Chemical-laced spurious paneer seized in Cuttack

CUTTACK: Around a quintal of synthetic paneer was seized on Wednesday from a bus in Cuttack which has turned into a haven for food adulterators. The spurious paneer was being transported from Kolkata to the Millennium city in a private bus in the morning. On a tip off, a team of Chauliaganj police with the help of officials of the food safety wing of Cuttack Municipal Corporation intercepted the luxury bus coming from Kolkata near OMP square and seized the synthetic paneer.

As per the requisition of the Commissionerate police, a mobile unit from Bhubaneswar-based Food Testing Laboratory rushed to Chauliaganj police station and examined the seized paneer which were found to be spurious. They submitted a test report to the police which revealed that the paneer had been prepared in an artificial manner by using waste milk, flour, detergent powder, palmolein oil, Glycerol Monostearate powder and chemicals like Sulfuric Acid which are harmful for health, said an official of CMC’s health wing. Consumption of the spurious paneer in the long run may lead to chronic dysentery, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), liver disorders, kidney ailments in a person, he added. 

Police have also arrested one person in connection with marketing of the spurious paneer. He has been identified as Sukadev Sahoo of Khannagar. Sahoo was procuring the synthetic paneer from Kolkata and selling it in Cuttack at a cheaper price, said ACP, Zone-1, Amarendra Panda.While the cost of manufacturing 1 kg of adulterated paneer is around Rs 60, the accused used to procure it for Rs 70 to Rs 80 and sell it in the city for Rs 200 to Rs 250 per kg.

Further investigation is on to find out the since when the illegal activity was going on and where was the spurious paneer being supplied to, besides ascertaining the accused person’s unholy nexus with any big racket in connection with its procurement and supply, said Panda. The City police has launched a massive drive against adulterated food items and seized a huge amount of fake spices, edible oil, ghee and sauce. More than 20 accused persons have already been apprehended with busting of 18 food adulteration units from in and around the city.