Ice factories in Kozhikode under Health dept. scanner

Plants that fail to meet safety standards to be closed down

Poor hygiene: An ice plant on Kozhikode beach that was inspected recently by the Health Department.

A recent series of inspections held by Health Department squads exposed the poor standards of hygiene at a majority of ice factories along the Kozhikode coastline.

Eleven ice plants were found violating hygiene norms and were served notice to correct slips in the production process. Health Department officials said ice factories that failed to meet safety standards within a week would be closed down permanently.

An ice factory near the Beypore coastal area was closed down after the presence of coliform bacteria was confirmed in the water they used, said officials.

Squad members said only very few ice factories were found keen on regularly testing the quality of water used for the bulk production of ice. The majority were found ignorant of the source of water and hygiene standards at the collection point, they added.

Vigil was intensified after it was found that ice bars collected from unhygienic factories were reportedly used to manufacture crushed ice delicacies and juice items on Kozhikode beach and along national and State highways. Following serious health threats, crushed ice delicacies were banned on Kozhikode beach for several months.

Some ice factories found using poor quality water have claimed that they do not supply the product for direct consumption purposes. Most of them claimed that the ice blocks were mainly supplied to fishers to be used for cold storage.