Fennel adulteration scam busted in Morbi

Morbi: A joint team of the Food and Drug Regulatory Authority (FDA) and the Local Crime Branch (LCB) in Morbi district has busted a fennel adulteration scam. The FDA team seized around 59,000 kilograms of adulterated fennel worth Rs. 1.13 crore.

The FDA team conducted a surprise raid at a factory in Awadh Industrial Area of Halwad Taluka in Morbi district on May 16. The raid was conducted based on a tip-off that a person named Hitesh Mukeshbhai Aggarwal was selling adulterated fennel by adding color to it.

During the raid, the FDA team found that Aggarwal was using inedible color to dye low-quality whole fennel. The team also found that Aggarwal was selling the adulterated fennel in Delhi and other states without any food license.

The FDA team seized around 56,000 kilograms of adulterated fennel worth Rs. 1.11 crore and around 3,000 kilograms of color worth Rs. 1.82 lakh. Aggarwal has been detained by the police and further legal action is being taken.

The FDA Commissioner, Dr. H. G. Koshiya, has said that the state government is always striving to provide pure and quality food to the citizens of the state. He said that the FDA is taking strict action against those who are found to be adulterating food items.

The FDA has appealed to the people to be aware of adulterated food items and to buy food items only from licensed vendors. The FDA has also asked the people to report any cases of food adulteration to the FDA authorities.