Food Safety Department destroys 922 kg of food items in raids: CMO

New Delhi

The Food Safety Department destroyed about 922 kg of food items during surprise inspections ahead of the festival season, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated on Sunday. 

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said no compromise on public health or the purity of food products would be tolerated. “During festivals, when demand for sweets and other food items rises, greater vigilance and responsibility are essential to ensure food safety,” she said. 

Ms. Gupta said sweets are an integral part of traditions, faith and mutual affection, making their purity a matter of public health as well as a legal obligation. 

During a special drive at Mori Gate Khoya Mandi, the department destroyed around 370 kg of khoya and 150 kg of chhena found to be “spoiled and emitting a foul smell”, according to the CMO. Three samples of khoya were also collected for laboratory testing. 

In west Delhi’s Nihal Vihar, officials inspected unlicensed units manufacturing sweets and destroyed around 402 kg of food items, including 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 for testing, including six of chhena, two each of milk cake and rasgullas, and one each of motichoor laddoos, atta laddoos, rasbhari and paneer,” an official statement said. 

The department said the inspections were conducted on a holiday, with teams deployed simultaneously in different lanes to prevent establishments from being alerted in advance.