All most all posts on food safety offer precautions to be taken by consumers and advise us to be on guard. It is well taken.
But I don't understand the following: In the case of manufactured food items, we have so many stipulations about the dates of manufacture and expiry, the nature and content of ingredients and so on. We also have several Govt agencies who oversee the adherence to those stipulations. The recent Maggi episode is a good example of the practices (declaring the nature and amounts of ingredients) followed by manufacturers and the agencies who verify them.
However, when it comes to vegetables and fruits, why is it that the seller has no responsibility on the quality of the products he sells? Why is he not required to declare the ingredients (pesticides, insecticides etc) and their amounts? If he declares those, we can take the required care to safe guard ourselves against possible dangers.
Govt must make it mandatory that every food item (whether it is bread or apple or tomato) sold must contain information regarding its ingredients such as pesticides, insecticides etc.
Radhakrishnamurty Padyala more
But I don't understand the following: In the case of manufactured food items, we have so many stipulations about the dates of manufacture and expiry, the nature and content of ingredients and so on. We also have several Govt agencies who oversee the adherence to those stipulations. The recent Maggi episode is a good example of the practices (declaring the nature and amounts of ingredients) followed by manufacturers and the agencies who verify them.
However, when it comes to vegetables and fruits, why is it that the seller has no responsibility on the quality of the products he sells? Why is he not required to declare the ingredients (pesticides, insecticides etc) and their amounts? If he declares those, we can take the required care to safe guard ourselves against possible dangers.
Govt must make it mandatory that every food item (whether it is bread or apple or tomato) sold must contain information regarding its ingredients such as pesticides, insecticides etc.
Radhakrishnamurty Padyala more
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Sellers are not scientists to analyse the vegetables before they sell. them. As Ravi suggested FCI route is a good suggestion. The authorities should prescribe the tolerance limits for various pesticides/fertilisers that are present in fruits and vegetables similar to industrial effluents and drinking water. Will the central govt do it. ? I already have written about this to the PMO and the central ministry of Agriculture. No response. more
Feb 25
For fruits and vegetables such stipulation cannot be made. In stead farmers should be encouraged to grow the using IPM or NPM or organic cultivation. more
Feb 25
The following may be considered: 1. Like FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA buying all the products and distributing local government owned rations shop etc. to reach to the consumer, all the vegetables and fruits should have similar set ups so as to reach to the consumer with least defects. 2. FSSAI should have their set up in every town and village and their contact details should be published in local print media or local tv channels. 3. FSSAI activities should be flashed at national TV channels to get awareness to the common people. 4. Provision to SUBMIT PUBLIC SUGGESTION in their website. more
Feb 24
Our Govt agencies only define guidelines. Consumer need to complain. Then they take bribe and sit ideal. Because many of them belongs to some politician/govt officer/big business men. who will tie the bell on the cat's neck. more
Feb 24
It is good to see the concern on the freshness and quality of the fruits and vegetables available in the local markets and shopping complexes. At every point of sale, the full detail shall be made available. The reality is far different. As an example, the papaya I buy from the local fruit seller is almost always ripened with carbide. Shall I discontinue eating papaya, since the acceptable variety is not available at all? It is always the above type of query with many fruits and vegetable. Unless the ULB takes up and improves it may not be possible at least for now. more
Feb 24
