Report

Authorities in Bhopal confiscated fake mawa from the Agra-Chambal area prior to Diwali. Ten quintals of mawa were seized by Bajaria police at the Bhopal railway station on Thursday morning. It was discovered in a truck bearing the registration plate MP-04-LD-7711. The samples have been gathered for testing by food safety inspectors.

The district food safety officer, Devendra Dubey, attests that the mawa was purchased in Agra. Investigators are trying to find out who booked the shipment and where it came from. The only person who may be questioned is the driver. Until they find suitable storage, officials leave the mawa in the truck and submit samples for study.

Watch out for the ‘Fake’

A car traveling from Sehore to Ashok Nagar with 1.5 quintals of paneer was stopped by Koh-e-Fiza police on October 11. When officials showed up, Yakoob Shah, the driver, provided samples for analysis.

Another 1.5 quintals of paneer were seized by Hanumanganj police on October 12 from an Ambassador vehicle at the Bhopal bus stop. This paneer is categorized as a “cheese analogue.” It was intended for Vidisha and Bhopal.

Police informants assist in keeping fake dairy products off the market. Local stores provide food safety regulators with samples of milk products, namkeen, and sweets.

They are on high alert, according to senior food safety official D.K. Verma. Their goal is to prevent the spread of tainted food. They seek assistance from officials and keep an eye on borders to ensure quality.

Call for Quality Check ahead of Diwali 

Verma cautions that the festival’s demand could degrade the quality of goods made from milk. He suggests that customers look for FSSAI registration. On packaged items, they should also check for license numbers, manufacturing dates, and expiration dates.

He advises staying away from candy with vibrant colors. Customers should only purchase candies from establishments that provide insurance. They can test the quality of mawa by putting it beneath their tongues; if it sticks, it might contain oil or starch. Paneer may be produced with milk powder if it crumbles easily.

According to Dubey, casual shoppers could find it difficult to distinguish between genuine paneer or mawa. His familiarity with red mawa enables him to identify authentic goods. He finds it more difficult to evaluate paneer because it was infrequently helps him distinguish genuine products. He finds paneer harder to assess since it was rarely made at home. Genuine mawa should retain moisture due to its fat content and should not be completely dry.

Source: The Times of India