FSSAI launches pan-India drive against adulterated edible oil

India's food safety regulator (FSSAI) conducted a two-day-long nationwide survey. The samples of edible oil including mustard, coconut, palm, olive and blended oil, have been collected from hypermarkets and supermarkets as well as retail and grocery stores and include national and local brands.

New Delhi: In an effort to identify key hot spots for adulteration of edible oil in the country, India's food safety regulator (FSSAI) conducted a two-day-long nationwide survey.

Officials in the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) said that 4500 samples covering a total of 16 varieties of edible oil including mustard, coconut, palm, olive and blended oil, have been collected during the survey.

"A quality survey has been conducted across the country between August 25 to 27 across all states and UTs. Various hilly, as well as difficult terrains including Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Daman & Diu as well as Andaman, have been strategically included to be a party of this exercise so as to represent a holistic distribution of the samples," officials said.

The samples have been collected from hypermarkets and supermarkets as well as retail and grocery stores and include national and local brands.

At least 50 samples were collected from the metro cities-Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata and 6-8 samples each in cities and districts. The survey has been conducted by the state food safety department officials.

"FSSAI has shared the detailed guidelines and SOPs for conducting the survey as well as procedure of sample collection with the commissioners of food safety in all states and UTs," officials said.

Survey results are expected in a month.

A comprehensive strategy for testing of these samples has been developed through the state food testing laboratories or FSSAI notified food testing labs to analyse various parameters including fatty acid composition as well as adulteration of any other oils or harmful or extraneous substance of chemical.