CUTTACK: ‘Goli Soda’, a summer favourite among people looking for a cheap refreshing drink to beat the heat, sure provides the instant relief it promises but the health hazards attached to it, more so for the lack of mandatory quality certification, is a matter of concern.
Available in different flavours like lemon, ginger, orange and strawberry, etc., Goli Soda costs just Rs 10 per bottle which is why it has become a preferred drink for those looking for some cooling relief in this scorching heat. Its sale is rampant mostly in the rural areas for its delicious flavours and affordable price point.
However, these chilled concoctions are often locally manufactured by unknown companies and do not display any quality certification as has been mandated by the government for all soft drinks. These loopholes pose risk of adulteration and substandard quality, increasing the chances of health hazards.
As per government guidelines, soft drink bottles should carry the mandatory certification mark of the Bureau of Indian Standard. A licence is also mandatory for all units manufacturing and selling the soft drinks.
Similarly, the name and address of the manufacturer, manufacturing lot number, date of manufacture and expiry must also be mentioned on the bottle. “However, most of the manufacturers are not printing the required information and operating business in violation of the labelling rules,” some residents alleged.
Sources said the considerable rise in demand for carbonated soft drinks has led to mushrooming of several manufacturing units, specially on the city outskirts and remote areas, which supply these Gola Soda bottles in bulk to different shops. Sources attributed it to the lack of enforcement against sale of such drinks.
“We had recently raided lassi and juice stalls. There are plans to carry out enforcement against sale of Goli Soda in the city,” said CMC food safety officer Rasmita Behera. Food safety officer (Rural) Amita Das said step would be taken to curb the manufacturing and sale of Goli Soda in the city.