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CSE का खुलासा: देश में सभी प्रमुख ब्रांड के शहद में जबरदस्त मिलावट

नई दिल्ली यह खबर पढ़ कर आपको भारी झटका लग सकता है। अपने यहां शहद (Honey) को अमृत तुल्य माना गया है। इसका उपयोग औषधी के रूप में भी खूब होता है। लेकिन इसमें जबरदस्त मिलावट की जा रही है। यह हालत सिर्फ सड़क किनारे भगोने में बिकने वाले शहद की नहीं, बल्कि नामी गिरामी ब्रांडेड शहद की भी है। यह खुलासा सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एनवॉयरामेंट (CSE) ने किया है। CSE की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने आज इसका यहां खुलासा किया। उन्होंने बताया कि भारतीय बाजारों में बिक रहे शहद के लगभग सभी ब्रांडों में जबरदस्त तरीके से शुगर सिरप (Sugar syrup) की मिलावट हो रही है। उलेखनीय है कि इसी संगठन ने वर्ष 2003 और 2006 के दौरान सॉफ्ट ड्रिंक में कीटनाशक की उपस्थिति का खुलासा किया था। यह फूड फ्रॉड है सुनीता नारायण का कहना है कि शहर में शुगर सिरप की मिलावट खाद्य धोखाधड़ी (Food Fraud) है। यह 2003 और 2006 में सीएसई द्वारा सॉफ्ट ड्रिंक में की गई मिलावट की खोजबीन से ज्यादा कुटिल और ज्यादा जटिल है। लोग इस समय जानलेवा कोविड-19 के खिलाफ जंग लड़ रहे हैं और इससे बचने का कोई रास्ता नहीं है। ऐसे कठिन समय में भोजन में चीनी का जरूरत से ज्यादा इस्तेमाल (Overuse) हालात को और भयावह बना देगा। भारत और जर्मनी की प्रयोगशालाओं में हुआ है परीक्षण संगठन का कहना है कि यह रिपोर्ट भारत और जर्मनी की प्रयोगशाला में हुए अध्ययनों पर आधारित है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट द्वारा की गई यह गहरी पड़ताल बताती है कि भारत के सभी प्रमुख ब्रांड के शहद में जबरदस्त मिलावट की जा रही है। 77 फीसदी नमूनों में शुगर सिरप की मिलावट पाई गई है अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर स्वीकार्य न्यूक्लियर मैग्नेटिक रेजोनेंस स्पेक्ट्रोस्कोपी (NMR) परीक्षण में 13 ब्रांड में सिर्फ 3 ब्रांड ही पास हुए। उनका कहना है कि शहद के शुद्धता की जांच के लिए तय भारतीय मानकों के जरिए मिलावट को नहीं पकड़ा जा सकता, क्योंकि चीन की कंपनियां ऐसे शुगर सिरप तैयार कर रही हैं जो भारतीय जांच मानकों को आसानी से खरे उतरते हैं। इस समय भारतीय कुछ ज्यादा ही सेवन कर रहे हैं शहद का कोविड-19 संकट के वक्त भारतीय कुछ ज्यादा ही शहद का सेवन कर रहे हैं, क्योंकि उनका विश्वास है कि विषाणु से लड़ने के लिए यह अच्छाइयों की खान है। मसलन एंटीमाइक्रोबियल और एंटी इंफ्लेमेटरी गुणों के साथ इसमें प्रतिरक्षा (Immunity) को बनाने की क्षमता है। लेकिन, यदि शहद ही मिलावटी है तो असल में हम चीनी खा रहे हैं। यह मोटापा और अत्यधिक वजन की चुनौती को बढ़ाता है और जो अंततः हमें गंभीर कोविड-19 संक्रमण के जोखिम की ओर ले जाता है। तहकीकात में क्या पाया गया सीएसई के फूड रिसर्चर ने भारतीय बाजार में बिकने वाले 13 शीर्ष और छोटे ब्रांड वाले प्रोसेस्ड शहद को चुना। इन ब्रांड के नमूनों को सबसे पहले गुजरात के राष्ट्रीय डेयरी विकास बोर्ड (NDDB) में स्थित सेंटर फॉर एनालिसिस एंड लर्निंग इन लाइवस्टॉक एंड फूड (CALF) में जांचा गया। लगभग सभी शीर्ष ब्रांड (एपिस हिमालय छोड़कर) शुद्धता के परीक्षण में पास हो गए, जबकि कुछ छोटे ब्रांड इस परीक्षण में फेल हुए, उनमें सी3 और सी4 शुगर पाया गया, यह शुगर चावल और गन्ने के हैं। लेकिन जब इन्हीं ब्रांड्स को न्यूक्लियर मैग्नेटिक रेजोनेंस (NMR) परीक्षण पर परखा गया तो लगभग सभी ब्रांड के नमूने फेल पाए गए। एनएमआर परीक्षण वैश्विक स्तर पर मोडिफाई शुगर सिरप को जांचने के लिए प्रयोग किया जाता है। 13 ब्रांड परीक्षणों में सिर्फ 3 ही एनएमआर परीक्षण में पास हो पाए। इन्हें जर्मनी की विशेष प्रयोगशाला में जांचा गया था। इस मिलावट को पकड़ पाना बेहद जटिल सीएसई के फूड सेफ्टी एंड टॉक्सिन टीम के कार्यक्रम निदेशक अमित खुराना ने कहा कि हमने जो भी पाया वह चौंकाने वाला था। यह दर्शाता है कि मिलावट का व्यापार कितना विकसित है जो खाद्य मिलावट को भारत में होने वाले परीक्षणों से आसानी से बचा लेता है। हमारी चिंता सिर्फ इतनी भर नहीं है कि जो शहद हम खाते हैं वह मिलावटी है लेकिन यह चिंता इस बात को लेकर है कि इस मिलावट को पकड़ पाना बेहद जटिल और कठिनाई भरा है। हमने पाया कि शुगर सिरप इस तरह से डिजाइन किए जा रहे कि उनके तत्वों को पहचाना ही न जा सके। नामी बांड भी फेल हो गए शहद के 77 फीसदी नमूनों में शुगर सिरप के साथ अन्य मिलावट पाए गए। कुल जांचे गए 22 नमूनों में केवल पांच ही सभी परीक्षण में पास हुए। शहद के प्रमुख ब्रांड्स जैसे डाबर, पतंजलि, बैद्यनाथ, झंडु, हितकारी और एपिस हिमालय, सभी एनएमआर टेस्ट में फेल हो गए। 13 ब्रांड्स में से सिर्फ 3 – सफोला, मार्कफेड सोहना और नेचर्स नेक्टर, सभी परीक्षणों में पास पाए गए। उल्लेखनीय है कि भारत से निर्यात किए जाने शहद का एनएमआर परीक्षण 1 अगस्त, 2020 से अनिवार्य कर दिया गया है, जो यह बताता है कि भारत सरकार इस मिलावटी व्यापार के बारे में जानती थी, इसलिए उसे अधिक आधुनिक परीक्षणों की आवश्यकता पड़ी। चीन से जुड़े हैं इसके तार बीते वर्ष भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा एवं मानक प्राधिकरण (FSSAI) ने आयातकों और राज्य के फूड कमिश्नरों को बताया था कि देश में आयात किया जा रहे गोल्डन सिरप, इनवर्ट शुगर सिरप और राइस सिरप का इस्तेमाल शहद में मिलावट के लिए किया जा रहा है। अमित खुराना ने कहा कि यह अब भी अस्पष्ट है कि खाद्य नियामक वास्तविकता में इस काले कारोबार के बारे में कितना जानता है। वह कहते हैं कि एफएसएसएआई के निर्देश में जिन सिरप के बारे में कहा गया है, वे उन नामों से आयात नहीं किए जाते हैं या इनसे मिलावट की बात साबित नहीं होती। इसकी बजाए चीन की कंपनियां फ्रुक्टोज के रूप में इस सिरप को भारत में भेजती हैं। सीएसई ने अलीबाबा जैसे चीन के व्यापारिक पोर्टल्स की छानबीन की जो अपने विज्ञापनों में दावा करते हैं कि उनका फ्रुक्टोज सिरप भारतीय परीक्षणों को बाईपास कर सकता है। यह भी पाया गया कि वही चीन की कंपनी जो फ्रुक्टोज सिरप का प्रचार कर रही थी, वह यह भी बता रही थी कि यह सिरप सी3 और सी4 परीक्षणों को बाईपास कर सकते हैं और इनका निर्यात भारत को किया जाता है। सीएसई ने इस मामले में और जानकारी हासिल करने के लिए एक अंडरकवर ऑपरेशन चलाया।

