Review - ierb-bd.org€¦ · Web viewThe unscrupulous producers, traders, importers as well as...

Thoughts on Economics Vol. 29, No. 03 & 04

Food Adulteration: Way Forward from Islamic Perspective

Shah Md. Masum Billah *

Abstract: Food adulteration problem prevailing in Bangladesh has become a national issue. Adulteration of foods is the fundamental impediment to achieve the landmark goal of founding a Modern and Technological Food Safety System in Bangladesh as required for the government’s vision 2021. The unscrupulous producers, traders, importers as well as wholesalers and retailers are involved in using rampantly deleterious substances, toxic colors and harmful chemicals etc in food products, which are posing a serious threat to public health including innocent children with numerous stern and chronic diseases in Bangladesh. In accordance with the Islamic standpoints adding adulterants in food items, hoodwinking as well as misrepresenting and dishonesty in business, masking qualities of foods, earning and consuming unlawful provisions, harming people along with mischievous deeds are interdicted. In this paper are mainly focused on the concept of food adulteration, adulterated food items, adulterants and harmful effects, laws against food adulteration, and approaches of preventing food adulteration from Islamic point of view. In this paper the researcher also tries to accentuate on the blindfolding of the dishonest manufacturers and traders to social commitment and the roles of food safety regulatory authorities to combat the current food adulteration problems persisting in Bangladesh. This article finally points out how the consumers can prevent food adulteration and administer their Islamic way of lives through the practicing of Islamic indications. Key words: Food adulteration, public health, Islam, consumption, Bangladesh.

Section – I. IntroductionAdulteration of foods, silent killer, has achieved an epidemic proportion in Bangladesh. The problems of adulteration continue at every level of food from preparation to consumption. Most of the food manufacturers, processors, greedy traders, restaurant owners as well as unaware farmers and suppliers are involved in using rampantly deleterious substances, toxic colors and harmful chemicals such as carbide, formalin, heavy metals, textile colours, *Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, (B.C.S. General Education Cadre), Comilla Victoria Government College, Comilla.

42 Food Adulteration: Way Forward……

artificial sweeteners, DDT, urea etc in food items to make the products more lucrative, increase shelf-life and reduce price of the goods, or removing vital constituents from foods or substituting for unavailable natural raw materials. The consequences of food adulteration are two-fold for the consumers: the economic loss by paying more for lower-quality food items and the health hazards. Contaminated food items cause a serious threat to public health, which adversely affect vital organs such as the liver and kidney resulting in organ failure or cancer and thus, untimely loss of life. Ironically, people from all walks of life is aware of the hazards of taking foods adulterated with toxic chemicals, but this knowledge is not transmitted into practices. Though people are aware about the health hazards, they are, nevertheless, buying and consuming these adulterated foods. Islamic food ethics and safe foods take aim to safeguard and preserve good health, and aim to prevent any harm to human beings. In this respect the Islamic food ethics is very much concrete and prominent focusing on concerns to food safety. Food security management in Islam has been well thought out, institutionalized, checked for implementation, and fully implemented and maintained. This paper has been designated as follows: Section – II. The Concept of Food Adulteration, Section – III. Adulterated Food Products, Adulterants& Harmful Effects, Section–IV. Laws against Food Adulteration, Section–V. Approaches of Preventing Food Adulteration from Islamic Point of View, Section – VI. Findings of the Study, Section – VII. Recommendations, Section – VIII. Conclusion.

Section – II. The Concept of Food Adulteration2.01 Characterization of Food: Food can be defined as ‘edible or potable substance (usually of animal or plant origin), consisting of nourishing and nutritive components such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, essential mineral and vitamins, which (when ingested and assimilated through digestion) sustains life, generates energy, and provides growth, maintenance, and health of the body.’ (Business Dictionary)As per the section 2(3) of the Food Safety Act, 2013“food” means any edible substance, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, which are edible by chewing, sucking or licking (such as food grains, pulses, fish, meat, milk, eggs, edible oil, fruits, vegetables, etc.) or by drinking (such as-normal water, aerated water, carbonated water, energy drink, etc.) and also includes such

