Srinagar, Feb 20 (KNO): Authorities on Friday seized 725 kilograms of unlabelled honey during a targeted enforcement drive in the HMT area of Srinagar, raising concerns over food safety and consumer health.
Officials from the Drugs and Food Control Organization (DFCO) said the action followed specific intelligence inputs, prompting a surprise inspection in the Abanshah area of HMT. During the operation, a large stock of honey was found stored and offered for sale without mandatory statutory labeling.
According to the DFCO, the seized consignment lacked essential information required under food safety regulations, including the product name, net quantity, date of packing or manufacture, best-before or expiry date, name and address of the manufacturer or packer, FSSAI licence number, and storage instructions where applicable. Samples of the seized honey have been collected and sent for laboratory analysis to assess quality and safety.
A DFCO spokesperson told Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the sale of unlabelled food products is illegal and poses serious health risks to consumers. “Such products escape traceability and quality checks, making them potentially dangerous. The department will not tolerate the circulation of unsafe or non-compliant food items in the market,” the spokesperson said.
The official also issued a strong warning to food business operators to strictly comply with food safety norms, adding that enforcement drives will continue across Kashmir.
Advising the public to remain vigilant, the DFCO urged consumers to report any suspicious or unlabelled food items by calling the Food Safety Helpline at 104. “Packaged food must clearly mention the manufacturer’s details, date of packing and use-by date. This seizure reflects our zero-tolerance policy towards unsafe food in Kashmir’s markets,” the spokesperson added.
