Pune and Kolhapur fare poorly on food quality, test report reveals

PUNE: Watch what you eat out as over 21% food samples — 1,034 out of 4,769 — drawn from various eateries and restaurants in Pune district failed on various quality parameters last year.



This was revealed in the latest report of the state’s apex food testing laboratory of the health department. The list, however, was topped by Kolhapur district with over 25% (see box) food samples failing the quality test. “In most cases, the food samples were either substandard or not conforming to the various norms set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” public health expert Tanaji Mane, deputy director (laboratories), told TOI.

Over 34,000 samples were analysed at state-run 14 laboratories in the state, including the Pune referral laboratory, which collates and compiles the data of 13 food laboratories and comes out with the report every year.

“Adulteration is the key issue in most of the samples, which may not always be unsafe for human consumption but their prolonged use may have some adverse effect on health,” Mane said.

The labs get food samples from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials, various other government departments and civic bodies and citizens. “The increased surveillance is the key reason for high detection of non-conforming food samples in Pune,” Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune, said.

Activists have questioned the state’s approach towards ensuring food safety. “The Pune laboratory has been overburdened as many key positions are yet to be filled. The government should fill up these posts,” activist Sanjay Dabhade said.