Pre-Holiday Food Safety Plan

In a pre-holiday enforcement action, Food Safety teams in Kozhikode district shut down 16 unregistered food establishments during increased inspections before Christmas and New Year festivities. Over four days, the teams discovered numerous businesses operating without proper licenses or postponing their renewals. They inspected 176 establishments and collected samples from 62 stores for lab analysis to prevent food tampering, contamination, and unauthorized sales during the festive season.

Concerns Over Preservatives and Food Coloring

Sakeer Hussain, Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, who oversaw the inspections, explained, “We collected wine samples, Christmas cakes, and seasonal baked goods to test for preservatives like Benzoic acid and Sorbic acid.” He expressed concern about businesses exceeding allowed limits on preservatives. Additionally, Mr Hussain warned about the dangers of excessive food colouring, highlighting that it could worsen allergies and asthma in children. He pointed out, “Although hotel dishes are not allowed to contain food colours, we found their use in biryani, fried chicken, mandi, and Al Faham.” Several offenders have already faced legal action, he noted.

Consumer Vigilance and FSSAI Compliance

Food Safety officials urged consumers to be vigilant and avoid products from unlicensed producers. Businesses that lack registration with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) risk fines up to ₹10 lakh. The Food Safety Department has mandated that all vendors selling fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish—wholesale and retail—obtain FSSAI licenses to avoid penalties. This requirement also applies to home-based and small-scale food businesses.

Source:  The Hindu