The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recovered close to Rs 19.5 crore as penalties against food adulteration in the last three financial years, with about Rs 7 crore being collected in the last fiscal itself.
According to a note shared by FSSAI, Uttar Pradesh led the country in penalties paid for food adulteration in 2014-15. Over Rs 2.5 crore were paid in penalties last fiscal, with 1,223 of the 5,018 samples collected found to be contaminated. As many as 161 criminal and 1,457 civil cases were registered on food contamination charges, resulting so far in 83 convictions.
.According to FSSAI, during 2012-13, 13-14 and 14-15, around 32,000 samples of food articles were found non-conforming wherein prosecution was launched which resulted in the recovery of penalties.In 2013-14, maximum samples were collected from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, around 11,000 samples, closely followed by Rajasthan with over 10,000 samples, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Further, in 2013-14, Gujarat remained at the top with again over 11,000 samples collected. In 2014-15, Maharashtra collected some 8,000 samples. Meanwhile, according to sources, the FSSAI is to intensify sampling in the wake of recent controversy surrounding Maggi instant noodles, which faces serious questions after testing in various parts of the country found MSG and lead beyond limits.
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