The Hindu Business Line : Study finds adulteration in coconut oil; rise in prices seen as reason

Agri-Biz & Commodities - Coconut & Copra
Marketing - Standards & Benchmarks

Study finds adulteration in coconut oil; rise in prices seen as reason

G.K. Nair

Kochi , Oct. 26

A SAMPLE study of branded and packaged coconut oil, conducted by the Coconut Development Board in Mumbai markets, has shown that most of the oils did not conform to the Agmark grade. The study done on 14 brands showed at least 10 of them did not meet the standards and "the samples contained 35 to 92 per cent mineral oils."

According to CDB sources, the materials used for adulteration are petroleum products such as liquid paraffin and mineral oil, "which are highly injurious to human body".

Following this, the Board has written to Health Secretaries of various States as well the Union Health Secretary on the prevalence and intensity of the adulteration in coconut oil.

Mr A. Bhadran, Head of Regional Analytical Laboratory, here said as per studies, consumption of liquid paraffin and mineral oil "is harmful". External use of mineral oil will cause irritation, dermatitis and can cause discomfort. "Untreated and mildly treated such oils are tested as human carcinogens," he added.

However, no report of any of ailment has been made so far. According to medical sources, this could be since the reasons/causes for the ailments are often not explored in normal cases.

Worst hit would be those using coconut oil for cooking, especially the rural poor who cannot afford to buy branded coconut oil.. Though palm oil is available at Rs 48 a kg, many who have been using coconut oil for years still preferred it at low prices.

Mr Talat Mahmood, one of the directors of the Cochin Oil Merchants Association (COMA), said collection of samples from the shops was a major problem because of the complexities involved. "Adulteration has been taking place for some time but it has become rampant following the steep rise in the prices of coconut oil," he said.

According to him, over 30 per cent of the oil sold in the market could be adulterated. He said the COMA had sometime back taken up the issue with the Kerala High Court and a final decision was awaited.

Earlier, palm kernel oil was being used for adulteration but of late, when its price increased, cheap liquid paraffin was being used, he said. Demand for coconut oil had resulted in oil prices shooting to an all-time high level of around Rs 7,000 a quintal and this, in turn, led to rampant adulteration, Mr Alexander, former President of COMA, said. There had been large-scale import of coconut cakes by solvent extraction units. The (imported invisible) oil extracted from this process is also finding its way into the adulteration process.

With the copra price ruling at Rs 49 a kg, pure coconut oil cannot be sold at a price below Rs 73 a kg, Mr Alexander said. "Therefore, if it is sold at Rs 50 to Rs 70, it must be adulterated," he claimed. Branded coconut oil in sachets is sold at Rs 75 to Rs 85 a kg.

According to him, several major manufacturing units import liquid paraffin and palm kernel oil for industrial use. At the same time, many traders are also importing these and it could be finding its way into the adulteration process, he alleged.

The Government should "evolve a mechanism to monitor what for they are being imported and where does it go," he said.

Though certain percentage of adulteration is allowed under Food Adulteration Act, given the high prices it had become a large-scale affair, he alleged.

"No hi-tech laboratory is available to detect adulteration in coconut oil here. Therefore, the Government should find some way to detect the presence of adulterants even at lowest level," he said.

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