As part of a food safety campaign, Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA), Tamil Nadu, conducted several raids and patrols in Coimbatore and Namakkal districts of the state recently, seizing food products past their best before dates, sold in both retail and wholesale shops, and warning outlets maintaining poor hygiene. Most of the confiscated items were beverages, which included powdered health drinks and soft drinks.
While 58 canned bottles of a popular powdered health drink, well past their best before dates, were confiscated from Coimbatore, FSDA raided and seized soft drinks from Namakkal district. During the campaign, some bakery items past their expiry dates were also found.
The FSDA explained it as a continuous process that started after receiving complaints and conducting investigations. According to FSDA, there is a tendency to sell food items past their best before dates at a discount to minimise losses. But under the regulations of FSSAI, selling of any food products past their best before dates can invite fine or punishment.
Hygiene was another problem reported by designated officers from the field. They alerted food business operators, especially, bakeries, to ensure necessary hygiene in the premises.
Kumar Jayant, commissioner of food safety, Tamil Nadu, said, “FSDA of Tamil Nadu is conducting raids and patrols in different parts of the state to check food safety, as part of a continuous process started after consumer complaints and departmental investigations. Every district designated officer is directed to conduct immediate and secret raids, according to the investigation reports and complaints received in each district.”
K Tamil Selvan, FSDA district designated officer, Namakkal, said, “Our team is conducting continuous patrol and raids in different parts of the city as per complaints and investigations. We alerted bakery business operators about the hygiene and products sold from their shops to avoid adulteration and selling expired food products.
Well done !
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