New Delhi, February 4: Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), brought attention to the critical issue of food adulteration in the country during a session on Wednesday. He described it as a significant health crisis, particularly endangering children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
Chadha accused companies of selling harmful products under misleading claims of being healthy and energy-boosting. He elaborated on the dangerous substances often mixed into everyday essentials. For instance, he pointed out that milk can contain urea, vegetables may be treated with oxytocin, paneer can have starch and caustic soda, ice cream might include detergent powder, fruit juices can have synthetic flavors and artificial colors, cooking oils may be mixed with machine oil, spices can contain brick powder and wood shavings, tea may have synthetic dyes, and poultry products can be laced with anabolic steroids. Even traditional ghee used in sweets is often made from vegetable oil and vanaspati.
Chadha illustrated the plight of a mother who gives her child a glass of milk, believing it to be nutritious, unaware that it may contain urea and detergent. He referenced a research study indicating that 71% of milk samples contained urea, while 64% had neutralizers like sodium bicarbonate.
He highlighted that the production of milk in the country does not match the quantities being sold. Vegetables, perceived as healthy, are often injected with oxytocin to enhance freshness. This dangerous chemical can lead to dizziness, headaches, heart failure, infertility, and cancer. He noted that between 2014-15 and 2025-26, 25% of tested samples showed adulteration, meaning one in every four samples was compromised.
Chadha also mentioned that products manufactured in India but banned internationally due to carcinogenic pesticides were still being sold openly in the country. He expressed concern that items deemed unsafe even for pets abroad are consumed here without caution.
He proposed strengthening the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with adequate staff and laboratory facilities, increasing financial penalties for violators, implementing a public recall system to name and shame adulterated products, and banning misleading health claims in advertisements.
