I. Introduction:
Food adulteration is a growing problem in Bangladesh as large numbers of consumers have become victims of consuming adulterated foods. This problem is becoming acute day by day. It is becoming essential to find out the reasons of food adulteration and how to solve this problem. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that 45 million people in Bangladesh suffer from food poisoning or some kind of food-borne diseases round the year. Adulteration of food with toxic chemicals harmful to health has reached an epidemic proportion in Bangladesh. The newspapers have out and out conferred it, as the ‘silent killer’. It is now very difficult to find a sector of food industry which is free of adulteration. Experts believe that 76% of foods of our country are adulterated. Alarming increase of adulteration of food commodities create a strong public opinion for combating the ferocity of the offence.
The study first identifies what is food adulteration and types of food adulteration. Secondly, the study aims to provide some suggestion for removing this problem.

II. What is food Adulteration?
Food Adulteration is the act of adding or mixing something harmful, useless and unnecessary substance to food. In other words, any food item may be considered as adulterated if its nature and quality are not up to the standard. As a result of adulteration, food or drink becomes impure and unfit for human consumption. Unscrupulous traders normally adulterate food. In the process of adulteration, extraneous matters are directly added to food grains. Sands and crushed rock are added to increase weight. Mixing infested and damaged grains to good quality grains is a common practice. Sometimes grain polishing and husks are added to increase the weight. Nowadays, plastic beads that have the shape of food grains are often mixed with cereal grains. Colored beads are added to the pulses. Sometimes water is sprayed over the grain stock to increase the weight.
Adulteration of fats and oils is easy and cannot be easily detected. Ghee (butter oil) is adulterated with hydrogenated oil and animal fats. Recently, because of the discovery of synthetic colors and flavors, any fat can be made to look like ghee and customers may easily be cheated.
The adulteration of milk is normally done with the addition of water and removal of fat. Sometimes extraneous substances like soybean and groundnut milk, wheat flour, etc are mixed. Selling diluted buffalo milk as cow milk is a common practice in rural areas. Addition of wheat flour, semolina, etc. to milk powder is also common.
Tea leaves may be adulterated with the addition of used tea leaves, sawdust, and dried and ground leaves other than tea leaves. Spices like chilies and turmeric powder are adulterated with the addition of lead pigment to impart brightness in color and good appearance. Chili powder is normally adulterated by adding brick powder. In the name of various fruit juices, imitation products are prepared by using artificial and prohibited ingredients instead of using original fruit juice. Recently, a special drink named mineral water is being prepared and marketed with little or no assurance of quality.

III. Types of food adulteration:
Food is very important for human health if it is pure. But now a day’s foods are becoming adulterated. Adulterated food is very dangerous for human health. Many types of food adulteration are occurring in Bangladesh. Various types of food adulteration are given below:
a) Adulteration in cooked food:
Cooked food means the food that we get after cooking. Actually we found cooked food in hotels or restaurants. People like these food. But now adulteration is occurring on these foods. Hotels and restaurants cook their food in dirty place they also mix toxic element with foods. They use various chemical and color for making the food delicious and attractive.
b) Adulteration in fish:
Adulteration in fish is the most common type of adulteration in Bangladesh. Fish is very common food for Bangladeshi people. But this fish is also becoming adulterated. Fish is a ratable rotting item that’s why fish businessman gives a chemical to fish named formalin. Formalin helps the fish to look fresh. But this formalin is very harmful for human body. Formalin is responsible for various diseases.
c) Adulteration in vegetables:
Vegetables which are the main part of everybody meals rich or poor, president or a common man. This segment is very much targeted for adulteration and in every phase from farms till it reaches market for selling adulteration is practiced. Farmer injects growth hormones to get more produce in short time. Most of the vegetables you buy from the market are treated with a heavy dose of pesticides. Some have even been dipped in harmful chemical solutions to make them look fresh and attractive. Many vegetables are given a dose of artificial color to suit your eyes.
d)Adulteration in juice:
The adulteration of fruit juice is widespread. Fruit juice should contain fruit. But now a days fruit juice don not contain any fruit. It only contain flavor of juice, water and chemical. In the name of various fruit juices, imitation products are prepared by using artificial and prohibited ingredients instead of using original fruit juice.
e) Adulteration in sweetmeat:
Excessive use of wheat flour in place of milk protein (chhana) in the preparation of sweetmeat is an example of adulteration. Some color also used in sweet for making the sweets attractive.
f) Adulteration in milk:
The adulteration of milk is normally done with the addition of water and removal of fat. Sometimes extraneous substances like soybean and groundnut milk, wheat flour, etc. are mixed. Addition of wheat flour, semolina, melamine etc. to milk powder is also common.

