I do not know how many of you remember the dreadful dropsy epidemic that took a heavy toll in August 1998 in Delhi. As hundreds and thousands of consumers suffered the deleterious effects of adulteration of mustard oil with the deadly argemone oil, the local administration floundered in every respect. It was clueless about the origin of the adulteration as well as the extent of it. In short, it found itself in no position to handle the problem and it eventually resulted in the death of at least 40 people. Over 2,000 people suffered the debilitating effects of dropsy in the event.

The buckwheat (kuttu) flour adulteration that occurred during the Navaratra celebrations is a grim reminder that we have learnt no lessons from the past. And the administration, even today, is in no position to prevent such incidents. This completely undermines consumers’ faith in the government’s ability to ensure the safety of food they buy.

What is even more shocking is that although the kuttu flour poisoning was reported from as many as seven states, the law enforcement agencies were totally clueless about how it happened or the source of the problem. Was it a case of deliberate adulteration or was it a case of some toxic contamination? Or was it due to deterioration caused by long storage in poor conditions?

In most developed countries, food safety is ensured through a comprehensive food safety management system, which includes first and foremost a system of traceability of the food product across the supply chain. In other words, if there is a problem with any food at the retail level, one can immediately go back to the source of that food and trace its movement till it reaches the consumer.

Such a system not only makes the task of identifying the source of adulteration or contamination quick and easy but also helps in quick product recall. In addition, regular food sampling and testing at the retail level also ensures that shops store only safe food and remove from the shelves food unfit for consumption. Unfortunately, we are yet to have such systems in place.

The victims now need to file a class action suit demanding hefty compensation from not just those responsible for selling sub-standard flour but also from the government, which failed to ensure the safety of food sold in the country. And those in charge of enforcement of food laws should be directly held liable. Only then will we see some change, some improvement in the quality of food we buy.