2 food manufacturing units near Margao shut down by FDA

MARGAO: Two manufacturing units near Navelim and Sao Jose de Areal were shut down by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Tuesday and food items worth 1,80,000 combined were seized and later destroyed in the presence of the owners. 

FDA officials during raids in the morning found that Devar at Colmorod, Navelim, and Choudhary Food Products at Comba, near Sao Jose de Areal, were allegedly engaged in manufacturing foodarticles sans labels and their respective premises did not have the food safety licence as required under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, rules/regulations 2011. 

Food safety officers Abel Rodrigues, Shailesh Shenvi, Rajaram Patil and Shivdas Naik first intercepted three cyclist-vendors at Navelim, who were carrying unlabeled food articles for distribution to gadas, bars and restaurants. 

After interrogating the cyclists and with their assistance, the officers landed at the office of Ramesh Devar at Colmorod and found his unit engaged in manufacturing munchies under unhygienic conditions, sans any labels and without a safety licence for the premises. A similar scene was at Comba. 

"Stocks of food articles worth 1,80,000 were seized and confiscated by the officials and then subsequently destroyed in the presence of the owners," said FDA director Salim Veljee.