Food safety concerns: Members caution on ill-effects of chemicals in foods, fruits

PANAJI
The State government and in particular Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who also holds charge of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) was on Thursday cautioned on the impact on public health of food, both in restaurants as well as packaged stuff in stores, which are adulterated or contaminated with non-permitted additives and chemicals.

A number of legislators cutting across party lines raised the issue in their interventions during the discussion on the demands for grants pertaining to the FDA, arguing that the agency must be strengthened to widen the net of their food inspections and also in the markets to check quality and safety of food items sold.

Independent legislator from Curtorim, Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, suggested that the FDA launch an intensive drive following strict protocols to check restaurants and street food vendors for contamination of the food they sell.

“Bad food can have serious adverse effects on the health of the people who consume it,” Lourenco said, adding that such action of conducting inspections by the FDA is invisible and there is no fear of the agency which is empowered to take penal action including sealing of outlets.

Cumbharjua MLA, Rajesh Phaldesai, warned that fruits and vegetables imported to the State need to be checked regularly.

“The fruits are being artificially ripened using chemicals. This is dangerous. The prevalence of cancer in Goa is suspected to be caused because of the intake of chemicals through food,” Phaldesai said.

Several other members, including Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao, also raised the issue of the threat of formalin-laced fish particularly when large scale import of fresh fish is happening during the June-July months when the fishing ban is on.

St Cruz MLA, Rudolf Fernandes, pointed out that Goans prefer to eat fresh fish and throng markets to buy it without being aware that it is imported from other States and runs the high risk of it being contaminated with formalin.

Fernandes urged the health minister to make rapid testing kits freely available in pharmacies so that the general public can buy them over the counter to test fish they buy for the presence of formalin.