FDA to keep an eye on food adulteration during festival

PUNE: Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials have begun drawing samples of various eatables to keep a check on adulteration during the Ganesh festival. Items such as khoya, mawa, barfi and other sweets are in huge demand during this period.

During a special drive between August 29 and September 1, officials seized substandard khoya, barfi, ghee and edible oil worth Rs 29 lakh.

"We have already held a meeting of sweet shop owners and warned them not to indulge in adulteration. We have formed special teams that will visit shops and mandals and draw samples that will be sent to the laboratory for further investigation. Action will be taken if the reports show adulteration or substandard quality," joint commissioner (food), FDA, S S Desai said. 

Ganesh mandals have been asked to keep details of food items they have purchased for prasad/mahaprashad, ensure hygienic conditions where the prasad is prepared, use clean and potable water for preparing it. They were also advised to try not to use milk or milk products in sweets and check if they are fresh and stored in a cool place.

The mandals have also been told to take details of devotees volunteering for giving prasad and provide them with badges carrying their names to keep anti-social elements at bay. FDA has also instructed the mandals to not accept prasad or other food items donated by strangers.

Sweets are purchased on a large scale during the Ganesh festival. "However, people should also ensure that the sweets are fresh. Moreover, sweets should be purchased only from shops registered with the FDA. The ones sold in the open should not be purchased, while those prepared from mawa must be consumed within 24 hours," Desai said.

One of the consignments recently seized by the FDA officials was coming from Gujarat and was being transported under unhygienic conditions, Desai added. "The sacks of khawa and barfi were being transported from Gujarat by inter-state buses," he said.