A few days ago, this newspaper published a report which revealed that around 30 percent of the vegetables that we eat contained pesticide residues, citing a test done by the Institute of Public Health. Research also revealed that noodles lacked what is considered to be the standard level of protein and that mustard oil and soybean oil available on the market were both of sub-standard quality.

Even the street food that our children love so much is highly adulterated. These findings do not bode well for us. It shows that despite the adoption of the Food Safety Act, 2013, food adulteration is actually still on the rise. Lack of monitoring and awareness by the concerned authorities are some of the reasons for this menace to have become so widespread, research said.

Experts opined that enforcement of laws pertaining to food safety and regular market monitoring could minimise food adulteration and the damage that it causes.

The authorities concerned should, therefore, take urgent action to enforce the Food Safety Act, 2013, and create proper monitoring mechanismsto keep an eye on food adulteration of all sorts and rid the market of food items that are harmful for all of us.