568 litres of used oil destroyed, 32 licences suspended in Kerala food safety drive

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala food safety officials have destroyed 568 litres of used cooking oil and 7,000 fried snacks during a statewide crackdown on unsafe food practices. The inspection drive, Operation Thelima 2.0, also led to the suspension of licences of 32 establishments, Health Minister K Muraleedharan said on Tuesday.

The inspections targeted snack-making units to prevent the unsafe reuse of cooking oil and ensure the quality of fried food sold to consumers.
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32 establishments lose licences in statewide inspections

The inspection teams began work at 3 am on Tuesday and checked 160 snack-making units across Kerala. A total of 56 teams took part in the operation.

Officials used a special device to test cooking oil at the premises. Oil that failed to meet prescribed standards was destroyed, along with snacks prepared in unhygienic conditions or stored for distribution.

The department also issued 23 notices directing establishments to correct food safety violations. Further legal action was recommended in six cases, while action involving fines was recommended against 80 establishments, the minister said.
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When does cooking oil become unsafe to reuse?

Repeated heating and prolonged use can degrade cooking oil and increase the formation of potentially harmful chemical compounds.

According to the food safety standards cited by the minister, cooking oil with Total Polar Compounds (TPC) levels exceeding 25 per cent must not be reused for cooking.

Food business operators have been directed to check oil quality regularly and dispose of used cooking oil in accordance with the law.

What is Operation Thelima 2.0?

Operation Thelima 2.0 is the second phase of the Kerala Food Safety Department's inspection drive aimed at ensuring the quality and safety of fried food products.

Muraleedharan said inspections and action against unsafe cooking oil reuse and other food safety violations would continue across the state.

PTI