BANGLADESH Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), lone quality control authority for food, has no mechanism to detect harmful agents like antibiotics and pesticides in any processed-food or agro-food item. Besides, its safety parameters set 17 years ago for testing milk are below the standard level of the developed countries. The BSTI tests milk only against nine parameters when developed nations do that against 23-30 parameters. The ground reality comes forth after some Dhaka University researchers again found the presence of harmful antibiotics in pasteurized milk of seven mostly sold brands in the country.
Following the research conducted by the DU Biomedical Research Centre and Laboratories, the dairy companies rejected the findings while Additional Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin at the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry threatened the researchers. We are highly disturbed hearing such an audacious attitude of a civil servant.
Bangladesh’s Testing and Certification System are still lag behind the time while developed countries examine heavy metals, antibiotics and pesticides in milk and neighbouring India tests milk against 23 quality and chemical parameters and 18 chemical adulterants. It can detect up to 300 pesticides in food items. Singapore can detect 500 pesticides. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics and fertilizers are the major sources of antibiotics and heavy metals in food items. It’s the reality; there is no way to hide it.
It is really pathetic when DU and the Institute of Public Health have found detergent and antibiotics agents in almost all dairy products while BSTI research found them safe. Awarding clean-chit to the companies by BSTI is a crime as BSTI has no enough instruments to detect antibiotics. The embattling Prof Faroque of DU, whose findings showed harmful metabolic, antibiotic presence in the dairy products, asked the BSTI to update its variable regularly because unscrupulous businesses always tried to take advantage of loopholes. The DU research also found that nine other food items manufactured and marketed by some of the top brands in the country do not meet the BSTI standards.
The government must equip the BSTI with state-of-the-art technology along with technical expertise for ensuring safe food for the sake of public health.
