Food department raided, served notice to 3 businessmen

Dantewada : The Food and Drug Administration is conducting raids to stop adulterated sweets and food items during the Diwali festival. Under the order of Additional Collector Sanjay Kannauj, hotels, sweet and grocery shops of all the blocks including the headquarters were raided by the Food and Drug Department. Also, samples of various food items were taken for testing. During this period, immediate notices were issued to 3 traders for not mentioning the manufacturing and expiry date on the trays of open sweets and were directed to make improvements. During the inspection of all the sweet shops, grocery shops and various food manufacturing establishments in the district, instructions were given to all to mention the manufacturing and expiry dates on the trays of open sweets. During this period, at various places in the district, Geedam, Dantewada. Surprise inspection of food complexes in areas like Bacheli, Kirandul, Barsoor, Nakulnar etc. was also done. Food samples like sweets, cheese, milk, curd, namkeen, flour, gram flour, maida, semolina, etc. were taken for testing by the mobile food testing laboratory. During this period, 45 samples were taken from various food establishments by the mobile food testing laboratory and none of the food items were found to be non-standard and fit for consumption. They were immediately destroyed and a notice was also issued to the concerned businessman.

If the mistake is found again, action will be taken to suspend the license. On this occasion, immediate notices were issued to 3 traders for not mentioning the manufacturing and expiry dates on the trays of open sweets and were directed to make improvements. It may be noted that during this period a total of 13 notices were issued to various traders. These included Poonam Chhena Toast from Hotel Kirandul, Rasgulla from Shivam Hotel Kirandul, J.M.D. for sample testing. Peda from Sweets, Malai Peda from Rajasthan Bikaner, Khowa from Baba Hotel, Barfi from Lakhan Hotel, Barfi from Pawan Sweets and Namkeen, Besan Laddu from Rajasthan Sweets, Devbhog Sweets, Gupta Sweets, Laddu Kalakand Barfi, Rasgulla, Malai Peda from Ambe Bikaner, Samples of sweets like Kaju Katli were also sent to the State Food Testing Laboratory, Raipur for testing. According to the report received after investigation, if the sample is found non-standard then action will be taken as per rules and the case will be presented in the court. During this action, Food Safety Officer District Dantewada Susmit Dewangan, Sample Assistant Prashant Salam and the team of staff lab technicians of Mobile Food Testing Laboratory were present. The department has also appealed to the consumers to avoid using loose and non-standard food items sold in the market. Before buying any food item from the market, check its label and ensure the date of manufacture and use by date of the food item. In view of the festive season, such raiding operations will continue by the department in future also.