Thoughts on Economics 43

other ingredient or raw material that is used during food production and food process as a nutrient for human survival, and for enhancing nutrition and protecting health. So, “food” includes (a) all colouring or flavouring matters, spices, additives, preservatives, antioxidants, which are not components of principal food but are used for the purposes of manufacturing, preservation or production thereof; (b) such other substances that are declared as food, for the purpose of this Act, by the Government by notification in the official Gazette from time to time: but does not include drugs or herbal medicine, narcotics and cosmetics. (Food Safety Act, 2013)2.02 Meaning of Adulteration: The word ‘Adulteration’ implies an element of deceit. According to the definition of Chamber’s Dictionary it means ‘to debase, falsify by mixing with something inferior or spurious.’ (The Chambers Dictionary)2.03 Description of Food Adulteration: The term ‘food adulteration’ can be simply defined as an act of intentional debasing the quality of food offered for sale either by the admixture or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredient.It also can be defined as the addition or mixing of interior harmful, substandard, useless or unnecessary substances to foods. This spoils the nature and quality of food items and is considered food adulteration. A substance added to a food-item to reduce its quality in order to increase its quantity is called as an adulterant; the addition of adulterants is called adulteration. Any food item may be considered as adulterated if its nature and quality are not up to the standard. (The Chambers Dictionary)As per the section 2(29) of the Food Safety Act, 2013 ‘adulterated food’ means a food or any part thereof- (a) which is, with a view to making it coloured, flavoured, preserved, processed or attractive, mixed with such amount of ingredients that is harmful to public health and is prohibited in law; or (b) which is, with a view to making it coloured, coated or stained, mixed excessively with such amount of ingredients that impairs the food and diminishes the food value or nutritive qualities of such food; or (c) from which any of the normal constituents has been wholly or in part abstracted, and different types of ingredients, comparatively cheap in value, has been mixed with it to readily increase its weight or quantity or to make it attractive so as to render it injurious to money or health of the food consumers. (Food Safety Act, 2013)


2.04 Nature of Food Adulteration:Adulteration of foods may happen in simple three following basic designs-2.04.01 Addition: Addition of adulterants is the main cause of food adulteration. Adulterants can be anything that will deteriorate the quality of the product. The addition of adulterants in food may be intentional or accidental. But generally the addition of adulterants is intentional. The major reason for the intentional addition of these adulterants is to increase the profit margin on the expense of the health of the public or consumer. (Wikipedia, Adulterated food: Poisonous or deleterious substances)Addition of adulterants may be solids, chemicals, liquids, colouring substances and preservative such as-2.04.01.01 Solids: Solids like sands, chalk-powder, crushed rocks, seeds of similar crops; bricks powder, wood powder, tamarind seed powder, detergent powder etc are mixed with grains or with powdery substances to increase the weight.2.04.01.02 Chemicals: Chemicals such as calcium carbide, formalin, sodium cyclamate, urea, artificial sweeteners are applied to increase the shelf-life of processed or semi-processed food items. Some chemicals are used for ripening of fruits and vegetables. For example, bananas are picked when green and artificially ripened after shipment by being gassed with ethylene. Calcium carbide is also used for ripening fruit artificially in our country which is unwise because calcium carbide has carcinogenic properties. (Experts123.com) Industrial-grade calcium carbide may also contain traces of arsenic and phosphorus which makes it a human health concern. (Per, 2007)

2.04.01.03 Preservatives: As per the rule 2(g) of the Pure Food Rules, 1967 Preservative means any substance which is capable of inhibiting, retarding or arresting the process of fermentation, acidification or other decomposition or deterioration of food. (Pure Food Rules, 1967) Preservative implies chemical added to a food or material to prevent (for a reasonable time) the growth of microorganisms, or occurrence of undesirable chemical reactions (such as oxidation), that spoil it. (Business Dictionary)2.04.01.04 Colouring/Flavoring Reagents: Colouring/flavoring reagents like textile and synthetic colours, dyes and pigments, toxic artificial flavor etc are added to food items to give an attractive appearance. The gloss of these colouring and flavoring reagents in


food items make them brighter and eye catcher and allure the purchasers to buy it. 2.04.01.05 Pesticides and Insecticides: Pesticides and insecticides such as DDT (di-chloro di-phenyl tri-chloro ethane), PCB (Poly Chlorinated biphenyl) oil, various chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons and synthetic organic compounds etc are widely usedat the time of farming of the plants or herbs for the purpose of the pest control. This is an indirect way of food adulteration like using growth hormone on the plants or herbs to enhance the production of the corps or fruits etc. 2.04.02 Replacement or Removal of Authentic Food Constituent: Adulteration may occur by replacing food ingredients or valuable authentic constituents completely or partially with less expensive substitutes with the intention of avoiding origin and false declaration of the process. In addition, adulteration may also take place by removing authentic and valuable constituents from the foods to deteriorate from the nature, substance and quality of the food desired by the purchaser such as removing milk fat from the cow milk and buffalo milk to lower down its quality. Any food item made of that kind of cow milk or buffalo milk never can reach the food value and fall very short of specified milk fat required and eventually results in adulterated food.2.04.03 False Representation: Sometimes a completely different kind of thing is falsely represented as food item of a specified kind such as condensed milk which has no element of milk at all in it. Condensed milk is produced with palm or soya bean fat, water, palm stearin (instead of edible palm oil) and sugar. The palm stearin, simply poisoning the people, not edible, is used in making detergent. Nevertheless, BSTI’s license conditions require that the condensed milk must contain 8% milk fat, extracted either from cow or buffalo milk. (Dhaka Tribune, 11 August 2014)

Section – III. Adulterated Food Products, Adulterants & Harmful EffectsAdulterated food products, adulterants and harmful Effects are inserted in the table below:


Food Produ

cts

Food articles

Adulterants Harmful effects

1. E

dibl

e oi

l & o

il pr

oduc

ts

Soybean oil

Burnt Mobil from rail locomotives, burnt oil from electric transformer, allylisothiocyanate, Palm oil, chemical colour ( Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Colon cancer, peptic ulcer, liver cirrhosis, liver failure & kidney failure (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)

Mustard oil Argemone oil (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Epidemic dropsy & paralysis (Kabirullah, 2006)

Til oil and coconut oil

Groundnut or cottonseed oil (Kabirullah, 2006)

2.

