Kashmir’s silent food crisis

The adulteration of food in Kashmir is no more invisible. It happens daily and is deadly. It is no secret: preservatives meant to prolong shelf life are being abused in most of Kashmir’s meat, fruits, vegetables and other food products. Chemicals like formaldehyde, meant for embalming corpses, are found in fish to keep them ‘fresh’. Oxytocin, banned for animal use, is injected to inflate poultry and cattle for faster market weight. Coloring agents, some known carcinogens, are used to ‘freshen up’ fruits and other food items that should have been discarded.

A study by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) revealed that nearly 1 in 4 food samples tested across the country between 2021 and 2023 failed to meet safety standards, and this was in regulated urban centres. What do we imagine is happening in unregulated zones like ours? And worse, there is no widespread testing lab that consistently monitors meat and other food quality in Kashmir. The average consumer has no way of knowing what chemical cocktail their liver is trying to digest.

What You See Is Not What You Get

It’s easy to forget that the first hospital is the kitchen. But when that kitchen is stocked with chemically-laced, fraudulently-enhanced and carelessly preserved food products and other ingredients, illness becomes inevitable.

 Vegetables

Adulterants: Malachite green (a toxic dye used to make leafy greens appear fresh), copper sulfate (used to make peas look greener), wax polish (used on brinjals and cucumbers).

Risks: Liver and kidney toxicity, neurotoxic symptoms and gastrointestinal irritation.

Tip: Soak green vegetables in salt or turmeric water for 20 minutes before cooking. Avoid unnaturally glossy or uniformly coloured produce.

 Fruits

Adulterants: Calcium carbide (used to ripen mangoes, bananas, papaya unnaturally), industrial wax (used to make apples shine), ethylene spray (used on unripe fruits).

Risks: Calcium carbide can cause ulcers, seizures, and long-term neurological damage.

Tip: Prefer seasonal, local fruits. Always peel and wash fruits thoroughly. Reject overly shiny or uniformly ripened fruits.

 Meat & Chicken

Adulterants & Practices: Formalin: Used to preserve fish and meat longer in open markets. Food dyes: Injected or rubbed to make meat appear redder. Oxytocin injections and steroids: Given to poultry and cattle to increase weight and water retention.

Risks: Hormonal disruption, cancer, kidney stress, and early puberty in children.

Tip: Buy from trusted local butchers. Wash meat with turmeric or vinegar. Avoid marinated meat unless prepared fresh in front of you.

 Fish

Adulterants: Formalin and ammonia — both known to be highly toxic.

Risks: Carcinogenic effects, liver damage, skin reactions.

Tip: Fresh fish has a mild smell, clear eyes, and red gills. Avoid fish that smells chemical or has slimy texture.

 Milk & Dairy

Adulterants: Detergents, urea, synthetic milk, boric acid, starch.

Risks: Gastrointestinal distress, metabolic disruption, severe toxicity in children.

Tip: Boil and cool milk to test for foam (a detergent indicator). Buy pasteurised or from well-known, tested dairies.

Spices & Condiments

Adulterants: Chili powder: Adulterated with brick dust or lead salts. Turmeric: Mixed with yellow dyes like metanil yellow. Coriander powder: Adulterated with sawdust. Salt: May contain white powdered soap.

Risks: Carcinogenic effects, lead poisoning, gut inflammation, allergic reactions.

Tip: Buy whole spices and grind them at home. Avoid unnaturally bright powders or non-branded loose masalas.

 Oils and Fats

Adulterants: Used frying oil, castor oil, mineral oils.

Risks: Heart disease, stomach upset, and long-term liver damage.

Tip: Avoid repeated use of oil at home. Don’t buy fried street food with reused oil (often dark, foamy, with a burnt smell).

What we (doctors) Are Seeing

From unexplained fatigue and hormonal issues in teenagers to early liver damage in non-drinkers, we are seeing the effects of adulteration daily, just not calling it by its name.

Gastritis and ulcers in children eating outside food. Adults with unexplained gastritis that doesn’t respond to conventional treatment

Early diabetes and fatty liver in teens and adults (non-alcoholic), otherwise healthy adults. Increasing liver failures.

Reproductive dysfunction and hormonal imbalance, PCOD in young adults.

Chronic skin disorders, allergies, and autoimmune triggers. Sudden surges in autoimmune flare-ups and allergies with no apparent environmental triggers

Neuro-behavioral changes in kids — possibly linked to toxins in milk or vegetables.

Increase in gastrointestinal and other cancers.

So What Must Be Done?

Independent Food Testing Labs: Government-affiliated labs must be established across Kashmir with rapid response capability and results should be made public.

Meat & Poultry Inspection Authority: An autonomous body should be created with powers to inspect, fine and shut down violators. Veterinary clearances must be mandatory before slaughter.

Food Safety Task Force: A district-wise team of doctors, microbiologists and health officers to track rising disease patterns and correlate with food sources.

Public Disclosure App: A digital platform for consumers to report suspected adulterated food with photographic evidence.

School-Based Awareness Programs: Start with children. Let the next generation grow up questioning what they eat, not blindly accepting it.

Medical Surveillance Systems: Hospitals should be able to flag unusual health patterns to public health authorities for investigation.

 Practical Ways to Stay Safe Until Regulation Catches Up

Until regulation, licensing and lab surveillance are upgraded, and that may take years,  individual and community-level action is the only defence:

Buy Fresh, Local and Seasonal: Prefer buying meat, vegetables and fruits from trusted local vendors or directly from farmers when possible. Seasonal produce is less likely to be chemically treated for preservation. Avoid imported produce and pre-packed food.

Cook at Home, Eat at Home: Home-cooked food remains your safest shield and your first medicine. Avoid eating out frequently, especially from roadside vendors or eateries where oil quality, hygiene, and food sources are unclear.

Avoid Overly Red or Glossy Meat and Fish: Extremely red meat may have artificial dyes; unnaturally fresh-looking fish may be preserved with formalin. Trust your nose: if it smells wrong, don’t buy it.

Rinse Thoroughly — Especially Meat and Fish: Wash meat in lukewarm water with turmeric or vinegar to help remove superficial chemicals. For vegetables and fruits, soak them in salt water for 15–20 minutes before cooking.

Say No to Pre-Cut and Pre-Marinated Products: These are more likely to be made from older, lower-quality, or preserved meat masked by spices and colour.

Use Stainless Steel or Copper Cookware: Certain chemicals react less with traditional metal cookware compared to non-stick surfaces. Avoid cooking in aluminum or plastic-based utensils. Wash hands and kitchen tools properly, avoid cross-contamination.

Buy Raw Spices and Grind at Home: Avoid flashy masalas, opt for raw, whole, single-origin spices. Not so popular or loose ground spices may be adulterated with synthetic colour or powdered brick.

Avoid Packaged or Canned Foods with Long Shelf Life: These often contain excessive preservatives, sodium, and additives. If you must buy them, read labels for harmful additives like sodium benzoate, BHA/BHT, and artificial colours.

Educate Children and Elderly at Home: Train children to identify good vs. suspicious food items. Monitor the diets of elderly family members who may have lower immunity and higher vulnerability.

Report Suspected Food Fraud: If you suspect food is adulterated, take photos or samples and report it to local municipal health officers. Push for community-level vigilance and awareness.

Freeze meat/chicken yourself: Avoid “pre-frozen” or “re-dyed” meat.