Dr Jagdish Pai, executive director, Protein Foods & Nutrition Development Association of India, and former head of food technology department at Mumbai University, said, “I find the presence of most chemicals and micro-organisms fairly significant but within limits.

I am especially worried about the sewage water which contains coliform bacteria as well as E coli, both harmful contaminants. Heavy metals, although present in low levels, have a tendency of accumulating in organs and becoming toxic, leading to ailments.