Adulteration of food

FOOD adulteration is commonly defined as "the addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food, so that the natural composition and quality of food substance is affected."
The common men, unfortunately, are largely unaware of these adulterants and they consume food without any check. Some of the commonly adulterated foods are milk and milk products, flour, edible oils, cereals, condiments (whole and ground), pulses, coffee, tea, confectionary, baking powder, non-alcoholic beverages, vinegar and curry powder.
The consumption of adulterated foods may have either immediate or long-term effects or both. Immediate effects include food poisoning (diarrhoea) and consequently dehydration. The long-term effects may be liver and kidney failure, cancer etc.
The tendency to grab quick money at any cost and degradation of moral values among the food traders are the fundamental reasons of all these malpractices. In fact, malpractice pervades all levels of food business starting from production to consumption. Manufacturers, farmers, processors, transporters, middlemen, sellers - everyone is involved in the process; though their degrees of involvement may vary. Middlemen involved in the process of transportation and marketing are mostly responsible for food adulteration.
To say the least, adulteration of food is an unethical and immoral. The ethical problems can not be solved by laws and standards only, enforcement of the legislation and sustained campaign for development of moral values are required.
Md. Samiul Islam
East West University
[email protected]