Food Safety Department on alert ahead of festivals; instructions issued to intensify checks on sweets, mawa, and ghee.
Indore. To provide safe and pure food items to the people during festivals, the district administration has started preparations to tighten the food safety system. Collector Shivam Verma has instructed the Food Safety Department to speed up the checking of sweets, namkeen, mawa, ghee, edible oil and other food items used during festivals. He clarified that surveillance should be increased on the concerned establishments to prevent adulteration and ensure the quality of food items.
Collector Shivam Verma gave these instructions on Saturday in the meeting of the District Level Advisory Committee organized for the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. District Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Himanshu Prajapati was also present in the meeting. During the meeting, issues related to increase in demand for food items during festivals and providing safe food to the people were discussed.
Special attention to the quality of sweets, mawa and ghee
The demand for sweets, snacks and other food items increases during festivals. Meanwhile, in view of the possibility of adulteration, the district administration has asked the Food Safety Department to speed up the investigation.
The Collector directed to pay special attention to sweets, mawa, ghee, edible oil and other food items related to festivals. Along with checking the quality of these food items, emphasis was laid on ensuring that consumers get safe products in the market.
During festivals, a large number of people buy sweets and other food items. In such a situation, it becomes important to maintain the quality of food items and prevent adulteration. The administration has given instructions to the department to be active in this direction.
Monitoring of food items from manufacturing to sale
In the meeting, the Collector asked the officials to keep a close watch on the manufacturing, storage and sale of food items during the festival season. Its objective is to ensure that the prescribed standards are followed from the time food is prepared till it reaches the customers.
The Food Safety Department has been instructed to inspect the concerned establishments and pay attention to the quality of food items. It will be important to check adherence to hygiene and food safety standards in sweet shops, food manufacturing units and sales centers.
Non-compliance of rules during manufacturing and storage can affect the quality of food items. Therefore, the administration has stressed on monitoring the entire process and taking action if any irregularity is noticed.
Action against those selling adulterated and substandard food items
Collector Shivam Verma directed officials to take strict action against establishments selling adulterated or poor quality food items. He stressed on making the testing campaign effective to ensure food safety and prevent adulteration.
The objective of food safety regulations is to provide safe and prescribed quality foods to the people. In this direction, if any violation of rules is found in any establishment during the investigation, then action can be taken as per the relevant provisions.
Under this initiative of the administration, the Food Safety Department will have to pay special attention to the food items sold in the market during festivals. Taking the cases related to adulteration seriously, instructions have been given to take appropriate action.
However, available information does not reveal the specific timeline set for the inspection drive, the number of establishments to be inspected or the details of food samples taken so far.
Discussion on implementation of Food Security Act
The meeting of the District Level Advisory Committee held on Saturday was regarding the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. In the meeting, the Collector gave necessary directions to the officials to ensure the quality and safety of food items during festivals.
District Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Himanshu Prajapati was also present in the meeting. Topics related to food safety were discussed with the officials. The Collector expressed the need to keep special vigil on the manufacturing, storage and sale of food items during the festival season.
The objective of the food safety system is to deliver safe food to consumers. In view of the increasing demand during festivals, emphasis was laid on investigation and compliance with rules.
The goal of providing safe foods to consumers
During festivals, people buy sweets, snacks and other food items in large quantities. In such a situation, it is an important responsibility for the administration to ensure the quality of the goods sold in the market.
Following the instructions of Collector Shivam Verma, the Food Safety Department has been asked to speed up investigation and monitor food items from manufacturing to sale. Instructions have been given to pay special attention to the testing of products like sweets, mawa, ghee and edible oil.
The administration has made it clear that strict action should be taken against establishments selling adulterated or poor quality food items. Now the investigation and inspection activities of the department will be important during festivals. The main objective of this initiative is to provide safe food items to the people and strengthen efforts to prevent adulteration.