Key Update

Authorities conducted a major food safety drive in Ongole city in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, inspecting hotels, restaurants, bakeries, and sweet shops. Teams from the food safety department and the legal metrology department carried out the checks under the directions of the Food Safety Commissioner and the Director.

Violations Detected During Checks

During the inspections, officials registered 20 cases, collected 21 food samples for laboratory testing, and destroyed 50 kg of expired meat. They found several hotels storing cooked food from the previous day and meat kept beyond the permissible safety period in refrigerators. Officials also noticed that some bakeries and sweet shops sold packaged food items without proper manufacturing and expiry dates, violating food safety and labelling norms.

Notices Issued to Food Business Operators

The department issued improvement notices to all erring operators, warning them against storing or selling stale and expired food. Authorities reported the registered cases to the District Joint Collector for further action. Officials advised business owners to inspect storerooms regularly, prevent the stocking of expired items, and complete pest control through certified agencies within the stipulated time.

Multi-Team Operation

Ten inspection teams carried out the drive, comprising assistant food controllers, food safety officers, and deputy and assistant controllers from the legal metrology department.

Source: Deccan Chronicle