Acting on instructions from local agent of French dairy giant Lactalis and the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), local distributors of the company's baby milk formula are scrambling to recall units sold in the Bangladesh market as a precaution against salmonella contamination.  According to a BFSA source and JS International, the local agent of Lactalis, French health authorities concluded 620 batches of the company's products had to be recalled and banned for consumption and export, equating to almost 7,000 tonnes of goods. The timely measure is heartening.

Health authorities in France have said 26 infants in the country came down with salmonella in early December after consuming Lactalis products. They are said to have since recovered. Salmonella symptoms include severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting. No case of salmonella poisoning has been reported as yet in Bangladesh, according to JS International. Nevertheless, distributors are recalling the products on their own and sending them back to the local agent. As Bangladesh is one of the largest markets for baby formula, BFSA published the public statement to stop the importation and consumption of the products following the Food Safety Act, 2013.

Adulteration of food items has become a burning national issue in recent times. It is like a festering sore that ultimately engulfs the entire body and saps its vitality. Is there any food item that can be taken safely? Be it cereal, pulses, vegetables, fishes, milk, edible oils, spices, butter, ghee, sugar, fruits, dry fish, molasses, confectionary items like biscuits, cakes, pastries, candies, condiments, crackers, etc.

It is worrying to note that people are being forced to purchase sub-standard daily essentials from markets in the absence of the proper enforcement of the law. Consumption of the same is exposing them to health hazards in many cases. In fact, people are hostages in the hands of a section of dishonest traders who are gaining taking advantage of the helplessness of the former. The cheated consumers do not know how to seek redress and get compensation, while the perpetrators are having a free run.

The government should go for an integrated approach for proper execution of the law. There are various apparatuses and mechanisms to get redress by consumers through using this law. But due to lack of publicity campaign, these ways and means of getting redress remain unclear or even totally unknown to the complainants. It is high time for the government to make everything relating to Consumer Protection Law clear to the people. There is no scope for foot-dragging. The government’s publicity wing and mass media can play vital roles in this regard.