MP News: Millers Mixing Propylene Glycol To Add Flavour To Rice In Balaghat

Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): The rice millers in Balaghat are reportedly using a chemical, propylene glycol, with rice to add flavour to it, sources said.

The chemical was used in coldrif that caused the death of 27 children in Chhindwara. According to sources in the food and civil supplies department, an inquiry into whether the chemical is mixed with the cough syrup is underway.

It came to light that rice millers in Balaghat are using this chemical to add artificial fragrance to rice which is sold in the name of Kalimuchch, Chinnaur and other brand names.

A team has begun to probe the case following instructions from the central food and drug controller.

Several drug companies are on the scanners after the Chhindwara cough syrup tragedy.

The chemical is also used to add colour and as a preservative.

Chinnaur rice has got the GI tag, and Kalimuchch is produced in limited areas, but the rice millers are using the chemical to add flavour to rice and selling it.

There are provisions for penalising those who mix the chemical with eatables, but nobody follows the rules. A company in Delhi makes the chemical.

Sources said that the rice millers were buying the chemical and mixing it with rice and that the rice mills did not appoint any expert to fix the amount of the chemical to be mixed with rice.

When the issue was put up before the chief medical and health officer, Dr Manoj Pandey, he said there was no technical know-how or resources to check the chemical. An inquiry into the use of the chemical is never conducted, he said.