Rajkot's Food Safety Drive Uncovers Substandard Paneer and Destroys Expired Goods
Food Safety Inspections in Rajkot
Representational Image
Rajkot, Nov 6: In a recent initiative, four samples of loose paneer from various establishments in Rajkot district were found to be substandard after laboratory tests revealed they did not comply with food safety regulations. Additionally, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) took action by destroying 269 kg of stale, expired, and unfit food items during a special inspection ahead of the Diwali festival.
Officials reported that the Food Department's surveillance identified that the paneer samples did not meet the required standards. One sample from Fortune Milk & Food Products in Lati Plot had an excessive amount of foreign fat.
Another sample from Shri Gayatri Dairy Farm on Punitnagar Main Road showed a milk fat content below the acceptable level.
Furthermore, two samples from Prakashbhai Pravinbhai Harsoda near Satellite Chowk on Morbi Road and Bhagwati Trading at Vijay Plot-11 on Gondal Road exhibited lower-than-standard milk fat content, while their moisture and foreign fat levels surpassed the permissible limits.
The civic body announced that legal proceedings would be initiated against the implicated establishments.
In a separate effort to combat food adulteration and unsanitary conditions during the Diwali celebrations, the Food Department inspected 62 establishments throughout the city.
During these inspections, a total of 269 kg of stale, expired, and otherwise unfit food items were disposed of.
Notices were issued to two establishments regarding their storage practices, licensing, and hygiene, with administrative fines totaling Rs 11,000 imposed.
The largest amount of discarded food was found at Chamunda Farsan in Sitaram Nagar, located under the Morbi Road bridge. Approximately 251 kg of materials were destroyed, including 21 kg of washing soda used in making farsan, 180 kg of stale spicy papdi, 30 kg of spicy sev, and 20 kg of spicy boondi.
This establishment received a notice for unhygienic storage and licensing violations, along with a penalty of Rs 5,000. At The Hamper Store on Satya Sai Road, officials disposed of expired chocolate molds, around 9 kg of chocolates made from them, and about 18 kg of dark chocolate.
A notice was issued for licensing issues, and an administrative fee of Rs 2,000 was charged. At Avadh Dairy Farm on Mavdi Main Road, a notice was issued regarding hygiene, and a sample of loose mixed milk was collected.
The department also gathered four samples of farsan—loose sev, spicy papdi, spicy gathiya, and poha chivda—from Chamunda Farsan, along with the loose mixed milk sample from Avadh Dairy Farm. All five samples were sent for analysis under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The inspection covered various food outlets, restaurants, dairy farms, provision stores, farsan shops, bakeries, medicine stores, and other establishments in areas such as Pragati Complex, Rajnagar Chowk, Mayani Nagar Road, Ambika Township, and Nana Mava Road.
Several establishments were also reminded to adhere to food licensing regulations, including Shivam Medicines, Pratik Medicines, Shri Ganesh Dairy Farm, Sumit Provision Store, Chitra Provision Stores, and Satnam General Stores at Pragati Complex, as well as Krishna Trading in Jivraj Park.
Administrative fees of Rs 500 each were collected from the first six establishments, while Krishna Trading faced a charge of Rs 1,000.
The RMC emphasized that these inspections are part of their ongoing efforts to combat food adulteration and ensure hygiene in food establishments during the festive season.