Or so we'd like to believe. Sure, there hasn't been a oil-related health problem even remotely as serious as dropsy in Gujarat, but the seeds of such a disaster have been sown and are taking root.

Notwithstanding the State government's precautionary measures against adulteration of edible oils, you could still be exposed to health hazards in Gujarat, especially if you are eating anything cooked in `disco oil', an inappropriately light name for something so potentially dangerous.

Highly placed sources in the Food and Drugs Department, Gandhinagar and Food and Drugs Laboratory, Vadodara, inform Express Newsline that while the incidence of adulteration in several edible commodities, especially edible oils, milk and spices is on the rise, what concerns them the most is the practice of adding castor oil to groundnut oil. Within the trade, the resulting mixture is called `disco oil'.

In Saurashtra, the `oil bowl' of Gujarat, `disco oil' is the new kid on the block, but fast off the block. Obviously, the major motivating factor here is pricing; the result is that `disco oil', though ostensibly groundnut oil, is priced at Rs 35-40 per kg; groundnut oil, by comparison, was last heard of at Rs 55 per kg.

During a special statewide drive to check the quality of edible oil ever since the scarcity since the beginning of the year, at least one in every 200 samples was found to be of this `blend'. In fact, this practice has been evident in about two percent of the 500-1,000 samples of edible oils tested throughout the State every year.

While this form of blending is infrequent, it can hurt. Officials say action is taken as and when such cases are detected. S P Adesara, commissioner, Food & Drug Control Administration, Gandhinagar and Public Analyst for the State at FDL, Vadodara V R Narendra, could not offer details `off-hand', but other senior officials at the district level admit it on the condition of anonymity.

Disco oil is by far the most serious addition to Gujarat's beloved groundnut, but not the only one: palmolein, cottonseed and rapeseed oils are also commonly added. And though the difference won't tell on your health, you are not getting your money's worth.

Other edibles too are not necessarily pure. Figures available with the FDL in Vadodara indicate that there's been a rise in the cases of adulteration of edibles tested there. In 1995, for example, tests on 4,128 samples of edibles -- mainly milk, oils and spices -- saw adulteration in 5 per cent of the cases. In 1997, the number of tests came down to 3,010, but the proportion of adulteration went up to 7.5 per cent.

However, as with mustard oil, not all mixing is deliberate; a lot of it is contamination, says Adesara. For example, due to lack of proper storage facilities, the seeds or oil may be exposed to excess moisture and turn rancid. This would also reduce the pre-fatty acid contents, changing the chemical composition of the commodity.