Foo

d gr

ain

& gr

ain

prod

ucts

Khesharidal, mugdal, chola,mosur dal, dabli, mashkolai,buter dal,

Toxic colouring agents (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Cancer, allergy & respiratory problems (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)

Powdered mashkolai dal

Champacolour, sold as mugdal ( Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Diarrhea & gastrointestinal problems

RiceStone particles (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Stomach problems

Urea (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Cancer (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)

Rice &ata Red toxic colour to sell as husked rice& red atta (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Liver & kidney damage, stomach & bladder cancer, asthma (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)

Wheat, corn

Animal feed ( Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Stomach problems

Puffed rice

Hydrose (sodium hydro sulfite) and urea to make it whiter and bigger in size (The Daily Star, 28 July 2011; 4 August 2012; Mahfuz and Mahin, 2014; Mahfuz, 2014)

Cancer or acute renal failure (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)

SemaiDalda, rotten potato, cow intestine, and low-quality palm oil, prepared in unhygienic condition(Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Stomach problems

3. Vegetables & tubers

Tomato Calcium Carbide for artificial ripening (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Cancer in kidney, liver, skin, prostate & lungs (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)

Vegetables Formalin, toxic dyes, toxic pesticides &Organo phosphorus compounds (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Cancer (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)

Potol (pointed gourd), peas.

Textile dye (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Diarrheaand gastrointestinal problems (Dhaka Mirror, 23 August 2009, The Independent, 24 February 2014)

Eggplant Toxic Pesticides (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Cancer

Potato Red toxic colour (Khair, 2005, Roy, 2005)

Liver & kidney damage, stomach & bladder cancer, asthma (The Daily Star, 11 August 2011)


Section – V. Approaches of Preventing Food Adulteration from Islamic Point of View

5.01 Addition of Adulterants in food itemsSome dishonest traders add toxicants, low quality preservatives, colouring agents, and decomposed foods as well as interior harmful substandard, useless or unnecessary substances with foods or food products, which is forbidden according to the commandments of Allah (SWT) such as:وال تلبسوا الحق بالباطل “And cover not Truth with falsehood.” (Al-Qur’an, 2: 42), يا أهل الكتاب لم تلبسون الحق بالباطل “O People of the Book! Why do you clothe Truth with falsehood?” (Al-Qur’an, 3:71).5.02 Deceiving in BusinessSome misleading manufacturers and merchants, importers and processing agencies debase the quality of food either by the admixture or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredient with the intent to defraud or cheat the consumers. The Prophet (SAWS) prohibited strongly his Ummah to defraud or cheat in business faculties as Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah passed by a pile of foodstuff; he put his hand (deep) in it and found that it had gotten wet. He said: 'What is this, 0 seller of the foodstuff?' He said: 'It got rained on, 0 Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Why don't you put it on top of the food so that people can see it? Then the Prophet (SAWS) said: Whoever deceives (people) does not belong to“من غش فليس منىme.” (Muslim 2007, 284), Hazrat Ibn 'Umar (RA) said that a man told the Messenger of Allah that he was often deceived in transactions, and the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said:من بايعت فق]]ل ال خالب]]ة خيابة إذا بايع يقول ال :When you enter into a transaction, say“فكان 'There should be no deceit." So when he entered into a transaction he would say: "There should be no deceit.” (Muslim 2007, 3860) It was narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) that, أن النبى صلى الله The“– علي]]ه وس]]لم نهى عن بي]]ع الغ]]رر Prophet (SAWS) forbade transactions involving ambiguity.” (Abu Dawud 2008, 3376)HazratAyshah (RA) narrated that Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) had a slave who paid to Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) a specified portion of his earnings (as per the custom of the Arabs) and he consumed from what he brought. One day, he brought something to him and Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) ate from it. Then the slave asked him, 'Do you relies what it is?" Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) asked, “What is it?” He said: كنت I“تكهنت إلنسان في الجاهليةوما أحسن الكهان]]ة إال أني خدعته used to predict the future for one man during the jahiliyh but I was not good


