Rajasthan, Jharkhand police seize expired food items in separate raids
What's the story
In a major crackdown on food safety violations, authorities in Rajasthan and Jharkhand have seized large quantities of expired and adulterated food items, with the Rajasthan consignment destroyed under official supervision and the Jharkhand consignment marked for destruction. The operation was part of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) nationwide campaign to tackle such offenses, NDTV reported. The seized products included noodles, sauces, mayonnaise, paneer, and oil, which posed serious health risks if sold in markets.
Jaipur operation
Rajasthan raid uncovered sophisticated equipment to alter expiry dates
In Jaipur, the Rajasthan Food Safety Department uncovered a large-scale operation involving expired packaged food products. The raid resulted in the seizure of nearly 1.5 lakh kilograms of expired items, including noodles, sauces, and mayonnaise, from storage facilities and distribution points. What raised serious concern was the recovery of sophisticated equipment allegedly used to erase or alter expiry dates on packaged food.
Dhanbad inspection
Jharkhand bus interception led to discovery of suspected adulterated products
In Jharkhand, a similar enforcement action was carried out by the state Food Safety Department in Dhanbad. The operation was based on specific intelligence inputs and led to the interception of a bus from Bihar carrying suspected adulterated food products. The seizure included around 1,450kg of paneer and 90 litres of oil suspected to be substandard.
Consumer awareness
Food safety officials urge consumers to be vigilant
Food safety officials have stressed the need for consumers to be vigilant and check expiry dates on food products. They have also urged people to report any suspicious items to local authorities. Authorities have reiterated that selling or distributing expired food is a serious violation of food safety laws with potentially severe health consequences.