Food Safety Organization kick-starts market checking campaign

SRINAGAR, MAY 23: Enforcement Officers of Food Safety Organization kick-started a multi-pronged inspection campaign of food business establishments across the Valley today.

More than 50 samples of different categories of food items including milk and milk products, dates, suji, fruit beverages, biscuits, edible oil, jam and pickle were lifted in the first week of Ramadan.

During the random inspection in district Srinagar, the inspecting team destroyed one quintal of stale meat and seized spices worth of 3 lakh.

The team also prepared ten challans against food business operators who did not adhere to the sanitary and hygienic requirements of Food Safety and Standards Act.

In district Budgam traditional pakodas and pickles exposed to dust were destroyed, besides 50 kg of deteriorated fruits and vegetables were also destroyed.

In Baramulla, Pulwama, Bandipora and Shopian random samples of milk, dates, edible oil and suji were lifted for laboratory analysis.

The campaign is started on the directions of Commissioner Food Safety, Dr. Abdul Kabir Dar.

All the street food vendors, hawkers were directed to cover the food items like dates, other fruits and traditional fried products and warned of stiff penalties for any violation and non-compliance. Besides, improvement notices were issued to various food business operators especially milk and meat sellers with the direction not to keep the meat hanging on display outside their shops.

The consumers have been requested to file any complaint regarding food quality in the market through proper on phone number 0194-2495191.