at it, so I duped him.” He happened to meet me today and gave that to me. It is of this that you have eaten.” She said, “Abu Bakr (RA) put his hand in his mouth and vomited everything that was in his belly.” (Mishkaat 2013, 2786)5.03 Honesty in BusinessBusiness is an honesty testing profession. Usually in business it appears that if the rule of honesty is applied it will lead to a loss and if the norms of expediency according to the need of the time are adopted it will lead to profit, but the businessman who has trust in Allah and deals with honesty and in accordance with the standards of Islam, then it is he, in reality, who is successful in the testing profession. For this reason on the Day of Judgment he will be with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs. Hazrat Abu Sa'eed (RA) narrated that the Prophet (SAWS) said:التاجر الصدوق األمين مع النبيين والشهداء The truthful, trustworthy merchant is with the“ والصديقين Prophets, the truthful, martyrs.” (At-Tirmidhi 2007, 1209) HazratIsma'il bin 'Ubaid bin Rifa’ah (RA) narrated from his father, from his grandfather, that he went with the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) to the Musalla, and he saw the people doing business so he said: '0 people of trade!' and they replied to the Messenger of Allah, turning their necks and their gazes towards him, and he said:إن التجار Indeed“ يبعث]]ون ي]]وم القيام]]ة فج]]ارا إال من اتقى الل]]ه وب]]ر وص]]دق the merchants will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment with the wicked, except the one who has Taqwa of Allah, who behaves charitably and is truthful.” (At-Tirmidhi 2007, 1210) Here the hadith renders that most people's business depends on cheating, deceiving, and fraudulent tricks. So, the Prophet said that such businessmen will be raised with the wicked offenders. Those who abide by the Laws of Allah and fulfill their promises with the people, and are honest in their dealings, will get their reward. 5.04 Misrepresentation in BusinessSome untruthful businessmen use misbranding or false labels in their food products, which include duplicate food stuffs, changing of manufacture and expiry dates. Moreover, sometimes a completely different kind of thing is represented through falsification as food item of a specified kind. The prophet (SAWS) has commanded the Ummah to discard such misrepresentation in business, which raises confusion and doubt as he said:دع ما يريبك إلى ما ال يريبك فإن الصدق Abandon that which puts you in doubt and“ طمأنينة وإن الكذب ريبةtake up that which does not cause you doubt, because truth


promotes contentment (of heart) while Falsehood raises confusion and doubt.” (Mishkaat 2013, 2773)The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said on the subject of the evil consequences of falsification: وإياكم والكذب فإن الكذب يهدى إلى الفجور وإن الفجور يهدى إلى النارى الكذب حتى يكتب عند الله كذابا جل يكذب ويتحر وما يزال الر“Lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the Fire. A man may tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.” (Muslim 2007, 6637)5.05 False Swearing in MerchandiseTransacting the adulterated and contaminated food items through committing false swearing to the consumers is a repugnant of Islamic Shari’ah. False swearing wipes out blessings from the merchandise and property. Eventually, it is either misused or lost. There is no benefit in this world or the next. A man who swears much tends to lie too. That removes blessings and people begin to mistrust him. They gradually stop buying from him. Allah's Messenger (SAWS) said:إياكم وكثرة الحل]]ف في ال]]بيع فإن]]ه ينف]]ق ثم Beware“يمحق of much swearing while buying and selling, for, though it may promote sale yet it removes blessing.”(Mishkaat 2013, 2793) Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger say:الحل]]]ف منفقع]]]ة للس]]]لعة ممحق]]]ة للبركة “Swearing does get quick sale (in the beginning) for the merchandise but (eventually) removes blessing.” (Mishkaat 2013, 2794) The Prophet (SAWS) said: ثالثة ال ينظر الله إليهم يوم القيامة وال يزكيهم ولهم عذاب أليم قلنا من هم ؟ يا رسول الله ! فق]]د خ]]ابوا وخس]]روا فق]]ال المن]]ان المس]]بل إزارهوالمنفق سلعته بالحلف الكاذب“There are three whom Allah will not look at on the Day of Judgment, nor will He purify them, and theirs is a painful punishment." We said: "Who are they? 0 Messenger of Allah! For they have indeed failed and are lost!" He said: "The Mannan, the one whoseIzar hangs (below the ankles) and the one who promotes his merchandise with false oath.” (At-Tirmidhi 2007, 1211) 5.06 Concealing the Defects and Qualities of Food ItemsSome unprincipled merchants mask the poor quality and mix injurious materials in almost every food articles like fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, flour etc. They conceal the defects and qualities of food items and add captions of qualitative food to low quality for selling. If anyone conceals the defects of any food items


the blessing erases from the foodstuffs as per the massage of the Prophet (SAWS):قا فإن صدقا وبينا بورك لهم]]ا فى بيعهم]]ا وإن البيعان بالخيار ما لم يتفركذبا وكتما محقت بركة بيعهما“The two parties to a transaction have the option (of canceling it) until they part. If they are honest and disclose any defects, their transaction will be blessed, but if they lie and conceal defects the blessing will be erased.” (Muslim 2007, 3858)5.07 Earning Lawful ProvisionSome corrupt business communities earn their livelihoods by adopting unfair means in commerce segments with the purpose of swindling the consumers, which is unlawful as per the Islamic injunctions. Islam emphasizes on how to earn a lawful sustenance honestly and in a trustworthy manner after performing obligatory duties, like salah (prayer), zakah (Annual due charity) etc without fail. Allah's Messenger (SAWS) said:طلب كسب الحالل فريض]]ة بع]]د Seeking to earn to lawful“ الفريضة livelihood is obligatory duty after the obligatory duties.” (Mishkaat 2013,2781)Here the hadith calls for lawful livelihood which means that is must not be unlawful. Hazrat Rafi ibn Khadij (RA) narrated that someone asked (the Prophet) “0 Messenger of Allah (SAWS), which kind of earning is the purest (meaning, best)?" He said:عمل الرجل بيده وكل بيع مبرور “A person's work with his hand and every trade that is approved (being according to principles and rules of Shari'ah (divine law)).”(Mishkaat 2013, 2783)

