CNN Central News & Networks / ITDC India ePress / ITDC News /Agencies/ Delhi: New Delhi: The Delhi government has stepped up action to prevent adulteration in food items during the festive season. On Tuesday, a team of the Food Safety Department raided the khoya market at Mori Gate and seized and destroyed about 7,000 kilograms of unhygienic and foul-smelling khoya. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reached the spot, inspected the action and directed officials to stop suspicious food material from reaching the market.
During the drive, the department team collected 44 surveillance samples from the market. Their preliminary testing was carried out on the spot through the Food Safety Department’s mobile testing facility, ‘Food Safety on Wheels’. Of these, 35 samples did not meet the prescribed standards. Two additional samples have been sent to a laboratory for detailed testing. Preliminary testing indicated the presence of milk powder, vanaspati and substances used for binding in the suspicious material. Their actual composition will be confirmed by the laboratory report.
According to the Food Safety Department, this was the fourth major drive at the Mori Gate market. Earlier, 2,830 kg of khoya was destroyed on September 4, 610 kg on September 8 and 520 kg on October 23. After the latest action, the total quantity of khoya destroyed so far during the festival period has reached 10,660 kilograms.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta warned that adulterators playing with people’s health would not be spared. She said strict legal action would be taken against those adulterating food items, regardless of their influence.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh held a review meeting with Food Safety Department officials and directed them to increase testing and monitoring in the capital. The department said the drive to check the quality of khoya, paneer, ghee, sweets and other food items would continue.
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