India is the world second largest consumer of vegetable oiland the per capita consumption is around 19-19.80 kg per person per year.
India consumes a diverse range of cooking oils, including palm oil sunflower oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, coconut oil, mustard oiletc.
However, the way Indians use cooking oil has not been ideal.
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It is not uncommon for both households and businesses to reuse cooking oilsometimes without knowing the health risks involved.
The consumption of used cooking oil (UCO), which is the oil left over from frying, has been found to cause several serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and organ damage.
60% reused cooking oil
A new study has found that around 60 per cent of the used cooking oil generated in India returns to the food stream.
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The study, said to be the first of its kind in India, carried out by the Observer Research FoundationKoan Advisory Group and Neste found that despite food safety regulations prohibiting the consumption of UCO in any form, more than half of it is reused.
The study surveyed 505 (101 large and 406 small) food business operators in four metropolitan areas in India: Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.
Reuse of cooking oil in cities
The survey results indicate that reuse of UCO by commercial food business operators is widespread, especially among small establishments and street vendors in New Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai who use UCO to the last drop.
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Additionally, awareness and compliance with food safety regulations on UCO reuse among businesses is low, exposing consumers to higher risks of illness and poor health outcomes.
Among the cities surveyed, the highest compliance with food safety standards among businesses is found in Chennaidue to increased awareness, collaboration between local government and private sector organizations, and the development of relevant infrastructure for waste storage and disposal.
“This survey gives us a clear picture of the challenge you now face in regulating used cooking oil being used on the market. Government, civil society and the private sector need to work together to decide what is required to address, for example, the public health challenges related to diverting used cooking oil back into human consumption,” Steven Bartholomeusz, Head of Public Affairs in the Asia-Pacific region at Neste, said in a statement.
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How to end the reuse of cooking oil
The report said there is a need for greater collaboration between government food safety authorities, networks of doctors, nutritionists and experts, and private sector organizations to create a policy and regulatory framework that drives responsible behavior change and consumer awareness.
Furthermore, it suggests actionable inputs for different stakeholders to create pathways that link efforts to build a safe and secure food environment with sustainable circular economy principles.
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