Don’t buy fake ginger-garlic paste; Cyberabad police seize 3.50 tonnes in Katedan

HYDERABAD: Are you buying small sachets of Ginger-Garlic paste for regular use in your kitchen?

Beware! It could be spurious and not original. In almost every recipe, this paste is used to enhance its taste.

Special Operations Team (SOT) of Rajendranagar under Cyberabad police seized a manufacturing unit making 3,500 kg (3.5 tonnes) of ginger-garlic paste in Katedan industrial area on Saturday.

The company was manufacturing ginger-garlic paste using synthetic ingredients and chemicals. Its licence given by FSSAI Licence No. 13617015000285 had seized to exist two years ago. The unit was functioning at Plot No.110, Phase 2, Shubham Colony under Mylardevupalli police station.

Also Read: Hyderabad police arrest four persons making, selling adulterated ginger-garlic paste

The police said that the company was using substances dangerous to human health including

synthetic food colour, gum powder, sodium benzoate, chemical for smoothness, and rotten garlic peals.

The brands under whose names it was being sold included: Roshan Ginger-Garlic Paste; Mass Diamond; and Pure Ginger.

The accused was identified as Mohammed Ahmed of Rangeli Khidki in Charminar.

The material seized are:

• One tonne of loose adulterated garlic last (44 tubs of 25 kg each)
• Two tonnes of packed garlic paste in 70 cartons of 30 kg in plastic boxes
• 500 kg of raw garlic
• two grinding machines
• loose powder of sodium benzoate
• gum powder
• ⁠loose packaging boxes with stickers
• ⁠turmeric powder meant for colour
• stickers

The material is worth Rs.2.80 lakh and the case is being investigated into by Mylardevupalli police.

The cost is not what’s important to be noted.

But the harm these unauthorised chemicals could cause to human health need to be understood by people.

It may be recalled that the Central Zone task force police seized a similar ginger-garlic paste at Patigadda under Begumpet police station limits on February 28 this year.