Feb 20, 2019
Sub-standard liquor being sold in Punjab: Food Commissioner
Several brands are selling sub-standard liquor in Punjab with alcohol content in them deficient by 2-12 per cent, state Commissioner (Food and Drug Administration) K.S. Pannu said, here on Tuesday.
Pannu said the state Directorate of Food and Drug Administration, recently conducted a study on the quality of liquor, both country-made and Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), being sold in Punjab.
"It revealed that many brands are selling sub-standard liquor with alcohol content being not in consonance with the label details. In addition, many of them contain particles of suspended matter, which are not allowed in liquor," Pannu said.
Warning contractors, manufacturers and bottlers, the Commissioner said they should ensure the quality of liquor according to the bottle labels' claims and the standards set under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
He said the state food laboratory at Kharar is fully equipped to test the quality of all kinds of liquor.
Pannu asked bulk buyers of liquor to get the quality tested from the state food laboratory or at Punjab Biotechnology Incubator Lab in Mohali.
"Citizens have the right of quality products. As per the provisions of law, it is the Food Safety and Drug Administration's duty to check the quality of all kinds of food including liquor," he said.
The state's Excise Department has pegged sales targets for 2018-19 at 33.6 crore bottles, which include 21.6 crore of IMFL, 7.2 crore of country-made liquor and 4.8 crore of beer.
Against a population of 2.8 crore, the sales target would mean consumption of 12 bottles (approximately 9 litres) per person in the state. As the number of liquor drinking persons would be much less than the population, the number of bottles per drinker will be much higher.
Spurious paneer from Alwar floods markets in Jaipur
Jaipur: Fooling consumers, huge amounts of adulterated paneer is being transported to Jaipur from Alwar district on a daily basis.
The units involved in producing adulterated paneer are active in Alwar which is being dumped in Jaipur’s market to earn more money. The adulterated paneer, produced by using dried powdered milk and refined oil, is supplied to hotels and restaurants.
Health department officials have seized 250kg paneer in Jaisinghpura Khor. The officials claimed that the paneer was brought from Alwar for consumption during wedding season. Health department’s food safety officers’ team conducted an inspection at Standard Paneer Udhyog in Sharda Colony of Jaisinghpura Khor on Tuesday. The inspection was conducted under ‘Shudh Ke Liye Yudh’ campaign launched by the health department.
Food safety division state nodal officer Dr Sunil Singh said, “We have collected samples of paneer from Standard Paneer Udhyog and sent them for testing in laboratories. We have destroyed 250kg of adulterated paneer on the spot.”
“In the initial investigation, it has been found that the adulterated paneer was supplied from Ramgarh of Alwar district. It was brought from Alwar for consumption during the wedding season,” Dr Singh said. On February 16, in a similar action health department’s team had seized 500kg of adulterated paneer which was brought from Kishangarh Bas of Alwar district. The adulterated paneer was being sold to identified hotels and restaurants for daily consumption, the officials said.
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