5.08 Consumption of Lawful, Good and Pure LivelihoodFood should be purified for livelihood and consumption. Pure and delicious food is beneficial to health. Allah (SWT) has enjoined mankind to consume what is lawful, good and pure and restricted toconsumewhat is earned unlawfully. Here some divine commandments reveal in this regard:ي]]ا أيه]]ا الناس كل]]وا مما في طيبا حالال !O people“األرض Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good.” (Al-Qur’an, 2:168).Here Tayyib refers to pure, clean, wholesome, nourishing, and pleasing to the taste. رزقكم ا وكلوا ممحالال طيبا ,Eat of the things which Allah has provided for you“ الله lawful and good.” (Al-Qur’an, 5:88), كلوا من طيبات ما رزقناكم “Eat of the good things We have provided for you:” (Al-Qur’an, 2:57),يا سل كلوا من الطيبات ها الر O (you) messengers! Enjoy (all) things“ أيgood and pure.” (Al-Qur’an, 23:51),عليهم م ويحر الطيبات لهم ويحل


He allows them as“ الخبائث lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure).” (Al-Qur’an, 7:157)

5.09 Earning Unlawful Provisions Causing to HellA man who earns provisions through providing theadulterated and contaminated foodstuffs to the consumers, lies and hoodwinks in trade and commerce as well as misappropriates rights of common people, all of his earnings andprovisions, causing to hell, are unlawful in accordance with the divine rules along with Islamic obligations offered by him such assalah (prayer) will not be accepted to get reward in the hereafter. Hazrat Ibn Umar (RA) said: من اشترى ثوبا بعشرة دراهم وفيه درهم حرام لم يقبل الله له صالة م]]اعليه If anyone buys a clothing, say for ten dirhams, of which“ دام one dirham is unlawfully acquired, Allah, the Exalted, shall not accept from him salah (prayer) as long as that is on his body.” (Mishkaat 2013, 2789) Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (RA) narrated that Allah's Messenger (SAWS) said:

ال يكسب عبد مال حرام فتيصدق منه فيقبل منه وال ينفق منه فيباركله فيه وال يتركه خلف ظهره إال كان زاده إلى النار

“1f anyone earns unlawful property and gives charity from it then that is, not accepted from him. If he spends from it (on himself and his family), then he gets no blessing for it. When he leaves it behind him, it is his provision to hell.” (Mishkaat 2013, 2771) Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that Allah's Messenger (SAWS) said:يأتي على الناس زمان ال يبالي الم]]رء م]]ا أخ]]ذ من]]ه أمن الحالل أم من الح]]رام“There will come a time to people when no one will worry whether what he acquires comes from a lawful source or an unlawful source.” (Mishkat 2013,2761)5.10 Consuming Unlawful Provisions Hindrance to Accepting PrayersA man who mixes inferior substances and harmful materials with food products to make them more lucrative and increase shelf-life, and earns livelihood through making foods impure and contaminated; his earnings and provisions are unlawful, and consumption of unlawful earnings, impedimentto accepting prayers, will not enable him to draw near to Allah (SWT). So, the Great Prophet (SAWS) warning the wickedness of consumption of unlawful earnings said: '0 people, Allah is Tayyib (good) and does not accept anything but that which is good. Allah has enjoined upon the believers that which He has enjoined upon the Messengers. He says: 0 (you) Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibat [the lawful] and do righteous deeds. Verily, I am Well-Acquainted with what you do”


and He says: 0 you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that we have provided you with. Then he mentioned a man who has undertaken a lengthy journey and is disheveled and dusty, raising his hands towards heaven and saying:يا رب يا رب ومطعمه ح]]رام

