Kozhikode: The Commissionerate of Food Safety Kerala has announced stricter measures to address the reuse of cooking oil in food joints. Individuals and establishments found reusing edible oil in harmful ways will face fines of up to ₹1 lakh. The penalty will apply to those who reuse oil more than three times without surrendering it to authorized agencies.
Under the central government’s Eat Right India (ERI) initiative and the Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) scheme, used cooking oil must be handed over to designated agencies for bio-diesel production. These agencies purchase used oil at ₹50–60 per litre and transfer it to public sector oil companies for this purpose.
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The reuse of oil for food purposes can lead to severe health risks, including cancer. To address this, the Food Safety Department collaborates with around 30 agencies in the state to collect used oil. However, some establishments are unaware they can sell their used oil and instead waste it.
Hotels, chips and mixture manufacturers, and bakeries that handle more than 50 litres of oil daily must mandatorily hand over used oil to authorised agencies. These establishments are required to maintain a special register for this purpose. Additionally, inspections ensure that oil contains no more than 20 percent total polar compounds. Cooking oil should ideally be used on the same day to ensure safety.
In Kozhikode district, over 100 establishments currently comply with these guidelines, handing over an average of 10,000 litres of oil monthly. Last year, agencies in the district collected 7,30,000 litres, which is estimated to be only 30 per cent of the total used oil generated. Food safety officials have intensified awareness programmes to educate establishments about the health risks of reusing cooking oil and the importance of compliance.
Assistant Commissioner Sakkeer Hussain of Kozhikode district under the Commissionerate of Food Safety Kerala warned against handing over oil to unauthorised agencies, stating it is a crime. Many individuals have been found transferring used oil for unauthorised purposes, such as soap-making and lubricating oil. Legal action has been escalated against those violating these regulations.
Published: 12 Jan 2025, 09:16 am IST
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