MARKET DEVELOPMENT
FDA Kerala Bans 9 Coconut Oil Brands Due to High-Levels of Adulteration
FDA Kerala Bans 9 Coconut Oil Brands Due to High-Levels of Adulteration
15/04/2015 (fnbnews.com) - The Food and Drug Administration of Kerala has banned nine brands of coconut oil due to high-levels of adulteration.
The ban order was based on coconut oil sample test results in the state which were carried out recently to detect impurities and as part of testing intensified by end of last year after several complaints from consumers and organisations in the field.
Around 100 samples were collected from different registered brands and more than 25 per cent of the samples tested in the lab under Coconut Development Board (CDB) and the state laboratories were found to be adulterated with palm oil, palm kernel oil and mineral oil that were sold at lower rates.
Meanwhile, the food safety authorities found that iodine value was also high and above the prescribed limit in those samples. It showed that iodine value was as high as 16.05, while the prescribed amount was between 7.5 and 10, which may cause health problems to the consumers.
The manufacture, storage, sales and distribution of brands such as Kera Plus, Green Kerala, Kerala A-One, Kerala Super, Kerala Drops, Blaze, Pulari, Coco Sudham, and Kallada Priyam have been banned with immediate effect under the said inspection. However, all these nine brands have moved a court of law against the order.
According to the state food safety authorities, around 23 brands from the districts of Palakkad, Thrissur, Kollam and Wayanad were found to be substandard or adulterated or misbranded during the last three months. The authority also conducted tests on coconut oil available in loose, which was found to be adulterated in disturbing levels.
Earlier, on December 31, 2014, CDB had reported on the ongoing adulteration, misbranding, and substandard coconut oils (both processed in the state and imported) to the health and family welfare ministry of Kerala.
T V Anupama, food safety commissioner, Kerala, explains, “We collected samples of coconut oil from different parts of the state and they were tested in Coconut Development Board (CDB) and state labs. The test of statutory samples confirmed the levels of adulteration. Therefore, to protect the consumer interest, the manufacture, storage, sales and distribution of (above-mentioned) coconut oil brands are prohibited with immediate effect within the state of Kerala.”
She said that it was prohibited with respect to Section 36(3)(b) of FSSAI, within Kerala, although some of the brands adulterated were edible, did not cause any health effects, the ban was still effective for selling as they claimed to be 'pure coconut oil.'
Meanwhile, the department has also informed the public to use toll-free number 1800-425-1125, if banned sellers are found to be in the market.
Further, the department will use mobile labs for speedy testing results and actions. Currently, the authority is using only three state labs and a lab under CDB for testing adulteration in coconut oils. Seven different tests are done on a single sample of coconut oil to find standard, adulteration and levels of different ingredients included.
Talat Mahmood, director, Cochin Oil Merchants Association, states, “Our raw material for the business of coconut oil is kopra. But the business happening in recent years has no relation with kopra or coconut, which are heavily adulterated and sold in low prices. While kopra is sold in Rs 100 for a kilo, oil cannot be sold at same price, when considering manufacturing, processing and labour costs, which is happening in Kerala for a long time. We are glad that the government has started taking strong actions against the violators and banning is a good method to prevent them. But regulations and implementations have a long way to go, as banned brands can restart with a new name, easily. Members of the association have already complained about the adulteration and its harmful implications. Its happening for more than three years now. Content of aflatoxins and high level of iodine can cause big health problems for consumers.”
The ban order was based on coconut oil sample test results in the state which were carried out recently to detect impurities and as part of testing intensified by end of last year after several complaints from consumers and organisations in the field.
Around 100 samples were collected from different registered brands and more than 25 per cent of the samples tested in the lab under Coconut Development Board (CDB) and the state laboratories were found to be adulterated with palm oil, palm kernel oil and mineral oil that were sold at lower rates.
Meanwhile, the food safety authorities found that iodine value was also high and above the prescribed limit in those samples. It showed that iodine value was as high as 16.05, while the prescribed amount was between 7.5 and 10, which may cause health problems to the consumers.
The manufacture, storage, sales and distribution of brands such as Kera Plus, Green Kerala, Kerala A-One, Kerala Super, Kerala Drops, Blaze, Pulari, Coco Sudham, and Kallada Priyam have been banned with immediate effect under the said inspection. However, all these nine brands have moved a court of law against the order.
According to the state food safety authorities, around 23 brands from the districts of Palakkad, Thrissur, Kollam and Wayanad were found to be substandard or adulterated or misbranded during the last three months. The authority also conducted tests on coconut oil available in loose, which was found to be adulterated in disturbing levels.
Earlier, on December 31, 2014, CDB had reported on the ongoing adulteration, misbranding, and substandard coconut oils (both processed in the state and imported) to the health and family welfare ministry of Kerala.
T V Anupama, food safety commissioner, Kerala, explains, “We collected samples of coconut oil from different parts of the state and they were tested in Coconut Development Board (CDB) and state labs. The test of statutory samples confirmed the levels of adulteration. Therefore, to protect the consumer interest, the manufacture, storage, sales and distribution of (above-mentioned) coconut oil brands are prohibited with immediate effect within the state of Kerala.”
She said that it was prohibited with respect to Section 36(3)(b) of FSSAI, within Kerala, although some of the brands adulterated were edible, did not cause any health effects, the ban was still effective for selling as they claimed to be 'pure coconut oil.'
Meanwhile, the department has also informed the public to use toll-free number 1800-425-1125, if banned sellers are found to be in the market.
Further, the department will use mobile labs for speedy testing results and actions. Currently, the authority is using only three state labs and a lab under CDB for testing adulteration in coconut oils. Seven different tests are done on a single sample of coconut oil to find standard, adulteration and levels of different ingredients included.
Talat Mahmood, director, Cochin Oil Merchants Association, states, “Our raw material for the business of coconut oil is kopra. But the business happening in recent years has no relation with kopra or coconut, which are heavily adulterated and sold in low prices. While kopra is sold in Rs 100 for a kilo, oil cannot be sold at same price, when considering manufacturing, processing and labour costs, which is happening in Kerala for a long time. We are glad that the government has started taking strong actions against the violators and banning is a good method to prevent them. But regulations and implementations have a long way to go, as banned brands can restart with a new name, easily. Members of the association have already complained about the adulteration and its harmful implications. Its happening for more than three years now. Content of aflatoxins and high level of iodine can cause big health problems for consumers.”