With the Diwali festival approaching, consumers are urged to exercise extreme caution when purchasing food items, as markets are seeing a surge in adulterated goods designed to meet the high seasonal demand. The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has issued an alert, advising the public to be vigilant and immediately report any suspected cases of adulteration to prevent health risks.

Items like paneer, khoya (dried milk solids), and refined oil are in particularly high demand and are common targets for this illicit trade.

The Fake Paneer Trade

According to a dairy operator in Aliganj, the trade in synthetic paneer, which can be up to five times more profitable than genuine paneer—begins a month before the festival. This fake paneer is often difficult to identify visually and is made using a mixture of:

- Skimmed milk and edible soda

- Low-grade palm oil and vegetable oil

- Baking powder

- This synthetic product is available wholesale for as low as Rs 50 to Rs 80 per kilogram.

- Adulteration in Khoya, Sweets and Milk

The issue extends to other popular festive ingredients:

Khoya: A large supply of adulterated khoya, made by mixing refined flour (maida), potato, and arrowroot, is reportedly coming from areas around the capital to be used in sweets.

Sweets: Many sweets are being prepared with dangerous, non-permitted food colours that exceed safety standards and are extremely harmful to health.

Milk: To meet the growing demand, some milk traders are reportedly using dirty water and contaminated ice. Furthermore, the banned preservative maltodextrin is being added to milk supplied from rural areas and mandis to increase its shelf life.

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Officials warn that consuming these adulterated products can lead to serious health issues. The public is strongly encouraged to be cautious and to file a complaint with the authorities if they suspect any food item has been tampered with.

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