FSDA to keep an eye on goodies for Christmas

MEERUT: With Christmas and New Year just around the corner, Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) officials are on their toes to ensure that residents don't fall prey to adulterated sweets, cakes and other food items consumed during the festive season.

For this, a five-member team has been constituted which will conduct surprise checks at shops in both rural and urban areas to check adulteration and sale of expired items in the market. The anti-adulteration drive will continue till the first week of January.

Giving information, JP Singh, chief food safety officer, said, "A five-member team of the food department is conducting regular checks by sending suspicious food items to the laboratory for testing. If any sub-standard or unsafe food item is found, the person will be dealt with as per rules."

Samples of the suspicious food items will be sent to the food testing lab in Lucknow to avert any manipulation at the city-based lab. However, if the food items look way too suspicious, they will be sent to the lab and an immediate report will be sought. "The sample reports from the city-based lab can be procured in 48 hours and action will be taken soon after," said Singh.

The FSDA officials are keeping a watchful eye on the production of milk, milk products, cakes, Christmas sweets.

"The food items are preserved and have been sent to Lucknow through courier. The results will reach us after 20 days. We are focusing mainly on sweets, milk products and cooking oils to check adulteration," said the chief food safety inspector.

The FSDA authorities claimed that customers can file food-related complaints with the department on the condition of anonymity.

If a resident is apprehensive about a certain food item that he or she has already bought, then it can be sent for testing to the food department. If the food item is found to be adulterated, a complaint can be filed on the condition of anonymity. The sample may be submitted by depositing Rs 1,000 and if found adulterated, a complaint can be filed with the FSDA officials, who will initiate further action.