Shawdesh desk:

Researchers Jenna Forsyth and Stephen Luby from Stanford University in the United States, conducted a research that found lead in turmeric in Bangladesh.

In their study, Luby speculated that elevated levels of lead in the blood of pregnant women and children in rural Bangladesh were linked to turmeric. Forsyth later confirmed the presence of lead in turmeric through her research.

The result of their research was published in 2019. Forsyth and her fellow researchers immediately informed the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority of the results of their research.

Syeda Sarwar Jahan, chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority at the time, took immediate initiatives to remove lead from turmeric.

A small research found the presence of lead isotopes in the blood of pregnant women in Bangladesh. After testing the blood of those women, the researchers came to know that the source of lead is turmeric.

The researchers assume that lead could also come from soil. However, lead pigments are added to the market’s illegal turmeric. The researchers also talked to the businesses about the effect of lead.

Director of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Dr Sahadev Chandra Saha told Dhaka Tribune: “After hearing about it, we immediately started to work on it. We announced in the newspaper about adulteration in turmeric. We immediately threw away all the adulterated turmeric.”

In 2019, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority gave a notice to the largest wholesale spice market in Shyambazar. Warnings were given to them and legal action was taken against those responsible  for adulteration of turmeric.

Around 2,000 pounds of turmeric were seized and two wholesalers were also fined Tk8 lakh.

According to WHO, there is no safe level of lead. Lead affects the mental health of children.

Palash Mahmud, founder and executive director of Conscious Consumer Society, said: “Pesticides are imported into our country. This pesticide has been tested and found to contain many heavy metals besides lead.”

“Turmeric was removed from the market shortly after the study in 2019, yet lead can still be found in turmeric today. We need to test pesticides before using them. This is because pesticides affect our soil and water.”

Lead contamination poses significant risks, especially to children, impacting their mental health and cognitive abilities.

Dr Sahadev Chandra Saha of BFSA reiterated the harmful effects of lead, emphasizing its detrimental impact on brain development in children, leading to developmental problems and amnesia.

In the end of 2019, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority distributed 50,000 green flyers to warn businessmen about lead in turmeric.

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority warned people about turmeric which was brighter in appearance and made fingers turn yellowish.

Stanford University and icddr,b found that lead was used to make turmeric more attractive to consumers. On a positive note, government and non-government organizations helped to throw out lead from the market. In 2019 the level of lead was 47% which became 0% in 2021.

Dr Saha also said: “We are always ready to face this kind of situation. We always try to take proper initiatives against food adulteration. If the media gets this kind of news of food adulteration and it proves to be true, we will definitely take steps about it.”