MEERUT: With the Navratra festival commencing on Tuesday, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) is already on its toes to ensure that adulterated buckwheat (kuttu atta) and other food items are not being sold in the market.
A five-member team has been formed to conduct surprise inspections to check sale of adulterated food items at shops in rural and urban areas. The anti-adulteration drive will continue till the fasts end.
Giving details, chief food safety officer JP Singh, said, "A five-member team of the food department is conducting regular checks by sending suspicious food items to the laboratory for testing. If any sub-standard or unsafe food item is found, action will be taken as per rules."
"We are focusing mainly on kuttu atta, sabudana, milk products and cooking oil to check adulteration. Almost every year, people fall ill after consuming these products. We want to make sure that no such cases are reported this time," added Singh.
He further said samples of the sub-standard food items will be sent to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow to avert any manipulation at the city-based lab. "However, in case things are too suspicious and evident, the food item can be sent to the local laboratory and an immediate report will be sought," he added.
The food safety officer said sample reports from the city-based lab could be procured in 48 hours and action can be taken thereafter.
"The food items are preserved and sent to Lucknow through courier. We'll get the results within 20 days of the courier," added Singh.
He said people could also file complaints related to food adulteration with the department on the condition of anonymity.
Even as sampling of food items is being done, FSDA authorities are also ensuring that shopkeepers were not selling expired food items.
"People generally fall ill after they consume expired kuttu atta. This can cause stomach infection. We are ensuring that such items are not being sold in markets across the city," said Singh.
A five-member team has been formed to conduct surprise inspections to check sale of adulterated food items at shops in rural and urban areas. The anti-adulteration drive will continue till the fasts end.
Giving details, chief food safety officer JP Singh, said, "A five-member team of the food department is conducting regular checks by sending suspicious food items to the laboratory for testing. If any sub-standard or unsafe food item is found, action will be taken as per rules."
"We are focusing mainly on kuttu atta, sabudana, milk products and cooking oil to check adulteration. Almost every year, people fall ill after consuming these products. We want to make sure that no such cases are reported this time," added Singh.
He further said samples of the sub-standard food items will be sent to the food testing laboratory in Lucknow to avert any manipulation at the city-based lab. "However, in case things are too suspicious and evident, the food item can be sent to the local laboratory and an immediate report will be sought," he added.
The food safety officer said sample reports from the city-based lab could be procured in 48 hours and action can be taken thereafter.
"The food items are preserved and sent to Lucknow through courier. We'll get the results within 20 days of the courier," added Singh.
He said people could also file complaints related to food adulteration with the department on the condition of anonymity.
Even as sampling of food items is being done, FSDA authorities are also ensuring that shopkeepers were not selling expired food items.
"People generally fall ill after they consume expired kuttu atta. This can cause stomach infection. We are ensuring that such items are not being sold in markets across the city," said Singh.
No comments:
Post a Comment