FSSAI officials seal oil godown at Annur

B. Vijayalalithambigai, Designated Officer for FSSAI, inspecting a godown at Annur on Friday.

Officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sealed a godown with 25,200 litres of edible oil suspected to be adulterated at Annur, in Coimbatore, on Thursday night.

On the basis of a tip-off, officials rushed to the godown around noon on Thursday and found it locked.

Enquiry with the neighbours revealed that the workers from the godown went away just half-an-hour before the officials reached the premises.

As the mobile number of the godown owner continued to be switched off, officials approached the Mettupalayam Magistrate and obtained a search warrant to inspect the godown in the evening.

Later on, the lock of the godown was broke open in the presence of the Village Administrative Officer and police officials.

It was found that the godown had a metal tanker with a capacity of nearly 15,000 litres connected with a hose from the compound wall and oil packed in tins and plastic barrels. Packaging machinery and printed films with the names of leading local brands and oil-filled tins suspected to be adulterated were found inside the godown.

Oil samples from the godown were taken and sent to the FSSAI laboratory in Madurai. Action would be initiated against the godown owner after getting the laboratory report in about two weeks, B. Vijayalalithambigai, FSSAI Designated Officer said.