DEHARADUN: The state Food Safety department is tackling adulteration this festive season. Food Security Officers (FSOs) are conducting inspections and collecting samples on a regular basis to keep a tab on the quality of raw material used.
The department is giving special instructions to owners of major sweet-shops to maintain the quality of food. "We have asked sweet-sellers not to compromise on the quality of products just to meet high demand", said Rajendra Rawat, Head of Food Safety Department.
According to officials, adulteration in milk and milk products is reported during this period. Dehradun, Haridwar and areas close to the Uttar Pradesh Border are being carefully monitored by the department.
"Most milk products are ferried into the state from neighboring districts in western UP. Chances of adulteration are high in such cases. We have sent special teams to find defaulters and make sure that proper measures are being taken to maintain quality", Rawat said.
"We have been collecting samples from food-business owners under suspicion. These samples are sent to Rudrapur food lab", said Anoj Thapliyal, FSO Dehradun.
TOI had earlier reported that Rudrapur Food Lab is the only food and drug testing lab in the state which gets flooded with food samples sent by FSOs of all 13 districts during festive seasons.
Throughout the day in Dehradun, a team of six will be taking rounds. "We will be carrying out surprise inspections on kitchens of all big and small sweet shops and take samples in case anything suspicious is found", said Thapliyal. These inspections were started on August 1, in anticipation of the festive season.
Good initiative
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