Mumbai: FDA collects 96 samples of sweets, snacks, edible oil, ghee during Ganeshotsav festival

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As the Ganeshotsav festival season arrived, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) started collecting samples of sweets, snacks, ghee and edible oil sold in the market for quality check purposes. While the festival began on August 31, the FDA started a pre-festival drive as the city geared up preparation for the festival.

According to the FDA data, they have collected 96 samples from across the city. "Of the 96 samples, 51 samples of sweets, six samples of snacks, seven samples of edible oil, 10 samples of ghee and vegetable oil, 22 other products samples were collected during the drive till September 8," said Shashikant Kenkre, Joint Commissioner, Food (Mumbai region).

Around 2,400 litre of edible oil worth Rs 4,84,822 was seized by FDA during the drive for suspecting substandard quality and samples are sent for analysis.

The FDA has also issued guidelines for the customers buying sweets and if they come across any substandard quality incident on a toll-free number.

Also read: Mumbai: FDA issues not-so-sweet order to mithai makers

According to the FDA officials during festivals, sweets, and snacks product made up of milk, edible oil, and vegetable oil (vanaspati), are sold in larger quality in the market because of which there are higher chances of selling substandard and poor quality products.

Besides sweets and oils, chocolate and tea powders were seized for suspecting substandard quality products across the city.

Shashikant Kenkre, added, "Chocolates and tea powder worth Rs 2,20,660 was seized for poor quality and samples have been sent for further testing and analysis."

The festivals' special inspection drive by FDA will go on until December this year.

FDA official added, "We have been advising the shopkeepers to prepare sweets in hygienic conditions and a mention of 'use by date' must be displayed on the sweets and snacks for sale."

If the shopkeepers are found to be selling substandard quality food after the analysis, they will face action under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.