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In recent years, public awareness about the link between food and health has surged—largely fueled by social media. Nutritionists, scientists, dietitians, farmers, and concerned citizens now regularly stress the importance of clean eating: non-genetically modified (non-GM) and organic food free from pesticide residue. The internet has undeniably helped people question what they consume.
Yet this information boom comes with a catch: confusion. One video insists a food is a miracle; another warns it is poison. The average consumer—trying sincerely to stay healthy—ends up stuck between fear and doubt, unsure whom to trust.
The Biggest Question: How Do We Know What Is Truly Organic?
In theory, choosing organic or non-GM should be simple. In practice, the Indian marketplace often makes it difficult. Misleading labels and false promises are common. Some sellers openly exploit consumers by marketing produce as “organic,” “non-GMO,” or “pesticide-free” without proof. The situation is worse because the fraud does not discriminate—both uneducated and educated customers are deceived.
A particularly harmful practice is blending: mixing organic with non-organic, or genetically modified with non-modified foods, and selling the entire lot at premium “healthy” prices. If similar large-scale deception were exposed in many Western markets, it would trigger swift regulatory action and public outrage. In India, consumers are frequently forced to rely on the seller’s word.
Testing the Truth Is Too Costly for Ordinary People
Authenticity checks exist, but they are not accessible to most citizens. Laboratory testing—such as those authorised under food safety frameworks—is prohibitively expensive. If testing one kilogram of tomatoes costs around ₹6,000 while the tomatoes themselves cost ₹60, the math makes one thing clear: verification is a privilege, not a consumer right.
This imbalance creates the perfect environment for exploitation. When consumers cannot test, fraud thrives.
Certification Exists, But Loopholes Remain
The government has created certification mechanisms for organic farms. That is a step forward. But certification alone cannot protect public health when enforcement is weak and supply chains are opaque. In some instances, farmers and sellers—sometimes operating in tacit collusion—blend products for profit. The damage is silent but serious, affecting especially children and senior citizens, whose bodies are more vulnerable to toxins and long-term exposure.
The tragedy is that food adulteration in India is often treated like a minor offence—an inconvenience, not a national health threat.
Stop Treating Food Adulteration Like a Petty Crime
A nation’s health cannot be protected through slogans, occasional raids, or routine warnings. Real protection comes from one thing: the certainty of meaningful punishment.
At present, many offenders escape with penalties so small that they simply factor them into their business expenses. When fines become “operational costs,” deterrence disappears.
Weak Punishment Encourages Repeat Offences
Adulteration and food fraud are not harmless shortcuts. They are acts that endanger lives, increase chronic disease risks, and place additional burden on families and the healthcare system. When accountability is absent, unethical trade becomes normalised—and eventually, adulteration begins to feel like “a part of life.”
What Must Change: Practical Deterrence Measures
If the government truly intends to protect citizens, the following actions are essential:
- Non-bailable action for offenders involved in food fraud and deliberate adulteration.
- Immediate sealing and closure of shops and warehouses found mixing food or making false “organic/non-GM” claims.
- Public naming and blacklisting of guilty brands and sellers to ensure transparency and consumer awareness.
- Real-time traceability systems that go beyond paperwork and token compliance.
- Random third-party audits, not predictable inspections that offenders can prepare for.
- Fast-response consumer grievance mechanisms that deliver timely, enforceable resolutions.
The Peril of Silence and Inaction
When citizens submit complaints, representations, and evidence—and receive no reply—the system sends a dangerous message: public health is optional. Silence emboldens wrongdoers and punishes honest consumers.
Many who have written to top institutions, including regulatory bodies, often report a discouraging lack of response. Courts sometimes offer relief, but such interventions are limited and not always implemented effectively.
Healthy Food Is Not a Luxury—It Is Public Infrastructure
A healthier population means fewer hospital admissions, lower medication dependence, and a reduced strain on national healthcare resources. The benefits ripple across society—economically, socially, and psychologically.
But this outcome is impossible without systemic reform. Reliance on lab testing for every purchase is unrealistic. What India needs is accountability built into the system: strong enforcement, transparent traceability, and swift punishment for those who treat public health as a marketplace opportunity.
Until then, the hope of genuine, healthy food will remain uncertain—an aspiration that sometimes feels possible only in a utopian society.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.