PFA Act

Food Standard and Quality Control

Lesson 23: Food Adulteration

PFA Act

In order to check such malpractices the PreĀ­vention of Food Adulteration Act was passed in 1954 and came into force from June I, 1955. This is the first central act popularly known as PFA act which pertains to food sold to the public and defines what may be considered as adulteration.

According to PFA act, an article of food shall be deemed to be adulterated

  • if the article sold by a vendor is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser and is to his prejudice, or is represented to be;
  • if the article contains any other substance or which affects, or if the article is so processed as to effect, injuriously the nature, substance or quality there of;
  • if any inferior or cheaper substance has been substituted wholly or in part for the article, so as to effect injuriously the nature, substance or quality there of;
  • if any constituent of the article has been wholly or in part abstracted so as to affect injuriously the nature, substance or quality there of;
  • if the article has been prepared, packed, or kept under the unsanitary conditions whereby it has become contaminated or injurious to health.
  • If the article consists wholly or in part of any filthy, putrid, disgusting, rotten, decomposed or diseased animal or vegetable substance or is insect infested or otherwise unfit for human consumption.
  • If the article is obtained from the infected animal.
  • If the article contains any poisonous or other ingredient which renders it injurious to health.
  • If the container of the article is composed, whether wholly or in part of any poisonous or deleterious substance which renders its contents injurious to health;
  • If any coloring matter other than the prescribed in respect thereof and in amounts not within the prescribed limits of variability is present in the article.
  • If the article contains any prohibitory preservative or permitted preservative in excess of the prescribed limits;
  • If the quality or purity of the article falls below the prescribed standard or its constituents are present in quantities which are in excess of the prescribed limits of variability.
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Last modified: Tuesday, 21 February 2012, 7:02 AM