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Honey contamination: Maharashtra FDA testing affected by shortage of funds, resources
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Tuesday, 21 June, 2011, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Irum Khan, Mumbai
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Responding to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) letter to state food commissioners asking for “Action Taken” report on antibiotics in honey, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has expressed its concern over the availability of funds to perform the tests.
A source in the FDA said that the cost to test antibiotics in honey would be around Rs 10,000 per sample and the Administration did not have enough funds to carry out the tests. Besides, the FDA laboratories did not have the equipment to perform this test, thus it depended on private laboratories.
“Though the tests were conducted last year, this year food inspectors did not collect samples because of the lack of availability of funds. Around 7-8 samples would at least need Rs 1,00,000 and we are still to make provision for this in our budget. We are working on finances,” said a source from the FDA.
The issue of antibiotics in honey came up with traces of antibiotics being detected in branded honey from companies like Dabur and Himalaya. This was first exposed in a study by the NGO Centre for Science and Environment.
According to the study, most honey brands being sold in the country contained varying amounts of antibiotics and their consumption overtime could induce resistance to antibiotics, leading to blood-related disorders and injury to the liver.
Earlier, the 27-nation European Union had banned imports of Indian honey, alleging that consignments of the natural nectar from the country were contaminated with lead and the ban still continued.
Reacting to the study report, the FSSAI had shot off letters to the state FDAs asking for stricter action in the issue.
The Maharashtra FDA in turn had tested samples of Dabur, Himalaya and Kejriwal honey. “Almost negligible amount of antibiotics were found in these,” said a source from the FDA.
Another source from the FDA said that though on scientific and technical grounds the presence of antibiotics was not allowed, a broader perspective on the issue was needed.
First, was the honey contaminated, or whether, there was a possibility of contamination from the procedures, involved in handling the honey. For example, conventional honey bees are given large doses of antibiotics to help them protect from diseases. Unfortunately, the honey also gets contaminated with these antibiotics.
Second, whether the honey was actually unfit for consumption. The amount of antibiotics found in these honey was so negligible that even if a person consumed it for five years it would be equal to having one tablet.
Maharashtra FDA conducted test on Dabur Honey which yielded chloramphenicol of around 3.1 mcg per kg, while in Kejriwal Honey it was around 3.23 mcg per kg. Prosecution against both would be launched soon in the Mazgaon Magistrate Court on go-ahead from joint-commissioners FDA.
Another issue which came to forth was the lack of availability of funds with states for implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The entire plan would need Rs 15,000-17,000 crore in four to five years according to estimates by the health ministry. Though the expenditure will be a component of the ministry's 12th Five Year Plan and the ministry also proposes to double the amount, but till then the states will need some guidance on balancing of funds for the Act, which is scheduled for August this year.
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