About 82 percent of iftar items flooded the capital, including fruits and vegetables, are contaminated with formalin, according to a sample survey by Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba).
Poba collected some 263 samples of iftar items from different city points and markets from June 13 to July 26 this year and it found 215 of them treated with formalin, which is 82 percent of the total samples.
Poba secretary Engineer Abdus Sobhan unveiled the findings of the survey at a press conference at Boba office in the capital on Sunday.
Boba chairman Abu Naser Khan, joint secretary Aslam Khan, executive member Shamim Khan Titu and Modern Club president Abu Hasnat were, among others, present at the press conference.
The survey report says after examining the fruits and food items, formalin was detected in 82 percent of mango, while 91 percent of banana, cent percent of malta, 59 percent of apple, 95 percent of grape, 77 percent of date, 75 percent of tomato, 20 percent of cucumber, 60 percent of binjal, 100 percent of verminceli and 90 percent of noodle.
During the survey, Poba collected the fruits, food items and vegetables from city markets and examined the items using Chromotropic acid and Z-300 Formaldehyde Meter at its office.
Addressing the press conference, Abdus Sobhan said the traders are mixing highly poisonous chemicals in almost all food items, — from baby food to iftar items.
“The unchecked food contamination has reached an alarming proportion. Poisonous chemicals are being used to keep fruits fresh. The chemical-treated and substandard food items are posing a serious threat to public health,” he said.
A set of recommendations was put forward at the press conference. Those include immediate enactment of the proposed safe food law, capital punishment for food adulterators, conducting mobile courts regularly to check food adulteration, strengthening market monitoring and surveillance in formalin import.
Source: UNBConnect