FDA seizes adulterated sweets worth Rs 1.5 lakh

Aiming to crack down on the sale of adulterated sweets and snacks ahead of Diwali, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently conducted surprise raids in a number of shops and stores across the city. Over 654 kg of allegedly adulterated food items — including mawa (dried whole milk), besan (gram flour), maida (wheat flour) and edible oils — worth Rs 1.5 lakh were seized in the raids on Sunday. The searches were conducted in two phases — October 10-16 and October 17-23.

In the first phase of the drive, seven samples of edible oils worth Rs 29,000 were seized. Following this, eight samples of milk products and 45 samples of sweet-making ingredients such as low quality mawa, besan, and maida were seized. Also seized was 44 kg of cow ghee worth Rs 18,000. The FDA has taken cognisance of adulterated foods sold at a cheaper rate during the festival.

In the second phase, 10 samples of edible oils weighing 654 kg and worth Rs 65,000 and 55 samples of sweet-making ingredients worth Rs 43,000 were seized. According to the FDA department, high levels of urea, suji, starch in milk and edible oils (palm) were found in the seized mawa. I was also found that the sweet makers added foreign fat in milk and mawa to make it rich. For sweets made from besan and maida, they used inferior quality of grains.

Joint Commissioner (food), FDA, Suresh Annapure, said, “After receiving a tip-off, we raided a number of shops, stalls and godowns. The seized samples have been sent to laboratories for analysis. We are waiting for the report.”