0‘ومشربه حرام وملبسه حرام وغذى بالحرام فأنى يستجاب لذلك Lord, 0 Lord!’ But his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished with what is unlawful, so how can he receive a response?" (Muslim 2007, 2346)The Prophet (SAWS) also said that if anyone does not refrain from consuming the unlawful then his prayers will not be heard. He gave the example of one who undertakes a long journey for Hajj (pilgrimage) or any other worship and prayers on such occasions and such auspicious prayers are not granted because he does not refrain from unlawful provision. Supplication has two wings: lawful food and truthful speech (which ensure that prayer will be granted). Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) narrated that Allah's Messenger (SAWS) said:يدخل ال The body that has been nourished with the“ الجنة جسد غذي بالحرامunlawful shall not enter paradise.” (Mishkaat 2013, 2787) Hazrat Jabir narrated (RA) that Allah's Messenger (SAWS) said:لحم الجنة يدخل ال The flesh“ نبت من السحت وكل لحم نبت من السحت كانت النار أولى بهthat is reared on the unlawful will not enter paradise. For every flesh that is bred on the unlawful, the Fire is the most appropriate place.” (Mishkaat 2013, 2772)5.11 Misappropriating the Right of Another Muslim UnlawfullyConducting trade and commerce in a legitimate way is a great profession. But some corrupt merchants conduct their traffic and trade by taking false swearing and tricking, which refer to their deceitful misappropriations of other people's property. So, detracting the right of people unlawfully is a heinous crime and punishable offense according to the announcement of the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) such as he said: من اقتطع حق ام]]رئ§م علي]]ه الجنة د أوجب الله ل]]ه النار وح]]ر § بيمين]]ه فق]] لم Whoever“ مس]]swears an oath in order to unlawfully take the right of another Muslim, Allah will decree the Fire for him and forbid Paradise to him.”(Muslim 2007, 353) Allah (SWT) said: يا أيها الذين آمنوا ال تأكلوا O you who believe! Eat not up your property“ أموالكم بينكمبالباطلamong yourselves in vanities.”(Al-Qur’an, 4:29)5.12 Harming the People Physically and MentallyConsuming harmful chemicals, toxic colors or additives mixed with foods can seriously endanger the people physically and mentally with numerous severe and continual diseases. Our future


generation will be seriously affected with vulnerable physical and mental growth inflicted by food adulteration. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) instructed his Ummah to institute safe and security in human society by taking harmless activities:المسلم من س]]لم المس]]لمون من لس]]انه وي]]ده والم]]ؤمن من أمن]]ه الن]]اس على The Muslim is the one from (the harm of) whose“-دمائهم وأموالهمtongue and hand (other) Muslims are safe, and the believer is the one with whom the people trust their blood and their wealth.” (At-Tirmidhi 2007, 2627)5.13 Annoying the ConsumersFood adulteration containing hazardous substances irritates seriously the consumers physically and mentally with numerous rigorous and persistent diseases. No Section of society and no group of people are safe from this malady. To annoy and endanger the people in an unmerited manner is not acceptable as per the commandment of Allah (SWT) as He said:والذين ي]]ؤذون الم]]ؤمنين And“ والمؤمنات بغير ما اكتسبوا فقد احتمل]]وا بهتان]]ا وإثم]]ا مبينا those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a glaring sin.” (Al-Qur’an, 33:58)

Section - VI. Findings of the Study1. Various laws formulatedby the government such as Consumers Rights Protection Act, 2009, The Food Safety Act, 2013, and Formalin Control Act, 2015 to directly operate the legal functionaries in order to eradicate the widespread evil of food adulteration and thereby to protect and preserve public health. Unfortunately the present system of prevention of food adulteration cannot curb the evil activities of various types of common adulteration and malpractices openly seen in Bangladesh as there is no surveillance programme for prevention of food adulteration. Occasionally the Magistrate vested with power and the food inspectors suddenly raid on food shops, food preparation yards, food workshops, manufacturing plants to catch red-handed the unscrupulous food traders with adulterated foods. Anybody found to do this malpractice is given moderate punishment by the mobile court.2. The existing food safety legal and regulatory regime is administered by copious enactments and regulatory authorities. Occasionally, the regulatory authorities become active and conduct mobile courts to penalize sellers or producers for selling adulterated food products for a short period of time. Then, there will be a lull for a few days and after few weeks, business becomes as usual.


As per the news published in various newspapers the regulatory authorities are not able to play the vital role in food safety issues probably due to lack of qualified personnel, motivation and many other reasons. 3. Mixing adulterants in foodstuffs, contaminating the food grains, swindling and hoodwinking in transactions, adding poisonous chemicals in food substances are unlawful compliant with Islamic viewpoints. It is paradoxical to say that some unscrupulous merchants, producers and sellers are indiscriminately committing those unethical practices in business sectors. They are acquainted with the horrendous consequences of foods adulterated and contaminated with toxic chemicals in reference to Islamic Shari’ah, but this acquaintance is not transmitted into practices in their commercial motions.4. There is lack of sufficient authenticated simple and quick test reagents instruments so as to scan the vulnerable ingredients, additives & processing aids for positive authorization. For this reason, dishonest manufacturers can uncomplicated mix adulterants in food products. 5. Producers cannot assemble authentic ingredients for production at affordable prices due to lack of adequate supply. Therefore, they mix easily adulterants in food items to increase the bulk and reduce cost, with intent to dupe the consumers.6. Consumers are not aware of the evil consequences of taking adulterated food and have no adequate knowledge on consuming contaminated food which impacts seriously on public health hazards. They consume indiscriminately the food adulterated and contaminated by the inconsiderate trading agencies owing to lack of consciousness of proper food consumption and modernized information on the adulteration. In the long run, they suffer from chronic or fatal diseases for long time.7. Nowadays, vegetables producing fields are irrigated with sewerage water which includes detergents, human faeces, factory wastes having high concentrations of toxic heavy metals i.e. lead and arsenic which can cause damage to liver, kidney and cancer.

