‘Be careful while buying Khoya, milk products’

LOKMAT NEWS NETWORK, Nashik

Officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have appealed to citizens to be careful while buying Khoya, Khoya-based and milk-based products. Both Assistant Commissioner of the FDA Vivek Patil and former State Commissioner of the FDA Mahesh Ziagade have urged people to contact the administration if they suspect adulteration in any food item or feel that it is substandard.

The use of homemade or ready-made sweets is an integral part of Indian culture to indulge in the joy of Diwali. During this period, the consumption of sweets in the country is at its peak. There is great demand for raw materials needed to make sweets, all over the country. Sugar, ghee, and Khoya are the most in demand during these days.

The process of making khoya begins all over the country some days before the festival. Milk production is generally uniform throughout the entire year, but during festivals, especially during Diwali, there is a huge increase in demand for Khoya, which is disproportionately large compared to the milk production, said Mahesh Zagde.

Taking advantage of this huge gap between demand and supply, unscrupulous elements make huge profits by mixing Khoya with other ingredients and selling it to unsuspecting citizens across the country.

After the production of khoya, if it is not transported under sterile and temperature controlled conditions, it can have dire health consequences, when consumed. A very effective law called Food Safety and Standards has been implemented in the country since 2011 to ensure that consumers get healthy food.

It includes the movement of milk from the cattle sheds to the consumers and the process of converting the milk into khoya. There are provisions in the law to maintain the quality of all food items and there is a mechanism in place from the taluka level to the national level to enforce these. There is a law to prevent such adulterated food from reaching consumers in the first place, which is better than taking action against the sellers after the consumers have already suffered after consuming any adulterated or unhealthy food. Every year there are reports of adulterated food being seized during the festive season, but a lot of adulterated food is not caught and this reaches the consumers and poses a threat to their health.

The Food and Drug Administration has the sole responsibility to ensure that adulterated or substandard Khoya is not sold in the market. However, there is no guarantee that adulterated food will not be available in the market at all. Consumers have to be aware of this. The government has fixed the quality of Khoya, which should contain at least 55 to 65 percent solids, 30 percent fat derived from milk, and be free from adulteration. Manufacturers and sellers of Khoya can be punished or fined if it does not measure up to the prescribed quality standards. The FDA has even provided a toll-free number 1800-222-365 for citizens to contact them if they spot anyone selling prohibited food items.

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Milk-based sweets and Khoya should be purchased from neat and clean shops only. A sour smell and rancid taste can give one an idea about the quality, freshness and the standard of the food item. If possible, one should observe the hygiene in the kitchen. People should check the date of expiry first and should insist on a bill.

Vivek Patil, Assistant Commissioner, FDA (Nashik)

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Avoid purchasing Khoya from an unregistered or unlicensed shop. Though we consume Khoya-based food items throughout the entire year, the quantum of this consumption goes up significantly during the festive season, and if this Khoya is adulterated, it can affect our health adversely. If one suspects that the Khoya is adulterated, they should immediately inform the Food Inspector. Khoya can be adulterated using potato, wheat flour, sweet potato, and other things.

Mahesh Zagade, former State Commissioner, FDA