Honey sold by major brands in India adulterated with sugar syrup, claims CSE report

Honey sold by several major brands in India has been found adulterated with sugar syrup, the environment watchdog CSE claimed on Wednesday. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) food researchers selected 13 top as well as smaller brands of processed and raw honey being sold in India to check their purity. It was found that 77 percent of the samples were adulterated with the addition of sugar syrup. Out of the 22 samples checked, only five passed all the tests. "Honey samples from leading brands such as Dabur, Patanjali, Baidyanath, Zandu, Hitkari and Apis Himalaya, all failed the NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) test," the study said. Responding to the claim, Emami (Zandu) spokesperson said, "Emami as a responsible organisation ensures that its Zandu pure honey conforms and adheres to all the protocols and quality norms/standards laid down by the Government of India and its authorised entities such as FSSAI." Dabur too refuted the claim, saying the recent reports seem "motivated and aimed at maligning our brand". "We assure our consumers that Dabur honey is 100 percent pure. It is 100 percent indigenous, collected naturally from Indian sources and packed with no added sugar or other adulterants. We also assure our consumers that Dabur does not import any honey/syrup from China and our honey is sourced entirely from Indian beekeepers," it said in a statement. It added that Dabur is complying with all 22 parameters mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for testing honey "In addition, Dabur honey is also tested for the presence of antibiotics, as mandated by FSSAI. Further, Dabur is the only company in India to have an NMR testing equipment in our own laboratory, and the same is used to regularly test our honey being sold in the Indian market. This is to ensure that Dabur Honey is 100 per cent pure without any adulteration," it said. Dabur also shared a copy of an NMR test report from Germany that stated that Dabur honey has passed the test. Commenting on the development, Patanjali Ayurved spokesperson SK Tijarawala told PTI, "We manufacture only the natural honey, which is approved by the food regulator FSSAI. Our product meets the standards laid by FSSAI. He also alleged that it was a conspiracy to defame the natural honey producers" of the country. "This is a conspiracy to sell German technology and costly machinery. This is also a conspiracy to defame the natural honey producers of the country and promote the processed honey. This would also dampen India's contribution to the global honey market," he said. Baidyanath and other companies couldn't be contacted immediately. Samples of these brands were first tested by the CSE at the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) at the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Gujarat. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, almost all the top brands passed the tests of purity, while a few smaller brands failed the tests to detect C4 sugar, it is the basic adulteration using cane sugar. "But when the same brands were tested using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) laboratory tests currently being used globally to check for such modified sugar syrups almost all big and small brands failed. Out of the 13 brands tests, only three passed the NMR test, which was done by a specialised laboratory in Germany," it claimed. "What we found was shocking. It shows how the business of adulteration has evolved so that it can pass the stipulated tests in India. Our concern is not just that the honey we eat is adulterated, but that this adulteration is difficult to catch. In fact, we have found that the sugar syrups are designed so that they can go undetected," said Amit Khurana, programme director of CSE's Food Safety and Toxins team.