IV.Reasons for food adulteration:
Food adulteration is a very common and acute problem in Bangladesh. There are various reasons for food adulteration. Those are given in the next page:
a) Lack of ethics:
Some businessmen aredoing some unethical activities for making more profit. They mix various harmful elements with food. An ethical person cannot do any offensive activities. So lack of ethics is one of the reasons for food adulteration.
a) Lack of effective coordination:
There is lack of coordination among the departments of the authority. Those who monitor the market they need to be more active. Effective coordination can help to remove food adulteration problem. Food ministry, BSTI any other food safety organizations should work together to remove this problem.
b) Lack of proper food laws:
Food laws are the laws which protect the consumer rights. Food laws help to protect the consumer rights. In our country there is lack of food laws. So the food laws should be more updated.
c) Lack of government initiative:
Government has some responsibilities. They are for the mass people. Our government is taking some steps for removing food adulteration problem. But that is not enough. Lack of government is another reason for food adulteration. Proper government initiative can help to remove food adulteration.
d) Politicians are not raising their voice:
Politicians are the people who always raise their voice for the public rights. But unfortunately politicians are not raising their voice effectively against food adulteration.

e) Common people are not conscious enough:
Common people are not conscious enough this is another reason for food adulteration. All responsibilities are not goes to Government or politicians. Common people have also some responsibilities. Our common people are not conscious enough. They are using adulterated product without checking. So, they should be more conscious.

V. Impact of food adulteration:
There is huge impact of food adulteration on human body. Children, Pregnant women, and old every people are suffering for food adulteration. Impacts of food adulteration are given below:

Child health:
Children are the future of a country. But children of our country are living in a huge danger. Every baby foods are becoming adulterated. For example baby milk, juice, chips, chuckled etc. Children’s are not getting are not getting proper nutrition for food adulteration. That’s why children are suffering from various health problems.

Health of pregnant women:
Pregnant women need proper food. But they are suffering from various problems for food adulteration. Pregnant women’s and their carrying baby are facing trouble for food adulteration.

Food disease:
Food adulteration is also responsible for various food related diseases. For example Colic pain, Gastec and Liver diseases. We can limit these diseases by removing food adulteration.
Kidney disease:
Kidney is a vital organ for human body. But kidney can be damaged for excessive use of color and chemical with food. About 2 core people are suffering for kidney diseases in Bangladesh.

VI. Law against food adulteration:
In Bangladesh there are some laws against food adulteration. Effective use of these laws can help to reduce food adulteration. Those laws are given below: * Bangladesh pure food ordinance 1959 * Section 18(1) of the constitution * Article 15 of the constitution * Bangladesh pure food act 2005

Proper use of these laws is very important. It can help to remove food adulteration from Bangladesh. So these laws should use effectively.

VII. Solutions of food adulteration problem:

Every problem has solutions. So if we try then we can solve this problem. Solutions of food adulteration problem are given below:
a) Strict enforcement of food laws:
Strict enforcement of food laws can reduce food adulteration. The food laws should be used properly to reduce this problem.
b) Using of advanced technology:
In this modern age the technology is so advanced. We can use this advanced technology to solve this problem.
c) Reducing use of chemical pesticides:
Chemical pesticides are very harmful for human body. So the businessman should reduce use of chemical pesticides.
d) Political parties should raise their voice:
Political parties have some responsibilities to the society. They should raise their voice against food adulteration.

e) Proper public awareness:
Common people are the main part of a society. So proper public awareness can remove food adulteration problem

Conclusion:
Selection of non-adulterated food is essential for daily life to make sure that such foods do not cause any health hazard. Before buying any product consumer should check the products. The consumer should avoid taking food from an unhygienic place and food being prepared under unhygienic conditions. Such types of food may cause various diseases. Consumption of cut fruits being sold in unhygienic conditions should be avoided. It is always better to buy certified food from reputed shops.
At last, it is clear that food adulteration is very acute in Bangladesh. It causes serious harm on human body. So, everyone should try to keep away from food adulteration.