Food Safety department officials conducted raids on the premises of three fruit vendors and seized over one tonne of artificially ripened bananas on Wednesday.
A video of vendors spraying chemicals to artificially ripened bananas was circulating on social media and based on complaints, officials from the Food Safety department conducted inspections on the premises of three vendors in Chinna Kadai Veedhi. In the raids, food safety officials found that only one of the stores was operating with a food safety license.
The officials seized 1.2 tonne of artificially ripened bananas worth ₹75,000 and two spraying machines used to spray ethepon solution for ripening the fruits from one of the outlets. Officials have issued notices to all three shops under Food Safety and Standards Act and the seized goods were destroyed.
Similarly, a team led by R.Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety conducted inspections at jaggery units at Danishpet and Kadayampatti to check adulteration. Officials found adulteration at one of the units and seized about 2.1 tonne of adulterated jaggery worth ₹75,000. Officials also seized elements used for adulteration like white sugar of about 600 kg. worth ₹25,000, 20 kg of super phosphate, soda ash 25 kg, sodium bicarbonate 25 kg. Officials have lifted two samples for testing and it was sent to food lab at Guindy in Chennai.
