State Food and Drugs Admn bans stickers on fruits, vegetables
   Date :18-Oct-2019


 
Staff Reporter
 
RAIPUR
 
In a fresh warning issued by the Food and Drugs Administration, it has been stated that violators will be subjected to action under Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006
 
 
The Chhattisgarh Food and Drugs Administration has banned sticking stickers on any kind of fruits and vegetables. It has not only asked the traders and fruit wholesalers not to put stickers on fruits but also have urged general public not to purchase fruits with stickers. In a fresh warning issued by the Food and Drugs Administration, it has been stated that if any retailer is found distributing and selling unsafe food items he will be subjected to action under Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
 
As per the provision laid under Section 59, of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, any person who, whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf, manufactures for sale or stores or sells or distributes or imports any article of food for human consumption which is unsafe, shall be punishable, where such failure or contravention does not result in injury, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months and also with fine which may extend to Rs 1 lakh; where such failure or contravention results in a non-grievous injury, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and also with fine which may extend to Rs 3 lakh; where such failure or contravention results in a grievous injury, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six years and also with fine which may extend to Rs 5 lakh; where such failure or contravention results in death, with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and also with fine which shall not be less than Rs 10 lakh.
 
According to Controller, Food and Drug Administration, stickers are found on fruits like apple, mangoes, oranges, guava, banana, custard apple, pear etc. These stickers depict message like ‘OK Tested’, ‘Best Quality’ or name of the fruit, etc. These stickers use chemicals as adhesive due to which the fruit gets contaminated and is not good for human health. The department further cautioned the retailers that no one will sell rotten fruits or vegetables nor will use materials like wax, mineral oil, colours or will use carbide/acetylene gas to artificially for ripening the fruit.