Food business operator fined for safety violation

PANAJI: A fine of 10,000 has been imposed by the North Goa district magistrate on a food business operator for violating safety rules by not providing the food products' details on the label.

As per provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the penalty was imposed on Sachin Soni, who runs a shop at the municipal market, Panaji, "for packing and selling/distributing 'Red Chillies cashew nuts' food product, which was declared to be 'misbranded food'."

The label of the product was found to be without the manufacturing date / lot No. as well as the date of packing on its label, in violation of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labeling) Regulation 2011.

The sample of the red chillies cashew nut was collected by senior food safety officer Rajiv Korde of the Food & Drugs Administration and the sample was tested at the food and drugs laboratory at Bambolim, and the fine was later imposed.