Harmful items in bakery foods
Unhealthy locally made low-quality bakery items like biscuits, breads, buns, cakes and coloured juices are being sold in various markets and stores in Kachua upazila without any permission from Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI).
In the absence of the administration's surveillance, these food products are being made and sold freely.
People, including children, are often affected by diarrhoea and other diseases of stomach after having these food items, alleged locals.
The food items are being manufactured in Srirampur, Bakter Kathi, Badhal, Kakarbil, Dhopakhali, Kachua, Ariyamardan and Baruikhali villages in the upazila.
During a recent visit to the areas, this correspondent found these unhygienic food items being sold on footpaths, stores, local haats and markets in the upazila.
Some owners of small shops -- Manik Das, Suvankor Das and Rustom Sheikh -- said these foods are not suitable for health. They have to sell it as the products of standard bakeries are not available as well as the company's representatives do not even come to them with their goods.
They sell the food items because of their low prices, said the owners.
Upazila Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Taposh Kumar Das said various harmful items including saccharin, different dyes and yeast-powder are being mixed carelessly without consultations with any chemists in locally made low quality biscuits, breads, cakes, sweet, sugar toast and coloured juices.
Meanwhile, the children often drink different coloured juices which can cause fatal diseases of stomach, kidney and liver, he said
Upazila Health Inspector Narayan Chandra Haldar said they are conducting awareness campaign against the local bakery made foods which have no BSTI certificates.
If Food Security Act 2013 is fully implemented, the purchase and sale of these food products will be stopped, he said.
Kachua Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tasmin Farhana said immediate action will be taken against such harmful food items.
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