Date:21/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/21/stories/2005032101970400.htm

Back Vanaspati sales: FDA restraint on Gujarat Ambuja Exports

Our Bureau

Mumbai , March 20

THE Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has "prohibited" the sale of vanaspati worth Rs 6-7 crore from Gujarat Ambuja Exports' Bhiwandi godown on suspicion of being sub-standard, according to Mr A. Ramakrishnan, FDA Commissioner.

This stock of vanaspati of 1.7 lakh tins (of 15 kg each) is imported from Sri Lanka. FDA officials visited Gujarat Ambuja Exports' Bhiwandi godown and took samples from this imported batch for testing. The test results are expected in a couple of days and FDA's further course of action would depend on the outcome.

According to Mr Ramakrishnan, samples taken from the market were found to be sub-standard, so the FDA visited the Bhiwandi godown on Saturday and took samples for testing. The suspicion, according to him, is that it does not consist of sesame oil, instead has large quantity of palm oil.

When contacted, an official of Gujarat Ambuja Exports Ltd said that FDA had prohibited the sale of this lot of vanaspati until further orders. However, he contended that the consignment had gone through a Port Health Authorities' clearance, a mandatory requirement for all imported edible items. "Unless this clearance is through, Customs normally does not release the cargo," the official said.

Mr Ramakrishnan said that he would write to the Customs office to find out how `sub-standard' food has come into the country.

Last week, the FDA had asked Johnson & Johnson to drop the mention of `Baby' from its products as they contain mineral oil harmful for infants. FDA said it was planning to put more products including cosmetics under the scanner.