Unsafe bite - Editorial on food adulteration in India and culture of impunity

Food adulteration in India is a pressing issue affecting millions of citizens. Nearly one in five food samples tested across the country was found to be non-conforming to mandated safety standards in 2025-26: significantly, only 4.8% of such violations ended in convictions. Moreover, of the 8.86 lakh samples analysed between 2021-22 and 2025-26, about 20% were found to be adulterated: only 3.3% of these established violations resulted in convictions. There is also a wide disparity among states when it comes to conviction rates. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan accounted for 62.5% of all adulterated samples in 2025-2026 but only around 19% of convictions. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, recorded not only the highest number of samples tested but also one of the best rates of convictions. Astonishingly, several states recorded no convictions at all. Such administrative apathy is what assures wrongdoers of impunity. Staple food items are repeatedly found adulterated with detergent, urea, starch, synthetic colours, cheap oils and industrial chemicals. But the trade survives because, reports suggest, small manufacturing units operate under local political protection in exchange for bribes. West Bengal's ongoing inspection drive across restaurants, sweet shops and other eateries shows that even if food is not adulterated at the source, it can become dangerous for consumption during improper storage. This does not mean that India does not have extensive food safety laws. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, provides for licensing, inspection, seizure, prosecution and graded punishment; the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, permits compensation; and Sections 274 and 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita criminalise adulteration and the sale of noxious food. Yet fines remain as low as Rs 1,000, encouraging repeat offences, while understaffed departments — 91 of its 105 sanctioned food safety posts in Bihar are vacant — inadequate laboratories, delayed reports and defective sampling allow prosecutions to collapse. The failure extends to the Public Distribution System on which millions of poorer citizens depend. Foodgrain moves through a fragmented supply chain without adequate storage or systematic inspection or reliable quality control. India needs district-level laboratories, uniform sampling procedures, batch testing of high-risk foods, mandatory traceability, publicly accessible inspection results and penalties linked to turnover and repeated violations. Countries with stronger food-safety systems rely on continuous surveillance, effective recalls and clear responsibility across the supply chain. Deliberate toxic adulteration should invite swift criminal prosecution, and officials who suppress violations should face personal liability. Adulteration will continue until institutional weaknesses and culpability are eradicated.