Researchers of Dhaka University on Tuesday unearthed the test report on some of the widely consumed food products in the country and said that most of them are substandard. Even some of these everyday commodities contain substances that may leave lethal impacts on human body, they revealed. The revelations were made at a press conference at Pharmacy Lecture Theatre in Dhaka University after conducting tests of a good number of samples of some of the widely sold commodities that included powdered spices, pasteurised and non-pasteurised milk, mustard oil, palm oil, fruit drinks and ghee (butter oil).
Dhaka University’s Pharmacy Faculty and Biomedical Research Centre jointly tested the samples at the university laborites.
“We collected samples of various widely sold products from the capital’s kitchen markets and tested them in our laboratories. We have found that most of the sample food products are below standard as per criteria set by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI),” ABM Faroque, director of Biomedical Research Centre, said while unveiling the findings before journalists.
“We tested pasteurised and non-pasteurised raw milk produced by these companies and found detergent and antibiotics in them,” Prof ABM Faruque said, adding, “The traces of antibiotics that we found were meant for human use. Antibiotics for humans and animals are totally different. We need to stop the use of antibiotics meant for humans on animals.”
According to BSTI standard, the ratio of ‘fat in milk’ in pasteurised milk must be over 3.5%, however, in the test, six out of the seven samples failed to fulfil this criterion. The fat in milk ratio in those six samples was between 3.2-3.42%, the test report said. Most of the samples failed to match the set standard in ‘acidity analysis’, ‘total bacteria count’, ‘coliform count’ and ‘solid not fat’, Prof Farouque informed. Formalin and detergent were also found in these samples.
The seven samples of pasteurised milk were Milkvita, Aarong, Farm Fresh, Pran, Igloo, Igloo chocolate, and Igloo mango.
Prof ABM Faruque expressed his concern over the findings in milk and warned, “Antibiotics used for humans and animals are completely different than those applied for animals. By consuming meat and milk, all antibiotics are entering our body. We need to stop the use of human antibiotics on animals.” Meanwhile, the researchers have found the existence of baneful metanil yellow in most of turmeric powder samples. Metanil yellow is a toxic colour generally used for textile, the report said, adding presence of this harmful substance is not desired in any standard.
The collected samples included Arku, BD, Danish, Fresh, Radhuni and two anonymous ones sold in plastic bags. Researchers also tested 10 samples of palm oil and eight samples of mustard oil. They found all of the 10 samples of palm oil substandard in terms of ‘saponification value’, ‘peroxide value’, ‘insoluble impurities’ and ‘moisture level’. While, most of the mustard oil samples failed to fulfil the aforementioned first three criteria and all of them failed to match the standard in the fourth criterion.
Mustard oil samples were Rupchanda, Radhuni, Teer, Fresh, Pushti, Suresh, Danish and Bashudha. In fruit drinks, none among 11 samples fulfilled BSTI criteria. Sodium cyclamate, an artificial sweetener, 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose, which is banned for human body in America and in many other countries, was found present in the samples.
Experts predict all the banned chemicals are coming into Bangladesh through import in disguise. Cyclamate may cause problems with the cardiovascular system, decrease in mental health and gastrointestinal disorders or adverse reactions. Sample fruit drinks included Star Ship mango Drink, Shezan mango drink, Pran Fruto, Orengi, Pran Junior Fruit Drink, Little Frutica Drink, Sundrop, Chaba Red Apple, Tropoicana Twister.
Professor Firoz Ahmed of DU Pharmacy Department said, “We are taking high risk on our health. Children and women are the most vulnerable. Many women having miscarriage, children having bone marrow transplant, at the same time kidney and liver getting affected for a long time. It is high time we ensure quality food for all through action.”
He went on saying, “We should maintain food standard. If this continues and these companies remain silent over this research, it would have real bad impact on health. Human beings live on food, not on greed. Nothing wrong in making profit, but one has to be ethical.” Although samples were tested in university of Dhaka’s Pharmacy Laboratory and Biomedical research center no one was there from representative companies.
