How safe are your festive sweets? Delhi destroys 922 kg of adulterated and spoiled food items

New Delhi: The Delhi government's Food Safety Department has destroyed 922 kg of adulterated and spoiled food items during inspections at sweet-making units in Nihal Vihar and a khoya market in Mori Gate ahead of the festive season, officials said on Sunday.

Of the total, 402 kg of food items, including rasgullas, chhena and milk cake, were destroyed after inspections at 13 premises in Nihal Vihar. In a separate drive at Mori Gate Khoya Mandi, officials destroyed 520 kg of spoiled khoya and chhena.

Food samples were collected from both locations and sent for laboratory testing.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the department had been directed to continue surprise inspections, regular monitoring and sample testing during the festive season.

"Action would be taken under the law against those violating food safety norms and putting public health at risk," Gupta said.

The inspections are part of the government's efforts to prevent the manufacture and sale of unsafe food items amid rising demand for sweets during festivals.

In Nihal Vihar, the department destroyed 265 kg of rasgullas, 45 kg of chhena, 80 kg of milk cake and 12 kg of grated coconut. Officials collected 14 samples of food items, including rasgullas, chhena, milk cake, laddoos and paneer, for testing.

Inspection teams visited unlicensed rasgulla-making units, other sweet manufacturers and sweet shops to examine hygiene practices and the conditions in which food was prepared, handled and stored.

The department said the surprise inspections were conducted on a holiday, with teams deployed simultaneously across different lanes to prevent establishments from receiving prior information about the operation.

During an earlier inspection in the area on August 26, officials had struggled to locate sweet-making units spread across different lanes. Only three premises were identified, as several sweet makers had shut their shops.

At Mori Gate Khoya Mandi, officials destroyed around 370 kg of khoya and 150 kg of chhena after finding the products abandoned, spoiled and emitting a foul smell. Three khoya samples were collected for laboratory testing.

An earlier inspection at the same market on September 4, during Janmashtami, had resulted in the destruction of around 3,050 kg of khoya and paneer, the department said.

Further action against the food business operators concerned will be based on inspection findings and laboratory reports, wherever required, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules framed under it, the department added.