Watch that paneer: 40% of food samples in city fail quality test

Noida: Nearly 40% of the food samples tested in Gautam Budh Nagar over the past two years have been found unfit for consumption, reveals data of the UP food safety and drug administration.
Out of 1,032 samples, 407 have failed the quality test so far. However, as the results of 302 samples are still awaited, alarmed officials fear the final figure could be worse. Most of the sub-standard samples were milk products, followed by fake spices in second spot.
Among spurious milk products, it is the trade of loose paneer (cottage cheese) that has the officials worried. Unable to meet the demand with local resources, sweetmeat shop owners and traders often bring paneer from Ghazipur Mandi in Delhi. However, many source adulterated paneer to make higher profits.
District food safety officer Sanjay Sharma said that the spurious paneer trade is flourishing because of higher economic returns. “The cost of paneer is between at least Rs 320 to Rs 350 a kg. However, adulterated paneer is sold at Rs 180-250 a kg. Unaware about its health implications, people prefer buying spurious paneer because it costs less,” said Sharma.
Adulterated paneer is smuggled into the city from Aligarh, Sharma said, adding that he had highlighted the problem with senior officials. Some restaurants and hotels in Noida are also under the scanner for buying spurious paneer in bulk, he said.
Traditionally, 7 to 8 litres of milk is needed to produce 1 kg of paneer. Adulterators often use less milk and add sodium bicarbonate, along with palm oil, to make synthetic paneer. Officials said they are trying to rope in volunteers to spread awareness about methods that can be used at home to distinguish between pure and adulterated paneer (see box).
Under Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, an individual indulging in trade of sub-standard or adulterated food items can face a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh, along with one-year jail term.
In the past two years, a fine of Rs 1.95 crore was slapped on adulterators in 48 cases. There are 200 registered cases where the decision of the court or district magistrate is pending.
Seized samples are sent to the state laboratory in Aliganj, Lucknow. The lab takes three to four months to send the results. Action against accused persons is initiated if samples fail the quality check.
On this front, there seems to be a lack of coordination between administrative officials and police in Gautam Budh Nagar. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Noida police registered only 24 FIRs against individuals who have been accused of adulterating food or essential items in 2018, even as more than 200 samples were found unfit during the period.