The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) seized a total 1,780 litres of cooking oil, which was used multiple times for the making of sweets and savouries, during surprise inspections held across Coimbatore district ahead of Deepavali.
The food regulator also seized 306 kg of sweets worth ₹98,700 that were suspected to have been made with artificial colouring agents beyond the permissible levels.
According to the district administration, food safety officers led by FSSAI designated officer K. Tamilselvan carried out surprise inspections in the manufacturing units and shops of wholesale and retail dealers between October 18 and 28.
The inspections covered 436 manufacturing units and shops in Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Sulur, Kinathukadavu, Madukkarai, Thondamuthur, Annur, S.S. Kulam, Periyanaickenpalayam, Karamadai, Anamalai and Valparai in the rural and places in the Coimbatore Corporation limits, including Peelamedu, Ganapathy, Podanur, Town Hall, R.S. Puram, Saravanampatti, Saibaba Colony, Singanallur, Kalapatty, Avinashi Road, Gandhipuram, Vadavalli, Race Course and Ramanathapuram.
Food safety officers collected 57 samples of sweets, which were suspected to have been made using excessive concentration of colourants. Notice under Section 55 (penalty for failure to comply with the directions of the Food Safety Officer) of the Food Safety And Standards Act, 2006, was served on 32 manufacturers.
Five shops, which were found using banned plastic products for packaging, were imposed with a fine of ₹2,000 each. The 1,780 litres of oil seized during the inspections was handed over to agencies involved in the Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) project.
Published - October 29, 2024 06:10 pm IST