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SLSI ‘clarifies’ DG’s remarks: No food with aflatoxins in market 

11 Apr 2021

 

  • DG’s remarks pertained to adulteration of hopper mix, spices 

  • Tech Ministry concludes probe into DG’s comments   

    The Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) yesterday (10) assured that there were no harmful food items present in the market that may contain carcinogenic aflatoxins.  While denying a previous statement made by SLSI Director General (DG) Dr. Siddhika Senaratne, SLSI Chairman Dr. Nushad Perera told The Sunday Morning that Dr. Senaratne was referring to food items such as hoppers being made by adding plaster of Paris to the hopper mixture, and also the adulteration of certain spices such as turmeric.  “An investigation has been conducted by the Secretary to the Ministry of Technology regarding the statement made by SLSI DG Dr. Senaratne and she too has given an explanation. According to her explanation, there were no such harmful food items in the market,” he explained, adding that the problem was due to Dr. Senaratne’s issue of communicating in Sinhala.  Dr. Perera reiterated that there was no such issue with regard to the food items in the market.  In an interview with an electronic media television channel, Dr. Senaratne noted that apart from coconut oil, many other food items in the country contain carcinogenic aflatoxins.  She said that revealing the names of those products could lead to a collapse in the industries and markets of the local producers of such items. However, she added that the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has been informed of the presence of such products in order to take action.  It has been reported that a civil society organisation has since lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), seeking legal action against the SLSI DG for allegedly concealing information and thereby endangering people’s lives.   The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) too had written to the Inspector General of Police seeking a probe in this regard.   


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