Kolkata civic body food raids hit Park Street area, officials collect and test samples

Around 20kg of food items, including gravy stored in refrigerators and paneer, were dumped by teams of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s (KMC) health department officials during a raid on food stalls, sweet shops and restaurants in parts of Park Street, Russell Street, and Middleton Street on Thursday.

“Samples were collected from 40 establishments and stalls selling food items for lab tests. A mobile food safety lab on wheels was deployed during the drive for on-the-spot testing of the samples,” a senior KMC official said.

“Food handlers were generally found maintaining better cleanliness compared to earlier visits,” the official said.

The teams visited kitchens, examined raw materials, including the spices used to prepare food items, and instructed those who were
not displaying the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) licences to do so.

““One of the owners was served a notice and instructed to make necessary changes, including using date tags on stored food, raw materials and semi-cooked items,
within seven days,” the official said.

On Monday, KMC officials discarded around 60kg of food items and served notice to a restaurant in Kasba during a food safety drive in Acropolis Mall and the adjoining neighbourhood along Rajdanga Main Road, ahead of Durga Puja.

The team inspected over 50 food outlets, including restaurants, stalls and roadside eateries, as part of the drive.

Synthetic colours in two red chilli powder samples, metanil yellow in four turmeric samples and starch adulteration in one paneer sample were found during the drive.