Key Update

Food safety officers collected samples from 22 food vendors across the city, and laboratory tests found them to be substandard. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation will now file complaints against these establishments before the adjudicating officer. Food safety officers regularly collect food samples from businesses across the city as part of routine surveillance. Officials test these samples at the VMC public health laboratory and take action against food business operators based on the results.

Inspections Around Uttarayan

The health department decided to file complaints against 22 establishments from which officers collected food samples during and ahead of the Uttarayan festivities. These include seven restaurants, six dairies, five sweet and savoury shops, three grocery stores, and one unit that produces vegetable puffs in bulk. The substandard samples included seven paneer samples (one prepared paneer dish), four milk samples, three chikki samples, and three jaggery samples. One sample each of tofu, vegetable puff, cooking oil, and ghee also failed to meet the required standards.

Penalty for Non-Compliance

Officials clarified that substandard samples are not necessarily unsafe for consumption but fail to meet the quality parameters set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The resident additional collector acts as the adjudicating officer and hears such cases against food business operators. If the officer finds the establishments guilty, authorities can impose a penalty of up to ₹5 lakh.

Source: The Times of India