Monday, 10 JUNE 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner R Rajesh Kumar stated that so far, authorities have found less adulteration in food items sold on Char Dham routes this time compared to last year. He said that the department took some advance measures this time that helped in preventing adulteration in foods sold on Char Dham routes. According to him, the department trained over 2,000 street food vendors across the State before the commencement of the Char Dham Yatra to ensure they were aware of prohibited practices and how adulteration can affect the health of consumers. Besides this, the department also organised an awareness dialogue programme with local businessmen, shopkeepers, social workers and other agencies concerned to raise awareness among them as well. In the past two weeks, the FDA teams took a total of 601 samples from various hotels, restaurants, Dhabas and shops at Char Dham routes. All samples were tested on the spot through the mobile laboratory. Only 72 samples or about 12 percent were found to be of substandard quality which is quite a low number as compared to last year, Kumar said. He informed that from January to May this year, the department has taken 1,763 food samples out of which, they have received test reports of 1,040 samples. The officials found adulteration in 60 samples and have taken departmental action against the establishments besides registering cases against them in police stations. Besides this, the FDA teams are also conducting regular checks of dairy products, packaged spices and cooking oil. The teams have also started taking samples of fruits from Mandis to ensure prohibited chemicals are not being used for their artificial ripening. Kumar said that the teams have also been taking samples of medicines and cosmetic products to ensure those are not fake and prohibited ingredients are not being used in preparing them. The FDA tests these samples in its hi-tech laboratory in Dehradun which has the capacity to test 3,000 samples together. Over 2,000 samples have been tested there so far. Anybody with information or complaint regarding adulteration in food products can call 180018004246 and appropriate actions will be taken in the matter, he said.
