FSSAI asks officials to launch drives to check adulteration of sweets, milk during festive season

With the festival of lights Diwali round the corner, people across the country are expected to jump into the festive mood and relish a number of dishes and sweets with their friends and family members. Usually there is a huge demand for sweets, milk and other milk products across the country during the festive season.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked officials to launch special drives to check adulteration of various flours, sweets, savouries, milk and milk products like ghee, khoya and paneer during the festive season.

There is every possibility that the demand might trigger economic motivation to adulterate such products to meet the rising demands of the consumers.

“In such a scenario, preventive actions including carrying out special surveillance , enforcement drives by the Food Safety Officers, Designated Officers especially at hot spots/ manufacturing units/ storage units under their respective jurisdictions can be effective tool to curb such pratices while ensuring safety of such products,” FSSAI said in its notice.

According to FSSAI, the frequent surveillance and special drives will be helpful to prevent any such malpractices. Also, the Food Safety Wheels, where available, also need to be positioned in prominent markets or on the basis of specific intelligence inputs to ensure that the products are safe to consume and are as per the food products standards.