Regular monitoring for heavy metals in soil-food crops soon

In a recently released result of the food and beverages samples analysed, the FSSAI found that 4% of the 100,000 samples analysed by states and union territories were unsafe.

Updated on: Dec 19, 2019, 01:05:02 IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Rhythma Kaul

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The country’s apex food safety regulator, Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), along with the Ministry of Agriculture, will soon start regular monitoring for presence of heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, in soil–food crops.

FSSAI will soon start regular monitoring for presence of heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, in soil–food crops. (Photo @fssaiindia)

“The presence of heavy metals, especially lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, is an area of concern that we aim to check through regular monitoring, like in case of pesticides,” FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal said.

In a recently released result of the food and beverages samples analysed, the FSSAI found that 4% of the 100,000 samples analysed by states and union territories were unsafe. FSSAI has commissioned another pan-India survey to understand the extent of the problem.

“A person would usually suffer from chronic condition rather than symptoms related to acute metal toxicity,” said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rhythma Kaul
Rhythma Kaul is the national health editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting on public health, medicine, and medical research, with a particular focus on how government decisions and health system reforms shape people’s lives. Rhythma has over 25 years of journalistic experience. She joined Hindustan Times in 2008, and has since covered everything from pandemics and infectious diseases to cutting‑edge medical research and climate‑related health challenges. Her stories routinely track the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, department of pharmaceuticals, and key national health programmes, making complex medical science and policy accessible to a wide audience. One of her prominent news breaks has been the 2012 Baby Falak case: A two-year-old brutally battered baby girl was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi with severe head injuries, multiple fractures, human bite marks, and burns. The police investigation revealed this to be a case of multi-state human-trafficking racket. She was profiled by The Wall Street Journal for breaking this story. Rhythma holds a Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prior to Hindustan Times, she worked with the India Today Group. Rhythma can be contacted at rhythma.kaul@hindustantimes.com. Her X handle is @RamblingBrook.Read More

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