Chandigarh: With the onset of the festive season, the Food Safety Department of Punjab has mounted an intensive statewide surveillance and enforcement blitz to curb food adulteration and guarantee the availability of safe, wholesome, and pure food products to consumers across the state.
Acting on the strict directions of Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh and Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Kumar Rahul, special enforcement teams have been carrying out round-the-clock field inspections at manufacturing units, wholesale mandis, sweet shops, dairies, restaurants, and retail establishments across all 23 districts.
Divulging details of the ongoing drive, the Health Minister shared that over the last one month, the Food Safety Department has targeted high-risk festive commodities, including desi ghee, milk, paneer, khoa, traditional sweets, edible oils, vanaspati, and spices. During these coordinated raids, the department has seized a massive quantity of over 11 tons of suspected unsafe food products including Desi Ghee, Paneer, Khoa, Sweets, Edible Oil and Vanaspati. Furthermore, approximately 5 tons of adulterated milk products and sweets found completely unfit for human consumption were promptly destroyed in accordance with statutory procedures, preventing them from entering the consumer market.
The FDA Commissioner appealed to all food business operators, confectioners, and sweet manufacturers to maintain the highest benchmarks of quality and hygiene during the festive rush. She also urged consumers to remain vigilant, report suspicious practices, and purchase food items only from registered and licensed food establishments.
