Health Hygiene & Sanitation

Lesson 21 : Food Hygiene

Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954

• Passed in 1954 by Govt of India.


• Objective:


• to ensure pure and wholesome food to the consumers
• To protect them from fraudulent and deceptive trade practices


• Amended in 1964, 1976, 1986 to make it more stringent


• Punishment:


• Min. 6 months imprisonment, with a fine of Rs.1000/-
• If adulteration leads to death or grievous harm (under S.320 IPC) punishment will be life imprisonment with fine of Rs. 5000/-
• From 1986 amendment, consumers and NGOs are empowered to take samples of food for examination
• Central Committee for Food Standards frames and revises the rules under PFA Act
• Any food not conforming to the standards is labeled as adulterated
• A chain of food laboratories are established and their report is considered final.
• These lab are in Kolkata, Mysore, Ghaziabad, Pune
• Adulteration is social evil
• All are responsible for the perpetuation of the evil


• The Public: due to lack of awareness of the dangers of adulteration; disinterest


• Traders: due to their greed for money


• Food inspectors: who take adulteration as a ground to make easy money