VIGIL AGAINST FOOD ADULTERATION AMID FESTIVE SEASON: 110-QTLs UNSAFE FOOD PRODUCTS SEIZED, 50-QTLs UNSAFE MILK PRODUCTS DESTROYED IN PUNJAB
— PUNJAB FOOD SAFETY DEPARTMENT INTENSIFIES STATEWIDE VIGIL AGAINST FOOD ADULTERATION AMID FESTIVE SEASON
— OVER 1,950 FOOD SAMPLES COLLECTED ACROSS PUNJAB; 51 SAMPLES DECLARED UNSAFE
— “ZERO TOLERANCE TOWARDS ADULTERATION; STRICT LEGAL ACTION TO BE TAKEN AGAINST DEFAULTERS”: DR BALBIR SINGH
Chandigarh, November 4 (WISHAVWARTA);- With the onset of the festive season, the Food Safety Department of Punjab has mounted an intensive statewide surveillance and enforcement blitz to curb food adulteration and guarantee the availability of safe, wholesome, and pure food products to consumers across the state.
Acting on the strict directions of Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh and Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Kumar Rahul, special enforcement teams have been carrying out round-the-clock field inspections at manufacturing units, wholesale mandis, sweet shops, dairies, restaurants, and retail establishments across all 23 districts.
Highlighting the state government’s resolute stance, Dr Balbir Singh asserted that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government has adopted a strict zero-tolerance policy against those playing with public health for petty commercial gains. “Festivals are a time of joy and celebration, and ensuring unadulterated, nutritious food for every household is our foremost priority. Anyone indulging in adulteration, spurious manufacturing, or substandard food supply will face stringent legal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,” the Health Minister warned.
Divulging details of the ongoing drive, the Health Minister shared that over the last one month, the Food Safety Department has targeted high-risk festive commodities, including desi ghee, milk, paneer, khoa, traditional sweets, edible oils, vanaspati, and spices. During these coordinated raids, the department has seized a massive quantity of over 11 tons of suspected unsafe food products including Desi Ghee, Paneer, Khoa, Sweets, Edible Oil and Vanaspati. Furthermore, approximately 5 tons of adulterated milk products and sweets found completely unfit for human consumption were promptly destroyed in accordance with statutory procedures, preventing them from entering the consumer market.
Under the statewide festive campaign, the department has collected a total of 1,950 food samples for laboratory examination. In a targeted drive focused specifically on checking the purity of paneer and khoa, 437 samples of milk and dairy derivatives were drawn and analysed. Of these, 218 samples failed to meet prescribed regulatory standards, including 51 samples that were formally declared unsafe and adulterated. Appropriate legal proceedings have been initiated against all defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) under the law.
Meanwhile, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Punjab Kanwal Preet Brar stated that Food Safety Officers have been directed to maintain rigorous surveillance on food units and send all suspected articles directly to the State Food and Drug Laboratory at Kharar for expedited testing. Special emphasis is being laid on maintaining personal hygiene, sanitary kitchen conditions, quality of raw ingredients, and proper storage standards, she said.
The FDA Commissioner appealed to all food business operators, confectioners, and sweet manufacturers to maintain the highest benchmarks of quality and hygiene during the festive rush. She also urged consumers to remain vigilant, report suspicious practices, and purchase food items only from registered and licensed food establishments.
