The Biz Reporter
SRINAGAR: Food safety officials have seized a massive consignment of expired and adulterated food items during a series of raids conducted in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Monday.
According to officials, around 10,000 kilograms of expired dates, valued at nearly Rs 50 lakh, were recovered from the premises of a wholesaler. During inspection, the enforcement teams found that fake labels and stickers were being used to misrepresent the dates as fresh and fit for consumption. As many as nine samples from the seized stock have been sent for laboratory analysis. Legal action is expected to follow once the test reports are received.
In the same operation, officials also recovered 675 kilograms of adulterated khoya and a consignment of adulterated supari (betel nuts) worth over Rs 2 lakh. All the seized food items were destroyed on the spot to prevent them from entering the consumer market.
The raids were carried out as part of a special enforcement drive launched ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan and the Hindu festival of Holi, a period when demand for dates, dry fruits and dairy products traditionally rises.
Teams from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted coordinated raids across multiple locations to curb the sale of unsafe and substandard food items during the festive season.
Officials warned that unscrupulous traders often exploit festive demand to push expired or adulterated products into the market for quick profits, posing serious risks to public health. Consumers were advised to carefully check expiry dates, packaging, and overall product quality before purchase.
The department has urged citizens to report any suspicious or substandard food products to the authorities to enable swift action. Officials also confirmed that the enforcement campaign will continue in the coming days as part of sustained efforts to combat food adulteration and ensure consumer safety.
The sale of dates and other dry fruits has seen a noticeable surge in the days leading up to Ramzan, prompting authorities to intensify market surveillance and inspections.
