The Delhi government's Food Safety Department has destroyed 922 kg of adulterated and spoiled food items during inspections at sweet-making units in Nihal Vihar and the khoya market in Mori Gate ahead of the festive season, officials said on Sunday.
The department destroyed 402 kg of food products, including rasgullas, chhena and milk cake, after inspecting 13 premises in Nihal Vihar. In a separate operation at Mori Gate Khoya Mandi, officials destroyed 520 kg of spoiled khoya and chhena.
Food samples were collected from both locations for laboratory examination.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the department had been directed to continue surprise inspections, regular monitoring and sample testing throughout the festive season.
"Action would be taken under the law against those violating food safety norms and putting public health at risk," Gupta said.
The inspections were part of the government's efforts to prevent the manufacture and sale of unsafe food products during festivals, when demand for sweets and dairy-based products increases.
๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐-๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
During the Nihal Vihar operation, officials destroyed 265 kg of rasgullas, 45 kg of chhena, 80 kg of milk cake and 12 kg of grated coconut.
The teams also collected 14 samples of various food items, including rasgullas, chhena, milk cake, laddoos and paneer, for laboratory testing.
Officials inspected unlicensed rasgulla-making units, other sweet manufacturers and retail sweet shops, examining hygiene practices and conditions under which food products were prepared, handled and stored.
According to the department, the inspections were deliberately conducted on a holiday, with teams deployed simultaneously across different lanes to prevent establishments from receiving advance information about the operation.
The department said an earlier inspection in Nihal Vihar on August 26 had encountered difficulties because sweet-making units were spread across several lanes.
Only three premises could be identified during that operation, as several sweet makers had reportedly shut their establishments.
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ธ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
At Mori Gate Khoya Mandi, food safety officials destroyed approximately 370 kg of khoya and 150 kg of chhena after finding the material abandoned, spoiled and emitting a foul smell.
Three samples of khoya were collected for laboratory testing.
The department said the market had been inspected previously on September 4, during Janmashtami, when approximately 3,050 kg of khoya and paneer were destroyed.
The latest operation forms part of continued surveillance of markets and manufacturing units dealing in sweets and dairy products.
๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐
The Food Safety Department said further action against the food business operators concerned would be determined by inspection findings and laboratory reports, wherever required.
Proceedings would be initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules framed under it.
Officials said inspections and sample collection would continue as part of efforts to ensure that food products sold during the festive season meet prescribed safety and hygiene standards.