Food adulteration is a serious problem in Bangladesh. A study from 2003 found that 96% of sweetmeats, 24% of biscuits, 54% of breads and 59% of ice creams were adulterated. Common adulterants include chemicals, heavy metals, and other harmful substances. This poses major health risks like cancer, stomach issues, and even death. Statistics show that around half of all food samples tested by the government are adulterated. Laws exist but are not properly enforced. Various actions are needed like increasing food quality testing, consumer awareness, international cooperation, and updating laws to curb this issue.

1. Food Adulteration in
Bangladesh
Presented by
Sukria Hossain
ID:2016063672
North South University

2.  Lowered quality by addition of chemical substances
 Removal of substances which are nutritious
What Is Food Adulteration ?
Food
Adulteration
Putting up
decomposed
food for sale
Concealing
the quality
Mixing Substitution
Misbranding
Addition of
toxicants

3. Adulteration vs Contamination
Intentional Unintentional
Adulteration Contamination

4. Types of Food Adulteration
Intentional
Incidental
Metallic
Done for financial gain. •Addition of Sand,
marble chips, stones, mud, other filth, talc,
chalk powder, water, mineral oil and
harmful color
Occurs due to Arsenic from pesticides, lead
from water, effluent from chemical
industries, tin from cans
Due to carelessness and lack in proper
hygienic conditions of processing, storage,
transportation and marketing. E.g. :
Pesticide residues, droppings of rodents,
larvae in foods.
Natural
Occurs due to the presence of certain
chemicals, organic compounds or radicals
naturally occurring in foods which are
injurious to health and are not added to the
food intentionally or unintentionally

5. Food Adulterant and Their Health Hazards
Turmeric, dals and pulses
• Adulterant: Metanil Yellow and Kesari Dal
• Health hazard: highly carcinogenic, stomach disorders.
Green chillis, green peas & other vegetables
• Adulterant : Malachite Green, Argemone seeds
• Health hazard: carcinogenic if consumed over a long
period of time.
Mustard seeds and mustard oil
• Adulterant : Argemone seeds, Papaya seeds
• Health hazard: epidemic dropsy and severe glaucoma

6. Food Adulterant and Their Health Hazards
Paneer, khoya, condensed milk and milk
• Adulterant: Starch and water
Health hazard: Stomach disorders.
Coffee powder
• Adulterant : Tamarind seeds, chicory powder
• Health hazard: Diarrhea, stomach disorders,
giddiness and severe joint pains
Ice cream
• Adulterant: Peperoni, ethyl acetate, butyraldehyde,
nitrate, washing powder etc.
Health hazard: Pepperoni is used as a pesticide and
ethyl acetate causes diseases affecting lungs, kidneys
and heart

7. Some Other Adulterants
Gelatin,
formaldehyde
Oleomargarine
(a product of
beef fat )
Brick dust
Chrome yellow, prussian
blue, copper, arsenic
compounds
Copper salts

8. Reasons Behind Food Adulteration
To earn more profits
To increase volume of trade by showing lower prices
To cut down the product costs to meet the market competition
Inadequate knowledge on the consequences and associated food
safety risks
Shortage of qualified personnel and no updating of processing
techniques
Shortage of authentic ingredients at affordable prices
When supply is less than demand

9.  The Institute of Public Health (IPH) in Dhaka and the World Health
Organization (WHO) in their joint study on food adulteration in 2003
in Dhaka city and found that 96% of sweetmeats, 24% of biscuits,
54% of breads and 59% of ice creams were extensively adulterated.
This study also revealed that over the preceding decades, some 50%
of the food samples tested in IPH laboratory were marked as
adulterated.
 A recent official statistics published by the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare (MOHFW) of the Government of the People’s
Republic of Bangladesh (GoB) revealed that nearly half of the food
samples have been found adulterated when tested by the IPH from
2001 to 2019.
Rahman MA et. al., Bangladesh, 2015
Current Scenario of Food Adulteration

10.  Another study conducted by Biomedical Research Center of Dhaka
University tested all the popular-brand ghee, fruit drinks, pepper
powder, turmeric power, palm oil, mustard oil, soya bean oil, and
pasteurized and unpasteurized milk. The DU research team has found
adulteration in all the eight samples of ghee they have tested while the
moisture contents in the samples were higher than the BSTI ceiling of
five per cent. They found sesame oil in gawa ghee, Cyclamate in fruit
juice.
Source : The Daily Star, 26 June 2019
Current Scenario of Food Adulteration

11. Statistics of Food Adulteration
Star Weekend Magazine, Volume 4, issue 20, November 5,2004
Formalin in Food
Serial No. Milk and
other food
samples
No. of
tested
items
Result of tested
items
Remarks
Adulterated Pure
1 Sweets 13 13 -
2 Sandesh 04 04 -
3 Curd 03 02 01
4 Ghee 02 00 02
5 Chana 01 01 - Adulterated
6 Sauce 21 13 08 76.32%
7 Dalda 02 02 -
8 Soyabean Oil 12 06 08
9 Ice Cream 05 04 01
10 Kalakand 13 13 -
Total 76 58 18
A random survey of food items conducted by DCC
for the month of August 2004
Source : The Daily Star, 28 July 2013
(Study conducted by PABA, Study
time: June 13 - July26, 2013)

12. Foodborne illness
23%
Indirect food and
related
complication
22%
Accident and
related
10%
Old age
17%
Infectious disease
and related
10%
Asthma and
related
18%
DEATH BY CAUSE IN 2006 IN BANGLADESH
Source: Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh 2010

13.  Formalin control act in 2015
 Bangladesh food safety act 2013
 The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (Amendment) Act, 2003
 The Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendment) Act, 2005
 Consumers Rights Protection Act 2009
 Fish and Fish product (Inspection and Quality Control) Rules, 1997
 The Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Act, 1989
 The Radiation Protection Act, 1987
 The Food Grain Supply (Prevention of Prejudicial activity) Ordinance, 1956
(Ord. xxvi of 1979.
 BSTI ordinance and many others
Laws and Regulation

14. Reinforced existing food quality control
laboratory
Arrange periodical training for government
officials like food inspectors, analysts etc.
Create awareness among the consumers
through electronic and print media
Collaboration with international bodies
like FAO, WHO, Codex etc.
Giving administrative/financial/technical
support to existing Food Laboratories
and Consumer organization
Updating the existing food related laws
and their proper implementation
Establishing a separate food
administration authority
What Can Be Done ?
Who can bring a Change?
• Farmers & Producers
• Distributors & Retailers
• Researchers
• Consumers Group

15. Conclusion