standards. b. BSTI is the normalisation body in the country. There are 50 mandatory generic food standards of BSTI. In addition, there are some 250 optional standards for different foodstuff. BSTI is also adopting Codex standards. 29 MKT-510 4. IMPLICATIONS OF PURE FOOD ACT IN BANGLADESH 4. 1 Using chemicals and industrial dyes to look food fresh and tasty The bananas arrive at Sadarghat before first light.One by one the trucks roar into the crammed Ahsanullah Road that charts the banks of the Buriganga river on Dhakas southern edge. The bananas, piled high in the hold, are offloaded into the numerous warehouses that fall the streets. As the sky lightens up, the cargo is more visible. They are a deep green in colour and bitter to the taste. But by that similar afternoon, miraculously, these same bananas will be bright yellow and sweet. As the trucks pull away an army of workers, spray-cans on their shoulders enter the warehouses and start spraying the fruits stacked on the floor. It is a medicine that helps the banana ripen better and get a nice yellow colour, says one local wholesaler. 30 4. 1. Arsenic phosphorous and the carbide produces acetylene gas The chemical, it turns out, is Calcium Carbide, and is extremely hazardous to the human body because it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorous. Once dissolved in water, the carbide produces acetylene gas. Acetylene gas is an analogue of the natural suppuration agents produced by fruits known as ethylene. Acetylene imitates the ethylene and quickens the ripening process. In some cases it is only the skin that changes colour, while the fruit itself remains green and raw. When the carbide is used on very raw fruit, the amount of the chemical needed to ripen the fruit has to be increased. This results in the fruit becoming even more tasteless, and perchance toxic. We dont know what the name of the chemical is but it works like magic, he says. Just go to one of the pharmacies in the Dhaka medical examination College area and ask for medicine to ripe bananas, he adds. Visits to the neighbouring warehouses reveal that scores of banana wholesalers are MKT-510 development this same technique to transform cheaply bought light-green banana into a golden cargo, going on to supply it to Dhakas ever-growing appetite for sweeter, riper and bigger. Later in the morning, we visit one of the pharmacies in the DMCH area. They wont say what the chemical is but sure enough, it is cheap and widely available. The chemical, it turns out, is Calcium Carbide, and is extremely hazardous to the human body because it contains traces of arseni c and phosphorous. 31 4. 1. Fish in kitchen markets are stored in formaldehyde (used to preserve dead-bodies) The chemical fertiliser urea is used in our rice to make it whiter, fish in kitchen markets are stored in formaldehyde (used to preserve dead-bodies) to keep them fresh-looking, colours and sweeteners are injected into fruits, and Recent studies by the Food and Nutrition Institute, University of Dhaka, have also found Escherichia coli (E-coli), Salmonella, and Shigella bacteria in restaurant food and street food in the city. Eating contaminated food may cause diarrhoea, dysentery and other diseases. Finding bacteria is very common in the restaurant foods. But the more alarming thing is that the restaurant owners do not throw out the leftover oil from everyday cooking, using the same oil the next day. As a result the peroxide value of the oil increases and it becomes toxic ultimately (CAB) Bangladeshs only consumer rights group confirms that wholesalers do indeed use urea f ertiliser in rice to make it whiter.Comsumers who eat husk paddle processed rice (red rice) will also find themselves cheated, as artificially colored rice is also available in the market, say members of the watchdog. This is common knowledge, they say. While the rice is being processed, they use urea plant food in the rice to make it look more attractive, thus increasing its sale value, said Miftaur Rahman, a local rice dealer in Kawran Bazar, who claims his products are clean. Most of the red chilli powder used in the market is adulterated in most cases the spices are mixed with brick dust. Fine sawdust is also often mixed with cumin and other ground spices, say MKT-510 CAB members.Honey is also frequently adulterated, as lab tests have found sugar syrup is often mixed with honey to enhance the sweetness. Nowadays, pure butter oil and ghee are also very rare in the market. Dishonest traders use a soldiery of ingredients such as animal fat, palm oil, potato mash, and vegetable o il to produce fake butter oil. They even mix soap ingredients like steirian oil with ghee, to increase the proportions. 32 Rasogolla, kalojaam, and chamcham are the essential delicacies for all festivals in Bengali culture. But food and sanitation officers from the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) say most of these mouthwatering sweetmeats, despite looking attractive in the shop displays, are made with adulterated ingredients and produced in a filthy environment.In a survey conducted by DCC officials found that 100 percent of examined samples of Rasogolla, kalojaam, curds, and sandesh were adulterated. Bangladeshs Pure Food Ordinance (1959) states that at least 10 per cent milk fat is mandatory in sweetmeat. But in most cases, the percentage of milk fat is not more than five per cent. 4. 1. 