Report

With Holi approaching, the Food Safety & Drug Administration (FSDA) in Prayagraj has ramped up its efforts to stop the sale of adulterated ingredients like khoya, mawa, and other vital products commonly used during the festival. “We monitor food safety throughout the year, but the increased demand during the festive season opens the door for more adulteration,” said Sanjay Kumar Pandey, Assistant Commissioner of FSDA Prayagraj. “We’ve deployed dedicated teams to monitor each tehsil, and traders found adulterating products will face strict penalties.”

Harmful Adulterants Found in Bulk Sweets

As the markets overflow with sweets for Holi, FSDA in Prayagraj officers have identified dangerous adulterants, such as Argemone Mexicana and butter yellow dye, in oils and khoya used in the sweets. They also found that semolina, an important ingredient, is being used to create synthetic milk and milk cakes, which are sold at higher prices despite lacking real milk. In response to these findings, FSDA initiated a special campaign on Saturday.  Officials collected samples from 23 different locations, including paneer, dates, tur dal, namkeen, khoya, paneer masala, papad, turmeric, red chilli, milk, kalakand, and rasgulla.

Seizures and Destruction of Adulterated Products

FSDA seized 2,048 kg (42 sacks) of suspicious whole turmeric, worth approximately Rs 2.66 lakh, from a company in Naini. They also sealed 15 sacks of red chilli powder and 48 kg of dates from a shop in Nakhas Kohna. In addition, the team destroyed 31 kg of substandard khoya found on Meja Road.

Commitment to Safe Festivities

These proactive actions highlight FSDA’s ongoing commitment to ensuring safe food practices and protecting consumers during Holi celebrations.

Source: The Times of India