What’s on your plate? Assam battles surge in unsafe foods as experts sound alarm

In a state where food is deeply tied to culture, community, and livelihood, recent findings have sparked serious concern. Over 12% of food samples tested across Assam have failed to meet basic safety standards, raising alarming questions about what’s really on our plates.

In the current financial year, a total of 7,682 samples were collected for analysis. Among these, 75 perishable items and 434 non-perishable items were deemed unsafe for consumption, a recent testing by State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL) revealed.

In addition to the unsafe items, 19 perishable and 268 non-perishable food samples were found to be substandard, while 23 others were misbranded. As of March 13, the test results for over 1,000 samples are still pending.

State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL), Guwahati 

Among the unsafe samples, the majority were tea, fruits, and vegetables — many of which contained pesticide residues exceeding the limits set by food safety regulations. A few cereals and spices also failed the safety tests. Meanwhile, the substandard category included commonly consumed items such as milk and milk products, edible oils, salt, cereals, and spices.

In January, a special surveillance drive was carried out across Assam to test vegetables for pesticide residues and other contaminants. Of the 343 samples collected, 41 were found to be unsafe due to pesticide levels exceeding the permissible limits.

These special drives are being conducted alongside routine sample collection from markets across the state. According to official sources, the Commissionerate of Food Safety has approved prosecution for 76 of the 94 unsafe samples identified so far, with the remaining cases still under process.

For substandard and misbranded samples, adjudication sanctions have been granted for 71 out of 109 cases by district officers. The rest are currently under review. In cases where substandard items were confirmed, fines ranging between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh have been imposed.

“The unsafe food category poses a potentially serious threat to human health. When food is declared unsafe, it leads to prosecution, which means the case goes to court. The court has the authority to impose penalties, including imprisonment and fines. In cases where consumption of unsafe food results in death, the owner of the business establishment could face life imprisonment,” said an official of SPHL, requesting anonymity.

In January, a special surveillance drive was carried out across Assam to test vegetables for pesticide residues and other contaminants. (Photo: 'X'  @pranzmajumder) 

Eating Illness

The presence of unsafe and substandard food items in the market isn’t just a regulatory concern — it's a direct threat to public health. From long-term exposure to harmful pesticide residues to the consumption of contaminated staples, the health consequences can be serious and far-reaching.

Experts warn that continued intake of such products may lead to a range of health issues, including typhoid, hepatitis, and even terminal illnesses like cancer.

“Contamination has different spectra of diseases; one could be infectious diseases because of bacterial or fungal contamination, and due to that, a person can suffer from typhoid, hepatitis, or leptospirosis,” said Dr Madhumita Priyadarshini Das, Professor and HOD, Medicine, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

The professor also stressed the cumulative effect of toxins that accumulate in the body because of certain things like antibiotics put into broiler chickens to make them huge.

“Many of the vegetables and fruits have pesticides such as organophosphorus compounds and organochlorine compounds. All these heavy metals and toxins that are used in the process of preservation over time can accumulate in the body and cause various kinds of toxicities, including cancer,” added Das.

The doctor emphasised that many foods have unethical levels of preservatives, and of the different cancers, 'CA Colon' is one of the things which is on the upward trend.

“These toxins that we eat, they go and accumulate in different parts of the digestive system, and the colon is one of the most affected paths. So, we have seen a lot of rises in cancers in the body,” said the doctor.

Continued intake of food with pesticides may lead to a range of health issues, and even terminal illnesses like cancer. 

Cracking down on contamination

Tackling the growing concern of food safety requires a multi-pronged approach involving stricter enforcement, public awareness, and industry accountability. Strengthening regulatory mechanisms, ensuring regular inspections, and imposing swift penalties for violations are key steps.

“Like all other advanced countries, we should have stringent laws where food supervisors work diligently to tackle the issue. They should frequently test the foods and the water supply. If these are not meeting standards, there should be stringent law to mitigate the problem,” said Dr Madhumita.

Meanwhile, according to official sources, sample collection efforts have significantly increased this year following the deployment of 32 additional food safety officers across various districts.

The number of regulatory food samples collected rose from approximately 600 in 2022-23 to 1,156 in 2023-24 and has surpassed 1,600 in the current year.

Notably, during intensified surveillance drives, over 6,000 samples were collected.

“Under the Commissionerate's office of food safety, we are conducting licence and registration camps for the food business operators. Every operator should have a valid licence and registration under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). We are also providing training to the operators to maintain hygiene and proper handling of food,” said the official of State Public Health Laboratory.

The official also highlighted that Assam also has Food Safety on Wheels, a mobile food testing laboratory.

“Assam has around 23 mobile food testing labs, which can go to the remotest places. If there are any food poisoning incidents, these vehicles go to that particular place and conduct on-the-spot testing. These vehicles have three key purposes - one is testing, the second is creating awareness among the people and the third is providing training,” said the official.

Assam has around 23 mobile food testing labs, also known as Food Safety on Wheels. (Photo:'X', Food Safety Assam). 

When asked about precautions that can be taken at the household level, the official admitted that it remains a challenging task.

“It's quite difficult to take effective precautions at home, but there are some simple tips. For instance, soaking vegetables in salt water for at least an hour before consumption can help wash away pesticide residues,” the official added.

The alarming rise in unsafe and substandard food samples in Assam is a wake-up call for all — from regulators and producers to consumers. While enforcement agencies have stepped up their efforts with increased sampling, prosecutions, and mobile testing units, the scale of contamination highlights deeper, systemic issues in food safety management.