DGHS study questions shelf life accuracy of imported baby food

Infograph: TBS

A new study by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has revealed critical shortcomings in the inspection and monitoring of imported baby food in Bangladesh.

The research, titled "Requirement, Preventive Controls Measures and Policy to Ensure Food Safety and Public Health," raises concerns about the accuracy of expiration dates on these products.

The study found that imported baby food often has multiple expiration date labels, some of which are not genuine. Additionally, inspections at the port of entry are inadequate, with quality and expiration date checks being cursory at best.

These weaknesses, the study warns, create opportunities for low-quality products to enter the market, not just for baby food but for other food products and their raw materials as well.

Institute of Public Health (IPH) Director Nasir Uddin, lead researcher of the study, told TBS, "We found that powdered milk and other food products are often stacked in a way that can damage the packaging and reduce the quality of the product. This can also lead to contamination between different products. As a result, consumers are not getting the quality products they are paying for."

The research findings will be shared with relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Commerce, the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection, and the city corporations, in the hope of prompting necessary actions to enhance monitoring and raise public awareness, he added.

The study also highlighted the importance of stricter regulations and improved monitoring throughout the supply chain to safeguard public health.

Matiur Rahman, a researcher involved in the study and a former food analyst, reiterated the issue of multiple and potentially false expiration dates on imported baby food, alongside inadequate quality checks at ports of entry.

"There should be a single entry for the expiration date at the port of entry. While there is supposed to be adequate testing for imports, this is not done at all of our ports of entry. At one time, testing was done at Chittagong Port, but it is unclear whether this is still being done.

In the current situation, we have to verify the market label. Unverified labels create the risk of selling substandard products. Therefore, the product must be tested," he added.

The study recommends adequate testing for baby food, raw materials, and other imported food products. It also highlights that while regulations mandate testing for certain contaminants, crucial aspects like expiration dates are overlooked.

Furthermore, the study revealed a lack of adherence to proper storage and handling practices throughout the supply chain. From import to consumer purchase, the cold chain is frequently compromised, jeopardising product quality. Similarly, supermarkets and grocery stores often disregard designated storage protocols for baby food.

The study did not assess the extent to which product quality is affected by the decoration of products in stores. The findings showed that while many people are aware of the relevant laws and regulations, they do not comply with them.

In a directive issued on 25 January 2018, the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority made it mandatory to test every consignment of powdered milk and baby food. This means that every consignment of imported goods must be tested.

However, this test is only conducted to see if the product contains lead. The Atomic Energy Commission and the Institute of Public Health conducted this test. However, no such tests are ever conducted for the expiration date.

Infant and Young Children Nutrition Association President Iftekhar Rashid told TBS that tampering with expiration dates is a possibility, as a significant portion of baby milk enters the country through personal luggage, accounting for about 20-30% of the total market.

He clarified that baby milk imported legally is regularly tested by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution for each batch. The licensing authority, IPH, conducts its tests and checks previous inspection records every three years, minimising the chances of tampering in this case.

Rashid added that the expiration dates are mentioned on the documents from the exporting company, which can be cross-checked with the products sold in the market. Additionally, his organisation sometimes conducts tests abroad and submits the reports to the relevant authorities.

According to importers, about 10,000 tonnes of baby food and about 100,000 tonnes of powdered milk are imported into Bangladesh every year.