Gujarat: Rs 80L worth adulterated Cumin seized

Food and drugs watchdog of state seized 52 tonnes of jeera from Patan on Thursday. Authorities say the spice has been adulterated with similar looking substances. The Rs 80.8 lakh worth of goods were supposed to be exported to Egypt, when it was intercepted.

Food and Drug Control Authority (FDCA) officials got a specific tip of that a consignment containing cumin (jeera), adulterated with spurious substances was to be exported to Egypt from Mundra port. Acting on the tip off, a team led by assistant commissioner KR Patel of FDCA seized two trucks GJ 12 BT 1910 and GJ 12 BT 0568 from Patan. The trucks belonged to Messrs Paladiya Corporation based out of Unjha.

When the team inspected the contents of the containment, it was found to be adulterated prima facie. Total consignment was estimated at about 52 tonnes, whose market price was calculated at Rs80.8 lakh. It belong to one Bharat Jagdish Patel, a resident of Unjha, said an FDCA statement.

"If such substances are about 10% of the total consignment, they mix with original spices and are difficult to identify," said HG Koshia, Food And Drug Commissioner in state government.