Section – VII. Recommendations:Some specific propositions are below recommended to curb food adulteration problems prevailing in Bangladesh:


1. Effective measures should be taken for proper surveillance relating to implementation food safety laws to facilitate the checking food adulteration. The implementation strategies of food safety laws must be sketched out clearly for a better enforcement regime so that all cases of non-compliance can be easily identified. There should be strict actions regarding the punishment prescribed in food safety laws for those who contaminate food items with formalin and other toxic chemicals along with the penalties need to include painstaking imprisonment for long periods and relatively heavy fines. Even life sentences should be considered in cases judging the consequences of the offences on victims.2. Individuals, general public, journalists of printing and electronic media, people of understanding of all walks of life may, in addition to the government enforcing agency people, be approached in a request manner to take special in trust in the subject so that they can educate their respective families, friends, colleagues about this menace i.e. harmful effects of the adulteration of food articles on the public health. So that it becomes an issue of concern for all political parties of the country including the party in power.3.The concerned ministries and regulatory agencies should keep an eye on the whole food chain from farm-to-table for food safety and food control at the national level. Qualified sufficient personnel and instructors should be employed in every district level of Bangladesh in order that they can penalize producers or sellers for selling adulterated food products and take serious action with tougher law against those offenders.4. Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), the only National Standards body of Bangladesh, is entrusted with the responsibility of formulation of national Standards of industrial, food and chemical products keeping in view the regional and international standards. The duties and responsibilities of BSTI should be strengthened on standardization, testing, and metrology, quality control, grading and marking of goods.5. Islamic injunctions should strictly be followed and practiced by the businessmen at the time of operating trade and commerce. Furthermore, promotion and enhancement of ethical practices should be ensured among the business community with active involvement of the business leaders so that they can supply decontaminated commercial articles to the consumers. 6. Well equipped laboratories for every kind of food analysis such as tests for formalin, carbide, DDT, preservative and color check must be instituted in each district all over Bangladesh. Sufficient


authentic test reagents instruments as well should be provided in public health labs with the intention that the vulnerable ingredients, additives & processing aids can be tested on the spot.7. Awareness-building campaign and adequate knowledge should be generated among the consumers as regards the consequences of consuming contaminated as well as adulterated food. They should be conscious about the updated information on the adulteration related food safety outbreaks. The consumer rights groups should be more vocal and play active role in developing a mass campaign in the country.8. Power of cancellation of the trade license or to make such recommendation to the concerned authority for persistent offenders (the owners of the companies) should be given to the Pure Food Courts. Pure food Courts being the Courts of original jurisdiction, only deal with the Food Safety Act 2013. Every Pure Food Court must be given power to take cognizance and dispose any complaint under all the food related laws of land. 9. Civil society, electronic and print media should come forward to create awareness about the rights of consumers. Last but not the least leaders and distinguished persons of the society should participate in the campaign to increase the awareness of the consumer and alert the government.10. Seminars/training programmes/exhibitions can be organized on designing the mass communication, motivation, awareness among the food producers, operators along with consumers against the use of chemical substances, toxic colours and other deleterious constituents in food items.11. There must be ensured commitments from the political organizations to conduct a constant campaign against these perpetrators of heinous crime in order to establish the fundamental right to have safe and nutritious food. Section –VIII. ConclusionEvery consumer of the country has constitutional right to get the food free from adulteration, which can effectively be ensured by the state apparatus. The Food Safety Act, 2013, concerned rules of the Act and Formalin Control Act, 2015, Consumers Rights Protection Act, 2009 should be more operative and regulatory bodies must be driven by professional obligations not by media propaganda with the aim of ensuring constitutional right of the consumers in a sustainable manner for controlling food adulteration. The


government should implement all international agreements and protocols on food security and the standards of safe food regarding import and export to check food adulteration. The whole food supply chain from the producers and importers through wholesalers to retailers will have to be checked and cleaned. Inclusion of course regarding the fatal impacts of food adulteration can be operative in curriculum at different levels. The manufacturers and producers should not hanker after money by the way of delivering adulterated food to the innocent consumers. Civil societies, social organizations in collaboration with the mass media can play a crucial role in raising consumer awareness to ensure safe food for all. The consumers must give up the compromising attitude towards food adulteration. Uncompromising action should be taken against the violators of food safety laws. At the same time, all consumers should be aware against the serious impacts on the socio-economic conditions caused by food adulteration. Otherwise they will get an ill, unhealthy and paralyzed future generation. So, it's time for them to stand up and raise their voices against food adulteration.

