New Delhi, February 4 (IANS). Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha raised the serious issue of food adulteration in the country in the House on Wednesday. He described it as a major health crisis which is posing a serious threat especially to children, elderly and pregnant women.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha, speaking in Parliament, accused companies of selling harmful products under false claims of being healthy and energy enhancing.
He explained in detail how dangerous substances are mixed in everyday essentials. He told that buy milk, it contains urea, vegetables contain oxytocin, cheese contains starch and caustic soda, ice cream contains detergent powder, fruit juices contain synthetic flavors and artificial colors, edible oil contains machine oil, spices contain brick powder and sawdust, tea contains synthetic colors and poultry products contain anabolic steroids. Even the sweets which should be made in desi ghee are made with vegetable oil and dalda.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha further said that a mother gives a glass of milk to her child, thinking that he will get calcium and protein for his health and my child will become healthy. But she has no idea that she is feeding milk mixed with urea and detergent to her child. He cited a research study which showed that 71 percent of the milk samples contained urea and 64 percent contained neutralizers such as sodium bicarbonate.
He said that milk is not being produced in the country as much as it is being sold. Vegetables which we buy considering them to be a treasure of health, are injected with oxytocin and sold fresh. Oxytocin is a dangerous chemical that causes diseases like dizziness, headache, heart failure, infertility and cancer. He said that out of all the samples tested between 2014-15 and 2025-26, adulteration was found in 25 percent of the samples, which means that one out of every four samples was found adulterated.
He further said that the products which are manufactured in India but are banned internationally, the products of two big Indian spice companies were banned in UK and across Europe due to cancer causing pesticides, yet the same products are being sold openly in India.
He expressed regret that things which are not good even for pets in foreign countries, are being consumed here without thinking.
He proposed strengthening the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with adequate staff and laboratory facilities, increasing financial penalties on violators, introducing a public recall system to name and shame adulterated products, and banning misleading health claims in advertisements.
–IANS
SK/ABM