Many items sold with tampered & superimposed labels, MSW trainees’ study reveal
Morung Express News
Dimapur | December 2
‘Never judge a book by its cover’ and on the same note one ought not to judge foodstuff by the glittering packaging alone. Check the manufacturing and expiry dates and see if the dates are tampered with or not.
A basic check yet overlooked most times, a look at the dates would save the consumer the trouble of visiting the shop a second time and worse, health complications.
A survey conducted by a group of MSW (Master of Social Work) research trainees of North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSR), Dimapur has revealed an apparent lack of food safety checks in Dimapur. NEISSR is an institute affiliated to Nagaland University.
The survey was conducted over a one-month period (November-December) collecting packaged foodstuff from malls and grocery stores as random sampling units. Disclosing the survey findings to The Morung Express on December 2, the research trainees said that more than 50 percent of the malls/stores from which the samples were collected were found to be selling packaged foodstuff with manufacturing and expiry dates either tampered or ‘best before’/manufacturing/expiry date labels superimposed over previous date markings presumed to be the original print. The sample collection method was through purchase.
The sampled products mostly included imported biscuits, dried fruits, nuts and other snacks as well as Indian made products. Around 15 malls and grocery stores within the Dimapur Municipal area were selected for the survey in no pre-determined order, the research trainees said. “It was found that items being sold had the labels tampered and changed with new labels.”
“The research (or Action Research) objective was to find out whether food safety guidelines as regards tampering of manufacturing and expiry dates were being followed or not and also to generate consumer awareness,” said one of the research trainees.
The trainees said that when the products found with tampered dates were returned for refund, a common response of the retailers was of passing the buck to the suppliers/distributors and “not being aware” of the expired items getting in.
“Some said that they do make checks of the stuff supplied by distributors but things get overlooked occasionally.” A few were said to have been apologetic and called for consumers checking dates before buying, while stating that they would be happy to refund any item sold after the expiry date.
While stating that the sampling items found to be tampered or expired were refunded by the retailers, the trainees said, “The malls/stores were urged to conduct periodical checking of their products as well as keep a check on the purchase of goods from the suppliers.”
Queried whether they have informed the state food safety authority about the survey findings, the trainees replied in the negative.
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