Samples of 36 food items which are highly consumed during the holy month of Ramadan failed to meet the standard set by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), said Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu on Tuesday.

The minister revealed the information while briefing journalists regarding the steps taken by BSTI to ensure standard of food ahead of the month of Ramadan at his ministry office, reports the UNB.

BSTI has collected a total of 286 samples of 24 types of food aiming to ensure unadulterated food and water in Ramadan.

So far reports of 175 items were received, said the minister adding that samples of 36 food items failed the test while 139 passed. ‘Rest of the 111 samples is still undergoing the test,’ he added.

BSTI Director (CM) Engineer SM Ishat Ali revealed the name of the products and companies at the press conference.

He said, among the 36 samples there are soybean oil packed in drums from companies including Shabnam Vegetable Oil Ltd of Narayanganj, S Alam Super Oil Ltd and S Alam Vegetable Oil in Chattogram, drinking water of Razib Fresh of Razib Enterprise Ltd in Dhaka, Al Hera Enterprise Ltd, A One Food and Beverage, Antara Drinking Water, Nilgiri Drinking Water and some others collected from various places and restaurants without label.

In the pasteurized milk section, products from Akiz Food and Beverages and Aftab Pasteurized Milk Industries were found to be of below standard.

Ghee of Bagura Special Ghee Factory and Danish Food Ltd in Narayanganj were found to be not up to the BSTI standard, he said.

However, the minister claimed that no formalin was found in 430 tested samples of fruits.

A total of six drinking water companies were sealed off while 57 people were sentenced to different terms and 26,500 illegal and low quality water jars were destroyed in drives conducted by 19 mobile courts.

The minister said, ‘Additional mobile drives will be conducted jointly by BSTI and the district administration on each day in Dhaka in this month.’

‘The drives will also be conducted in several areas outside Dhaka including, Keraniganj, Savar, Ashulia and Dhamrai following the schedule all along the month (Ramadan)’, he said adding that these courts will specially monitor conditions of food and drinking items as well as puffed rice, banana, ghee, dates, mangoes, soft drink powder, carbonated beverages, fruit syrup, fruit juices, cooking oil, mustard oil, pasteurised milk, noodles, instant noodles, vermicelli, water etc.

Urging everyone to come forward to resist food adulteration, the minister said, ‘Health and food is related to public interest as well as country’s interest. So everyone should be aware and perform their duty from their very position to resist food adulteration during the holy month of Ramadan.’