3 Condensed milk Three years after it first emerged that condensed milk produced by Bangladeshi manufacturers contained little or no milk and was in fact condensed vegetable fat, the companies are co ntinuing to supply their spurious product to the market on the strength of a High Court stay order on legal action against them. Brands like Starship, Danish, Goalini and Kwality are mostly producing condensed milk, which do not satisfy the BDS 896 1979 code of the Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI), said Shamsuzzoha, Information officer of Consumers Association of Bangladesh Bangladeshs only consumer rights group. From the test conducted by the Public Health Institute, it was found that these two brands have a bacterial count level of 76,000 and 25,000, respectively, he said. The maximum count of bacteria in a gram of condensed milk is 10,000. Despite the numerous test results, these brands continue to sell their adulterated products taking advantage of the fact that authorities tend to avoid their responsibilities at investigating such products and taking measures in ensuring MKT-510 consumer rights, he says.He explains that the BDS 8961979 quality insists the need o f actual cattle milk be condensed, mixed with sugar, then packaged and sold as condensed milk. According to the criteria, condensed milk should have a composition of 28 per cent solid milk, 8 per cent fat, 40 per cent sugar, 0. 3 per cent lactic paneling and count level below 10,000 bacteria in every gram of the milk. 33 The Milk and Dairy Product section committee of BSTI finalised the BDS standard for condensed milk on May 22, 1979. The quality was designed in accordance with the condensed milk manufacturing procedure discovered first by scientist Gail Borden in 1896. The committee had also kept in mind the necessity of the International Standards Organization (ISO) standards while formulating this particular standard.This standard was later approved by the Agriculture and Food Products Divisional Council of BSTI. These condensed milk lack the basic nourishing factors that natural milk has, said Zoha. He explained that natural milk consists of 80 to 90 per cent water. The rest in cludes protein, saturated fat, vitamin and calcium. The most important element is lactose, a special type of galactose that aids digestion in the human system, he explained. The other elements in milk are albumin, globulin, potassium, sodium, atomic number 53 and sulphur. All these elements make the consumption of a litre of milk equivalent to the consumption of 21 eggs, 12 kilograms of beef and 2. 2 kilograms of bread by a human, he said. As most of these brands are using vegetable fat and close-grained milk to produce condensed milk, consumers are missing out from the consumption of real condensed milk, he said. In a report published by CAB in December, 1995 it was found that Danish Condensed milk (Bangladesh) imports 125 metric tonne of powdered milk. When tested by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy commission it was found that the radioactivity levels in their milk is much higher than the stipulated limit. The high court verdict was against the sale and production of this powdered milk. We still cannot tell whether the company abided by the high court verdict, says one CAB official. Along MKT-510 with powdered milk, the brands are using Hoye powder, water, sugar, artificial colour, flavour and vegetable fat to produce condensed milk.Currently, 7,68,000 cans of condensed milk are sold daily. The daily demand shows the massive consumption of condensed milk and thus the immense health hazard being faced by the nation, says one CAB official 34 4. 1. 4 Sulphuric acid and industrial dyes Some sweetmeat makers from rural areas are unaware of the existence of food colouring and use only industrial dyes in their products. The dough makers in different parts of the country put sulphuric acid in hot milk to make it thicken quickly. They first put a paste of ground rice into the milk, followed by sulphuric acid to turn the milk into a thick dough within minutes, say DCC officials.In Dhaka City, famous sweetmeats brought from various parts of the country have been selling fast due to well-financed advertisement campaigns. Among these are Porabarir Chamcham, curds from Bogra, Rasogolla from Jessore, monda from Muktagachha, and Rosomalai from Comilla. In most cases, these sweetmeat are not what they seem, says Abdullah, a worker at a city sweetmeat outlet. Sources at the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) the government agency responsible for enforcing standards and issuing permits for the manufacture of processed foods admit that a wide variety of products such as soybean oil, butter oil and mustard oil are being sold in the market with fake BSTI seals.In recent weeks, laboratory reports have revealed that fruits are ripened artificially using calcium carbide while traces of organo-phosphorus an insecticide has been discovered in vegetables in kitchen markets. The nutritional elements that should be in fruits and vegetables, if adulterated with dyes and synthetic colours, are destroyed. Eventually the digestion of those poisonous f ruits or vegetables may cause diarrhoea, dysentery and even death, says Professor MKT-510 Sagormoy Barma, a nutritionist at Dhaka University. The long-term impact of eating those foods is cancer, Barma warns. Meanwhile children are fast becoming the greatest casualty of the widespread adulteration. If children dont get the vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables to rebuild tissues, the result could be severe malnutrition says Professor MQK Talukder, a paediatrician at the have Military Hospital (CMH). The most terrifying thing that can happen for not enriching a childs body with the right nutritional elements are lack of growth and damage to central nervous system, Talukder says. 35 4. 1. 5 Formaldehyde Ranked as one of the most hazardous compounds (worst 10%) to ecosystems and human health. Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling gas. It is an important industrial chemical used to manufacture building materials and to produce many household products.It is used in pressed wood products such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard, glues and adhesives, permanent press fabrics, paper product coatings, and certain insulation materials. In addition, formaldehyde is commonly used as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant, and as a preservative in mortuaries and medical laboratories. In 1987, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure (1). Since that time, some studies of industrial workers have suggested that formaldehyde exposure is associated with nasal cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer, and possibly with leukemia. In 1995, the International Agency for Research on crabby person (IARC) concluded that formaldehyde is a probable human arcinogen. Several NCI(National Cancer Institute, USA) studies have found that anatomists and embalmers, professions with potential exposure to formaldehyde, are at an increased risk for leukemia and brain cancer compared with the general population MKT-510 Mutagenic activity of formaldehyde has been demonstrated in viruses, Escherichia coli, genus Pseudomonas fluorescens, Salmonella typhimurium and certain strains of yeast, fungi, Drosophila, grasshopper and mammalian cells (Ulsamer et al. , 1984). Formaldehyde has been shown to cause gene mutations, single strand breaks in DNA, DNA-protein crosslinks, sister chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations.Formaldehyde produces in vitro transformation in BALB/c 3T3 mouse cells, BHK21 hamster cells and C3H-10Tl/2 mouse cells, enhances the transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells by SA7 adenovirus, and inhibits DNA repair (Consensus Workshop on Formaldehyde, 1984). 36 When inhaled, acetaldehyde, the closest aldehyde to formaldehyde in structure, causes cancers in the nose and trachea of hamsters, and nasal cancers in rats (EPA,USA, Carcinogenicity Assessment for Lifetime Exposure. Substance Name Forma ldehyde,CASRN 50-00-0, Last Revised 05/01/1991. 4. 1. 6 Do You wee Formaldehyde-Related Symptoms? There are several formaldehyde-related symptoms, such as watery eyes, runny nose, burning sensation in the eyes, nose, and throat, irritations and fatigue.These symptoms may also occur because of the common cold, the flu or other pollutants that may be present in the indoor air. If these symptoms lessen when you are away from home or office but reappear upon your return, they may be caused by indoor pollutants, including formaldehyde. Examine your environment. Have you recently moved into a new or different home or office? Have you recently remodeled or installed new cabinets or furniture? Symptoms may be due to formaldehyde exposure. You should contact your physician and/or state or local health department for help. Your physician can help to determine if the cause of your symptoms is formaldehyde or other pollutants. MKT-510 Stage ChemicalHealth Risks Diarrhoea, nausea Respiratory disorders, bronchitis, skin diseases, headache Burning eyes, nose, throat high blood pressure, bronchitis Wounds leading to Cancer Wounds leading to Cancer stomach problems, Soaking NaC1 37 Unhairing/liming KOH, Na 2 S03/bi sulphide Deliming/bating Na 2 S03, NH 4 C1, Na2So4 Picling Chrome Tanning Sammying, splitting H 2 SO 4, H-COOH, NaC1 Dyes, fixing, agent, Condensation of urea Respiratory complications Buffing Liquid pigment, polymer, fixative, preservatives and aromatic ingredients. Cancer Shaving, dyeing Table Health risk by unwanted chemicals MKT-510 4. 2 ADULTERATED FOOD ? Asthma Caused by toxic dyes used in most Chinese resturants ? Bananas Chemicals calcium carbide and ethrel are used to artificially ripen Bananas. The other popular method is to ripen them through heating in a closed environment. Coconut Oil Acid value beyond permissible limit found in major brands. ? Condensed Milk Along with Star Ship, Fresh and Goalini, reportedly use vegetable fat instead of milk ? Dye s Eating foods containing industrial dyes and colours causes violent allergic reactions, respiratory problems, asthma, liver disorders and kidney dysfunction and bone middle disorders. Nowadays, coal tar dyes are being used in sweetmeats. ? Erythrosine Red food colouring that can lead to tumour in thyroid gland, asthma, bronchitis and hyperactivity. ? Formaldehyde Formaldehyde normally used to preserve dead-bodies is used to preserve fish bound for city markets. Greens Fresh greens, so abundantly available, are the opera hat way to go as far as vegetables are concerned. Shashya Prabartana offers the finest, pesticide-free organic variety. ? Iodine Found in high quantities in most condensed milk brands. hint use of vegetable fat. ? Keya Coconut Oil Accused of containing twice the acid value permitted by BSTI in its regulations. ? Lentils Lentils are mixed with toxic colours to improve their colour and marketability. ? Mustard Oil Most mustard oil brands contain iron beyond permi ssible limits. ? Pesticides When pesticides enter the body on a regular basis, they affect the liver until it is damaged permanently.Quality Seal Many products use forged and/or expired BSTI seals 38 MKT-510 ? Rice A host of rice varieties available in the market are artificially whitened using the toxic fertiliser Urea Soyabean Oil Poorly produced Soyabean oil contains high levels of toxins which can lead to cancer ? Tartrazine Yellowish orange food colour that can lead to cancer, headaches, allergies such as asthma, inflammation, eye irritation and runny nose. (Mubin S Khan and Adnan Khandker , Slate, October 2006) OTTAWA, butt 17, 2005 The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Afrocan Direct Imports Inc. are warning the public not to consume the Heritage brand Palm Oil set forth below.These products may contain a non-permitted colour, Sudan IV, which is considered to be carcinogenic. Sudan I and IV, red dyes, are not permitted as food colours in Canada. Sudan I, has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and these findings could also be significant for human health. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these prod