District Food Safety Officials checking the quality of the ice-blocks at an ice factory near Thoppumpady in Kochi on Wednesday
Against the backdrop of selling contaminated ice, the District Food Safety Authority has directed the shutting down of four such plants.
The authority has ordered four ice plants in Thoppumpady and Perumbavoor to close down after they were found using highly poisoned chemicals such as Ammonia and Formalin in the manufacture of ice on Wednesday. The authority has also identified the juice parlours and bars using adulterated ice in the city.
According to officials the plants that have been asked to close down are Mythri Ice plant owned by Ice Plant Owners Association state president Shenoy, Saroma Ice Plant and Simla Ice Plant, all in Thoppumpady, and Venkitesha Ice plant in Perumbavoor.
According to health experts, formalin which is commonly used in laboratories and mortuaries for preserving dead bodies and ammonia, a deadly poisonous substance, are being used in making ice.
Food Safety Officials said that most of the wayside kiosks where shake sherbeth (Kulukki Sarbath) is sold make use of such adulterated ice. Juice stalls and bars are also resorting to such ice. The district food safety officer said that following complaints regarding the poor hygiene of ice plants, the Food Safety Department has collected ice samples across the state. “We will initiate further inspections on Ice plants after getting reports from the regional analytical laboratory,” he said.
Reports on five ice plants in the district were received so far and four of them have been found to have flouted the prescribed norms. These plants have been directed to close down immediately.
The inspection squad was led by District Food Safety officer Ajith Kumar. Officials of Food Safety department Abdul Jaleel, Jacob Thomas, Sasi kumar, Biju Joseph were the others in the team.
The District Food Safety officer said that the raids were conducted after the authorities received complaints that some of the outlets selling juice in the city and ‘Kulukki Sarbath’ joints were using contaminated ice cubes and blocks. Following this, the Food Safety Department organised a drive and collected ice samples.
The authority has ordered four ice plants in Thoppumpady and Perumbavoor to close down after they were found using highly poisoned chemicals such as Ammonia and Formalin in the manufacture of ice on Wednesday. The authority has also identified the juice parlours and bars using adulterated ice in the city.
According to officials the plants that have been asked to close down are Mythri Ice plant owned by Ice Plant Owners Association state president Shenoy, Saroma Ice Plant and Simla Ice Plant, all in Thoppumpady, and Venkitesha Ice plant in Perumbavoor.
According to health experts, formalin which is commonly used in laboratories and mortuaries for preserving dead bodies and ammonia, a deadly poisonous substance, are being used in making ice.
Food Safety Officials said that most of the wayside kiosks where shake sherbeth (Kulukki Sarbath) is sold make use of such adulterated ice. Juice stalls and bars are also resorting to such ice. The district food safety officer said that following complaints regarding the poor hygiene of ice plants, the Food Safety Department has collected ice samples across the state. “We will initiate further inspections on Ice plants after getting reports from the regional analytical laboratory,” he said.
Reports on five ice plants in the district were received so far and four of them have been found to have flouted the prescribed norms. These plants have been directed to close down immediately.
The inspection squad was led by District Food Safety officer Ajith Kumar. Officials of Food Safety department Abdul Jaleel, Jacob Thomas, Sasi kumar, Biju Joseph were the others in the team.
The District Food Safety officer said that the raids were conducted after the authorities received complaints that some of the outlets selling juice in the city and ‘Kulukki Sarbath’ joints were using contaminated ice cubes and blocks. Following this, the Food Safety Department organised a drive and collected ice samples.
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