The Kerala food safety week, which concluded recently, was a part of a plan to make unadulterated food available in the state. Throughout the week, the office of the food safety commissionerate conducted 703 raids and suspended the licences of 27 eateries across the state.
These included hotels, restaurants, bakeries and fruit and vegetable stalls. About 27 samples of mango, 76 samples of oil, five samples of vegetables, and three samples of water were collected from different parts of the state, and sent for testing.
The campaign was inaugurated by the southern state’s chief minister Oommen Chandy, who warned those who indulge in the malpractice that action would be taken against them. The health ministry stated that food safety offices would be set up in all the 140 Assembly constituencies in the state.
The food safety commissionerate’s office informed that checking for adulteration of food items and punitive action would continue. Border check posts were intensified to keep adulterated food items in check, and avoid the entry of toxic mangoes into the state.
D Sivakumar, joint food safety commissioner, enforcement, said, “To ensure the safety of food items available in the state, the state government has conducted a food safety week. The food safety commissioner is committed to make available unadulterated food in the state.”
“We conducted raids, awareness programmes and training sessions to improve the food safety and standards. Officers collected samples of different parts of the state and sent them for testing. We warned many food businesses and fined those violated food safety norms,” he added.
During this week, 300kg rotten chicken and other meats were confiscated from a slaughter-house in Kochi city. The meats were a week old and mixed with fresh meat, and was about to be distributed in different parts of the city.
A number of bakeries, restaurants and hotels use these meats for the preparation of non-vegetarian dishes. Officials of the health department seized five tankers with contaminated water in the city limits.
The office of the food safety commissionerate received a number of complaints related to the adulteration food items in the state. “Of the 15 complaints received from the public, 12 of them were attended and solved,” stated the office of the commissionerate of food safety.
This week, the food safety officers would be conducting raids on establishments selling tobacco products in the vicinities of colleges and schools. The office now has a toll-free number, which public can dial to complain about food adulteration.
Food safety officers conducted awareness programmes in all districts of Kerala for the public as well as people in the business of food. Training programmes were conducted in Kollam, Mallapuram and Thrissur districts of Kerala.
About 260 food business operators and three food business organisations were participated in the event. The office of commissionerate of food safety has also initiated a campaign for safe water used for food business.
As rainy season is approaching, hygiene standards as the threat of food and water-borne infectious diseases was high. The office has already launched strict action against juice shops which are found to be using commercial ice or water of suspect quality.
It has informed food business operators to be care full about the water used to make food items and juices to avoid actions. Ramesh Babu, in-charge and food safety officer, Pathanamthitta, said, “We conducted seminars, classes and inspections all around the district during this week.”
“Raided fruits, vegetables, oil products, milk products and water due to complaints from public. We have sampled the food items and send for testing. Special squad was formed to conduct raids and check complaints from public,” he added.
“As the rainy season emerging, this special squad with the help of health department under the district medical officer (DMO) would take preventive measures to avoid contamination and water related problems,” Babu stated.
“As selling of tobacco products is common near to schools, we have inspected more than 20 shops in the district on Tuesday,” he added. Abdul Jaleel, food safety officer, Ernakulam, said, “Food safety officers inspected and conducted raids in different parts of the district and the city limits.”
“Special classes for food businessmen and civil supply officers was conducted to ensure food safety. Many negative factors was found in the supply chain of food items,” he added.
“We are working to solve the problems in food safety and standards. More than 20 complaints was received from the public. Most of the issues are solved after finding genuineness of the problem,” Jaleel stated.
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