Food safety dept raids 16 sweet units, seizes products worth ₹5.9L

Food safety officials in Karnataka conducted surprise inspections across multiple districts on Monday, seizing food products worth ₹5.99 lakh from 16 sweet manufacturing units due to violations of food safety regulations. The crackdown, carried out by the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) department, targeted facilities in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru City Corporation, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation areas. Authorities found expired curd, improperly labeled chocolate decoration materials, and misbranded food products during the operation.

The FSDA initiated the special drive to enforce strict compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations. Officials seized 5 liters of expired Nandini curd, 13 large and 6 small packets of unlabeled chocolate decoration products, 10 kg of chocolate flavor, and 5 kg of rasgulla. Additional seizures included 367 kg of ready-to-eat savouries, 196 kg of fennel powder, 6 kg of khova, 4.5 kg of cracked cocoa beans, and 4 kg of cocoa powder. Approximately 60 kg of products, including banana chips and chakli masala, were misbranded for lacking mandatory labeling details such as manufacturer information and FSSAI license numbers.

Samples of sweets, cooking oil, curd, pulses, chickpeas, jalebi, khova, and tea powder were collected for laboratory testing to assess compliance with food safety standards. The FSDA stated that establishments found violating regulations would face legal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, pending laboratory results. The department emphasized that ensuring consumer safety remains a priority, warning of continued enforcement against non-compliant businesses.

The latest operation follows a November 2024 inspection drive during Deepavali, where officials tested 151 sweet samples and found nine unsafe due to artificial colors. In a separate initiative, 31 of 90 food product samples entering Karnataka were deemed unsafe because of artificial colors and bacterial contamination. The FSDA reiterated its commitment to maintaining food safety through rigorous monitoring and enforcement.

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