The Karnataka State Bioenergy Development Board has urged the state government to make it mandatory for hotels, restaurants and food production units to supply their used cooking oil exclusively to biodiesel manufacturers, seeking to prevent the oil from being resold for food preparation, Bangalore Mirror reported.
Board chairman S E Sudheendra submitted a proposal to the Health Department seeking strict regulations to ensure that used cooking oil (UCO) is channelled towards biodiesel production instead of being reintroduced into the food chain.
The board raised concerns that used cooking oil collected from large hotels and restaurants could be sold at lower prices to smaller eateries, where it may be reused for preparing food. Repeated use of cooking oil can pose health risks to consumers, the board said.
Health Minister UT Khader responded positively to the proposal and indicated that the government would work with the Health Department to frame regulations preventing the reuse of used cooking oil in food preparation.
The government is also considering a digital monitoring mechanism to track the purchase and disposal of cooking oil by hotels and food vendors. Under the proposed system, establishments may be required to register their cooking oil purchases and record the quantity remaining after use through a mobile application.
Khader said the government was also examining a proposal to make branded cooking oil mandatory for hotels and street food vendors, alongside measures to monitor the quality of oil used in food preparation.
The proposed regulations are intended to ensure that used cooking oil from commercial food establishments is directed towards biodiesel production and does not find its way back into the food supply chain.