Bibliography:Al- Qur’an: 3:71, 2:168, 5:88, 2:57, 23:51, 7:157, 4:29, 23:58.Abu Dawud, Imâm Hâfiz Abu Dawud Sulaiman bin Ash'ath, 2008, Sunan Abu Dawud, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Maktaba Dar-us- Salam. At-Tirmidhi, Muhammad lbn'Eisa, 2007,SunanAt-Tirmidhi, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Maktaba Dar-us-Salam.Ali, Abdullah Yusuf, 1977, THE GLORIOUS QURAN - The Meaning of the Glorious Quran Text, Translation & Commentary, America, American Trust Publications.Business Dictionary, 'http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/food.html'Business Dictionary, http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/preservative.htmlDhaka Tribune, 11 August 2014,http://www.dhakatribune.com/food/2014/aug/11/saga-so-called-condensed milk#sthash.3Jr1o1KZ.dpuf. Derek, L. 2013. Eight toxic foods: a little chemical education.http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2013/06/21/eight_toxicfoods_a_little_chemical_education.php. Dhaka Mirror, 23 August 2009. Iftars with lethal dyes haunt people.http://www.dhakamirror.com/headlines/iftars-withlethal-dyes-haunt-people/


Experts123.com. “What is Calcium Carbide?”Food Safety Act, 2013, Notification on 17 April 2016, Ministry of Food, Government of thePeople’s Republic of Bangladesh. Farooque, A.B.M. 2014. Asunrozarmashekhotikor rang meshanokhabarborjonkori. TheBonikBarta, 9 July 2014. http://www.bonikbarta.com/2014-07-09/news/details/6891.html Kabirullah, M, 2006, Food AdulterationBanglapedia, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh,Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.Khan, M.A. 2014. Bitter truth: slow poisoning continues unabated. The Daily Star, 17 May,2014. http://www.thedailystar.net/slow-poisoning-continues-unabated-24369Khair A. What we are eating. Daily Ittefaq 2005. June19-November 2. (Series report on foodadulteration).Muslim, ImãmAbul Hussain Muslim bin al-Hajjaj, 2007, Sahihmuslim, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Maktaba Dar-us-Salam.Mishkaat, Sheikh Waliuddin Abu Abdullah Al-Khateeb Al-Tabrezi, 2013, Mishkaat Al Masaabih, Karachi: Pakistan, DarulIshaat.Mahfuz, M. 2014. Baro hat bidhi-nishedhtero hat vejal, The Daily AmaderShomoy, 2 July 2014. http://www.dainikamadershomoy.com/ Mahfuz, M. and Mahin, D. 2014. BahariIftarirShomahar, The Daily AmaderShomoy, 1 July 2014, http://www.dainikamadershomoy.com/Nath, D.K. 2014. Food or poison? bdnews24.com, May 9, 2014.http://opinion.bdnews24.com/2014/05/09/food-or-poison. Per, Hüseyin; Kurtoğlu, Selim; Yağmur, Fatih; Gümüş, Hakan; Kumandaş, Sefer; Poyrazoğlu,M. Hakan, 2007, Calcium carbide poisoning via food in childhood, The Journal of Emergency Medicine 32 (2): 179–80,)Roy P. Eating dangerously: watchdog's role mostly missing, Daily Star 2005 June 12-15, 17. (Series articles on food adulteration). [http://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/06/17/d5061701044.htm, accessed on 11 November 2006].Rimon, S.R. 2014. Iftarinoibish. The Bangladesh Protidin, 3 July 2014. http://www.bd-pratidin.com/index.php The Daily Star, 11 August 2011. Food adulteration rings alarm bell.http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details. php?nid=198096. The Daily Star, 28 July 2011. Two puffed rice factories fined Tk. 1 lakh.http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/newsdetails.php?nid=196107.

http://www.bd-

http://opinion.bdnews24.com/2014/05/09/food-or-poison

http://www.dainikamadershomoy.com/

http://www.thedailystar.net/slow-poisoning-continues-unabated-24369

http://www.thedailystar.net/slow-poisoning-continues-unabated-24369


The Daily Star, 4 August 2012. Bitter truth: rampant adulteration plays havoc.http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/ cache/cached-news-details-244692.html The Daily Star, 1 July 2014, http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/newsdetails.The Independent, 24 February 2014. Food adulteration poses ‘too serious a threat’ to public health. http://www. theindependentbd.com/food-adulteration-poses-too-seriousa-threat-to-public-health/ 24 February 2014. The Chambers Dictionary, twelfth edition, August 2011, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambers_Dictionary)WHO, 1988. Regional Office for Europe, “Indoor air quality: Radon report on a WHO working group,” J. Environ. Radioact. 8, 73-91. Wooster, G.A., Martinez, C.M. and Bowser, P.R. 2005. Human health risks associated with formalin treatments used in aquaculture: initial study. N. Am. J. Aquac. 67, 111-113.Wikipedia, Adulterated food: Poisonous or deleterious substances, September 2013,<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adulterated_food>

http://www/

Review - ierb-bd.org€¦ · Web viewThe unscrupulous producers, traders, importers as well as...

Documents

Transcript of Review - ierb-bd.org€¦ · Web viewThe unscrupulous producers, traders, importers as well as...