In the last five years, 49% of the food samples from more than 28,000 tested in the Institute of Public Health (IPH) laboratories were found to be adulterated on average.
The recently published health bulletin 2014 says from 2009 to 2013, the numbers of food samples tested in the laboratory were 6,338, 5,749, 5,812, 5,322 and 4,967 respectively. Of those, the numbers of adulterated samples were 2,982, 2,990, 3,147, 2,558 and 2,137 respectively.
The highest number of adulterated samples was found in 2011 (54.04%) but the figure fell gradually and reached 43.02% last year.
The Directorate General of Health Services published the bulletin.
Sources said samples of a range of consumer products were tested, including mustard oil, soybean oil, palm oil, milk, powdered milk, juice, fruit syrup, honey, sweetmeat, candy, biscuit, chocolate, cake, yogurt, salt, jelly and dried fish.
Hundred percent of the samples of products such as chocolate, cake, yogurt, pickles, dried fish, fruit syrup and sesame were found adulterated.
Around 80-99% of other items, including ghee, juice, honey, candy, soybean oil and powdered milk were also found to be adulterated.
On the other hand, samples of products such as mung bean, fenugreek and black pepper contained no adulteration.
Health officials told the Dhaka Tribune food adulteration continues to plague the country despite the government enacting the safe food act 2013 months ago.
In May, the High Court asked the food secretary to explain why he should not be directed to cause the act to take effect through the publication of a gazette notification.
IPH officials said they are not authorised to take legal action against adulterated food manufacturers, adding that their only duty is to submit laboratory test results to officials concerned.
