Agartala, Feb 20 (TIWN):Recent written reply in assembly by Health Minister Badal Chowdhury exposed once again underlines the State Government’s lack of seriousness about implementing Food Safety and Standards Act.The minister stated that there are only four food safety officers and one food analyst, have no plan to recruit any food security officers in future.

He added the teams of health department have collected  352  samples of food items in fiscal  year 2013 -14  and  were sent to laboratory for quality checking. It was found 12 food items were adulterated.

Due to the shortage the sale of unhygienic and substandard foodstuff in almost all markets of town is going on unchecked though the district health department claimed that it has been doing a lot to check the menace.

 A number of consumers and health experts are of the view that rotten fruits, vegetables and highly adulterated daily use commodities including gram flour, edible oil and spices are being sold in almost all markets.

 Also there is no significant check on vendors, bakers and confectioners selling fast food. One can witness anywhere in town that the stuff being sold  including ‘jalebis’, ‘pakoras’, ‘samosas’, katcoris’ and like items are fried in the substandard edible oil that looks like black coffee because of being reheated several times.

 The use of reheated oil is highly injurious to health however; the health department is giving no attention to the issue.