Patanjali, Dabur Among Top Brands Adulterating Honey with Chinese Syrups: CSE

With the ongoing pandemic, a significant section of Indians have turned to popular and trusted immunity boosters to keep themselves safe. With this, the market for honey has been booming, however, bee keepers are suffering an enormous price crash. An investigation by the Centre of Science and Environment, released in Delhi on December 2, has revealed nefarious adulteration in honey designed to bypass purity tests in India and massive implications for the health of Indians. The four-month long investigation conducted across laboratory studies in India and Germany reveal rampant adulteration in honey sold by major brands in India – 77% of samples were found adulterated with sugar syrup. Only three out of 13 brands pass the internationally accepted Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) test as Indian standards for honey purity cannot detect the adulteration. CSE food researchers selected 13 top and smaller brands of processed and raw honey being sold in India. “Samples of these brands were first tested at the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) at National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Gujarat. Almost all the top brands (except Apis Himalaya) passed the tests of purity, while a few smaller brands failed the tests to detect C4 sugar – call it basic adulteration using cane sugar. But when the same brands were tested using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) – laboratory tests currently being used globally to check for such modified sugar syrups – almost all big and small brands failed. Out of the 13 brands tests, only three passed the NMR test, which was done by a specialised laboratory in Germany,” the report states. “What we found was shocking,” said Amit Khurana, programme director of CSE’s Food Safety and Toxins team. “It shows how the business of adulteration has evolved so that it can pass the stipulated tests in India. Our concern is not just that the honey we eat is adulterated, but that this adulteration is difficult to catch. In fact, we have found that the sugar syrups are designed so that they can go undetected,” he added.

'Honeygate': CSE alleges most top brands sell adulterated honey

everal brands of honey in India, including leading names such as Dabur and Patanjali, sell honey laced with sugar syrup, an investigation by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) claims. CSE is the firm that had brought to light the issue of pesticides in cola and antibiotics in honey in the past. At a press conference, CSE chief Sunita Narain said the firm had sent samples of 13 labs for testing at a German lab for advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), where only three brands Saffola, Markfed Sohna and Societe Naturelle passed the adulteration test. One batch of Nature's Hectar passed the test while another failed it. The brands that failed the test, including those whose multiple batches were tested, are Dabur, Patanjali, Apis Himalaya, Baidyanath, Zandu, Dadev, Hi Honey, Societe Naturelle, Hitkari and Indigenous Honey. CSE said its probe also reveals that the Indian standards for honey purity cannot detect the adulteration. “Our research has found that most of the honey sold in the market is adulterated with sugar syrup. Therefore, instead of honey, people are eating more sugar, which will add to the risk of COVID-19. Sugar ingestion is directly linked to obesity, and obese people are more vulnerable to life-threatening infections,” said Narain. CSE food researchers also tested the samples at the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) at National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Gujarat, where almost all the top brands (except Apis Himalaya) passed the tests of purity. “What we found was shocking,” says Amit Khurana, programme director of CSE’s Food Safety and Toxins team. “It shows how the business of adulteration has evolved so that it can pass the stipulated tests in India. Our concern is not just that the honey we eat is adulterated, but that this adulteration is difficult to catch. In fact, we have found that sugar syrups are designed so that they can go undetected.” As of August 1, 2020, NMR tests have been made mandatory in India for honey that is meant for export. Over the past few years, FSSAI has revised norms for honey quality several times. Narain said that CSE's findings suggest that more needs to be done to tell apart pure honey. CSE said it also tracked down Chinese trade portals like Alibaba which were advertising fructose syrup that can bypass tests. It also found that the same Chinese companies that advertised this fructose syrup that can beat C3 and C4 tests also exported to India. CSE added that it also conducted an undercover operation where it imported batches of sugar syrup designed to beat normal tests. After mixing the syrup with pure honey in various proportions, CSE got the products tested, which passed purity tests to the point where sugar syrup was laced with honey for up to 50 percent. Besides, CSE also tracked down a factory in India, in Jaspur in Uttarakhand, which manufactures the 'all pass' syrup, which when mixed with honey, helps it clear tests. CSE said it has asked the government and industry to stop the import of syrups and honey from China and strengthen enforcement in India through public testing so that companies are held responsible. "The government should get samples tested using advanced technologies and make this information public so that consumers are aware and our health is not compromised. It will also hold companies responsible," Narain said. Narain added that the rampant adulteration of honey mixing has resulted in a sharp drop of price of honey from Rs 150 odd a kg in 2014-15 to about Rs 60-70 now, hurting local beekeepers. She added that consumers must become more aware of the honey they consume. "We often assume that if honey crystallises, it is not pure. This is not correct. We must start learning the taste, smell and colour of the honey that is natural,” she said.

