Officials of the Food Safety and Standard Authority conducted surprise raids on sweetmeat manufacturing units and retail outlets here on Sunday in the wake of complaints that harmful substances and colouring agents were being used in large-scale manufacturing of sweets to meet the demand during the Deepavali season.
A team officials from the authority headed by District Food Safety Officer R.S. Biradar raided two sweetmeat manufacturing units in Station Bazaar and Sangameshwar Nagar and six retail outlets in other areas.
The teams seized samples of sweets in which harmful substances and colouring agents were allegedly used and sent them to laboratories for testing.
There had been complaints that sweetmeat manufacturing units were using harmful chemical substances which could cause cancer and other health complications including damage to the small intestine. The pasting on sweets were not original silver-coated paper too.
To continue
Mr. Biradar told The Hindu that the raids would continue on Monday too and the two manufacturing units and retail outlets had been warned not to sell sweets whose samples had been sent for testing.
He said that initial investigation had revealed that the silver-coated paper used by the units were substandard items not fit for human consumption. Cases would be registered against the units under relevant sections of the Food Safety and Standard Act.
The sweet manufacturing units were also not maintaining hygiene.
They had been told to maintain cleanliness as per the specifications of the Act, Mr. Biradar added.
