Balodabazar. The process of making biodiesel from used cooking oil has started in Balodabazar of Chhattisgarh. The Food and
Effect of Used Cooking Oil
Cooking oil used more than twice can be fatal for health. If the level of Total Polar Compounds (TPC) is more than 25 percent, it can cause diseases like high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and liver disease. Therefore, FSSAI has directed all food business operators (FBOs) to monitor the quality of oil from July 1, 2018.
Maintaining records is mandatory
Under the Food Safety Standards Authority order, large restaurants and dhabas that use more than 50 litres of cooking oil per day will have to maintain records of the sourcing, use and disposal of their oil. Government agencies will collect this oil and use it to make biodiesel.
Preparation to make bio fuel from burnt oil
The oil left after frying samosas, pakoras etc. in restaurants, hotels and food plazas will no longer be thrown into the drain. To save the environment and health, the Food and Drug Administration, in collaboration with CBDA, is working on a plan to make biofuel from this oil.
Department’s campaign
Under RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil), the department is working on EEE (Educate, Enforcement, Ecosystem). Food safety officers are making food traders aware about the harm caused by used cooking oil and environmental pollution. Frying oil monitors have been given to officials of 20 districts to check the quality of oil.
Precautions
- While frying, keep the oil on low flame and do not heat it till smoke comes out.
- While frying, remove immediately any food pieces that fall into the pan.
- Use only stainless steel fryer pan.
RUCO Traceability App
Food business operators will have to enter the information of the used cooking oil collected at their place on the RUCO traceability app developed by FSSAI. This app connects everyone from the oil collector to the biodiesel manufacturer. It can be downloaded from
Special Operations
A special campaign has been launched for collection of used cooking oil from restaurants and dhabas in all the districts of the state. More than 1000 liters of used cooking oil was collected within 7 days. Food business owners enthusiastically supported this campaign. The aim of this initiative is to ensure environmentally sustainable development and health and well-being of citizens.
Drugs Department is inspecting hotels and dhabas to ensure that the oil is used properly and does not harm health.
