Raids reveal poor quality food stuff across city

LUCKNOW: Nearly 90% food samples, including raw material, cooking medium and packed food were prima facie found of sub-standard quality during raids carried out by officials of the food safety departments at various places in the city. On Tuesday, officials have taken 10 samples of various food items into their custody from shops located in different areas of the city and have sent them for testing.

A Chinese restaurant in Hazratganj was raided by officials who took a sample of vegetable oil and found it sub-standard. Prior to this, the restaurant was raided by the officials of the food department in 2014, and sub-standard raw material was seized from there.

Senior superintendent of police (Lucknow) Yashasvi Yadav said, "If edible items are substandard, it's a serious matter as it puts public health to jeopardy and criminal action should follow." He added that action can be taken under relevant sections of IPC and Food & Drug Act, provided FDA officials register a complaint.

Sub-standard are samples of Amul Taza toned milk and Amul full cream milk were collected from Munshipulia. A sample of flour collected from a bakery in Marutipuram was also found sub-standard. Apart from this, milk samples collected from Khazana Chauraha (in Aashiana), Para Chauraha and Mal Bharavan Road were also found sub-standard prima facie.

A sample of aerated cold drink collected from a Transportnagar-based restaurant and khasta namkeen (fried snacks) collected from Hewett Road were of poor quality. In addition to these, a sample of chilly powder from a retail outlet in Vikasnagar was misbranded.

On January 16, Food Safety and Drug Administration has suspended the food licence of two sweet selling shops of the city. As per the FSDA officials, the two shops were asked to stop operating their shops until further orders, following notices being served to them. The step was taken after laboratory reports confirmed presence of detergent powder in a sample collected from one shop and chemical colour from the other sample. Commissioner FSDA Badal Chaterjee told TOI that samples collected from the two shops were found unfit for human consumption, hence food licence has been suspended.