The Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) announced here today that sample tests conducted recently showed that 64 per cent of loose edible oil sold in the market is adulterated.
"To test the quality of loose edible oil, we collected a total of 291 samples in 100 gm/ml quantity from various shops sold to consumers in plastic pouches and containers across the city. It revealed that 64 per cent of the oil sold loose in the market is adulterated," CGSI chairman Sitaram Dixit said.
He said that samples of loose edible were sent to a designated laboratory to test for poisonous and harmful adulterants by the CGSI.
"All edible oil samples were checked for its iodine value and refractive index to confirm if the oil is genuine or adulterated," he said.
Dixit said that more than 64 per cent of loose edible oil like sesame oil, coconut oil, groundnut oil, mustard oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil and soyabean oil is adulterated with inexpensive palmolein.
"Consumers buying edible oil in smaller quantities are being cheated. We want the government of Maharashtra which allowed the sale of loose oil, through a Government Resolution in 2013, citing a shortage of smaller quantity containers in the market, to withdraw it with immediate effect to protect consumers," Dixit said.
"If shampoos, toothpaste and soft drinks can be sold in small pouches and tetrapacks, why not edible oil? Overall adulteration is about 64 per cent. In certain samples, we found palmolein adulteration of upto 90 per cent," he said.
