Food adulteration is the act of intentionally adding inferior, low-quality substances or removing valuable elements from food products. The very definition of this act is alarming combined with the knowledge that it is still a global issue. While its immediate effects vary from individual to individual, its overall implications are something that we cannot pinpoint accurately. We can only predict the long-term consequences, making it a far more dangerous notion to comprehend and control.
Economic Consequences: The Hidden Cost
Food adulteration can be intentional, incidental, metallic or a packaging hazard. All of them are harmful to the human body, one way or the other. The adulterants often used are chemicals, non-edible materials, packaging material and artificial additives. The most common adulteration is found in milk in the form of skim milk powder, water, cane sugar, starch, fat, ammonium sulphate, etc.. Substances that mimic the food constituents like pebbles, wood dust, stones, marbles, sand, chalk powder in food items like wheat, soy, rice and cereals are used to hike profits by increasing the weight of the material. This practise causes an erosion of consumer confidence and ultimately the brand damage. It comes with a loss of market shares, costly lawsuits and unemployment when the industries shut down. It also has impacts on global trade as adulterated items can be banned from import and export affecting the economic advancement in developing countries. The health implications by adulteration in food lead to diversion of a country’s resources towards the healthcare sector. The strain is heavy in Indian rural healthcare systems where the access towards the facilities and resources is very limited.
Health Risks: The Silent Epidemic
Food adulteration poses significant health risks to consumers, ranging from gastrointestinal discomfort to severe, life-threatening conditions. The most concerning ones are the liver damage, skin disorders from lead chromate and metanil in turmeric powder, nervous system disorders through pesticides and insecticides in leafy vegetables, sand, chalk and lime in sugar or salt that causes degradation of bones. One of the famous cases of food adulteration was the Melamine Milk scandal in China in 2008. Milk and infant formula was enhanced in proteins by using a chemical called melamine. It resulted in the death of six infants and hospitalisation of many leading to long-term damage to China’s dairy industry. Another famous case is from India in 2017. Turmeric powder was found to be adulterated by metanil yellow and lead chromate to give it a more vibrant colour, appealing the consumers. However, both the chemicals are toxic, carcinogenic and cause fatal health issues such as liver damage, anaemia and neurological problems. Long term effects of consuming such food items include chronic health diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders and nutritional deficiencies. The adulterants often lead to dilution of food quality and compromise their nutritional composition. Hence, a deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals is seen in the population, especially children and elderly people.
At present, we have government interventions through FASSAI, Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, testing facilities and technological approaches, however it cannot cater to the overgrowing population of India. The mediocre methodologies to tackle the situation needs reformation and proper enforcement. Addressing food adulteration requires approaches that include stricter regulations, expansion of quality control testing spaces, research to discover economic ways to detect adulteration, and increased consumer awareness. In the future, it is only through research investments, public-private sector partnerships, and commitment to transparency that we can protect public health, restore consumer confidence and mitigate economic consequences of food adulteration.
Deeksha, is a Biochemist and an aspiring neuroscientist. Her research interest lies at the intersection of molecular neuroscience and drug discovery.
