Q1.
Suppose your parent asks you to get a 1 kg packet of gram flour from the nearby grocer. There are different types of packets available at the shop such as the one shown below. Observe it carefully. How would you determine that the quality of gram flour meets the required standards?
Answer
Turn the packet over and read the back. Fig. 12.29 labels ten things printed there, and each one answers a different question.
| On the label | What it tells you | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FSSAI mark & licence number | The food has been tested by the government and is safe to consume | The most important single check. No FSSAI mark and licence number — do not buy it |
| Net quantity | How much flour is actually inside, not counting the packet | Your parent asked for 1 kg — read this number, do not judge by the size of the bag |
| Date of manufacture | When it was packed | Prefer a recent date; gram flour goes rancid with age |
| Best before date | Until when it stays good | Must be well in the future — never buy an expired packet |
| MRP | The maximum price the shopkeeper may charge, all taxes included | Do not pay a rupee more; compare MRP per kilo across brands |
| Ingredients list | What is actually in the packet | Pure besan should say gram (chana dal) and nothing else — watch for cheaper fillers |
| Nutrition facts panel | Energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate per 100 g | Useful for comparing two brands honestly |
| Allergen declaration | Warns anyone in the family who is allergic | Read it if anyone at home has a food allergy |
| Batch number | Identifies this particular lot | Needed if you ever have to complain or return the packet |
| Name & address of the manufacturer | Who is responsible for it | A real, complete address means a real, traceable company |
Then check the packet itself: that it is properly sealed and not torn; that there are no insects, lumps or damp patches; and that the colour is an even pale yellow.
Check it yourself: look closely at the packet drawn in Fig. 12.29 — its net quantity reads 2 kg, not 1 kg. So this particular packet is not the one your parent asked for. That is precisely the point of the exercise: the label, not the look of the bag, tells you what you are buying.
Why it happens: you cannot open the packet in the shop, taste the flour or send it to a laboratory. The printed label and the government mark are the only evidence available at the moment of buying — which is why the law makes them compulsory.