New Delhi-based CSE says its probe found nefarious honey adulteration in top brands

New Delhi: Investigations by New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) with laboratory studies in India and Germany revealed rampant adulteration in honey sold by major brands in India, the non-profit research and advocacy group said. It claimed that 77 per cent of samples found adulterated with sugar syrup with only three out of 13 brands passing the internationally accepted Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) test. “It is a food fraud more nefarious and more sophisticated than what we found in our 2003 and 2006 investigations into soft drinks; more damaging to our health than perhaps anything that we have found till now– keeping in mind the fact that we are still fighting against a killer COVID-19 pandemic with our backs to the wall. This overuse of sugar in our diet will make it worse,” said Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) director general Sunita Narain today, while releasing a new CSE investigation into honey adulteration.

Local emissions, weather push air to ‘very poor’ zone

According to government agencies, it is likely to remain there throughout the week owing to the wind speed calming down and wind patterns changing in the coming days. While the farm fires in neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab have drastically reduced — it contributed just 4% to Delhi’s PM 2.5 levels on Tuesday, according to System for Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research — the national capital’s air quality plunged further to the upper end of the very poor zone of the air quality index (AQI) on Tuesday. According to government agencies, it is likely to remain there throughout the week owing to the wind speed calming down and wind patterns changing in the coming days. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI on Tuesday was 367, even worse than Monday’s 318, though both are in the very poor category. On a scale of 0 to 500, an AQI value between 300 and 400 is considered very poor, and those above 400 are considered severe. The air quality continued to deteriorate further Tuesday evening, with most of the hot spots slipping into the ‘severe’ zone. By 9pm, 11 of the 35 monitoring stations recorded severe air quality — Anand Vihar (414), Ashok Vihar (437), Bawana (413), DTU (409), Jahangirpuri (443), Mundka (413), Nehru Nagar (404), Patparganj (410), Punjabi bagh (405), Rohini (414) and Vivek Vihar (425). The CPCB, which is in charge of implementing the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), said it is taking measures to control local pollution levels. “We are monitoring the situation closely. Measures under the very poor zone are already being enforced. Patrolling teams are carrying field inspections regularly,” said a senior CPCB official. Despite repeated attempts, MM Kutty, chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas, could not be reached for a comment. Scientists at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the average wind speed during the day reduced to 7-8 kmph from 10-12 kmph on Monday. “The wind speed will further reduce from December 4 or 5 and the direction is likely to change to easterly, from the present north-westerly. Whenever there is a change in pattern, winds turn calm and trap pollutants,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre. He said easterly winds are also likely to bring in moisture, which when combined with calm winds allow pollutants to accumulate. There is also a forecast of shallow fog on December 4 or 5. “Besides, the change in wind pattern will also lead to a rise in minimum temperature between December 4 and 7,” Srivastava further said. On Tuesday, the Safdarjung Observatory — the official marker for the city’s weather— recorded a minimum temperature of 8.1 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. The maximum settled at 27.2 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal. Sagnik Dey, associate professor, IITDelhi, said, “In October and November, farm fires contribute about 25% to the overall pollution in Delhi. In December, we record the same pollution level even without stubble burning because of reduced dispersion of pollutants,” Dey said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said at present, the only factors at play are meteorological and local pollutants. “Even though there has been a declining trend in the overall pollution levels since 2017, Delhi still has to reduce its PM 2.5 concentrations at least by 60% to mitigate these peak episodes. Also, on-ground monitoring of waste burning and emissions from illegal industries need to be stepped up to have some real impact,” she said.

Save Power For More Power: Five Easy Ways To Conserve Energy And Be Energy Efficient

In India, thermal power plants are both a major source of energy and the largest contributors to air pollution, globally. This is not widely known, by generating one unit of energy from coal, we emit 525 milligrams of dust, 5,250 milligrams of sulphur dioxide which can potentially trigger more dust generation, 1,400milligrams of oxides of nitrogen, and 0.23 kg ash or waste is generated whose disposal again creates problems of dust and water contamination due to improper disposal in predominant cases. Also, we need 3.5 to 4 litres of water to generate one unit of power, said Soundaram Ramanathan, Researcher, Industrial pollution control unit at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)