Key Update

The Food Safety Department in Kollam has intensified its enforcement drive to curb the excessive use of preservatives in cakes, a method often used to increase shelf life. Officials initiated legal action after laboratory tests declared 10 out of 32 cake samples unsafe for consumption.

Preservative Limits and Legal Action

Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety A. Sakeer Hussain said food safety regulations allow manufacturers to use potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate only within prescribed limits. “When manufacturers exceed these limits, the department marks the samples as unsafe and initiates prosecution,” he said. During the last financial year, officials tested 67 cake samples and filed 32 cases in court based on adverse laboratory findings. The department has fixed the maximum permissible limit for potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate at 10 grams per 10 kilograms of cake. Officials have directed small-scale manufacturers to approach food safety officers to clarify doubts related to preservative use and regulatory compliance.

Training, Testing, and Registration Mandatory

To improve compliance, the department has urged manufacturers to attend free Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programmes and obtain the required certification. Authorities have also mandated that manufacturers conduct laboratory testing of their products at least once every six months. Officials have reiterated that home-based bakers are required to register with the Food Safety Department. A five-year registration costs ₹500.

Festive Season Inspections and Penalties

The department has warned that selling food products without a valid registration or licence is a punishable offence and can attract fines of up to ₹10 lakh. Ahead of the Christmas and New Year season, officials have launched strict inspections and formed five special squads across the district to collect samples and monitor compliance, the official added.

Source: The Hindu